Julie Doiron at the Royal Albert, Jan 18 2010

– text by eugene osudar/photos by Cheyenne Rae

the last time round
at the Albert
Julie Doiron
played something so near
perfection
that Matt Magura
of The Magnificent 7s
told me

This is the best show
he had ever seen.

https://www.thesnipenews.com/winnipeg-concert-reviews/julie-doiron/

i couldn’t argue it.
i wouldn’t dare.

She and her band
Fred and The Bairds
rocked every song
100 minutes

a perfect rocking set
that had me exploding in the dance
and their passion on stage
battled hard
with The Weber Brothers
and Al Green and Mohawk Lodge
for the hottest set of live music
i saw back in June (’09)

last night,

wasn’t perfection

it was sold out
on a monday night
at The Albert

and it was Julie’s lovers
loving and breathing her in
and feeding her
welcoming her

there was
no Fred (i’ve never seen Julie without the beautiful and serene Fred!)
no Bairds

just her and Wil(l) Kidman
of The Constantines
trading guitar riffs
and Will playing
drums
caressing sticks
and skins, jiving
and hammering them
to her every nuanced
expressive mood,
tone and dance

she’s a dancer
she’s a mover
a contortionist
and a shaker

she’s a piston pumping
up and down
(gracefully)
sliding along straight lines
in the background,
all those little amps
all feedback and joy
and brilliant little
guitar licks

Julie’s a punk rocker
that’s no shocker

she’s been tripping
for so long.

i’m in love with her
soul
breathing
songs

but i’ll not lie

i looked at my watch
and sighed
one hour that felt
every bit of 2 hours
and the extra 25 minutes
well,

i was done/

i’m still in love with Julie
and
her songs

21 songs
85 minutes

there were punk songs and sad angry songs
No More Singing and songs about The Wrong Guy
there was a sweet sound checking song clip,
You Really Got A Hold On Me
and a Sam Cooke cover
later
that had Rusty of The Waking Eyes and me
singing and near tears, in awe of Julie’s open
heart
for all to feel
Bring It On Home To Me
there were hot lick songs
and feed/backing songs
and raw songs of loss
and aloneness

notes were tickled
and feet too,
on the floor
beautiful
youngsters danced
for Julie.

there were a couple of Fred songs.
Sackville, New Brunswick songs.
urban songs.
wilderness songs
Canadian songs.

songs about the town’s drunk girls
and Julie’s hands and fingers
twisting and expressing
the starkness of her
insight

she’s an actress on stage.

her lovely and loving
soul
in the lights
with our eyes
and hearts and ears
open
accepting
her

nakedness.

her hair in ponytails swinging and her bangs
swaying
back and forth
the curtains on her forehead

the fur hat came off
in the third song

and what can we do to make this change
songs
desperate songs
break up songs
some blues
some bitterness
but there’s hope
always hope
in her spirit

a punky pop song
and a song that she assures
us isn’t House Of The Rising Sun
and it isn’t but yes
it sounds like it.

Dan joins Will and Julie
for a couple of folk songs
from the new CD.

and between the folk songs,

a loving in the snow song
and the Heavy Snow last song,
requested by a photographer
and finally three more
encore songs.

i can’t imagine
not seeing Julie Doiron
whenever i can.

i prefer her
with a band.

Julie Doiron
Albert
January 18.