2013-06-06: Tom Waits night at the Rio

/p>This won't strictly speaking be our first time up for one of Jess Hill's epic Tom Waits tribute nights -- Pavel and Blackbox previously backed Katie Gogo of Hoko's fame on a wacky and sweet take on "Misery Is The River of the World".

The enigmatic genius of the dusty hobo messiah and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Tom Waits

This time around, the venue is larger -- moving from the confines of Cafe Deux to the palatial expanses of the Rio Theatre -- and the roster of East Van luminaries paying tribute to their favorite Rain Dog is truly all-star:  C.R. Avery,

The Tailor, the Broken Mirrors, Antiparty, Company B, Poly Hatchet, Familiar Wild, Christie Rose, Chelsea Johnson, Jess Hill, Khari Mclelland, Jesse Waldman, Corbin Murdoch, and Lindy Gray.  Plus, of course, your friendly neighborhood jug band of the damned.

Doors 7pm /Show 8pm

Tickets $12 advance / $15 door.  Proceeds from the show are earmarked to benefit the battered women's shelter.

www.riotheatretickets.caThe enigmatic genius of the dusty hobo messiah and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Tom Waits

This time around, however, the venue is considerably larger -- moving from the confines of Cafe Deux to the palatial expanses of the Rio Theatre -- and the roster of East Van luminaries paying tribute to their favorite Rain Dog is truly all-star:  C.R. Avery, The Tailor, the Broken Mirrors, Antiparty, Company B, Poly Hatchet, Familiar Wild, Christie Rose, Chelsea Johnson, Jess Hill, Khari Mclelland, Jesse Waldman, Corbin Murdoch, and Lindy Gray.  Plus, of course, your friendly neighborhood jug band of the damned.

That'll be Thursday, June 6th, doors at 7 pm and showtime starting at 8 pm prompt!  Tickets will be $15 at the door or $12 in advance at www.riotheatretickets.ca, and proceeds from the show are earmarked to benefit Battered Women's Support Services.

(Like the picture?  You can own one, too!)

(And for the history books: we did present an impromptu set for the Rent Assembly at the Dogwood Centre on May 24th. Off the cuff, but good fun!)

2012-04-07: Big Screen Barrelhouse II

Nearly three years after our stint at the first installment of this series, the Rio Theatre (1660 E. Broadway at Commercial Drive) swings back into action with another night of East Van bands playing its stage, this time all providing soundtracks to silent film screenings behind them. All the major players are back from last time, plus more more more!

Instead of working in tandem with the magic of Dr. T as we did before, this time we'll be doing music and foley for a black and white animated classic on the theme of responsible libation, which will this time be possible at the Rio! Your $10 (in advance from brownpapertickets, $12 at the door) doesn't just get you these filmic interpretations from some of East Van's most delightfully twisted musical minds, but also an electro-swing dance party at the end!

Depending on how things go, we may have to get together an expanded set to allow us to provide soundtrack to a whole film festival at some point! And speaking of how things went, congrats to the Lunchgroup Heavy Industries' raising of over $1100 at last week's fundraiser show.

Bonus! For your enjoyment, a picture-in-picture presentation of the Creaking Planks providing a soundtrack and foley effects for the 1928 Felix the Cat short Woos Whoopee, performed at this event to great acclaim.

2009-08-01: Creaking Planks at the ArtsWells Festival

Blackbeard Squeezebox has been several years running with his bit on the side, the Joey Only Outlaw Band, but finally this year he gets to reconvene with his old Living Closet cronies with the jug band of the damned in tow!  ArtsWells, BC's biggest little indie arts festival takes place over the BC Day long weekend in the little town of Wells, BC (and neighbouring historical Barkerville) in the Cariboo, from Friday July 31st through Monday August 3rd.  Sharing various stages with us at various times are a whole bevy of buddies both accordion-slinging and non-; a partial look at the stellar line-up this year includes such friends as Ana Bon-Bon, Blackberry Wood, Geoff Berner, Jess Hill and Raghu Lokanathan (we'll be playing a show with him in town the following week) and luminaries such as Fish & Bird, Linda McRae, Rae Spoon and the Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra!

We're slated to be performing an afternoon set at the Barkerville venue Saturday (2-3 pm) and in the downstairs of the main hall Monday afternoon (3-4 pm) but you'll be finding various and sundry Planks all over the festival grounds, nosing out jams and sating our hunger for knowledge at workshops like the accordions in the round session Saturday at noon or Dr. Steelhand's slide guitar workshop Sunday morning (11 am-1 pm) in the school classroom!  (Our regular hunger will be sated by Martin in the kitchen, no doubt!)