SOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Fall Nationals, Night 8 of 10, The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (December 15, 2005).
This was the 8th night of their 10 night Fall Nationals run at the Horseshoe. Guest Vocalist Night. Ford Pier on keyboards.
This guest vocalist night is a bit smaller than previous ones. There aren’t twenty-six singers. There’s only fourteen in total and a bunch of them sing two songs. The show also runs just over 2 hours with the band singing some of their own songs at the end. It’s like a tight, efficient guest night rather than a sprawling one.
Ford calls it “karaoke night.” Dave nixes that, “Lets not call it that. You have to be far more hammered to do that.” Ford: “This is more like Star Search. Mike sets forth the terms: “henceforth, we will be effectively mute except in support roles.”
As usual, they open with an instrumental “Four Little Songs.” It’s always really interesting to hear this multi-part song with just the music.
“Produce the first victim!”
Here’s Selina Martin singing “Soul Glue” which segues into a very pretty “California Dreamline” (also by Selina).
Next up are Nick and Graham from Belleville. Dave asks, “How’s Belleville?” “No snow there.” “It’s the Winter Nationals Pro-Am” as they sing “Fat” and do a terrific job.
Jennifer Foster comes out to sing “The Woods Are Full Of Cuckoos.” Tim says, “Jen’s trying to play ‘stump the band.'” Ford jokes, “Maybe you’ll wind up playing keyboard next year.” Dave: “Coz we’re firing Ford’s ass.” It is such a shame the mic gets staticky and cuts out because she does a good job with this hard song. She notes, “its cutting in and out.” Tim:”So were our brains.”
Then there’s a double shot of Don Kerr. He says he’s going to do a double shot from his favorite album. A terrific “Introducing Happiness” is followed by a change of selection. He says he changed it just today. They do “Fan Letter To Michael Philip.” Don says it’s a real fan letter. Dave: Don Kerr will personalize a song to you for a small fee.”
Some of the lyrics:
I have all your records/
I have even helped you make a few
Among my favorite producers would be
Tchad Blake and you
…
I would like a fan club letter/
but one of your Juno awards would suit me better
…
When i joined the Rheostastics / I was met by a lot of Dave Clark fanatics
I know they did the same thing to you / but just like me you made it through
During the end there are backing vocal chants of “Wojewoda.” He must have been pretty overwhelmed.
Patrick Finch comes on to sing “Junction Foil Ball.” Dave asks him, “And how’s that go exactly?” Patrick: “It’s nice.” And they do a great version.
I am amused to hear that someone is shouting requests.
Sarah Harmer comes out two songs. A sweet “Loving Arms” (I love that Tim adds the spoken “Jeez, I don’t know” line, which is part of the song but it sounds amusing and sweet. Mike: “That somehow just sounded right.” It’s followed by a wonderful “Claire.”
Paul McLeod comes out and Ford says, “This guys isn’t as good-looking at the last one.” Dave, “I don’t know, have you ever seen him in bicycle shorts?” He does an excellent version of “Jesus Was Once A Teenager Too.”
Sean Cullen comes out for two songs. “Power Ballad For Ozzy Osbourne” has a terrific voice for this rather silly song. At the end, he scream/sings “he’s going off the rails.” Then Cullen does a lengthy improvised Christmas Song. It’s very funny and a twisted retelling of the Jesus story. Some amusing lines:
Joseph was good with his hands and good with the ladies.
There was going to be a huge new tax. What an asshole Caesar was.
100s of men with their young pregnant wives clogging the roads.
They put him in a manger, which was weird, because cows were trying to eat.
The horse said to the turkey, you look ridiculous, look at you. Sit down and shut up (the horse was a real asshole).
The turkey said I’m going to fight for Jesus.
The temple guard laughed because it was a turkey. The guards fought and killed him, filled him with seasoned bread and threw him on the fire.
The angel came down and said you bastards.
The guards said, lets eat it and take a bit of him home with us.
We dream of that first Christmas where a turkey gave his life. And the horse was an asshole.
It’s the Christmas turkey on Christmas day. Thank you turkey for fighting for Jesus.
Dave: “I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.”
Mike: “What album was that off of?”
