How can I not speak about the Pearl Jam show in early May.
The opening act was My Morning Jacket, they're good, but no Sleater-Kinney.
My tickets were great and we were like 30 feet from Mike McReady, becoming a guitar god!
I thought going to the first show of the tour would make it more special as opposed to the next night. We did get to hear some songs for the first time live (first ever performance of Inside Job), but the second night had an extra half hour.
Oh well, live and learn. And if the only complaint is that the show was "only" 140 minutes, I guess that's alright!
They do seem much happier now that they are free of the label. Great new album, by the way.
It was great to see the fans sing a long to the new stuff, even though the album had only been out one week. Awesome, we are the best fan base, the security guards had nothing to do, we stay in our spots, and are orderly ... Lot's of respect going around, a big contrast to the rest of the city.
That was my 6th time seeing them and the first repeat city (Montreal, Boston, NY & Ottawa are the others).
If you get a chance see them, Sonic Youth is opening for them later on. I'll be seeing them in 2 weeks in Bonnaroo (SY that is).
Enjoy!
Saturday, June 3, 2006
One Month Later
Wow ... It's been over a month, I'm slipping.
So much has happened.
First off, I was right about Carolina, at least I predicted they would win the cup and now they're in the finals. I've always had a thing for the Oilers after seeing them in the early 80's (on TV) against the Islanders. Plus there is that incident with Gretzky when Sevigny said in the media that Lafleur was going to "put him in his back pocket". Gretzky dropped like 5 points that night on the habs.
If I had to pick another team to root for it would be between Philly & Edmonton.
Still - there's no way Carolina loses this. Weight, Recchi, Brind'Amour is a lot of veteran savvy. And they're not the top players on the team. Edmonton has Pronger though, and I never bet against him.
In the NBA, I had the final 4 down pat. And now Miami is through, as I predicted.
Dallas is up 10 in game 6 and should make me look pretty damn smart.
I know I predicted Dallas to win it all, but Miami (with my favorite players Wade & Shaq) is looking destined.
It would be nice to see Shaq win to enervate Kobe!
Wade is the reason I started paying attention to the NBA 3 years ago, so I have a soft spot for him.
Cuban is my favorite owner in all sports and Boston was the team of my youth. So I don't have a clear cut favorite team yet, it feels kinda weird.
Nash is great and is fun to watch, and I predict this for next year - Phoenix will win it next year. With Amare back, and most guys signed (just need to keep Thomas) ... that's adding an all-star with MVP potential to a final four team, pretty sweet!
At least Nash is still perfect in game 7's.
This is the first finals since the Baltimore/Milwakee '71 series that both teams are there for the first time.
So much has happened.
First off, I was right about Carolina, at least I predicted they would win the cup and now they're in the finals. I've always had a thing for the Oilers after seeing them in the early 80's (on TV) against the Islanders. Plus there is that incident with Gretzky when Sevigny said in the media that Lafleur was going to "put him in his back pocket". Gretzky dropped like 5 points that night on the habs.
If I had to pick another team to root for it would be between Philly & Edmonton.
Still - there's no way Carolina loses this. Weight, Recchi, Brind'Amour is a lot of veteran savvy. And they're not the top players on the team. Edmonton has Pronger though, and I never bet against him.
In the NBA, I had the final 4 down pat. And now Miami is through, as I predicted.
Dallas is up 10 in game 6 and should make me look pretty damn smart.
I know I predicted Dallas to win it all, but Miami (with my favorite players Wade & Shaq) is looking destined.
It would be nice to see Shaq win to enervate Kobe!
Wade is the reason I started paying attention to the NBA 3 years ago, so I have a soft spot for him.
Cuban is my favorite owner in all sports and Boston was the team of my youth. So I don't have a clear cut favorite team yet, it feels kinda weird.
Nash is great and is fun to watch, and I predict this for next year - Phoenix will win it next year. With Amare back, and most guys signed (just need to keep Thomas) ... that's adding an all-star with MVP potential to a final four team, pretty sweet!
At least Nash is still perfect in game 7's.
This is the first finals since the Baltimore/Milwakee '71 series that both teams are there for the first time.
Monday, May 1, 2006
Southern Accent
Last week I went to Southern Accent, a Louisiana style restaurant, here's my review.
We went for a good friend's birthday and had an almost private room. Turns out it was also her flatmate's b-day, but we were not told ... Awkward!
The place is near Bloor/Bathurst on Markham street (behind honest Ed's).
Check it out at http://www.southernaccent.com. We thought it was decorated for the party, but they always have a Mardi gras feel to the place.
The decor is great and the ambiance very cool. There's even some psychics if you want a reading for a fee.
The food is varied, not all pure Cajun, there was a special maple menu at the time as well.
I had a few Hurricanes to start, anyone who's been to New Orleans will know about those fruity killers.
As an appetizer I had some oysters. Some Jalapeno infused Vodka was poured over them, add some lemon and Habanero hot sauce and slide her down ... hmmm ... hmmm ... Good!
