Thursday, September 30, 2010

Lyrics Of The Day Sept.30th (Old Crow Medicine Show)

"Say can you spare some change
I'm not the dangerous type
just a hard hit friend
with an empty pipe
"

Lyrics by the Old Crow Medicine Show from the song Crazy Eyes on the album Tennessee Pusher (2008)

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.30th (London Quireboys)

Today's poster is from the first time I saw the sleazy London,England band The London Quireboys play in concert at The Metro in 1990, the opening band for this show was the Canadian band National Velvet who were getting some airplay at the time with the hit song "Sex Gorilla". The London Quireboys put on a great show and this was an excellent venue for this kind of show. I don't recall who I went to this show with, but nonetheless, it was a great night of rock n' roll. the London Quireboys were touring for their awesome debut album "A Bit Of What You Fancy".



Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.29th (Tea Party)

Today's t-shirt is from the first time I saw Tea Party in concert. This show was in 1993 at The Bronx in Edmonton with Roy Harper opening. Tea Party were touring for their first full length album Splendor Solis, but what really interested me about this show was Roy Harper. I didn't really know a lot about him other then Led Zeppelin dropped his name in a song from Led Zeppelin III, Hat's Off To (Roy) Harper and that he sang on the Pink Floyd track Have A Cigar from the Wish You Were Here album. So I knew he had been around since the 60's. What a pleasant surprise it was to see such a legend open for a Canadian band like Tea Party. To me, he stole the show, but have to admit I thought Tea Party were quite good as well, Roy even came out and did a few songs with Tea Party, so that was cool too. After the show, I had the chance to talk to Roy Harper and tell him how much I enjoyed his set, he was nice enough to autograph a scrap piece of paper I happened to have with me.
I went to this show with Eor and Claudia. Good times!!!

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Roy Harper Autograph.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.28th (Grimskunk)

Today's poster is from the first time I saw Montreal band Grimskunk.I think this show was around 1994. This show was at a place in downtown Edmonton at a place called The Apocalypso. It was the only show I saw at this venue. I believe I went to this show with my brother.Grimskunk were a very interesting band, mixing all kinds of music like punk,world music and singing in French and English and a bit of Spanish as well. And with a name like Grimskunk you know they were promoting the legalization of marijuana. Good times!!!

Monday, September 27, 2010

24 Years Ago Today



It was 24 years ago today that the music world lost one of the best bass players ever at the age of 24. Cliff Burton of Metallica was killed in a bus accident while on tour in Sweden. Cliff was and is still one of my all time favorite musicians, I liked everything he stood for, just a down to earth guy that played wicked bass in an awesome band at the time. Metallica were never the same after losing Cliff. Rest In Peace Cliff, you are missed.

Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.27th (Speedealer)

Today's t-shirt (actually it's a long sleeve shirt) is from the time I saw Southern California band Fu Manchu with the Texas band Speedealer and Brand New Sin at The Rev in Edmonton in 2002. This was my first time seeing Fu Manchu and really enjoyed their set,some good old stoner rock, also on the bill were Speedealer whom I had seen once before.Fu Manchu were touring for thier excellent album "California Crossing" This was one more reason to checkout this show.Speedealer were touring for their debut album "Here Comes Death" which was a very underrated album. I was very impressed with them. They were originally called REO Speedealer, but had to drop the REO after REO Speedwagon took offence to the name and filed a lawsuit against them. Good show all around. Don't recall if I went to this show with anyone.

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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.26th (I Mother Earth)

Today's poster is from the I Mother Earth and Our Lady Peace concert I saw in 1994 at People's Pub in Edmonton. Both bands were touring for their debut albums. I Mother Earth were excellent and Our Lady Peace were pretentious pricks, thinking they were big rock stars already. They were awful and haven't been a fan of them guys ever. Both bands ended up having big followings in Canada, it's too bad I Mother Earth were never the same after their second album Scenery and Fish, which was an awesome album.

Checkout the price for this show.



Saturday, September 25, 2010

Flaming Lips Live In Edmonton 09.24.10



Last night September 24th my friend A-Bomb and I went to see The Flaming Lips play in concert for the first time in Edmonton at The Edmonton Events Centre. Yay, decent show on a Friday night, too bad about the venue though. We missed the opening act Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. I had never heard of the band before but thought, what a cool name, so I bought their newest album "Before Today" and gave it a listen a few weeks before the show. Wasn't impressed at all, therefore we decided beers would be better then checking them out.

