California Update: Pablove Benefit

I was in California this past week and a half for some visits and shows.

Saturday, November 21 - After a painfully early morning flight, I had a busy day of catch-ups and went to a fantastic benefit show for the Pablove Foundation.

What a lineup!



Shirley Manson with Tom Gabel on guitar? Yes please!





Butch Walker



Tom Gabel







Black Rebel Motorcycle Club



Band of Horses

My New Favourite Weapon: Daytrotter.com

This site continually blows my mind. Alternate versions and unreleased tracks from some great musicians, recorded and mixed live directly to tape. You can stream or download the tracks for free! I find the reviews to be too long and hard to read (ever heard of paragraphs?) but the music is fantastic, the illustrations are pretty cool and the artist's own description of their songs is both interesting and inspiring.

My favs:
Andy Hull/Manchester Orchestra (as if I needed a SADDER version of their songs)
Cold War Kids (2006, there is also a session in 2009 featuring newer songs off "Loyalty to Loyalty")
Bon Iver

There are heaps of sessions, so find your favourites HERE.

I Love Video on Trial

I do not watch "music" television because there is no music on it.  This is nothing new.  But the odd little gem "Video on Trial" makes me laugh hysterically every time.

"The captain going down with the ship is a bullshit rule.  You know what else is a bullshit rule?  Women and children first.  You wanted equal rights?!  THERE YOU GO!".

- Boomer, regarding Fall Out Boy's video for "What a Catch, Donnie".

Battle Snakes Bike Party EP Release

Come party one more time before everyone/thing gets crazy for the holidays. This show will rule, featuring four of my favourite local bands!



Battle Snakes "Bike Party EP" Release
w/The TVees, Dead Voices, Party at the Moontower
Saturday, Dec 5
@ The Media Club

STW: Nov 16-22

Cat Empire
Monday, Nov 16 and Tuesday, Nov 17
Commodore Ballroom *SOLD OUT*

Built to Spill
Wednesday, Nov 18
Commodore Ballroom

Arkells
Thursday, Nov 19
Venue

Boozapalooza III
f. The Town Pants, Run GMC, Rich Hope
Friday, Nov 20
Commodore Ballroom

Wolfmother
Saturday, Nov 21
Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Billy Bragg
Saturday, Nov 21
Commodore Ballroom

Free Music: Party at the Moontower

Party at the Moontower are my favourite new local band and four of the most hilarious guys I know. Fresh off a rad gig supporting the sold-out Mad Caddies show, they're playing a bunch around town so you have no excuse not to see them Vancouver!

Check out their myspace here.

Download the "O'Bannion EP" for free (and legally!) here.

Go see them play:
Sunday, Nov 15 @ The Railway Club w/Carpenter, In Bear Country
Saturday, Dec 5 @ The Media Club w/Battle Snakes (EP release), The TVees, Dead Voices

STW: November 9 - 15

Pinback
Monday, Nov 9
@ Venue (moved from Commodore, tix honoured at the door)

Dinosaur Jr.
Tuesday, Nov 10
@ Commodore Ballroom

Dropkick Murphys
w/The Flatliners, The Mahones
Wednesday, Nov 11
@ Commodore Ballroom
*SOLD OUT*

The Whigs
Friday, Nov 13
@ The Media Club

Puscifer
Friday, Nov 13
@ The Centre

Carpenter
w/In Bear Country, Party at the Moontower
Sunday, Nov 15
@ The Railway

Machester Orchestra - Shake it Out Video

Manchester Orchestra just released a video for my favourite song off their fantastic latest album "Mean Everything to Nothing". Needless to say, I was stoked to see it. Maybe I'm missing something, but the video doesn't seem to fit with the song, in fact for most of it I felt like I was watching a completely unrelated video on mute while listening to the song on my stereo. I would have liked to see something more sensitive. Also, minus points for 99% of the video featuring lead singer/guitarist Andy Hull, and only a split second of the rest of the band. Anyways, check it out below and make your own opinions.


Shake It Out (Music Video)

Manchester Orchestra MySpace Video

FU Daylight Savings

I hate daylight savings. It's not even 4pm and it's already dark outside. By the time I leave work it's nighttime, which not only throws off my internal clock, it's bloody depressing. I'm not a farmer, I don't want an extra hour in the morning. You could "fall back" 3 hours and chances are I'd still be sleeping. I want that hour back during a time when I'm actually awake. Shits.

Mariachi El Bronx - Cell Mates

When I first heard that hardcore/punk/rock favs The Bronx were releasing an album and touring under the alter-ego Mariachi El Bronx, I thought it was a joke. Boy, was I wrong. The result was a truly fantastic (and serious!) mariachi record and a great live show. Below is their video for "Cell Mates", the first single off the album.

STW: Nov 2 - 8

Metric
Tuesday, November 3
@ Orpheum Theatre
*SOLD OUT*

Mad Caddies
w/The Johnstones, Party at the Moontower
Wednesday, November 4
@ Venue

Raveonettes
Thursday, November 5
@ Venue

Kaskade
Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8
@ Commodore Ballroom
*NOV 7 SOLD OUT, TIX STILL AVAILABLE FOR NOV 8*

Books Were For Burning

"There must be something in books, things we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there.  You don't stay for nothing."

- Guy Montag, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury