Way back in 1975, a local radio station in Cleveland booked
Devo to open for
Sun Ra as a joke, billing them as a Bad Company cover band. What the audience heard that Halloween night was nothing that they were expecting, nothing they had ever heard before and with no point of reference most of the audience left before Devo had finished their set. Devo, of course, has gone on to have a long career (32 years and counting) and are considered one of the most influential bands in recent history - contributing significantly to
new wave,
post punk, and
electronica as well as being pioneers of
modern music video they have been listed as influences on acts as diverse as Henry Rollins, Primus and Nine Inch Nails. But, again, the 1975 audience had no idea what they were seeing. (If all you know is "Whip It" you are missing a significant chapter in your music history.)
I point out all of this because I was reminded of it last night. At a little venue called Mitzi's Sister on Queen West in Toronto, I saw
the Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra. There were a few friends and fans there to see them, but those who didn't know what they were getting into largely reacted like a 1975 Cleveland audience. The bands sound is not familiar, it is not 'what is expected' (especially in a small, usually folk rock venue).
It's not that Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra is completely alien, they certainly are not. For the last several years a variety of indie/alternative artists have been adding more depth to their music by using non-traditional instruments (at least for this type of music.)
the Hidden Cameras,
the Arcade Fire, and
Do Make Say Think are just a few examples of bands that have added such things as violin, cello, horns, xylophone and accordion to the mix. Also notable is
Final Fantasy's Polaris winning "He Poos Clouds" last year. So the direction is definitely there. But Pardale Revolutionary Orchestra has actually done away with the guitar altogether and replaced the usual pop vocals with an operatic soprano.
In their own words:
"Rejecting both the tainted, parasitic resources of high art and the equally insular, anti-intellectual pretentions of mainstream popular music, the Orchestra has adopted a third path: active contribution to a growing rejection of these desperately invalid musical standards."
It has been suggested to me that there is an influence from such people as Phillip Glass and Godspeed You Black Emperor - which is certainly true. But it is an evolution of that school, not merely a member of it. Further potential was revealed in their poetry segment. Toronto poet and hip hop artist
danejahras joined the band on stage for a reading which turned out to be the most compelling and original thing I've heard in hip-hop for a very long time.
note: poets who are interested in performing with the band can contact them through their website http://www.parkdalerevolutionaryorchestra.com/poet.htmlIf you are truly not afraid of experimentation, of new directions or of bands that are willing to try something new rather than follow the crowd I'd strongly encourage you to introduce yourself to the music
http://www.parkdalerevolutionaryorchestra.com/ and consider going to one of their upcoming shows at the Tranzac Club.
Normally this would go in the events section, but it's kinda last minute and by the time I send out the next events list it'll be over.
Yesterday, Benjamin Mueller-Heaslip dropped by with a copy of the brand new Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra disc "Truth in the Dark. For those of you not familiar I have written quite a bit about Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra before, their sound is largely their own (some influences though are mentioned in the article linked to above.) There are times when you would say it is classical, and times you would say it's cabaret but after a full show (or a full listening to the new CD) you would have to agree that it's neither. It is definitely an alternative to alternative but not mainstream in any way. If that's something you'd like (even once in awhile) you might want to check out the CD release party this Friday. 
Way back in 1975, a local radio station in Cleveland booked Devo to open for Sun Ra as a joke, billing them as a Bad Company cover band. What the audience heard that Halloween night was nothing that they were expecting, nothing they had ever heard before and with no point of reference most of the audience left before Devo had finished their set. Devo, of course, has gone on to have a long career (32 years and counting) and are considered one of the most influential bands in recent history - contributing significantly to new wave, post punk, and electronica as well as being pioneers of modern music video they have been listed as influences on acts as diverse as Henry Rollins, Primus and Nine Inch Nails. But, again, the 1975 audience had no idea what they were seeing. (If all you know is "Whip It" you are missing a significant chapter in your music history.)
In 1977 playing punk rock in a small bar was pretty punk rock. In 2007 nothing could be much more punk rock than playing classical music in a small bar (especially if you add in classical reworkings of Brian Eno.) So, I've added the Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra to the band blogs. 
