July 22nd

This is my first attempt at writing one of these. So I may go off the rails now and then but let’s see how it goes. 

Krafty is stuck out in the middle of a lake someplace, playing and listening to some of the worst music known to man, But he should be able to stagger back here again to give a live report of the Heaven and Hell and the Judas Priest show later in the summer. God Willing he can get through this. Lesser men have succumbed. 

So what’s been happening to me?  

Recently I had a chance to spend a week away from the hustle and bustle of the city to soak in a few rays as well as acquire several annoying Mosquito bites in the woods near Parry Sound. The reason I’m telling you this that besides spending most of my days communing with the trees and the birds. It was an entire seven days of not hearing or being exposed to any music.

Now those of you who are familiar with our online show will think this is totally weird. Here’s a guy who processes to listen to every kind of music 24/7, suddenly enjoying the silence. But think about it when great wine coinsures go to wine tasting before they try each new vintage they clean their palette of the previous selection. So they can fully enjoy the full experience of the next wine on their list. By submerging myself into the joys of nature and not being forced listen to some one else’s pop dribble emulating out their car window (This entire area had only radio free campsites) .I was able to do much the same thing.

On the way home in the car after my wife and I restful sojourn, we played tapes of the Guess Who, early Rolling Stones and as we came into Toronto Steely Dan’s Aja. Swear to God each selection sounded fresher and more alive then it had the last time I heard it. The drums were snappier, the vocals had more presence and Keith’s guitar was, well it was still Keith but why mess with a good thing.

So turn off your radio unplug your I pod. Cleanse your musical palette. When you tune back in it could be a whole new world.

Early last week I had the opportunity to check out Robert Plant and Alison Krauss live with the Raising Sand Musical Revue at Toronto’s main summer concert venue the Molson’s Amphitheatre.

Everyone who listens to our show knows what a big fan I am of the album, having practically bought it for everyone I know for Christmas. So I was bubbling over with excitement to see if they could pull off the same magic live. I needn’t have worried.

From the minute that the two of them walked out on stage to the time they waved goodnight. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss held the audience in the palm of their hand. Their straight from the hip delivery of the opening song and the lack of the usual rock and roll trapping as follow spots and multi flashing lights. Let the audience know right from the start that this night was going to be all about the music.

The sound was cystral clear. I don't how they did it but you were able to hear every note and every nuanced lyric as if the vocalists were sitting beside you sharing your overpriced soft drinks.  Songs like Gone Gone Gone, Killing the Blues and little Darling sounded better and displayed more musical chops then they did on record.

And the band. Lumbering over his guitar like lurch from the Addams Family Producer of the Raising Sand album  T Bone Burnett had assembled a crack group of musicians who were so tight that at several points during the night it verged on being scary.  This was never more apparent then on a stripped down blues version of Zeps “Black Dog” complete with drummer Jay Bellerose Bonham inspired percussion attack and Stuart Duncan’s fiddle substituting for Mr. Page.

But the night belonged all to Alison and Robert who song after song demonstrated why they are two of the best in the business. Their onstage chemistry at several times sent collective shivers down the assembled masses spines and Plant on a number of occasions stepped back and let Krauss soar. Not many people could keep pace with the pipes of the great Mr. Plant but she matched him note for note. At one point during Krauss’s rendition of the great murder ballad “Trampled Rose” where Miss Krauss was creating a haunting effect with her voice by simply moving closer and further away from the microphone. My colleague leaned over and said this is the reason why you go to live concerts. I’m sure everybody there at that moment in time agreed. 

Things I’ve been listening to

• Alejando Escovedo       Real Animal (So cool it’s scary)
• Slade                         Slade Live Vol 1 and Vol 2 (Remastered)
• Judas Priest                Nostrodamus (Dense and Intense)
• Opeth                         Watershed
• Beck                           Modern Guilt
• Jeff Beck                     Jeff (Unbelievable No one should be this good)
• Coldplay                      Viva La Vida (I’m really starting to think it’s impossible for these guys to make a bad album)
• Big Blue Ball                 Big Blue Ball (The latest incarnation of Peter Gabriel this time teaming up with Karl Waliger from World Party. Interesting stuff fits somewhere between “Security” and “So”

Things I wish I never bought: 

Nothing yet but the summer is young.

That’s all for now.

Keep Listening

J Hoskins