Record Store Day 2018

Last Saturday was a busy day starting with lining up for the tenth annual Record Store Day which is held on the third Saturday every April. For those that don't know Record Store Day is a day to celebrate independent record shops, a day that many exclusive and limited edition records come out. A day to go hang out at the local record shop and buy music and talk with fellow music fans that actually purchase music. One of my favourite days of the year, something I start saving for right after Xmas is done. And the list for this years releases looked impressive to me. I had a long list of records I wanted to pick up which meant I was going to have to line up early at my local record shop Blackbyrd Myoozik. While this line up was nothing like the days of lining up for hours to buy concert tickets back in the day, it was still worth it, as I got pretty much everything I was looking for except one record, that being the Chris Robinson Brother Hood release Raven's Reels. Can anyone help me get this by chance?

Here is a list of my purchases for this years Record Store Day. There was a plethora of live releases this year, which is fine by me as I love live recordings.

Grateful Dead - Live at the Fillmore West February 27th 1969. A four record box set limited to 9000 copies worldwide. This recording is from the first night of a four night stand at the Fillmore. A great sounding recording.

Side 8 of this set has a etching on the vinyl as there are no songs on it. Looks cool.

Stompin' Tom Connors - Live at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, June 30th 1971. I already have an original copy of this album, but had to get this limited edition vinyl copy, limited pressing of 500. This was a must have for me this year, and lucky me got one!

Neil Young - Roxy - Tonight's The Night Live. The RSD release of this is limited to 9000 copies and contains an exclusive photo print of Neil Young and The Santa Monica Flyers. This recording was the first live performance of Tonight's the Night from the Roxy in Los Angeles in 1973. The studio album Tonight's The Night was released two years later in 1975. This is a great sounding live record.

Blitzen Trapper - Kid's Album. This is a band I have been a big fan of for years now. And it seems that Blitzen always have a special release for RSD. And this year was no different, with a 10 inch EP vinyl release recorded in Portland at the Lavender Compound in 2005. The band uses Casio keyboards and various kid's musical gear. Of course all the songs are kid oriented, with titles such as "New Shoes", "Spelling Bee" and "Honeybear" and a couple others. Limited pressing of 1250. This is kind of a silly album that only a completest really needs.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Live At Twist & Shout 11.16.07
Again another artist I have been following for years now. More live music, this one recorded in 2007 just like the title says. Limited to 3000 copies. Apparently Isbell has asked his fans not to purchase this release as it is on his old record label. Jason says it's not really good. Well, I happen to enjoy the record myself. Two of the songs on this recording from Denver, Colorado are old Drive-By Truckers songs ("Danko/Manuel" and "Outfit"), in which he was a member of between 2001-2007. Also on this EP is a Van Morrison cover of "Into The Mystic" which sounds great too.

Rage Against The Machine - Live at The Democratic National Convention 2000. I was really hoping I could score a copy of this one, and lucky for me, I did. A live recording of RATM performing an outdoor show across the street from the Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2000 where the Democratic National Convention was happening, a great protest album. Recording isn't the best, but it does kind of make you feel like you are there. Pressing of 5000.

Wilco - Live At The Troubadour L.A. 1996. Wow, this is probably my favourite RSD release that I got this year. A great sounding live set from Wilco at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Being from 1996 all the songs are from their first two albums A.M. and Being There as well as couple songs from their Uncle Tupelo days. Wilco perform two versions of the song "Passenger Side", one is a punk version which is so fucking good, and then they do a regular version of the song. This is an amazing and awesome sounding live album. Limited pressing of 8500 worldwide.

Lou Reed - Animal Serenade. A triple live album recorded in Los Angeles at the Wiltern Theatre in 2003. This is the first time this has been pressed on vinyl. Limited edition of 7500. A very clean sounding recording.

Dylan & The Dead. I already have an original copy of this album, but had to pick up this 30th Anniversary Reissue just for the awesome looking red and blue tie dye vinyl. Recorded live in July of 1987. It's not the best sounding album. But being such a fan of both Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead, this was a must have for me. Limited to 5000 copies.

The rest of these records have yet to be listened to. Nice to have a bunch of stuff lined up for the next little while to spin.

