Right Side Up

Right Side Up
New video from Canada-based poet Ian Keteku

Right Side Up is an animated exploration of what it means to think of the world in a different view. This fun an cute song forces us to look at everything through the lens of the opposite. Poet Ian Keteku is joined by ukulele weilding troubadour Brad Morden. Also featured on the track is Chloe Perrault and Gabrielle Giguere providing back up vocals. Animation is done by Scotland-based artist Indie Venture.

Written and Performed by: Ian Keteku
Anmation: Indie Venture (http://www.stranger-than-fiction.co.uk/)
Vocals/Glockenshpeil: Chloe Perrault
Vocals/Autoharp: Gabrielle Giguere
Ukulele: Brad Morden

While in Europe Atomic Wednesday (Brad Morden and myself) recorded and shot a performance video in the beautiful area of Wales. Enjoy.

the path

We eventually made way to the busy city of London. We performed at a poetry series called Bang Said The Gun. Probably the most exciting poetry slam I’ve ever been to. Audience members dance, make tonnes of noise and get really involved. In fact, the show is so energetic Daniel Cockrill and the rest of the organization team managed to film a pilot of the show for a major network in England.
Check out our time at Bang. Bang Said the Gun – Atomic Wednesday.

nov. 12th. 2011

During our first London show we ran into an old friend, promoter who invited us to perform at a Palestinian solidarity show. The show featured a number of prominent poets including Remi Kanazi, Zita Holbourne and Rafeef Ziadah. I was blown away by the talent and really inspired. The night reminded me how poetry is a tool for action and critical thought.

The whole night was spectacular but I was particularly blown away by Rafeef Ziadah, please check this poem. Shades of Anger

Here is a performance of Kay we did at that show. Kay

nov. 14th. 2011

Keeping it moving we had two shows this day. One at Spanish-English poetry reading put on by Farrago Poetry. We represented the English part. The other, a short set at the finals of another fantastic poetry series in the city, Hammer and Tongue. The slam was won by Charlie Dupre’ and also featured the very hilarious Tim Claire. Check out his work here. How To Save Your Girlfriend

Wales. nov. 17th. 2011
We took a 3 hour train from London to Bangor Wales. On the map, it almost looks like the city is touching Ireland. Although we were very tired, we managed to take in the remarkable scenery on the way up. As the cobblestone roads and brick-layered houses departed behind us a deep, dark-forest green approached on the horizon. And sheep, lots of sheep.

There are big trees, rivers, small-narrow, slate-paved roads. The kind of places where poets think they can write. The kind of place children create stories of faries and witches and talking animals and underground cities.

We were met at the train station by fellow poet, MC, promoter Martin Daws, his lovely wife and genius children. We drove another 30 minutes to Bethesda. The city is built on an old village. there are castles, remnants of a fuedal era and the smog is thick. There is also a bold made entirely of slate (material used for the rooftops there). It rests beside a graveyard of houses.

In addition to being an incredible host and effective promoter he is a very talented artists who we first met in Scotland. Please watch one of his performances here. Martin Daws in Scotland

On our first night we performed a show back in Bangor at a small restaurant. There was maybe four people in total there for the night but it was a very nice, intimate, humble setting (video coming soon). In the middle of our set a group of young drunken party-goers came in and we had a short, 4 minute dance party. It was a little overwhelming. After we hit an open mic which was just as exciting and full of debauchery. Unfortunately video and photos from that evening are not appropriate for the web. lol

nov. 18th, 2011
The following evening we had a show in Bangor. The event is called Poetica and is run by Martin Daws and a handful of other dedicated individuals. The night was packed, vibrant and well received. Unfortunately I don’t have any video or photos from the night (sometimes it’s like that) but when I do, you will know.

Manchester. nov. 19, 2011
It was long 4 hour drive to Manchester for our next show but we toughed it out. I was excited to meet my cousin from Ghana who I hadn’t seen in years. The event was in a library dressed up to resemble a chic jazz lounge. It featured a number of amazing local poets, Martin Daws and one of the most interesting poetical experiments I’ve ever seen.

There was a poet by the name of Onashile who recited a freestyle poem while creating a charcol portrait. The poem was related to the subject he was drawing in some way. He spoke of a forest in his eyes and the animals of his soul. This is his creation.

Here is a photo he drew while Brad and I were doing our thing.

Cardiff. nov. 20, 2011
The next day we headed out to Cardiff but before we took to the road we made a pit stop for Martin’s daughter’s birthday party. She was having her party in a beautiful place called Portmeirion. The village is located in North Wales and was built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975. Apparently Sir Ellis wanted a city to resemble the best of Italian architecture. It seems as though he also included some images from his dreams and fantastical musings. The place looks like a blend of Disney World, Lord of the Rings and Amelie.

We arrived in Cardiff with enough time before our set to eat some tasty minced meat pies. The show was average, not many people. And those that did come were had no idea what was to be expected.

However we always have fun on stage so it didn’t really matter. There were also a few patrons who really dug the set.

Video Drop
The next couple of days we spent writing and taking in the wonderful scenery of Wales. We also randomly connected with Paul Higginson, talented, humble videographer. We jumped in his van and drove around shooting a short performance video called The Path. Enjoy.

Atomic Wednesday – The Path

Photo by Jeffrey Hunter

So Brad Morden and I just came back from a month long European tour. It is actually quite funny because I can count on one hand the number of shows we have done as a group in Canada. But hey we go where the wind (or Air Canada) takes us sometimes.

