Elvis Perkins | Kinsey | Petit Campus

Show: Elvis Perkins + Kinsey
Venue: Petit Campus, Montreal
Date: Tuesday, December 15th, 2015

It starts with a walk on one of the most romantic streets in Montreal. Laval street on the Plateau Mt-Royal. JJ and I are on our way to the Petit Campus for an Elvis Perkins performance. All is serene when suddenly he pulls out a sock from his pocket. "You left your sock at my place" he mentions. Only, the sock isn't mine. The remaining walk is spent discussing whose sock it could be. "Quite a Bermuda Triangle I have in my hand" JJ said.

I spot Dan Aykroyd as we enter the venue. Of course am star struck. I don't get star struck often you know? I mention this to JJ, he doesn't believe me. I mention this to AC, he doesn't know who it is. That's how it is in Quebec.

We arrive too late for Kinsey but just in time to order some beers before Elvis Perkins' entrance on stage. I love the Petit Campus. Always magical. Still remember clearly M. Ward's, Pokey Lafarge's and Justin Townes Earle's performances on that stage. No different this time. You feel the music, you don't listen. Nevertheless, that evening, you could hear someone else's music in the background. A bit disconcerting. But hey! Perkins is a pro.

Elvis Perkins at Petit Campus

One beautiful song after another with a variety of instruments to accompany guitar, voice, drums, bass and synths. Elvis Perkins' high notes are quite beautiful, especially on "My Kind" from his latest album I Aubade. The posture of his body in front of the mic shows his dedication to the music. He promises it won't take as long before releasing the next album and before a trip back to Montreal. He also pronounces a few French words but I couldn't understand.

Elvis Perkins an Kinsey

The set is long but it never gets tiring. Usually the crowd can feel when the musicians are exhausted. It loses interest. I only lose interest on the last song when someone stands in front of me. I feel my space getting tighter.

We leave shortly after. In the cab, AC summarizes quite perfectly Elvis Perkins "Yé comme parfait".

China xx

Pokey Lafarge au Club Soda

Show: Pokey Lafarge
Venue: Club Soda, Mtl
Date: Saturday, July 4th, 2015

Didn't expect to be at the Club Soda on that 4th of July. Had wanted to attend but knew I needed to cut my expenses. Turns out my boss had bought a pair of tickets he couldn't use, gave them to me. We both have something in common, my boss and I, we'll remember forever last year's Pokey Lafarge's performance at the Petit Campus. The magical Petit Campus.

Had the brilliant idea to go to the public library before attending the show. A backpack full of Billy Collins poem's. A bit cumbersome I tell you. My friend C who reminded me that it has been four years since she's been at a concert, texted me earlier in the afternoon to ask me what would be the room temperature. I've never been asked that and didn't know what to answer. Told her I like to be in the first rows for the full experience. It unnerved her a bit. Reminded her she wasn't tall and that being in the first rows of a Pokey Lafarge concert is not the same experience as being in a rock concert. Don't worry, you'll enjoy it C.

Listening to an album and watching a live performance are two different experiences, especially when it comes to Mr Lafarge. You don't know his music until you've seen him and his band perform live. The solos during the live performances are electrifying. And Pokey welcomes you to this experience. He has indeed a great connection with the crowd. Can't help myself but to post the Petit Campus live performance again (did so on a previous post for rreverb.com).

Of course there was no walk in the crowd at the Club Soda. The venue, although great, is not the Petit Campus. Hesitated last year to buy a M Ward ticket at the Corona until learning of the event being moved to the Petit Campus. Jeez was I excited to watch him perform there!

OK. Back to Pokey. A great performance (in spite of the size of the venue). The harmonicist Ryan Koenig is excellent of course and C made a sex joke of course. We were standing next to Adam Hoskins the guitar player that evening. Never really payed him much attention before. He's got great skills. It's a tough thing I think to play solos with a gypsy swing guitar. Especially when playing among musicians with imposing instruments. The guitar isn't loud. He had fun though and is indeed very talented (like all the other members of the band). Even did the duckwalk. Don't have any photographs of the band regrettably. Felt so uncomfortable taking pictures, I kept it to the minimum. In fact, with one exception, nobody in the first rows had their camera out.

In spite of the crowd having a blast, it was coming to an end. At some point, as Pokey Lafarge was whispering the lyrics to "Something in the Water", you could here them tapping the feet on the floor. This song, he told us, might as well have been about Montreal women. There was only one encore that evening. Milk & Bone were booked later that night at the same venue. Nothing could be done to change that. My friends had bought tickets for Milk & Bone, was suppose to join them but thought Pokey Lafarge was the perfect way to end the day. Or almost. Decided to stop at McKibbins for some sweet potato fries and a cup of joe.

On the walk back home.