Looking for an alternative to the Concert on the Hill on Canada Day, are you? CKDU has organized a concert on another hill, a Community Potluck Picnic at Fort Needham Memorial Park, from 2 to 5pm on July 1st. Featuring Brent Randall and his Pinecones, Matt Reid, Old Man Luedecke, Dusty Keeler and Alpaca and the Aliens, you can get your BBQ on with some fine-tuned pop music.
How is Randall planning on competing with the goatee-d glory of the Nickelbacks? "I was trying to get a goatee of my own together for the show, but it wasn't looking so hot. So we're going with plan A: rainbow face paint and matching polyester jackets with rainbow trim," he explains. "We'll be the polar opposite of testostorock on the hill. As fey and gay as we please, perhaps some Wings or Herman's Hermits covers. We're also playing as Alpaca and the Aliens, doing a bunch of children's songs we wrote for Andrew Watt's TV show in the works, Chubby Big Buddy."
Following this family friendly event is Randall's kick-off for his cross-country tour, the July 4 Just Friends Revue (all-ages, beginning at 7pm at the North Street Church). The show has all American Independence Day theme; with patriotic performances by Just Friends Records alumni Their Majesties, The Just Barelys, The Stance, Laura Peek and Brent Randall and His Pinecones. Save some energy for face painting by Mitchell Wiebe, a veggie BBQ, jugglers and more. Randall is touring to promote his upcoming album (untitled at the moment).
Assemble the Ensemble
If rainbows, lemonade and apple pie are components of your personal hell, you might be up for this year's fourth annual Slayer Day at the Attic on June 29. This year features War Ensemble, comprised of Graham Ferguson (guitar, Hellacaust/Terratomb), J. Quinn (guitar, Terratomb), Jeff MacDonald (bass/vocals, Metamega/ex-Burning Moon) and Evan Wamboldt (drums, Hellacaust).
"The whole Slayer Day thing started when they came to town in 2001, we called that Slayer Day," says Ferguson. "We had so much fun and spent time learning all the songs that we figured we'd do a couple shows and parties here and there, then the idea of just doing the Attic gig every year seemed like a good one. There are few bands that have the die-hard fanaticism in their fans that Slayer does, so we thought there'd be many around the city who would relish the idea of getting drunk and rocking out to Slayer classics once a year."
Ferguson has a hard time choosing which Slayer album is his favourite, but War Ensemble makes sure that the audience gets an adult portion of one of the classics: "We always include the entire Reign in Blood album in our set. We're four metalheads playing Slayer; the passion and energy is authentic and comes as naturally as it does for the audience."
War Ensemble solemnly swears to melt your face. You are welcome.
One night under the sea
Drown in nostalgia and the smell of leather jackets at the Punk Prom at the Pavilion (June 29, 6:30pm, $6). See the Hemingways play the songs of The Queers; xEnvisionx will cover 7 Seconds; members of Gunt, The Plague Dogs and The Dean Malenkos cover Reagan Youth; members of Autumnstorm, The Classics and In Purgatory take on Van Halen; members of Benefit Party, The Dean Malenkos and The KNA tackle Black Flag and Wishlist from Ottawa play Foo Fighters.
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