We do a blend of folk, poetry and hip hop. We call it folk-hop. Anyways we had many amazing stops on the tour. Met incredible people and heard some fantastic poets. Instead of rambling on about where we went perhaps I can show you as well.

Malmo, Sweden. nov. 2nd. 2011
We arrived in Denmark, our friend told us of a slam that was happening in Sweden that night. The city of Malmo in Sweden is 30 minutes by train from Copenhagen. The slam was a barrell of good times. I performed a piece and Brad slammed. He won. He actually qualified for their finals in April. Big tings agwan!

In Malmo I met a member from a popular spoken-word-hip-hop collective called S.T.I.C.S check out this video of them doing their thing.

Check out our night in Malmo here – watch?v=gZaSIDixBVk

Odense, Denmark. nov 4th. 2011

That weekend we traveled to a small city in Demark named Odense. Here we were part of a spoken word festival. Early Saturday morning we facilitated a workshop for youth. The words that were coming out of their bodies were miraculous to say the least, also given the fact English is their second language.

In the evening we performed as an international feature for the festival’s final night. I was loosing my voice and it almost completly had disappeared when I got on stage but it worked out nonetheless and our set was well received.

Here is a short video of our time there. Atomic Wednesday in Denmark

While in Denmark we met an American national living in Copenhagen. Jeffrey Hunter is an amazing photographer and caught some candid shots of Atomic Wednesday the night of the festival.

Photo by Jeffrey Hunter

Sometimes in art you need to push yourself to create. Force yourself to produce. Other times muse is just present, in the air. It lingers like some from an exasperated candle wick.

When this happens, creating art is no work at all. You just hope you are open enough to be vessel enough. It is a spiritual experience creating under these pretenses and such a feeling is magnified when it happens in a group dynamic.

Daughters Of The Revolution is an electro-poetry-punk project. I know it sounds cliche to say “oh my band doesn’t really fit a genre, its kind of undefinanble, you know?” – said in Seattle hipster accent, (whatever that means).

Nonetheless the project is truly that. Not with the intention to be abstract and obscure but because each member is coming from such different backgrounds.

The group blends political and social conscious lyrics with neck breaking instrumentation. DOTR manage to make audience dance and think at the same time.

DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION

It features a number of Ottawa’s premier musicians. On drums Olivier Farifeild – e-tron music, has recently been playing drums for Timber Timbre. Omar Rivero (produced on Shad’s first album), Usmane Ali (Scattered Clouds, and other projects).

I thought I was one of a few artists who could appreciate Radiohead, Lil Wayne and Tom Waits in the same sitting. I was wrong. Not only do each of the members of the group come from different musical backgrounds, they listen to and play all kinds of music. Even dabble in creations most wouldn’t call music at all.

Its one of these projects that runs on its own time (which can be frustrating) but whenever it plans to work, it really works. Its as though the whole “I don’t give a fuck” attitude lends itself to a very interesting hybrid of musical styles.

We were blessed and honored to be featured in a 3 part series created by Craig Allen Coloney for Partus Films called Synthesis. The short interview doc features 3 of our songs, some unexpected insights into life, music, Barbie dools and some of the philosophy of the band.

Enjoy.

pt 1. http://vimeo.com/30654213

pt 2. http://vimeo.com/32413128

pt 3. http://vimeo.com/33607483

Stay tuned for more information about the band, shows, recordings, etc, here –
http://e-tronrec.tumblr.com/

Nightmares

Nightmares is the second single off the critically acclaimed album Lessons From Planet Earth (Re-Evolution) from award-winning poet Ian Keteku. The track is directed directed by Ian Keteku and features puppets from Alan Martin.

Produced by Josh Furey, Nightmares explores the blurry line between reality and fantasy, dreams and night terrors. The video includes many surprises and really makes you wonder what is real, what is fake, what is reality, am I really awake?

Nightmares video cast and crew:

Director: Ian Keteku

DOP/Editor: Luca Fiore

Camera Assistant: Craig Conoley

Key Grip: Keith Fox

Gaffer: Erik Pillion

Production Assistant: Sheldon Keteku

Puppeteer: Alan Martin

Reptile handler: Andre Sponder (Ray’s Reptile Zoo)

Animation: Paul Steryl

Starring: Ian Keteku, Ayesha Eckert

Cameos: Komi Olaf, Soyini Cornette, Rob Reid, Rusty Priske, Ruthanne Edward, Array-Of Words, John Akpata, Lola Padlewska

We played every night (except Tuesdays) for a period of 23 days. Sometimes we would have two shows a day. We were also invited to a few places to open their slots at different venues, apparently folk-hop is somewhat of a novelty over here. I guess it is in Canada too.

People really enjoy our set. They dance, they cry, they return again and again. At least twice every show someone from the crowd would come up to either Brad or myself, and tell us that it is the best show they’ve seen thus far. Perhaps they had only been to one show prior, but I’ll take it.

The venue we performed at is called the Rat Pack and serves as a piano bar. There are pictures of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. on the walls, a really classy joint. At midnight a pianist plays classic tunes from that era.




Cheers!

But, don’t listen to the critics…instead, go here, where you can listen to the entire album for free before downloading it.

You can also get to the album through Nocturne Records new artist section on nocturne-records.org.
Should you decide to purchase the CD because of its awesome artwork, you still get the digital download to listen right away. In case you live in Ottawa and you wish to pick up a CD of Ian’s album at your local mom and pop book/music shop you can grab it at one of these places: