GoodFellas

Thursday night, local songwriter Bob Wiseman (ex Blue Rodeo) had his release party. The Tranzac was packed for an early show. One, it was a sit-down arrangement which takes up more space. Two, the musicians were set up on the floor and not up on stage. Finally, it seemed as if most of the local indie scene came out to support or play with him.

For the first set, Wiseman played on the piano, accompanied by a drummer and back-up singer, and occasional guest such as Ron Sexsmith. His songs were long and involved, as one can see by the lyrics projected behind him, often satirical with odd turns of phrase. Interestingly, the most affecting song was a cover of Children At Play, written by Sam Larkin, another local composer.

For the second set, a parade of local artists gave their own take on his music. Given the verbiage, most did quiet, contemplative versions including Drew Smith, John Southworth, and Megali Meagher with Jim Guthrie. Dwayne Gretzky added more driving punch to their covers. Only Mary Margaret O'Hara dove into the same avant-garde territory as Wiseman with squeals, grunts, and improvised singing. Even with such a playful performance, her pitch control and power outclassed everyone else if you listened past the odd vocalization.