The popular menu item was the hush puppies, corn fritters, fried. They loved them.
As a main course I went for the blackened steak. A very nice New York cut, cooked to perfection with a spinach mash and some veggies.
As most know, I'm a man who likes him meat. Well, that has the be the best steak ever! A culinary masterpiece. I wasn't crazy about the mash, but that's because I don't consider vegetables proper food.
One more note, a dollar from each meal goes to help New Orleans restaurants get back open. A more than noble cause.
I highly recommend Southern Accent. Next week I'm going to Big Daddy's - they have crayfish etouffee on the menu. I'll let you know.
Last year I tried N'Awlins on King Street. The food was good, but the Jazz was better. But you better have a reservation.
We went for a good friend's birthday and had an almost private room. Turns out it was also her flatmate's b-day, but we were not told ... Awkward!
The place is near Bloor/Bathurst on Markham street (behind honest Ed's).
Check it out at http://www.southernaccent.com. We thought it was decorated for the party, but they always have a Mardi gras feel to the place.
The decor is great and the ambiance very cool. There's even some psychics if you want a reading for a fee.
The food is varied, not all pure Cajun, there was a special maple menu at the time as well.
I had a few Hurricanes to start, anyone who's been to New Orleans will know about those fruity killers.
As an appetizer I had some oysters. Some Jalapeno infused Vodka was poured over them, add some lemon and Habanero hot sauce and slide her down ... hmmm ... hmmm ... Good!
The popular menu item was the hush puppies, corn fritters, fried. They loved them.
As a main course I went for the blackened steak. A very nice New York cut, cooked to perfection with a spinach mash and some veggies.
As most know, I'm a man who likes him meat. Well, that has the be the best steak ever! A culinary masterpiece. I wasn't crazy about the mash, but that's because I don't consider vegetables proper food.
One more note, a dollar from each meal goes to help New Orleans restaurants get back open. A more than noble cause.
I highly recommend Southern Accent. Next week I'm going to Big Daddy's - they have crayfish etouffee on the menu. I'll let you know.
Last year I tried N'Awlins on King Street. The food was good, but the Jazz was better. But you better have a reservation.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Saves the Day
Here's my review of tonight's Saves the Day show at the Kool Haus in Toronto.
This was my first time at the venue which looks exactly like what you think a rave club would look like, warehouse type.
Not a bad place for a show.
The 2 opening acts, I admit, I was clueless about.
The first was Circa Survive.
The set started with just the lead singer yelling into the mic, no instruments. Actually, yelling is wrong and unflattering, he was singing in a high volume with great intensity, sounded awesome, then the performers joined him to kick it off.
He, Anthony - according to the Girl who claimed to love him, has a great voice and put on a great show.
I love my artists to express intensity, they have a message to deliver and they should be passionate about it. Anthony had that, like Ian Curtis of Joy Division, he's so intense that his body was contorted. Loved it.
At this point, I was like wow. The crowd is very young (16-23 range) but this is good. Some were singing along too, which seemed to imply maybe I'm more out of the loop then I thought. That feeling only intensified later.
Second was to be Moneen, after the longest most brutal sound check ever.
Again, I never heard of this band so I had no idea what they looked like.
The lights go out and a single guy with a guitar comes on to do some solos. He's good, but not so much to justify the crowd's glee. He then ripped off his track pants and played on.
Turns out he was the roadie, and the people I thought were roadies, were the band. How did no one recognize them? I know they're not well known, but everyone knew all their songs, even the new ones.
I was in the second row after the mosh pit. That's right, a mosh pit. And the kids today, have no clue how to do it. How is that enjoyable - essentially starting a series of fights instead of listening?
The band performed well, was full of energy (as a stage experience think Finger 11, but better executed - not a musical comparison) but they weren't pulling me in. Maybe it was the mosh pit, but I think the vibe was just bad juju. People seemed the wrong kind of angry, like an unnecessary fake rage instead of angst which would have been appropriate. There was a rather large amount of wallet punks, people who get mommy and daddy to buy designer clothes they think make them punk (think Good Charlotte).
The show started at 7PM and it was now just after 9PM.
Before we get to Saves the Day, let me explain why I was there in the first place.
I had no records of theirs at the time of ticket purchase. I knew them from one song - At Your Funeral.
But this song had achieved a near mystical proportion for me. Easily in my top 20 all time. It's always been in the top 2 of the play count on my iPod (Johnette Napolitano's Suicide Note being the other - Suicide Note & At Your Funeral, I wonder if there's a connection there).
I knew them as an Emo rock band, like Weezer.
So that was my expectation. I did purchase their 2 biggest records and listened about twice to each of them, nothing there to change my mind.
They get on stage at 9:30 and right away, I'm floored. The lead vocalist has hot pink short hair. A far cry from the short hair and thick glasses expected.
But the first 2 tracks are good, and the mosh pit is going nuts, but I'm further back, having learned my lesson (the buffer would be fully eroded by the end).
