Phog Lounge was voted Canada's Best Live Music Venue by CBC Radio 3 listeners in February 2009. Live rock and indie music has a home in Windsor. It's Phog Lounge.Book a show today.phoglounge@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Grand Analog: In Retrospect
I don't know how to preface these videos.
Grand Analog (@grandanalog on Twitter) played Phog in January of 2010.
I was anticipating his brilliance, and his brightness far before he ever walked into Phog.
Odario Williams has been a darling of CBC Radio 3 for a while. I have wanted to get his band into Phog for as long as I've known he exists. I could not even believe that I was able to book him.
It turns out, that he is one of the most brilliant performers in the entire country.
Flat out.
This guy is a tank. His band is a menagerie of brilliance and fun.
His reputation far outpaced him, having arrived in Windsor YEARS before anyone ever considered having him play here.
He didn't disappoint.
He and his band were easily one of the most engaging live acts we've ever hosted, and if you missed it...it's akin to missing Patrick Watson's first (and only) show at Phog.
If you're from Windsor, or not, and you see a Grand Analog show listed, make it your job to be in the presence of these phenomenal showmen.
With all the pleasant byproducts of CBC Radio 3 still making it into the minds of many outside of the Windsor music community, there have been a couple of more mentions in the press.
I thought it might be a good idea to share it with those who make this place what it is...
A week to contend with at Phog - January 18th - January 23rd
First of all, Monday night's Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts begins at 9pm.
This is the second week in, when the evening begins early, and will continue to do so...so for those who may have been interested in participating in the past, but couldn't due to time restraints, I hope you reconsider now that the schedule has been shifted to accommodate as many as possible.
Tuesday the 19th is FAMiversary with tons of local acts playing AFTER the monthly Raw Shock Film Festival. You see, this monthly film-screening event is meant to encourage local film makers, video magicians, etc. to bring out their creations to share with other people enjoying the same profession/hobby. And since FAM has a significant film emphasis (the "F" in FAM), they are going to partner in the early part of this night to show films and shorts before the music begins.
And oh dear... One of Canada's most beloved performers, whose reputation arrives FAR before he ever does, Odario G. Williams is bringing his incredible act to Windsor.
Wednesday the 20th is a day I've been waiting for...never really expecting it to come to fruition. Grand Analog (Winnipeg) will be playing an ALL AGES show with local ska/rock band Brass Knuckles. Holy shit. Go ahead and say it. Holy shit. This show begins at 9pm sharp, and it will be one of the best feel-good events we'll ever host. Honestly, get to this show. $5
It'll be great to finally get Brass Knuckles in the building, and it'll be a chance for the dancing, grooving crowd to come and have a great time...and hopefully woo Grand Analog back another time in the future.
If that wasn't enough, someone with a lot of hype is coming the next night and he's sharing the stage with a local staple in musical performance - David Dubois! Thursday the 21st, we host Leif Vollebekk (Montreal) who was described this week on CBC Radio's Bandwidth (during an interview/live session with him!) as a combination of Bob Dylan and Patrick Watson. Incredibly, they hit the nail right on the head with this one.
And Friday the 22nd sees the return of our good friend Alun Piggins (Toronto) who will be dredging up hilarity and amazing rock-artistry with local band, The Heels. Show begins at 10pm, and is only for those over 19 years of age...sorry!
Last but not least...Saturday the 23rd will find a slightly older Lonesome Lefty sharing the gig with Vera Colley of the rockabilly dance twangsters, Whoa Nellie! (Toronto). 19+ please. And bring your dancin' cowboy boots, not the regular ones.
Tom Curry is a guy who listens, and then makes things happen.
I spoke to him about the simple initiative it takes to start booking shows at Phog, and he immediately booked an opening slot for himself in the dwindling 2009.
He then quickly suggested that an artist he admires was coming to the area, and that he'd like to get them into Phog and play with them, Tim Chaisson & Morning Fold from Prince Edward Island.
I jumped at it.
Here's why.
