--Six Shooter Bullets --

Jun. 2008, Vol. 05, No. 05

in a west end Toronto Polish bar back ache

In this issue:

  1. Justin Rutledge Toronto show tonight!

  2. NQ releases XOK

  3. NXNE Showcases + Back Lot BBQ

  4. Martin Tielli art exhibit

  5. Elliott Brood get ready for Mountain Meadows

  6. Luke Doucet rocks NYC

  7. Christine Fellows in Europe

  8. Festival season coming soon!

  9. Tour dates

  10. Blue Marble Benefit June 19

  11. Moustache call

So. I'm a mega super Kanye West Super fan, and so naturally I went to check out his 'Glow In The Dark Tour' tonight. I’m also a mega super Muppets super fan, and I had heard that there was a Jim Henson influence on the current Kanye tour. The show had no Muppets. What the hell kind of show has no Muppets? I think that we might need to implement a hard rule amongst Six Shooter artists that says no releases or touring will be supported unless there is a high Muppet to musician ratio. Of course, that being said, Kanye also managed to come off as an egotistical jackoff (while expressly acknowledging that this is his reputation), and made his band play in a pit while he partied on the moon, but I still loved it, so maybe that should be the new Six Shooter artist credo. Or we can keep rocking this cowboy boot vibe, it seems to be working alright. Whatever, it's BBQ season.

JUSTIN RUTLEDGE PLAYS TORONTO TONIGHT

OK, first off before we do anything else, even though we really have to pee, and something is burning in the toaster oven, and we forgot to turn off the garden hose after watering the begonias, this definitely comes first... if you live in Toronto and haven't already got your tickets for Justin Rutledge's show tonight at the Trinity St. Paul Centre, go to our website (www.sixshooterrecords.com) and order some now. We didn't invent the internets so that you could just sit around looking at semi-depressing photoshopped Garfield cartoons ya know; our primary goal was to set up a lean mean ticket sellin' machine! Plus, Justin's show is going to be a beautiful night and a packed house, and we really really really don't want you to miss it. Y'see? We really care deeply about YOU, the crazed Rutledge fan with hella backne, and we most definitely have your back. Melissa McClelland starts the night at 8 PM. Beauty.

NQ ARBUCKLE THINKS IT'S OK

Then, next, not unlike an Orange Julius, we want to whip you into a frenzy of eggs and Tang (uh... yum?) over the upcoming release of NQ Arbuckle's new album 'X O K'. I think the title is code for "smooching is cool", but that is speculation, since I am only really comfortable with Binary and Morse, and not so much with the Romantic Drunk Guy code.

Can you believe there were three shark attacks in Mexico over the last month? And to think I was worried just because I stepped on something slimy when I was there! What a woild. Anyway, homie's third release is going to blow your mind, it's so good. Tha 'Buckle is the kind of feller that you can meet through a random mutual acquaintance, sit down with, pound a few, and talk about whatever, and even if you don't know the guy well it's going to be interesting and possibly fun (depending on the strength of your stomach lining/liver). Maybe that's why NQ's bandmates John Dinsmore, Mark Kesper and Peter Kesper, and producer Luke Doucet are joined by a kabillion guest artists from across Canuckistan such as red wine enthusiast Carolyn Mark, Spiderman enthusiast Jason Sniderman, Irish Whiskey and Brood enthusiast Jameson Elliott, handsomeness enthusiast Justin Rutledge, boat-docking enthusiast Ford Pier, David Lynch enthusiast Miranda Mullholland, New Zealand enthusiast Chris Church, and Luke Doucet enthusiast Melissa McClelland to collaborate on NQ's best work yet (that being the one about the acceptability of smooches). NQ Arbuckle unveils X O K on Wednesday, June 11 at the Dakota Tavern.

