Nice to be back with you, glad you could stick around!

While I was away, it seems there has been a new kid in town.

The Peppery Cat, home to many successful and super well-attended Blues Jams with guitarist extraordinaire Mike Sedgewick, has changed hand over the summer, and rebranded itself The Beach House. It is already garnering excellent reviews for the quality of the food offerings.

Not content with the extensive renovations which really lighten up the atmosphere, owners have committed to providing live entertainment for their patrons. The Beach House has lined up what looks to be a stellar roster of soloists and duos into 2018, with many of their performers coming back on a monthly basis. They are showing a strong commitment to entertainment. Two residencies anchor the week: Wednesday evenings feature guitarist Bob Wegner (from the hit musical We Will Rock You), and Saturday nights will have Amber Durette starting in late October. Sunday afternoons will close the week with a jazz brunch with Wayne Neon or Glendon James on rotation.

Thursdays and Fridays will feature a variety of great performers, many of whom I know, and I am chuffed to be part of that line up, on Thursday, November 2.

Please continue to check the sidebar for upcoming shows. I’ll also try to reach as many of you as possible as well through the usual social media channels.

Next week, I hope to have ready for upload a first mix of an old/new song that I’ve been workshopping for a bit. Until then, be well!

After all that build up regarding sitting in at a local pub, the whole thing just fizzled like dew on an Irish Spring (but I like it too). A brief conversation with the barkeep made it plain that “All musicians welcome” as stated on the sandwich board outside Ma Bakers  required the addendum “as long as you only play traditional Irish music. All others, feck off!” Okay, I’m exaggerating but I did not want to make a cultural faux-pas, like mentioning the war to Germans, ordering a black-and-tan in Ireland or playing Bowie covers at an all-blues jam.

Nevertheless, time was well spent and I recorded a song written back in Toronto, but entirely captured here in Ireland on my pokey iPad Mini, 1st generation. Results are as good as can be expected, and I’ve posted it below.

The Devil’s Blues ©2017 R. Pelletier/Félix & the Cats

Verse 1
I ran into the devil just the other day
At the coffee shop just along the way
He put aside his sudoku and looked me in the eye
“I’ve been expecting you, he said, I knew you’d come by
I can tell you’re wondering what the hell comes next
How all of this has come to pass
You seem so perplexed
Ooooh, you know, it’s my time at last.”

Verse 2
The devil said,
“When the penny drops
And you realize,
Where the buck will stop
When …..
…the fuse is lit
And the sword is plunged…
…right up to the hilt
When…
…the scale has tipped
And the die is cast
And the switch is flipped
When…
…the gavel drops
And the sentence passed
And the bars slam shut
Ooooh, you’ll know, it’s my time at last.”

Bridge
He stood up to make his point
My soul was filled with fright
His left hand shielded his eyes
From the harsh morning light
Fragments of the holy tablets
Were crumbled in his right
He looked at me in my distress
And cackled with delight.

Verse 3
I soon calmed down and realized
That none of this was true
He is the devil after all,
So what else can he do
But lie about the state of things,
So I live in despair
And I believe all hope is lost
And life is so unfair
But I am onto him,
And he can’t fool me twice
It’s not yet time for me to pay
The last and final price
Ooooh, I say, this too shall pass

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More Good NewsEldest dot has earned first prize for her singularly original pottery at the Cabbagetown Arts & Crafts sale this weekend. Family and friends are very proud of her!

On that high note, be well!

“O Oysters,” said the Carpenter,
“You’ve had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?’
But answer came there none–
And this was scarcely odd, because
They’d eaten every one.

Lewis Carroll (from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

Curiouser and curiouser. That seems to summarize the past week. Many intentions were stated, but some did not come to pass, for good and sometimes unpleasant reasons. With expat daughter and boyfriend visiting, sightseeing became the priority (more on that later), and by the time Thursday rolled around, the aforementioned open mic escapade at Ma Bakers was one-too-much activity for the day. Hoping for this week instead.

