Matt Murphy started off the night, he who was formerly in The Flashing Lights, was playing along with his acoustic guitar, and though I’ve seen this man perform countless times and in many different genres and band setups, I had never before seem him performing alone, with a guitar. Murphy started off the set with “Pretty Boy Floyd,” a classic Woody Guthrie song¹. He carried on, mostly playing new songs, but did include a song from he called old, but didn’t date, which he only recently finished, in addition, a City Field song which was not on their EP, and “Worth A Song” from the Guy Terrifico soundtrack. Murphy swapped between acoustic and electric guitars, and finished the set with “Way Out There” by Hank Snow.

Ben Gunning’s set consisted almost entirely of songs from his two solo records, Beigy Blur and Mal De Mar², with the exception of one new song. His performances were good, and though the audience consisted of myself and my friend Allegra, Gunning played as if he was playing to a sold out crowd. I can safely say that at least 50% of the audience thought he chose an ideal set list, combining the best of his two albums, from “Beauty of God” and “Oh Rebel” on the first record to “Take The Hook” and the title track from the second.

Ben Gunning continues his residency, playing the first Sunday of the next two months at The Drake Hotel in Toronto. You can catch him on August 1 (with Steven McKay) and September 5 (with Thomas).

1. Which I know better as a Byrds song.
2. I really hope I spelled those right.

On that note, check out Ben Gunning’s new record Mal De Mer.

Books I read (1/10 – 10%):
Animal Farm by George Orwell | Originally published 1945

Films I saw (11/52 – 21%):
It’s Complicated | Originally released 2009
Magicians | Originally released 2007
A Single Man | Originally released 2009
Fantastic Mr. Fox | Originally released 2009
After Elizabeth II (Documentary, from CBC Doc Zone)
Crazy Heart | Originally released 2009
Brüno | Originally released 2009
Dan In Real Life | Originally released 2009
Men Who Stare at Goats | Originally released 2009
It Happened One Night | Originally released 1934
A Boy And His Dog | Originally released 1975

Albums I bought (7/52 – 13%):
Gene Clark by Gene Clark (vinyl) | Originally released 1971
The New Despair by The Gothic Archies (CD EP) | Originally released 1997
The Wayward Bus by The Magnetic Fields (CD) | Originally released 1992
Distant Plastic Trees by The Magnetic Fields (CD) | Originally released 1991
Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love by Jonathan Richman (CD) | Originally released  2004
Heartland by Owen Pallett (vinyl)
Mal De Mer by Ben Gunning (CD)

Shows I attended (5/52 – 9%):
Julie Doiron (w/ Will Kidman) @ The Cobourg; January 9, 2010
Krupke, Skip Jensen & Ginger & Irene @ Rancho Relaxo; January 15, 2010
$100 (w/ The Lonesome Ace Stringband & Stripmall Ballads) @ The Horseshoe Tavern;  January 22, 2010
Ben Gunning (w/ Allie Hughes) @ The Rivoli; January 29, 2010
The Dress Whites @ Bread & Circus; January 30, 2010

Peter’s set, however, was fabulous as always. His band were a three-piece, and did a nice mixture of songs from Party of One and Wall of Fire. Elkas also played a few songs from what will one day be his third record (which he’s recording with Thrush Hermit’s Ian McGettigan). Of those songs, three were fantastic, fun, and wonderful; one wasn’t.

Sidenote: Peter, I’m sorry I yelled out “61 Days,” but you can’t blame me, it’s a fabulous song.

Another note: I spoke with Ben Gunning during the show, and he mentioned a show coming up at The Drake on December 9th.