Jigga What?: The Glastonbury Edition

Glastonbury 2008 took place this past weekend (June 27 - 29) and, among the literally hundreds of performers that hit the various stages, arguably the most anticipated was hip-hop impresario Jay-Z.

Several months back, when Jay-Z was first announced as a Glasto headliner reaction was swift, abundant and largely negative. Critics felt that having a rapper - especially one often accused of having violent and misogynist lyrics - helm the main stage was going against the rock and roll tradition of the very British festival. Others maintained that since Glastonbury is a music (full stop) festival and has, for years, welcomed performers from a variety of genres, the opposition to Jay-Z was, at best, short sighted and, at worst, blatantly racist.

Basically, everybody and their dog and an opinion about Jay- Z at Glasto and right there in the thick of things was Oasis lead man Noel Gallagher. Gallagher's comment to BBC News about the situation went as follows:

"If it ain't broke don't fix it," he said. "If you start to break it then people aren't going to go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance.

"Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong." [source]



Jay-Z (who, up until that point, had remained silent on the controversy) replied:

"We don't play guitars, Noel, but hip-hop has put in its work like any other form of music. This headline show is just a natural progression. Rap music is still evolving.

"From Afrika Bambaataa DJ-ing in the Bronx and Run DMC going platinum, to Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince winning the first rap Grammy, I'm just next in the line.

"We have to respect each others' genre of music and move forward."

Jay-Z went on to say that he was looking forward to his headline slot at Glastonbury on June 28, despite the controversy surrounding it. "I've never ever had a show that's caused this much of a stir so I'm really looking forward to it," he said.

"I've never been involved in anything this controversial," he added. "What's the big deal about doing a show? I guess it's heritage and people hold that dear to their heart and see it one way but that's how the world is." [source]

Back to this weekend.

Though ticket sales had been uncharacteristically sluggish, the last few days leading up to the festival had seen a buying surge that helped the festival gain near sell-out status.

And how did the Jigga Man fare? Well, all reports are the he played a stellar set to an ecstatic capacity crowd and even managed to lob a good-natured "Fuck you!" in the direction of our favourite Gallagher.

Probably would have been slightly more effective if Jay had bothered to learn to play and/or sing the song properly but I suppose that's besides the point. Well done to you Mr. Carter!

Late Night TV Preview: June 30 - July 5, 2008

Here are some of the musical artists scheduled to appear on late night TV in the coming week. Note: * indicates an encore episode.


MONDAY

• Al Green - Late Show with David Letterman* (11:35pm - CBS, OMNI)
• Chromeo - Jimmy Kimmel Live* (12:05am - ABC, CityTV)
• Tapes n' Tapes - Late Night with Conan O'Brien* (12:35am - NBC, A-Channel)

TUESDAY

• Ed Harcourt - Tonight Show with Jay Leno* (11:35pm - NBC, A-Channel)
• They Might Be Giants - Conan*
• Duffy - Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson* (12:35am - CBS, E!)
• Moby - Last Call with Carson Daly* (1:35am - NBC)

WEDNESDAY

• Donna Summer - Letterman*
• Jewel - Kimmel*
• Local H - Carson*

THURSDAY

• The Kills - Conan*
• John Hiatt - Ferguson*
• Cloud Cult - Carson*

The Kills Last Day of Magic


FRIDAY

• Katy Perry - Carson*

SATURDAY

• Jon Bon Jovi (host), Foo Fighters (musical performers) - Saturday Night Live* (11:30pm - NBC, GlobalTV)
  

Go Proud Or Go Home!

We are well into the home stretch of Toronto Pride Week festivities and, if you can spare a few moments from putting the final touches on your costume for tomorrow's big parade (really, enough with the feathers and glitter already), you may want to check out a few of the local and international musicians who will be putting on free performances as part of the celebrations. Jully Black, former Spice Girl Mel C, Hidden Cameras, Uh Huh Her (featuring Leisha Hailey of The L Word) and Fritz Helder & the Phantoms are just some of the acts scheduled to appear at various locations around the city.

For the full schedule and other details, pick up a copy of this week's NOW magazine or go to the official Pride Toronto website.



