On Friday March 25, I saw ex Uncle Tupelo/Wilco frontman Jeff Teedy play at the Olympia Theatre in Montreal. Tweedy played a solo acoustic set, signaling an entrance into a Neil Young phase of his career, where he does whatever the hell he wants when it comes to music.
I was feeling a slight sting for attending a concert on the shabbos, but the discomfort was allayed knowing that Toronto – based band Snowblink was opening. Snowblink is a wife/ husband team featuring lead singer Daniela Gesundheit who also works as part-time cantor at Shir Libeynu, an unaffiliated egalitarian, liberal, queer- friendly synagogue in Toronto. This fact somehow allowed me to rationalize spending the sabbath listening to great music, even if none of Snowblink’s music resembled Yid Rock in any way.
The band played a crisp 30 minute set to an attentive audience. Daniela standing center stage in a peacock-motif dress holding a black Gibson electric guitar with majestic deer antlers attached to the neck creating a slightly surreal woodland scene. Husband Dan Goldman sat to her left leading on guitar while tapping out sampled sounds and bells on floor bass pedals in socked feet. Highlights of the show included a smooth version of Dolly Parton’s Jolene and a delightful auditory experience where mid song Dan jingled bells, signaling anointed audience members to shake bells distributed before the set, creating an ethereal surround- sound experience.
Recent technological innovations will allow you to listen to Snowblink’s music right now. Go on, give Snowblink a listen, and give Dan’s band Luxury Pond a click too. On his website you can hear a great track featuring urgent strings written by accomplished Canadian violinist Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy). Otherwise, go to synagogue Shir Libeynu in Toronto, but I’m warning you, don’t go in hollering out requests. Finally, you can check them out live. Snowblink will be opening for Timber Timbre on April 16 at the Corona Theatre in Montreal.
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