The Rural Alberta Advantage

i saw these guys open for City and Colour back in feb 2010
and i enjoyed them so much, i've become a big fan.
I've just recently saw them play at the Biltmore on saturday night
and they were truly wonderful.
There are three of them.
They were full of energy and a vibrant life force for ears.
I loved that fact that the lead guy and the girl played a couple different instruments.
It kept it interesting to watch.
There were two keyboards, a variety of percussion instruments, shakers,
the girl also occasionally played a low tom and a glockenspiel
the drummer is quiet good as well.
I do enjoy his drumming style.
I was inspired and impressed that three people could produce such passionate full rich music.
it was great to watch.
Great Canadian band.
Check them out if you like
The Rural Alberta Advantage
Here's two of my favourite songs

broken social scene - commodore oct 13th. 2010

fucking KICK ass show!
My most FFfffavourite song of the evening..
KC Accidental


I loved all the instruments. watching all the people on stage in amazement on all their talents in what they do.
It would be so cool to play with that many people and be all together in a moment on stage.
Would also be cool to play in a group of people, interchanging instruments during the set...
Whoa! That gets my mind percolating.

i liked all the layers of sounds in the show.
i found it interesting to listen to each individual instrument and picking out their part and then move on to the next and then the next and then just listening to them all at once, together in how they all work as one... a great wall of noise smacking you in the face of intrigue.
It was great!
It got me moving.
I danced and
my mind was moved, into many thoughts and excitement.
And i danced some more..
That, my friend was a good show.

City and Colour Vancouver Feb15 2thousand10

First off the band that opened at the Queen Elizabeth theatre for City and Colour were The Rural Alberta Advantage.
They were great! I enjoyed them very much. I thought they were amazing talented musicians that had a lot to offer for a three piece band. The drummer is insane and I definitely have to listen to more...just like that i'm hooked.

Their site: The Rural Alberta Advantage
Check out this song Don't Haunt this Place

City and Colour... great and wonderful as always. When Dallas and the bass player, Scott Remila, would sing together... wow, their voices blew me away. They harmonized so well together! Nothing hotter than men who can sing and sing well...well besides being super talented and creative and playing any kind of instrument, but i digress.

My most favourite moment was when he sang Grinning in your face, for the finale... too bad it was all over after that.

Built to Still | Commodore Van. Nov18th 2thousand9

Disco Doom a band from switzerland I believe, they were an opening band for Built to Spill... A shy presence on stage, but man do they know how to rock it!
At first they were having some problems with the sounds. i thought to myself that the levels were totally off, but they seem like they could be a really good band, if maybe they had a good sound tech and fix the distortion that was happening. the bass levels were way too high and there was a strange buzz that was also going on. Well, thankfully they noticed, because they paused after the second song and apologized to the audience, while they figured it out. AAANnnd then! suddenly, they were SO good! So much better. It was amazing! Their songs had lots of built up and good changes! They were pretty tight and had some good charged up energy going. I am definitely going to check them out.

So Now Built to spill is up....YAY!!
And I say, they are the most fantastic band to ever see live! I have seen these guys probably six times and their shows are remarkable. The dynamic of these musicians is phenomenal. They are truly amazing. It fucking blows my mind! I love their music and albums, but hearing them live is such a different experience. They are a band that constantly surprise me! Every every time!
They play familiar songs from their albums, but they play them differently each show. It's sometimes subtle, like skipping a beat (which i think is clever) or accenting on a different note or word. It keeps you on track and is quite brilliant. It's like they trick you and see if your listening and paying attention. Very very genuis!!!
I think it shows how good of a musician and performer you are when you can give your audience the feeling of an original experience. To play something that we all know and hear on the albums, and to switch it up. It's very creative and impressive. If I wanted to listen to their album and sing along verbatim, well, i could just be sitting at home. I guess what I'm trying to say is that they don't do this and this is why I appreciate and thoroughly enjoy what they do.
The first time I saw them live, I thought THREE guitarists and a bassist, and drums....THREEEEE guitarists!? It' going to be too much, too loud and muddled. Aww but no. Not in anyway. These three guitarists, have three different styles, but they meld together so well! It's wonderful!! The layers created in the music fucking rattles my brain! Each guitarists had their turn in having a solo, and watching each one... AAhh fucking amazing!
I can't believe the talent in this one room! The complexity and variety of music they play makes me laugh at how witty and intriguing they are. It makes me want to scream out how brilliant they individually are, smile and scream and dance!! And that I did! Now that is a good show!

