Mmmmm Baebes
On a Wednesday, we went to the pub. We got NOW magazine to find out about Mirrormask. Turns out, there is no Mirrormask. Damn that.
However, I looked through the rest of the magazine and found out Antony and the Johnsons (you know, them as won the Mercury prize) were playing that Saturday-night. So I went home all happily looking for tickets, but it was of course sold out.
The next day I returned to baking, and we have a very handy free newspaper (Toronto Star), as well as free food. It told me, with pictures and all, which is rather useful cause I'm graphically inclined, rather than wordwise, that the Mediaeval Baebes were playing, also, Saturday-night. So I again went home all happily looking for tickets, which this time, I did indeed find and bought one for me.
It was at the Mod Club, on College Street, which is a beautiful wonderful venue, very atmospheric. There weren't just tables to the side (the other side is the bar), but in the centre as well this night. I sat on the side with a good view of the stage. The Baebes did not start right away, but it was well worth the wait. They came out on stage clad in pink sleeveless dresses with flowers in their hair, six of them, and sang dreamy ethereal songs.
Marie Findley, a comic lady (former writer of 'smack the pony'), explained how they were living out their fantasy, singing Mediaeval songs, wearing long flowy dresses, pretending to be virgins ..... she had this wonderful thick English ladylike accent. Mainly she and Katharine Blake, who was the really talented one, leadster and main flute player, told stories about the songs, sometimes in a very graphical way.
All the microphones were entwined with fake red roses, and there were ivy leaves all over the front of the stage. One of the Baebes, the one designated as the love goddess Venus (according to Katharine Blake, at a gathering of satyrs and nymphs, surrounded by fragrant flowers ~ says Marie; except we bought them in a shop), had the widest smile.
After 45 minutes there was an intermission, before which Marie Findley promised they would come sign things after the show, so we should definitely buy their new CD, which I did for I have become an autograph collector. I also bought some white wine and sat down to enjoy the rest of the set. Fifteen minutes later the Baebes came out again, now wearing long-sleeved white dresses, and different hair attires. They somehow managed to mention the Faeries a lot, which I really appreciated. I like Faery themes. There was a French song about a young damsel who tried to tempt a friar with religious gifts. The friar was too pious for this and thwarted her every attempts. But the young lady had other natural means of getting her way, 'if you know what I mean'. 'If you don't, Emily will illustrate it for you' (Emily grabs her breasts).
After a number of songs, most left the stage and Katharine Blake sang an a-capella song. Then she left too, the background instrument player did a song, and the Baebes came back, now in red and gold attire, with yet again different hairpieces. Marie's comment on another song: 'you'll notice how we sing with glee about Adam's torture .. '. They finished their 45 minute set with one encore and lots of bowing, then came out to sign, so my Mirabilis booklet has five Baebe-signatures (one on stage was a temporary member standing in for the seven-month pregnant Audrey Evans).
However, I looked through the rest of the magazine and found out Antony and the Johnsons (you know, them as won the Mercury prize) were playing that Saturday-night. So I went home all happily looking for tickets, but it was of course sold out.
The next day I returned to baking, and we have a very handy free newspaper (Toronto Star), as well as free food. It told me, with pictures and all, which is rather useful cause I'm graphically inclined, rather than wordwise, that the Mediaeval Baebes were playing, also, Saturday-night. So I again went home all happily looking for tickets, which this time, I did indeed find and bought one for me.
It was at the Mod Club, on College Street, which is a beautiful wonderful venue, very atmospheric. There weren't just tables to the side (the other side is the bar), but in the centre as well this night. I sat on the side with a good view of the stage. The Baebes did not start right away, but it was well worth the wait. They came out on stage clad in pink sleeveless dresses with flowers in their hair, six of them, and sang dreamy ethereal songs.
Marie Findley, a comic lady (former writer of 'smack the pony'), explained how they were living out their fantasy, singing Mediaeval songs, wearing long flowy dresses, pretending to be virgins ..... she had this wonderful thick English ladylike accent. Mainly she and Katharine Blake, who was the really talented one, leadster and main flute player, told stories about the songs, sometimes in a very graphical way.
All the microphones were entwined with fake red roses, and there were ivy leaves all over the front of the stage. One of the Baebes, the one designated as the love goddess Venus (according to Katharine Blake, at a gathering of satyrs and nymphs, surrounded by fragrant flowers ~ says Marie; except we bought them in a shop), had the widest smile.
After 45 minutes there was an intermission, before which Marie Findley promised they would come sign things after the show, so we should definitely buy their new CD, which I did for I have become an autograph collector. I also bought some white wine and sat down to enjoy the rest of the set. Fifteen minutes later the Baebes came out again, now wearing long-sleeved white dresses, and different hair attires. They somehow managed to mention the Faeries a lot, which I really appreciated. I like Faery themes. There was a French song about a young damsel who tried to tempt a friar with religious gifts. The friar was too pious for this and thwarted her every attempts. But the young lady had other natural means of getting her way, 'if you know what I mean'. 'If you don't, Emily will illustrate it for you' (Emily grabs her breasts).
After a number of songs, most left the stage and Katharine Blake sang an a-capella song. Then she left too, the background instrument player did a song, and the Baebes came back, now in red and gold attire, with yet again different hairpieces. Marie's comment on another song: 'you'll notice how we sing with glee about Adam's torture .. '. They finished their 45 minute set with one encore and lots of bowing, then came out to sign, so my Mirabilis booklet has five Baebe-signatures (one on stage was a temporary member standing in for the seven-month pregnant Audrey Evans).
posted by Oh Rose, thou art sick @ 21:11
2 Comments:
At 08 octobre, 2005 21:44,
nj said…
Of course you have already seen big media Anthony in a small church somewhere in Toronto, so you shouldn't be too sad for having missed that show...
The baebes concert sounds amazing. Thank you for the long description, this makes me even sorrier for not having been there! Ah, Canada...
At 09 octobre, 2005 06:45,
Oh Rose, thou art sick said…
With your face sketched on it twice..
It was amazing, better than my feeble discriptions can attemt a visualization. I'm sure there's cool things going on in Germany which I'm totally missing. I bought the COS cd with the No Heads, but like the older stuff better.
I was actually glad Antony and the Johnsons were sold out, for otherwise, I would not have found out about the Baebes, which I'd much rather see for the first time than Antony for the third (besides, I actually own their cd (now 's), and not the one Antony won the Mercury price for.
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