Downer Trio, Treasure State + Beans, The Can, BC, 051703
I don't know if you've been to Canada, but you should go. The record shopping is very good, as is the shoe shopping, as is the British-based soap place Lush with the handmade soap and sodium bicarbonate bath bombs, as are the Chinese restaurants with the handshaven noodles and the green onion pancakes, as are the Slurpees of 7-11 Canada, which have a more delicious liquidity than the US versions. Esp go if you like shoes and can’t go to Italy. The beer is better, even the 5.something% Budweisers.
And the same goes for the music. My favorite proto-Canadian landed immigrant, Joel Phelps, played with his group in that country just last weekend, and the following great time occurred:
The venue: ANZA club. A private rented hall called ANZA, meaning Australian New Zealand Association, which really meant Moose lodge with Basque-esque bar in the basement, which required a membership fee to enter, which meant drinkin’ upstairs in the showroom only. I am grateful Joel thought to pack a flask. I am grateful further that Christa Min rented the place.
First group: The Beans. No possible way to describe this group here, as there is much describing to do, but for those who don't know: The Beans are a very musical five piece. The group recently played for a consecutive 48 hour stretch, and, while I saw none of it, I can tell that it would have been worth it. All tolled the group recalled some aspects of the better prog rock, Jessamine could be one cousin, without of course the kraut and obviously improvised components. Tygh, the infrequent "singer" of the Beans, is also a talented actor as it turns out (see the portfolio here: http://us.imdb.com/Name?Runyan,+Tygh). I never saw K-19: The Widowmaker, but unlike most of the Beans material, Tygh has actual dialogue in it. They've been at it for some time (four albs, five years, maybe?), and Canadian popularity has been achieved. More people oughtta like 'em in cyberspace, too.
Second group: Treasure State. The thump and rounded low-end, and esp Robert's BLANG BLANG BLANG BLANG BLANG sounded better than ever. The Sly+Robbie rhythm sect recalled Linton K. Johnson's early Island-era, and, Jesus Christ, did Rob sound good playing through the Joel's Vox AC-30. My awkward caucasian-style dancing must have provided a distraction, but did not seem prevent general enjoyment of the group by the gathered Canadians who loudly applauded the sound discharge during the between-song silence gaps. The new material seems to have a certain harshness about it that I like.
Third group: JRLP+DT. Jesus Christ, does Joel ever sound good through the AC-30. Joel's playing differs from Robert (who re-assumed the bass for the balance of the set) as his style more closely resembles a BLANG BLANG CHUG CHUG BLANG BLANG. Herr Herzog wholloped with my preferred energy level (max), and Robert almost remembered all the songs, even the old ones "Graze and the Graves" and "Counsel" and some other junk. The two American Downers learned the new material, of which there may be 14+ ready to record in June. I am told that at the Downer Trio Seattle show both Robert and Joel will feature AC-30s, and that, my friends, is a ton of fuckin BLANG.
The whole thing was recorded by Colin, who record the most recent Destroyer lp. For what reason, no one yet knows.
There is nothing else.
(TC)
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Downer Trio, Treasure State + Beans, The Can, BC, 051703 - (Timothy Cook)May 21, 2003