Built to Spill, you are one of my top bands of all time to see live. I can't wait until next time!
And Brett NeTson, you blow my fucking mind! Great guitarist!
FUCK YEAH!! ~
http://www.myspace.com/builttospill

So that is it for my stint of concerts for a little while. Until something pops up. Next concert... City and COLOUR!!! Yeah! ... But not until February.

dinosaur jr | Commodore Vancouver Nov10

This band is my friends all time favourite band.
I don't even know how many times she has seen them, but the first time, she was eighteen and she's now 35... so you can do the math.
I've seen them now, three times, because of her.
IT's LOUD as FUCK!
And a great show every time.
J Mascis is a fucking fantastic white wizard on the guitar.
Watching him roll his fingers up and down the guitar neck like nothing is incredible.
And the drummer, shit, super fast.
My arms would have fallen off two seconds into their songs.
If you ever get a chance, i recommend checking them out, but bring your earplugs!

Favourite song of the night : Feel the Pain

Feel The Pain [2007 Remastered LP Version] - Dinosaur Jr.

Metric | Orpheum Vancouver Nov3rd09

Last night I went to the Metric show at the Orpheum.
First off can we say what a beautiful venue.
When you first walk in there's red carpet on the stairs
and stairs that lead everywhere
You feel as though you are in one of those MC Escher drawings.
Then when you get inside the House Orchestra.
It's amazing.
Beautiful.
Tall high ceilings, columns, a mural on the domed ceiling, the lighting gives a sense of warmth in the room.
And the sound in this theatre.
Incredible.
I think it's the best in town.
This concert was rocking and loud but clean and vibrant!
I felt every bit of it.
These guys are great musicians.
And KicK ass performers.
Each of them are pretty amazing and strong in what they do.
I enjoyed watching all of them express they're talents.
I really enjoyed how they were changing up the songs, as to how they are on the album.
I loved the inspiring, intense, exciting energy.
I thought that all the abstract noises in their music were a subtle but cleaver addition and super cool.
I Loved the Theremin aspect. (i actually got to meet the band after, and the whole time i didn't know what I was going to say, and then when i got up there I complemented on the theremin idea. And we ending up talking about that. Emily and I were talking about the documentary on the Theremin. She had seen it, and I was excited, because I had too....super cool Documentary, check it out if you can. Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey - it's about the history and creator of the theremin)
And well Emily... She rocks my socks.
I don't think i know anyone that is cooler. That is, if i knew her...
Well, I think she is way cool.
The kick off to the show was Twilight Galaxy, which is now my new favourite song.
The drums are like a heartbeat.
It's mellow on the album. But at the show they ended the song with an explosion that got my heart racing.
I'll post a video of the song from the concert. It wasn't from our show, but from the one in Montreal, but it was very close to how our was.
I love these guys!
And i'm proud that they are a Canadian band!!
Metric, you guys rock!

www.ilovemetric.com



A note from Metric's blog click here

U2 Vancouver BC October 2thousand9

U2
You and me.
and 60 thousand people .
Under one roof.

What to say. I'm not a huge huge fan. I don't know any of the new music, but loved a lot of the older stuff. And let me tell you this experience was unreal and powerful. I don't even know how to explain the energy in this room that night. The energy of 60 thousand people.
A small city, feeling the same thing at the same time.
Nut bar.

At the time i had some many thoughts of what i wanted to say to explain what i was thinking of this whole night, and it came to me like a brilliant rush and now it's gone, and feels like a dream.

I was astounded that a group of musicians could create such a powerful feeling through so many people like this. To have them captivated and singing every word.
It was a cool and creepy feeling at the same time.

The one song that i was hoping and waiting for all night... was "Where the streets have no name".. that was my pick....and it was great. It started out with Bono singing amazing grace that melded into Where the streets. The build up at the beginning of that song always gets me. Starts out quiet and slow and then ...drums.... " i want to run... I want to hide.."
Ahh good stuff.

So, an amazing experience that I'm glad I got to have.
Thank you Jaime for bring me along on your trip.

Holy fuck!

Holy Fuck at The Venue, Vancouver Sept 24th, 2thousand9

Shiat man! Great, amazing show!
Toronto band.
Electronic, two keyboards, a drummer and a bass.
Sex for my ears!
Super intense, with a great build up and then POW!
My heart was racing and my feet were jumping and kicking!
I could have danced and screamed all night!
shit bitch!
I love dancing!

here's a small piece of the show last night, unfortunately it cuts out before the good stuff..
These guys are definitely something you should see live anyhow to get the full effect and intensity.
Check them out.
http://www.holyfuckmusic.com

spiritualizeddddD

Forgot to mention that i went and saw Spiritualized at the Commodore Ballroom, Saturday Sept13.
Good show. Actually GREAT show! LOUD frickin' show! So frickin loud i could feel my jeans vibrating outside my legs! Thank the lord for earplugs! I know that sounds like an old person comment, but the way i see it. I love music and love going to shows and I want to be able to hear many things into my ripe old age... so there!
Surprisingly very uplifting. An uplifting ROCK an roll show with backup singers! Love, LOVED the back up singers. They were pretty damn cool. Uplifting, intense, LOUD rock and roll with back up singers! Yep that was the show.

thom yorke - musical genuis

I still can't get radiohead out of my head!