NXNE SHOWCASES

As usual, we have NXNE on lock. We pretty much run the show here in the center of the frickin' universe, so step down sucka. If Toronto was Kanye West, we'd totally make the rest of the country be our band and play in a pit while we did some serious interplanetary partying. Oh wait, we already kinda do that. Six Shooter's effect on NXNE is like a rock n' roll goiter with no iodized salt for miles around. Know what I'm saying? I'm saying check it out:

The Wet Secrets. From our beloved, perpetual underdog of a creative hotbed, the slightly-mighty 780 (that's Edmonton), comes a secret that's just waiting to get all wet in your ear hole. Not only is it wet and probably needs wiping, it wears a marching band uniform, and it smells oddly like Lyle Bell (Whitey Houston/Shout Out Out Out Out). Lyle's newest band, The Wet Secrets, has all kinds of kooky shit, like two buxom horn players, Donna Ball and Kim Rackel, an organ player with a ridiculously apt name, Doug Organ, and ex-Vertical Struts drummer, Trevor Anderson. We've had our eye on these parading pop-lock-and-rockers for quite some time. After hearing their kitchen-recording, Whale of a Cow, we couldn't help but sign up and suit up (we're talkin' Power Suits Ladeeeeeeez) when it came to distributing their bitchin' Rock Fantasy (May 13, Rodeo Peanut Records). It's an energetic, driving homocentric fuzz rock record with a sense of humour. Drummer Trevor has also racked up the praise as a gay filmmaker with his two recent releases, Rock Pockets (starrring Nik7 of Shout Out Out Out Out in the role of "good sport despite not fulfilling the gay part of the deal"), and "Dinx", featuring bandmate, Lyle Bell as a pole-dancing stripper, and music by Nik 7. I'm not entirely sure of what I'm trying to get at here, but basically what I wanna say is: do not miss Rock Fantasy, live and in person during NXNE. It will be one of the best damn shows of the festival.

Thursday June 12, 10 PM @ the Horseshoe Tavern


Melissa McClelland. We are pleased to welcome home our newest addition to our roster, Melissa McClelland. Really, it's about time. We have always been impressed by Melissa's spiritedly delicate (is that like a sweet and salty type thingy? Like one of those yogurt pretzel things?) music that comes from an appetite for adventure (and possibly destruction, since that goes so well with appetites of any kind), a flair for heartfelt storytelling (and flair itself) and a voice that is part siren and part outlaw. Y'know what's a funny word to say repeatedly? Spiritedly spiritedly spiritedly spiritedly. Melissa also likes tofu almost as much as me, so she is totally in the cool books. Joined by her band which includes Six Shooter vet (and her own lil' lovercakes) Luke Doucet, Melissa kicks off the official Six Shooter Records NXNE label showcase at our home town bar, The Dakota Tavern.

Thursday June 12, 11 PM @ the Dakota Tavern


NQ Arbuckle. The night's headliner is no one other than our beloved NQ, who wraps up a two night celebration over the birth of his new CD, X O K. It's gonna be hot. Daddies makin' babies always is.

Thursday June 12, midnight @ the Dakota Tavern


Chris Letcher. South African Chris Letcher isn't actually associated with Six Shooter but we think he's dope, so we have invited him to close off the night. Don't miss it, Chris won't disappoint. He's from South Africa for chrissakes, what more do you people need?!

Thursday June 12, 1 AM @ the Dakota Tavern


Jason Plumb. You don't want to miss Soccer Mom recording artist Jason Plumb (The Waltons) in a rare Toronto performance. The deliciously sweet sound of Jason's voice will leave you swooning. For a second there I changed the word "swooning" to "farting" and I totally LOL'd (for real), but then I realized that this was completely inappropriate and changed it back. Crisis averted.

Friday June 13, 11 PM @ The Gladstone


Royal Wood. Following Jason is another favourite with a voice like movie theatre popcorn with two squirts of "topping". Fresh off the Sarah Slean national tour, Royal Wood and his dreamy band will enchant you like a hurricane.

Friday June 13, midnight @ The Gladstone

NXNE BACK LOT BBQ

Our annual Back Lot BBQ is now an annual NXNE tradition. With our co-partiers at XM Satellite Radio, Steamwhistle Brewery, and the girls at Damzels in this Dress, we are going to have more fun this year than ever before! Join host NQ Arbuckle in a stellar line up which includes Chris Letcher, Oh Susanna, Jason Plumb, Hawksley Workman, Justin Rutledge, Elliott Brood, Luke Doucet, Melissa McClelland, Royal Wood, Hey Rosetta (maybe), and introducing Dog Bus (Danny Michel-produced teenage brother duo who have a bunch of great songs about dogs and buses! Um, I'm pretty sure nothing can really top that). We'll be grilling and drinking and maybe even grilling drinks to see what happens. Usually this fiasco of a party winds up resulting in some of the most ridiculous photos of Six Shooter staff possible. Anyone who captures a photo of Helen with Cheetos up her nose this year wins a prize. RSVP to fire@sixshooterrecords.com.

Saturday, June 14, 2 - 6 PM, Six Shooter Art-Records-Gifts (1118 Queen St. E.).

MARTIN TIELLI ART EXHIBIT OPENS JUNE 14

When your canvass smells like cigarettes and it's a finely painted, delicately detailed, genius made work of art, it can only be the work of Six Shooter's own Martin Tielli. Six Shooter Gallery is proud to house The Ghost of Danny G, an aptly titled series of paintings and drawings inspired by Martin's painstakingly recorded The Ghost of Danny G record, as part of Tielli Subscription Madness - which is almost done, we promise (HA HA HA... ouch). We'll celebrate Martin's new exhibit NXNE style at our Back Lot BBQ on June 14 (see above).

ELLIOTT BROOD SADDLE UP

Elliott BROOD have a brand new record coming out, it's called Mountain Meadows, and it's a summer socker knocker! Since stomping their way into the hearts of music fans with giant metal cleats in the form of their E.P. Tin Type and then with the debut of their full-length and Juno nominated album, Ambassador, which had a neat fold-out thingy in the artwork, Elliott BROOD have been on an unending trek across Canada, the US and Europe. In fact, they have recently arrived home from a two and a half week tour down in Australia where they boxed Kangaroos and got their asses kicked ('Roos are tougher than you think, and they spit out poisonous spiders!!!). Come to think of it, the BROOD have toured Europe so much that they now speak 11 different languages between them, and in the US, the state troopers wave them through over every border crossing.

Of course, on top of all that Carmen Sandiego globetrotting business, Elliott BROOD have driven cross-Canada so many times that they could probably draw you a perfect map of the Trans-Canada (this would be a boring map) and all the tributary highways with their own gas stations and burger joints (and hacky-sack parking lots). Somehow dudes slipped away just long enough during all of the their non-stop touring to piece together a new album out of all places that you didn't feel safe pulling over to take a look at for yourself. It was in those places that they found the origins for their latest release, Mountain Meadows. Along the way, they added those little things you find when you pull over so often you feel as though youÍll never make it home. They found themselves adding the sounds of horns, ladies (hott), pianos, highways and trains. The record is full of legendary shady characters, but they seem less menacing when lit by their sunny neighbours, especially when joined by some ragtime piano. You can find it all in Mountain Meadows. Set it and forget it.

Get your tickets for their release show(s) now through www.sixshooterrecords.com: June 20 & 21 @ the Horseshoe Tavern.

LUKE DOUCET ROCKS THE BIG APPLE

New Yorkers are in for a treat with not one but two upcoming Luke Doucet shows: Monday, June 16 at Union Hall backed by Melissa McClelland, and Thursday, June 19 at Joe's Pub with full band in tow. That's two BIG APPLES folks! Kinda like the ones Luke has in his pants! WHOAAAAAAAA! It's gonna be BANANAS! WHOAAAAAAA!!!!

CHRISTINE FELLOWS ROCKS EUROPE

Calling in from Frankfurt, Germany, the lovely Christine Fellows reports that German beer and chocolate are better than ours, as she suits up for a month long tour with the Weakerthans in Europe. The Winnipeg posse will hit all the hot spots, including The UK, Netherlands and Sweden. The last time C. Fellows made a serious road trip commitment with the Weakerthans was during their US tour this spring, where there last stop was NYC. She returns to the Big Apple to singsong her way on air with NPR's "Fair Game" and WNYC's "Soundcheck". See tour dates for more details.

FESTIVAL SEASON BEGINS!

At the Kanye West show, Rihanna wore this one outfit that totally looked like the android dude from Red Dwarf's face. I think it was probably sexy for dudes who argue about hypotenuses and stuff. Really though, this is why we love the summer. Well ok, it's more because of BBQs and music festivals, of which our artists always hit in full effect! Some are really busy for us, like Hillside in Guelph, who welcomes Hawksley Workman, Elliott BROOD, Jenn Grant and Justin Rutledge. Edmonton Folk Music Festival has invited Hawksley Workman, Luke Doucet, and Royal Wood.