Fritz Helder & the Phantoms Making A Scene

Back To It

I guess because the boys in Vampire Weekend are all really edumacated (they met while attending Columbia University), they feel the need to pass on their learnings to their ever expanding fan base. Thus, we are presented with a grammar lesson in the form of the single Oxford Comma and further teachings via the accompanying video. There seems to be a concerted attempt to study the finer points of the Wes Anderson film oeuvre. And the sociological significance of upper class white kids in pop/rock bands who insist on wearing white suits and boat shoes. Or something.

The VW backlash is in full swing so, if you're already hating on this crew for their unabashed preppiness then you may want to just skip right over this clip. Or, get over it already and just enjoy the sweet tunes.








Norwegian pop princess Annie is back doing what she does best in song and on screen. In I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me - the first single off her upcoming September release Don't Stop - our girl straight up taunts the main squeeze of a male friend with the knowledge that there's one person too many in this relationship. OK, technically it's the male friend himself that Annie is addressing but you know it's just because she's not down with that kind of confrontational girl-on-girl conflict - and it would drive the girlfriend crazy to be talked about in the third person like that.

In the video, Annie leaves the intricate dance moves to her capable bevy of back up dancers and concentrates on looking fierce as hell in her various technicolour outfits which, naturally, perfectly match the barely decorated sets.

There Was Something Else I Was Going To Mention

Oh yeah, now I remember.

This is my 1000th post. Which conveniently (ahem) coincides with the 2 year anniversary of my very first post.

Well done me! I honestly figured I get bored of blogging after a few weeks so I'm really quite impressed that I've kept up with it for this long. Yet, I find that I kind of enjoy having one not too tedious task to do every day (or, sometimes, every other day - one of the nice things about being you own taskmaster is that you occasionally allow yourself to slack off).

Sooooo...I'm not entirely sure what else to do to mark this momentous occasion. If any of the literally 5s of 10s of you who regularly read this blog would like to weigh in with any fond memories, critiques or comments regarding my ramblings, please, have at it. Any monetary gifts would also be appreciated.

In the spirit of randomness that often marks my blogging, I'll end off this post with the video for the 1997 single Never Ever by UK girl group All Saints - just because I happened to hear it at the gym today. You're welcome.

Songwriting Fundamentals With Jay Ferguson

Click here for a cute as hell video featuring Jay Ferguson of Sloan discussing the finer points of composing the perfect pop song. I'm not sure just how serious the tone of the lesson is supposed to be but I don't really care. It's Jay. He's the sexy one. I'm good.

More Jay below.


On The Hour (with bandmate Chris Murphy)

George Carlin: 1937 - 2008

7 Words (still mostly nsfw)

Down And Down She Goes

Damn you, John Hughes!

It never fails. I'll be crashed out on my couch on a weekend afternoon, just about having worked up the willpower to finally get dressed and do something productive like cleaning my apartment, going to the grocery store or hitting the gym. Then, I decide to do one last run through of the TV channels with my remote and I inevitably come upon the one thing that parks my ass right back on the couch again.

A John Hughes movie.

It's usually 16 Candles or The Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink - the Molly Ringwald triumvirate. Yesterday, however, I got a rare treat. The Fine Living channel - which I didn't even know existed, let alone that it was part of my cable package - was, for reasons unknown, airing Some Kind of Wonderful. This classic 1987 tale of class struggle and unrequited love set among California teens starred Eric Stoltz (as poor but virtuous Keith Nelson), Lea Thompson (as Amanda Jones, the seemingly out of reach object of Keith's affection) and Mary Stuart Masterson (as Watts, Keith's tomboy best friend who also harbours deeper feelings for him) was actually directed by Howard Deutch though Hughes is credited as the writer and producer.

Of course, no John Hughes flick would be complete without a soul-stirring, teen anthem theme song. For SKOW, that song was I Go Crazy by never-to-be-heard-from-again new wave band, Flesh For Lulu.

I'm going to be singing this song for the next week.

There are two things that I now always associate with this movie. First, Watts' red leather fringe gloves - I wanted them so badly. Yeah, I was a child of the 80s. Then, a few years ago, I saw Eric Stoltz strolling along Queen St. We happened pass each other twice and I recall he looked really quite peaceful and zen, like he had no real purpose or destination - which he, um, probably didn't. I do have to admit that he looked like he hadn't aged a day in the past 20 years so, I guess he's still got that going for him.

Late Night TV Preview: June 23 -28, 2008

Here are some of the musical artists scheduled to appear on late night TV in the coming week. Note: * indicates an encore episode.


