I'm not sure that I can ever properly explain why I would be so excited to see songs about Nintendo, pirates, Jesus' love for the Hamilton Tigercats, hot-dog-cart neighbors, hating squirrels, and loving deep fryers- but I am gonna give it a shot anyways...
A few years ago... Many years ago... Six years ago when I had first moved to Halifax, this 'singer' named B.A. Johnson got stranded out east and had to play several shows a week in order to make enough money to get home. I happened to see him open for Cuff the Duke and was really really REALLY taken by surprise. In his own words B.A. is a 'thirty year old boy,' who follows the golden rule of 'write what you know.' Only all B.A. knows is working at a fast food restaurant, playing video games, and living in his mom's basement. Surprisingly it makes for some of the funniest and most entertaining songs you'll ever hear, and perhaps consequently un-suprprisingly, I used to go see him play on almost a weekly basis. Eventually he made enough money to go back to Hamilton/Peterborough and I never saw him again. Until...
Fast forward to this past summer: I get a tantalising update of B.A. when, while at the hillside festival, I see a gentleman wearing a brand new B.A. Johnson T-shirt! He saw him perform in Peterborough only last week! B.A. has a new CD! We both love the 'I hate squirrels' song! I am sad he is not coming to Ottawa...
Fast forward about three weeks: My friend Josh is telling me about his weekend and mentioned that he saw "This guy B.A. Johnson play..." and I kind of flip out about it. I love B.A.! You love B.A.? You know who B.A. IS? I am excited josh knows who B.A. is! Josh is excited I know who B.A. is! We agree to go see him together next time he's in town...
Fast forward again to last night. B.A. at Irene's. We showed up part way through the opener and the bar was full (Full!?!?! but no! we have to see B.A.!!!). Waited for about half an hour and finally got in (with some gentlemanly 'No Ladies, you go ahead first.' -thanks Phil and Josh!) with a few songs to spare. then B.A. took the stage. Maybe stormed the stage would be more appropriate? Engulfed the stage?
B.A. Johnson is someone you really have to see live in order to fully appreciate him. He is one of the most skid people you will ever meet. He's got a damn respectable beer gut and some killer chops (yes, the facial hair kind), and I don't think I have ever seen him without a trucker hat (usually accompanied by a plaid shirt if wearing one at all). And he is funny. I mean really funny. He doesn't take himself seriously at all, plays the guitar and keyboard just well enough, and remembers all people who come to see him every time he's in town. He gave me a free CD when I told him that my ex took my copy when we broke up. I mean c'mon now, how can you not love this guy?
The night did not disappoint- it was funny, ridiculous, entertaining, and just a little bit gross. We drank beers, sang our hearts out, squeezed in to the women's bathroom for the smallest stage encore I have ever seen (B.A. standing on a sink is a sight not to be missed, in fact it need not be missed, as that up there is a video of the very event to which i just alluded...!). It was great.
Also it ended with me and two of my friends trying to prove we could kick the ceiling. Appropriate, no?
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