Peak experience

Things I learned at the Black Mountain show:

• Howe Gelb will be playing at Babylon April 22 "with friends."
  
• The Banditas always start their set about a half hour earlier than I expect. Yes, I missed them again. Also they have a record coming out sometime.
• Crystal Skulls are not some drugged out West Coast freakanauts, but a less fey Postcard style band - a more muscular Orange Juice, if you will.
• Black Mountain are drugged-out West Coast freakanauts, and rock like nobody's business.
• We are - all of us - hereby ordered by Jon Bartlett and Matt Camirand (ex-Black Haloes, now with Black Mountain) to attend a show by the The Doers April 19 at Babylon. Vaselines, Beat Happening, Minutemen go acoustic is the buzz I hear. Run Chico Run and Golden Seals share the bill.

All in all, it was very instructive. Good turnout for a Monday night, too. Here's a clumsily retouched picture of Howe Gelb on the Birdman Stage at the Ottawa Bluesfest 2003.



Way too many people have scheduled a show April 22. The latest are Weapons of Mass Seduction, who have a gig at Irene's with Brutal Knights, Quebexico and The Sweet Janes at Irene's Pub. Anyone who says "I have nothing to do!" on that Friday will be mercilessly flogged with a sheaf of concert tickets.