TAKE A RIDE TO THE ZOOZ
The jazz festival is in the rearview mirror, and the Fringe festival is coming up fast on the horizon. Speaking of horizons, how about this wicked weather we’ve seen in July so far? Rainy and cool one day, over 30 the next. But the best thing about live music in Saskatoon is that the quality of the concerts isn’t dependent on Mother Nature. Unless the concert is outside. But let’s move on.
W3APONS
When: Friday, July 13
Where: Louis'
What: It’s a great band with a tricky name. W3APONS (which takes me a second to sound out no matter how often I read it) is an excellent trio of rock-and-roll musicians. Their newest song, Off the Top of My Heart, is brilliant — and it’s been getting a lot of radio play in the city. The music is fun and catchy, but they’ve said they want to make music that they’d want to listen to, not just what might get some airtime. Jordan Welbourne, Tallus Scott and Myk Ulan-hohol are all from in Saskatoon, though they’ve had some very different musical training. Fun fact: Welbourne, singer and guitar player for W3APONS, has received classical training. He’s sung opera before. I’ve heard it. How many rock musicians can say that?
TOO MANY ZOOZ
When: Thursday, July 12
Where: Amigos Cantina
What: Is it possible for someone’s music to be defined simply as “fun”? That’s Too Many Zooz. Remember that Youtube video of those young jazz musicians playing in a subway station, and the bari sax player was jumping around in this high-energy rhythmic dance? That’s Too Many Zooz. Leo Pellegrino, Matt “Doe” Muirhead and David “King of Sludge” Parks (who comes up with these nicknames?) make up the talented trio from the Big Apple. Dubbing their music “brass house,” Too Many Zooz combines a highspeed jazz style with the pulsating rhythms of club music. These guys quite literally started at the bottom and worked their way to the top; there isn’t somewhere much lower physically to play a concert than in a subway station.
RICK REID W/ RIDE 'TIL DAWN
When: Friday, July 13 Where: Amigos Cantina What: This is a two-for-one, because both of these guys deserve a little recognition. Headline performer Rick Reid from Victoria, B.C. works in a cool pop music / ambient music style that’s equal parts intense and calm. His recent song Singularity is a repeating, fast-paced pulsing rhythm under slower melodies that’s definitely worth a listen. Opener Ride 'til Dawn is a local alt-rock band that has a really smooth sound with a definite country flair. Nobody can be the Rolling Stones, but they kind of have a Rolling Stonesesque vibe. However you’d want to describe them, they’re worth a listen.