We got to the venue just in time, as they had just hit the stage as we walked in, great timing yet again. This was my second time seeing The Lips play live (the first time being at Pemberton Music Fest in 2008),this was A-Bomb's first time seeing them. Now we have freaked out to The Lips a few times over the years, so we were stoked on checking this show out. I wasn't too sure what kind of show we were going to see, being in a club and not one of the venues I really care for. Well, all I can say is,wow, what a fucking show.

The stage set up and production of this show was big enough for a coliseum show. This is probably the biggest production I have ever seen in a club,between the lighting and huge video screen with cool images,confetti,streamers,balloons,huge disco balls and the cam on lead singer Wayne Coyne's mic the only thing missing was lasers. My only complaint I have is that I think the volume was a bit on the loud side (or maybe I'm just getting old). But if you knew The Flaming Lips music, you would have no problem picking out what they were playing. Some of the songs they did this evening was the old hit "She Don't Use Jelly" from the 1993 album "Transmissions From The Satellite Heart", then the title song from "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots" and the song "Do You Realize" from the same album, then the hilarious song "I Can be A Frog" from their newest album Embryonic, fuck did we laugh at this song, they had the whole crowd growling like wolves,tigers,making monkey noises,meowing like cats all kinds of shit. Checkout the song and video here for this song. The y played for about an hour and a half with not a slow or boring moment through out.One disappointment was that they didn't do anything from their version of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon.All and all an excellent evening of psychedelia and freak out music, good times!!! I would give this show a 10 out of 10. Man, I have seen some amazing shows this year.

















I would like to give a shout out to the Vancouver based artist Robert Edmonds that designed the poster for this show. I was having a hard time finding a poster for this show, so I googled the poster and found the blog for the artist that designed the Flaming Lips poster. I got a hold of him asking if there was a way of getting a poster for the show. Within a few days he got back to me and said he would look into it for me. A week later I got a package from the promoter Live Nation with a copy of the poster. Thanks Robert for going out of your way for me, much appreciated. I recommend checking out his blog and his art. Robert has done many posters for shows all over North America, he does an awesome job on his posters, an awesome artist. Click here to checkout his blog.

Here is the poster he designed.



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Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.25th (Ozzfest)

Today's t-shirt is from Ozzfest that I saw in Vancouver in 1999 at Thunderbird Stadium. What an excellent line up of bands that years festival was. The original line up of Black Sabbath headlined the fest, they were fucking awesome. Other bands that played were Slipknot on the side stage, they were excellent as well, their debut album wasn't even released yet in Canada at the time, I thought they were bizarre but a lot of fun, they took people by surprise, System Of A Down also played, they were on the main stage and did very well, getting the audience to participate in singing,Primus were great as well, that was the only time I saw them in concert and they impressed, been a big fan of them for years, so it was nice to finally see them play live. Also on the main stage during the day was Rob Zombie and Slayer. This was the first time I had seen Slayer as well, and wow, what a freaking mosh pit for that, I got the hell out of there in a hurry, some serious thrashing going on. It was kind of weird to see Zombie and Slayer play with sun beating down in mid afternoon, not what you would expect for first time seeing either band. Deftones were good, and Godsmack sucked ass big time.

A very fun day of heavy music, my only complaint was, that you couldn't get a beer at this show. What's up with that, an all day outdoors music fest with heavy metal music and no beers, that's fucked up. Obviously some people knew of this as I saw a few people on the floor, which was grass, of course cause it's a stadium, digging up bottles of booze that they had hidden before the show. That's what I call being prepared. At the end of the night after Sabbath had finished and they turned the lights on, all you could see all over the field were empty baggies covering the place. Ya, there was a little pot smoked at this show,lol.

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In concert news... Primus will be playing in Edmonton at Edmonton Events Centre this Monday September 27th.

Ozzy with Rob Halford opening will be playing in Edmonton at Rexall Place on Thursday November 18th.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.24th (King Apparatus)

Today's poster is from the time I saw the great Canadian ska band King Apparatus at The Bronx here in Edmonton. I think this show was in 1991 or 92. I see lead singer Chris Murray is still out playing shows.



Thursday, September 23, 2010

Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.23rd (Testament)

Today's t-shirt is from the awesome double bill of Testament and Annihilator at MJ's Roadhouse in Edmonton in 1989. This was an unlikely place to see such a good thrash double bill, and the only show I ever saw at this venue. Testament were touring for what I think is their best album "Practice What You Preach".

