Canadian Music Week 2009: CMW at The Supermarket, BC Music Showcase and Mani Khaira
| March 18, 2009 | Posted by caroline under arts and literature, Uncategorized |
On the Thursday night of Canadian Music week, I visited the Supermarket for the BC Music Showcase. On the Wednesday night, as discussed in an earlier entry, I went to the Eye Weekly CMW Showcase at the Gladstone. Luckily, I had media access to all the Canadian Music Week shows.
I was quite pumped for this Supermarket show, in that I’ve been listening to opening guy Mani Khaira’s stuff NON STOP since I discovered him through the Canadian Music Week site. I decided to make his stuff my new infatuation. I go through this at times, where I listen to the same band over and over again, sometimes 6 or 7 times a day. I did this with Gabriel & Dresden, Fiona Apple, Alanis Morrissette and a few specific songs–The Fear (remix, Dresden & Johnston), You’re My Heart (Lionness), and several others I can’t think of at this hour.
After purchasing his album and watching him live, I realized why I like his stuff so much: His music is a lot like that of two of my favourite British bands, The Cure and Pulp. Like Jarvis Cocker, of Pulp, he has an airy approach to emotionally heavy music, gliding along the piano with a voice that soars. And, like Robert Smith, his voice is often desperate and full of lamenting sorrow. This transfers to the stage. Each track retains within itself heartfelt writing and composition, even if he’s in a good mood while singing it. I say this because I have a feeling he was really happy to be onstage at this event, judging from his banter between songs:) I have a good feeling about Mani Khaira, and I encourage you all to listen to his MySpace as religiously as I do. Apparently, he’s playing at the upcoming JunoFest 09. Buy his album!
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to stick around for the rest of the BC Music Showcase. I was very interested in seeing Mother Mother perform, as I’d checked out their stuff online beforehand and was wooed by a very diverse collection of songs–some indie, some folky and all mixed with unaffected pop. I like. I hope they come back soon.
But I had to run to Clinton’s to check out the lead singer of the Arkell’s do his solo thing (name slipping my mind right now) and David Martel from Montreal. More on that show to follow..
