Sunday, September 06, 2009

Hey Rosetta! show

So I was hoping to be able to put some video up from the Hey Rosetta! show last night. But while it's obvious that I have some skills with a computer, video editing is not among them. Also, for some reason, each song seems to cut off around the three minute mark and I have no idea why. I know it was recording to songs end last night. And as anyone who knows Hey Rosetta! they don't do three minute songs. I think the shortest one from last night was around six minutes.

Perhaps I will tap upon the skills of my Blogcave brethren downstairs and see if they have any better luck with it. Because it's a touch frustrating. Then again, it's not the greatest video in the world. It's taken on a cheap Sanyo Xacti, from a distance, in the dark. Still, there were a few nice moments last night's show that I would have liked to have put up.

So, once again, let us give full props to Hey Rosetta! for coming up. Yes, it's expensive to fly to Iqaluit to play a show. I was willing to give bands a pass up until now. Just because the White Stripes did it, I reasoned, doesn't mean others could. I pretty sure The White Stripes took a bath playing here, but didn't care, because they wanted to play in every province and territory in Canada.

But Hey Rosetta! is a six piece band and they're far from White Stripes level big. They're the very definition of an up and coming group. Yet they managed to play here. And while I couldn't guess how many people were allowed in the Middle School gym, I'd say the show was sold out with anywhere from 200-300 people there. So I think there's increasingly fewer excuse for bands to play up here. If they want to play, they can. They might not make a fortune, but you'll have people love you for doing it.

Hey Rosetta! got a great reaction from the people at the show. Yes, there were plenty of Newfoundlanders at the show, but people were crowding the stage, there were cheers when they recognized certain songs and people were dancing. So I was impressed.

Finally, the other thing that made me happy, they didn't fly up on Saturday, do a quick sound check, play their show and take off on Sunday. They were in town a few days, went down to the elders centre and obviously did some practice with the local drum dance troupe and throat singers. On several songs they brought out the drum dancers, who were all girls from the high school, and they also used throat singers as well. And it worked with the songs. The band is insanely tight, but they managed to work that new element into their music without much problem.

It was good to see. And it impressed the hell out of everybody there.

So yeah, I think I get Hey Rosetta! a bit better now. I liked their CDs, but it always seemed a little...passionless. But you certainly got a better feel for the passion when watching them play. A friend I ran into after the show called it a nice mix of melody and noise, which is a fine enough description.

So yeah, a good time and I'm glad we saw them. And the gauntlet is thrown as far as I'm concerned for other bands. If a six-piece outfit can play here, so can you.

Last Five
1. High lonesome - The Gaslight Anthem*
2. Secret spell - Tori Amos
3. Fly me away - Goldfrapp
4. The beginning after the end - Stars
5. My life as a wrestler - Dear Leader

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

where's the link for Clare's contest

Helen S.

Hallett said...

Hmmm.

As far as I know, the main reason most bands do not play Iqaluit is because there has not been any promoter there.

Whether a band is playing the Ship Inn, Carnegie Hall or Glastonbury, there is always a promoter involved. Someone has to sell tickets, put up the posters, organize the PA, hire a room, etc.

In the case of the concert last night, it was promoted by the Nunavut Arctic College, and more power to them.

I know more than a few bands who would be prepared to go to Iqaluit for nothing, or even to lose a bit of money, just for the bragging rights. However, unlike the White Stripes, they lack the bodies and infrastructure to make this happen without a promoter's help.

Jon said...

so jealous... i just love this band

towniebastard said...

That's a fair point, which I hadn't really considered. I also just thought about it some more, and there's a lack of space to play right now. With the AWG closed for repairs, there's no real space for bands to play inside. The Middle School, which can hold about 250, is probably the largest space right now.

Upon reading your comment, Cathy suggested I should become a rock band promoter. Which is lovely thought and all if I had the slightest clue on how to go about doing that. But clearly there is a need for one if that's what it takes to get acts up here.

Kirsten said...

*cough cough* Is that a hint?

Funding is pretty much the only reason we haven't been able to make it up there yet, and maybe that's just a matter of getting enough status that someplace like Nunavut Arctic College would want to sponsor us. Or, we could try for a Canada Arts Council grant... but it definitely helps to be a more recognizable name. Hey Rosetta is on the Polaris shortlist... that looks good on the ol' resume.

In the meantime, kindly wave south towards Ottawa when we play there on Oct 5 :) And if you want to become a rock band promoter, drop me a line and I'll give ya some tips!

Jordan~Stephanie said...

Jordan to the rescue.

I'll have those videos up in NO time!

I have the day off today. Drop us an e-mail and I'll put the kettle on!

I can't wait to see them!

Jordan~Stephanie said...

I also have a little something for you TB!

towniebastard said...

You know, Kirsten, one of these days I am going to see you play. It's silly how I keep managing to just miss you play. I tell you, contact the Alianait people and see if they can't help you.

It occurs to me that it's been nearly 10 years since I last saw you. Ridiculous....

Karyn said...

How great to hear that Hey Rosetta! went up there for a visit and a show. We saw them for the first time this summer and loved them. Great energy and sound. They are definitely up and comers (although it sounds like they have already arrived, at least in the East).

If you like them, you might want to check out Library Voices, a band from Regina that we heard the same weekend.