Thursday, August 27, 2009

Prog Overthrow! @ the August 26 Supper Show

Tonight, hunkered down in Super Robertson’s crawlspace (rented to me as a so-called basement suite and already harbouring an ex-contestant from Megan Wants a Millionaire), I managed to capture the elusive “blogaroo.” Once freed from the leg-hold trap, it jumped on my lap, licked my elbows, passed wind, then sounded its familiar “spittle trumpet” as two lightly-furred tentacles slid from its pouch, encircled my index fingers and guided me in tapping out the following:

With famous person SR paying respects at the G Force memorial, it was left to The Gentle Infidels to entertain the Supper Show crowd, which included David Bash, from the International Pop Overthrow, Land of Deborah, and members of South Burnaby heavies Tarkake. It had been a long layoff for TGI, but the trio delivered a set of not-so-gentle folk rock that was pure sonic splendour in the grass. I’d forgotten what ace clinicians the trio are: Cellist Chris Rzepa, Ferdy Belland on bass (the fretless acoustic kind), and Ed Bond on guitars of his own making. No messing around, this band play some heavy shit and are an easy recommendation if you crave the “underground” sounds from the Woodstock-to-Watergate era; i.e., when shit was heavy. They’re never ones to miss a teaching moment either; we learned from the stage that beer can stave off osteoporosis and that the Railway should host an International Prog Overthrow featuring Pentangle, The Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention, Comus (my pick), Camel and Caravan (David’s picks). I think The Gentle Infidels should get on that lineup too.

It all went down a treat with a couple “pints” of Crannog stout.

Love,
The Mule

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Aug 26 2009

Last week Jacqui Brown and her band put on a strong clinic, and Super R held his own for a few tunes.

The Gentle Infidels are playing the SRSS on August 26th 2009:



I guess this is from June 25 2008... good thing i recorded it, saves me having to describe it. If i were to venture into that territory i would call it "One king hell trio", but as we recall I'm no reviewer but rather something else all together.

I, Super Robertson will have to miss this Supper Show as August 26th was the date chosen to gather to celebrate the life of a very good friend of mine by the name of Gareth Evans, who lost a valiant battle with cancer earlier this year. It will be a night of perspective for myself... a chance to gather and remember that guy who use to scramble up mountains ahead of me all the while kicking down mini avalanches of boulders and when pressed on his climbing technique he would just turn around and say " you should probably not climb right behind me, because that's going to happen".

I'll remember the time one of our friends fell down a glacier and Gareth cheered him on... "whoo hoo all right he's finally getting into it" he yelled until the victim tumbled past us and towards a large cliff. Or the time he hiked the West Coast Trail on a sprained ankle, and refused to complain, and the artwork (that never made it) for the original ROADBED Represented CD... it would sound very childish to try to explain it, but it was really funny... really. Come to think of it, on that CD the song "chimp" and the song "Banana" got their titles from the 11th hour beer infused graphic design session.

Gareth rallied me for art sessions, hackey sac and the dreaded but loved "mid week hammer time". He once defined himself as a "recreator", his friends called him a monkey climber and fighter, a political debater and George Bush hater... any sport where you could get injured flying through the air he did it. If a drawing took a few million dots placed precisely with a fine point pen, he did it. When he got his teeth into something then look out, stuff was going to happen. Of course there is so much more...

Back in the days when he and i camped a lot some times i would have a lot on my plate and thought i didn't "need" to go camping, Gareth would have none of that, so we would go, and then at night, when our tents sat among the stars and we pulled another cold beer from the glacier, i would get the inevitable "so imagine if you weren't here right now, wouldn't that be ridiculous"... yes it would.


I guess in death we have the opportunity to remember the positive spirit of the deceased, and we can choose to carry those traits in an effort to further enrich our lives and the lives of those who we associate with.

Cheers to you Gareth

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

time to man it up as a lesser sissy might go to bed about now

Super Robertson went and stomped down a solo set last week that was a fair clinic in it's own right... he was in Ontario for the past few weeks reminding himself why he lives far away from his relatives and the strip mall syndrome that defines certain parts of Ontario. So for the past little while King Dinosaur, the Vacant Stairs, and Cam and Jesse have held down the fort that is the Super Robertson Supper Show proper.

Tomorrow we have the lovely and talented Jacqui Brown, for her third time back at the Supper Show. She is one you don't want to miss. Super R will be there to experiment with some new songs as well.

so what happened in toronto?

21tr and Great Aunt Ida do the song "Bent"