This was by far the most Canadian performance I have ever seen in my life. Dressed as a ranger at times sitting on (and playing) a toilet and playing a Caribou antler, Dave Gould did a mesmerizing performance that incorporated electronic music and other hybrid/unusual sounds that could be synthetic but they could also be naturally occurring. Visually speaking, Gould’s attire and the strange instruments he surrounded himself with were humorous, yet revealed an identity that to me looked quintessential Canadian: this emerged form his use of natural items to create music; his sometimes comical moves on stage; as if he wasn’t taking himself too seriously, despite the marvellous inventions he was displaying; his strange relation with plumbing items (such as his main instrument, a toilet); and, of course his clothing. For reasons that maybe come form my identity as an easy impressionable new Canadian, it also reminded me of the very city of Hamilton , which I have known for its industries, its manufacturing past, and its blue collar workers, a city of iron and steel, plumbing and pipes. Not too long ago, when factories closed, the city has taken a more artistic turn. Yet, its industrial landscape remains with its opportunities for recycling, repurposing and remaking. And while factories (working or not) still make a substantial part of the landscape of this city, its surroundings are filled with forests and luscious green areas, rivers and escarpments.
below is an excerpt of Gould’s performance:
unfortunately, I didn’t film probably the best part of the performance, when he played the Caribou antler. But below is a sample of how this impressive structure can sound.