We also have Justin and Royal playing in Peterborough, Luke Doucet in London, ON and Rocky Mountain, CO, Jenn Grant in Vancouver, Wendy McNeill in Calgary, Justin in Dawson City, Elliott BROOD and the Wet Secrets at Sled Island, Christine Fellows at Sappy, Hawksley in Burlington, Ottawa (July 1), and Perth. Shout Out Out Out Out is doing a couple of jazz festivals, joined by Elliott BROOD at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival... I'm sure we missed a couple in there, too. The one we are most excited about, though, is the Ottawa Bluesfest, who has hired just about our entire roster, and invited them to play on a special Six Shooter day on the Black Sheep Stage. We are all going to be there, so don't miss out. Join us in the nation's capital on July 5.

TOUR DATES

JENN GRANT
LONDON, UK: WhatÕs CookinÕ, May 31
LEMMINGTON SPA, UK: The Saint Bar, June 5
LONDON, UK: The Borderline, June 6 w/ Will Hoge
LEEDS, UK: The New Roscoe, June 11
SHEFFIELD, UK: The Grapes, June 12
PEI: The Pearl CafŽ, June 26 & 27
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Blues Festival, July 5-6
VANCOUVER, BC: Vancouver Folk Festival, July 19-20
GUELPH, ON: Hillside, July 25-27


ROYAL WOOD
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð The Gladstone, June 13 midnight
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14
YOUNGÕS POINT, ON: BrianÕs Blues Festival, June 14
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Blues Festival, July 4
EDMONTON, AB: Edmonton Folk Festival, Aug 8-10
TORONTO, ON: HughÕs Room, Aug 14
PETERBOROUGH, ON: Peterborough Folk Festival, Aug 22-23


LUKE DOUCET
SUNDERLAND, ON: Sunderland Memorial Arena, May 31 w/ Blue Rodeo
TORONTO, ON: Massey Hall Ð Canadian Songbook, June 9
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14
BROOKLYN, NY: Union Hall, June 16
NEW YORK, NY: JoeÕs Pub, June 19
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Blues Festival, July 5
ANN ARBOR, MI: The Ark, July 10
CHICAGO, IL: Subterranean, July 11
CLARKSTON, MI: Carrick House Concert, July 12
LONDON, ON: Home County Folk Festival, July 18
EDMONTON, AB: Edmonton Folk Festival, Aug 8-10
LYONS, CO: Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, Aug 15-17


JUSTIN RUTLEDGE
TORONTO, ON: Trinity-St PaulÕs Centre, May 30 w/ Melissa McClelland
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14
DAWSON CITY, YK: Dawson City Music Festival, Jul 17-20
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Blues Festival, July 5
GUELPH, ON: Hillside, July 25-27
PETERBOROUGH, ON: Peterborough Summer Festival of Lights, Aug 20


MELISSA McCLELLAND
TORONTO, ON: Trinity-St PaulÕs Centre, May 30 w/ Justin Rutledge
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Six Shooter Showcase, The Dakota Tavern, Jun 12 11pm
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14
BUFFALO, NY: Art Park, Jul 15 w/ Blue Rodeo
LONDON, ON: Home County Folk Festival, July 18


HAWKSLEY WORKMAN
WHITEHORSE, YUKON: Yukon Arts Centre, June 3
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14
BURLINGTON, ON: Sound of Music Festival, Jun 14
TORONTO, ON: Blue Marble Benefit, Jun 19
OTTAWA, ON: Canada Day Ð MajorÕs Hill Park, Jul 1
HUNTSVILLE, ON: Algonquin Theatre, Jul 4
PERTH, ON: Stewart Park Festival, Jul 18
GUELPH, ON: Hillside, July 25
EDMONTON, AB: Edmonton Folk Festival, Aug 8-10
SWITZERLAND: Festival Rock OzÕArenes, Aug 13-16


