WITH DEEP PURPLE at the Metro Centre on Sunday and the Stampeders at Casino Nova Scotia on Saturday, you’d swear this weekend is being brought to you by K-Tel Records.
I can’t be the only one who first heard songs like Smoke on the Water or Sweet City Woman on a wobbly piece of groove-crammed vinyl boasting "20 original hits, 20 original stars."
Although in the long run, it was probably the Stampeders who benefited more from the inclusion (I also recall listening to Playing in the Band and the phase-shifting vocals of Ramona on my sister’s well-worn K-Tel LPs) especially in the pre-MuchMusic days of annual slogs from Vancouver to St. John’s.
"Yeah, we were all over the place," chuckles Stampeders guitarist Rich Dodson at the memory of those sold-on-TV records, including a best-of compilation via K-Tel’s competition Tee Vee Records.
He’s happy that their fans are better served in the age of CDs, downloads and streaming audio. In fact, you can listen to the band’s entire catalogue at stampeders.net, including the band’s latest release Live at the Mae Wilson Theatre recorded in Moose Jaw.
"It came off pretty good," says Dodson, who simply said "yes" to Saskatchewan fan and studio engineer Eric LaFrance’s offer to record one of their gigs.
"It’s a mover, I’ll tell ya that, out there at Walmart and HMV.
"I said to the guys, ‘We should do a new album, it looks like we have a market out there! But what if we chart again? Will we have to rehearse?’ "
Dodson admits the sound on the new, double-live CD is less raucous than on the ’70s concert recording Backstage Pass, but he feels that the band sounds better now than it did in the days of playing hockey arenas, especially when it can hear what it’s doing on stage.
"I think we’re tighter than ever, it’s got a really cool gel. We love playing together and there’s a vibe there that I can’t get whenever I do my solo thing.
"When you put the three of us together, it’s like the Stones. I don’t think anybody goes for their solo sessions, but when you throw those guys all together, boy there’s something there. And we have a sound."
That sound, a goodtime mix of rock hooks and roots flourishes, hasn’t exactly trickled down to the next generation of Dodsons, but the guitarist’s kids are still taking advantage of the CanCon trail that the Stampeders first blazed 40 years ago with Sweet City Woman, a number one pop and country hit in Canada and a Top 10 hit in the U.S.
He’s especially proud of his daughter, Holly, and her synthpop band Parallels and son, Nicholas, who drums for the progressive metal act Cry Asylum, spreading their sound via YouTube and iTunes instead of K-Tel.
Also at the Casino this weekend, it’s a strong bill of local performers in the Harbourfront Lounge on Friday night for Music Nova Scotia’s Take It to the Tiki. This four-week battle of the bands will net the winner a trip to Canadian Music Week in Toronto and a showcase spot on The Tiki Lounge stage at The Rivoli.
This first instalment runs from folk to hip hop in a free show starting at 9 p.m., with Matthew Hornell, Laura Merrimen and the Hard Tickets, Soho Ghetto and Something Good.
You can keep tabs on upcoming instalments via Facebook or go to bit.ly/A7Cmm0.
Last week, a note about family-friendly shows in local cafes brought an email from photographer and musician Paul Vienneau, who’s been doing monthly shows at The Smiling Goat on South Park Street.
On Saturday he’s launching a new duo project with Cuban jazz pianist Silvio Pupo titled Jazzhuis, with a matinee performance from 1 to 3 p.m. Given the skill of the musicians involved, I imagine this will be a great way to unwind between bouts of downtown shopping.
For more info go to bit.ly/z6QRd4.
Also on Saturday, musicians and media pros collide at 1313 Hollis St. when the BBQ Kings host a dance party, with special guests, starting at 7 p.m.
There’s no cover charge, but their royal highnesses would like an RSVP at info@bbqkings.ca so they can keep the fire marshal happy by holding the numbers at a reasonable level.
