There aren’t many performers who can pack a venue on a Tuesday night. But Hamilton funnyman/ slacker poet B.A. Johnston can always be counted on to fill the Owl Acoustic Lounge, as he did, Oct. 13.
“Have some standards people,” he chortled, stripping off one of his many sweaters, after opening his quick set with a barrage of jokes about Medicine Hat, being thrown out of his house by his mother, local band the Ruby Plumes, people in glasses and whatever or whoever else caught his eye.
He laughed, sweated and stripped off sweaters with his usual manic energy like a sailor hat sporting, flamboyant leprechaun on cocaine as he jumped off a chair on the stage, into the audience, rolled onto the floor, got the crowd to shout into the microphone with him and leaped onto the bar and back on the stage to hop between his two keyboards and his battered guitar.
He was as bewildered as anybody as the audience sung along with every word with his, short, sweet and hilarious songs like “Hobo For Life,” In the Middle of a Douchestorm,“ My Roommate is a Couche tarde,” and random ramblings about working in Fort McMurray, GST cheques which incorporated the crowd shouting “ Give me some treats” every time he shouted GST, and his favourite day “ when the McDonalds coupons come in the mail,” which is always a crowd favourite.
As usual, he adjourned to the ladies washroom with half the audience for his last song of the night, sending everyone home before midnight with smiles their faces.
I missed Internet Love’s opening set, but caught another strong set of keyboard powered garage rock and ’80s inspired pop music from local band Open Channels, who also had a few people singing along with catchy songs like “ Left Behind” and Checkpoint Charlie.”
Jane Edmundson's keyboards basically took a backseat to the crunchy guitar and bass.