CHRISTINE FELLOWS
NIJMEGEN, THE NETHERLANDS: Doornroosje, May 31 w/The Weakerthans
BIRMINGHAM, UK: Barfly, June 1 w/ The Weakerthans
LONDON, UK: Scala, June 2 w/ The Weakerthans
MANCHESTER, UK: Academy 3, June 3 w/ The Weakerthans
BRISTOL, UK: Carling Academy 2, June 4 w/ The Weakerthans
UTERCHT, THE NETHERLANDS: Tivoli de Helling, May 6 w/ The Weakerthans
DUSSELDORF, GERMANY: Zakk, May 7 w/ The Weakerthans
PARIS, FRANCE: TBA, May 8 w/ The Weakerthans
FRANKFURT, GERMANY: Batschkapp, May 9 w/ The Weakerthans
SAARBRUCKEN, GERMANY: Roxy, May 10 w/ The Weakerthans
NURNBERG, GERMANY: Hirsch, May 11 w/ The Weakerthans
FREIBURG, GERMANY: Jazzhaus, May 13 w/ The Weakerthans
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: KŠgelbanan, May 17 w/ The Weakerthans
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Loppen, May 18 w/ The Weakerthans
OSLO, NORWAY: Garage, May 19 w/ The Weakerthans
DRESDEN, GERMANY: Scheune, May 20 w/ The Weakerthans
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Blues Festival, July 5
SACKVILLE, NB: Sappyfest, Aug 1-3


ELLIOTT BROOD
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14
TORONTO, ON: The Horseshoe, Jun 20&21
WINNIPEG, MB: Winnipeg Jazz Festival, June 22
CALGARY, AB: Sled Island Festival, June 26-28
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Blues Festival, July 5
VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC: Vancouver Island Festival, July 11-13
KELOWNA, BC: Doc Willoughbys, July 15
YELLOWKNIFE, NT: Folk on the Rocks Festival, July 18-20
GUELPH, ON: Hillside, July 25-27


SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT
EDMONTON, AB: The Starlite - Gary McGowan Tribute concert, June 13
VANCOUVER, BC: Commodore Ballroom Ð Vancouver Jazz Festival, June 20
WINNIPEG, MB: Pyramid CabaretÐ Winnipeg Jazz Festival, June 26


NQ ARBUCKLE
TORONTO, ON: The Dakota Tavern, Jun 11
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Six Shooter Showcase, The Dakota Tavern, Jun 12 midnight
ST CATHERINES, ON: The Merchant Ale House, Jun 13
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14
WATERLOO, ON: The Jane Bond, Jun 14
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Blues Festival, July 5


WET SECRETS
TORONTO, ON: NXNE, The Horseshoe Tavern, June 12 10pm
CALGARY, AB: Sled Island Festival, June 25-28


WENDY MCNEIL
CALGARY, AB: Calgary Folk Festival, Jul 25-27


JASON PLUMB
TORONTO, ON: NXNE, The Gladstone, June 13 11pm
TORONTO, ON: NXNE Ð Six Shooter Backlot BBQ, June 14


VALERY GORE
ORANGEVILLE, ON: Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, June 7
TORONTO, ON: The Rivoli, Aug 28


FORD PIER
VANCOUVER, BC: The Railway Club, Jul 10

BLUE MARBLE BENEFIT

If Sarah Harmer, Serena Ryder, Hawksley Workman, Great Lake Swimmers, Danny Michel and loads of special guests were to band together for The Blue Revue, you'd want a ticket, right? Not only would you see a great show but you'd also be supporting a good cause - The Blue Marble Music Fund. The fund was created in honour of friend and music aficionado, Bonnie O'Donnell, who made the best of this crazy business we're in and always showed us the good side. The mission of Blue Marble Fund is to help advance musical education providing funding through scholarships, bursaries and awards to musicians. It all happens Thursday, June 19 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. For more info and tickets, visit www.bluemarblemusicfund.com.

CALL FOR MOUSTACHES

The Wet Secrets recently took home CBC Radio 3's "Best Song Title" with their track, "Grow Your Own Fucking Moustache, Asshole." We need your handlebars, porn stars and trucker 'staches, your side burns, beards and and stubbly upper lips. The Wet Secrets present: "Grow Your Own Fucking Moustache, Asshole: A contest about growing facial hair so we can put it in a video." We've noticed a recent swelling of the snot catcher, a real uprising of the lip caterpillar, that seems to permeate every facet of fashion and style as we know it. What do you call yours? How do you groom it? How long does it take you to grow one? Which famous moustache celebrity do you most resemble?

Dish all your moustachery photos and videos to caitlin@sixshooterrecords.com.



See you tonight!
Six Shooterists

Title track: From "Postcard Princess", track 4 of NQ Arbuckle's new disc, "X O K".

This was:
Six Shooter Bullets
Vol. 5, No. 5