New Years Eve '06

In less than 20 mins you can grad a discounted ticket to see Edmonton's own SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT + MSTRKRFT ring in the new year @ the Citadel.
First 250 tickets are $31.80 + s/c
then tix jump to $53 + s/c
so act fast
Ticket info here

Indie Fans

For the 'records' leads me to Gawker with it's 'Taxonomy of an Indie Rock Show'
reading the comments led to 'The Gigocracy'
Two entertaining pieces describing the pecking order of fans that attend NYC indie rock shows. So very true, all of it.

Insound Rocks My Boat

Awhile back I mentioned the awesomeness of the newest Pavement reissue. To capatalize on the sweet deal I ordered from Insound. Yesterday I finally received the disk and all of it's collective goodies. To up the ante Insound was generous enough to include some nice extras, a 15 song sampler (included were new cuts from Trail of Dead, Blood Brothers, The Decemberists, TV on the Radio, & Tokyo Police Club), a double sided poster & a wonderful catelogue. I was quite pleased and wanted to spread the word. The only downside is that shipping takes a little longer because it is coming from the USA.

Links November 21, 2006

Coachella Expands To Three Days, Country Fest To Follow
The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival will expand to a three-day event for the first time in 2007 when it overtakes the Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif. on April 27-29.

Mama Was a Riot Grrl? Then Pick Up a Guitar and Play
HE children whispering and fidgeting in front of the stage at Union Hall in Park Slope, Brooklyn, looked like any kids awaiting, say, a storyteller. Then Zora Sicher and Hugo Orozco, the two 11-year-olds who make up the band Magnolia, climbed onstage and broke into a hard-driving original song called “Volume.” It was clear this was not quiet time.

A Phone Call Leads the F.B.I. to a Stolen Goya
F.B.I. officials in Newark and Philadelphia said yesterday that they had recovered a Goya painting that was stolen from a truck this month while it was being transported from the collection of the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio to a major exhibition now on view at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan.

Fast Food Nation

Do yourself a favor and make the effort to go see Fast Food Nation.
It's playing at the Princess in Edmonton.

Mr. Lif Cancelled

The entertaining Mr. Lif will not be making the Wednesday show @ the Starlite Room. Looks like cowtown show is still a go.

MSTRKRFT in Edmonton

According to Pollstar, MSTRKRFT will ring in the New Year will a show @ the Citadel.
Strange venue choice. We'll give this one time to sort itself out.

Snow Patrol in Edmonton

Who new how much Grey's Anatomy could change a bands career?
The boys will be hitting Shaw in April. The Journal has OK Go for support. SP have no indication of show on MySpace or their website. I'll go out on a lim and say Silversun Pickups will also be supporting.
Ticket info here.

Eric Clapton in Edmonton

Old slowhands will be hitting the Rexall stage in March. Tickets available Friday @ 10am. Hit up ticketmaster for more info.

Links November 15, 2006

A Comic Who's Sitting Pretty
Canadian Russell Peter's career was a modest success -- until MySpace boosted him into another league.

The Art of Pricing Great
By the time the crowd began arriving in Rockefeller Center last Wednesday for the big auction at Christie’s, rain had already been falling in New York for 19 consecutive hours. It was one of those blustery rains for which umbrellas were no match, so the assembled art lovers were left to peel off their damp overcoats in Christie’s lobby and wait in a long coat-check line.

Sacha Baron Cohen - The Real Borat - Finally Speaks
In his only interview as himself, Cohen talks about growing up kosher in London, inventing a new kind of comedy with Ali G and conquering Hollywood with Borat.

Trail of Dead

The new Trail of Dead record came out yesterday. Pitchfork weighs in with a review. TOD have had a love hate relationship with PFork. The band is the only one that I know of to receive a 10 from the staff. The new one didn't fare as wll. TOD talked to PFork last week. The boys will be in Edmonton with the Blood Brothers Dec. 12. @ Ed's.

Snoop Dogg & Ice Cube in Edmonton

Two orginal G's will be hitting the Rexall stage Wed. Jan. 17. Ticket info here.
WEST COAST

Brand New Brand New

The new Brand New record, 'The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me', hits stores a week from today. Another song of that lp is now streaming on Purevolume (thx ap). I am really looking forward to this record. These guys blew me away with the last release. If they can capture even a tenth of the magic from the last one we all are in for a treat.

Links November 13, 2006

Music Review | Trail of Dead; Blood Brothers | By Their Despair You Shall Know Them
“I had a house on a rock,” wailed Conrad Keely on Saturday night at Irving Plaza. “I turned around and it had gone to rot.” He went on, over a thrusting drone of guitars: “All that was left of me were walls of doubt; I asked a question but the world returned with silence.”

A Wild and Uncrazy Guy Will Ferrell used to apologize for being normal. He knew that comedians were traditionally angst-ridden, misunderstood misfits who survived unhappy childhoods by masking their pain and anger with humor. Comedy was an outlet and a remedy for their rage or melancholy or fear. From Richard Pryor to Woody AllenJim Carrey, they all had their demons. “I have no interesting demons,” Ferrell told me on a sunny early-autumn day in Hollywood.

Interview: Cat Power
Hi, I'm Fred. I got to interview Chan Marshall (thank you Pitchfork!). I found her to beincredibly charming and very sweet.

RIP Ed Bradley

Yesterday brought news of the passing of legendary newsman Ed Bradley. He will be greatly missed.

Frida Hyvonen

I'm not sure when I first saw the above image. If I had to guess I would say it was some music 'zine. Something about the pic caught a bit of my heart. I had a spot for it in my heart and knew I would sometime have to track down the album to give it a spin. Fast forward a month or two, while on emusic I stumbled into the photo. The album is now happily spinning on iTunes fairly regularly. A little reading up led me to discover that Frida had performed with Jens Lekman. Great album cover + ties to Jens = Cood, sweet, little album. Treat yourself to a listen.

Emily Haines Tickets

Head over to this link to purchase Emily Haines tickets

11-7

I must admit I am a bit of a political junkie. To be more specific, an American political junkie. I watch CNN, the Newshour, Washington Week in Review & NOW on a fairly regular basis. I read the NY Times, Washington Post, & Time Magazine almost daily. I obsevively hit up Drudge & Raw Story several times a day. I am more familar with the goings on in the political climate of the United States of America than I am with my own country. I have been waiting for Tuesday to come for the last two years. I liken it to the feeling of the arrival of Christmas when I was younger.
3 more sleeps.

starlite

Islands

Tuesday night brought a little taste of summer