Some show announcements:
Vancouver-based rockers The Painted Birds play the Albert on September 13th with The Furr and JD Edwards.
Into Eternity and Port Amoral are also there on September 17th.
Shearing Pinx on October 10th.
Current rotation: Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
I just listened to She & Him Vol.1 for the first time (yes, I'm a bit behind the times) and, overall, it was an awesome, kinda familiar experience, and boy oh boy are Zooey's vocals ever expressive and pleasantly engaging.
This inescapably lead me to YouTube where I watched several amateur live videos of surprisingly okay quality. I particularly liked the performance below of the strong lead track "Sentimental Heart", although please be forewarned: the camera is a little shaky and potentially nauseating. The sound quality is decent though, so just avert or close your eyes if you start feeling queasy.
Zooey Deschanel, if you're unfamiliar, starred in Elf, The Hitchhiker's Guide, and The Happening.
Singing and acting....She is one talented lady.
***
Vancougar rock the Albert on October 13th.
The Farrell Brothers are at the Pyramid on Halloween.
Current playlist: She & Him - Vol. 1
Another month has sped on by (almost) at a too-fast-for-my-liking rate, leaving some solid music in its wake for us to buy, download, or borrow and hopefully love and dance feverishly to, if it's that kind of music.
Anyways, September's scheduled releases look even more impressive, with much adored local acts Novillero, JP Hoe, and Mr. Pine getting into the record dropping game, while a whole slew of great artists (indie mostly) residing outside our provincial borders also compete for our immediate and undivided listening attention.
Here's a list of some noteworthy upcoming releases:
September 2
Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun
September 9
The Broken West - Now or Heaven
Calexico - Carried To Dust
Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane
Horse Feathers - House With No Name
Kimya Dawson - Alphabutt
La Rocca - Ok Okay
Missy Elliot - Block Party
The New Year - S/T
Novillero - A Little Tradition
Okervill River - The Stand Ins
September 12
Metallica - Death Magnetic
September 13
J.P. Hoe - The Dear John Letters
September 23
Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
High Places - S/T
Jay Reatard - Singles Collection
Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling
Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation
September 30
Ben Folds - Way To Normal
Mercury Rev - Snowflake Midnight / Strange Attraction
Mr. Pine - Rewilding
T-Pain - Thr33 Ringz
T.I. - Paper Trail
Travis - Ode To J. Smith
Trivium - Shogun
Note: With the exception of the local releases, I didn't really verify every single date because that takes way too much time. I did, however, use three credible sites (PF, Metacritic, and Billboard) when compiling this list, but they might not have been completely up-to-date. Please double check if it's an artist you really love.
BTW...Stereolab's Chemical Chords was hands down the Painting Over Silence Blog's pick-of-the-month for August.
Current Playlist - Sally Shapiro - Romance Remix Vol. 1 / El Guincho - Alegranza!
Business is boomin' at the Pyramid these days:
Toronto Turntablist DJ Dopey is there on October 13th.
Tagaq - an expressive Inuit singer who's collaborated with Bjork - plays there on October 30th. Doors are at 7, so I guess it's an early show.
Shout Out Out Out Out will rock the joint on November 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd (sorry, I just had to).
Current playlist: Wye Oak - If Children
Salutations All!
Using a presale password that many generous, sharing folks told me about (thanks everyone!), I managed to score a pair of second tier Neil Young tix right around 10 this morning. After $174.50, the next tier was $93.50 which I figured was just about the perfect price for me after I factored in my adoration for Death Cab and my occasional, should-and-will-be-explored-further (especially now) Neil Young interest.
Anyone else get tickets?
If not, have no fear: public sale starts tomorrow...
***
Three is at Ozzy's on October 3rd. Tix @ Music Trader.
08 Juno Award Winner Derek Miller is at the Zoo on September 12th. Tix @ the Zoo.
The Wu Tang Clan's Method Man plays The Blush Ultraclub on September 24th. Tix are a bit: $50 @ Ticketmaster.
Christine Fellows, Kim Barlow, and Old Man Luedecke are at the Park Theatre on October 23rd.
Current playlist: Stereolab - Chemical Chords
According to ticketmaster's site, tickets for Neil Young/Death Cab range from $49.50 - $174.50 not $75 - $ 174.50 as I previously wrote. The cheapest price will presumably get you the nosebleed section, but hey, I find most seats at the MTS Centre are decent.
$125. Quite the remarkable ticket cost range.
Also, presale tickets go on sale Thursday at 10. I don't have a presale password yet, and as soon as I get one, I'll post it. It's probably something pedestrian like YOUNG or NEIL or MUSIC.
Last bit of NY/DC show news...Everest are another opening act.
***
Jill Barber is at the Park Theatre on November 19th. Tix Friday @ 10 via Ticketmaster.
Matt Mays returns to the Garrick on October 15th. Tix Friday @ 10 via Ticketmaster.
The Through The Noise Tour featuring Comeback Kid, Misery Signals, Bane & more stops by there a day earlier.
Finally, tickets for Stephen Malkmus's October 27th show at the Pyramid go on sale Thursday @ 10 via Ticketmaster. I suspect these tickets will be a sought after commodity, so snatch yours up soon.
Current rotation: Flight of the Conchords - S/T
Zounds! Major concert announcement gang - folk rock legend Neil Young returns home on October 16th bringing with him an astounding opening act: none other than indie-turned-mainstream heavyweights Death Cab For Cutie. Tix go on sale Friday and range from a modest $75 to a hefty $174.50.
What a strange, yet not unpleasant pairing (thanks to Sara for bringing this show to my attention).
Current playlist: Nick Drake - Way To Blue
So there, CD alphabetizing is done and done.
I gotta admit though, putting my cds in alphabetical order was an unanticipated fun trip down the old cliché they call memory lane. Almost every cd invariably unearthed some memory embedded into it, and I was able to recall with alarming accuracy where I was when I first heard the cd, who turned me onto the artist, who (if) I was dating at the time, etc. Perhaps I could've arranged them autobiographically.
Anyways, here are five random musings about my collection:
1. I don't own enough cds (really).
2. I own zero cds starting with X and only one that begins with Q.
3. The lone Q entry 'Quinimine' was the first disc I ever reviewed for The University of Winnipeg's Stylus magazine. Curiously, the editor at that time now writes for The Free Press.
4. I own a shocking and possibly unhealthy amount of cds by The Smashing Pumpkins, albums which are rarely played and now serve as historic evidence of a past teenage obsession.
Coincidentally, a few months back I stopped off at the LC in The T (anyone born and raised in Transcona is affectionately allowed to call it by 'The T') and ran into an acquaintance from high school who told me how she heard The Smashing Pumpkins on the radio earlier, and immediately said to her boyfriend, "Do you remember who was their biggest fan in high school?"
It's nice to be remembered...even if it's for a daft infatuation.
5. The gold medal for the worst cd I own goes to Joe Pesci (Yes, THE Joe Pesci) for his non-comedic, I-really-wanna-sing, recording Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings For You. The opening track is called "Yo Cousin Vinny". I'm not kidding. On the plus side, the best April Fools prank to play on a fellow, unsuspecting audiophile is giving them a copy of it, labeling it as X (any hyped band) and telling them they must listen to this immediately.
It gets funnier every year.
Current rotation: The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness (an oldie, but a goodie)
Plenty of shows to announce:
*takes a deep, chest inflating breath*
Ann Walton is at the Folk Exchange on Sept 19th.
The Bronx are slated to open for Bad Religion during their Sept 20th show at the Burt.
Local singer-songwriter JP Hoe is releasing his first full-length studio record The Dear John Letters at the Winnipeg Art Gallery on September 13th. Tix $15 @ Music Trader.