Steve Earle & The Dukes - Live At The Continental Club in Austin, Texas. This double live album was recorded in Austin on December 15th 2016. Limited pressing of 2000.

The Allman Brothers Band - Live At The Atlanta International Pop Festival. This 4 LP set was recorded at the Atlanta International Pop Festival on July 3rd and 5th 1970 featuring the Allmans Bros. Band lineup with Duane Allman on guitar. This is the first time this recording has been pressed on vinyl and is limited to 3000 copies, each copy is numbered and comes with an 8 page booklet containing photos and essay by ABB archivist Kirk West. My album is number 2959/3000.

Uncle Tupelo - No Depression Demos. Uncle Tupelo was a band that Jeff Tweedy had before Wilco. This album is made up from rare demos from the legendary tapes Not Forever, Just For Now and Live & Otherwise from 1989. Available for the first time on vinyl and limited pressing of 3000.

Johnny Cash - Early Singles. A cool compilation album of early Johnny Cash singles (1956-1962). This album was only available through certain record stores across Canada. Blackbyrd Myoozik being one of them. The album was free with a purchase. Some stores gave copies away in the line up.

The Flaming Lips - The story of Yum Yum And Dragon. Another band that I am a huge fan of, and who always seem to have a special release of some sort for Record Store Day. This 7 inch on limited edition pink opaque vinyl contains two new songs, the title song and one called "Pouring Beer In Your Ear (The Beer Song)". Can't wait to listen to that one. I really wish I could have got one of the 100 copies that was clear vinyl with beer inside. But no such luck. The pink vinyl is a limited pressing of 5000.

Led Zeppelin - Rock And Roll (Sunset Sound Mix) and Friends (Olympic Studios Mix). The first Record Store Day release from Led Zeppelin. This seven inch single on limited edition yellow vinyl contains the two songs I mentioned above with alternate mixes, both songs are previously unreleased. Both singles were produced by guitarist Jimmy Page.

Sadly this year I had to miss the Blackbyrd after party in which a couple of bands and a DJ performed in a secret location as I was off to the Peter Frampton and Steve Miller concert. From what I heard, it was a good time.

Dave Hause Live in Edmonton April 19th 2018

Last Thursday my buddy Buzzard and I went to the Dave Hause show at The Temple, which a concert room in the same building as the Starlite Room. First time I have attended a show in this room. It's a decent room for a small space venue. Not sure what the room can hold, but by the time Dave Hause came on, I would guess about 150 people, which made the room pretty full.

The first artist of the night was James Renton the lead vocalist from the local band Fire Next Time. I haven't seen James or Fire Next Time in a couple of years, so I was looking forward to his solo set. The place wasn't very full for him but he still put on a good show. He still reminds me a bit of William Elliot Whitmore, a rough whiskey soaked voice like a Tom Waits. His music as FNT music is a mix of folk and punk sounding. I enjoyed his set, he played a couple of new tunes from the forthcoming Fire Next Time album Knives. One of them songs being "Collars". I'm really looking forward to hearing the album and seeing James with a full band in the near future.

James Renton.

Next up was Drew Thomson whom hails from Hamilton, Ontario and was once the front man for the band Single Mothers. I had heard of the band Single Mothers but never listened or followed them. So I wasn't familiar with his music at all, but have to say I thought he was pretty good. I thought his vocals could have been a bit louder but nonetheless, what I could make out, he seems like a pretty good songwriter. An artist I will certainly be looking into more.

Drew Thomson.

The headliner of the night was Dave Hause from Philadelphia, accompanying Dave, was his brother Tim. It was a year ago this month that I first saw Dave Hause in concert opening for The Bronx. I enjoyed his set so much that time, so when he was announced to be playing a solo headliner set this time around, I was excited about getting to see him in concert again.

For those that don't know who Dave Hause is, he a singer-songwriter and used to play in the punk/hardcore band The Loved Ones. Now a days his music is more along the line of Americana style roots music with some pop punk flavour.