MONDAY

• N.E.R.D. - Jimmy Kimmel Live* (12:05am - ABC, CityTV)
• Amos Lee - Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:35am - CBS, E!)
• Grizzly Bear - Last Call with Carson Daly* (1:35am - NBC)

TUESDAY

• Serj Tankian - Tonight Show with Jay Leno* (11:35pm - NBC, A-Channel)
• Motley Crue - Late Show with David Letterman (11:35pm - CBS, OMNI)
• Billy Idol - Kimmel
• Billy Bragg - Late Night with Conan O'Brien* (12:35am - NBC, A-Channel)
• Phantom Planet - Ferguson
• Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Carson*

WEDNESDAY

• Coldplay - The Daily Show (11pm - Comedy Network)
• Three 6 Mafia - Ferguson

THURSDAY

• Sheryl Crow - Leno*
• Cyndi Lauper - Kimmel

Cyndi Lauper Into the Nightlife




FRIDAY

• The Feeling - Graham Norton Show (10pm - BBC Canada)
• The Raconteurs - Conan*

SATURDAY

• Wilco - Saturday Night Live* (11:30pm - NBC, GlobalTV)

NXNE 2008: Day By Day, Blow By Blow, Cough By Cough

Once again, here I am having made it through to the other side of another North By Northeast festival. It always seems so confusing and daunting at first but, by the time it's all over I realize it's too much fun to ever forsake. The following is my (admittedly somewhat scattered) recollection of the events over that approximate 5-day period. Off we go!





June 11, 2008

• Panic nearly from the get go. As I'm on my way out the door to catch Lightspeed Champion gig I realize that the NXNE wristband I bought the previous Sunday at Rotate This is defective. It's missing the tab that secures the band so that once you put it on you can't remove it. OK, usually I set the band loosely enough so that I can remove it whenever I want anyway but the point is it doesn't look like it's been tampered with. No time to take it back to Rotate now so I decide to do a combination tuck'n'tie with it and just hope for the best.




• It works. I get in to Lee's Palace with nary a second look from security. The two opening bands, The Explorers Club and Flowers Flowers, are both quite good, the former in a "We really love the Beach Boys!" way and the latter in a "We are experimental!" way.




• Dev Hynes (still wearing that ridiculous hat) & Co put on a great show, showcasing the tunes from the lastest LC release Falling Off the Lavender Bridge as well as a wicked awesome version of the Star Wars theme. Dev thanks the appreciative and enthusiastic crowd for coming out to see "some random guys in shorts".

June 12, 2008

• I head over to Rotate after work to attempt to replace my defective wristband. Unfortunately, they've sold out so they can't help me. The guy behind the counter (haven't seen him before, he has an ironic moustache that I'm not really feeling) tells me to make sure it looks attached and I shouldn't have a problem. I'm not optimistic.




• That futile little detour has put me behind schedule and I'm now racing to get ready for the Ted Leo/Sloan gig at the Mod Club. I get home, freshen up, scarf down a Joe Louis and some Crispers (which turns out to be my standard diet over the next few days) and head on out again.




• It's already 8:30 by the time I get to the venue - the Ted Leo set started at 8 and there's still a lineup so there goes that part of the plan. The good news is that the line is only a few people long so I'm confident I'll get in to see Sloan.




• My confidence starts to wane, however, when I notice all the commotion going on along the patio. Converse is hosting some sort of VIP 100th anniversary celebration party and their guest list is hogging most of the capacity inside the club. One of the Degrassi kids cruises in. Then it's some dude from either Sum 41 or Simple Plan (I think). Now I'm really annoyed. No way someone from such a shit band should get priority over us Sloan fans.




• Two guys try to cut the regular line using some incoherent, uninspired excuse. The pixie-ish blonde a few spaces in front of me rails on them for a good 5 minutes before they finally slink to the back of the, now somewhat lengthy, line. It is a brilliant sight to behold - she is my new hero.




• Though security have repeatedly told us there's no guarantee than anymore people will be granted entry, the line finally starts to move and most, if not all, of us get in.




• Sloan, is of course, brilliant even though Jay Ferguson's sore throat prevents him from performing any of his songs (a fact which Chris Murphy divulges with seemingly unabashed glee). It's over way too soon.




• Run into my friend Jeff Harris, the photographer and self-portrait innovator. Despite my protests of an empty stomach and hacking cough, he plies me with with whiskey sours procured with complimentary drink tickets. He then regales me with the most fantastic story of a late night/early morning photo shoot with R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe. For real. Check out Jeff's website in the coming month for all the details.




