Local hidalgo Dave Wallace captured some pretty great moments of 2011’s Rifflandia. Check out his video (may or may not contain me and Mads… super briefly).
Zone DJ Jon Williams got real sick after Rifflandia (so many GERMS!) and rolled into work last week all sniffily with aches and pains. Poor little guy.
The Zone studio is a shared work environment with mics, and keyboards and coffee mugs, and CANDY! So when one of us gets sick, much like a daycare, we all get sick.
Dylan and Jason from The Morning Zone called him out on it! Jon took exception and wrote a dis-rap.
Don’t really hear too much rock & roll from Mainland Europe. I can think of one Belgian band you will super occasionally hear on the Zone. K’s Choice! Nice.
France has a couple… Phoenix being the most famous to modern rock listeners in Victoria recently.
Bossman John pulled me into the office to share this band with me… its another garage rock duo (garage rock duos are so hot right now).
I can’t remember the song John played in his office for me now… but I did track down their most recent single for you, from their album that comes out… today actually… My Revelation.
Right, its “hard rock.” Lush production, crunchy guitar hook, wealthy white English-speaking males whining about stuff… hits all the receptors in the brain you’d expect.
I’ve always liked Chevelle… they never re-write the book on a rock & roll songs, but it all sounds like pretty, organized, distortion… processed to the tit. Easy on the head.
Its a bit of a retro hazy throwback style, but I dig Portland’s Blitzen Trapper.
I think it was either Cait Fraser or her old boyfriend that got me into the song “Furr.” Such a groovy song. I downloaded a couple other songs from the band. The other day SubPop sent their album to the Zone and it caught my eye so I punched it up.
Its a cool, cool record. If you enjoy the folky 70s summer-esque psychedelic rock & roll, you might like this record.
I have a few favourites and I’ll share a couple with you here.
This song has all sorts of imagery going on. I like to believe its a romantic ode to a “girl in a coat.” Singing about seasons and adventuring… its a pretty song indeed.
The other song I like talks about space! Maybe a great theme song for DW’s SpaceBook.
OK… so its not really about space… its about a girl, of course, like ALL songs. But like… I hope her brother’s don’t come after him! Nice. Spacesuits, grand “illusions,” then some good all southern style groove.
Righteous. I was third and inches from buying the vinyl on the weekend… found an ounce of discipline and kept from spending my meager pay-cheque on music for a change.
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It was my last wedding of the season yesterday under the tent at Sea Cider. I’ll have a handful of events till the end of the year, but most the hustle and bustle is winding down.
It was a very nice, contemporary wedding in a light rain. I think I like October weddings. Wait… I got married in October! (so did my folks). No wonder. Neat.
I had posted the other day about Wedding First Dance Songs. Coral and I got married in Vegas and had our reception at Dos Caminos… mighty TIME! But no dancing, no first dance… there were kinda some drunken speeches yelled over the din of the restaurant, but definitely not a traditional wedding style.
BUT what would Coral and I have chosen as a wedding song? Back when we planned such things, Coral saw on Ellen that she used this Joshua Radin song, “Today.” I imagine that in 2008/09 that was a very popular song to use for a first dance.
I would choose Grand Archives, “Swan Matches” or even The National’s “Slow Show.” I dunno if its like “romantic” in the traditional sense, but an important song to me personally.
Corjamorj texted me while I was at the wedding last night. I guess she read this blog or thought about it or whatever… but she would pick Ray LaMontagne’s “Shelter.”
Then talking with Sea Cider’s Alix… I went, “wait a minute, I have emails from all the brides and grooms and all the songs they chose as first dances… maybe I should make a playlist with the songs.”
Last night, after the wedding… I changed into my pajama pants and bro-shirt, got comfy on the couch and sifted through old emails to find all the first dance requests. Then made:
I had a great weekend with Mads. Saturday we all mostly did chores and cleaned our apartment. Then I took Maddy swimming which she loves. The public pool is just $6, which I think is good value for the amount of time it keeps us entertained and active. A movie date would cost many times that, be a strong pull towards junk food, be sedentary and keep her occupied for less time.
So I’m bullish on investing in public pools!
Sunday I woke up oddly early. I watched a movie then thought, I better use my day before I lounge it away… as I got ready to skip outta the house, Mads woke up too and asked if we could go downtown. Sure, so I got her ready (well Corj did her hair like always) and we went record shopping (where I did NOT buy Blitzen Trapper) then to Shine for breakfast. It was lined up down the block with a whose-who of hipsters, UVic kids and people-about-town. But I was on Island time so Mads and I used the 30-40 minutes to explore the city (she really like going “downtown”) and playing train.
