A bittersweet evening with Rae Spoon (12 photos)

Why bittersweet, you ask?

Well, the sweet obviously refers to the superb entertainment provided by Shannon Moan, Rae Spoon and Maria Yanni, AKA Person 26.

But there was a hint of sadness in the air at the Downbeat Lounge as it was revealed Saturday night that the doors will be closing Thanksgiving weekend.

Monday October 9, will be the last time we'll be able to enjoy the Downbeat's relaxed and cozy surroundings and the plethora of Canadian independent music it's been hosting for the past (almost) five years.

"I think it should be around," said Spoon when asked what he thought of closure. "I can't think of any bar between Winnipeg and Toronto that's, you know, it's very much an aberration on the Northern Ontario pathway. I'm outraged. Where are we gonna hang out?"

Although he was half joking about being outraged, the news definitely affected him.

This last performance marked Spoon's ninth appearance at the Downbeat Lounge, more than any other touring performer, qualifying him as family.

But the three other entertainers on the bill didn't let the tragic news influence their performances.

Shannon Moan, barefoot and pretty as all get out, opened the evening as she wove a shroud over the negative aura with her angelic voice that swaddled the audience and set a light, beautiful tone.

Spoon did his best to keep the mood light, playing all the most upbeat, toe-tapping songs he could think of, including an encore of the ever popular Okie From Muskokie which, interesting to note, is the very tune he and Trevor Harding sang at karaoke during Spoon's last visit.

In true professional folk-singer form, Spoon sang, told stories and joked despite the noisy audience.

"Spoon and Moan. Sounds like a fun tour to me. We might get kicked off the Greyhound, though," he said, laughing, coaxing cheers and whistles from the crowd.

Strangely enough, the hip-hop spun by Person 26 to close the night was a good fit and the perfect way urging people out of their seats to dance.

I even caught Spoon occasionally submitting to the infectious beats in three-second spurts.

Curious about what being Rae Spoon was like, we snuck to the basement for some conversation.

Having travelled by Greyhound myself and hating every minute of it, I found it difficult to understand how Spoon could travel 17 months straight in such a manner.

He admitted to almost losing it.

"That's where I discovered that sanity is a wheel. If you just push past the crazy, you'll find more sane."

Despite the near breakdowns and discomfort, Spoon claims a tour would cost six times as much if he drove from one end of the country to the other, due to the yo-yoing gas prices and the hassles of navigation, getting lost and other trials that come with traversing this vast land.

But travel by bus is not the only hindrance, for lack of a better term.

Spoon is an independent alt-country transgender (a female who identifies as male) Canadian performer.

Is this why Rae Spoon is not a household name?

"I think the music industry is really about slots, slotting minorities into groups. If you're black, you can't be a country singer. If you're trans, you can't be a country singer. If you're queer, you can't do this.

"It's very much behind even where the social consciousness of the country is at because they're very conservative in what they're trying to sell people. And the people in control have all the money. It's a very conservative approach to the industry.

"As of yet, there's not really a space ... there would be no large label interest in me just based on the fact that I identify as male. I'm certain of it because we've shopped records. You kinda have to wonder what would happen if you took the same CD and put a picture of a girl with blond hair on it."

But Spoon is not bitter or discouraged by anything, and is very happy where he is at, content to travel, write and sing while making friends and connections around the world.

Fame is not his goal.

"I really don''t want to be part of the major music industry. And it's really nice that I didn't have to go through it to find that out," Spoon stated with a grin.

"I'm just happy to make a living off of it when I do."

Spoon hopped on the Greyhound Sunday morning, taking him to Montreal where he will fly to the UK for another five-week tour.

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