VERY FEW bands tour from PEI or Newfoundland unless they have serious skill. Why? It costs a fortune. SO if this band is coming this way, and Tom Curry likes them, then other people are going to love them.
Don't let me forget that Windsor's own Mr. Chill seems to think a heck of a lot about this band, as I saw them leaving messages of support on each other's Facebook pages a few weeks ago.
Come out this Wednesday. We'll get it started early. 9pm.
Chris Velan played Phog a while ago.
He played on a bizarre bill with 72 South 1st (from Brooklyn) and Miwa Gemini (Japanese-American blues folk).
It was STELLAR. Chris opened the show, and had us all doing double-takes, as this James Taylor-like voice was mixed with sunny sounds and looping pedals.
Velan creates tapestries that are done by a few performers who all have the same "Holy shit!" factor when they pile sound after sound on top of one another before your eyes. Final Fantasy (Toronto), Jean Paul De Roover (Thunder Bay), Pat LePoidevin (Sackville), and more make these kinds of atmospheres, and they leave you wondering how the hell they were possible.
I encourage you greatly to come to this ALL AGES, laid-back show on Saturday, as Michael Hargreaves will also be adding his brilliance to the pile.
He has a new solo CD out, with help from Jen Mireault, that he will hopefully have some copies of...as he has been GIVING THEM AWAY.
Come out, and see if you can snag a free CD, and then, with your savings, buy one of Velan's CDs. His newest is in my collection, and I dig it.
The returning Modernboys Moderngirls is an energetic, dance-inducing band that we're thrilled to have back. Nightwood is the newcomer we are keen to break-in on the Phog stage.
Nightwood (Amber Goodwyn, Jeremy MacCuish, Erin Ross) is a heavy, dark but totally fun rock trio from Montreal. They have been touring Quebec and Ontario following their Pop Montreal album release (their debut full-length Carta Marina) and are planning a national tour this coming spring. Fiercely D.I.Y., Nightwood have been knee-deep in many aspects of the band; filming their music videos, silkscreening band t-shirts and posters and managing an art and style blog on their website. The members of the band are similarly eclectic in their lives outside of Nightwood: Amber is part of the experimental film collective Double Negative and publishes Lickety Split smut zine and Jeremy also plays in the bands Parlovr and Cotton Mouth.
Modernboys Moderngirls (Akira Alemany, Brett Millius, Juan Carlos Rivas) songs and shows combine punk and soul music. The band released their highly praised debut album I Might As Well Break It this past September with distribution from Fontana North. The band has built upon rave reviews for their live performances at showcase in the past year at Edgefest, NXNE, Halifax Pop Explosion, as well as their debut shows in NYC. Modernboys Moderngirls will be recording several new singles as well as producing their first music video this winter.
THE BUZZ ON NIGHTWOOD
“Their DIY ethic draws similarities in my opinion to the North-Western Olympia, WA, K Records scene, drawing influences from punk and playing pop music with an edge.” - For the Records
"(Nightwood's) Carta Marina is yet another reminder of all that Montreal's independent music scene has to offer... It shows remarkable maturity to craft an album which flows together so well and demands such attention from the listener. Nightwood have established themselves as a band worth watching." - In Your Speakers
“Nightwood: Montreal’s own take on the lovely lady-smacked scene of dark, moody rock.” - Nightlife Magazine
THE BUZZ ON MODERNBOYS MODERNGIRLS
"With the kind of spirit that could make a ship full of seasick sailors feel well enough to rock out to the point of sickness all over again, MBMG have reached their goal" –-Exclaim Magazine
"Modernboys Moderngirls are doing their part to crank up the amps and put the brashness back in rock 'n roll. The band's debut record - I Might As Well Break It. - is ten songs that really play like a gig at a dark and dingy club. It leaves you sweat soaked, bruised and battered and remembering." -- Herohill.com, Halifax
Location: 157 University Ave. W., downtown Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Live music venue in Windsor Ontario is host to the best in Canadian Indie music. We host the most shows in Windsor, and we pride ourselves as an industry example of how to run a music venue in Canada.
