Tag Archives: canadian

Tracks on Tracks

Fellowship of the Beards “The Matinée” – Tracks 10 years, part 5

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ain’t nothing but a good time, all the time

Dealio: (Almost) cross Canada Rock n Roll Train / Flashback and Preview

Note: can you spot me in on the fun?

Anyhow,… 10 years ago, I was on a train going from Vancouver to Toronto with 10-ish rock ‘n’ roll bands, CBC Radio 3, mixed media documentary film crew and other free radicals + I was on board as Svengali-like guru ;) / advisor.  And finally, the documentary is coming out in chapter/band parts…, ergo:

The Matinée at the Gladstone end of the tracks blow out (i think this is my photo but if its not, just let me know)

Blurb:

“I know that wasn’t the question, but this is the answer”

The friendship and camaraderie of The Matinée is as evident as the affable gents provide cabin tours and compare Canadian landscapes to Lord of the Rings geography while wondering “what life feels like there” as places whisk past VIA Rail Canadian train’s window.

Beyond the witty banter, they play *so much* that Matt Layzell’s voice is almost tossed into the baggage car with the empty bottles ~ from 3 AM group sing-alongs, to Lightfoot/Dylan-esque poetics in the view car (including Kiana Brassett chiming in on violin), and breaking out songs sounding like summer FM radio in a convertible turned up to 11 as the throngs cheers their beers to slinging Matt Rose & raconteur Geoff Petrie on guitars, Pete Lemon switching between brushes, tables, shakers & sticks, and Mike Young swapping bass for mandolin. 

Indeed, The Matinee collectively brought the chops and the charm reminiscent of The Band on the 1970 Festival Express with easy-going sincerity, swagger & style and surprises for everyone – especially for CBC host and singer of The Smugglers, Grant Lawrence who was temporary speechless for the first time in his life.

So continues the Track on Tracks rock ‘n’ roll train adventure from Vancouver to Toronto with 10+ bands, dozens of music enthusiasts, and a documentary crew who were literally climbing the walls to capture it all. Hop on board for part 5 of 10 and see you in the bar car ready to sing-a-long.

by daveo for Green Couch
me auditioning to be “The Matinée’s honorary uncle with Matt Layzell

All the goodness at: Green Couch Films Tracks on Tracks
/ Track on Tracks playlist at YT

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Tracks on Tracks

We’ll always have Melville “Shred Kelly” – Tracks 10 years, part 4

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From the roadside to the box car in 36 hours (or so)

Dealio: (Almost) cross Canada Rock n Roll Train / Flashback and Preview

10 years ago, I was on a train going from Vancouver to Toronto with 10-ish rock ‘n’ roll bands, CBC Radio 3, mixed media documentary film crew and other free radicals + I was on board as Svengali-like guru ;) / advisor.  And finally, the documentary is coming out in chapter/band parts…, ergo:

2 snaps of Shred Kelly, one in the train and one playing to Melville (i guess also on the train but ya know, not moving, the train that is…)

Blurb:

In a rapid flash, Shred Kelly went from a broken-down van on the side of a mountain highway, to a tow truck then a rental racing the clock to Edmonton to hop aboard the train. Making it just in time to stumble into an epic dance party already in overdrive. Whew.

The jovial quintet then brought relentlessly positive vibes to the town of Melville, Saskatchewan with an early morning luggage car performance, serenading what-must’ve-been-90% of the prairie town’s denizens – complete with lawn chairs, big coffees, and/or tall cans – sliding open the box car to belt out a rousing tune about disaffection for crappy jobs. The beaming mayor expressed his sincere thanks as the train coterie danced alongside the locals.

Once the shock of their unlikely transport triathlon wore off, they settled into their groove of jamming with everyone, pulling out banjos, melodicas, mandolins and rocking with a rapt, packed train car with smiles as bright as an indie-rock Osmond family.

This episode features Tim Newton’s impressive assortment of toques and hats, Sage McBride leading sing-alongs like the grooviest community choir leader, plus Ian Page-Shiner on traps, Steve Polit on guitar, and Jordan Vlasschaert’s scene-stealing ‘stasche rounding out the roster as he shared the band’s ski-town friendliness by thanking the producers/directors/filmers/everyone involved on making this ridiculously awesome journey happen.

And so the VIA Rail Canadian train rolls on, backed by a free-wheeling soundtrack with community coalescing by the kilometre from Vancouver to Toronto – with an important lesson learned, “Whatever it takes, just make it to the station.”

by daveo for Green Couch

All the goodness at: Green Couch Films Tracks on Tracks
/ Track on Tracks playlist at YT

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Tracks on Tracks

Time-shifting Train for “The Belle Game” – Tracks 10 years, part 3

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Behold: the enchanting “Belle Game”

Dealio: (Almost) cross Canada Rock n Roll Train / Flashback and Preview

10 years ago, I was on a train going from Vancouver to Toronto with 10-ish rock ‘n’ roll bands, CBC Radio 3, mixed media documentary film crew and other free radicals + I was on board as Svengali-like guru ;) / advisor.  And finally, the documentary is coming out in chapter/band parts…, ergo:

while i understand this is not a photo of The Belle Game, this is a lovely photo of being “on the tracks” rather than “on the road” regardless, dig the salad and cup of soup

Blurb:

An ensemble is solving puzzles: metaphorical about how to play in different circumstances, logistical about how to deal with power outages, and practical like this puzzle has 500 pieces and three waterfalls. Yet, The Belle Game solves all the problems with courage and grace while shifting styles and eras – is this 50 years ago or 50 in future?

Starting with trackside sparklers at a “water stop” at an undisclosed location then segueing into unabashed joy playing with balloons, streamers and shine in the packed “activity car”… as Canada rolls past in endless twilight, the band builds layers like an art school thesis submitted for professors Eno and Bowie.

The band candidly discusses their apprehensions and concerns yet all the trepidation evaporates once they pick up instruments and launch into song – you’ll feel the emotion of “yes i will wait up for you”. Later, they squeeze into the caboose car, along with oboe and bassoon from Sidney York, and a clapalong crowd for a intimate performance to bookend their transcendent offerings.

Together, vocalists Andrea Lo and Katrina Jones (also keys), guitarists Adam Nanji and Alex Andrew – plus Marcus Abramzik on bass and drummer Rob Chursinoff – find ways to solve the puzzles: sing differently, change instruments, and switch approaches to find the infinite possibilities in constraints.

So, c’mon and oll through the “S curves” on this train adventure from Vancouver to Toronto complete with a cadre of bands, fans, documenters, and other free radicals in part 3 of Tracks on Tracks, more to come, more is past.

by daveo for Green Couch

All the goodness at: Green Couch Films Tracks on Tracks
/ Track on Tracks playlist at YT

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Tracks on Tracks

Vancouver station to Winnipeg crossroad with “Portage and Main” – Tracks 10 years, part 2

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10 years distant, songs were sung – for children & mothers – beards were combed, tracks were rolled. You wanna come along?

Dealio: (Almost) cross Canada Rock n Roll Train / Flashback and Preview

Note: can you spot me in on the fun?

10 years ago, I was on a train going from Vancouver to Toronto with 10-ish rock ‘n’ roll bands, CBC Radio 3, mixed media documentary film crew and other free radicals + I was on board as Svengali-like guru ;) / advisor.  And finally, the documentary is coming out in chapter/band parts…, here’s part 2 with “Portage and Main” / I think you will really enjoy.

take a break Driver 8, on the way to Winnipeg (PS evidence i was there :) dvo)

Blurb:

“we’ll find him in the park with a kite.. . blowing bubbles” 

As the Canadian scenery flashes by in impressionistic hues for greens, box cars and rain, the affable fellas of twin acoustic guitar folk rockers ”Portage and Main” talk about their wonder, disbelief and excitement about being on this “Festival Express-esque” journey while sharing their heart felt Canadiana songs.

So continues the Tracks on Tracks journey, a 2012 Vancouver to Toronto train adventure with 10 bands and dozens of music enthusiasts exploring the Canadian landscape aboard the classic VIA Rail Canadian. Fortified with a spirit of camaraderie and pure creative expression, the bands head towards NxNE festival with the mantra of “Every night! Every night!”

