Lemon Bucket Orkestra

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Sunday evening we went to the Stratford-Perth Museum to catch a performance by the Lemon Bucket Orkestra outside on the Players' Backstage. The museum takes good advantage of this performance stage and has had all sorts of interesting acts. From theatre to live music. Lots of shows catch our attention.

The Lemon Bucket Orkestra is a wild anarchic "Slavic" themed multi-instrument group from Toronto with most songs in Ukrainian. They remind me a lot of Gogol Bordello. There are elements of Klezmer, gypsy-punk and much more. It's a large group, they have been playing together since 2011 and have issued at least six LP's and EP's (some of which you can find on YouTube or at their shop). The night before they were playing in Detroit. I assume most of the members have alternate day jobs.

It's a lively mish mash of music played at a frenetic break neck speed. It's a large group — 5 horns (including a tuba), drums, guitar, violin and many taking their turn singing. One of their players on trumpet lives in Stratford over the summer as he has a part to play in "Death of a Salesman". They play at a break neck pace, without a set list, and work hard to get the audience up and on their feet joining in clapping and dancing in unison with the music. In the photo above that's founding member Mark Marczyk on violin. For details on the members see their web site.

They did two sets with a short break in between to rest, chat with the audience and "hawk their merch". We were advised to stick around, the second set would even be done at a faster pace! We did, it was.

I recall seeing these guys a few years ago at an event in the St Marys Flats organized by Sean Camp. See River Rock (2018) in this blog. They were great fun then; and still great fun now.

See also

• Lemon Bucket Orkestra Official Website
• Lemon Bucket Orkestra on YouTube.
  
  

The Secret Chord

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"The Secret Chord" is a SoulPepper production staged at the smallish Mirvish CAA Theatre on Yonge Street (just south of Bloor) in Toronto in July and August (2026). Words and music of Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) are showcased. Kate and I are both big fans and have been forever. We could not miss this show even if it meant a drive to Toronto on a sunny Saturday for an afternoon performance.  We did not stay overnight.

This dramatic presentation has written words and music set to stage with accomplished musicians and singers. We loved the show, many times I am brought to tears ("I loved you in the morning..", "An eskimo showed me a movie ...", "I remember you well in a Chelsea Hotel ...").

We arrived early, were able to park nearby, and had a drink in the balcony bar (it's the CAA theatre with CAA discounts!) before the 2:00pm show. We had never been to this theatre. While not an intimate space it is a smaller theatre.

The show ran for 90 minutes without an intermission to a mostly full house. The music and stories introducing and linking them were great. Lighting was dramatic and effective; on the bare concrete wall at the back of the stage complimentary pictures and animations appeared. Our only criticism, a quibble perhaps, is that there was perhaps a little too much soul music. There's lots of folk, some Klezmer, piano bar jazz, some dance/waltz, and lots of musical styles as that's what he did.

Kate took some cell phone photos before the show started. I discretely took some with my camera during the show. Oddly, nobody seemed to mind before, after or during the show. Although the DSLR mirror slap is a bit irritating....

We enjoyed the show; with many fond memories rekindled. If you get a chance ... go! You'll not be disappointed. Here's a YouTube Playlist I've prepared of the original Cohen songs that were arranged and interpreted in this performance.

Ps. if the title of the show doesn't make sense to you look up the lyrics to "Hallelujah" ...

I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do ya?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah