Big John Bates + Reverend Deadeye @ Le Divan Orange

Big John Bates seem to like having one-man acts open for then. The first time I saw them in Montreal (at Mile End’s Green Room), they brought along a guy who played a heavily distorted bass which he accompanied by the soothing Bossa Nova beats of an electric organ like my grandparents had. This time, they featured bluegrass/roots/blues musician Reverend Deadeye, who played resonator guitar, a washbasin kick drum, several tambourines, a trumpet and a hi-hat. His show was lively and cacophonous, impressing the small crowd and, more importantly, me. It was clear that the good Reverend was a created character: one song involved “Gettin’ High on Jesus” and a hobo aesthetic was cultivated. At the same time, the material seemed to be crafted with genuine love. While I’m not sure if I’d enjoy a record as much, I know that Reverend Deadeye’s act succeeds in the live setting.

It was my third time seeing the B.C. Burlesquebilly band Big John Bates (although both other times were under the name Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz), and I noticed that they had gone through a lineup change since I saw them in Vancouver last summer, having lost drummer J.T. Brander. Unfortunately, the new guy wasn’t really able to fill his shoes. J.T. Brander put on a show, complete with protracted drum solos, audience interaction and Jager shots mid beat, but the new guy (who shall remain nameless because I don’t know his name) merely played the songs. These were, of course, quite good; in fact the new songs were excellent, but it’s about visual presence. With the drummer remaining in the background, the task of entertaining the audience fell to the titular frontman/guitarist, contrabassist Brandy Bones and the celebrated dancing girls. Unfortunately, due in part to a small and somewhat apathetic audience they weren’t able to generate much in the way of a party. It’s kind of sad to see a band you like start slipping. The night might just have been full of fuck-ups, such as poor promotion, poor booking, or the like. Hopefully they’ll bounce back, but I am concerned.

-Alexandre Perrault