Rifflandia

Tegan and Sara – Rifflandia Music Festival September 25th, 2009

September 25th, 2009
12:00pm I was listening to CBC Radio 3 and brewing with upsetness because tickets to Rifflandia were sold out and I would not be able to attend. This is a good thing I suppose, saving me 80 dollars worth of a ticket.
12:15pm Grant Lawrence (host of CBC Radio 3) announced that he would be giving away a pair of tickets to see Tegan and Sara at Alix Goolden Hall in Victoria.
- I was beyond excited even though my hopes of actually winning anything is always slim. I contained my over induced excitement
12:35pm Grant Lawrence announces that he would be taking calls for the tickets.
- I called in, he picked up and after answering a question that involved a writing session in New Orleans. I was the holder of a pair of tickets and my name would appear on the VIP list +1 guest.
12:37pm I called my friend, and he met me with skepticism. Would we be turned away at the doors? Is this all a scam? We’ll never make it in time for the show! Doors at 7pm
- We planned our meeting times, and off we were to Victoria with very little planned.
- I packed my clothed, contemplated utter failure, looked up ferry times.
2:45pm 2 hours later, a backpack full of cloths and necessities, 1 bus, a Canada Line ride, and a 5 minute walk later I was in a car on the way to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal.
3:22pm Arriving at the terminal, a ferry ticket costing $13.50 and a 40 minute wait for the ferry.
- We had 3 and a half hours to get to Victoria, find the venue, and not get lost. This was exciting.
4:00pm We boarded the ferry full of skepticism and doubt, but a little excited.
- On the ferry Char2d2 was also on board. She plays Saturday night at Rifflandia. Fun.
- We were whale watching. Feeling very tourist-like
5:30pm We Arrive at Swartz Bay, 1 hour and a half to go. We were really cutting it tight on time.
- We then haul ass and bus to Downtown Victoria. We are currently lost. The last time I was here. I stayed within 4 blocks of nothing. We befriended some UVic students and asked for directions. They weren’t much help.
6:35pm We finally figure out the bus routes and which street to get off at
- We had to walk a few blocks to reach the venue.
- We were calm and unhurried
- We ran all the way with our awkward backpacks and short breaths
- I need to work out more, I was breathless
6:50pmWe see the venue! It’s in sight! The church arches and cement walls were comforting. A line had formed around the venue. The entire block was pact.
- We walked right to the front doors marked VIP.
- Reluctantly we tried to look cool, and obviously untourist-like.
- I think our backpacks gave it away
- The Tegan and Sara fans appeared to have daggers coming out of their eyes, aimed at us. I’m sure they had waited for hours.
7:00pm Doors opened, we got our passes and our seats… so this is actually real. CBC Radio had become my favourite local station.
- The show started at 8pm opening with Aiden Knight a BC native, he was cute, awkward and really tall. I could tell he was nervous. I liked his music. His lyrics remind me of camping and the outdoors. He sang of heartbreak and mending. He sang of funny anecdotal situations. He was cute. Refreshing and he handled the Tegan and Sara audience well.
8:30pm After this, An Horse took the stage. I have been waiting to see this band live for quite some time now. I love their simple music and Australian accents. And I enjoyed their set.
9:30pm Tegan and Sara took the stage to an eruption of applause. They were adorable with their matching striped shirts. I’m sure this was to correlate their Sainthood cover artwork. They were enthusiastic and professional. Highlights of their set included the 6 new songs they played off of Sainthood.
- At this point, no one had heard of any of the songs. This was exciting.
- The sound in the Church was perfect, no feedback, no bad audience etiquette.
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The night ended and as we left the venue we were lost to finding our way back to our temporary Victoria home.
I was exhausted and lost.
An overpriced dinner at Moxies topped off the night. A walk around all 4 blocks of Downtown Victoria and a few bags of Mr. Noodles, chips and a $50 taxi ride afterwards we were in a place some people call home. There were couches, beds, and cable TV.
Perfect.
<-- Tegan and Sara

Australian Accents

An Horse

They are cute and awkward.
Who doesn't like modesty?

Photo Credit to Rob Campbell

From Brisbane Australia, the band consists of Kate Cooper (vocals and guitar) and Damon Cox (Drums and Melodica). Interestingly enough, both musicians worked at a record store together. In their spare time, amongst their dusty stacks of overplayed records, they made use of a spare backroom in their Skinneys' Record store. Turning it into a space where they could play music between and after their shifts. They created music that sounds repetitive, sincere and very Australian.

I've been a casual fan of them for about a year now. They've toured with Death Cab for Cutie, Silversun Pickups, Telekenisis, and Tegan and Sara.

The band name An Horse came from a grammar conversation Kate had with a friend... A An Horse sweater and a decided band name after. An horse was created.

Fun fact, Kate Cooper was a University law student. And now she's making pop-rock music for those in love and lust with themselves and a significant other.

Check out their site. Their blogs are quite articulate and funny. here

Kate and Damon seem so humble and on stage they do give off a very authentic energy.
Anxiety.
I try constantly to put together words to describe my found interest in An Horse. And I seem to have trouble doing so. Maybe it's because they seem so friendly and I just want to stand unawkwardly close to them and talk about the weather and snow shoes.
Maybe it's because they seem so average that it makes me think I could have possibly run into them multiple times while running for the bus.
Maybe it's because they speak with an Australian accent and I can't quite differentiate between that and English.
Because, technically it is English... just with an accent.

My point I am trying to give is that An Horse is a band with two talented musicians. Their songs deal with rearranging beds, breathing with your lungs and sending postcards. ALL of these are metaphors for the search for love, surviving the marathon of relationships and reconciling with a significant other.

Genius.

An Horse - Camp Out


This video was shot in Vancouver: Directed by Angela Kendall