Sarah Brightman is at the MTS Centre on Dec 6th. Tix via Ticketmaster.
Sleepercar is at the Albert on September 12th. Tix $15 @ Music Trader.
Rev Theory is at the Zoo on September 4th with Rides Again. Tix $10 @ Music Trader.
*exhales*
Current rotation: Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory
Ok, so admittedly I'm not the most organized person. My apartment is eternally cluttered and occasionally looks like a minor explosion occurred (I assure you it's clean though...just cluttered). This lack of organization extends to my cd collection and not only are my discs randomly strewn all over the place, the ones lounging in the racks aren't alphabetized. And, as I just discovered, most cases have the wrong frakkin' album in them!
Today I had enough of my disorganized cd collection after spending 15 fruitless minutes of my life that I'll never get back looking for my favourite Postal Service cd, finding the case, then discovering a Yo La Tengo disc resting inside.
And so the great cd reorganization began and is currently taking place (I'm on break). I decided to take the sensible route and arrange them alphabetically, even though I temporarily tried - in a tribute to the wonderful book/film combo High Fidelity - to arrange them autobiographically until I remembered my long-term memory is kinda porous. So that quixotic idea was abandoned.
Update: I just remembered my Postal Service cd is in my car! Hooray!
***
Local show news:
The Rapper T-Pain is playing the Convention Centre on August 31st. Tix went on sale earlier.
Fargo news:
Martin Sexton is at The Fargo Theatre on November 5th.
Current rotation: The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Bad Religion are returning to town for the third time since 2005 (they like us!) playing The Burt on September 20th. Tix on sale Sat via ticketmaster. Cost around $30.
Also, unfazed by the current lack of a venue, the WECC continues to book shows at alternate locations, this time pencilling in lauded singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith for a September 30th date at the Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre. Tix on sale Fri via ticketmaster. Price $30ish.
Current rotation: Vampire Weekend - S/T
So our beloved, forward thinking government has officially decided to axe Prom Art, a $4.7 million federal program that subsidizes the costs of Canadian artists who tour internationally. Their reasoning behind this cut to the arts was:
a) budgetary concerns
b) "...we felt some of the groups were not necessarily ones we thought Canadians would agree were the best choices to be representing them internationally," said Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson's spokesperson Anne Howland who, according to CBC.ca, cited Polaris Prize shortlisters Holy Fuck as an example.
Now I'll ignore a) since I don't really wanna go there, but I just gotta comment on b). After all, it's the band's or artist's name that matters NOT the art they produce right?
So I have some alternative names for a few Canadian bands/artists who venture out globally, making us all look bad.
1. Holy Fuck
At first I thought 'Spirited Fornication' would be less offensive, but then realized it still portrays that negative image of Canadians being actively promiscuous. A way better, less offensive name is 'Divine Hugging'.
2. Barenaked Ladies
For starters, they're an all-male band who, as far as I know, are perpetually clothed and, therefore, their choice of band name is very misleading. And what us Canadians don't want are foreigners thinking Canadian women run around naked all the time in this country. So I suggest these fellows adopt the moniker "Always Clothed Men" since it's both accurate and innocuous.
3. Burton Cummings
Our hometown guitarist has an unfortunate last name, which is guaranteed to make sexually inexperienced teenagers all over the world giggle. It's gotta go. "Burton Walker" has cadence, is practical (ex-name of the Theatre) and as an added bonus, sounds like a tough, western hero. Lee Marvin eat your heart out.
4. The Papsmears
I think this all-female group from Gimli are quite good and have a fun, catchy power-punk sound, but still, their name is just too darn offensive and should be changed to "The Check-Ups" if they want some funding in the future.
5. Nickelback
Whoops. My bad. It's the music I find offensive (sorry Nickelback lovers).
Any I missed?
Current rotation: The Olympics.
