Manitoba Music
Was I the only person who didnt know that Hawskley Workman made a music video in Winnipeg this year?
I went to Mr. Workman’s concert last weekend at the Burty (aka The Burton Cummings Theatre) and I was by no means disappointed! The night started out very "old school" in the sense that there was a purposful stearing clear of the use of lights and mics in honor of Earth Hour. The stage was elegantly lit by candle and Hawskley’s voice seemed to be in good shape even though the stop here in Winnipeg was his last night of touring for, Between the Beautifuls. No sign of vocal strain here! Hawskley’s band played a very folksy set and I’ve never seen/heard a Winnipeg audience so quietly attentive. I felt a new appreciation for the old theatre and it’s amazing acoustics! I found myself fascinated with the fact that this was how it was done in the old days. The grass roots type of set ended when the lights turned on and the electric guitars were plugged in. Workman’s ability to shift gears from album to album and from set to set is a wonder! I truly believe he is a musical chameleon.
Before his performance on Saturday night Hawskley apparently made a trip to one of Winnipeg’s famous stores, Toad Hall... Holla! A couple of purchases made at the toy store played an important role throughout the concert later that evening!? While in the spotlight Workman was continually moving from front-and-center to the back of the stage in order to play the drums...keeping the crowd wondering what the artist had up his sleeve and where he would go to next? Speaking of drums... Workman accompanied by Mr. Lonely often played their "new toys" (which consisted of mini drum kit and mini piano) like two children in kindergarten... so funny! At one point these big kids at heart turned into a Charlie Brown cartoon (in my head at least). Mr. Lonely was the spitting image of Schroeder! Seriously, they were banging on these little instruments with a surprisingly big sound and smiling like it was recess time in the school yard. Can I just say... Toad Hall = Awesome! That was totally my favorite part of the show!
Hawskley did a bit of a striptease (believe it or not)!? That’s so appropriate for him and... I almost had a heart attack! My dreams were finally coming to fruition! Anyway (I’m clearing my throat right now.... just so you know) after taking off some of his so very sharp looking suit he put on a lime green jumper! (That’s definitely not part of my fantasy... just so you know). The rest of the band joined the lead singer in this lime green jumper trend of festivities while also sporting a head band with antenna’s topped with sparkly stars!? Basically I felt like I was at a theme party but the theme changed and everyone forgot to tell me. So there I was standing in a toga while everyone else looked like the return to mars! I have to say... I didn’t get the symbolism here? Maybe I’m not as "artsy" as I‘d like to think myself? Maybe the lime green jumpers didn’t mean anything and Hawskley was just messing with our minds? Hummmmmmmm? That being said it was indeed entertaining!
As for songs...Workman played some oldies but goodies like, "Your Beauty Must Be Rubbing Off" and "Jealous Of Your Cigarette." A lot of the new album was show cased and I have to mention two specific things about, Between the Beautifuls. First off, I’ve heard people say stuff like this before and I never quite got it till now... Workman’s voice on song #10 called, "The City Is A Drag" sounds freakishly similar to Freddy Mercury! It’s so outrageously weird to say that... but it’s so fabulously true! Secondly, was I the only person who didn’t know that Hawskley Workman made a music video in Winnipeg this year? Yes he did... again this is so fabulously true! "Piano Blink" (off the new CD) was taped in.... wait for it... Portage Place Shopping Centre! What!? How did I not know that!? Where was I? Did anyone else know about this? The black and white video shows the mall shutting down for the night and Hawskley and his train-of-a-crew go biking around the mall while carrying... wait for it.... boom boxes! Holla! The pop-esk song was inspired to be written in L.A. after Workman was said to have had something like a "dark"-in-"lost" stay in a wintery Europe. "The Piano Blink" video definitely has that gloomy feel to it...but for you Waking Eyes fans out there what I have to say next might just cheer things up? I believe I saw a couple of cameos from some of The Waking Eyes band members in the Workman video...That is if my eyes serve me correctly? Not sure if that’s news to anyone else but me? The video goes on in a playful manner showing the group throwing parachute men off the second floor of the centre. Even the praiseworthy Portage Place water fountain is highlighted in a couple of shots... How cool is that! Ha ha! I don’t know... maybe it’s just cause I’m a happy go lucky Winnipegger but this downtown video action in a bizarre way warms my heart!? Click here to see "The Piano Blink" video on Youtube.
