Joel Plaskett Experience
Date: January 21, 2005 Miniature Tim After making a couple of visits to Ottawa in 2004, Joel Plaskett started 2005 by moving up to the Capital Music Hall for his latest headlining show. As expected, Plaskett laid down another rocking performance, while Cuff the Duke once again impressed me as openers. My late arrival caused me to miss the first act of the night, Two Hours Traffic; but I made sure to take in all of Cuff the Duke, as their gig with Hayden had made me a fan. I am quite eager to hear the next CD from the band, because while Life Stories for Minimum Wage contains some good songs, it does not capture the energy of the band's live presence. The band utilized the country twang at the core of their sound to strong effect, starting with an early call to literally warm up the audience and get them stomping their feet. To be sure, that sound is enough to carry them through swinging numbers such as, "Hey Baby." However, what elevates the band is their musical variety, as aided by several instrument changes. Singer Wayne Petti switched between electric and acoustic guitar, sometimes picking up the bass when Paul Lowman moved to keyboards; at one point, Jeff Peers could be seen working the fretboard of his guitar one-handed while also tackling keys; while Matt Farris anchored the set behind his drum kit. Whether adding punch to a rocker like "Hobo Night Stalker" or allowing the near-instrumental "Ballad of a Lonely Construction Worker" the space it needs to build, Cuff the Duke know the right approach to take with a song. As with the first time that I saw the band, the best was saved for last, with "The Trouble and The Truth" roaring to a triumphant conclusion. Although the crowd was somewhat underappreciative of Cuff the Duke, they certainly came to life for the Joel Plaskett Experience, who set a fun tone from the get-go, starting with "Work Out Fine." The setlist remained focused on Plaskett's last album, Truthfully, Truthfully, with songs such as "Written All Over Me," "Mystery and Crime," "The Red Light," and "Radio Fly" finding a place in the mix. Plaskett was an amiable frontman, always casting a fun mood, whether it be by quickly hauling a kazoo out of his stylish jacket for a single toot, overexplaining his songs, joking with the band, or simply laying down well-honed guitar and vocals. His two-piece backing unit exited the stage near the midway portion of the set, enabling a brief solo showcase. For this stripped-down segment, Plaskett paired the proven "True Patriot Love" with "Natural Disaster," a song from his upcoming album, La De Da. Although these quieter tunes were well delivered, I find that the Joel Plaskett Experience is at its best when it is at its most rocking. Fortunately, the latter half of the set was gold in this respect, as highlighted by an extended jam of "Maybe We Should Just Go Home" and a shining take on "Extraordinary." The encore lived up to the high built by the set. Plaskett debuted another new song, offering his love letter to Halifax, "Love This Town," as another solo number. Although I may be biased in favour of his subject matter, I really enjoyed hearing this song, before "Come On, Teacher" let the band have one more crack at getting the enthusiastic crowd to dance. Two bands that I enjoyed seeing for the first time in 2004 came through again in the new year. Cuff the Duke confirmed my status as a fan, while the Joel Plaskett Experience rocked at least as well as the first time that I saw them. If either band returns to the capital, I am sure that I will be there again. <--Prev (Death From Above 1979) | Next (Bright Eyes)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |