Fun With Stereolab

A few years back I had the pleasure of seeing French space-age post-rockers Stereolab perform live in Minneapolis, and I was playing around on YouTube looking for songs from that show when I came across this surprising video. It's the leaders of the band, Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier, appearing in a segment on some ridiculous program called "The Joe and Adam Show".

It's not so much funny as it is bad. Fortunately, Gane and Sadier were good sports or else this would have been even worse. On that note...enjoy!



Also, Crystal Castles is at the Pyramid on February 29th (it's a leap year!!), along with Health.

Current rotation: Portishead - Dummy / LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

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He Came To Life. Good For Him.

Arts & Crafts recording artist Jason Collett plays the Park Theatre on March 27. I think it's great that Park Theatre stepped up and is now a reputable venue in the city. A replacement for the now defunct Collective was much needed. Tix $15 @ Folk Fest Store and Ticketmaster.

Holy Fuck also plays there on February 20th w/ A Place To Bury Strangers. Tickets $15 at Ticketmaster, Music Trader.

Current rotation: Stereolab - Fab Four Suture / Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone

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At Last! My Favourite Tracks Of 2007

At some point over the past year, each one of these songs was played in a continuous loop in my player. There was something distinguishable about each track that made me want to play them over and over until I figured out what it was that affected me so viscerally.

I realized though, that I’ll never know the answer. These songs just do.

If you can, seek them out and hopefully, if you’re lucky, they’ll affect you similarly.

It’s a wonderful high.

Painting Over Silence – My Favourite Tracks of 2007 (the order was meticulously arranged for the cd I made)

1. LCD Soundsystem – Someone Great
2. Stars – The Ghost of Genova Heights
3. Iron and Wine – Innocent Bones
4. Wilco – You Are My Face
5. Mum – Blessed Brambles
6. Bloc Party – Kreuzberg
7. The Shins – Sleeping Lessons
8. The Weakerthans – Night Windows
9. LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
10. Nathan – Terrible Way to See Omaha
11. Peter Bjorn and John – Up Against The Wall
12. The National – Start a War
13. Modest Mouse – Missed The Boat
14. The Clientele – The Queen of Seville
15. Mum – Marmalade Fires
16. Amiina – Rugla

Note: If I was forced to pick a single song that was my favourite of the year, it'd be Mum’s ‘Marmalade Fires’. According to my last.fm stats, I played it 88 times. That doesn’t include my car or my ipod or anywhere else I may have listened to it.

You can hear the song on their horribly cluttered myspace page.

Current rotation: The above list!

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Merry Christmas!

For some reason that I can't quite explain, I always put on The Cure's Trilogy DVD on Christmas Day and always, always watch "Pictures of You". Today was no exception. Perhaps it's because I dislike most Christmas music...I'm not sure.

Merry Christmas Folks!

Current rotation: The Cure - Trilogy DVD

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1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, And 1 Beer Would Make Me Sick

Blues-rocker George Thorogood is hitting town next year, playing a date at the MTS Centre. The show takes place on May 23rd, but ticket information hasn't been released yet. Will keep ya updated.

Current rotation: The Clientele - God Save The Clientele

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My Top 10 Records of 2007

One of the consequences of leading a mostly hedonistic lifestyle is that when Christmas rolls around, I tend to buy too many gifts for myself. Sure I have my typical list of family members, friends, co-workers (and bosses) to buy presents for, but in the process I tend to purchase gift-after-gift for myself. One of the best gifts I've given myself lately arrived in the mail today, and I am still beaming with happiness. It is absolutely gorgeous! My Sigur Ros Art Print by James Jean is hands down the most beautiful thing I own, and each time I look at it I'm transfixed with awe.

Without further ado, I give you my illustrious, self-aggrandizing "Best Albums of 2007 List":

1. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
2. Iron and Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog
3. Mum – Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy
4. Stars – In Our Bedroom After The War
5. The Clientele – God Save The Clientele
6. Bloc Party – A Weekend In The City
7. Feist – The Reminder
8. Radiohead – In Rainbows
9. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
10. Nathan – Key Principles

Current rotation: The Clientele - God Save The Clientele

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Presale Password for Henry Rollins at the Burton Cummings Theatre

Ahoy Land Lubbers!

Thy noblest of presale passwords for Sir Rollins be VIDEO.

Current rotation: The Clientele - God Save The Clientele

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Seven Days Until The Religious Neutral Holiday...er Christmas

Henry Rollins will be bringing his spoken word tour back to the Peg March 16th at the Burton Cummings Theatre. Ticket sales start Friday ranging from $19.50 to $28.50. Apparently this is his fifth time stopping by in a decade - he must like us! Unlike Wilco and The New Pornographers (who still owe us a show)...


Current rotation: The Clientele - God Save The Clientele

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New Year's Eve in Winnipeg

So there are these highly evocative ads for the company American Apparel permeating Pitchforkmedia's main page . These banners, well, in all honesty, complement the fun of visiting Pitchfork for the latest music news.

Anyways, I was busing by the remnants of The Collective earlier and was astounded to learn that the same company with these enticing ads on Pitchfork (the models aren't naked or anything...that'd be inappropriate...they're just kinda revealing) is the same company that gutted The Collective and opened shop. Today's coincidence quota was met earlier that usual.

R.I.P. Collective Cabaret. I enjoyed every show I saw there.

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I figured I'd discuss New Year's Eve happenin's at some of the local clubs, so here goes:

1. The Pyramid - NEW YEARS IN CANDYLAND. Sponsered by Sugar Mountain, the Pyramid will be decorated with all sorts of candy-ish novelties from "mountains of smarties" to "giant Pez dispensers. Spinning records during all this sugary fun will be DJ Co-op & Hunnicut, DJ RPG ( Grant from Moses Mayes) and all the way from Minneapolis DJ Mike The 2600 King. Tickets are $20ish at Into The Music, Kustom Kulture, The Pyramid, City Haul, and Ticketmaster.

2. Times Change(d) - New Year's Eve with The D Rangers, Andrew Neville & the Poor Choice. Tix TBA.

3. The Zoo - ZOO YEAR'S EVE with Xplicit, Still Village, and Lucid. Tix are $15 @ The Osborne Village Inn.

4. The Albert - NEW YEAR'S EVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT with American Flamewhip, The Geek Street Band, Big Trouble in Little China. Tix are $8 at Into The Music, Music Trader, and Ticket Workshop.

5. The King's Head - KING'S HEAD PUB NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY featuring The Braggarts, The Windups. Tickets $10 at the King's Head.

6. The Collective - See above.

Current rotation: Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha

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Regifting Is Not Only Less Wasteful - It's Also Very Funny

I'm currently deep in thought trying to decide which tracks will make the final cut for the highly coveted "Painting Over Silence" best-songs-of-the-year-2007 cd. I've narrowed it down to 24 tracks and need to trim about 8-9.

Expect the winners to be announced sometime next week.

Astounding show news:

The Free Press reported Friday that progressive rockers Rush will be playing their first gig in Winnipeg since October 5, 1982. Zounds! I was only a few months old then. Ticket information will be released sometime in January.

Fly by Night!

Current rotation: The Beatles - White Album

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Los Lobos

Los Lobos are hitting town on March 25th. Tix for this show (at The Burt) range from $42.50 to $47.75.

Current rotation: Electric President - S/T

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Presales

Q. What is the presale password for Steve Earle's upcoming show at The Burton Cummings Theatre? What about Matt Costa's at The Garrick?

A. video (for each)

Current rotation: The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

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Down Copperhead Road

Genre transcender Steve Earle is playing a solo acoustic set at the Burt on March 10th. Tickets go on sale this Friday for $27.50 or $39.50 at Ticketmaster; gosh darn-it, I don't have a presale password (yet), although tickets go on sale through TheSteveEarlestore.com starting tomorrow. I must admit ever since I read Nick Hornby's impassioned essay "Alternative Earle" a personal fascination with Earle's music/life has developed. Earle's wife Alison Moore will open. I like that.

Also, Californian Matt Costa (who opened for Bedouin Soundclash last week) will be the main draw for a show at The Garrick on February 16th. Tickets this Friday at Ticketmaster for around 20 bones. Delta Spirit is the opener.

Hilarious show news-of-the-week-that-I-just-had-to-mention: David Cassidy, former star of the 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family, is at Club Regent Casino February 14th. Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" like David Cassidy belting out ballad after ballad.

Current rotation: Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

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Daft Punk Is Playing In My House

Arguably the most in-demand concert in history took place earlier in London and according to the CBC, fans were "treated to a good time". The question now is: Do Led Zeppelin satiate fans further and launch a massive worldwide tour after 20 million (!!!) people tried getting tickets for their first show in 19 years? Stay tuned.

Choking on your own vomit...what a way to go.

In other interesting news, Wilco are planning on playing "The Complete Wilco" over five days in Chicago. I say forget that. Jeff Tweedy & Co. get your butts back here, you still owe Winnipegers a make-up date after canceling your August 15th show at The Burt.

Come to think of it, The New Pornographers still owe us a show too! Is there any justice out there for Winnipeg concert fans? Grrr.

Flushing out some shows...

Blunderspublik is the opening act for Greg MacPherson's show next week at the WECC.

Jenn Grant is the opening for Hayden's February show at the WECC. She's a cutie (but more importantly, her songs are good).

Current rotation: Wilco - Sky Blue Sky / LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

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Posting While Listless

My brain is operating at 2/3s normal processing speed today, so this update'll be brief.

Finnish metal act Nightwish is at the Garrick on May 14th. Tix are available at Music Trader and Ticketmaster for around $32.50.

Notorious late 80s rap group 2 Live Crew play 2 dates at the Zoo on March 21st and 22nd w/ X-Rated Rydas. Expect profanity and sexual imagery. Tix are $10 in advance at the Zoo.

Current rotation: M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us

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Are We To Believe This Is Some Sort Of Magical Xylophone?

A conundrum: when I hyperlink band names, do I link to the band's website or their myspace page?

The facts:

The band's website often features an elaborate design, a biographical write-up, a complete list of tour dates, news, discography, and (sometimes) free downloads.

Myspace, while undeniably cluttered (read: euphemism for ugly), allows users to sample several tracks from the band in question, read some blog entries and seems, in general, more up-to-date than the band's website.

Hmm. Strong arguments from both sides. For now, I'll stick with the band's official site. Unless of course that's non-existent.
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Not once, not twice, but Thrice is at The Burt on Feb 12th. Tickets go on sale Friday (sorry folks, I don't have a presale password).

Current rotation: Electric President S/T / Radiohead In Rainbows

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Sigur Ros Art

I was googling Sigur Ros just now when I came across this absolutely stunning illustration of the band by artist James Jean. I love it so much I'm about to order a print. This is going to look incredible on the wall behind my computer.

I wonder what the original sold for?

NECRO is at the Pyramid on January 16th with Psycho Realm, Danny Diablo, Boondox, and Riviera Regime. Warning: visiting some of these websites scared me.

Current rotation: Electric President S/T / Sigur Ros ()

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