Dress Up In You

Shoegazing popsters Silversun Pickups swing by the Garrick on August 12th w/ Manchester Orchestra and Cage The Elephant.

Veteran singer-songwriter Billy Bragg is at the Burt on November 28th.

Down are there on August 6th.

Killswitch Engage, In Flames, and Protest The Hero will probably blow the roof off the Convention Centre on September 12th.

Inventive Regina pop act Library Voices appear at my ethnic peeps' festival: Islendingadagurinn on August 1st. That's harder to spell than Connecticut.

Unfortunate news: Jose Gonzalez has canceled his gig at the WECC due to family reasons. I'm sure he'll be back.

Speaking of unfortunate news... RIP King of Pop. Thriller is still and always will be awesome.


Infinite Playlist: Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

Read more...

Everything Is Wrapped In Grey

This is amongst the best explanations I've seen/heard about how a television works.



Infinite Playlist: M83 - Saturdays = Youth

Read more...

Mandelbaum Mix - Volume Two

So I was out running the other day, enjoying a rare beautiful spring morning while sweating profusely, when suddenly it hit me like a sack of doorknobs: my running playlist, Mandelbaum Mix Volume One, just ain't cutting it no more! (The playlist is named after the octogenerian fitness buff on Seinfeld, aptly portrayed by the late, great Lloyd Bridges in the above clip).

Nothing personal against the songs populating Volume One, but some fresh, healthy change was badly badly needed. And after studious consideration and lots of adding, deleting, rearranging plus a few frustrated tears and overjoyed Eurekas!, I have devised, what should be, pure sonic motivation.

Tomorrow night...It's go time!

1. The Flaming Lips - Fight Test
2. El Guincho - Kalise
3. MGMT - Kids
4. The Go! Team - Doing It Right
5. Stereolab - Three Women
6. Beck - The New Pollution
7. Cut Copy - Feel The Love
8. Vampire Weekend - Ottoman
9. Mates of State - My Only Offer
10. The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno
11. The Postal Service - Some Great Heights
12. Belle & Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo

Running Time: 50:45




The video for the Belle & Sebastian entry is thematically fitting, making the track an ideal one for injecting some down-the-home-stretch, second-wind energy. At least I hope so.

What's on your workout playlist?

Infinite Playlist: Mandelbaum Mix - Volume Two

Read more...

I'm (A Multiple of) 9 Today

Lots of show announcements to get through, so I'm gonna just dive on in.

The white-hot noise-pop duo Japandroids have rescheduled their late-April gig at the Lo Pub to June 7th. After earning the highly coveted Best New Music distinction from The Fork, you can bet The Lo will be a packed house. Go early.

Songstress Emm Gryner is at The Park Theatre on May 12th w/ local fav JP Hoe.

Calgary's Women play the Albert on May 6th.

Metals lovers rejoice! Slayer and Megadeth will burst some ear drums at the MTS Centre on June 29th.

Classified is at the Pyramid on May 8th.

Grand Analog and Nestor Wynrush are staging a double cd release party there on May 27th.

Clues will be there on May 25th.

The Shagbots will play on May 28th.

Reminder: if you wanna win Rah Rah's cd, don't forget to flip me a quick email. Contest closes on Sunday. See all details in below post.

And finally, after careful deliberation (I even took the day off work!) I have decided that Mum's "I'm 9 Today" is my official 27th birthday song. Last year's was The Sugarcubes' "Birthday".

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


Infinite Playlist: The above song...looped.

Read more...

Peter Bjorn And John - Live At The Phoenix

Back in Peg City after spending four wonderful days in Toronto. Last night, I hit Peter Bjorn and John's sold out gig at the Phoenix, and it was six kinds of awesome. The comma-less Swedes played a relatively short show (about an hour and ten minutes) that was loaded with tunes from 2006's smash hit of a pop record Writer's Block (including the ubiquitous 'Young Folks'), a couple oldies, and a healthy handful off the just-released Living Things. Lead vocalist Peter sure has a commanding stage presence (middle fellow in the top pic) and really knows how to entertain a crowd. I was transfixed the whole time. The trio even wrapped up their encore with an extended version of my personal fav "Up Against The Wall" which morphed into a partial cover of Joy Division's classic "Transmission" before reverting back to "Wall". Fantastic end to one of the best sets I've seen in awhile.

New York's Chairlift opened for PB&J. Now you're probably familiar with their omnipresent hit "Bruises" prominently featured on an ipod nano commercial. It's irresistible and a lot of fun and I quite like the boy-girl dynamic. However, the rest of their repertoire is very unlike "Bruises" and sorta has this 80s goth-synth aesthetic to it. I noted to my friend how "Bruises" is about as different from their main sonic inclinations as "Song Two" is from Blur's. In the end, their short set just didn't work for me.

Also, on Thursday night I caught Vancouver's Ladyhawk at the Horseshoe. The place was jam packed and I couldn't snap any photos that weren't just backs-of-heads. Ladyhawk put on a solid show, though, brought to life by their brand of good ol' sweaty rock 'n roll.

***

Sarah Slean is taking part in the West End Cultural Centre's grand re-opening week party by playing a show there on May 26th. Like Hawksley Workman, it's a very rare opportunity to see a popular artist in such an intimate setting.

Rapper-actor LL Cool J is playing The Centennial Concert Hall on June 4th. I've pretty much been singing this continuously since I read the news.

And stylin', profilin'.


Infinite Playlist: Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block

Read more...

A Newfound Respect

I suspect by now you've probably heard all about Jian Ghomeshi's interview with the highly volatile Billy Bob Thornton this morning on Q, but if not, here's the video clip. Heads up though: it's longerish (14 mins or so) and is awkward raised to the power of infinity.

Total props to Jian for standing his ground and not being all apologetic to the consummate jerk that is Billy Bob.



***

The Pumps are at the Pyramid on May 29th.

Jeremy Dawson of Shiny Toy Guns will be DJing there on June 5th.

SNFU rock the Albert on June 13th.

The Von Bodies will be there on June 2nd.

Infinite Playlist: El Guincho - Alegranza!

Read more...

Don't Get Offended If I Seem Absent Minded

My pal Phil just sent me this gorgeous, intimate video of an ad hoc Bloc Party performance of "This Modern Love" off Silent Alarm.

Basically some guys at a Pub convince lead singer Kele to sing a song outside for just a handful of people, accompanied only by one of BP's guitarists on the acoustic.

Check it out. It is magical.


Bloc Party, 'This Modern Love' - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

***

Bob Dylan tonight! If you wanna see the set lists he's been playing on this tour, you can find them here. I looked which, according to a friend, is the equivalent of finding out all your gifts before Christmas.

Oh well.

Infinite Playlist: The Dears - Missles

Read more...