Then crushed back the most mighty of omelets, toast, fruit and bacon! Being only 3-and-a-half.. Madelyn is a pretty cheap date as we share just one breakfast.
That’s all I got… I kinda want to go back to Las Vegas now after recalling our reception!
Pol was talking on his show about the home stereo the other day. Great discussion about how he still has a home stereo and he called it a “shrine” to music. Neat.
I love my home stereo… and its still a goal to improve it dramatically. I want/NEED a Rega turntable because I love them. A new amp (though I love my old one, its just a piece of temperamental shit sometimes) and maybe new speakers one day.
Right now, it all serves purpose and works (kinda) so its hard to take money to fix it up.
I do love just having it in my home. Like a historic or religious artifact.
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Yesterday on facebook. I asked friends to send me their wedding “first dance” song or the song they would use… if they ever decided to get married. Lots of wonderful selections were sent in, so I made a podcast with some selections.
It is funny how songs can get rooted in your head. I have a couple currently battling to be played on repeat. Dinosaur Bones, a couple AWOLNATION songs, Blitzen Trapper‘s new record… and this slinky pop song I heard on XM’s Alt. Nation last night.
Adelaide, SA is Australia’s 5th largest city and ranks high up on the list of Most Liveable Cities. Turns out they have the internet or something too… as I was able to hear music from this Adelaidian? band Atlas Genius.
These kids seems all right by me. The song reminds me of the underhanded bright shiny pop rock that’s been so hot as of late. Bands like Phoenix and The Kooks get tossed around when describing.
I can’t believe Rifflandia IV is all done. I woke up this morning with PRD (post Rifflandia disorder). What a spectacular four days in our sleepy colonial outpost city.
I believe that after this year… and looking forward to Rifflandia V, this festival is poised to be Canada’s premier new music/alternative/hipster fest. I can’t really think off too much in the country like it. Actually… is there really anything like it?
The fact that it is able to succeed in British Columbia at all is a triumph against the forces of no-fun-ism. This Province generally has to be dragged kicking and screaming towards anything remotely rage-tastic… and then when we get there, we fuck it up by lighting cop cars on fire and the “rules” get slapped back on.
It seemed like I was everywhere this weekend, and still there was so much I missed! I need a party assistant next year I think. Still… it was an army of many that helped me get through this.
Nick Blasko and Team Rifflandia get a big Thank you! Nick set me up with some wristbands for my lovely wife Coral, sister-in-law Alyx and friend Alix. That allowed me to have some help sorting out Madelyn while I had to work, but be able to have her with me at the festival.
Nick then gave me and Boitano the chance to DJ!
Thank you to everyone that stormed in the Phillips Brewery Stage to see us DJ and for all the kind words after. Christi Wizard and Bud snapping pics and filming. DW for rocking the mic. Pol with the confetti poppers. It all made a difference. Thank you.
Nana and CJ & Caitlin all took a turn having a “sleepover” with Mads which was clutch so I could DJ Friday night with Boitano. Then party on Saturday night and eat the most excellent pita pit wrap. I’ll always remember you chicken/bacon wrap devoured on the steps of Bastion Square with Coral… always.
It was a mighty time with Team Zone at the Zone tent! Bossman John, Tindy, Allie and Boitano had the plan executed to the finest detail. Zone Ranger Shawn, his girl Jessica and an army of Zoners both staffers and volunteers kept the party hopping.
Then there were the Rifflandia volunteers and workers that kept the show moving forward (and beer in my belly… Cara!). Thank you!
Finally… I laid a lot of high-fives, took some pictures, and generally was made to feel like a rock star by so many people over the weekend. It truly was fun. Like the best. seriously, “real life” hit hard this morning.
…
and in the mix, there was music.
I have a lot of highlights and favourites. To stay kinda focused, I want to talk about Dinosaur Bones right now.
Dinosaur Bones were one of the first bands to hit the Zone’s Main Stage on Friday. I had heard of… but never actually enjoyed their sounds. I really dug their style and purchased the 45s they had for sale at the merch booth. the singles are “N.Y.E.” and “Royalty.”
“Royalty” is a little meh, to me… but “N.Y.E.” is mighty. I want to share this single with you.
I don’t know much about anything… I wish I knew more about Dinosaur Bones… but I do LOVE this song. I’ve been repeating it all night on first the record player, but when managing the 45 became old, I fired up the MP3 and filled my ears some more.
The 45 is backed with a remix by Los Campesinos which sounds great too.
So now I am a Dinosaur Bones fan. Good times.
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There were some other standouts that I witnessed, and I have a sea of pictures I am trying to collect from the billion “official” photogs and the not-so-official assorted paparazzi… perhaps some more pics and stories will leak out on my blog over the week.
The Morning After 