Six Shooter Finale/Ladytron
Date: July 5, 2008 Six Strings That Drew Blood I didn't put in a full day on the first Saturday of Bluesfest but what I saw was great. The cool synth sound of Ladytron, which started my evening, could not have been much farther from the ramshackle country-tinged rock of the Six Shooter finale, which capped the night; but both were very enjoyable, making for another fun day at Bluesfest. The four-piece studio version of Ladytron was extended to a touring squad of six, with the addition of a bassist and drummer. With Daniel Hunt mostly rooted in place playing guitar and Reuben Wu stationed behind his keyboard, most of the attention fell on singers Mira Aroyo and Helena Marnie. Fortunately, the two were charismatic, providing points of contact to a style of music that can be distant. Having the programmed beats augmented by a live rhythm section also tweaked the songs for the live show, although the group's style remained intact. Velocifero songs, such as "Black Cat," "Ghosts," and "Season of Illusions" sounded good, although the biggest crowd reaction seemed to come in response to the older "Seventeen." Having been a fan since the band's first album but never seen them play, I appreciated hearing "Discotraxx," while the set-closing "Destroy Everything You Touch" was an excellent finish. Switching gears dramatically, I made it to the River Stage to see the Adrian Belew Power Trio. I knew of Belew by reputation, of his work with King Crimson and solo, and his numerous musical collaborations. However, I did not know specifically what to expect. When I arrived at the back of the stage grounds, Belew was already at work on what someone walking by me described as "an experiment gone wrong." That sounded up my alley, so I made my way to the front and was dazzled. To me, most virtuoso guitar performers come across as self-indulgent and uninteresting--more fun for the player than the audience. However, Belew was something different. To be sure, you could not mistake the joy that Belew had in playing, especially when he would flash a huge grin at siblings Julie and Erik Slick, who rounded out the trio. That joy was equally reflected in the crowd, though, as the undeniably amazing playing was chanelled into engaging songs. At one point, Belew thought that he needed to wrap up, only to be told that he had more time remaining than he realized. "Unfortunately for you, I'll keep playing," he joked; but the truth was that he was far from overstaying his welcome. When Belew did conclude, he and his band came out to sign autographs and say hi to the fans, seeming to be every bit as genuinely friendly as he appeared on stage. After that fun spell, I stayed at the River Stage to hear music from Belew's former collaborator, Frank Zappa, as played by his son, Dweezil, and a talented collection of musicians. With my position at the front, I had a good view as the band tore through their first few songs, after working around some keyboard problems. After "City of Tiny Lights" and "The Illinois Enema Bandit," assisted by former Zappa band member Ray White, I decided to move on to check out the Six Shooter finale on the Blacksheep Stage. I arrived in time to see Martin Tielli perform a couple of solo acoustic songs, before being joined by Ford Pier, who the day before had assisted a pair of Tielli's former bandmates in the Dave Bidini Band. Soon enough, the finale kicked in to high gear. Everyone who played the Blacksheep Stage on the day was a member of the Six Shooter record label; and they all took the stage for the finale, along with friends from other bands. With Pier taking over as the MC, the stage swelled to more than a dozen players, a cast that would ebb and flow over the next hour and a half. Everyone who had played earlier took a turn leading the ensemble. Elliott Brood's Mark Sasso sounded very good on vocals and banjo, even though he modestly described his offering as a simple two-chord song in comparison to the more musically complicated displays. On Luke Doucet's turn, he was joined by his young daughter, Chloë, on vocals, who held her own on the overflowing stage. Neville Quinlan, of NQ Arbuckle, took a different turn from the previously uptempo affair, delivering the sweet love song, "My Baby," although even that ended with a whirl of guitars and screams. Ford Pier mistakenly introduced Christine Fellows out of order when Justin Rutledge came to the fore, although he kept working the joke on Fellows's turn, like an experienced comedian. At any rate, each performed well, with Rutledge feeding each upcoming line to the crowd to encourage a singalong. The Six Shooter crew sounded great playing together; and it was interesting to see them interact, exchanging gestures to signal song transitions or finishes. It must have been a blast for the players; and that sense of fun was perhaps best conveyed on the set's concluding jam, a joyous cover of The Band's "The Weight." Fortunately, the labelmates pushed the set as long as it could go, returning for an encore that saw first Ford Pier and then Melissa McClelland take a turn leading the group into the festival's closing time. This set was truly something special; and it was great to savour it for as long as possible. Day three at Bluesfest was one of surprises, with a series of acts that sounded good on paper proving to be much more exciting in the flesh. Ladytron setlist (courtesy the assistance of a fan at the front): 
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