NxNE: The Final Night

Hmm, long time between NxNE installments. Here's the last bit. Subtitle: Saving The Best For Last.

The final official night of the festival, Saturday June 8, started as a busy day. One of my favourite recurring events at NxNE is the SOCAN songwriter's panel, where a handful of songwriters prop themselves up on stools and take turns talking about and performing their songs. You know the routine. It was scheduled from noon to 1:30. Only problem was, I was scheduled to attend Wordstock all day Saturday, a day of seminars and workshops for writers and journalists at Ryerson. It promised some very practical and useful sessions on how to find well-paying freelance work, how to move efficiently from your notes to writing a story, etc. All stuff that I was in need of brushing up on, or at least being reminded of; kind of a butt-kicking exercise. So I was kind of bummed that it looked like I'd have to miss the SOCAN panel. But then I realized that the lunch-hour for Wordstock coincided exactly with the timing of the songwriters' panel. Woo!

So I ended up double-conferencing. I cut out early from the last morning session at Ryerson, hopped on the TTC and hoofed it over the Holiday Inn on King in time for the panel; enjoyed hearing songs and stories from Kathleen Edwards, Dan Kershaw of The Bros. Cosmoline, Martina Sorbara and The Weakerthans' John K Sampson.

It was the first time I had seen Kathleen Edwards, and I was fairly impressed. She seemed kind of dour, but maybe it was the hour. Heh. Was struck by how Lucinda-ish her style is. That's not a bad thing. She did a nice song about her brother ñ lyrics had some very wonderful details that brought it to life and made me smile. She also did a cover of AC/DC's "Let Me Hear The Money Talk" (if that's the title - not a big AC/DC fan) as a country-folk-ish song, and it came off really well. Dan K did a very nice version of "Motel 6". This guy is one smart songwriter. Very intelligent concepts that inform his writing, but it's a very transparent intelligence. Doesn't always bring attention to itself. Like a good drummer. Martina Sorbara actually impressed me more than I expected. I had heard a couple of her songs from her web page, and they seemed okay, though her singing verged on preciousness. And she's almost too cute to be believed. Those long lashes that flirt with her dark bangs, the sparkling eyes, the beautiful, sexy mouth ñ I get the sense she could be the Natalie Imbruglia of Canada. But here at the panel, she sang very powerfully and she proved herself a very accomplished guitar-player (on a beautiful guitar that she made herself! That's impressive.) So I was forced to pack up some of my preconceptions. Will have to check her out next time she plays around town. And, of course, John Sampson was witty and biting with his "I Hate Winnipeg" song, and he spoke about coming out of the punk tradition of songwriting, and how the first rule was to break the rules. Good session, but I could only stay for two songs each, and then I was out the door and on my way back to Wordstock, not even having time for a sidewalk sausage.

[Later that day...]
When I was trying to plan my strategy for Saturday night, I knew I wanted to end the night at the Horseshoe for The Mooney Suzuki at 1 am. And I thought maybe I would take a musico-accelerative approach. You know the type. That is, I would try to start out with something quiet and serene, then move on to maybe something a little more funky, maybe reggae, then some power pop perhaps and then keep revving up the energy until the Mooney.

Didn't work out that way. I did catch Evalyn Parry at Oasis, who was a bit shakier than when I had seen her previously, but was also at the mercy of a bad PA. She seemed to be more political than previously, but still witty and rather enjoyable, ending on a high note with her song "I'm A Rover", which is a traditional-Irish-sea-chanty-cum-lesbian-emancipatory-anthem-type song. You know the type. Then I thought i'd try Australia's Gilli Moon at Lounge 88. The first few bars revealed what a bad idea that was. Too middle-of-the-road. So I scooted back up to College to catch 84 Nash at Rancho. Much better. Good energy. Rockin' young lads. Then onto Oasis to see my friends and former bandmates Heather Morgan and The Company Of Men, which now featured a rhythm section and a fiddle, and almost as many women in the company as men. Heather & co. bravely battled the stifling heat (they don't call it the Oasis for nuthin'!), and played a very good set, even without me :-). Good show guys!
(It was strange actually seeing Heather's face while she sang ñ I was used to seeing the back of her head, as I had always stood behind and to the side of her onstage.)

Then on to the 'Shoe for The Mooney Suzuki (NOTE: not Mooney Suzuki ñ The Mooney Suzuki). Their latest album is oh so appropriately called Electric Sweat. This was about the third time I had seen these New York trash-garage-punkers, and they've blown me away every time. Their musical pedigree (if I can even use that term) owes as much to the Velvets and the Ramones as it does to the MC5. In fact, Electric Sweat ("10 sweat-drenched slabs of electrocuted rhythm & blues!!!") was recorded in Detroit. But they're just so New York. And how do they do it? Attitude! Attitude! Attitude! It's not about melody, or songwriting, or even so much about the riffs ñ it's just 100% sweet manic rock & roll energy.

On overdrive.

Times two.

Squared.

They just obliterated the place. Within minutes of their first song, the lead guitarist was swinging from the overhead pipes and the singer/guitarist (he of the ever-slack mouth, the fly shades and the 'I own you and you love it' posture) had jumped into the fray in front of the stage. There was no winning over the crowd. It was instant conquest. We were theirs from the first kick beat and they knew it. They were the bratty boys from across the street, and we were your sister's rag doll left on the porch with her knickers showing. There was nothing we could do but give it up. But what a surrender. Sweet sweet rock & roll surrender.

You know the type.

Mooney! Mooney! Mooney!

They more than made up for whatever disappointments I had experienced up til then. A sweaty and deliriously wonderful end to another NxNE.