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Get ready for a spate of serious rockitude (with occasional interruptions for current events), as we head into June and Ottawa's premier collection of rock'n'roll, pop, power-pop, pop-punk, punk-punk and, well, you know - The Ottawa Explosion! The Explosion is the worthy descendent of Ian Manhire's Gaga Weekend, so it's only fitting that his latest effort, Gary Voicemail & The Dialtones (now shortened to just Voicemail), started things off on Thursday (which was to have been Day 1, but got pushed back to Day 2 when The Men and Metz blew threw town on Wednesday for a show with Pregnancy Scares).

On with the show. Well, actually, on with the soundcheck since I showed up a bit early. Ian sings, Todd handles the bass.



On the other side of the stage (or tent, as it happens), we have a couple of Mother's Children: Ken and Michael.



First, a quick bit of colourization from Explosio mainstay Dirty Donnie.



And some of the Club SAW courtyard, to show you where things are. show in tent in front, art tent to right, drinks and merch behind me to the right.



Let's go!



Ken sings!



Grimacing action!



Michael hits!



Todd sings!



Extra Ian!



Singalong action!



The whole lot!



Fisheye Ken!



More Michael!



The crowd goes wild!



A fine introduction.

• Show reminder: Violent Restitution, The Donner Party, The Vanishing Act, Annoize and HarshxSupplement perform at 297 Powell; Jucifer, Merdarahta and Zalanboor rock Cafe DeKcuf.