Let the forest grow Where trees and homes were BURN DOWN THE HOUSES - The Lighthouse Choir

I went back to Cape Breton for the weekend. The Lighhouse Choir were playing and I felt that was an excellent excuse to go visit home. I had a drive up with relatives. I got home and had supper with my parents. Friday night I headed to the Maple Leaf. Tom Fun and the Tokyo Sky Pilots were on first. I've only see Ian do his Tom Fun thing once at a party last year. His Tom Waitesque persona was joined with trombone, acoustic guitar, fiddle, double bass and drums. It was a really fun set of craziness. We'll have to see about getting him a gig up here in Halifax. Next up were 3 Piece Suit ripping through a set of their instro-mental surf rock. I love these guys. Solid songs that are fun to hear. The third act was T. Leche a combiantion of laptop and guitar playing. I missed most of his set hanging out on the restaurant side chatting with people but caught the end was interesting enough. He then got the 3PS boys up to jam and Tom Fun soon sauntered up to the mic to say random things. It was an awesome jam. Great way to end the night.

Saturday I joined in for CBlocals baseball. Drinking and playing baseball with the crazy local music scene. Mid-afternoon drinking and shenanigans. Lauchie was quite drunk and hilarious. The Cobras defeated the Vultures. Not because of me, I couldn't make it to first base that game. Did I mention I suck at baseball?
We played another game where I actually made it to home twice. Fun times. I hope I can make it home (as in Cape Breton not necessarily home plate) some other weekend to join up with this nonsense again.

That night I again headed into the Maple Leaf to see the Lighthouse Choir. These guys are one of my absolute favourite bands right now. The different sounds they are combining for their music is just mind blowingly fantastic. Taking folk narratives about fishing communities and death played with guitar and fiddle and voice, then adding ambient sounds from organs and synthsizers and then throwing a touch of disco punk in with the rhythm section. I was grinning ear to ear during their set. I joined in as the backup choir for Burn Down The Houses where they got the crowd to sing chords as well as the refrain "burn down the houses". It was so wonderful to hear the energy in that little red room.
It was very wierd to have the highlight of the night play a too short opening set. I almost felt ready to wind down the night and head home. I actually stayed and hung out and chatted with people on the restaurant side. It felt good to be hanging out at the Leaf again and seeing people I haven't seen since Christmas. I missed all of Ermine's set (I've seen them a bunch of times and am not really into thir stuff). I went over and listened to some of Kuroda's set. They're not bad but some of the guitar effects are overdone and I find it annoying.

It sounds like the Lighthouse Choir might be through Halifaxs sometime in June. I can hardly wait. They are still working on their next album so I wouldn't expect to hear that too soon.

I spent $20 dollars on cover and a couple of beer. I got a few beer on Friday from friends. I ate my parents groceries. I got free transpotation to and from Sydney. Then my mom gave me $20 dollars spending money before I left. Did that ever work out well!