Robin Lowe comes out to sing “Sweet Rich Beautiful and Mine.” Robin has been selling stuff for us this week. Public congratulations, Robin got married to Steve Clarkson, our sound man, this week. Robin sings a duet with Martin. Dave: “Well, isn’t that sort of cheating, Robin?” Robin hits some amazing high notes. They sound great together. This version gives me chills.
“Take Me In Your Hand” is sung by Howard Druckman and Beverly Kreller. Howard is one of our oldest and dearest friends. Dave: “I’ve been demoted to bass.” They’re giving the rest of the band a break.” The song ends with penny whistle and bongos.
Yawd Sylvester comes out to sing Tim’s song “Row.” Tim Vesely, Yawd’s rhythm guitarist. Yawd went on tour with Violet Archers and Tim promised it would be Rheos-free. But after the encore, Yawd would go out for a smoke and Tim would do “Row” as an encore. It’s a bit too slow and the world is incredibly rude throughout the quietness.
Ida Nilsen comes out to sing Marginalized. It’s a little too un-intense. Tim Sings the Vic Chesnutt song “Little Caesar” at the end.”
Paul Linklater from Justice, Manitoba, the Scribbled Out Man, comes out to sing “Horses.” He’s great for the song. At some point Paul starts chanting “Put away wet” for some reason. Dave says guys, throw it into G for a second. Dave starts playing a simple riff which Ford turns into “Hang on Sloopy.” Which he sings: “I don’t know the words to hang on sloopy / that’s okay it’s not a Rheostatics song / so we shouldn’t do it / It’s all wrong.
“Back to B minor. Now its a Tragically Hip song.” Paul is really intense at the end.
Someone shouts, “Soul Glue.” Dave replied, “we did it the first song!”
Justin Rutledge utterly rips through “Feed Yourself.” It is just rocking and intense.
Ron Koop comes up and Dave says, “Mennonites are the most ticklish people. Ron, you’re so ticklish. I don’t mean to generalize, but generally…”
Oddly, someone keeps shouting “Hey, it’s Christmas, play The River, please. C’mon Gordy, save us. The River!” Mike mutters: “shut up.”
Ron sings a lovely “Making Progress.” And at the end she says, “How about the best band in Canada.” Dave: “Are the Constantines here?”
They come back for an encore and say “we’ll do a couple where we sing just to mix things up and get ready for tomorrow.”
Dave also asks, “Shauna, can we get some new flowers. Are replacement flowers in the budget? They’re starting to bum me out.” Martin: “Strangely just yours are dying, Dave.”
“PIN it up, Marty.” In the middle Dave sings “I want some flowers.” Tim notes: Thanks to Great Aunt Ida for opening tonight. They were awesome.”
In the audience, that ass is still screaming for The River. So Ford sings.
When I speak the words I repeat
Are lost within this roaring
I know the one by No Means No, it takes about 9 minutes to play, but it can be done.
They end the nearly two and a half hour show with “Stolen Car.” Tim starts by playing “Jingle Bells” on the bass really quietly. But then the song rocks out to the end.
A final note from Darrin, who posts all of these shows:
10 Years later I randomly met Robin Lowe on Sept 4th, sold Jennifer Foster my spare ticket for the Saturday night AGO show on Sept 5 2015, and Selina sang with the band on Sept 6 at the Monarch Tavern after AGO Party.
[READ: July 27, 2017] “Making Scents”
My nine-year-old daughter Tabby liked this book. And I know that because as I was complaining about the massive problems I had with it, she said she liked it. So, I guess its good for nine-year-olds.
But I like a lot of books that are good for nine-year-olds. And I did not like this one.
The premise is a weird one to start: Mickey’s parents raise bloodhounds. As such, they teach him to be a great sniffer as well. Cute, right?
The story begins with Mickey writing his life story: “First I was born.” Next half of the sentence… “then I was put in a tree.”
What? So he is an abandoned baby and someone thought it would be smart to put him in a tree in the woods?
The next scene puzzled me even more. (more…)
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SOUNDTRACK: MARLON WILLIAMS-Tiny Desk Concert #705 (February 12, 2018). 
I Just Read About That... 