Check out this month’s edition of The Ardent Sessions featuring the Chicago-based band Canasta. Their orchestral pop is a treat for the ears! Don’t miss it!!

Setlist
01:04 An Apology
05:29 Heads Hurt Better
13:23 Shadowcat
23:11 Chicago Slow Down
30:14 Impostors
36:52 Sympathetic Vibrations
42:38 Microphone Song

Canasta Live Dates
Feb 23, 2008 Bela Dubby Cleveland, OH
Feb 27, 2008 The Uptown Bar Cafe Minneapolis, MN
Feb 29, 2008 Stetson Chapel Kalamazoo, MI
Mar 1, 2008 Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL
Mar 6, 2008 The Bog Chicago, IL
Jun 13, 2008 Flatlander’s Lincolnshire, IL

www.canastamusic.com

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Check out Canasta’s account of their experience coming to Memphis:

Tuesday, January 8, 2008, 5:45pm. Another rainy night in Chicago as I pick up Matt and head out to meet the rest of the band in South Loop. We’ve got an early morning tv spot in Memphis awaiting us at the end of our 8 hour haul. We spend a good portion of our trip discussing the future of our new album. The car radio is never turned on, odd for a rocknroll band, but Canasta never claimed to be typical.

We roll into our hotel at 3 am and set up camp. 3 hours later we are in the middle of mall in downtown Memphis setting up for “Live at 9″. The only activity in the empty mall is appropriately at the caffeine heaven of Starbucks. I patiently wait for my make-up person to make me look presentable, but a month later they’ve yet to show. Sigh.

We do a number of sound checks before being introduced by the morning anchors and wake the mall up with “An Apology”. The baristas seem to love it as a solitary shout bounces around the mall. Matt is being interviewed as I listen contently and stare at the Victoria’s Secret in front of us. Not your typical rock show.

10 am and we’re off to guitar center to replace some essential items I have forgotten in Chicago. We pass by Sun Studios and I cannot help but pull a giant U turn and park in the historic lot. We take a tour through history with the help of Elvis’ old clothes and guitars, Johnny Cash’s famed black coat, and too many vintage guitars for me to fawn on and on about here.

After our shopping outing and a short nap, we’re off to Ardent Studios. We’re greeted by our host, Rachel, and are immediately taken aback by the premises. As a do-it-yourself engineer myself, this was Disneyland for me. Hospitality is apparent in everyone you meet at Ardent. They truly know how to make you feel welcome and at home in multi-million dollar recording studio. After set up and sound check, we’re introduced to the owner, John Fry, who takes us on a personal tour of the history of Ardent studios. He’s built the place up from his first bedroom recording studio back in the 1960’s. History is found throughout the building as we pass by pictures of past recording artists like Otis Redding, Big Star, The White Stripes, Cat Power, etc. etc.

After a small private audience is let in, we begin the live recording session. It’s strange playing in front of an audience sitting on couches 5 feet in front of you. But the awkwardness is soon replaced by intimate comfort. We play through our set laced with stories from our trip, as well as recollections of our songs’ beginning and inspirations. We topped of our time there with a one on one interview with Rachel and our Ardent recording session was complete.

An hour later we’re loading in at the Hi-Tone for our 3rd and final show of the day. Caffeine is definitely the band’s best friend at this point. We’re treated to a great performance by Memphis’ Chasing Squirrels. 12 am and we’re on stage with an audience that has no intention of going home or staying in their seats. They filled the room with shared energy, proving Memphis can handle it’s indie rock any day of the week. The only thing left for today is to drink a couple of 40’s and play spades in the hotel lobby until security tucks us in.

The next day John Fry is again kind enough to give us a personal tour of the Stax Recording Museum. The history of Soul Music is laid out from traditional gospel all the way to Isaac Hayes getting it on. John’s personal accounts are priceless as we hear about Memphis and the legendary musicians who created this scene. We see everything from the Memphis Horns’ horns to Isaac Hayes pimped out Cadillac. Oh yeah, and I fawned over the actually wah pedal that was used to record the Shaft theme.

They only thing left to do was to eat some Memphis BBQ (vegetarian BBQ in the south?) and head home. Memphis, you’re amazing, thanks for the good times. Give us your number so we can call you sometime.

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