Jasonmatos

Crumbs from the dinner table

Blackie misses the boat
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings knew they were cutting things close trying to get to the Junos this weekend. They had a gig in Scotland on the Friday night, but were still hoping to fly into Saskatoon Saturday in time to make the Juno gala, win an award or two and then perform a midnight show at Saskatoon’s Broadway Theatre (a venue with wonderfully manicured sound ... I saw the African Guitar Summit perform there Friday). Blackie, however, missed a connection in the U.K. and failed to make it in time for both the dinner and concert. The group, which features Hamilton’s Tom Wilson, also missed the boat in the roots and traditional (group) category at the awards banquet, losing the Juno to The McDades. Blackie member Stephen Fearing did win a Juno in the roots solo category for his album Yellowjacket (Wilson co-wrote the title song). Unfortunately, Fearing wasn’t able to pick it up in person. True North label chief Bernie Finkelstein accepted on his behalf.

Celebrity menu
Musicians don’t necessarily eat well when they’re on the road. They tend to grab stuff on the run or off backstage tables where it’s probably been sitting out in the open for way too long.
They dined well Saturday at the gala banquet at Saskatoon TCU Place, however. Here’s the menu:
Starters — Prairie Style Tiger Shrimp (with Saskatoon berries.
Salad — Mesculin and Velvet Sterns, field greens and enoki mushrooms.
Entree — Chateaubriand con Vino Brodo, oven roasted garlic baby potatoes, sugar snap peas and sweet peppers
Wine: Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc 2005 (with a hint of peach and gooseberry) or Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon (voted ‘best cabernet on the planet’ by Decanter magazine)

Cell phone blues
Cell phones are big at the Junos. Think of it. You win an award, run up to the stage to huge applause, blubber out your thankyous and then stumble back to the table to help your buddies slurp up the rest of the Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc.
The next thing you do is pull out the cell phone to call your mother, lover, husband, sister, son or Grade 4 music teacher to spread the good news.
In 2005 at the Winnipeg Junos, country star George Canyon even dialed his wife from the podium. A few hundred assembled guests were able to hear his wife sleepily answer the phone as he told her of his surprise victory. The stunt was sappy, but real cute.
Yesterday, the stars had to run a bit further to make a phone connection. TCU Place sits in one of those cellular black holes. You have to be standing in the right hallway at the right time, leaning in the right direction to make a connection. And then only with an easterly wind blowing.
So when Canyon won his second Juno Saturday night, it was only natural to ask him if he had made the call to his wife yet.
“My cell phone isn’t working in that area (of the TCU Centre),” Canyon said. “I’m going to have to call her from outside.”
Alexisonfire lead singer Dallas Green managed to get a call out to his mother after winning a Juno for his album City and Country, but he wasn’t looking forward to the next call he had to make.
“I’m going to have to sit down in front of my girl friend and say sorry because I didn’t thank her (from the podium).”
When asked to comment about the contribution his Hamilton-based producer Julius Butty had made to the album, Green replied: “Oh, no. I forgot to thank, Julius. There’s another person I’m going to have to call.

Where there’s a vote, there’s a Calvert
Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert has been everywhere at the Junos this weekend. He even made it to the podium of the Juno banquet to crack a few one liners.
Welcome to Saskatchewan,” Calvert said. “It’s the hardest to spell but the easiest to drive.”
The premier, obviously a fan of Sarah Harmer’s I Am A Mountain CD, “Welcome to the province where our mountain removal project was completed a long time ago.”
Okay, Lorne. We get it. You’re province is flat. Thank you. Now sit down.

Thanks from Sarah
Smart Juno winners never forget to thank their record labels when accepting their trophies. Sometimes they even mean what they say. Like Sarah Harmer. She’s got this neo-hippy anti-corporate tree-hugger thing going on, so it’s kind of hard to connect her with a big label like Universal Canada. It’s not very indy. Universal isn’t the kind of label you go to and say, ‘hey I want to go hiking for a few weeks along the Bruce Trail with my band, play some gigs in tiny places you’ve never heard of, save the planet and stop the expansion of a quarry near my mother’s farm in north Burlington. Oh, and by the way, we’re going to make a record and film a documentary while we’re doing it.’
“I’d like to thank Universal for putting the DVD out,” Harmer said in accepting a Juno for her musical DVD Escarpment Blues. “It helped spread the word about protecting important areas of our country. I really means a lot to us.”

Next time sit with somebody else
Blue Rodeo frontman Jim Cuddy was up against some tough competition in the adult alternative category. His solo CD The Light That Guides You Home was competing with albums by Ron Sexsmith, Neil Young and Sarah Harmer.
“That was tough,” Cuddy joked after winning. “I’m actually sitting with Ron Sexsmith. He’s pretty pissed off. I thought he’d be cool but he’s not.”

Hedley in a Matchbox

Friday, January 19th marks the day of the oddest show to hit the Flamborough Y in its history.

