Jane.

Jane.

Ode to the wonderful North End Artist Community!

Halifax based songbird Jenn Grant has finally found a stage at the Fred gallery in the cozy North End in her unplanned efforts to promote the In The Dead of Winter festival.

Amelia Curran, a fellow songstress and one of the organizers of the In the Dead of Winter festival takes the microphone, welcomes the small intimate crowd and departs with the words, “I hope that you enjoy the music because it’s all about the music.”

And it truly is, Grant has been busy touring the past few months yet she can’t stick to her self-prescribed rest, “I decided to take a month off from playing music but I decided to play tonight because I was going crazy,” she muses on life without music.

Grant and bassist Sean MacGillivray dance casually and comfortably through the set list. With obvious musical chemistry they command the attention of the audience who sit rapt at every lull and howl in Grant’s vocals.

Surrounding the stage are paintings of various architectural wonders around the North and Agricola area by local artist Michael Lewis. Planned or not, Grant’s aesthetic blends perfectly with the mood of the paintings: dreamy, beautiful and a bit unclear.

The paintings are special to this group of musicians who’ve spent so many years in the integral North End of Halifax’s music community. One painting illustrates the gallery Fred while another portrays an obscured scene at Gus’ Pub across the street.

“I remember the first or second time I played,” Grant reflects. “It was at Gus’ Pub on a Sunday afternoon and they booed me. It was all these old people. They all looked like they’d been there for seven-million years. There was this one woman who hated me the most named Rosaline. She hated me at first, but we were friends by the end and we wrote this song called Rosaline.” Grant and MacGillivray jump to a playful improvised rendition of the song.

While it is not quite the dead of winter, the night promised a stunning lineup for the mid-February music festival at the forefront of the Halifax music scene. A full lineup will be announced late November.

*Originally written for my Journalism class.

Q&A with You Say Party! We Say Die!

Self proclaimed punk slash new wave band You Say Party! We Say Die! is poised to bring the party to Halifax with their first ever Maritime tour. Keyboardist, Krista Loewens and drummer, Devon Clifford sat down over the cyber-waves, to answer a few burning questions and set to clear up confusion and dispel a few myths… or not.

Gazette: Your band bio is creatively elusive, “You Say Party! We Say Die! are a catalyst on the edge of a scene brimming towards explosion,” and “Time and circumstance have since streamlined YSP! Into its reigning, laser guided incarnation…” but what is your back story? How did the band form and get to where they are today?


Clifford: We were forged in the great fires of the earth’s molten core and have got to where we are today by slowly digging our way through the earth's crust and emerging victorious into the cool night air.

Gazette: YSP!WSD! are on what seems to be the brink of a new genre of post-punk disco, what innovations are you using to bring your experimental sound to the stage?


Loewens: My instrument of choice is a Bontempi keyboard. It is basically a plastic children's toy, but has the most unique sound that I love!

Clifford: I have worked for years with an Indian guru who has taught me how to hypnotize people by striking circles with sticks.

Gazette: Why do you take a political stance in some your music?


Loewens: We don't like to call ourselves a political band, but some songs do have a political message. I don't want to speak too much on Becky's behalf as a lyric writer, but lyrics that come from a personal place are bound to be political once in a while, if you're writing about what's important to you.

Clifford: I think a political stance is a pretty bad ass looking one and I'm pretty into looking bad ass. I actually own two leather jackets.

Gazette: What reaction did you have when Hit the Floor rose to #1 on campus radio? Did you expect the album to be received so well, and did you do anything to celebrate?


Clifford: I was pretty upset by it and celebrated by smashing my radio to pieces then sitting in the shower and crying until the water ran cold.


Leowens: We were excited and honoured to reach #1! We're big fans of campus radio, and are lucky to have had so much support.

Gazette: What is the over all theme or statement you wish to bring forth with your latest CD?