• Follow Jeff out to the Converse party and smack dab into Jay Ferguson (who Jeff knows). We are introduced. I am in heaven. He's the sexy one. After a few minutes of conversation Jeff leaves and, because I can't think of an excuse to stay, I follow him.
  
  Sloan The Good In Everyone
  
  
  
  


• Take the College streetcar over to the El Mocambo where I catch the lovely performance by Chin Injeti, formerly of Bass Is Base. Feel my cool quotient shoot up as I somehow find myself surrounded by Toronto music scenesters Zaki Ibrahim and Rozina and Nicholas from Lal.



• Attempt to take Spadina streetcar to Queen except that the Spadina streetcar is not in service for the night. There are shuttlebuses running in place which, you know, always works out well. Eventually make it to the Horsheshoe for the Money Mark set. He's much more psychedelic than I remember but I still enjoy myself.



• Foot it over to the Reverb to see "NME approved" newcomers These New Puritans. I'm not prepared. It's not so much that the lead singer comes onstage wearing a chain-mail vest as it is that about 90% of the rather sparse crowd launch into a full scale mosh pit/riot that endures the entire set. I hope that one guy found his shoe. Anyway, the TNP set was great though I'm not sure what the purpose of the lone female in the group is aside from staring at her laptop screen and looking completely over it.

These New Puritans Swords of Truth

June 13, 2008

• Briefly consider attempting to catch a bit of the free Ted Leo show at Yonge-Dundas Square but veto the idea as it will likely put me too far off schedule.



• Head over to the Silver Dollar to catch the ok city ok set. I'm really looking forward to finally seeing the Tokyo-based band since I'd, unfortunately, missed their much-ballyhooed NXNE 2007 gig. Arrive about 15 minutes late but really enjoy the bit I do make it for. Briefly speak to lead singer, Kay who's contacted me through my blog several times over the past year or so.



• Dash out with the intention of making my way to the Dakota Tavern for the Hugh Cornwell set. However, in the space of the 30 minutes I've been inside the club, the city seems to have hit by the tail-end of a hurricane. Even with my umbrella, I take no more than two steps before I'm completely soaked. I hop on the first streetcar I see and decide to call it a night. No point in further aggravating my nasty cough.
  

June 14, 2008

• At about 4pm, I remember that I'd wanted to attend the unofficial NXNE Indie BBQ co-hosted by the ladies from Damzels In This Dress/Doll Factory (one of my favourite design teams) and Six Shooter Records. The two Queen St E stores share a backyard and have promised to go all out with food, beverages and great local talent like the super sexy Hawksley Workman who I'm too late to see). I throw one of my adorable Damzels' sundresses and hop on the streetcar. It's still packed by the time I get there, even though things are supposed to wrap up at around 6pm. I'm pretty sure I spot CBC personality Jian Ghomeshi and also some guy I think I went to university with but I can't be sure on either count. I have a veggie burger (the one decent meal I've had in the last few days), stick around to hear two of the bands (can't remember their names but they were both quite good), chat briefly with Kelly and Rory of Damzels and then head out again.
  

• Things proceed to cock up royally from there on in. The Yonge-Dundas Square lineup is way behind schedule so the 9pm set by Bran Van 3000 (yes, I still care about them) has now been pushed back to...some unspecified time later in the evening. Decide to see if I can catch a couple of other bands and then make my way back for some of BV3000.



• Oh joy! Due to the preparation for the Much Music Video Awards the following night, the Queen streetcar has been taken out of service between York and Spadina and replaced by shuttle buses. It's only slightly more convenient to walk, as the street/sidewalk in from of the Much building is crowded with literally dozens of people hoping to catch the sound check for those tranny messes known as Girlicious.



• Get to Holy Joe's just as London/Madrid band We Are Balboa are starting their set. I'm so glad I made it. They are fantastic. The experience is akin to watching an Iberian Jenny Lewis fronting a grown-up version of The Jonas Brothers (That's a real thing, right?) and it's all good. The lead singer invites the crowd to the band's set at the NXNE closing party at the El Mo on Sunday night. I'm so there.
  
  We Are Balboa Space Between Bodies
  
  
  
  


• As I pass through the Reverb on my way out, I catch a minute or two of Grand Analog - they sound really good.



