Take everything you know about Julie Doiron. If that amounts to not much, look at Mason Pitzel’s interview with the lady or his review of her last album, So Many Days. Now, take a moment to acquaint yourself with Dirty Feet. Browse through some photos. Look at some live videos; they’ve got a few.
Notice any discrepancies? One is one of Canada’s most unappreciated performers and songwriters and the other is fond of covering the Red Hot Chili Peppers live. It’s obvious that Dirty Feet shouldn’t have been tapped to open for Doiron at the Artful Dodger this past Tuesday, November 20. I don’t know what the situation was that got them into that slot, but no band that slips as easily into a Blueshammer-style jam as they do should play before Julie Doiron.
Doiron was great, by the way. Of course she was. She played long, welcomed covers, mixed in solo and three-piece songs. She opened with “Snow Falls in November” and pulled songs from further back, too, while still giving a healthy dose of material off her last three records. And she’s funny, too, even while she’s being devastatingly honest about her career prospects. (A good primer on that topic is this Globe and Mail article from earlier this year that should break your heart if you have one.)
To the powers in charge of these things: about any Doiron fan would prefer either a single set or, if she’s feeling generous, a short solo set followed by a full band set. Incongruous bills don’t help anyone. They drive away more people than they draw in or please.
