One of the classic benchmarks of the Creaking Planks is that we know we’ll have an awesome time if we’re not the strangest thing on the bill. (Don’t get me wrong, we also have a great time when we are the strangest act, which we overwhelmingly are, but anything stranger than us really demands sitting up and paying attention to.) This past weekend we had the pleasure of enjoying two such shows on two consecutive days!
Saturday, June 25th, the Creaking Planks had their second performance in their stripped-down Royal Doilies format, playing without Airbeard, who was away hosting at the Campbell Bay Music Festival. This saw an unruly handful of Planks assemble at W2 to celebrate the book launch of The Amaranthian Testament, illustrated by the namer of the Planks, one Olo J. Milkman. Joining us on the bill were numerous experimental noise and video performance acts we hadn’t crossed paths with since our very early days, as well as Vancouver weirdo music elder statesman Veda Hille. Sometime well after the show was done, the sound checks finished.
(Video by Joel Snowden)
Sunday, June 26th was Vancouver’s first installment of the Mini Maker Faire phenomenon, a little slice of nerdy projects and Burning Man installations getting their test-run before the annual Playa marathon. Between such monumental pieces as the gramophone rail car, the world’s largest tricycle and the shipping container gallery could be found tables full of hackers programming LEDs and lasers for good rather than evil. In the far corner outside was a musical stage featuring numerous peculiar and atmospheric acts, and toward the end of the program the Creaking Planks took the stage to show the Makers what we’d made out of some of their favorite songs. Highlights included having the fireball-spitting truck next to us spouting geysers of flame while we performed Peter Schilling’s Major Tom, some operator punching instructions in to its Fisher-Price keyboard console in time to the beat. (Boy, playing next to that thing sure got hot, though!)
No photos yet, though it would have made for a killer music video.
The wilds of East Vancouver’s Prophouse Cafe, that is…
On June 4th, the Planks will take over the back showroom of the Prophouse Cafe (to be found just west of Commercial Drive, on Venables) with special musical guests the Kingsgate Chorus, and special magical guest Travis Bernhardt (Dr. Steelhand’s secret identity). Â This show is not officially part of Music Waste, or even Go Your Own Waste, but you can pretend it is if that will encourage you to come out and have some fun!
You probably missed us March 12 playing an intimate acoustic living room set to celebrate a new line of Venus’ vintage jewellery. That was too bad, but her works live on and you can find them online! Performances are ephemeral however, none more than poetry performances — even the loudest among them often fly under the radar just outside the front door, while a jerk with a car stereo can be belt blocks away. Musicians, though, we straddle the line between poet and jerk, and tomorrow night we will be making a spirited ruckus on behalf of the quiet poets of page and slam, making our sound and fury to benefit the upcoming 1st annual Vancouver International Poetry Festival.
Joining us will be such mouthy titans as Al Mader, the minimalist jug band, as well as Barbara Adler of Fang and elder statesman of the harmonica beatbox C. R. Avery. Also on the bill are Lucia Misch, our friends in High Society, and even a very literary turn by our own Travis the Magician. (A wizard of words, perhaps?)
What was previously alluded to can now be stated plainly: the Creaking Planks are returning to Vancouver Island, with fewer stops than last time — only two, making for a killer weekend with our Californian uke-slinging pal.
Friday, Sept 10th, we’ll be back at the Duncan Garage Showroom playing for an unruly crew of Long John and some of Duncan’s finest connoisseurs of humourous musical mayhem.
Saturday, September 11th, we take on Victoria’s Fort Cafe (742 Fort Street) not only with Uni in tow but also Victoria’s own squeezebox madman David P. Smith headlining a thrilling night of killer tunes on outsider instruments — doors at 7:30, music at 9.
Then, Sunday, September 12th, we return home for our second year at the Fringe Festival bar (you can catch us in the program!) at the St. Ambroise Fringe Bar at Agro Cafe (1363 Railspur Alley, Granville Island), where not only will Uni be joining us again, but also Dr. Steelhand’s alter ego, Travis the Magician, promoting his Fringe show Things That Never Happen.
Back to the Little Mountain Gallery (195 E. 26th) for the second time this month, this time for a considerably more substantial bill — hark, hark, the Cabaret of Wonders has come to town! This concerted return to vaudeville was spearheaded by our magical slide guitar player Dr. Steelhand and will feature the many improbable talents of, we are told…
