Todd is God

Another year, another Weakerthans gig. After two trips to the Mean Fiddler and one to the Borderline, this year is was a trip over to the Scala. Fellow Winipeger, Christine Fellows opens up the show with some quirky keyboard based songs, followed by some folk from Dawn Landes - who also provided some added comedy value when her guitar fell off mid song. She handled it all very well and with a laugh. And so to the main act. Regular readers will be aware that the Weakerthans are one of my favourite bands. They are one of the best to come on the scene in the last decade, and in John K Samson they have one of the most interesting lyricists. I have loved all three previous gigs, but this may have been the best yet - certainly the best since the first time I saw them. This was down to a mixture of the band being on form, John's vocals being on form, and the guy at the mixing desk 'getting' the venue and delivering a sound that allowed guitar solos and vocals all to be heard as t...

It's November which must mean it is the Weakerthans, who I believe I have only ever seen in November on each of the three occasions I have managed to catch them, but I digress. Touring with a new album (at last) to promote - 'Reunion Tour' - it was great to see that John K Samson and the boys still rock live. Licking off with a duo of ' Our Retired Explorer '/'Civil Twilight', I knew from the off this was going to be a good one. I was not disappointed. JKS is not the most chatty front man, but we did learn that a trip to a London gallery had inspired 'Night Windows'; and that 'Tournament of Hearts' was about that great sport curling (never played but it was prime time on sunday afternoons in Scotland when i was growing up). Also any man who can write lyrics such as "yes a penguin taught me French back in Antartica" (Our Retired Explorer) has my respect. Set list was base heavily around the new album and the previous record ' Re...

Pitchfork has an interview between Eddie Argos of Art Brut, and Craig Finn of the Hold Steady. Finn talks about the new album ( coming late Spring/Summer 2008) and touring the UK. He also mentions the excellent John K Samson of the Weakerthans ... Craig Finn : That's one of the greatest things. If someone like John Darnielle (of Mountain Goats) says "God, that's a great lyric," you feel, "Whoa!" That's a great compliment. Where it's not like some college journalist saying "this album rocks!", you know? It carries a lot of weight. Like, John Samson from the Weakerthans, another one of my favorite lyricists. Right now.