As the advertisements state and the rumors inform, Hedley - who have travelled the world, been featured on MTV numerous times and have played very large venues, such as the concert hall at the Hamilton Convention Centre - are playing a show at the Flamborough Y.

Can I just ask, "Why?"

Sure, to the concert-goer thinks this is fantastic, incredible, they just "OH MY GOD CAN'T WAIT!" But, to the critical eye, there are some issues with this show.

First of all the venue. I have personally heard that the Y will not host the show in the gymnasium. You know, the large, open space that allows room for a stage with a large drum-kit, amps (stacks of them) and the band members themselves. This 'gym' also allows for something known as 'fans' or 'attendees'. Maybe the concert organizers didn't think about this because they were too intoxicated by the fact that they just booked Hedley, but Hedley is a large-scale band with a fanbase that is enormous compared to bands they regularly book to play.

Instead, the show is going to be held in a room that may be the size of a classroom in a half, or maybe 20 washrooms, or 5 living rooms, or how about half the Underground venue, or 2 of the stages from the Music Center. Either way this measures up to an issue.

A regular, local band's equipment takes up a LOT of room, leaving the band members with minimal space to run around, rockout and interact with the fans. Hedley's equipment will surely be double or triple of any local band.

How about the sound system. Running off a single, small sound board, local shows have 'ok' sound for a local show. Is Hedley bringing in their multi-thousand-dollar sound system? They better ... but they better not, because then there will be no room for the band.

Or how about the acoustics of the room. With windows on two walls and cabinets on another, sound doesn't bounce and travel very well.

I just don't know how this will turn out.

I don't want to criticize or mark my self down in anyones black book but I will congratulate the Y on booking such a large scale band and I will also ask them how they will pull this show off.

My best wishes are with the crew of the Y. I believe this show could frame the Y's name in Local Concert Heaven or could turn make their name a cringing memory in peoples thoughts.

Until next time,

Jason Matos
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www.jasonmatos.com

DECIPHERABLE DISTORTIO

Graham Shand has connections in the hardcore scene unlike anyone I know. When Graham wants a show and wants great bands playing, Graham gets the bands. Saturday was no exception.

Here was his all-star lineup:

Better Lies Beneath

Forever Breathing

Four Walls of Jericho

Murders of Rue Morgue

Bodybreak

Battlecat

I know, I know, just take a breath ... it is an amazing line-up!

I was not able to be at the Y to see all the bands because I had a work party, so I moved from the concert to the work party to the concert back to the work party. So I ended up missing Better Lies Beneath and Battlecat's set.

The first band, that I was able to see, was Forever Breathing. I was at one of these guys very first shows and have seen them a few times in the last year. I love this band for some personal reasons, the main one is that they love having their picture taken while playing their set, it's awsome, they will turn towards me, do guitar swings, rock out, it's a photographers dream. Props to FB.

But, I know you don't care about that so I'll talk about their set. If I was lazy I would just tell you to hit up their myspace right now, e-mail them, and try to book them as fast as you can. I would tell you this for a few reasons.

FB is a great group of guys, they are funny, super nice, and they care about their fans and the music that they play.

I'm pretty sure that Bill Serre, the vocalist, was born screaming lyrics while pumping his fist in the air and leaning to one side. Bill is incredible at screaming and his voice just FITS the music. There are only a few screamers that I really like, such as Spencer from Underoath, the Haste the Day screamer and the Silverstein screamer. And I can't get enough of Bill's scream, it's incredible. His stage presence is there, if it's standing on a monitor and yelling into the crowd or if it's headbashing and fist pumping to the beat.

The guitarists, Cory Rodgers and Kayven Sarem, have their chops down. Bottom line: They know their style of music, they practice it, breathe it, they play it. Cory is a big guy, he dwarfs his guitar, but he swings and axe chops that guitar like nobodiy's business. Plus he always makes sure he looks good doing it. Every axe chop or guitar swing he would lose his black and gold New Era cap, a diligent friend would step on stage and put it back on, or he would just play his guitar with one hand and pick his hat up and place it on his head. So good.

Tyler Prince, the drummer likes taking his clothes off. The ladies enjoy it.

After every song Bill would tell Tyler he had to take a piece of clothing off because "the girls wanted it." So he took off his plaid shirt, then his shirt, then his socks, his belt, his bandana, then his pants until he was down to his boxers, double kicking like mad and not caring that he had his boxers and everyone could probably check him out if they wanted too.

Great band. That was a long review. Just book them ok?

Next,

Four Walls of Jericho. They are from Quebec and not known too much around this area. They attracted maybe 20 people to the front of the stage out of 100 plus.

Unfortunately no one was really into them, including me. They just had the regular sound and regular scream with the regular drum beats that are no different from anyone else. I don't want to keep reviewing them because they need to work on their riffs and originality.

