I just experienced 2 completely different back-to-back concerts. Both great, both totally different. First up:

DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL
Acoustic Benefit Show for Katrina Victims
Phoenix
09.18.05


Going into this show I knew that I would be surrounded by 17-year olds. D/C is a guilty pleasure of mine. I'm not a major EMO fan, but I just can't help but sing, no CHANT along with Chris as he screams and whines about girls tearing his heart out, backstabbing him, cheating on him, lying and leaving him with nothing but his heart on his sleeve (after being stepped on and battered).

SO GOOD!!

Coming with the territory, sharing the floor with teens made me feel quite old. I couldn't believe how selfish some of the girls were. In particular, 2 colour bleached blondes beside me would not stop complaining. It was irritating to listen to these princesses. First, they complained to each other how I apparnetly cut infront of their friends (PS - we're sqashed on the floors; does it look like you have a reserved space in the pit?); Second, they complained about the heat; Third, they complained about the hot floodlights when they came on to illuminate the crowd; Fourth about how there could be a mosh pit (PS - solo acoustic show. Get real.) and she has really nice sandals that could get ruined; Fifth, how there were 4 guys in the front who were really annoying b/c they can't see well (PS - they were there before you even arrived); Six, asking the guy in front if they could move a little b/c they can't clearly see the stage (PS - once the show starts everything will move. Thankfully the guy said the same); and finally Seven, "omg I didn't come here to see an opening band, i just like came here to see Dashboard" (PS - how do you think D/C got big? Opening for other bands princess, not b/c they were on OC last season). More complaints followed, but I couldn't take it and squished myself out of ear shot from them.

Was I that selfish when I was her age? Talk about high maintenance. She had a few pounds make up, glitter, mendochino style clothing and her hair was straighened. Although out of earshot, I couldn't help but grin upon the sight of her not impressed with her face paint running once the concert started.

Ok, to the show. First up was Most Serene Public, who had a quick 30 min set. Lots of clapping throughout the set. I've heard a lot about them, and I've gotta say they're not my cup of tea. Nothing unique about the sound, but it was hard to tell w/such a quick and dirty set. Not bad though...

D/C was great. Chris came on with John, his guitarist- and he played his guts out. Because D/C tunes are no more than 3 mins song, he literally went through his entire library on his 2.25 hour set! Chris engaged the audience by encouraging the audience to sing with him. We even sang the other back up vocals when Chris was singing. He also egged the crowd on even more when he was telling a story about being excited to see the new TV shows, then breaking out the "OC" theme song - the crowd was deafening! Chris also pulled out some music from the vault of which he hasn't played in years. It made the evening feel unique. This was his first of 3 acoustic benefit shows, so it made this night feel truely special.

It was quite an intimate setting being at the Phoenix, and me being 4th row made it that much better. My friend almost started crying he was so close; not because he was a giddy girl, but b/c he felt so lucky to be this close when so many other ppl would pay a lot to be where we stood.

Both the bands, the T-shirts and the phoenix venue offered their services for free. I picked up a T-shirt in support of the cause and left with my own giddy smile on my face. I didn't care that I was 7 yrs older than the median audience age. I was fulfilled and enjoyed every minute of it! I just hope even the princesses can appreciate how lucky they were when sharing their story in the lunch room.

********

Sigur Rós
Massey Hall
09.19.05

[coming soon...]

I have just returned from a Sigur Rós show @Massey Hall. Beautiful. This is one of the top 3 concerts of the year for me. More to come; I still need to digest this and get to bed.

Sweet dreams..

RE

"Eat drink and be merry"

For those of you in Toronto, I encourage you to vote here and have your voice heard. The new garbage/recycling "containers" (billboards) are absolutely ridiculous.

As if the last set of garbage cans weren't bad enough. It was basically a gracious offer by a private company to offer these "multifuncational containers", and in exchange they were allowed to sell space for ads in the front and back. Funny thing was, within no time the backs kept staying open, and you could never fit anything in there b/c it was jammed full. And who likes touching the dirty flaps to get your stuff in there either?

So the latest design is a 7-foot billboard with mini garbage units on the side. Better yet, let's have them electric powered so they can use even more energy that we desperately need - You have to make sure that you can see L'Oreal's newest hydrating imulsifying daily conditioner with papaya and ginseng extracts at 3AM. What's worse is that the billboards are pependicular to the sidewalk, to ensure maximum brand visibility from pedestrians and cars. Now there's even LESS room on the crammed sidewalks. For some of them (e.g. one on Danforth/Pape) putting your garbage on the other side of the billboard means that you'll have to walk ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. Oh, and already it was overflowing w/garbage.

Nice.