Recording of the new song has gone well so far but I have now encountered the 8-track limit of my old iPad Mini. It’s bouncing time now. Mostly though, a batch of bad oysters (we presume, but likely since 3 of 4 of us ate them and the same 3 ended up sick) had us waylaid for a couple of days. A completed recording looks promising for next week’s post. Please check back!

Despite some hangups, we were able to get to one of the great natural wonders of the world, the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. My somewhat somber tribute to that inspiring location (i.e., Star Trek the Motion Picture) is on the right (or below on mobile). Classic rock fans should get it, and might be interested in the backstory. Worth the read.

Time to go finish recording that new song now. Until next week, be well!

The title above means “welcome” in Irish, which pretty much describes how the missus and I feel so far here.

The Dano Pro made it safe and sound and is reassembled. I hope to use it no only for practice, but maybe also for an open mic and an attempt at a demo on Garageband, iPad edition. Hopefully, that will be done for next week’s blog.

Last Thursday, I caught a partial set by a couple of local lads at a local Carlingford pub called Ma Bakers. Here is a bit of that.

I’m thinking of doing a couple of my tunes with them next week at the open mic session they host after 11, although they may need some altering to better fit in the Irish vernacular. How about “The Difficult Little People” or “Ladders” (no Snakes because St. Patrick chased them all away)? What do you think?

Today though was extra special, attending one of the best concerts I’ve heard in years, along with Mrs. FatC, and expat daughter and boyfriend.

The show took place in a small church now housing the Carlingford Heritage Centre and presented entirely unplugged. No PA, mics, nothing. Just guitar, fiddle, and singing out loud. It was traditional Irish, mostly with Zoë Conway and John Mc Intyre, and featuring special guest Declan O’Rourke. All three not only dazzled with their musical prowess, but were utterly charming in that uniquely Irish way: funny, thoughtful, and slightly cheeky.

Zoë’s violin/fiddle playing in many genres was truly stunning, and beautifully supported by John’s perfectly balanced and creative guitar. Declan joined the duo further into the performances and wowed everyone, particularly for me with a poignant rendition of “Poor Boy’s Shoes”. And that final note he sang was unreal!

It was a extraordinary event and I urge you to use the links to find out more about these remarkable musicians.

Until next week so, be well!

Sorry for the delay. Busy, busy!

The last week has been a whirlwind of activity with a camping trip on Lake Huron, complete with all-Beatles singalong and far too much wine, and prepping for an imminent trip to Ireland. For that, I’ve once again dismantled the Dano Pro, recently purchased in Rivière du Loup, and just barely squeezed it in to a regular suitcase.

I’ll get back to you as to how well that worked.

If things go as expected, I will bet to catch some entertainment while in Ireland, and hope to report on that in future posts.

Until next time, be well!

It’s going to be a bit of a break until the next show due to holiday time. We’ll see if I can keep this going over that time… In the meantime, just a few updates:

DIY Telecaster

Also known as the IKEA guitar (everything comes ready to assemble, but not really from IKEA), this one needed a final touch to make it just right. Thank you Staples!

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Fellow Travellers

Last week at Relish was a great evening. First, an even better than usual turnout of talent, including an awesome set by Sandra Bouza, fresh from international travel. Here is a bit of her performing TLC’s Waterfall!

I was also chuffed to have Lawrie Ingles sit in with me for an entire set, and help the songs go to another level. Thanks, Lawrie!

The following night, Sandra was hosting an evening at Old Nick Pub and featured David Macmichael performing solo. It was a great venue for both thanks to an attentive and respectful audience, and the early start proved that it is a reasonable and doable thing!

David was not done, though, as he and Paul Brennan then played on Wednesday for the Indie from the East Side feature at The Cavern Bar with Tim Prueter (for a few songs), and for a full-out set for a rambunctious audience with another Relish regular performing artist, Ryan Schmidt. A fun night!

 

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Brilliant Fishing

I would be remiss if I failed to point out that multi-talented Brilliant Fish has released the first episode of a multi-part audio series on the 80s, featuring the songs that influenced him from that era. Based on the episodes I have already listened to, you must add this to your playlist. See the sidebar for all the Brilliant Fish audio streams.