Murders of Rue Morgue. Never saw or heard them before Saturday night. With a chest  pounding 2-minute introduction of pure hardcore-metal inspired rhythm guitar and drums, the singer, John Pritchard, just chilled by the wall, moving his head to the beat, with the mic on the floor by his feet. The tempo picks up in the music, John picks up his mic, moves back and forth across the stage, stops in the middle of the stage, leans back, and lets loose his voice. The breakdown comes in the song and he yells out, "It's time to ****** move everyone."

Everyone moved.

John has a lot of stage presence but the guitarists and bassist seem to be rooted in the classic, "legs-spread-supporting-the-guitar" stance and there wasn't too much movement, except for the occasional head bashing during the rhythm parts.

Great music, awsome sound.

Now, thinking that Battlecat was last up, I quickly booted over to my work party, drank some egg nog, ate some brownies and appetizers, then peeled back to the Y for the last set. I arrive just Bodybreak is setting up. They ended up switching set times with Battlecat.

No problem with me.

Both are great bands.

Now, I did have a chat with Battlecat lead singer, Shane Lannen, just chilled with him a bit and we talked about the recording he is trying to finish. He said recording vocals, for him personally, is hard, but he's killing himself now trying to get them done. He and his drummer will just sit in his basement, banging out beats and tracking his vocals. He said it's good, just to be doing what he loves and recording.

How about you get off this blog for a minute and go to www.myspace.com/thebattlecat. Guaranteed you will enjoy it. If not, then ... oh well.

Bodybreak was just a whole level above the bands tonight. They have their act together and they are tight as a band. Logan, the lead singer comes up to me at the beginning of their set and says "Are you the, you know ... camera guy?"

"yeah" I reply.

"ok sick, get some pics of ... me." he replies

"um ... yeah man."

He picks up his mic, jumps up and down, guitar rhythm kicks in, Logans hand reaches into the air as if to grasp something, and he starts their set. Breakdown, and Logan encourages the crowd to come to the front with his beautiful subtlety.

"Hey mother*******, get up to the FRONT"

I think the message got across.

You know, Pat, the guitarist, just amazes me. With dreads down to his waist, skinny as a stick, the guy just gives er' on the guitar. For a photographer it's near impossible to get a decent shot of him without having a massive blur in my picture created by his swirling dreads. But from a listeners point of view it's just amazing to watch.

As for Andrew, the other guitarist, he just shreds his axe up. His classic stance is legs spread, guitar on the left hip as if he was holding an old-school tommy gun, and just ripping the rhythms up.

Scott, on bass, just rocks out, jumps up and down, swings his bass around as if it is on fire .. plus he plays like a genius, I'm pretty sure that I couldn't even swing a bass around like that, let alone hit all the right notes at breakneck speed.

The end of their set was pretty funny though. Pat thanks the crowd, and while he is thanking the crowd, Scott sticks his bass into Logan's butt as a joke. He pulls his bass away and ends up ripping a huge chunk of jean out with it. Logan turns around, jaw dropped, places his mic down, and just walks out.

The crowd killed themselves laughing.

What a way to end a show.

If you hear of any of these bands playing, get to the venue.

Until next time,

Jason Matos

(Top photo: Forever Breathing; Bottom photos: Body Break. Photos by Jason Matos)

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www.jasonmatos.com

Pictures for the Burly YMCA are up now too.

New Names - Same Sounds

After a six-month absence from the Burlington YMCA, I walked into the 'oh-so-familiar' lobby, smelled the same chlorine and floor cleaner scent and saw the same faces at the front desk.

I walked up the red brick flight of stairs, opened the battered brown doors to the 'blue room/concert room' and saw the ticket table in the same spot. I walked up to the unfamiliar faces of the volunteers, informed them that I was "volunteering for photography" and attempted to attatch the VIP bracelet to my wrist, but it was hard, because some moron decided to invent bracelets that are kept on by a glue, so if you miss the bracelet, you stick it to your arm hairs and are forced to rip out a square inch of arm hair.

I said hi to the familiar faces of the volunteers and waited for the first band to set-up.

The Stanford Accent. A cocktail of new and old faces from prior bands. Inspiration taken from larger names such as Norma Jean, Haste the Day and others, the music was somewhat familiar sounding. Unfortunately the lead singer decided to take his shirt off and show off a measly patch of chest hair. Other than his pathetic attempt to show off his manhood he had a decent scream which was backed up by the undecipherable notes of overdistorted guitars.

This band is a new band, as they informed the crowd, and will hopefully find inspiration in bands that accompany their vocals by well thought out guitar and bass riffs. If Stanford Accent turns down the distortion a bit, writes some riffs that don't involve staccatoed sixteenth notes throughout the whole song, then potential is definitely in their sights.

The Love & Terror Cult was not only a new name but somewhat different in a whole new plane. Taking a while to set up, the crowd waited in the final few minutes of their set-up, only to wait a little bit longer as the singer had to be 'fetched.'

In comes the singer, 5-foot-4, heeled boots, tight black jeans and a dull yellow shirt. The singer picked up the mic, introduced their band and let out a scream that made me jump back.

The screamer was a girl. I am not being sexist or prejudiced, but when a 5-foot-4 woman steps onto the stage, call me stupid, but I don't expect a low, wailing, powerful scream to come from that body. But the screams kept coming the whole show and the crowd loved it.With a circle pit going down the whole set, the band didn't let up on their energy level.

The only downfall to this band was their stage presence. The screamer had no problem with stage presence, but I guess as a photographer at heart, I don't always look to how the music sounds or how the beat is thrown out, but instead I look at the band members, how they stand, how they move to the music, how they feel their music. My number one pet peeve when taking pictures at a concert is when the band members don't face the crowd but face the drummer instead, with their backs to the crowd. For those throwing down during the concert, this probably didn't bother them too much, but I don't want to watch a concert and see the backs of the guitarists and bassist the whole set. I want an -your-face concert, with guitar chops and flailing limbs, especially if it is hardcore/screamo music.

So, this required me to stand behind the drummer and take pictures of the guitarists ... not too fun ... akward too.

Foxfight. I've  ranted about long, computer generated intros before (see Beautiful Nothing and Dead & Divine blog)s but Foxfight is an exception. With a short and sweet intro, they jumped right into their music.

Foxfight has great stage presence, with their singer running across the stage, standing on the monitors, and jumping into the crowd. The guitarists were in a legs-spread stance, they ripped up their axes with incredible accompanying solos and out-of-the-ordinary rhythms.

Currently Foxfight is on a 'south-west-Ontario' tour.

Killer He Condemned, other than a great screaming voice and Dream Theatre-esque guitar solos, it just sounded the same as every other band playing that night. Screaming, breakdowns, lots of distortion, double kick, nothing to seperate one band from another.

I Like Your Face was a bit different. With a water cooler in the middle of the stage to hold their water bottles, the band used it to stand on, to put one leg on to accomplish riffs and solos, and to jump off of. Bringing out a crowd that consisted of their girlfriends and their friends who just stood there and watched, once again, it just sounded like another local screamo group.

The stage presence was there, the energy was there but these bands need to step it up a notch and create some music that is different, that stands out ... want some examples?

Check out my next blog on the Saturday the 16th show at the Flamborough YMCA.

Until next time,

Jason Matos

(Photos:  Love & Terror Cult, by Jason Matos)

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www.jasonmatos.com

Carried Away on Pinstripes & Jazz

He's bringing sexy back ... and all the crooners don't know how to act ...

I was underdressed. Let's just throw that fact out there for everyone to know. I was underdressed.

I threw on, what I thought, were my best pair of jeans, a nice button up shirt and to top it all of, my favorite hat, a pin-stripe, navy blue, Boston Red Sox hat. Not that I like the Red Sox ... or even baseball for that matter, but the hat is very nice.

Now, I knew Matt Dusk was going to dress up with his ever-so stylish suit, vest, shirt, tie, pants and shoes, almost all of which are designed by local image consultant Damon Allon.

Let's also mention first that this was my first jazz show. I know nothing about jazz the way I know facts and procedures about the hardcore, screamo genre. I just love the way that jazz carries me away.

So, I walk casually into the Hamilton Place, look around and see cocktail dresses, suits and ... no jeans. No hats and ... thankfully, I saw button up shirts. But I didn't care, I just wanted to watch a jazz show, not try to outdress the 70 year old beside me.

Dione Taylor opened for Matt Dusk. Her band walked onto stage, took their place, picked up their instruments (except for the pianist, he didn't pick up his instrument) and started playing a light tune. Dione walked onto stage a few seconds after to scattered claps. She introduced herself, thankful to be playing in Hamilton and with Matt Dusk, and dived right into a tune from her first album.

I was told, yesterday morning, to watch out for Dione because a lot of people have placed her into different genres. Some in gospel, maybe in blues, a little in jazz, and some in pop. Even the booklet handed out at the conecrt described her as gospel and jazz ... to me, that is a weird mix of genres ... or maybe it isn't, I don't know.

I can tell you that Dione Taylor and her band are all jazz! The pianist was fantastic, with scattered solos and loud riffs in the middle of songs, the band did an excellent job of accompanying Dione's beautiful voice that is able to hit notes in all different ranges. With a beautiful jazz-rendered tune that Prince wrote to a catchy, jazz-infused rendition of Oh Holy Night, Dione and her band made sure everyone had a great time.

After Dione's set there was an 'intermission.' I sat in my seat for the intermission and subtly listened in to the conversation beside me to attempt to understand the jazz lifestyle and views that people have. Unfortunately, for my dad and I, I think we were sitting beside the 'best friend' of everyone in the jazz world. This guy was name-dropping left, right and center! My dad and I just wanted to pop his little ego bubble by leaning over and saying, "You know ... it's great that you had lunch with Dione Taylor, but do you know that I was in the Capitol studios when Frank Sinatra recorded his greatest album ever? Yup ... it is true ... well, have a good night."

Oh to see the look on his face. Oh well ...

