Paul McGuiness [bass] and Richy Paradise [drums] and Simon Van Der Lindt [lead vocal] then sang It Makes No Difference by The Band with Jesse [guitar] and Maddy Longhurst [backing vocals]. This was the first loud electric performance and when I reviewed the tape afterwards it is clear there was a problem with peaks on the recording levels, which is a shame.
I then joined Jesse and Paul on stage to play drums, but I still had no idea who would be singing and improvised the feel of the emerging Paul Anka song Diana which was introduced by a little country ditty for 'Fred' who I think is AKA Hannah?
She sang Diana in a cabaret style, which was really fun.
Greig Ashby was on next, but was outside in the 'garden', so a bit of necessary filling in was done very skillfully by Jesse. Unfortunately for the tape machine, Greig wanted to perform acoustically, so his entire song was lost on the recording of the night.
Rosey Plain's following performance was also lost, perhaps because she too chose to sing and play without going through the PA?
Next up and this time successfully captured on tape was The Tones, none other than Tony Almo [guitar, lead vocal], Lucy Harper & Maddy [backing vocals] and an unknown musician [violin] performing a beautiful acoustic version of the 1974 Bachman Turner Overdrive hit You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet. With almost perfect timing, a revealing background image of Pamela Anderson appeared which made everyone laugh, including the band!
Next, A track from Arcade Fire called Window Sill emerged after a few plugging-in difficulties on Maddy's guitar.
Some Bone Fide Canadians, called The Freebone Band were on after that, introducing a Broken Social Scene song Shoreline followed by Thompson Girl by The Tragically Hip.
Maddy Longhurst's and Lucy Harper were back to perform Blanche Comme La Neige a McGarrigle Sister's song in French with a folk tale style introduction, so the audience wouldn't feel totally lost in translation. After that Maddy introduced a Jolie Holland song Roll My Blues accompanied by Tony [ukelele]. Finally, Maddy played a tribute to Jimmy Goodrich, with some nice guitar picking by Jesse and backing singing by Lucy. I called it Jimmy's Tribute
Pat Reid's band The Great Admirer's followed up with "the greatest domestic hit of the New Romantic era" called Safety Dance by Men Without Hats. This was followed by a sing along song by Leonard Cohen called Memories all together now...sha na na na na woa oh oh oh oh!
Susuki Boom Boom followed this performance with a provocative joke about Moose fucking before going into Bryan Adams Run to You - cut short by a broken guitar string - then Joni Mitchell's Woodstock
John Fergie Wood was sharply dressed in his Canadian threads and I landed the drumming job on Sundown a Gordon Lightfoot song from the 70's, which I'd rehearsed earlier, but suddenly sounded unfamiliar! I think we got there in the end...
Jimmy Goodrich finally closed the evening with three songs, Joni Mitchell's A Case Of You then Halelujah by [not] Jeff Buckley but Leonard Cohen. This was followed by My Heart Will Go On from the film Titanic. The Canadian National Anthem was sung again to play out The Greatness of The Magnificence Presents 'O Canadia'...
Once again I want to thank everyone involved, especially Jesse and hope The Greatness of the Magnificence Presents will continue, it was a great evening.
by Olivejunkie 28th April 2008