Clifford: I’m not really into overall statements, or bringing things forth, so for me this album was more about not doing things more than anything. I don't even like talking about it actually and would appreciate if you never brought this up again. You have now enraged me, and when I become enraged I just fall asleep, so it's not like you have to watch your back when I’m around or anything like that. If I ever see you I’ll probably just fall asleep at your feet and the worst that will happen is I’ll drool on your shoes.

I’ll be sure to wear my old shoes to the show.

Gazette: What are your future plans for the band?

Clifford: We've been thinking about using our music to promote our worm farm chain which we have recently opened up. The flagship store is in Moose Factory and we are currently opening up worm farms in St Louis de Ha!-Ha! And Goobies. We currently have over seventy types of worms to choose from at bargain basement prices.

Loewens: Just to keep touring and making music!

Gazette: Why should people attend your Halifax show? What’s special about your live show? What do you want the audience to know about you?


Clifford: I would like to bring a tiger to the show in Halifax, and unleash it on the unsuspecting Haligonians (kind of a funny word). I want the audience to know how cruel and uncaring we are and I think that unleashing one of the world's greatest killing machines upon them is one of the best ways to achieve that.

I’m sure that would go over well…


Loewens: We're just really, really excited to be playing in Halifax. Some of us have never been out there at all, and we've heard only wonderful things about it!

The band refused to make a statement about their ban from the US, the petition that is circling cyberspace to get them back into the States, or the specifics of their new CD. Their ambiguity and defensiveness could perhaps intrigue enough to fill The Attic, but maybe the Haligonians will be scared off by the threat of a potential tiger attack.

The Dawgfather Has an Offer That Can’t Be Refused

September has arrived once again, and students are returning to class with thirsty minds and hungry bellies. While classes and busy schedules will fill the minds of students, the notorious Dawgfather aims to fill their growling stomachs.

A man of many names, Gerry Reddick a.k.a Ibrihim Ali Mahmmad has been a vendor at the base of the DAL sub for many seasons. Reddick, upon his return from the west, set up a hotdog stand in Uniacke Square. He then moved to the Palace, where his profit increased dramatically, he relocated a third time, drawn by additional profit, to his current location.

Reddick enthusiastically speaks of the self-fulfillment he gets from his job every day. “I like to give the students credit,” he says, “I don’t want them to go to class hungry.”

Reddick became known as the Dawgfather after the suggestion of a student, “the student said, the Godfather made an offer no one could refuse, and you offer a dog no one can refuse.”

It is not hard to see the appeal. To go with the table full of conventional and more adventurous condiments the Dawgfather offers three basic meaty treats, the classic "Phat Boys," akin to a jumbo sized hot dog, a “Giant Sausage,” which is fairly self explanatory, and of course for the vegetarians in the crowd, a “Veggie Dawg” each toping off at $3 a piece.

When asked why he chooses the Dawgfather for his lunch, Justin Simard, a fourth year music and theatre student responds between bites. “It’s cheap, and he puts students first. Two years ago I was broke and he offered to spot me one.”

It is clear that the legendary Dawgfather loves his job. “I have the best customers in the world.”

For my journalism class.

Stars Misfire
In Our Bedroom After the War

Stars is set to celebrate the release of its third album, but fans might be disappointed by a lack of innovation. In Our Bedroom After The War doesn't push boundaries, it's not profound, it's not going to save your life and it's not particularly entertaining.

In Our Bedroom After The War explores the same instrumentation, lyrical quality and art-school moodiness as Stars' previous releases. The band keeps writing the same song over and over again.

On this record, you can expect a repeat performance of wandering synth chords, a mild dance quality, romantic yet tortured lyrics and of course, clips of dramatic spoken word. As always, there are several songs about tortured love as well as an odd duet, "Personal," in which two characters answer a personal ad. The angst-filled fight song, "Take Me To The Riot," is the first single of the recording.

The best song on this album is "Today Will Be Better, I Swear!" It's an optimistic effort, similar to Set Yourself on Fire's "Calendar Girl." Leading lady Amy Millan's vocal talents shine on this track, while building instrumentation makes it into a kind of anthem.



(as published in the Dalhousie Gazette, Sept. 20, 2007)