Finally, I invite you to click here for his moving rendition of one of my all-time favourite songs, Wichita Lineman, performed in tribute to the recently departed Glen Campbell.

Until next time, be well!

Well that was a busy week! First, a big thank you to friends, fellow performers – Michael Cuddy and Sal Indigo –  and fans who came out to catch the Triple Threat Wednesday at the Salty Dog. For those who could not be there, each of us plaued about an hour of our (mostly) original music, followed by a brief but spirited jam at the end of the night. It was a fun night! Thanks to Mrs. Félix & the Cats for the photos, and to the techs at the 12th Fret for a great job setting up my DIY Tele!

Friday night was a much quieter affair on the Esplanade, as a lot of people who normally are down in that part of town may have been out of town for the long weekend or spooked by the bad weather earlier in the day. To be honest, while I love the sound and the way the staff treat us at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club, the late start there (for a quite valid reason) does pose a challenge.

In fact, as today’s blog title implies, an earlier gig was clearly a factor in a better draw on Wednesday, when we had an 8:30 start. On that topic, an intresting opinion piece by CBC Radio’s The 180 Jim Brown was sent to me a while back and I was saving it for an occasion just like this one.

Here it is out of context but you can link to the original website here.

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Sunday April 09, 2017

Listen 4:02

I was out of town for a good part of the week, but found a few minutes to explore local music stores in the eastern Québec community I was visiting. I walked into a pawn shop, and like a siren the guitar pictured below called my name. Like in the myth, I was unable to resist, and brought this one home. For those interested in such things, here is more on the Dano Pro.

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Shows This Week!

Wednesday Night Triple Threat at the Salty Dog (8-12) and Friday Two’s Company with NeMo at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club (10:30 – 2:00). Please come down for good and original time! Details are on the right in the sidebar.

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New Song

As alluded to last week, a new song emerged from my last evening at Legends, so without delay, here is a first rough mix for your enjoyment.

Keep It Simple ©2017 R. Pelletier/Félix & the Cats

Verse 1
I was not ready for the four
Why can’t I get a little more?
I had built up a head of steam
Things did not live up to my dreams

 

Verse 2
So now I stand here foolishly
A victim of my fantasy
A tube stuck firmly in my mouth
My prospects quickly heading south

Pre-chorus
I was just getting started
Now I am broken hearted
I did not keep it sensible
I missed a basic principle

Chorus
Keep it simple (x3)

Verse 3
I’m in a tailspin going down
Looping around and round and round
Try to adapt but there’s no doubt
There is no nice way to get out

Pre-chorus + Chorus

Solo over verse

Verse 4
I’ve often had these dismal thoughts
And would be depressed were it not
For friendly bad ass bottleneckers
To fend off noisy drunken hecklers
It’s in the true and simple things
That I can best spread out my wings
No fancy footwork is required
And honesty is most admired

Pre-chorus + Chorus

Both guitar and song may première at Relish tonight…tbd.

Thanks for listening! Until next week, be well!

Things get complicated.

Sometimes from outside events, but often from my own wacky self-expectations.

Take in point the recent use of loopers in my live shows. For those who are not gear-heads, “loopers” are a type of guitar effect pedal that allows the player to record a phrase and have it play back indefinitely in a loop, hence the name.

Sounds simple so far? No so much in reality. The first looper I had (thanks to Mrs. Félix & the Cats) was a T.C. Electronics Ditto Looper, pictured on the right, a fine example of Danish craftmanship. The device sounds amazing and the function could not be easier: click once to record, click once to stop recording AND playback, click TWICE QUICKLY (ha!) to stop. Hitting the button just right is everything: too soon or too late and the phrase is clipped, and double tapping to stop is like dancing the flamenco with 5-quart stock pots on your feet, especially with my timing challenged appendages. “Well, thought I, I can fix that.” There is another model with more switches on it. Because, as all rock guitarists know, what we need are more switches. See below:

Yes, the new improved Ditto X2 Looper (far left above) now has its own loop on/off switch. All kidding aside, it is MUCH easier to work with and control than the micro version, now passed onto #1 daughter’s boyfriend. So, the looper has found its way into more recent acoustic and electric shows with mixed success. While sometimes exhilaratingly great in rehearsal at home, where the calm environs of ManCave Studio allow for sharp focus and pinpoint tapping precision, live shows have proven to be more challenging.

