A Feather In The Cap

On Tuesday, I headed down to CBC for a First Play show. I was expecting Ben Caplan to play from his new album, but it was a double set with another East Coast singer: Old Man Luedecke. Both singers also graced each other's set with a song or two. But overall, this made for a disappointing evening. There simply wasn't time to get deep into the music, especially for Caplan who is known for his manic energy.

Chris Luedecke seemed to have settled into marital bliss. So his songs have a bit of a memoir feel whether it was a long-ago first love (Yodelady), his wife (Briar and the Rose), or the speed at which children grows up (Early Days). Appropriate then, that his parents were sitting behind him, beaming with pride. I'll have to have a few more listens to decide if I like his take on that ubiquitous banjo/mandolin folk on the current music scene.

For Ben Caplan, this was a subdued show. Which means he only had 150% the stage presence of a typical performer. He started with old favourite Beautiful but his abbreviated set concentrated on new songs like Belly of the Worm and Abraham. I quite enjoyed this version of the Casual Smokers, mostly East Coast players as well. But I missed the wild violin playing of Jaron Freeman Fox. The vocal harmonies were a nice addition, especially from Taryn Kawaja. At the request of the producer, both bands came together for a cover of Uptown Funk. I'm thinking somebody from the CBC is hoping for a viral hit.