• I take one of the Queen shuttlebuses (which detours along Adelaide and is actually quite quick about it) back to Yonge-Dundas Square. As the bus passes the Canadian Opera Company building I notice there is a Luminato installation and make a mental note to come back later in the evening to check it out as I've missed out on pretty much all the Luminato festivities.



• I get to the Square just as BV3000 are about to perform there last song. It's Astounded, which is one of my favourites, so I consider that a small victory.



• I walk back to the COC building but the Luminato installation has already been taken away. Booooooo!



• Then, I make a decision that I will forever look back upon as possibly the stupidest ever. Based on my positive experience taking the bus eastbound earlier, I figure it will be just as productive going in the opposite direction. Except that since Adelaide is a one way street, the only option going in the other direction is along Richmond. Let me just break that down for you. There are now about 100 innocent, unsuspecting public transit riders trapped in an enclosed spaced which is slowly making it's way through the TORONTO CLUB DISTRICT ON A SATURDAY NIGHT! We are bombarded from every direction with hair weighed down under too much product and booty-shorts plastered on booties that need so much more than shorts. It would almost be easier to get out and walk but I'm sure all those 905ers would almost immediately pick up the scent from the non-synthetic fabric of my clothing, identify me as an actual Torontonian and tear me limb from limb.



• After what seems like an eternity, I make it back to Holy Joe's in time to see Cardiff band This is Radio Freedom. If they were actually ready. There's a problem with their sound and they end up starting about 20 minutes late. Almost as soon as they begin, I get this sporadic yawning fit which pretty much lasts the entire set. It's especially unfortunate as I'm standing directly in front of the stage area where I have full view of the band - and they of me. Not sure if any of them noticed. The band is OK though they come of a bit too "laddish" for my liking".



• Downstairs at the Reverb, Toronto band God Made Me Funky are in full swing. I'm not really familiar with the band, so I don't know if they're primarily known for doing cover songs but their set tonight is jammed with classics like Biz Markie's Just a Friend and Superfreak by Rick James. So much fun!

God Made Me Funky Won More Time





• Down some more stairs and 4 steps to left at Kathedral it's Tin Bangs. They sound great as per usual but I only hang around for about 10 minutes because I want to try to make over to the Rivoli to see Magneta Lane who are playing at the same time.
  
• As I'm hoofing it along Queen, I pass a piece of square plastic on the ground that looks suspiciously like an NXNE laminate pass. It is indeed, but as I'm trying to manoeuvre myself out of the crowd and over to that spot of pavement, some guy spots it and snaps it up. However (and here's the kicker), after determining that neither he nor his friends can take advantage of the find, the seemingly well-intention fellow hands it to bouncer at a nearby club with instructions to hand it off to someone who'll get some use out of it. Why he didn't just hand it to one of the several dozen people waiting in the lineup in front of the Bovine Sex Club mere steps away, I'll never know.



• Make it to the Rivoli in time to catch about 20 minutes of the awesome, amped up Magneta Lane set.



• Take the Spadina streetcar up to College to see The Oholics at the Silver Dollar. They're pretty good though they really just seem like a younger, thinner, less hirsute version of Soundtrack of our Lives. I decide not to stay.



• Make my way over to Sneaky Dee's to catch the rest of the set by KAKKMADDAFAKKA. I finally get the joke behind their name. They seem like an early, crude Norwegian version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Whatever, they're a lot of fun.

Sunday, June 15

• Slightly concerned as I witness a severe thunderstorm while I'm getting ready to head over to the El Mo for the NXNE closing party. However, by the time I'm ready to go it has downgraded to a standard shower so it seems my life will not be in imminent danger tonight.


• Immediately upon entering the club, it become apparent that this party was not intended to be open to the public so much as a thank you to festival volunteers. However, I wasn't asked for some sort of proof of volunteerism by security and no one seems to care either way so I decide to stick around.


• We Are Balboa take the stage shortly and are even better than the night before. They end their all to brief set with a wicked awesome cover of Bowie's Rebel Rebel. I am enchanted.


• Also on the bill tonight are This is Radio Freedom, back for another go. They have no sound snafus this time around but I'm not anymore interested. I last about 3 songs and then decide to head out.


• We Are Balboa have set up a merch table in the foyer with T-shirts selling for the ridiculously reasonable price of $5 each. Two of the bandmembers are manning the table and spend a few minutes helping me find the perfect style and size. I refrain from offering to have their children and merely comment on how much I love their music. With T-shirt in hand I had out the door and head on home.

With that, yet another NXNE is done and done - not even a wonky wristband was able to throw a wrench in my good time.

The Last Shadow Puppets Go Old School For Latest Music Video, Remain Cute As Hell While Doing So

Everything is just all kinds of adorable in this clip for Standing Next to Me, the upcoming second single by The Last Shadow Puppets (aka The Rascals' Miles Kane and Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner) off their debut release The Age of the Understatement.

Turner & Kane (don't know what was wrong with that as a band name) do their best Everly Brothers impression complete with a turtleneck/suit jacket combo, matching Ray-Ban Wayfarers and some rather insouciant tambourine playing. Add to that a group of pig-tailed go-go dancers in coloured tights and it's almost like watching a closed set dress rehearsal for Ready Steady Go!






I have an incredibly strong urge to fix these lads toasted cheese and chutney sandwiches with glasses of Ribena to wash it down, mussing their mop tops as they tuck in. I'm sure that's the appropriate post-viewing reaction.

Yet Another Example Of How Madonna Ruins Everything

Madge is really working my last nerve this time.

Bad enough that I've recently been bombarded with images of her 1/2 century old crotch in video (4 Minutes w/ Justin Timberlake & Timbaland) and still (promos for her album Hard Candy) format. Now, the presumptuous cow is pilfering artists from the Toronto Virgin Festival lineup to use as the supporting acts on her upcoming European tour.

OK it's just the one act but it happens to be Robyn, one of the performers I was most looking forward to seeing. I guess I can't really fault the Swedish songbird for jumping at the opportunity to take on the opening slot - she'll most likely get more exposure playing every night for stadiums packed with hyped-up Madonna fans than desperately trying to keep the attention of bored hipsters and drunk frat boys mid-afternoon on Toronto Island.

Still, considering she was one of the only acts bringing the slightest bit of diversity to the guitar-heavy, testosterone-dominated lineup, her absence will be sorely felt.


Robyn Be Mine


To add insult to injury, Ms. Ciccone's upcoming worldwide jaunt is entitled the Sticky & Sweet Tour.


That's enough Esther.

Coldplay!Coldplay!Coldplay!Coldplay!

Even if, incredibly, one had no prior knowledge of the entity known as Coldplay, the flurry of activity that the UK act has undertaken for approximately the last six weeks would surely have made one take notice.

In that time, the previously dormant band have made appearances on every type of chat show in their native homeland as well as North America, given away singles and announced free one-off stadium gigs and are about to embark on an extensive world tour. Lead singer Chris Martin even recently performed on a Kanye West track (also popping up in the music video) and had his wife, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, appear in the summer blockbuster Iron Man. I'm sure none of that was a coincidence.

All the fuss is, of course, centred around Coldplay's fourth full length album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, released today. Haven't had a chance to listen to anything beyond the first single, Violet Hill, which the band feels has a more aggressive sound (how adorable) but the disc is getting generally favourable reviews and looks to be a chart topper.

I know Coldplay gets a lot of flak for leaning more towards the softer side of pop - Creation Records founder, Alan McGee, once famously dubbed them "music for bed wetters" - and though there is certainly truth to that (the soft pop bit, not the lack of bladder control bit), I really don't see it as a problem. Better they excel at pretty power pop than attempt something ridiculously out of their element along the lines of hardcore, big-beat, amped-up electronica.

Eh, never mind the haters Coldplay. You just go on being the best wussy rock band you can be. I do sincerely say that with love.

Late Night TV Preview: June 16 - 21, 2008

Here are some of the musical artists scheduled to appear on late night TV in the coming week. Note: * indicates an encore episode.

MONDAY

• Amos Lee - Tonight Show with Jay Leno (11:35pm - NBC, A-Channel)
• Adele - Late Show with David Letterman (11:35pm - CBS, OMNI)
• Katy Perry - Last Call with Carson Daly (1:35am - NBC)

TUESDAY

• Jewel - Leno
• Stevie Wonder (with the Late Show band), Dr. John (musical performer) - Letterman
• Chromeo - Jimmy Kimmel Live (12:05am - ABC, CityTV)

WEDNESDAY

• Martha Wainwright - Letterman
• Jewel - Kimmel

Martha Wainwright You Cheated Me (sorry about the bumper ads)


THURSDAY

• Duffy - Leno
• Keyshia Cole - Letterman
• Lil' Wayne - Kimmel
• My Morning Jacket - Late Night with Conan O'Brien (12:35am - NBC, A-Channel)
• Cloud Cult - Carson

FRIDAY

• Ben Harper - Carson*

SATURDAY

• Rilo Kiley - Austin City Limits (Midnight - WNED)

Amps As Far As The Eye Can See

It's that time of year again when the annual North By Northeast Musical Festival & Conference descends upon our fair metropolis - officially it runs from June 12 to 15 though some events get underway tonight.

By now, you know the drill: hundreds of local (Sloan, Magneta Lane, Great Lake Swimmers, Tin Bangs, uncut), national (Priya Thomas, We Are Wolves, The Besnard Lakes, Bran Van 3000) and international (Lightspeed Champion, ok city ok, My Morning Jacket, Ted Leo) acts play various venues around the city to the delight of music fans and industry insiders alike.



Magneta Lane Broken Plates


Bran Van 3000 Astounded


Lightspeed Champion Midnight Surprise


This year, as with the last few years, there's also a mini film festival including features, shorts and documentaries.

As per usual, I plan to take in as much as I can so, between the festival, work and sleep, I probably won't have a chance to blog about the experience until it's over and done with. Talk to you next week.

Happy Birthday To Meeeeeee!

I'm celebrating my 35th today, dear readers. If you're stumped on what to get me, I'll happily accept an IOU for the new Apple iPhone that debuts next month. Just a suggestion.

In the meantime, here's the video for one of my favourite songs - Happy Birthday by Concrete Blonde. Pretty sure I posted this last year too but it's my birthday so I can do what I want.






Edit: My girl JC reminded me of another appropriate (and totally awesome) song/video - Birthday by the Sugarcubes.

These New Features Sound Sick!

Alright, here's the news we've all been waiting for - the newest generation of the Apple iPhone.

Lololol! OK, here's the real announcement.



Not nearly as entertaining - actually quite creepy in a manner only Steve Jobs and his Children of the Mac can truly master - but, um, I still totally want one.

Late Night TV Preview: June 9 - 14, 2008

Here are some of the musical artists scheduled to appear on late night TV in the coming week. Note: * indicates an encore episode.


MONDAY

• Aimee Mann - Tonight Show with Jay Leno (11:35pm - NBC, A-Channel)
• Gnarls Barkley - Late Show with David Letterman (11:35pm - CBS, OMNI)
• Death Cab For Cutie - Jimmy Kimmel Live* (12:05 - ABC, CityTV)
• MGMT - Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:35am - CBS, E!)
• Moby - Last Call with Carson Daly (1:35am - NBC)

TUESDAY

• Justin Timberlake (panel guest), Sheryl Crow (musical performer) - Leno
• N.E.R.D. - Kimmel
  
• Jamie Lidell - Late Night with Conan O'Brien (12:35am - NBC, A-Channel)
• Augustana - Ferguson
• Local H - Carson

WEDNESDAY

• Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - Conan

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings Tell Me


THURSDAY

• Emmylou Harris - Leno

FRIDAY

• Stereophonics - Graham Norton Show (10pm - BBC Canada)
• P.O.D. - Carson

SATURDAY

• Usher - Saturday Night Live* (11:30pm - NBC, GlobalTV)

Hot Out Thurr!

Thus, the perfect excuse to play these two videos.

It's The Circle Of Liiiiiiiiiife!

I just got back from the Adele concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on the CNE grounds (nice venue with good sound but ridiculous to get to) and, I'm happy to report that I quite enjoyed myself.

Adele is one of the new UK divas who's been lumped into the same category with Amy Winehouse, Estelle, Joss Stone and Duffy though, clearly, none of these women sound even remotely like each other. After seeing her perform tonight, I think Adele is much more stylistically similar to American songstress Fiona Apple (minus the melodrama) but my good friend Merdypops, who attended the concert with me, didn't agree. In any case, here's the video for Adele's current signature song, Chasing Pavements.





Though I'd been aware of Adele for awhile and thought she had a great voice, before I went to the concert tonight I wasn't completely sold on her as a performer. The songs I've heard are pretty and catchy but none of it has really grabbed hold of me. I think she comes off much better in a live setting - you really feel an emotion in the lyrics (she writes her own) that, I felt, just didn't come across as well on record. As well, her between song stage banter was quite funny which made her that much more charming.

