Wednesday 21 November 2012

Three Streets to the Wind


What goes around comes around…. at least that’s what they say. I think it’s true.  Take Folk music, a genre that had a great following in the 1960’s.  There seems to be a resurrection of folk music as of late -   only this time around it has a rockin' new edge and attitude.   Bands such as Mumford and Sons, The Dropkick Murphys and Of Monsters and Men are gaining popularity and recognition and deservedly so!  They’ve opened our minds to listening to Alternative Folk and as a result I'm very much enjoying the tunes coming from Canada’s own ultimate table pounding, drinking, sing along at the top of your fucking lungs, partying Alternative Folk/Rock band, Streets of Hastings.

Canada has very strong Celtic roots and let’s face it… we know how to fucking party!  After all, we learned from the best… the Newfies!  They’ve been pounding back beers as hard as they pound on their tables at kitchen parties for ages, listening to Celtic Folk music.  Streets of Hastings have definitely got that party vibe down.  They're a self described drinking band with a rock n roll problem.  Not to mention they do have their own token Newfoundlander.

Streets of Hastings is made up of Phil Alexander on lead vocals and guitar, originally from North Bay Ontario;  Jason Bedard (Trucker),  a Rockland Ontario original on bass guitar and vocals; and Larry Peyton (Peyts), keeper of the beat on drums  and vocals.  Yes…you guess it, Peyts is originally from St. John’s Newfoundland.  Their current home is Rockland Ontario and I’m thinking there’s gotta be party wherever they go!  Let’s all move to Rockland!

These guys are fucking funny!  I love their sense of humor and their love of life and fun shows through in their music, especially in their songs such as 1812 (Proud Canadians), Sea Bag and Kelly Ann.   But that doesn’t mean they can’t be serious and sensitive.  Songs like Comfort No More, Don’t Go Away, and 31(I Ain’t Gonna Make It) show the deeper side of these guys.  Now I've said that they have a that table pounding Celtic sound and that’s true…just listen to Kelly Ann,  Drinkin Like it’s Free and Slainte, but keep listening to Three Streets to the Wind and you’ll discover many music styles including a retro punk sound – Rupture and Faceless being  perfect examples.  And well, they just fucking rock when they cover House of The Rising Sun!

Go ahead, preview their music below....



Not only do I like the music of Streets of Hastings, I like the men that make up this band.  I highly recommend you visit their website at www.streetsofhastings.com and while you're there definitely check out their personal and band bios!  I guarantee you'll laugh your ass off!  Then, while you're in a really good mood, support this rockin band and buy some of their tunes............. ; )


Wednesday 7 November 2012

A Couple of My Favorite Things....

Hey everyone... I've been so fucking busy lately but I've come up with a new time management plan and I should be posting regularly again!  It requires getting up at 4:30 am, but at least this way I'll have time to write.  Good thing I'm a morning person!  Anyway, I've been itching to talk about two of my very favorite Indie music artists.  I've written blogs/reviews for both these groups in the past but this summer and fall I was fucking lucky enough to see them both perform live!

I'll start with C-Leb and The Kettle Black because I caught them live first in August at the Summer Meltdown festival in Darrington Washington.  Yeah...that's how much I love these guys - took the ferry over to the mainland, crossed the border, drove 3 hours there and back in one day to catch these rockers blow up the fucking stage!  And of course they didn't disappoint!

Let me refresh your memory, C-Leb and The Kettle Black are an urban blues band from Seattle Washington.  The first time I heard one of their songs, I fucking couldn't run fast enough to buy their album.  Between C-Leb and Jesse's writing talents, C-Leb's strong vocals, Jesse's slide guitar, Sandy's bass lines and Jazz keeping the beat on his skins, these guys have got it fucking goin on!!  Not to mention they are all fucking sexy as hell!  

The boys weren't headlining the festival and being Indie artists they are still making a name for themselves.  I watched them start out performing to a fairly small crowd, but as their set progressed I wasn't surprised to turn and see the crowd had substantially grown and were calling out for more!  And more is what C-Leb and the Kettle Black gave to us!  They surprised us by performing a new song for their encore - Flat Black will be on their next album....(rumor has it, they're working on it now!  I can't fucking wait!!)  Holy fucking shit!  I thought I couldn't love these boys more but this song blew me the fuck away!  Needless to say, I was very happy I made the trip!

The boys were great too!  Though they were busy with putting away their equipment, and they had their families there, they were still kind enough to take a few minutes to talk to me... and oh yeah, I got hugs too - score!  Every one of their songs is a favorite of mine, so it's hard to pick and choose one to share... I'm gonna share Guilty with you, but be sure to head over to their website at c-lebsounds.com to check out more!  You won't be fucking disappointed!



The second band that I had the opportunity to check out was Cupla!  I couldn't wait to ferry over to catch their show in September in Vancouver at the Princeton Pub.  And again, I was not disappointed!  Like C-Leb and The Kettle Black, I've been a fan of Cupla from the first time I heard them.  Everybody who knows me, knows I love all music but my heart lives in hard rock and blues.  Another thing that attracts me is originality... well, Cupla has originality all wrapped up with a fucking bow and their blues riffs drive me wild!

I was curious to see how Cupla would sound live.... Tricia McAloney has that sultry low voice and I wondered if the music would overpower her in a live show.  Turns out that I had nothing to be fucking concerned about.  They sounded even better live than on their CD (which I love, by the way).  And this was in a small pub with not so great acoustics.  What I wouldn't fucking give to hear them perform in a Theater Arts center, such as the Esplanade in Medicine Hat.  I bet they would blow that fucking place up!

Not only do I love Cupla's music... I love Cupla.  Bobby and Billy McAloney could possibly be two of my favorite people alive.  These are a couple of the sweetest guys I've ever met and considering the life these two young men have lived so far, it is surprising.  Just another argument for how expressing yourself through music is healing and therapeutic.  Tricia is beautiful and cool, Brando is a sweetheart and Andrew is sexy time!

Another thing to love about Cupla is how they are willing to stand up to bullies!  My Stand, the song they wrote and performed to shine a light an age old problem that has been tormenting our children for as long as I can remember is touching, beautiful and relevant.  It means more to me than they can possibly know.  I moved around a lot as a kid and almost every year I was the new kid.  The new kid gets bullied a lot, believe me!  If you haven't heard it, please check it out now...


To get more information and links to all their music, please visit Cupla at www.supernova.com/cupla1.  Not only are they my heroes, they are a hell of a lot of fun to do Tequila shots with too!  I can't wait for the next time.........; )