Sometimes the adrenaline rush of performance has made for an accelerated start, and other times the on/off switching has not been as precise (the pedal compensates a bit but is not fully klutz-proof) have made for tricky interpretations, because when locked in, it is hard to correct on the fly. Regardless, it makes for a lot of I’ll-get-it-better-next-time moments, and I will. At least that’s what I keep thinking.

Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over…

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Week in Summary

The last-minute Linsmore show this past Tuesday made up for in attention what it lacked in numbers and we had a great time. Thanks to Michael Cuddy and T.C. Folkpunk (no relation to the pedals) for great performances. Michael and I will be together again along with Sal Indigo in a few weeks at the Salty Dog, on August 2 (see poster on the right).

Thursday was at Legends for Gary Edward Allen and Amber Dutette’s open mic. I brought out some exotic gear for giggles and novelty. Some amazing talent performed that evening (and many others), so it is with some regret that I will be missing the next two months due to travel and other shows, but I recommend this one. The evening provided some inspiration for lyrics, so perhaps there will be a new song to première here next week.

On Saturday, I caught a couple of sets of my friend Fraz Milne‘s show at Sauce, on the Danforth. Fraz played with bandmate Chris Bender, on percussion and backing vocals, for a very absorbing show at a lovely venue. Thanks to Michelle Belisle, owner/manager and talent curator, for helping make Danforth East such a supportive place for music! Fingers crossed for a show there for FatC in the future…

Until next week, be well!

I’ve mentioned in a few posts about the vocal classes with Jaclyn Serre (and through Elite Music Academy). After a couple of months of strictly exercises, we have moved onto sessions where, after warmups, I’ve asked Jaclyn to listen to my songs and look at how they could be improved. The first tackled was “Loud Girl“, which I wrote about back in May. Through Jaclyn’s tact and honesty (hard to find together sometimes), I transposed the key down one whole step, and re-recorded the entire demo. Although it loses some of the more plaintive quality the higher key provides, it is probably a more comfortable thing to sing (and probably listen to). Here they are side-by-side. Let me know what you think.

Loud Girl ©2017 R. Pelletier/Félix and the Cats (in B minor) 

Loud Girl ©2017 R. Pelletier/Félix and the Cats (in A minor) 

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New Gig Alerts

I’m happy to report that I will be at the Linsmore Tavern this coming Tuesday, July 18, as part of the Indie Tuesday series, with good friends Michael Sheen Cuddy, and T.C. Folkpunk. The show starts at 8:00, with Michael, me in the middle at 9:00, and T.C. headlining at 10:00. We are thinking this will be a three-solo-guys-with-electric-guitars kinda show. Look for irony.

Also coming soon, and in a similar format, I will hosting the first, and if things go well, not last Triple Threat Night on Wednesday, August 2 at the Salty Dog on Queen Street East. My guests will be Michael Cuddy and Sal Indigo. Show starts at 8:00 and goes to about midnight. Thanks Danny at the Salty Dog for giving us the chance to do this.

Finally, a reminder that two days after, NeMo and I will be playing a “Two’s Co.” show at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club, starting at about 10:30.

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Telecaster Kit Project

The guitar I was building from a kit was fine sanded, buffed and assembled this past Tuesday. Unfortunately, I failed to notice that the nut (for non-guitar peeople: the part of the guitar the strings go over to reach the tuning pegs) did not come play-ready slotted, but rather left up to the builder to set to taste. Since I don’t have the right tools to do this properly, it was off to the 12th Fret for that and a set-up. There goes any economy I thought I’d reap from a DIY approach, but it has been a valuable learning project, and I’m still very happy with the product. It bodes well for future “Frankenguitar” options. The guitar should take a few weeks to come back to me as the “Fret” is very busy.

Until next week, be well!