Klezmer Music, Geoff Berner Style

Tonight, August 28, a true vagabond rambles into Montreal, and Folk101 will be covering the show for all our loyal readers.

Said ne'er-do-well is one Geoff Berner, a fantastic singer-songwriter and accordion player from British Columbia, who plays an entrancing mixture of folk, punk, and klezmer, which is a traditional form of music associated with Eastern European Jews.

He is often quoted as saying, "I want to drag klezmer music kicking and screaming back into the bars." And that is exactly what his latest album, Whiskey Rabbi (Black Hen Music)does. It takes intricate, fast-paced klezmer music and gives it a lemon-twist of modern themes and contemporary concerns.

His songs combine a traditional, folky aesthetic with lyrics that are topical, funny, and always thought-provoking. Live performances à la Geoff are known to be raunchy cabaret love-ins... or so I've heard. I guess we'll all find out tonight.

Folk101, however, is but a recent convert. We were introduced to his music by a friend visiting from out west. Geoff sported a loyal, cult-like following long before we came along to dote on him. We've heard that this collection of fans does his bidding after they hear the subliminal messages that ooze out of his old squeeze-box. They are always messages like "Be good to one another," "Fight the power", and "Drink absinthe."

Other bands that have received special messages to cover his songs include The Be Good Tanyas, Dan Bern, and Sarah Wheeler.

Geoff has also recently released a how-to guide to becoming a living accordion legend. I highly recommend it for those of you searching for an instrument on which to achieve greatness.

His accordion's name is Estrella.

Check back for the complete review of tonight's show.

Here are his upcoming dates:

Sept. 1 - Wakefield, PQ - The Black Sheep, with Wax Mannequin

Sept. 2 - Toronto, ON - Ashkenaz Festival of Jewish Culture, Harbourfront Center

Sept. 4 - St. Catherines, ON - Strega, with Wax Mannequin

Sept. 5 - Kingston, ON - The Sleepless Goat, with Wax Mannequin

Sept. 6 - London, ON - The Alex P. Keaton, with Wax Mannequin

Sept. 7 - Windsor, ON - The Phog, with Wax Mannequin

Sept. 8 - Hamilton, ON - The Casbah, with Wax Mannequin

Sept. 9 - Wayne, AB - Waynefest

Sept. 17 - Edmonton, AB - The Blue Chair, with Dave Lang

Sept. 18 - Saskatoon, SK - Carrie Catherine's House Concert, with Dave Lang

Sept. 19 - Winnipeg, MB - The West End Cultural Centre, with Dave Lang and Shuyler Jansen

Sept. 20 - Regina, SK - O'Hanlon's, with Dave Lang

Sept. 21 and 22 - Vancouver, BC - Vancouver Comedy Festival

Sept 23 - Calgary, AB - Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association, with Carolyn Mark and Dave Lang

Sept. 24 - Lethbridge, AB - The Tongue n Groove, with Carolyn Mark and Dave Lang

Sept. 25 - Black Diamond, AB - The Spot, with Carolyn Mark and Dave Lang

Sept. 26 - Creston, BC - The Snoring Sasquatch, with Carolyn Mark and Dave Lang

Sept. 27 - Grand Forks, BC - Grand Forks Art Gallery, with Carolyn Mark and Dave Lang

Sept. 28 - Nelson, BC - The Royal, with Carolyn Mark and Dave Lang

Sept. 29 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom, opening for Billy Bragg(!)

Sept. 30 - Vancouver, BC - RIME, with Carolyn Mark and Dave Lang

Oct. 14 - Portland, OR - The Towne Lounge

Oct. 21 - Halifax, NS - Halifax Pop Festival

Nov. 12-Dec. 12: European Tour. Dates to be announced.

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