The 3rd song is the one I've been looking for and it was performed like on the album, but that's it. Nothing special, and people were moshing. I was a little hurt, because it's such a sad song with deep meaning for me, the vibe was wrong, but I still enjoyed it.
That was the highlight, they seemed almost disinterested in being there, it was a hard rock set for the most part, not what was expected.
And a short set, under 45 minutes.
So, for the first time ever I left a concert disappointed.
This could mean 2 things - stay away from any Johnette Napolitano concert or just do my homework before buying tix. If I knew it was a hard rock show, I would've skipped it.
At least I got to see someone who understands his craft - Circa Survive.
Ciao!
This was my first time at the venue which looks exactly like what you think a rave club would look like, warehouse type.
Not a bad place for a show.
The 2 opening acts, I admit, I was clueless about.
The first was Circa Survive.
The set started with just the lead singer yelling into the mic, no instruments. Actually, yelling is wrong and unflattering, he was singing in a high volume with great intensity, sounded awesome, then the performers joined him to kick it off.
He, Anthony - according to the Girl who claimed to love him, has a great voice and put on a great show.
I love my artists to express intensity, they have a message to deliver and they should be passionate about it. Anthony had that, like Ian Curtis of Joy Division, he's so intense that his body was contorted. Loved it.
At this point, I was like wow. The crowd is very young (16-23 range) but this is good. Some were singing along too, which seemed to imply maybe I'm more out of the loop then I thought. That feeling only intensified later.
Second was to be Moneen, after the longest most brutal sound check ever.
Again, I never heard of this band so I had no idea what they looked like.
The lights go out and a single guy with a guitar comes on to do some solos. He's good, but not so much to justify the crowd's glee. He then ripped off his track pants and played on.
Turns out he was the roadie, and the people I thought were roadies, were the band. How did no one recognize them? I know they're not well known, but everyone knew all their songs, even the new ones.
I was in the second row after the mosh pit. That's right, a mosh pit. And the kids today, have no clue how to do it. How is that enjoyable - essentially starting a series of fights instead of listening?
The band performed well, was full of energy (as a stage experience think Finger 11, but better executed - not a musical comparison) but they weren't pulling me in. Maybe it was the mosh pit, but I think the vibe was just bad juju. People seemed the wrong kind of angry, like an unnecessary fake rage instead of angst which would have been appropriate. There was a rather large amount of wallet punks, people who get mommy and daddy to buy designer clothes they think make them punk (think Good Charlotte).
The show started at 7PM and it was now just after 9PM.
Before we get to Saves the Day, let me explain why I was there in the first place.
I had no records of theirs at the time of ticket purchase. I knew them from one song - At Your Funeral.
But this song had achieved a near mystical proportion for me. Easily in my top 20 all time. It's always been in the top 2 of the play count on my iPod (Johnette Napolitano's Suicide Note being the other - Suicide Note & At Your Funeral, I wonder if there's a connection there).
I knew them as an Emo rock band, like Weezer.
So that was my expectation. I did purchase their 2 biggest records and listened about twice to each of them, nothing there to change my mind.
They get on stage at 9:30 and right away, I'm floored. The lead vocalist has hot pink short hair. A far cry from the short hair and thick glasses expected.
But the first 2 tracks are good, and the mosh pit is going nuts, but I'm further back, having learned my lesson (the buffer would be fully eroded by the end).
The 3rd song is the one I've been looking for and it was performed like on the album, but that's it. Nothing special, and people were moshing. I was a little hurt, because it's such a sad song with deep meaning for me, the vibe was wrong, but I still enjoyed it.
That was the highlight, they seemed almost disinterested in being there, it was a hard rock set for the most part, not what was expected.
And a short set, under 45 minutes.
So, for the first time ever I left a concert disappointed.
This could mean 2 things - stay away from any Johnette Napolitano concert or just do my homework before buying tix. If I knew it was a hard rock show, I would've skipped it.
At least I got to see someone who understands his craft - Circa Survive.
Ciao!
Saturday, April 29, 2006
NBA playoffs
I figure I should do the NBA playoffs too.
My favorite players in the league are Wade & Shaq, so you can guess where this is going.
East:
Detroit over Cleveland ... Although if Lebron advanced it would be awesome before he went to the Knicks.
Miami over Indiana, but no upsets were supposed to happen in the East in the first round.
West:
Dallas over San Antonio. Dirk, like Diggler, is too much.
Suns over Clippers. No way Kobe gets through, the basketball gods can't allow it.
Finals:
Dallas over Miami in 7. Just too much, with the 9-man rotation from Avery Johnson.
Have fun!
My favorite players in the league are Wade & Shaq, so you can guess where this is going.
East:
Detroit over Cleveland ... Although if Lebron advanced it would be awesome before he went to the Knicks.
Miami over Indiana, but no upsets were supposed to happen in the East in the first round.
West:
Dallas over San Antonio. Dirk, like Diggler, is too much.
Suns over Clippers. No way Kobe gets through, the basketball gods can't allow it.
Finals:
Dallas over Miami in 7. Just too much, with the 9-man rotation from Avery Johnson.
Have fun!
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