Named for the fabled Winnipeg intersection, their songs evoke themes of searching, growing up, being away and coming home. John, Harold, and George move from upper deck dome car with spontaneous collaboration with chanteuse Adaline, to activity car with wide-eyed audience noting the serendipity of the experience paired with the song, to a jam packed sleeping berth with late-night improvs including a sizzling fiddle solo from Kiana Brassett.

Yup, it’s all happening, all at once. Produced by Green Couch Films and now available to spark your dreams of adventure. Get aboard, there’s more to come.

daveo for Green Couch

Epilogue: I mostly really glad that George gets a lot of screen time, he’s a really top-notch dude (check out his digital recording demonstration videos, often out in nature in his VW bus) … In other news, John as “Johnny 99” has a new album out shipping *today* on vinyl, and Harold has done some wonderful online sing-along/a cappella/piano lessons on IG.

All the goodness at: Green Couch Films Tracks on Tracks
/ Track on Tracks playlist at YT

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Tracks on Tracks

Dance party on the train “Topless” – Tracks 10 years, part 1

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Splash! It’s all happening (as the train risks going off the tracks like a glitter piñata into InterGalactic space)

Dealio: (Almost) cross Canada Rock n Roll Train / Flashback and Preview

Anyhow,… 10 years ago, I was on a train going from Vancouver to Toronto with 10-ish rock ‘n’ roll bands, CBC Radio 3, mixed media documentary film crew and other free radicals + I was on board as Svengali-like guru ;) / advisor.  And finally, the documentary is coming out in a series of 10 – here’s part 1 with “Topless Gay Love Tekno Party” (AKA Topless AKA TGLTP) / I think you will really enjoy.

squeeze in where ya can, in this case, basically hanging on Ian Bevis’ back

Blurb: “I like the place the music creates” 

A train car packed with sweaty shirtless dancers, streamers and balloons, and a dance groove sextet called “Topless Gaylove Tekno Party” bursting like a glitter explosion compelling the effervescent passengers dance so hard there was *a legitimate concern* the mighty VIA train could launch into an intergalactic stratosphere as they sing full-throated along with the band – all of them in utility-grey onesies, “I’m not a diamond, I am not cold to the touch” dancing to the sway of the rails. 

So begins Part 1 of 10 of the long-awaited Tracks on Tracks video series, a 2012 Vancouver to Toronto VIA Rail journey with 10 bands onboard, exploring the Canadian landscape and creating culture through performances and collaborations from dome cars to sleeping berths to whistle-stop shows. 

Along the way, the “Topless” members discuss their song-making process, the importance of naps, the logistics of wearing onesie uniforms, sleep-over steam-rollers, Ulysses as a bedtime story, and the joy they find when making something magic together.

Produced/directed by Green Couch Films, you’ll see unique points of view including verdant greens in the ever-changing scenery, freight trains whisking by, and views of the spectacular art-deco rolling stock and so many amazed and enthusiastic faces chanting  “everynight! Everynight!” in joyous disbelief this is actually happening. Get on board, quickly, there’s more to come.

daveo for Green Couch

All the goodness at: Green Couch Films Tracks on Tracks
/ Track on Tracks playlist at YT

Consider Perusing:

Tracks on Tracks

(Almost) cross Canada Rock n Roll Train / Flashback and Preview

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Such goodness out now

10 years ago, I was on a train going from Vancouver to Toronto with 11-ish rock ‘n’ roll bands, CBC Radio 3, mixed media documentary film crew and other free radicals + I was on board as Svengali-like guru ;) / advisor.

It was our own 90 person indie rock Festival Express co-mingled with the usual passengers and doing ridiculous / ill-fated whistle stop shows along the way and ended up at NxNE festival for showcase and I presented a keynote talk about social media disasters…

Recursive/meta photo of a TV with Grant Lawrence of CBC showing a TV with a video of Grant, me and others on the train from Green Couch film YouTube

And finally, the documentary is coming out in chapter/band parts starting June 8th iirc. Consider yourself warned, amused and excited.

All the goodness at Green Couch Films Tracks on Tracks

Handy playlist at YT: https://www.youtube.com/greencouchfilms

Continue reading (Almost) cross Canada Rock n Roll Train / Flashback and Preview →

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Writing Life

Aside: Steven Heighton, Governor General’s Literary Award-winning poet, dead at 60

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I keep thinking about this poet, he was a dashing Canadian “award winning” (though I’m not sure what those words mean anymore) poet, roughly my generation, he died, I know nothing about him.