My favorite memory of this show other then the music was coming into the venue and seeing my brother there pissed out of his mind, and he was only 16 years old at the time, not only that, but there he was sitting on the stage watching the show.

I'm not sure of all who went to this show other then Nerraw and I, but I am sure there were a few other buddies that came out to this one.

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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Lyrics Of The Day Sept.22nd (The Darkness)

"Monday, Tuesday
Wednesday, Thursday
Dancing on a Friday night
Let the music smother me
Whole weekend recovery
Dancing on a Friday night
"

Lyrics by Justin Hawkins of The Darkness from the album Permission To Land (2003) a fucking great album of sleazy rock n' roll.

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.22nd (Cadillac Tramps)

Today's poster is from the Cadillac Tramps and Treble Charger double bill I saw at The Rev in Edmonton. This show was sometime between 1995-96 I believe. I was a huge Cadillac Tramps fan, thus why I was there, but I also really enjoyed the opening set by Canadian band Treble Charger.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Flaming Lips Album Review



Thought I would finally write a short review of this awesome album by The Flaming Lips doing Pink Floyd's classic "Dark Side Of The Moon". Seeing as The Flaming Lips will be playing in Edmonton this Friday September 24th at The Edmonton Events Centre.

Not many bands could get away with covering this album, but I have to say The Flaming Lips do an admirable job of doing this album. I am very impressed. I now know what they say between some of the songs in the spoken word parts, as Henry Rollins does the speaking parts and is actually understandable.

If you are fan of The Lips or Dark Side Of The Moon I highly recommend checking this out. I give this a 10 out of 10.

Here is hoping The Flaming Lips do this album Friday night, that would be awesome.





Notice the way the centre piece label is covering the vinyl, shitty deal, makes that side of the album un-listenable. Thank god the vinyl came with a copy of the CD.

Lyrics Of The Day Sept.21st (Leonard Cohen)

"Ah we're drinking and we're dancing
and the band is really happening
and the Johnny Walker wisdom running high
And my very sweet companion
she's the Angel of Compassion
she's rubbing half the world against her thigh
And every drinker every dancer
lifts a happy face to thank her
the fiddler fiddles something so sublime
all the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka-dots
and it's partner found, it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops:
it's CLOSING TIME "



Lyrics by Leonard Cohen from the song "Closing Time" released in 1992 on the album "The Future".

Happy 76th Birthday Leonard Cohen.

Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.21st (Tesla)

Today's t-shirt is from the time I saw Tesla open for Poison at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton in 1989. Believe me, I was there for Tesla, not Poison. Tesla blew them off the stage. This was my second time seeing Tesla live, but opening again, it wasn't til 2005 that I finally saw Tesla as a headliner. Tesla were touring for their second album "The Great Radio Controversy" on this tour.

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Monday, September 20, 2010

Willie Nelson Book Review



I recently finished reading the Willie Nelson biography wrote by Joe Nick Patoski called An Epic Life. This was the second bio I have read about Willie Nelson, the first one being about 15 years ago. I enjoyed this book much more, some of it is because I am a bigger fan of him now and am more interested in his story. But overall, it is a well written book and covers his whole life up to 2008. Willie has lived quite the life and seems like such a down to earth guy, not worried about money or what people think of him and such. He seems like the kind of guy that would take time to actually talk to you and listen to your stories, be a great honour I think to meet ol' Willie. He truly is an original outlaw, how many people can say they smoked a joint on the roof of The White House. Well, Willie can!!!

If you have any interest in Willie Nelson or country music period, this is a book well worth looking into. Highly recommended reading material.

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.20th (The Muffs)

Today's poster is from the show my brother and I saw in Vancouver at The Starfish Room in 1994. The bands were The Muffs from California with The Fall-Outs. What I remember most about this show was when The Muffs hit the stage and said " we are The Muffs and then proceeded to lift their skirts and show us their hairy muffs, nice way to start your set. This was quite a good show actually, and the venue The Starfish Room was cool too. It's no longer around which is too bad.



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.19th (Blue Oyster Cult)

Today's t-shirt is from the time I saw Blue Oyster Cult play at the Beverly Crest bar here in north Edmonton in 1991. At the time BOC were still filling stadiums in Europe, so to see this old classic rock band at a bar was pretty damn cool actually. Harlequin was the opening band for this show. I went to this show with Nerraw for sure, there may have been a few others, damn those years are a little fuzzy now.

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