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Note: Charlie Angus is, and has been for quite a while now, the NDP MP for the huge riding of Timmins-James Bay and do not confuse this band with a similarly named "Grievous Angels" from Tempe, Arizona. The band name is an homage to the 1974 Gram Parsons album.
We follow both Charlie Angus (for the politics) and Grievous Angels (for the music) on Facebook and had seen tickets advertised some weeks before the event. We had tickets but might not have gone with our recent mobility problems. But, Kate was game for the drive Sunday morning and we set out early for the 1pm show arriving early enough to get excellent front row seats. The lady we joined at our small table warned us that the view might get obscured by dancers but that never amounted to much. It was mostly a listening audience and, while busy, was not too crazy. Most of the audience were at or near our age — aged punks and radicals who lean to the left.
It was a lovely sunny day, quite hot for the time of year, but a good day for a drive into the city. My intention was to drive up Spadina and drop off Kate at the bar while I would find nearby parking. I missed the Spadina exit from the Gardiner (it's been a while since we've been to "the city") and ended up coming up University Ave then across Richmond. Fortunately we found street parking right across the road from the Horseshoe on Queen St E. — how very convenient for us. As it was such a sunny day the streets were busy with pedestrians seeing and being seen strolling and in the cafés and patios open that day. We left the sun and entered the dank and dark of the infamous Horseshoe Tavern.
We arrived to a bit of a lineup within the bar — the performance area is in a much larger room at the back divided into roughly equal seating, dancing and standing areas. We got a beer (for me) and a soda and lime for Kate who was "on the wagon". Charlie greeted his fans standing in line and Kate told him that Grievous Angels was our "Desert Island" band for many years (we still love "One Job Town" (1990) and the voice of Michelle Rumball). He replied, "No, we were signed with a different label". These days they record and publish on their own label. Politics has kept Charlie busy but I think the pandemic gave him a chance to write and reach out again to his music. He seemed to enjoy playing with the band, they were tight, able and well rehearsed, and oddly his voice has improved over the years!
Once we had a table I checked out the merch table and bought their second last CD, "The Great Divide" (2013), and a copy of Charlie's recent book, "Cobalt", about the mining history. Their latest release, "Summer Before the Storm" (2021) was only available as an LP and I don't play or collect vinyl. I had listened to it a bit on iTunes and have since bought it and "Hanging Songs" (2003) from the Grievous Angels web site. They are currently working on a new album "Last Call for Cinderella" which, I think, will come out next year. They have an extensive catalogue (there are about 8 albums; we've been following them since 1990) and the show featured several new tunes from this forthcoming album.
After the opening act, Charlie did a bit of a reading from another book he's working on, the subject seems to be his recollections and reflections on life as a punk in the 1980's and how we really need to return to that mind set. That book will come out next year as well.
The opening act, Hayley and The Pirate Queens, was a small 3 piece punk band fronted by Hayley Austin (guitar and vocals) with Tim Hadley (bass) and Nathan Mahaffy (drums). The music is sort of power pop punk girl band. The sound was a bit mushy, as it was for the Grievous Angels. A photographer near me asked me if the sound was bad, I said it was but it went with the punk ethos. I enjoyed the set, would have liked it better if I could have made out the words to the songs. Kate sat with her leg up in the car so she would be up for the Grievous Angels. We texted back and forth, and I let her know when Charlie started his reading. She returned for that and we stayed until the bitter end.
The current band consists of Charlie Angus (vocals, electric and acoustic guitar), Ian McKendry (newest member on electric guitar), Peter Jellard (founding member on fiddle, mandolin, guitar and accordian), Tim Hadley (long time bass player with Grievous Angels and Stompin' Tom), Nathan Mahaffy (drums), Janet Mercier (vocals) and Alex Bell (piano and vocals). Tim and Nathan are the rhythm section that formed the backbone for Hayley and The Pirate Queens and they often open for the Grievous Angels. There seems to be a connection to Belleville, where Kate went to high school and where her parents lived until their death.
We enjoyed the show and recognized some of the tunes. Many were new to us from this album in progress. Janet Mercier and Alex Bell shared lead vocals on a song about Barcelona from the new album. Alex on piano was hidden away at the back of the stage with Nathan on drums. The band got the crowd up dancing to the "Gumboot Clogeroo" from "Toute La Gang" (1989) and to "I Fought the Law" (made famous for us by the Clash (1979)). As might be expected, many songs are about mining, resource industries and hard times. There is a political bent.
The band played two sets with a brief intermission. I went out to feed the parking meter near 5:00 during the second set and when I returned the dance floor was hopping but the show was winding down. I've shared these photos on Facebook and even got a mention from Charlie himself.
It was good to see live music again by one of our favorite bands. We don't get to the Horseshow and Toronto very often. I recall seeing Jerry Jeff Walker, Eric Bogle, Billy Joe Shaver and Robert Earl Keen at this venue but those were years ago. This was our first time seeing Charlie Angus and the Grievous Angels.
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