What started out as an average and spacious green wire garbage can turned into a faulty silver clunker w/some advertising, and now it's become a massive billboard with a few containers on the side (apparently for garbage). After seeing this monstrocity I began to miss the silver shit boxes. Those ads looks MUCH smaller compared to these new ones.

Check out the Toronto Public Space Committee who are helping in the fight for more public space, free from privatization. Step-by-step we're losing our public space; Imagine these 7-foot billboards popping in 5 or 10 years ago. I would never have happened..

If anything, please go and fill out the form and have your say! Luckily these won't be on every block, as apparently "regular" cans will also be made w/o advertising. I don't know what those looks like, but let's hope they're good. But make sure you still write, or else city council will pass this and these things will only grow in numbers and stay permanently!

Take care,

RE

"eat drink and be merry"

The Notwist
Lee's Palace
09.15.05

BULLSHIT. Total BULLSHIT!

Right now i'm listening to Notwist on iTunes, coming back from a "Notwist" show. This is because i only heard ONE song from their library of tunes! A SHAM! FOUL!

I bought tix to see The Notwist, a cool amibent electronic band. They're kinda like Death Cab but a bit more experimental. I go to the show a bit late b/c i heard that they'd be on at 11PM. I get there at 10:30PM and "13&God" come on stage. Kinda late, i'm thinking, but whatever, may be it will be a short 1/2 hr set.

11:10PM "hm.. may be it's a 45 min set. 2 or 3 more songs TOPS."
11:20PM "OK, see you later!" (my friend leaves b/c she's gotta get home)
11:30PM "Thanks again! good night Toronto!" -- "oh great, they're done.. man, i'm gonna be toast tomorrow. Hope it's worth it"
11:31PM "What? The opener is doing an Encore? This is a first. May be they're a bit opener band...?"
11:40PM "Another encore? What, they're doing a cover of a Notwist song... !!! HOLY SHIT THIS IS GONNA BE BLOODY IT"
11:50PM "ANOTHER ENCORE?! Make it stop. please. This joke is on me, isn't it..."

After the last encore everyone leaves. Bewilderment turned to sheer RAGE when i saw on the handwritten sign:

‘NOTWIST and THEMSELVES’ Performing as ‘13 and God’.

Yes, it was a spinoff band a Notwist member or 2 in it! I feel so cheated! Even my ticket says "Notwist". No wonder why their "cover" of Pilot sounded so good. It had the singer/guitarist performing it!!

Man o man, gotta love it. what can i say. Instead of chill electronic i saw triphop/raprock collaboration, with a guy w/a mini red mohawk wearing 1/2 an angel's wing rapping "I am the bank. Stay in debt! Stay in debt!". Not to mention some drunk guy yelling a deafening WAAAAAA--HAH----HOOOO all throughout. That should have been the tip-off telling me this wasn't going to be the ambient electronic experience i was looking for.

A plague on ticketmaster's ticket houses!!

-RE

Bloc Party
The Docks
09.12.05
(Photo from www.tannock.net)

These last 3 weeks in Sept '05 i've got a slew of concerts that i'm going to. The first band I just saw was Bloc Party @ the Docks on Sept 12.

BP is a band from the UK. I guess you can describe as a cross between Interpol and Blur and The Killers. The show was at the Docks, which was one strike against them, and all ages. Ouch. Not to sound snobby, but whenever I'm at all ages shows i find that we're treated more like cattle, with yelling to "get in line!!" "move ahead and don't wait for your friends!", and strapping on choker-tight 19+ wristbands on you. Ah well. Not to mention so much pushing! The area was long and narrow, resulting in a suffocating space to stand in, breathing in the Right Guard scent of the guy in front of me.

Even though it was at the Docks, the sound quality was pretty good. If you were in the beer section at the back however, the sound was horrendous. The sound was bouncing off the back windows, colliding with each other, like a Sonic Tsunami. Good thing I didn't need a drink!

Despite the sucky venue, the band proved to be amazing and high energy. I was skeptical going into the show because their album uses a lot of effects on guitar (distortion, delays, flanger, etc.) so i expected the same for the vocals. Thankfully, the singer came out rocking and full of energy. Bloc Party's sound is very tight with driving marching drum beats and high energy guitars - they're like a moving party train! The crowd was super energtic and participative, clapping the beat and helping to drive the music forward too.

On the CD i usualy get "bloc party'd out" by about track 6-7. It kinda did the same way at this show as well, after about 45 mins.. But they picked it back up for the encore, which was great because they showcased some cool new tunes.

Definitely a cool show. I can't wait for the next few. I have one TONIGHT with an ambient experimental band called "The Notwist". It will be me lead up to the concert i'm most excited about: SIGUR ROS!

Take care

RE

"eat drink and be merry"