David Francey - A Moment of Time and Reflection

Taken from David Francey's Official Website

Last night Hayley asked if I'd join her to see a film on David Francey followed by a performance from the man himself at the Princess Theatre.  Somehow I had never heard of this brilliant Multi-Juno award winning Canadian artist.  He is an absolutely mesmerizing lyricist and fantastic short story teller...or as Ron MacLean put it "One of Canada's outstanding poets, songwriters, and storytellers."

A strong desire to cover my insurance and subsistence life costs was the only thing that stopped me from emptying my paltry bank account on the seven records available outside.  That said, I felt compelled to buy the film Burning Bright, the 47-minute DVD skillfully put together from over 50 hours of footage by Tony Giardin so that my friends and family can see it.  Since getting back home last night, I've been devouring what I can find of his music online including buying a few of solo songs on itunes.

Burning Bright a film by Tony Giardin

Somehow I wish I had the skill of April Cunningham, Mike Brown, Nick Lachance, Dan Polischuk, or Lauren Millet to convey this all in a more readable fashion but I hope you enjoy my thoughts regardless.

In that 2.5 hours, the modesty and the sincere self deprecation of Francey's humour casted a spell of admiration and intimacy over the crowd.  The shyness, so obvious by his hands firmly glued deep inside his pockets, is both genuine and endearing.  I'm not sure if this lonely post will ever meet his eyes but it doesn't have to, to have meaning.  He did to me tonight what makes him so successful. He sang about what's real, what's around us everyday, and what we all think about for at least a passing moment as we go about our lives. He brings you into that very private sphere of his inner most thoughts, thoughts that bring you, as the listener, back to a time and a place in your own life.

And so I'm about to take you through some of the moments he so powerfully brought me back to with his music tonight.  Everyone who knows me, knows I wear my heart on my sleave and there is virtually nothing I won't share after a few beers and an honest question.  I originally intended this to be a photo essay of sorts and in some way it is because the rest of the photos are mine but in other ways it has provided an outlet to acknowledge some of the amazing people who have been part of my life journey - because of the nature of the songs not every important person came flooding back tonight but I was surprised by what did.

He sang a beautiful song tonight of his departure from Scotland at the age of 12 - "The Parting."  The boat journey out to the massive black wall of rivets that was the Ocean liner set to take him across the Atlantic.  Aside from thrusting me back of the three times I've said goodbye to all that I've known (leaving for university, South Korea, and Ontario), it reminded me of my times in the beautiful Scottish Highlands and gave me an excuse to go back through those photos...

The Scottish Highlands - There may not be a more beautiful spot in the world

In Broken Glass he sings with the heart and passion of a 14 year old who wants so badly for the opposite sex to take notice - "When you hear a sound like broken glass, that's my heart every time that girl walks past."  It wasn't high school for me, but grade seven.  One girl took my breath away and she's now a dear friend and a member of Canada's finest - the RCMP.  Here's to you Bev.  Francey is absolutely head over heels for his wife now and I love that he's able to so openly share these past stories with her and his audience.  We are the sum of our life experiences.

He sings another song called "Only you in my world" about his many travels...on a train or on a plane where you have a finite amount of time with one other person, usually of the opposite sex.  Both people know it is going no further than the time of that journey.  But for those passing minutes where it is only you and that person something is intensely real about that moment. Given my travels, I've experienced that on numerous occaisions but I my time with Samantha Robichaud sticks out.  we chatted for the full time and I didn't realize how talented and accomplished she was as a musician until the last possible moment.  the finite period of time we shared was fantastic and I've followed her career since.

Perhaps his most popular tune "Skating Rink" reminds me of the days that I played with Kevin, Jon, and Ian (Jon, Ian and I played for almost a decade together from mite to high school).  Later trolling the blue line with Chuck, on the power play with Cork, Hammer, Dickie, Hurley, Mullet, Dunphy, Carp or Cook while dawning the blue and white of the KVHS Crusaders. Tervor and so many I just named in Juvenile; Thorne that overtime goal in Atom and your energy in Fundy when too many feared stepping on into that High School game; That Midget Championship with Blair, Rooster, Bodaly and Shane McDonald.  Shane that year of bantam when you explained the idiocy of youth at times and that final year of senior with younger brother Mark.

The passion with which The Chief Engineer is sung and the story of that man reminds me of what David Francey does on stage with his music but, like the movie did, it also induced a mental flood of images of friends who so passionately pursue their own music careers.

Jarod, your first album Winter Take All still captivates me.  We went through that album and the lyrics of that album made us ask the tough questions in our own lives.  But it is perhaps one song that is not on that album that I come back to the most.  A song about life, a song I think you should play more often - Homestretch.  Fortunately the recording is still available here - look at the last song on the list.  What you're now doing with Chelsea, H, Luke, and Katie is something really special.  I'm looking forward to the finished Wind Broken Stones CD.

Hollywood and Jarod and the London Music Club

Hollywood... You persevered through Jarod's first album adding guitar rifts and base lines that just seem to flow to your fingers which made that album all the more powerful.  You are now an integral part of Wind Broken Stones and the emotive stories that emerge in their music.  That said, it's your own thoughts, your own song "One Day You", that still blows me away!

Jake Stewart.  You, my friend, are now the conservative candidate in Miramichi and I look forward to following your political career.  But it was your music in Rome, your own melodies, that I can no longer find online but have heard you sing in your living room that make me smile.  You're still playing many gigs in the lead up to the NB Provincial election and I'm jealous of those who get a chance to hear that voice on a regular basis.

Mike Caroll.  I remember giving you a case for your drumsticks on your birthday years ago.  Only two days apart, we celebrated so many of those youthful aging days.  You've now also won an East Coast Music Award with the Hupman Brothers.  You've played in everything from Heavy Metal bands to a Jazz bands to a Beatles Tribute band.  Your skills continue to impress me... Playing where you can find work, doing what you love, that continues to inspire me.

Shane Bannister, it's almost like you greedily took all the musical talent in the family because the rest of us are completely incapable of clapping to a beat, nevermind play just about every musical instrument and sing.  That song you sing about coming home pops into my head virtually every time my Toyota Yaris crosses the Quebec border into NB.

Jane Carmichael, I'm constantly amazed by your music.  You have such a lovely voice and an infectious smile that draws in your audience.  I've heard a few of the new songs and I can't wait to hear the rest.

Finally, Songs from a Room...you guys are the epitome of doing it your way - eschewing a 9-5 life in favour of odd jobs and musical passion.  The world is better for it...Brayden, Dustin, Nick, and Craig - impressive!  Can't wait to get my hands on your next album!  it's always fun to share a beer as we chase the impossible, that every day seems a little more attainable.

All of these artists just see the world differently.  Those fleeting moments in life that we all blaze through, they take note.  Like a fine scotch, they slowly drink in their surroundings, they capture it and sing it back to us.  Sometimes they slap us in the face with memories we've packed far away, at times they just make us think about things a little differently, while other times they gently hold our hand down memory lane and that, I think, is their job.  I'm certainly glad they're around to do that for us!

Thank you David Francey for the trip last night...