Thankfully, the lights settled down and he shut his mouth ... only to inform everyone around him, as if we cared, that he would get to meet Matt Dusk. Urgh.

To first describe to you the talent of the band behind Matt Dusk, let me say that if Matt Dusk were to remain backstage the whole concert and would have let his band play a concert, I would have not complained. They were fantastic. The bassist, with a 6 string bass and a stand-up bass was phenomenal. He was up and down that bass like a construction worker on a ladder. The pianist, sitting at a grand piano, was equally great. During one bass solo, the pianist reached his arms into the piano and started plucking the strings of the piano as if it were a harp, absoloutly amazing. The guitarist provided the perfect back-up riffs and the loud, jazzy solos that can carry you away. The drummer was so animated and lively when he played, I wouldn't have given a care in the world if he just played for a whole concert. The most unique piece of the band for me was the tenor saxaphonist. I have never seen a saxophonist live and it blew me away. I fell in love with the sounds that he worked out of his worn-out sax.

But for all those critics who want to claim Matt Dusk as a Micheal Buble, Frank Sinatra knock-off, I have to disagree. I have found that, in my short-lived love for jazz, a lot of jazz has the same sound if listened to for a long period of time ... or, if you don't take the time to listen to the seperate parts of the band and how the singer uses his voice, all jazz will sound the same. So, for those unfortunate beings who don't take the time to look at the differences behind each singer, then their views will remain as naive as ever.

Matt Dusk credits his love of jazz to Harry Connick Jr (pat yourself on the back and call yourself naive and narrowminded if you think he is yet another Frank Sinatra knock-off)

Matt has great stage presence, always dancing and snapping his fingers when he's not singing and when he is singing, his facial expressions and body posture only enhace the meaning behind the lyrics. If he is sitting on a stool, leaning against the piano or in a slouched stance, he makes sure that the meaning and emotion of his music is understood by the crowd.

Between every 2 or 3 songs he would tell a story of his time in Hamilton or on the road.

During one such chat with the crowd he told us of how he has been reading the papers in the last few days and has read some reviews comparing him to yet another Micheal Buble, Il Divo, Frank Sinatra knock-off. He chuckled and said that he viewed himself more of a "Justin Timberlake knock-off", he laughs again and starts singing

I'm bringing sexy back ... and all the crooners don't know how to act

He's funny, that Matt Dusk.

Aside from his jokes, the Matt Dusk concert was phenomenal. I recommend seeing Matt Dusk if you ever receive the chance.

Check out the blog on Monday for reviews and pictures on (maybe) 2 concerts, one concert guaranteed! Be sure to come out to the YMCA in Burlington tonight (prior blog) to see bands such as Foxfight and the Stanford Accent.

Until next time,

Jason Matos
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www.jasonmatos.com

(for a preview of the Matt Dusk concert, flip over to Leonard Turnevicius' blog for an entry for earlier this week; for an interview and cd review for dione taylor, see his entry for Nov. 11)

THE YMCA ... AGAIN

THE YMCA ... AGAIN

WHEN: Friday, December 15, 2006
WHERE: The Burlington YMCA @ 500 Drury Lane, Burlington
WHO: Killer He Condemned - I Like Your Face - Foxfight - Love & Terror Cult - The Stanford Accent
COST: $6 --OR-- $5 with a canned good

For $6 ... or $5 ... either way, for a cheap price it is worth attending this show to hear some local talent. I, unfortunately, haven't heard any of the 5 bands playing but if you are in the same position as me and haven't heard the bands either, then I wouldn't worry. I would still attend, purchase a ticket, and pack your way into the Y's concert room because I know that Ashley Sloggett only books the best local skills around.

I personally am going to drive/run/walk/crawl to this show because I have not attended a Y show in the last 6 months and it is starting to bug me. So, if I am not there then please feel free to send e-mails harrassing & insulting me for not showing up. I will do my best to avoid any further car accidents, disputes or situations that may place my concert-attending in jeopardy ... I promise. If I am there, please pat me on the back and congratulate me.

Be sure the check out the review on all these bands and to check out the pictures that will be posted.

Until next time,

Jason Matos
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www.jasonmatos.com

LEATHER, CONVERSE & RIFFS: A ROCKER'S DELIG

I was late. Again. What if the show was sold out ... again. That would be great, 3 weeks in a row without a show, what in the concert gods name did I do to anger him and deserve this agonizing torture of not entering shows?

I parked the van, threw on my camera backpack and rushed to the doors of The Underground. I gripped the door handle and yanked on them. The doors were locked. I tried the other door. Locked. I stepped back from under the canopy and looked at the Underground's sign.

"DEC 09 HIGH VOLTAGE"

What is going on? I approach the doors again, passing a gentleman smoking a cigarette with a smirk on his face, the doors are still locked. I turn to him and ask if there is a show on tonight.

"Yeah. Pull harder," he states.

Thanks for the advice Tips. But I pull harder. I pull really hard.

"Hey, why don't you try the other set of doors buddy!" he gloriously tells me.