Steven Heighton received the 2016 Governor General’s Literary Award for poetry for The Waking Comes Late. (Mark Raynes Roberts)

There were some articles on CBC and then he is just gone. As a poet, he reached the “pinnacle of success” which can be expected without going into the *cough cough* pop-culture mainstream and then you “achieve” this, feted with awards which only other poets in that circle know about, you get an article and then you are just dead.

The Kingston, Ont., writer published six books of poetry, debuting in 1989 with the provocatively titled Stalin’s Carnival. It promptly won the Gerald Lampert Award for best first collection and set him up as a new and exciting voice in Canadian poetry.

“Steven Heighton introduced a new basis into Canadian poetry: an approach to traditional formal rigour that was entirely original and personal,” said poet A.F. Moritz when Stalin’s Carnival was reissued in 2013.

“It became the seed of what in the new Canadian poetry is most truly experimental and restlessly seeking.”

CBC Books · Posted: Apr 20, 2022 

I’ve made a note to acquire his books although I’m not sure what that does anymore. I can’t participate in his story (goodness knows, I mostly read books by dead people) but what’s to be expected for the life of a poet size just writing poems and then just dying rather young and undramatic. So we go on.

He does seem rather interesting… yet completely in a world i don’t know.

“Some of the poems in this book are translations of other poets. I call these translations ‘approximations,'” said Heighton in a 2017 interview with CBC Books.

Source: Steven Heighton, Governor General’s Literary Award-winning poet, dead at 60 | CBC Books

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Personal Musings

Scenes of Life from New Year (shrine, Osechi, cards)

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Up the hill to the shrine
Various bells, 5¥ coins and claps
Greetings to neighbours 
Evidence follows

Here are the festive cards received so far arranged on a string with help from my miniature assistant. Expecting a load of New Year’s cards arriving today. Yes I love this arts and crafts part of the holidays.

Once I rode this train when I was Canadian.

Now I’ll always know what year it is. A year for making “a circumnavigation, of sorts” >> free verse poetry, snippets of diaries, fragments of letters, unspoken musings, lists and annotations, compiled and abridged – printed, bound, stamped and shipped #Intention

So, how’s your New Year’s day going? We ate osechi variety platters of (often mysterious) food but most is so tasty and all is elegantly and deliberately prepared (despite what the whiners say)

More to follow as we go along, as we go along… tigers roar meow

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Kinfolk + Pals

Ichiro: cards #61~65 “5ive Set / Farm, Minako, Canadian, Rice, Superstar” 12.2~9.2020

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5 – count ’em 5ive – new #Ichiro cards for your on-going collection from early Dec. 2020 (Reiwa 2), series includes:

Ichiro: card “Farm guys” hanging out at uncle Mac’’s goat Emporium Rural Caprine Farm with a haiku post box in the sunshine
Ichiro: card “meeting Minako-san” the remarkable elder lady proprietor of the finest tiny restaurant with ridiculous Okonomiyaki & a completely psychedelic painter (minus the psychedelics)
Ichiro: card “Officially Canadian“ no big deal, came with an awesome sweater and a citizenship certificate
Ichiro: card “Let’s try rice!“A.k.a. “Snacktime“ or “spoonful of wasabi…“ Yep, trying a little bit of sort of solid food in the form of smashed up rice soup. Next step, pierogies
Ichiro: card “Okayama superstar” our prefecture ain’t so famous (unless you count peaches, peach boy legend, denim and school uniforms…) but that’s changing with this dashing dude

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Portraits of the Artiste

Portrait: Canadian Campers

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Canadian Camper: daveo disguised
Canadian Camper
A hybrid of sorts, classic Canadian outdoorsman with his puffy trucker’s vest, proto-hipster snapback hat, one of my dozens of “Run for Fun” champion T-shirts ( #HumbleBrag), brass pig belt buckle, and yet another fresh set of glasses.
 
As usual, brother Bob is trying to get into my groove, but I’m patient and understanding.
 
 

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