An
Intimate Evening With
Kim Barlow
.
The Boiler Room, is what I fantasize my den would be like if I
won the lottery. A stage set at one end, comfy couches at the
other end, room for several hundred of my closest friends and
smack dab in the middle, a bar. It’s dark like a den should
be and has the right kind of red ambience that I like in a room.
I had been looking forward to seeing Kim Barlow since I saw her
perform her “luckyburden” multimedia performance at
Frostbite last winter. Having her play “my den” was
a special treat.
When I arrived, Daniel Janke was noodling around on the piano.
I was chatting with friends hardly noticing the music in the room
when a familiar phrase of notes wafted from the stage.
The song “Helpless” was forming around these phrases
and being a “north Ontario” boy, I was instantly transported
by the ambient quality of this most Canadian of anthems. After
a few atmospheric tunes Janke departed the stage.
As Barlow rose to take the stage, I could see Kim Beggs, Rob Hunter
and Heather Loewen, sitting at her table.
Only in The Yukon could you see that sort of talent gathered in
such great concentration, a veritable Yukon summit of talent.
Barlow’s performance was low key and intimate. Daniel Janke
sat in on various tunes throughout the evening to add some acoustic
bass styling for added texture.
Barlow plays a mean claw hammer banjo. Many of the songs she played
this evening incorporate this style of playing and gave a percussive
point to her songs without the need of a drummer. Barlow easily
switched between electric guitar and banjo to play through the
evening’s repertoire that consisted of old favourites as
well as some newly minted gems.
“It’s nice to come to the Boiler Room and mess around
and try out new things”.
A new song about the ginger man was particularly interesting.
It relates a story involving an inebriated friend scampering in
the buff, while on tour in Australia. Oh, those wacky Yukoners
let loose on another continent.
Another of Barlow’s songs to debut was a song about Madeline
and Jake the Sailor. Lovers at first then Jake sails away and
sadness ensues.
From hardship and heartbreak as witnessed in “Madonna Mia”
and “Lonely Mountain” to hope, heroic and heartache
in “Silver Under The Ground”, “Bush Pilot”
and “Slim Pickins” Barlow paints with emotions both
in her music and prose.
Not a lot of people were in attendance for this evenings show.
Poor turnout by the public for such a performer as Kim Barlow
really mystifies me.
This evening was pure gold. This music was just what I needed
after a long Saturday in The Yukon sun. I was totally relaxed
by the laid back evening spent listening to Kim Barlow and Daniel
Janke. Total sonic shiatsu.
If you have an upcoming live performance you would
like written about contact me at
strangethingsdone@hotmail.com