Local rockers Jet Set Satellite are dropping their newest disc End of an Era at Silverado's on the 14th then will be melting faces at Coyote's on the 21st w/ Econoline Crush.
I once knew a guy who made his own Econoline Crush shirt by writing the band's name on a plain white t-shirt with a red Sharpie. As the festival wore on (Edgefest) and the temperature soared, the marker bled and created an unintentional wavy font.
That shirt still makes me laugh.
Current rotation: Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory
Sloan - those wacky minstrels who're always showing off their collective instrumental diversity by rotating positions throughout their sets (the singer will become the drummer, the drummer the bassist, and so on) - are playing an intimate show at The Pyramid on September 16th. Tix $20 @ Ticketmaster and Kustom Kulture.
Remember "Coax Me"? That track still rules.
Current rotation: Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Toronto's Cancer Bats are playing two gigs: an all ages show at The Park Theatre on October 1st, and an 18+ one at the Albert a day earlier. If you're over 18 and a Cancer bat afficionado, this is a dream come true.
World renowned Flamenco guitarist Javier Conde plays the Pantages on September 18th.
I just stumbled across this band and thought I'd mention their show down south because the tracks on their MySpace page are really freakin' good: Merge Records recording artists' Wye Oak are at The Aquarium (in Fargo) on August 13th.
For a young two-piece band, they have a really mature, shoe-gazing dreamyish sound. R.I.Y.L. Yo La Tengo.
And curiously, they look like my neighbours.
Current rotation: Wye Oak's MySpace songs.
A few noteworthy items...
DJ Steve Aoki, aka Kid Millionaire, will be at the Hifi Club (above American Apparel) on August 30th with DJ Dougie B. Tickets are $15 according to the colourful poster I just saw stapled to a nearby tree.
Not sure if I mentioned this before (and if I did, it's certainly worth reiterating): Ryan Adams and The Cardinals are slated to open for Oasis at the MTS Centre. While I'm not a big Oasis fan, I'd sure like to see RA live....but is it worth $50 to see an opening act?
This is the question currently plaguing me.
Current rotation: Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
I've had better weekends. And then to make matters worse, this morning Tim Hortons mistakenly gave me coffee instead of steeped tea, a fact I didn't notice until I got home, which further cemented my overall grumpy disposition. Hey, I take my steeped tea seriously, ok?
But then I youtubed it up, haphazardly searching for something to elevate my spirits, when I discovered the perfect remedy for my foul mood: Vampire Weekend's latest video "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", an ideal mixture of campiness and humour.
Never underestimate the curative properties of music.
***
The West End is still operating despite being closed for renovations, presenting shows being at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church (525 Wardlaw @ Nassau).
Ndidi Onukwulu is there on September 26th.
Tom Russell & Eliza Gilkyson are there on October 30th.
Current rotation: Vampire Weekend - S/T
Evenin' Folks!
I almost forgot to continue my monthly tradition of posting cd release highlights for the upcoming month. Fortunately for me, new albums appear in store on Tuesdays, and the first one in August doesn't occurs until the 5th, so this minor lapse in memory should be forgiven.
Let's go...
August 5
Ida - My Fair, My Dark EP
LL Cool J - Exit 13
Music Go Music - Reach Out
Conor Oberst - S/T
Oneida - Preteen Weaponry
Oxford Collapse - Bits
August 19
Death Vessel - Nothing Is Precious For Us
The Fiery Furnaces - Remember
Juliana Hatfield - How To Walk Away
Nelly - Brass Knuckles
Starlight Electric - Clouded Staircase
Stereolab - Chemical Chords
The Stills - Oceans Will Rise
The Walkmen - You & Me
Xavier Rudd - Dark Shades Of Blue
August 26
Matthew Sweet - Sunshine Lies
Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
The Verve - Forth
Current rotation: The Slaughter (So Far) Of The Winnipeg Blue Bombers
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