Wolves on Parade

April has been a pretty busy month thus far...and I'm pretty sure it's going to stay that way. Makes time FLYYYYYYYY. Last Wednesday was the Wolf Parade concert at the Phoenix. As you can see below we were all prepared with the essentials: Starbucks, a full tank of gas, snacks and some good music.

At the show we started talking to this girl named Becky I think. She goes to lots of shows too and we suggested music and even sampled some on her iPhone. We Are Wolves opened, and they were okay. Another Montreal based band. I think I've come to the realization that in most cases (not all the time, see exceptions like Temper Trap, Local Natives, Cut Copy, etc) I enjoy a show more when I know the artists work fairly well. I like to sing along, what can I say? We didn't stay for the encore because we were pretty tired from the show the night before, but at least the crowd wasn't annoying :)

We Are Wolves

Wolf Parade

Wolf Parade

In Search Of...Miike Snow!

Saturday I got to see the Sweedish/American act Miike Snow at the Phoenix in Toronto. Let me just say they did not disappoint! The opening act was Delorean (not from Detroit and don't ask them that...). I was dancing it up Friendly Fires style which says A LOT! They had tons of energy and were pretty interactive. They came out with these creepy masks (phantom?) which my friend of course stole. The crowd went insane when they played Animal. I was fist pumping with Christian and Pontus (both big time producers and song writers according to Wikipedia). The crows wasn't annoying either for an all ages show - accept for this one random chick who got a little to close...haha.

Give Me Some AIR

Last week I got to see a band that's been around for a long time (from my perspective), AIR. I first discovered the French duo when I was in my last year of high school. Songs like Cherry Blossom Girl and Surfing on a Rocket had me hooked. Their classically infused ambient-trance, electronica songs bordering on weird at times sounded cool. Live they were a bit boring if I'm perfectly honest. It was the first time that I actually left a show before it ended. They don't really ever engage the crowd, they just are focused on their synthesizers. For me the joy of seeing live music is getting to be a part of it. While I don't regret seeing them they are not an act I would see again. The variety of people there was also something rarely seen - but I guess that speaks to their wide appeal, something strange for a non-mainstream act.

What's Your MUSE?

So for my third concert of 2010 (I know I feel so behind...) I went to the ACC to see Muse supported by the Silversun Pickups on March 8th. Unfortunately the concert started at 7pm which in my opinion is stupid but who really cares what I think right? So we missed most of the Pickups set, arriving at 7:45pm.

What I did see of them I liked though. Our seats were at the back, but that gave us an awesome view of the light show (one of the best I've seen) and the set which was also very innovative. The band played on three moving pillars that raised and lowered as well as spinned, giving everyone a great view. I wasn't as familiar with their catalogue of music but I liked what I heard. They are SUPER talented.

On the way home we sat in lots of traffic but we didn't mid becasue it was such a beautiful night out - March has had AMAZING weather, breaking a lot of records!

Mumford & Sons

For my second show of 2010 I was delighted to see the British act Mumford & Sons yet again. I had first seen them in 2008 when my sister convinced me to go to a show. These guys are great - and hot! They had a great time and I love when bands are having as much fun as me. It's like we're in it together. I knew the show was sold out, but like at 7:30pm (doors were at 8pm) there was already a line up of over 100 people - something I've never seen at Lee's Palace before. The crowd was obviously excited.

A local Toronto band, The Sunparlour Players, did a pretty impressive two man show. At first I thought I was going to be disappointed, but I wasn't. They had an indie, country, folk, rock vibe - but doing it all in black suits.

Mumford played a great set, with some new tracks and all the "old favourites". They were surprised that people knew the words to their songs - but of course we do. They joked around with us and told jokes and were just overall cute and perfect. For their encore they dd one of the songs unplugged - literally. Marcus played the drums for some songs and the others he played guitar - showing his talent as a musician. The crowd called Ted a wanker, somewhat of an inside joke it seemed. There were two nice girls in front of us (in our usual spot actually) who we chatted with before and after sets who were really nice and told us more about the collective that Mumford is apart of. Oh and you can't forget the old guy near us who was slightly inebriated yelling at everyone that he couldn't see.

The Concerts of 2009

So below (in chronological order) are the concerts I attended in 2009.

-The Killers (M83) at the ACC

-The Virgins (Anya Marina) at El Mocambo

-Bloc Party (Holy F**k) at the Kool Haus

-Lady Gaga (The White Tie Affair, Chester French, Cinema Bizzare) at Elements

-White Lies (Friendly Fires, The Soft Pack) at Lee’s Palace

-Death Cab For Cutie (The Cold War Kids, Ra Ra Riot) at Sound Academy

-Metric (Holy F**k) at the Mod Club

-Peter Bjorn and John (Chairlift) at the Phoenix

-Kings of Leon (The Walkman) at the ACC

-Franz Ferdinand (The Born Ruffians) at the Kool Haus

-Keane (Matt Kearney, The Helio Project) at Sound Academy

-Phoenix (Amazing Baby) at the Phoenix

-No Doubt (Paramore, Bedouin Soundclash) at the ACC

-Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Amanda Blank) at the Kool Haus

-Friendly Fires (Madrid) at Lee’s Palace

-Our Lady Peace (Will Currie & The Country French) at Elements

-In Living Colour @ Jimmy Fallon

-White Lies (Violens) at Webster Hall

-White Lies (Heaven) at the Phoenix

-Airborne Toxic Effect (The Henry Clay People) at the Phoenix

-Temper Trap (We Are The Take) at Horseshoe Tavern

-The Blue Man Group at the Kitchener Auditorium

-Peter Bjorn and John (El Perro Del Mar) at the Phoenix

-Edward Sharpe & The Magnificent Zeros (Local Natives, Fools Gold) at El Mocambo

-The Pretty Faces (Born to Busk, Mained Long Lions) at Rancho Relaxo

-The Big Pink (Crystal Antlers, Revolvers) at Lee’s Palace

-Friendly Fires (The XX) at the Phoenix

ON A SIDE NOTE: Does anyone else find it weird writing 2010? I miss the double zeros for some reason, it's harder to type, write and look at. Maybe I'm just special.

