P&PS

We had our Independence Day fireworks on the 1st for Canada Day so last night was a bit of a different celebration.  For anyone familiar with Canadian music, particularly blues music, or any of you who read my blog last year, you know Jim Byrnes is amazing. Last year I saw him and his band sass it up at the Vancouver FanClub.  This year, I saw him take a stroll down memory lane at the Evergreen Cultural Center .  Covering quite a few classics and folding a number of originals into the mix, Jim, as always, created an unforgettable night of music.  Favorites this time included I'm Moving On, Nadine, Above and Beyond, Take Out Some Insurance on Me,and, surprisingly, Big Blue Diamonds a song I wouldn't normally recommend, but with which I am now fascinated. His opening act Babe Gurr had a similarly eclectic collection of songs with a fantastic use of rhythm and melody, particularly within her worldbeat fusions.  Musically she reminded me a lot of Abigail Payne...

On Thursday, Sammy and I went to Derry for the Fleadh. More accurately we went to see Cara Dillon, but the celebration was a nice addition. The weather was rather bad so I don't have much in way of photos or video, but I had a lot of fun all the same. I spent most of the afternoon at the Tower Museum in their 'History of Derry' exhibit which turned out to be a nice prelude to the concert.  The concert itself was fantastic. The atmosphere was more festive than I had expected given the pseudo-formality of the occasion which was nice. There was a camera crew there for the first half of the show, shooting film for part of the  Music Promise  BBC documentary series, which sounds like it'll be interesting.  The set list was a balanced mix of the more typical small band performance and the arrangements done with the Orchestra.    I don't have a complete listing of the songs, since there were a couple I didn't recognize, but in addition to The Lass of Gl...

Sunday I went and saw Jim Byrnes perform at the Vancouver Fanclub, to say I had an amazing time would be an understatement. I fel like such a broken record saying this since I haven't come up with another way of describing the experience, but it was absolutely amazing.

::Daniela Andrade:: Things We’ve Said EP Tumblr // YouTube // Website About the Album: This is Daniela’s first album and I have to say it’s about time.  I’ve been waiting excitedly and expectantly since I first heard she was in the studio recording. First Encounter: I can’t remember how, but I do know the first song I heard of hers was her cover of Somebody Loved .  I’m not a fan of the original song so I was a bit skeptical going in, but that didn’t last long, I was mesmerized.  That afternoon I remember going through her channel listening to her songs wishing she had an album out so I could buy because I was pretty sure YouTube was going to come after me for abusing the replay button.  The EP: There are seven songs on the EP, all of which I love.  I couldn’t pick a favorite if you asked me to both because they’re all awesome and because it really depends on what kind of mood I’m in.  Daniela’s music is more upbeat than most of the stuff I lis...

    ::Adele:: 21 Tumblr // YouTube // Website // Facebook About the Album: This is Adele's second album although the first one I got my hands on. The only things more awesome than the songs on the album is are the live performances plastered all over the internet. The only complaint I have about the album is that in order to listen to it properly you have to crank the volume all the way up. All the way. First Encounter: It's hard to tell anymore who's fault it is that I got addicted. It all started with Rolling in the Deep . I'd heard a couple of her other songs before that but hadn't paid much attention (I was clearly insane). Favorite Songs:  This really is not a fair assessment as every single song blows my mind. That being said I tried to pick out the best fits for the next couple of sections. Set Fire To The Rain - 'Rumor Has It' may have been my first...

    ::Larkin Poe:: Larkin Poe (EP) Twitter // YouTube // Website // Facebook About the Album: This is the first album from part of what was originally The Lovell Sisters.  The album’s comprised of a wonderful mix of contemporary americana, folk, and bluegrass to present a heartwarming commentary on life’s ups and downs. Full tracks of all the songs can be found on their site (linked above).  For each song I mention specifically I tried to link to a full length video of the song (either the official video or a live taping). First Encounter: Mention of the Lovell Sisters have been seeping into my life over the last couple of months.  I finally took a serious listen a couple of weeks ago and fell in love.  If their awesome wardrobe and obviously sincerity weren’t enough their music’s everything I look for in a good americana group Favorite Songs: I’ve made no comments o...