Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Grievous Angels
Buses, streetcars, subways, walking and even the occasional cab have all been means of making it to a concert or a gig. However, going to see the Grievous Angels requires a little more of a journey when they play the Hotel Wolf Island in Kingston, Ontario.
For you have to throw yourself at the mercy of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation ferry service in order to travel to Wolf Island, specifically on The Wolf Islander IV, the brand-spanking-new electric ferry used to ensure the denizens of the island aren’t completely cut off from Kingston.
Unfortunately this lovely new ferry has been plagued by mechanical and other problems. This so-called state-of-the-art ship has been out of service more than in service since its introduction. Most infamously, it ran aground in its first winter of service – gashing a big enough hole in its hull that water filled its bilges putting it out of service for months.
The last time I made the trip over to Wolf Island to see The Grievous Angels, there was a crust of ice covering the harbour between Kingston and the island. That trip was made on the old and smelly, but dependable, Wolf Islander III – diesel-powered and noisy. It ploughed through the ice and water with the engines growling counterpoint to the sound of loose ice being crushed against the hull as we made our way through a semi-open channel.
The decking was constantly shuddering and quivering beneath our feet – from both the motor and the ice. Today couldn’t have been more different. It was a bright sunny September and the new electric boat finally was back in service. However, through no fault of the ferry, our trip was delayed almost an hour. The boat had been commandeered twice to carry ambulances to and from the island. As it’s the only way on and off the island, this can happen at any time.
Angels-Bound
But as soon as we were underway the Wolf Islander IV proved its worth. Not only doesn’t it make any noise as it travels, the voyage is so smooth and the engines so quiet that you barely notice you’re moving. A wonderful transition from the bustle of the downtown core to the more bucolic setting of Wolf Island. Gradually being eased into another way of being.
The Hotel Wolf Island is only a couple of blocks from where the ferry docks in the summer, and in moments you find yourself entering the welcome space of the Dawson, the lounge/bar/restaurant where music is served up alongside food. A lot of work has been put into the venue’s acoustics, with baffles and wood directional beams to muffle and warm the sound expertly placed throughout the room.
With a seven-piece band like the Angels – keyboards, bass, drums, two guitarists and one fiddle/accordion/guitar/harmonica player – this type of attention to sound quality in a room is vital. The music could very easily have been a wall of mud, but here each instrument and voice stood out distinctly.
Which is a good thing as the Grievous Angels are a wonder to watch live. For those who have only heard their records, that’s only half the experience. Even though there are only three members left from their humble beginnings as street performers, that spirit and energy still imbues their music.
While they’re currently promoting their new album, Revolution, they have an extensive back catalogue they drawn upon as well. This is a band from with roots in the hard rock mining country of Northern Ontario – lead singer Charlie Angus hails from Cobalt and his father and both grandfathers worked the mines – so it’s no surprise many of their songs deal with the bitter reality of the hard rock miner’s life, both in and out of the pits.
However, like most Canadians Angus has been focused on the antics of our American neighbours’ political leaders. Angus was a sitting federal politician for 20 years representing a huge swath of Northern Ontario for Canada’s Democratic Socialist New Democratic Party (NDP) and has never been afraid to speak truth to power.
When he’s not singing and writing music to inspire resistance and hope in Canada, he’s travelling the country giving speeches and strengthening people’s resolve to stand up for our country against any oppressor. He doesn’t differentiate between Trump, Putin and Netanyahu – as far as he’s concerned they’re all symptoms of the same disease.
On Message
At times attending a Grievous Angels concert is like attending a revival meeting. The band is rocking and Angus is preaching messages of hope and resistance and helping restore our faith in a better world. The band plays everything from Northern Ontario Francophone reels and East Coast-inspired country songs to gospel-tinged barn burners and straight-ahead punk-infused rock and roll.
Whether the song is about the struggles of a working class woman (“Barcelona I’ll Be Free”), the horrible convergence of the deaths of Leonard Cohen and David Bowie with the coming of Donald Trump (“Song for Joan of Arc”), or a call to the barricades (“If There Was a Revolution”), they were all performed with a passion and a fury that was a joy to see.
More than 40 years ago I walked into a small club in a hotel in Toronto and was blown away by a three-piece punk band speaking truth to power. Saturday I walked into a bar of a hotel on Wolf Island and watched the former bass player in that band lead the Grievous Angels through the same type of set.
The fight that started in the 1980s hasn’t stopped, and Charlie Angus and the Grievous Angels are waving the flag and playing the music of the resistance for those who care to listen. If you have a chance to see them in person do so – you’ll be inspired. If not, buy their records. You won’t regret either experience.