A Mid December Retrospective

So I was going through my computer and deleting old files when I came upon some old photos that I hadn't moved over to iPhoto. So I decided to see where I was approximately a year from today over the last few years. The earliest digital photos I had started in December 2004, I think when we got out first digital camera to go to the Bahamas. Wow that was an amazing trip in so many ways. One of the main things I remember is my sister and I not fighting for a whole week. Now that's amazing.

This time in 2005 I had gotten my dad tickets to see Gwen Stefani (who he has always loved). So here is a picture from her Dec 10 show at the ACC. This was when I was still fairly new to concerts and could count the ones I'd been to on my fingers.

In 2006 I was making cupcakes with my best friend Hollie. We loved decorating cupcakes, it was so "crunchy". I really miss her, and when I look at pictures I remember why. We had so much fun together.

In 2007 the only mid december picture I have is of my driving to school on a snowy morning drinking Starbucks. Well the Starbucks thing hasn't changed. I was in my second year of Management Studies at Conestoga College. I've reminisced about school before and my mixed feelings about it. Well that's where I was 2 years ago.

So what was I doing last year? Well I was apparently at Yorkdale taking this picture in the underground parking lot. We had gone to find dresses for the big James Bond party we were throwing. We shopped and then had dinner at Moxie's.

What am I doing today? Well I went to work, wrote this, and am now leaving to go have coffee with Amy and Tania. Wonder what I'll be doing next year?

White Lies - Rounds 2 and 3

So as part of my trip to NYC we decided to include a concert. Well it just so worked out that White Lies (one of my favourite bands) was playing back to back shows in Manhattan and then in Toronto. So we scheduled our trip around that. It was cool to see the difference in the crowds. At Webster Hall in New York the crowd was more mature, maybe 25-45, and they were pretty chill. The band played a straight set no encore. Then in Toronto at the Phoenix (which was an early show) the crowd was much more rowdy - mosh pit? crowd surfing? fist fits? and definitely younger. People were getting on the stage and the band thought we were nuts. They said as much at the end. Here's a shot from the New York show of Harry and his shiny guitar...

Fall Is Here

Yep it's official. I was in denial for awhile but I am now embracing the season. So I've but away my shorts and tank tops and gotten out my hoodies and scarves. I'm looking forward to some hot apple cider and crunching leaves under my feet. I love fall when it's sunny and crisp, so hopefully we'll get some of that. Lately it's just been damp and rainy, not so hot. Last year this time I was in the Muskoka's at my uncle's cottage. This year I will be in Grand Bend. Looking forward to some good laughs and big meals!

This is now the second year of no "back to school" and I don't miss it in the ways I thought I would. It's more random when it hits me. You adjust and move on.

Fall also means more concerts! 2009 kind of became the year of concerts. A really exciting one is coming up...my friends (The Pretty Faces) from Florida are coming to play a few shows in Toronto at the end of November. Definitely looking forward to that :)

OLP @ Elements

Last week Amy, Steph and I went to see Our Lady Peace at Elements Nightclub in Kitchener. They were performing for Conestoga College's frosh week. After finally figuring out the ticket logistics (which turned out to be unnecessary) we got in the venue as close the front as possible, which was pretty close. The set was good, played a lot of their older repertoire and got the audience singing along. at one point Raine made his way to the bar and drank some girl's beer. The opening band was from Waterloo, Will Currie and the Country French. They put on a set of folky indie pop. The guys (and one girl) were really nice, we had a chance to chat with them after the show. We talked about recipe swapping and meeting bands, about where they went to school and the drunk guy Ryan that decided to stand with us.

This is Dan MacPherson of Will Currie and the Country French (he looked like Alex from Franz Ferdinand to us)

OLP playing their set

A blurry one of Raine on the bar

Kiss of Life

So if you haven't heard this band you NEED to. Like really. No do it now. I'm waiting. Okay now that your life has changed I can continue. 'Jump In The Pool' was the first song I heard from this British trio back in early 2008. I was immediately in love. Later that year the band was featured on Gossip Girl. In March I saw them on NME double bill at Lee's Palace with fellow Brits White Lies (also life changing band). Ed, Edd and Jack are really chill, cool guys. Ed's dancing is also a sight that cannot be missed. At the first show we talked to Ed after the show and he took a
picture with us.

After the first show at Lee's Palace, Toronto ON on March 31, 2009

At the show we just went to August 10th we talked to all the guys and they signed our t-shirts. Ed was sick (he said it was from alcohol poisoning from Lollapalooza even though he told the audience he thought he had Swine Flu, jokingly of course) . To say I was ecstatic when I found out they had another show in December at the Phoenix is putting it mildly. Edd had hinted at it when we talked to him before the show (yes we were first in line and thus had this opportunity as he was leaving rehersals to go get Ed from the hotel). I can't wait for December to get my dance on again :)

Friendly Fires performing at Lee's Palace, Toronto on August 10, 2009