Vancouver, bc August 19th 2008 at Thunderbird stadium

Setlist:
01. 15 Step (Thom, ‘We brought the weather with us.’)
02. There There (Thom ‘How do you like the rain? It’s ok, you’ll get used to it.’)
03. Morning Bell
04. All I Need
05. Where I End And You Begin (Thom, ‘Alright no one get hurt out there tonight’)
06. Talk Show Host
07. Nude (Thom addresses crowd surfers, ‘Take it easy guys! Its not fucking Rage Against The Machine.’)
08. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
09. The National Anthem
10. Bangers And Mash (Thom, ‘This is a nasty little song.’)
11. Faust Arp (during the middle of the song Thom tells a heckler, ‘Shut the fuck up, you’re not funny you just don’t get out much.’)
12. Videotape
13. Karma Police (Thom, ‘I think we are confused. This one is called Karma Police.’)
14. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
15. Just
16. Exit Music [For A Film] (someone yells out I love you Thom. Thom replies whilst singing, I love you too darling.’)
17. Bodysnatchers

Encore 1
18. House of Cards (Thom, ‘During this song you have to snog the person next to you.’)
19. Optimistic (Thom, ‘Ok we know its raining and that’s a bummer, but fuck it this is Optimistic.’)
20. You And Whose Army? (Thom, ‘That’s show business!’)
21. Planet Telex (Thom, ‘Thank you everybody.’)
22. Everything In Its Right Place

Encore 2
23. Reckoner (Thom, ‘Ok, this is for making you feel warm inside.’)
24. 2+2=5
25. Paranoid Android (Thom,’This is the last song and you the viewers get to choose. Idioteque or Paranoid Android?’)

Concerts! Love them. fill my eyes, my ears and my mind!

Top concerts I've seen thus far this year........

Metric at commodore ballroom. One of my ALL time favourite bands. Got up front, nice and close and jumped up and down with my hands in the air and with every single person in that room!

Radiohead at Thunderbird stadium. It was pissing rain, but it was SO good, it couldn't break the spirit of 22 thousand!

The Breeders at Richards on Richards. Damn this show was amazing! I like seeing shows at richards. great place, small, brick walls. I wasn't expecting much and actually was blown away on this one! Love those surprises. Those girls can still rock! mom jeans and all!

Built to spill at commodore ballroom. love those guys.

Cake at the Vogue theatre...paper lions were an opening act that rocked. i wish I caught a little bit more of their opening show

the Stars at commodore ballroom. just got into them this year...great time.

the Cure at GM place..... it was a random last minute opportunity to go and well...it's the cure, enough said....felt 16 all over again.....oooh ouch, I'm old.

Bedouine soundclash at commodore ballroom. I saw them once before and Mike relm opened for them and he ROCKED the place. Love LOVED him, could have left after that and would have been a happy cat. bedouine, kinda sucked, but I still went again when they came back. Got tickets for a friend's birthday, she wanted to see them, and actually it was a great show. they must have gotten better and we danced all night!

Mike Relm at commodore ballroom. I would like to say that this was a great show. all the times i've seen him before have been great, I just wish I could say I remember this one.......... ehemm

Margaret cho at the Queen elizabeth theatre. now I know this isn't a concert, but it's a show I've seen this year and despite the fact that i managed to buy fake tickets we were lucky enough to still go see this show and we laughed our ASSES off!! Opening act LiamSullivan... hilarious!

Tokyo Police club at the Plaza. You can sorta tell that they're a new young group. But are still pretty good. Liked the light show.

The Virgins at commodore ballroom. Again another band that's pretty green, so not a very long set because they don't have that many songs. They were alright. Songs were done very different to the album.....hmm yeah, it was an okay show.

Tortoise at commodore ballroom. now I'm kinda pushing this to say this year, but if i'm talking about full circle from august last year to august now, i saw them last summer and DAMN! LOVE this band live!! Two drum kits! Two xylaphones! All the band members are interchangable on all the instruments! These guys are just great!!