Another year, another birthday bash for Kelp Records. This week, the much-loved Ottawa indie label is turning 17, and a bunch of their best musical buds are throwing them a smashing three-day party (funny, my parents never would have let me stay out for three days straight when I was that age) that kicks off tomorrow.
Flecton Big Sky starts things off at the Kichesippi Brewery on Thursday, followed by a new collaboration between Jim Bryson and Mike Essoudry’s Mashed Potato Mashers. (There’s also free brewery tours between sets!) The party moves to Dom Polski on Friday, where The Acorn plan to dust off their debut album, The Pink Ghosts, and play it start to finish; they’ll be joined by The Recoilers and Andy Swan. Saturday morning gets underway with a “flea and food market” at the Dom Polski, with chances to sample gourmet foods and browse old records and vintage clothes, and a performance by Greenfield Main. That evening, there’s music from The Flaps, Andrew Vincent and the Pirates will reunite to perform their album I Love the Modern Way, and Camp Radio is scheduled to trot out Campista Socialista for the adoring crowds.
It wouldn’t be right, though, if the gathered guests didn’t say a few nice things about the birthday boy record label. We got a smattering of Kelp artists to pay a 17-word tribute to the label they call home – and as you’ll see, their tributes range from the poetic to the complimentary to the mathematically disinclined.
Jim Bryson: Like Kelp? I love Kelp! / Spirit, ideas, family, / A great place to be / Yup, it is family.
Jake Bryce (The Recoilers): Kelp is like an old buddy. Even though I haven’t been in touch, feels like just yesterday.
Miche Jette (Flecton Big Sky): I’m no sesquipedalian, but allow me to say that kelp records is certainly both anomalistic and auspicious.
Andy Swan: I’m not into math, but I love Kelp records.
John Higney (The Flaps, Greenfield Main, and Andy Swan): Kelp is about good people making good music with good attitudes and lots of talent and conviction.
Rolf Klausener (The Acorn): Kelp: it’s a whole sack of feelings.
Finally, Kelp mastermind Jon Bartlett has graciously given us some tickets to the Friday night and Saturday night shows to bestow upon our lovely readers! So how about this: the first two people to email us at apartment613@gmail.com with the name of the new beer Kichesippi released last month (for the record, it’s quite delicious) will each get two tickets plus a t-shirt. Tell us which night you’d prefer – we’ll try our best to make everyone happy.