Oddly enough, the performance I enjoyed the most was a cover of the song Dreaming of You, originally done by one of my favourite British bands, The Coral.



Before performing the song, Adele filled the audience in on a bit of trivia: the story goes that full-time musician, overtime train wreck Pete Doherty actually wrote the track and sold it to the band for one British pound after a drunken night in the pub. This oft-told piece of musical lore is highly speculative as Doherty is not credited as the lyricist anywhere on the album where the song appears and neither party has gone on record to confirm (or deny) the legitimacy of the claim.

Dizzee Gets The Girl, Sigur Ros Get Buck Naked

Each of these clips are kind of delightfully ridiculous in their own special and endearing way.

The video for Dance Wiv Me by Dizzee Rascal shows our kid macking on club hoochies like he thinks he's Pharrell Williams or something. Other party people wear dayglo clothing and there's even one guy in full 70s pimp attire. I think you can see where this is going. It's really a piece of visual fluff to go with an uncharacteristically (for Diz) bouncy club track - still quite enjoyable, though.








Below is actually a brief "making of" vignette for the new Gobbledigook video by Sigur Ros. You have to go the band's official website to view the full-length, full frontal and so NSFW piece in it's entirety. For your tenacity, the Icelandic band will reward you with a free mp3 download of the single.

Not Sure If Her U.S. Visa Status Will Be Affected

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam aka M.I.A. is about to become a Canadian. Sort of. OK maybe not at all but she is soon to become a member of the wealthy and well-connected Bronfman clan of Montreal.

Last week, M.I.A. announced her engagement to Benjamin Brewer, guitarist in the New York-based band The Exit and, oh yeah, son of Warner Music Group Chairman & CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr.

The British singer, who was also raised in her family's native Sri Lanka, has experienced well publicized drama with her American work visa over the past few years. She was briefly denied entry into the US when officials discovered that her absentee father was associated with militant group Tamil Tigers, a fact she had never tried to hide.

"In an interview with Sun Media then, M.I.A. said she might have to get married to stay in the U.S., or move to Montreal following the expiration of her American work visa in June." [source]

In any case, many congrats to the happy couple. A wedding date has yet to be released.


Boyz (not about the fiancé)


This is him.

We Should All Be Grateful His First Career Choice Tanked

I usually don't do "Guess Who?" posts but this opportunity was just too fantastic to resist. Please take a moment to view the following video and see if you can recognize the comic genius-to-be doing his best Spandau Ballet impression on an 80s music variety show. Of course, if you've already spied the tag on this post it won't be much of a surprise but, believe me, that knowledge will not at all diminish the joy of your viewing experience.





If you're still coming up blank, check out the following video for the reveal.





More recently, here's our dear Ricky G. with the equally endearing John "I'm a PC" Hodgman (also of The Daily Show) taking a break on the set of the film This Side of Truth. The two engage in conversation more associated to their respective personae.

Three Great Minds Lost In The Last 24 Hours

• Yves Saint Laurent

• Bo Diddley

• Dr. Sheila Basrur

Late Night TV Preview: June 2 - 7, 2008

Here are some of the musical artists scheduled to appear on late night TV in the coming week. Note:* indicates an encore episode.


MONDAY

• Donna Summer - Late Show with David Letterman (11:35pm - CBS, OMNI)
• The Raconteurs - Late Night with Conan O'Brien (12:35am - NBC, A-Channel)
• Matt Costa - Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:35am - CBS, E!)
• Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Last Call with Carson Daly* (1:35am - NBC)

The Raconteurs Salute Your Solution


TUESDAY

• Usher - Tonight Show with Jay Leno (11:35pm - NBC, A-Channel)

WEDNESDAY

• N.E.R.D. - Leno
• Coldplay - Jimmy Kimmel Live (12:05am - ABC, CityTV)
  
• Jewel - Conan

THURSDAY

• Flobots - Leno
• Al Green - Letterman
• Usher - Kimmel

FRIDAY

• Rihanna - Graham Norton Show (10pm - BBC Canada)
• Mel C. (panel guest), Rufus Wainwright (musical performer) - Graham Norton Show (11pm - BBC Kids)
• Ed Harcourt - Leno
• Gavin Rossdale - Letterman
• Lightspeed Champion - Conan

Lightspeed Champion Tell Me What It's Worth


SATURDAY

• Kanye West - Saturday Night Live* (11:30pm - NBC, GlobalTV)