All in all, I just can’t get enough of Hawskley Workman. The always thought provoking, Canadian country boy, poet of Paris, spills of sexuality and innocense! Workman at times exemplifying an extremist personality swimming in two different directions...turns to instruments for any insecurities/uncertainties. A talented individual so honest... Hawskley says that Winnipeggers are "disarming" for him and he just wants to something along the lines of, "eat some sandwiches" with us! How can you not like a guy like that? Oh Mr. Workman you’re so silly and eccentrically brilliant! Forget George Stroumboulopoulos...you can be my new boyfriend!
Before his performance on Saturday night Hawskley apparently made a trip to one of Winnipeg’s famous stores, Toad Hall... Holla! A couple of purchases made at the toy store played an important role throughout the concert later that evening!? While in the spotlight Workman was continually moving from front-and-center to the back of the stage in order to play the drums...keeping the crowd wondering what the artist had up his sleeve and where he would go to next? Speaking of drums... Workman accompanied by Mr. Lonely often played their "new toys" (which consisted of mini drum kit and mini piano) like two children in kindergarten... so funny! At one point these big kids at heart turned into a Charlie Brown cartoon (in my head at least). Mr. Lonely was the spitting image of Schroeder! Seriously, they were banging on these little instruments with a surprisingly big sound and smiling like it was recess time in the school yard. Can I just say... Toad Hall = Awesome! That was totally my favorite part of the show!
Hawskley did a bit of a striptease (believe it or not)!? That’s so appropriate for him and... I almost had a heart attack! My dreams were finally coming to fruition! Anyway (I’m clearing my throat right now.... just so you know) after taking off some of his so very sharp looking suit he put on a lime green jumper! (That’s definitely not part of my fantasy... just so you know). The rest of the band joined the lead singer in this lime green jumper trend of festivities while also sporting a head band with antenna’s topped with sparkly stars!? Basically I felt like I was at a theme party but the theme changed and everyone forgot to tell me. So there I was standing in a toga while everyone else looked like the return to mars! I have to say... I didn’t get the symbolism here? Maybe I’m not as "artsy" as I‘d like to think myself? Maybe the lime green jumpers didn’t mean anything and Hawskley was just messing with our minds? Hummmmmmmm? That being said it was indeed entertaining!
As for songs...Workman played some oldies but goodies like, "Your Beauty Must Be Rubbing Off" and "Jealous Of Your Cigarette." A lot of the new album was show cased and I have to mention two specific things about, Between the Beautifuls. First off, I’ve heard people say stuff like this before and I never quite got it till now... Workman’s voice on song #10 called, "The City Is A Drag" sounds freakishly similar to Freddy Mercury! It’s so outrageously weird to say that... but it’s so fabulously true! Secondly, was I the only person who didn’t know that Hawskley Workman made a music video in Winnipeg this year? Yes he did... again this is so fabulously true! "Piano Blink" (off the new CD) was taped in.... wait for it... Portage Place Shopping Centre! What!? How did I not know that!? Where was I? Did anyone else know about this? The black and white video shows the mall shutting down for the night and Hawskley and his train-of-a-crew go biking around the mall while carrying... wait for it.... boom boxes! Holla! The pop-esk song was inspired to be written in L.A. after Workman was said to have had something like a "dark"-in-"lost" stay in a wintery Europe. "The Piano Blink" video definitely has that gloomy feel to it...but for you Waking Eyes fans out there what I have to say next might just cheer things up? I believe I saw a couple of cameos from some of The Waking Eyes band members in the Workman video...That is if my eyes serve me correctly? Not sure if that’s news to anyone else but me? The video goes on in a playful manner showing the group throwing parachute men off the second floor of the centre. Even the praiseworthy Portage Place water fountain is highlighted in a couple of shots... How cool is that! Ha ha! I don’t know... maybe it’s just cause I’m a happy go lucky Winnipegger but this downtown video action in a bizarre way warms my heart!? Click here to see "The Piano Blink" video on Youtube.
All in all, I just can’t get enough of Hawskley Workman. The always thought provoking, Canadian country boy, poet of Paris, spills of sexuality and innocense! Workman at times exemplifying an extremist personality swimming in two different directions...turns to instruments for any insecurities/uncertainties. A talented individual so honest... Hawskley says that Winnipeggers are "disarming" for him and he just wants to something along the lines of, "eat some sandwiches" with us! How can you not like a guy like that? Oh Mr. Workman you’re so silly and eccentrically brilliant! Forget George Stroumboulopoulos...you can be my new boyfriend!