Sled Island: Day 1 (Part 2)

[CALGARY]:  Sometimes the best way to enjoy a music festival filled with so much new music is to just go with the flow.  Don't overthink who you want to see.  Just...explore.

I had intended to see CFCF and Timber Timbre last night but I misread the schedule and gave the cab driver the wrong address.  This turned out to be a good thing because this is how I stumbled on Edmonton's Field & Stream.

F&S are three guys (two of whom were rocking baseball caps like, well, a couple of fishermen) who sound like Dinosaur Jr. in a band mood sprinkled with Neil Young.  

I would have bought one of their tapes--they mentioned it from the stage--but they didn't have a merch table set up, so nothing was available.  Their website hasn't been updated in ages, either.  There's some music there, but not my favourite songs fro their set.

Note to bands:  smarten up. You're missing an opportunity to spread the word on your music.

I then made my way to a two-story Legion Hall where bands were playing back-to-back on the first and second floors.  This is where I saw The Ketamines, a three-piece garage-rock outfit from Lethbridge.  Imagine the Pixies with reverb-heavy psychobilly vocals.  Very tight.

After The Ketamines were finished (no merch/music, by the way), I went upstairs to find Bloodhouse, a pretty fierce three-piece from Halifax.  Not a lot of fat in their music.  No merch, either.

Finally, there was Seattle's Grave Babies.  Live, they remind me of a very young Muse--at least in how they conducted themselves:  poised, tight and with a sense of stage presence.  Unfortunately, their recorded output doesn't seem to do their performance justice.  Guys: secure a producer.  You've got something going on.  You just need to tame it.  

I'm not sure where I'm headed today.  Like I said, I'll just rely on serendipity.

PS:  Thanks to everyone at National Beer Hall for a great dinner.