I look to my right. A whole new set of doors, unlocked and everything. I can see my IQ dropping a few points.

Awsome start to my night.

I race down the stairs, purchase my ticket, open the doors to the concert room, quickly unpack my equipment and race up the stage just as Josh Alverina of High Voltage belts out "This is the High Voltage CD release ... who is READY?!?"

The room erupts in cheers and scattered chants of "HV, HV, HV, HV, HV!"

While the soundcheck was under way Sean Royle pleased the crowd with feedback from his guitar and random spurts of riffs, not even shedding light on his underlaying talent on the axe.

Personally, I am not a 'old-school rock' fan. However you want to define 'old-school rock' if it is music from the 60's to the 80's, I am not a huge fan. I own no CD's by any bands from those times but I am a lover of music and I will not shutout a genre. So, knowing High Voltage was a 'rock' band who loved the classics, I didn't attend many shows of theirs. What a mistake.

I obviously judged HV before I saw them.

I can't tell you the names of the songs they opened with or closed with and I can't tell you the lyrics that the crowd yelled out along with them, but I can tell you some other facts.

High Voltage has their act together. They are obviously knit together as a band by a few common strings.

They all love rock, they all love music, they don't just listen to music, they study music. It is obvious. From the stage antics of Josh to the drum patterns of Luke Arnold, High Voltage studies and knows how to play their genre of music.

The band is obviously close to each other, from the way they grinned at each on stage to the way they respected each other's parts, they are close friends off the stage as they are on the stage.

I would love to describe the talent behind the guitars. I spent the first few songs on the right side of the stage ... or the left, depending on if you are on the stage or in the crowd. Either way, I spent the first few songs on the side of the stage that Sean Royle was burning up. Short, long blone hair, one black Converse, one red Converse, tight black jeans, sleeveless shirt and a B.C Rich guitar ... can you look more like a guitarist?

Can you play more like a guitarist than Sean Royle? I don't know if I have met anyone in my time in Waterdown/Burlington/Hamilton that could outrip Sean on the axe. He must have been born with a guitar slung over his shoulder. This kid knows his stuff. I can't even say anything was wrong with him as a guitarist, he had every part perfect, he hit every note and he hit the notes with STYLE.

Eric Martin, rhythm guitar. I love just watching him play. The stage presence he emits is awsome. While ripping it up with lightning speed rhythms or picking out a heart wrenching melody, Eric puts himself into his music. With swinging hair and moving his body in beat with his rhythm, he only increases the skill of HV.

Josh Alverina belongs on a stage, infront of fans. I can also see Josh sitting infront of his t.v. watching clips of old rock videos, studying every move the singer does. Josh's stage presence is enormous, he is anything but akward on stage.

But forget his stage presence, forget his attire that fits the music and him perfectly, because all that doesn't even matter once you hear this singers voice!

He hits every note. He has vocal cords meant for singing rock. Not the stingy rock you hear off of Supernova or Canadian Idol, not the rock you get from the reality show INXS ... no ... this voice is tuned, rearing and ready for rock. For Motley Crue, Guns n Roses, Metallica, AC/DC rock.

Now, yeah, the band members all have stage presence and don't treat their instruments as if they were new to them, they also work great together.

From standing in the middle of the crowd, Eric and Josh stood back-to-back singing and tearing it up on the guitar, with the crowd shouting and yelling around them to Sean taking off his shirt and impressing the ladies with his guitar skills to Josh and Sean singing their sweet lyrics together, it all fits together to form the rock that Hamilton knows best.

I would like to criticize this band because  I hate handing out reviews praising a band and not recognizing their faults. There were no faults in this band. They have it together unlike any local band I have seen in a while. They stand outside the ever-so-popular trend of emo-screamo-hardcore music that we have come to like so much to show that real rock doesn't die.

The only fault I can find in this band is that they didn't dropkick one kid off the stage who would stand up on stage every time Sean ripped it up on the guitar, or would raise his hands and point at Sean when he held his notes perfectly ... as if the crowd didn't see what was right infront of them and needed this kid to point it out to everyone. Plus, he was in almost every picture I took ... creating a good hour of cropping and editing that wasn't needed if he would stand in the crowd like ever other person. Groupies ....

But I guess if you are an optimist you could view this kid as the poster boy for a HV fan ... oh well.

Until next time,

Jason Matos

(photos by jason matos: Guitarist Sean Royle; Royle and vocalist josh alverina)
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www.jasonmatos.com

dashboard delight

Hands Down: Amazing Performance

I was freezing! I couldn't feel my fingers through my sweater sleeves, I couldn't feel my toes & I couldn't feel my face. But that didn't matter. I was standing in line for the band that truly introduced me to music in a way that no other band could have. I was standing in line for a band that opened up my eyes & ears to raw emotion in music, to truly feeling and understanding what I was listening to.

I was in line to see Dashboard Confessional.

You see, I first heard Dashboard from a grade 12 student on a schoolbus. He told me that "I probably wouldn't like it, no one else really likes it ... but it's worth listening too."

I took the earphones from him, set them over my ears, pressed play on the Discman (yes, this was almost 5 years ago) and listened as Saints & Sailors by Dashboard Confessional played through my head. It was amazing ... the way Chris belted out his lyrics as if he needed, as if he just HAD TO get his emotions and message across, as if it is the only thing he was meant to do in life, to express himself. The passion was amazing. There has not been another band to replace them in the last 5 years.

Sure ... I like other bands, I love other bands, but there's a spot in my heart for the band that opened up my musical eyes and ears to the possibilites of what can be expressed through music.

The concert was held at Arrow Hall in Mississauga. If you have never been there, the venue is not the most picturesque venue for an intimate Dashboard Confessional concert ... ... mainly because it perfectly resembles a huge airplane hangar, obsolete of any emotion. And, after seeing Dashboard Confessional's MTV Live DVD, it's hard to imagine a concert of theirs being held in a large concrete and metal room. Oh well.

Opening for Dashboard were New Yawwwk natives, Brand New. I like Brand New, they know how to play music and the main singer knows how to use his voice to truly express the emotion the song is supposed to express. Changing tones and pitches, singing beautifully, screaming, wailing, hitting high notes no one should hit, he does it all ... and it matches his music perfectly because the emotion and the message are expressed.

Brand New, aside from their excellent music, knows how to put on a good show. From running across the stage in a full sprint (while playing the guitar) to jumping off the bass drum and doing 360's (while playing the guitar) to laying on the ground (while singing and playing the guitar), they do it all. The most unique note of the night for Brand New was the singing into the pickups of his guitar. The main singer unstrapped his guitar, held the pickups to his mouth (the part of the guitar that captures the vibrations of the strings and turns the vibrations into noise) and screamed and sang into his pickups. Amazing. I was blown away.

Though, I can't review bands and say they had a flawless shoe and everything was perfect. Every band has a flaw, no matter how much they play and no matter how much I like them, no band can play a perfect set. Yes ... I will back that claim up.

Brand New has a thing for feedback. Maybe it's a fetish, maybe they think it assists with allowing the crowd to feel emotion, maybe ... maybe, after every single song they play, they don't need to include feedback for 3-5 minutes, maybe, they can place their hand on their guitar strings and stop the feedback.

Rant over.

Dashboard Confessional.

In Dashboard is Chris, his guitarist, bassist and drummer. Dashboard also had on stage with them a female violinist and a friend of Chris's, John, who played as another backup guitarist.

Dashboard is coming very close to perfecting the 'big sound' aspect of playing concerts. If you don't know what I mean by 'big sound' think of an Our Lady Peace concert, or a Coldplay concert, or a U2 concert or, for you older fans, a Who concert. By 'big sound' I mean that when Dashboard played you didn't 'individually' hear the acoustic guitar, the electric guitar in the background, and the occasional riff on the bass guitar. When Dashboard played, they played in a way so that all the instruments seemed to be one instrument. The music surrounded me, enveloped me, made me feel as if I was locked in on all sides by sound. Incredible.

Decorating the stage with 'livingroom-esque' props such as paper lights hanging from the roof, wood walls and a backdrop that resembled an old, brick loft with large windows and silhouettes of leafless trees. Props to the stage crew for converting the once concrete venue, void of emotion, into a brightly, colorfully lit 'concert loft.' It was nice.

Introducing their all time loved single Hands Down with his ever famous saying, "This song is about the best day of my life..."

Hands Down starts. The crowd goes wild. The band stops playing at the chorus and Dashboard, well known for having the crowd sing, lets us sing the chorus and the next verse, and then ... ... BOOM!The 'big sound' comes again, wraps around everyone.

And, as I said before, I can't praise Dashboard (even though I want too) the whole blog. They did have some downfalls. Whenever the harder, higher pitched lyrics of a song came up, Chris would step infront of the mic and passionately scream the lyrics into the crowd, while letting the crowd sing the hard parts. It was dissapointing because Chris is known for his high-pitched wailing that first attracted people to his music.

It's too bad that he didn't sing any of those parts, partly revealing how a studio can fix up a voice when the singer can't do sing it himself. Maybe his voice changed from when he first recorded, who knows. Maybe he didn't drink enough water and he was a little parched. Maybe he blew out his voice earlier in the tour, whatever the case, he didn't sing any of the more difficult lyrical parts of a song.

That was the only dissapointing part of the concert.

Let's not end on that negative note though.

If you ever hear of Dashboard coming to Ontario again, which they plan to do next year, I suggest making the trip to see them. Truly fantastic show.

Hands down. Hehehe.

Until next time,

Jason Matos
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www.jasonmatos.com

bad concert karma

Call it Karma, call it bad luck, call it fate or you can say it is all my fault.

I have had the worst two concert-attending weekends in my history of concert-attending weekends.

