Recording: Man Forever

Artist: Man Forever

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Yonge-Dundas Square (Intersection Day 3), August 31, 2019.

Man Forever - [excerpt]

Once more, Tad Michalak's Burn Down the Capital brought a full day's worth of entertainment to the concrete canyon of Yonge-Dundas Square. Random passers-by would occasionally stop and regard the proceedings with curiosity, bemusement or disdain while in the background the thrum of the busker's amplification outside Eaton Centre seems to grow louder every year, sharing the sonic space with sirens and engine roars. Last time I caught John Colpitts (a.k.a. Kid Millions) he had a full ensemble with him, but this appearance saw him travelling only with a drone provider – no problem when he had plenty of a-list percussion pals to call upon. Colin Fisher, Brandon Valdivia, Germaine Liu and Moshe Rozenberg joined in for a whole lot of driving clatter that would alternate with some soothing drone walls.

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: Geneva Freeport

Recorded at Polish Combatants' Hall SPK (Long Winter 6.2), December 9, 2017.

Absolutely Free - Geneva Freeport

I was sad to have missed this year's first Long Winter (at my home base of The Tranzac, no less!) but was pleased to see the series return to the SPK's mirrored bunker for another go-round. Using the downstairs dining room and the upper main hall, there was music back and forth all night — plus the usual mix of comedy, art and Vish Khanna's Long Night talk show. Showing off nearly a full set's worth of new material, a slight shift in approach saw the trio's keyboards mostly playing themselves, while the band were more focused on drums, bass and guitar. Compared to the days of yore that saw the group spend most of their time on stage hunched over electronics, this was definitely more rockin', in a dark disco kinda way.

Recording: Absolutely Free with Contact

Artist: Absolutely Free with Contact Contemporary Music

Songs: [new song] + Two Cares Due None^*

Recorded at Yonge-Dundas Square (Intersection Festival – Day 2), September 3, 2016.

Absolutely Free with Contact Contemporary Music - [new song]

Absolutely Free with Contact Contemporary Music - Two Cares Due None

A lovely day, warm in the sun with a cool breeze, the Intersection Festival once again filled Dundas Square with music of all kinds, offering a counterpoint to business at usual in the ad-basked concrete canyon. With Tad Michalak (of Burn Down the Capital/Feast in the East) again taking a leading role in curating the day, the music had nods to the festival's more chamber music-intensive past while upping the noise and weirdness reverberating off the surrounding walls. That had a sort of push-pull effect on the passers-by, sometimes drawing them in, sometimes causing evident confusion and moving along.

The night ended with a headlining set that was true to Intersection's past while completing a satisfactory arc for the day. Bringing together Contact Contemporary Music — the event's founders — with adventurous local rock trio Absolutely Free pushed them both a little away from their usual sonic spheres. At the start, with the band playing some songs from their regular setlist, it felt a bit more like mere tacked-on orchestral adornment, but as the set progressed, that balance shifted. By the end, with the band presenting some of their soundtrack work the larger ensemble felt quite integral to the whole — and I don't imagine we'll see so many chances for the band to tackle this on so grand a scale on stage again.

[Absolutely Free will be playing a short set (billed as "Absolutely Free vs Absolutely Free") tonight (September 28th) at the Forms Festival at the Great Hall.]

^* Does anyone know the title to these? It seems fair enough to assume the closing soundtrack piece is from Two Cares Due None, but I'm not sure if this was a series of cues or a more extended composition. Please leave a comment if you know these!

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Songs: The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore [The Walker Brothers cover] + Beneath The Air

Recorded at The Music Gallery ("X Avant X"), October 18, 2015.

Absolutely Free - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore + Beneath The Air

This year's X Avant not only celebrated the festival's tenth anniversary, but also the Music Gallery's 40th season. No surprise, then, that the festival incorporated various methods to look back at the MG's legacy — but also to look forward. Closing things out, Absolutely Free took the opportunity to shape their show to the space, unwinding their grooves a bit and settling into some more extended ambient excursions than they normally undertake, throwing in some crashing piano chords, gauzy trebly synth and some pleasing wriggling noises. They were joined by Sandro Perri on a couple songs, and they also closed with this one-two punch — which includes, as far as I know, the first cover they've ever done as well as a mellowed-out reworking of one of the tracks from last year's full-length.

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: My Dim Age

Recorded at Christie Pits Park – Main Stage ("Bloor Ossington Folk Festival V") September 20, 2015.

Absolutely Free - My Dim Age

You can read my general notes on the festival here. By having things alternating back and forth between two stages, the festival could also give the feeling of having two headliners. With Absolutely Free playing on the big stage as the sun went down and a cool, damp chill settled onto the lawn, there was definitely not just an end-of-the-weekend feel, but the sense of a farewell to summer as well — a pleasantly wistful feeling that felt just right with the expansive glide of the band's music.

[Absolutely Free will be closing out a rather different (but also quite excellent) festival when they play the Music Gallery's X Avant on Sunday, October 18th.]

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Songs: Beneath The Air + Spiral Jetty [extended mix]

Recorded at Geary Lane, January 30, 2015.

Absolutely Free - Beneath The Air

Absolutely Free and friends - Spiral Jetty [extended mix]

Having followed the band since pretty much the beginning, it was a real pleasure to see how much Absolutely Free has attained, shaping their sound into the refined airy pillars found on their début album. It took a few months, but the band belatedly celebrated its release with a party in the warehouse-style space at Geary Lane — a venue that was sounding quite great despite its cavernous spaces.

The band opted to play two shorter sets, giving them a chance to play most of their material and also close off with something special, a monster jam on the album's closing cut billed by the band as "a one-off collaborative piece between Absolutely Free, Mike Haliechuk (Fucked Up), Joseph Shabason (Diana) & Marcel Ramagnano." This event (with nifty projections and some nice stage dressing that turned the tall white walls into a re-creation of their album art) was also a send-off party with the band heading off to Europe on tour.

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: Vision's

Recorded at Mercer Union (PLATFORM: Music at Mercer), May 30, 2014.

Absolutely Free - Vision's

Full review to follow. Since re-triangulating as a three-piece, Absolutely Free can sound like a swim in the synthesized waters, but this demonstrates they can still flip over into spiky, drum-led grooves when required.

Recording: Brr

Artist: Brr

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Double Double Land, September 26, 2013.

Brr - unknown

Full review to follow. Moshe Rozenberg (also of Absolutely Free) might have been a little nervous on getting the nod to open for kosmische/electronic godhead Dieter Moebius. But in a successful case of Kill Yr Idols, this set contained the night's most interesting music, with Ryan Dodgson's hand-cranked fabric art speeding up and slowing in time to the waxing and waning synthesizer ripples.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: On The Beach

Recorded at The Drake Underground, April 10, 2013.

Absolutely Free - On The Beach

Full review to follow.

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Songs: "The Army Chases Klaatu" [excerpt from a live, improvised score to The Day The Earth Stood Still] + unknown^*

Recorded at The Electric Theatre/Double Double Land, January 12, 2013.

Absolutely Free with Carl Didur - "The Army Chases Klaatu"

Absolutely Free - unknown

Full review to follow. Celebrating the release of their UFO/Glass Tassle 12", the band put together a full night of entertainment. The triple-header started at the intriguing Electric Theatre — in the former Kensington location of Bread and Circus, now reconfigured into a proper live theatre venue, complete with movie-style seats. The band were joined by Carl Didur to improvise a live score to the 1951 sci-fi classic The Day The Earth Stood Still. I thought this might just have meant an opportunity to jam out while the movie played behind them, but it was tackled with attentive sympathy, meant to highlight the film and not just riff on it.

Then the night moved down the street, where the band played their "regular" set at Double Double Land, crammed onto the tiny stage. After that, the action returned to the Theatre to screen the band's video for "UFO", followed by a kitschy-fun party, the crowd climbing up on the stage to dance to some classic videos of yesteryear.

^* I think I know which song this is, but my notes are a little unclear, and I don't want to pass the wrong title along. Please leave a comment if you can confirm the title.

Recording: Brr

Artist: Brr

Song: Harpoon [excerpt]^*

Recorded at Candle Recording Studio, November 2, 2012.

Brr - Harpoon [excerpt]

Full review to follow. Brr is a collaboration between visual artist Ryan Dodgson and Absolutely Free's Moshe Rozenberg. This show was in celebration of the release of a joint book/7" and live, it joined Rozenberg's echoed-out compositions (gear included a reel-to-reel player, analog keyboard and omnichord) with Dodgson's hand-cranked rolling fabric tapestry.

^* Thanks to a commenter for passing the title along.

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: Clothed Woman Sitting^*

Recorded at Artscape Gibraltar Point (ALL CAPS! Festival), August 12, 2012.

Absolutely Free - Clothed Woman Sitting

Full review to follow. you can check out my quick notes for the festival here.

^* Thanks to Elena for pointing out the title to this one.

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Polyhaus (Feast in the East 15), July 15, 2012.

Absolutely Free - unknown

Full review to follow. After the tasty vegetarian curry — the event's titular feast is not merely metaphorical — the bands took the stage backed by some cool lo-tech projected visuals — all a part of the art/music/community experience at Feast in the East. Having outgrown its old digs at the Dickens Street Theatre, Polyhaus is a fine step up for the series and well-suited to this kind of show.

Given how long these guys have been working together, it shouldn't have surprised at how quickly they've gelled as a unit in Absolutely Free. Word is that the band's first release will be coming out in September, so you should definitely have a chance to check 'em out then.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Absolutely Free

Artist: Absolutely Free

Song: Triangle^*

Recorded at Comfort Zone (CMW 2012), March 24, 2012.

Absolutely Free - Triangle

Full review to follow. My quick notes for this set can be found here.

^* Thanks to the band for passing the title to this one along.

Recording: DD/MM/YYYY

Artist: DD/MM/YYYY

Song: Sky Burial

Recorded at 918 Bathurst Centre, November 10, 2011.

DD/MM/YYYY - Sky Burial

Full review to follow. "We are DD/MM/YYYY — forever... and ever. Fuck what you think is an ending and what you think is a beginning. We started right now and we end right now..."