A Rich Residency (Rich Aucoin, Pete Samples - Drake Hotel - Feb. 16, 2011)

When is the last time you danced? Okay, okay, easy one. When is the last time you sang? at the top of your lungs? under a parachute?! The Rich Aucoin gig (date 2 of 3 week residency) at the Drake offered an opportunity to do all of the above, and so much more! An intimate but fun-lovin' Wednesday night crowd (apparently including my new Toronto band-crush, Wildlife, though I haven't seen them yet so can't confirm) came out for what always proves to be a ridiculous party of an event when Rich rolls through. In addition to the above there was jumping, silly-string, hands-in-the-middle cheers, glow-stick parachute-popcorn, arm-in-arm bobbing and so many more unmentionables that completed the whole night. (Like the 3D video accompaniment - I've got the glasses to prove it!) Trying to describe a Rich Aucoin spectacle is about as hard as trying not to dance while at a Rich Aucoin spectacle. The dude knows how to throw a party, and a mean handful of confetti!

Do NOT (like me) miss Rich's final night at the Drake next Wednesday! (If it wasn't for Hey Rosetta that night... anyone wanna swap your HR Thursday night tix??)

Pete Samples had the honour of opening up, in what is planned to be one of, if not THE, last Toronto show for Pete. Stating that he felt like dancing and doing karaoke he forewent playing many instruments, choosing instead to bust out over prerecorded tracks. Along with this came drum and cymbal bashing, bubble blowing, chime kicking and all sorts of other noisemakers in front of a video reel lifted from a miniature village. (What?? It made just as much sense watching it...none.) He shimmied and shook, often all the way down onto the dance floor with the pint-sized but eager crowd, even forming us into a dance circle around him and having us serenade him sans backing music (like I said, eager crowd). By the end of the set the stage was littered with broken chimes, a slide whistle, gong, and even ice cream cone-shaped bubbles, making it look like the aftermath of playtime at a children's choir!

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Kazoo Fest: A 'Rich' Party with Diamond Rings (PS: I Love You)

Let's say the party planning committee convened for a brainstorming session.. do you think they could come up with something as over-the-top as Rich Aucoin brought to the Jimmy Jazz in Guelph last Friday?

Gathering the crowd together in a little-league style huddle there was a hip-hip-hooray cheer, complete with balloons and confetti, to get the party started. Immediately following this, the pre-programmed dance beat kicked in so people could shake it. While youtube sensation video clips shone on the wall, he cut up their audio, including the "ow ow ow ow ow" grape-stomper, to form the beat. When it wasn't viral videos, the music kept time with an skewed-colour version of the animated 'Grinch' movie circa 1966. It was difficult to pay attention to any of that however, as Rich did his best to whip the crowd up by running amongst us when not manning his keyboard or effect-mic. He jumped and clapped and started sing-alongs to the lyrics splashed over top of the videos and generally encouraged a raucous party. People were only too happy to partake in this mixed-media bash -- Rich Aucoin for party planning president!

The energy may have been down for the next band, but the noise level was WAY up - and they were only twice as big as the solo Rich Aucoin set. PS I Love You amped things up through a slew of electric guitar effect pedals and hard-hitting drumming. Nearing the end of the set they brought out John O'Regan (Diamond Rings/D'Urbervilles) to guest sing, but mostly just groove.

Diamond Rings were next and so John's dancing continued, but now in a more interpretive style to the prepared Macbook Pro beats. O'Regan also played some keys and sang but it was his movement that entertained me the most. However after a few of his tracks, and one music-filled night (see Bruce Peninsula review) I called it a night, to wade home through the drunken university students puking and falling over. (Them, not me!)

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