By Will McGuirk
Its a bit of a coincidence I guess that I am just finishing Michael Barclay’s new book ‘Hearts on Fire: Six Years That Changed Canadian Music 2000-2005’ and there’s a chapter on Alexisonfire, Billy Talent, and Fucked Up, and its a pretty great read, well the whole book’s a great read but this chapter opens up a time and type of tunes which was not on my radar back then, well Fucked Up yeah because they’re later but the former yah not so much, “Try Honesty” awesome, but later zzzz hey thats just not my jam, and Alexisonfire not on my radar like at all.
And then here we are - this is the line-up for this weekend in St. Catherines; a festival called ‘Born and Raised’, featuring on Thursday City & Colour, with Sam Roberts Band, Ruby Waters, and Chastity (who was born and raised in Whitby); on Friday City & Colour again, with Broken Social Scene, Moneen, and Dooms Children; on Saturday Alexisonfire, with Billy Talent, Hot Water Music, and NOBRO; and on Sunday Alexisonfire, with PUP, Cleopatrick, and the OBGMs. Its a Dine Alone Records celebrating its hometown roots (“bringing the music back to where it all started” is how the PR says it.) with some big names from the hometown, plus obv others who grew up in and around the 905 scene of the late 90s into the 2000s and some upstarts punking it out in the here and now
So now I’m in the know because I read Micheal’s book and even now listening to Hot Water Music which he mentions in the book too, and now I’m like where did this come from, this fest of these kats? and celebrating where they are from? and I know Dooms Children, because of their very fine new album, and Cleopatrick because well Cobourg is a rad town, and OBGMs - I had a chat with them one time, and BSS = legends but second on the bill wtf, well thats the level these kats are at, these elder AOF kats who back in the day made such an impact that yah straight to the top man, right up there.
Many of those older bands would be familiar with the Dungeon here in the mighty Shwa; That diveiest of all-ages clubs was originally supposed to be a folk club kicked up by Jim Fell (I put on the usual failed shows a couple of times) but it morphed into being a rad punk venue under the booking skills of Jay King and then onto William Neville. It became a place for Sum 41, Protest the Hero, Hail The Villain, Cure Gravity, Kathleen Turner Overdrive, as well as the likes of Moneen, Attack in Black, I Hate Sally, and I’m pretty sure but I am guessing because I don’t have durhamrock.com at my fingertips anymore, Alexisonfire, as well as so many many raging black clad teen bands in the 905, some who became something for a while and some who didn’t - it was also the place where many bands were birthed so to speak simply by watching other bands on stage. Its its own legend but it never birthed a label, nor a festival, nor a band that became something like Alexisonfire or City & Colour. The Dungeon didn’t and neither has Shwarock City. Yet!
Chastity who is on the B&R fest did grew up in and on the Dungeon. He’s several records and tours into his career as a rock ’n roller. He has a gig here in Oshawa, at the RMG Friday July 8. Opening is a band who grew up on the Dungeon legend, Mary + Adelaide. But they owe nothing to the venue’s legacy nor to Oshawa. They’re as punk rock as you can get if you equate punk rock with DIY, because every band in Oshawa regardless of genre is DIY.
Chastity also came through with Badflower recently at the Biltmore, and although Chastity can play in Toronto and bring out Alexisonfire as an encore act, as he did prior to the Covid shutdown, and he can produce the barn shows where METZ and K-Os join him, here in the city, in the downtown that he says gave him the inspiration he’s still pretty underground. Kudos to the RMG Friday booker for knowing him and getting him on. Thats a big step for that art gallery.
So yah going to be a fun night July 8 thats a given but this July 1 CDN weekend maybe not so much here in Oshawa but in the Catherines book that dance card.
I don’t know how much support ‘Born and Raised’ got from the city of St. Catherines or how much Dine Alone was supported by their city as the business evolved (the answer may be in their name) or how much support Hamilton gave to Sonic Unyon at the beginning for their Supercrawl initiative which has grown to having thousands show up for the past dozen years for acts from A Tribe Called Red to Zoon.
I do know how much support Oshawa has given for such a festival to happen here. A Big Fat Zero. And thats from council, staff and the business community at large. Zero period. Win a hockey cup you get a parade, win a JUNO and crickets. . . Music matters little here in Shwarockville it may seem to the causal observer.
But its not up to council, its up to citizens and it has to be noted that the very fine Shwarockville citizens have not built a fest nor have asked for one to be built for them. No biz has stepped up to build a fest nor asked for a fest to be built for them. Festivals of music are not a thing for Oshawa. And thats very very OK. If you do not like Oshawa’s lack of interest in festivals go elsewhere, - River & Sky, Springtide, Hillside, Mariposa, Field Trip, Riverfest, Northern Lights, Go North, Empire Rock Fest, Kemptville, Revelree, Mattawa Voyageur, Veld, Electric Electric etc and thats just Ontario and just July, lots of choices. If you like festivals and think one would be beneficial to the fine folks of Oshawa build one. Private businesses are supporting these festivals in St Catherines, its the private sector who is kickstarting these things. Its up to the private sector in Oshawa not Council nor Parks & Rec.
However I’m very left of Left and I do think it is the government’s job to ensure that all have access to the benefits of sports and arts, and the conditions within which private enterprises can thrive. And if the government of the day doesn’t ensure that all have access to the benefits of sports and arts, and the conditions within which private enterprises can thrive, then thats what the ballot box is for.
So here’s my advice if you are asking what to do to celebrate the arts of this very fine country of Canada this Canada Day weekend, go to St Kitts, go see a place its own kids celebrate and praise. I mean do you know anyone from any hometown who thinks their hometown is great, like I don’t. I had some kids in the shop who were from the County who grew up there, and I’m like , man thats so cool, and they’re like, oh man its so boring!!
But being born and raised in St Catherines seems to mean something to these AOF global rockers. Thats something to see and be in on. Thats some celebration.
Plus its on the GO line so you don’t have to worry about the gas either kids.
