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OUNDTRACK: DAVE BIDINI-The Upstairs, Sydney, Nova Scotia (July 26, 2007).
After the Rheostatics broke up, Dave Bidini did a solo tour and then wrote a book about it. This is that book. And this show is from the mini-tour he did as promotion for the book. I don’t know too many details about this tour.
I wrote notes about these shows before I read the book (which I recently found and tread). But I’m going to leave in some of the notes I took about the audio portion for posterity.
I gather he was in town to promote his book and was invited to do a few shows as well. So these three shows from the Rheostaticslive site include a short reading from the book and then many songs. This show has two readings and 8 songs (and runs over an hour).
He opens with a description of the book and the tour of china with a band they called the Rheos Not Rheos. They were asked over and over to play The Beatles. They played at the Sculpting in Time café. Dave hung out with the Chinese singers Dirt Star and Airbag (who were also in a cover band that played Radiohead).
For the music, it is just Dave an his acoustic guitar (and a tuner). He plays three Rheos songs “My First Rock Show,” “Me and Stupid” and “Horses” (to much applause).
He plays four new, solo songs “Song Ain’t Good,” “The List” “The Land is Wild” and “The Ballad of Zeke Roberts.” All of these would appear on the debut Bidiniband album which would come out in 2009.
“The List” is a diatribe against Canada: Tim Horton’s, Stephen Harper, Zack Werner, and Chad Kroeger. He says that it was inspired by taking a close look Tim Horton’s bacon and wondering just what it was. And the mention of Chad Krueger gets a big reaction from the crowd. The Zeke Roberts song is about a Liberian singer who was killed. “The Land is Wild” is about Bryan Fogarty, a hockey played who died (it’s not the most upbeat concert I’ve heard).
There’s an extra song “Moncton Hellraisers” (you can watch a video of this one).
He ends the show with second reading and there’s a drunk guy who keeps shouting and interrupting. I feel bad for Dave, but he handles it well—different than a rock show obviously. This section involves meeting a TV show producer (of a show called Super Girls) and the Chinese version of the Spice Girls (who sing for them). He also mentions going to an all night record shop and finding a copy of the Toronto band The Diodes. He plays their song “Tired of Waking up Tired” for the employees.
If nothing else, this book will introduce you to a lot of little-known bands.
It’s interesting to hear him in such a casual setting. He sounds good and the audience is really responsive.
[READ: November 5, 2015] Around the World in 57 1/2 Gigs
This book chronicles Dave Bidini’s solo tour after the Rheostatics broke up. He explains that it was Tim Vesely who wanted to break up the band (no doubt inspired somewhat by Dave and Martin’s harsh critiquing of the songs Tim wanted to submit to their final album 2067). Nevertheless, Dave was devastated and angry and unsure what to do, especially since they were planning to gig China for the first time. So he decided to do it himself. A world tour unlike any other.
He scheduled a few gigs in Finland. And he decided to invite his friend Alun Piggins along. Piggins has been in a number of bands and has released several solo albums. He seems notable for being a little crazy (with wild hair). And I automatically respect him for making this album cover. When Dave asked Alun what to do about being a solo artist (Dave hadn’t really played solo before). Alun gave him some comforting advice and then said that with his band The Quitters, they would play “our loudest song then tell the crowd, “‘Thank you and fuck off.'”
The two would play separate shows on a double bill and occasionally duet on Rheos songs. They decided to tour Finland. They flew into London and were only staying for 24 hours. He wanted to try to get a gig before they left for Finland. They scored one at the last minute in the Maple Leaf Tavern (which had never staged a live show before) and was themed in Canadian kitsch. He talks about one man bands like Bob Log III “probably the superstar of all one man bands” (his song “Boob Scotch” is surprisingly straightforward). He says he spent most of his 35 minute set worrying an doesn’t recall too much about it.
Then they set out for Finland. First stop Hämeenlinna ( enjoyed typing out all these Finnish towns). (more…)
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SOUNDTRACK: OLOF ARNALDS-Tiny Desk Concert #93 (November 22, 2010).
Olof Arnalds is from Iceland and she sings in Icelandic. She sings a kind of experimental folk, although in this Tiny Desk it is just her and a partner, Davíð Þór Jónsson, playing acoustic guitars.
