Sarah Harmer and The Weakerthans

With the 2010 edition of the Winnipeg Folk Festival opening this week, here's a recording from two of the performers at this year's festival. Sarah Harmer is one of the "big name" performers playing mainstage on the Sunday finale concert, while the Weakerthans will be there in many different forms. Members of the band recorded an album with Ottawa native Jim Bryson as his back-up band and they will be playing together on a few small stage performances, while Weakerthans front man, John K. Samson will do a solo show as well as hosting/performing in a couple of workshops. This will be a fine opportunity to see these musicians perform outside of their usual element.

I'm not sure if Sarah Harmer and the Weakerthans will have a chance to cross paths and play together at the folk fest, but today's post brought these two Canadian forces together for a performance that was broadcast on good ol' CBC back in 2005. Both groups played together at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, first the Weakerthans, then Sarah Harmer's band. Highlights included each group covering a song from the other group. The Weakerthans do Harmer's, Judy G, while Sarah does a great version of Left and Leaving. The Weakerthans also cover the Replacements, Swinging Party, with Harmer on guest vocals. It should also be noted Danny Michel plays guitar in Sarah Harmer's band, nice! This show is a typical radio quality broadcast except this recording is plagued with lots of low pops that are annoying, but doesn't deter too much from an otherwise excellent sounding concert.

The Weakerthans
with Sarah Harmer
Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto
18 November 2005
John K Samson, guitar/vocals
Stephen Carroll, lead guitar, pedal steel guitar
Greg Smith, bass
John Tait, drums / vibraphone

1 My Favourite Chords (The Weakerthans) 4:10
2 Reconstruction Site (The Weakerthans) 2:45
3 Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call (The Weakerthans) 2:42
4 Utilities (The Weakerthans) 4:05
5 Night Windows (The Weakerthans) 4:25
6 Judy G (Sarah Harmer) 3:44
7 Swinging Party (The Replacements) 3:54
guest vocalist Sarah Harmer
8 Reasons (The Weakerthans) 3:46
9 Past-Due (The Weakerthans) 2:29

Sarah Harmer
with The Weakerthans
Sarah Harmer, guitar/vocals
Danny Michel, lead guitar
Julie MacDonald, keyboards and vocals
John Dinsmore,
bass Dean Stone, drums

1 I am Aglow (Sarah Harmer) 2:45
2 In a Town this Size (Dolores Keane) 2:51
guest vocalist John K. Sampson
3 Escarpment Blues (Sarah Harmer) 4:06
4 Left and Leaving (The Weakerthans) 4:42
5 Weakened State (Sarah Harmer) 3:26
6 Took it All (Sarah Harmer) / Claire (Rheostatics) 5:52
7 Islands in the Stream (Bee Gees) * 4:34
guest vocalist John K Samson
8 Gone for Good (The Shins) * 3:52
9 I’m a Mountain (Sarah Harmer) * 3:11
10 Lodestar (Sarah Harmer) 5:29

SARAH HARMER & WEAKERTHANS live. rar