Last week I was planning on attending the Dead & Divine / Body Break show at J's Place in Brantford. I was ready for it, I couldn't wait for it. Friday was the day when I would have seen Dead & Divine and Body Break for the 2nd Friday in a row. But then, halfway through the week, I came to the sudden conclusion that I wanted to attend the Burlington YMCA show. I haven't heard of any of the bands playing (as my prior blog tells of) but I just wanted to attend. It's the Y, I miss the Y, I was now - halfway through the week - so ready for the YMCA show.

Friday finally arrived, school was finished, I just had one event I had to attend before I was off to the YMCA. I had to go to waterpolo. Harmless right? But, do you remember last Friday? The rain, some hail, the high-let's-have-a-hurricane winds? I remember. I was driving out of the school parking lot at a snails pace, I stopped on one of the thousands of safety speedbumps, my mind wandered off, so did my foot off the brake pedal a little bit, and my car tipped over the front of the speed bump and tapped the car infront of me.

BAM

My first 'accident.'

My teenage mind quickly entered panic mode and filtered all of the punishments and angry words that would come my way. I saw $$$ signs, I'm sure if you looked in my eyes you wouldn't see pupils but green flashing $$$ signs. I thought of all the EXTRA money I would now dish out to the insurance company.

Of course, I overpaniced and drove away from the accident with the person in front of me equalling no damage and myself a broken licence plate holder. Everything was okay, but I was nervous, I was scared to drive. Call me a wuss, call me a little girl, my heart was pounding 100 times faster than the speed that I just rear-ended someone.

I arrived home later that night, informed my parents that I engaged in my first ever 'accident', looked out the window at the winds threatening to pull trees out of the ground, saw the little lake forming on the interlocked brick walkway in my backyard and decided to stay home.

The concert gods didn't want me to attend the show. What do I do to attend a show?

It's Saturday. 2 weeks ago. I'm working at my job as a waiter and in walk my two friends who are on their way to the Rosesdead show. I walk up to them, hand one of my friends $20 and ask him to buy me a ticket. He laughs at me and states in an all-knowing-voice that the concert won't be sold out because it's a 'Music Center Show' I raise my eyebrows and tell him to buy me a ticket because ROSESDEAD is playing ... was he born yesterday? Rosesdead comes to Burlington and he expects the show to not sell out. Oh the misinformed.

He takes my $20 and heads out to the concert.

I finish work around 8:00 (an hour after the show started) and race down to the concert at speeds I'm thankful I wasn't driving at last Friday. I arrive at the show, drove by the front entrance, saw 100 people milling outside the venue. I park, jog up to the front doors and read a sign that so gracefully informs me that:

The show is sold out mother*******

I grin as people try to get in but can't. I have a ticket. I am going to get in. I see a buddy of mine who has a ticket and tell him to go in and grab my friend so that he can give me my ticket.

My buddy comes out 10 minutes later (did I mention it was -6 degress that night?) and tells me my friend didn't buy me a ticket.

I process what he just said.

I don't have a ticket ... ... my friend does ... ... the show is sold out (which sounds familiar to me).

Plus ... ... he has my $20 and won't come outside.

Let's just say it was an understatement to describe my emotions as 'angry.'

I bitterly drove home and watched t.v. all night in a don't-talk-to-me-i'll-throw-anything-within-reach-at-you kind of mood.

SO

To conclude this ranting blog,

I hope that this weekend will be the weekend where I, Jason Matos, attend a local concert and post pics and a blog on the concert.

May the concert gods look favorably upon me. Amen.

Catch my blog tomorrow on the Dashboard Confessioinal and Brand New concert that I am attending tonight,

Until next time,

Jason Matos
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www.jasonmatos.com

new bands, good time

905 Music Productions along with Throwin' The Horns presents ...

Who: The Goodbye Celebration - Euphoria's Depression - Dear Jane, I - Faceless Tomorrow - The End of August
When: December 1st, 2006
Where: Burlington YMCA, 500 Drury Lane
Cost: $7.00

I have not been to a Burlington YMCA show in over 6 months and I'm not too happy about that fact. The Burly YMCA was a package of firsts for me, personally. I attended my first local show EVER at the YMCA.

I remember the show perfectly. Silverstein was headlining with special guests Protest the Hero, Dead & Divine, Bury Her Breathing and The Reason. All these bands were still pretty local at the time and everything about the show captured my attention. The attitude and non-chalance of the people attending, the energy and passion that the bands possessed and the atmosphere of the show.

Another first that the YMCA granted me was my first chance to do concert photography. Thanks to Paul Shelton's passion for assisting teens and giving them opportunities, I received the chance to stand 2 feet away from local bands and take their pictures. The YMCA became a haven for me on Friday nights, a place to hear great music, chill with amazing people and practice my photography techniques.

Though I have never heard of any of these bands - probably because I haven't attended a YMCA show in over 6 months - it will not stop me from attending simply because the YMCA has the skills to put on a great show.

No band reviews or guesstimates for these bands ... let's just all go to this show and enjoy.

Until next time,

Jason Matos
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www.jasonmatos.com