Throwback Thursday: The Acorn release The Pink Ghosts
The year was 2004, the place Club SAWÂ at 67 Nicholas Street, the band was The Acorn. I had recently developped quite the liking for this local folk band and was really into their debut album The Pink Ghosts.
My love for the band and the album were a little out of left field as I was mostly into punk, grunge and hardcore around this time of my life. But with such beautiful songs as “Darcy,” the German love song “Erster Tag” and the amazing instrumental piece “Outaouais Trilogy: YerDoin’It. YerFuckin’Doin’It.” I just couldn’t get enough.
The band decided to do an official release for the album, which I had already gotten my hands on somehow. So two of my best friends and I headed over to Club SAW right after school (the advantage of going to high school downtown). We sat down on the floor ready for a soothing and relaxing folk show. But this show was no ordinary performance.
Much to our surprise, when the time came for The Acorn to take the stage, five people walked in dressed in fury animal costumes, such as squirrels and rabbits. These animals took the stage and began performing Pink Ghosts from the beginning with a video overlay of someone biking by the Rideau Canal and the Ottawa countryside.
By the third or fourth song, the heads came off to reveal The Acorn, hiding in those costumes. I was very impressed, it was ridiculously hot and humid in SAW and, well, I had never seen a band perform in essentially sport team mascot outfits. Needless to say my love for the band grew and they instantly became a must-see act for me in Ottawa. Throughout high school and university I saw them several more times and dragged out many friends to have their ears tickled by The Acorn’s wonderful sound.
If you have never seen or heard The Acorn, don’t fret. The band recently re-issued The Pink Ghosts and Blankets (their first two releases) and are streaming them at Exclaim!, they played a new song during their set at Kelp 20 this past Saturday and will hopefully be announcing some local shows soon.