Dave and Tim opened the show with a song called "Shaky Jesus" from his 2017 album Bury Me in Philly. Actually they played a lot of songs from this album including, "The Flinch", "Helluva Home", "Wild Love", "Dirty Fucker" and "Divine Lorraine", to name a few. Which was cool as I am a huge fan of that album. Dave Hause also played keyboard on a song called "The Great Depression" from his album Devour, sounded great too, also from that album was a song called "Autism Vaccine Blues". There were even a couple old songs from his 2011 album Resolutions, including the title song and "C'mon Kid". I had never heard this album before, but did pick it up at the show.

Dave closed out the night with the Tom Petty song "I Won't Back Down" which sounded incredible and had the whole audience singing along. What an awesome show. Good times!!!

Dave Hause.

A couple pieces of vinyl I picked up at the show.

Book Review (Gord Downie)

Have had this book for a few months now and finally got around to reading it. It is the Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip coffee table book (190 pages) written by Steve Newton, and published by Sterling Publishing out of New York. This book is an indie release and not authorized by Gord Downie or the Tragically Hip.

The writer of this book Steve Newton is a writer out of Vancouver who writes for the weekly entertainment paper there called Georgia Straight. He's been with the paper since 1982 and first interviewed Gord in 1989. If you are a fan of The Hip you really won't learn anything you don't already know about the band, but it is a good read. The book consists of clips of interviews he has done with Gord and the other members of the band.

There are a lot of great pictures in the book from their earliest days of playing bars in there hometown of Kingston, Ontario and right up to their last gig in Kingston August 20th 2016. Also in the book are pictures of memorabilia like backstage passes, ticket stubs and gig posters.

I was contacted by the senior photography editor Stacey Stambaugh to contribute some pictures of my Tragically Hip memorabilia for the book. Much to my surprise they actually used four of my posters for the book. In return I got a free copy of the book.

This is a must have for any Hip fan. In the back of the book is a list of every show they have played in their career and list of all the albums The Hip and Gord Downie have released.

The book is available at Chapters/Indigo bookstores and am sure many other book stores as well. Check it out, I am sure you will enjoy it.

Rod Stewart Live in Edmonton April 6th 2018

On Friday night Janis and my buddy Buzzard and I went to the Rod Stewart concert at Rogers Place here in Edmonton. This was my second time seeing Rod in concert, the first time being in 1991. That first time my buddy Geddy and I spent more time running for beers through out the show whenever there was a song we didn't like being performed. Well this time was a bit different as I respect Rod Stewart that much more, but there were still plenty of times where I did go run for a way over priced beer.

I was kind of hoping this time Rod would play more of his old stuff, tunes from The Faces and from classic albums like Gasoline Alley and Every Picture Tells A Story. But sadly only one song got played from either album and that was "Maggie May" from the Picture album, the last song before the encore.

The show started with a what looked like a big old checkerboard shower curtain around the stage. The first song of the night was "Infatuation" which got the 14,000 people (my guess) up and singing and dancing. That was followed by the song "Young Turks" from his hugely popular 1981 album Tonight I'm Yours. Rod's voice sounded a little rough, not that he has always had the best voice but at least you knew it was him singing and not some piped in vocals. Rod did mention how dry it was here and it was messing with his and his female backup singers voices. Rod seemed in good spirits though saying how much he loved a Friday night show, and saying he would be playing for an hour and forty-five minutes in which he did. And with no opening act, this show was done before 9:30 which seemed pretty lame for a Friday night show, but I guess at the age of 73 and still looking good, Rod may be a little old for late nights now.

Other songs that he played were "Ooh La La" a Faces song, that was good, as well as "Tonight the Night", "Forever Young", "Downtown Train" a song that Tom Waits actually wrote. My favorite tune of the night was the Muddy Waters song he did "Rollin' And Tumblin'", he sounded great singing this gritty blues song as his voice really seems to work with this type of rock n' roll, it's more along the lines of his Gasoline Alley songs.

For the encore he played "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?", I was really hoping he wouldn't play that song, but I guess I knew it was coming with it being one of his biggest hits. What was weird though was for the last three songs the big curtain or shower curtain whatever you wanna call it would come down, then go back up and they would do another song, and then finally it never went back up, show done, over. No good night, no bow, nothing, all over, seemed like a weird way to end a concert. And especially when it's not even 9:30 on a Friday. All and all the show was a bit schmaltzy but still a fun night out. Good times!!!

Rod Stewart at Rogers Place.