Matt Epp- September 18, 2006 at Rime

Just a small post following up on a guy I met last year during Western Canadian Music Week.

I met Matt Epp during one of Barb's busy days. She wanted to talk with him, but couldn't find the time, so we basically adopted him for the day. Fast forward a year, and Matt has a new album, Love In Such Strong Words, out now.

He's promoting it with a cross country tour and stopped by Vancouver for a gig at Rime.

Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre- Sept.8, 2006 : The Showbox in Seattle

I couldn't have been more excited to hear about this double bill in Seattle. I saw DiG! for the first time because of the Dandy Warhols but the movie is really about Brian Jonestown Massacre and Anton Newcombe. If you've seen it, then you know what a disfunctional human being Anton is, and although the movie ends with all sorts of bad feelings, they have apparently been worked out over the years.

We arrived early, and heard from some very friendly locals that the Dandy's and BJM all jammed during the encore the night before in Portland, so we were extra expectant.

I saw Brian Jonestown Massacre at SXSW this year, and he looked pretty good. This time he was almost unrecognizable. It's weird that some can deteriorate so badly in six months. It turned out we'd been standing almost right beside him before the show by the sound board, but I swear we didn't recognize him. Even after he got onto the stage, Glen and I looked at each in confusion.

The performance itself was amazing. It was almost a completely new band from Austin with some new cute young guys which only made Anton look worse by comparison.

I loved DiG! and all the BJM songs in small doses, but albums worth leave me cold so I wouldn't consider myself to be a fan. This show was like a best of show, with all the songs I love and no long extended jams.

Anton was very talkative, and chatty with the crowd. He never lost his temper, and even when having a girl removed from the front of the stage for bad behaviour, he made it clear to security, to not throw her out.

Funniest moment? Well, to me, that was when he offered a drink from a cup to the guitarist, who wouldn't take a drink until Anton took a drink first. Anton followed this with the classic, "I Chinese, I play joke, I make pee pee in your Coke".

Ironic moment? When Anton earnestly thanked all the black people in the crowd for keeping it real. Um, that would be the two security guards??

The Dandy Warhols took the stage and the house was completely packed. So many people, I'm sure it was oversold.

They opened with one of my favourite songs, Godless. They had no trumpet player, which the song really missed, but it was a great crowd pleaser. Zia looked amazingly hot with some sexy new hair and a glamourous new look.

Peter, looked sullen as usual, and sorry, not photos because I was on the other side of the stage. Fathead played his drums in the middle front of the stage. That's twice now this year I've seen that set up, so I guess it's a trend.

My problem with the last couple times I've seen the Dandy's is that don't seem to be having much fun when they play anymore. The first time I saw them five years ago, it was like being at a party but now a smile rarely passes across Courtney's face. Only Zia really ever seems to be having any fun.

This show was better with momentum of having the BJM open, Courtney went on and on towards the end about what an amazing genius Anton was, and how lucky we were to have seen such an amazing show. HOWEVER, the awaited special guest appearance didn't occur this night.

Now it says on the set list that they closed with Country Leaver from 13 Tales From Urban Bohemia, but I swear it was a song I'd never heard before. I'll have to look into that later but for now I'll just say the last song was a crazy barn burner that shook the house down.

World Party - August 9, 2006 at Richards on Richards and something about Rockstar Supernova

I've always loved World Party . I have many awesome memories of driving up to Kelowna with Private Revolution blaring out the cassette deck while Glen pretended to put up with my singing.

Glen surprized me with tickets on the day of show and I was really excited. Of course I we couldn't leave until AFTER the results show of Rockstar Supernova.

Karl Wallinger is pretty much World Party, but he was touring with a 7 piece band! (As an aiside, I only took a couple of photos and yes they actually are different!)


They opened with my favourite song, Message In A Box, and closed the show with my second favourite song, Ship Of Fools but somewhere in the middle of the set an onstage collision took out the bass and effectively put a stop to any of the momentum that had been building. Thankfully, Karl is very chatty and during the long pauses of attempted repairs, told some interesting stories. In one story he told of his first trip to BC where they were playing a festival with Midnight Oil. There plane landed late, and they got on the bus and drove two hours and when they got to the hotel, they crashed. In the morning when he awoke he went to the window and opened the curtains and was greeted with a sparkling vista of trees, mountains and a lake and he said his first thought was that it was a photo.


Anyway, it was still an okay show and I was happy to hear all those songs, and to see so many people there.


Back to Rockstar Supernova. I loved Rockstar INXS too, so I can safely say I'm not just watching for Barb's sake. When I was at SXSW Barb was trying to get one of her artists to Vancouver to audition for Rockstar. That artist turned out to be one of the top contenders, Lukas Rossi. He and Dilana are my two favourites so when I saw this, I had to share it with everyone.

The Rockstar Supernova Drinking Game

1. NAVARROS NOT WEARING A SHIRT=1 DRINK
2. BROOKE HAS HER FAKIES JUST POPPING OUT OF HER SHIRT=1 DRINK
3. SOMEONE SAYS "BRO OR BROTHER"=1 DRINK
4. ONE OF THE GUYS ON THE PANEL MAKES A "THIS SUCKS FACE"=1 DRINK
5. TOMMY MUGS FOR THE CAMERA=1/2 DRINK (COME ON NOW)
6. THE METAL SIGN IS GIVEN=NO DRINKS (WE DO WANT YOU TO SEE THE END OF THE EPISODE)
7. SOMEONE SAYS "DUDE"=1 DRINK
8. SOMEONE SAYS "DUDE" TO A CHICK=2 DRINKS
9. THE "GOTH HOBBIT" SNEERS=1 DRINK
10. SOMEONE SAYS IT'S AN HONOR TO JUST BE HERE=1 DRINK
11. SOMEONE SAYS THAT "THEY ARE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE BAND"=1 DRINK
12. THE PHRASE "SONG SELECTION" IS SAID=A THIMBLE OF A DRINK
13. JASON NEWSTEAD LOOKS LIKE HE'S IN PAIN (MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY)=1 DRINK
14. JASON GETS UP AND SCREAMS "I WAS IN MOTHER FUCKIN METALLICA, WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE? FUCK THIS" AND STORMS OFF THE SHOW=10 DRINKS
15. AIR GUITAR OR DRUMS IS PLAYED BE EITHER CONTESTANT OR BAND=1 DRINK
16. THEY ANNOUNCE PHIL'S REAL LAST NAME IS "BURNETT"=10 DRINKS
17. NAVARRO SAYS "THAT WAS INSANE" OR SOMETHING WITH "AWESOME"
OR "SICK"=1 DRINK
18. ANY OF THE GUYS ON THE PANEL MENTIONS THEIR PREVIOUS BANDS=1 DRINK
19. ANY CONTESTANT CALLS ANYONE ON THE PANEL A "HERO", "ROLE MODEL" OR "INSPIRATION"=2 DRINKS
20. SAME AS ABOVE BUT SAYS "YOU TOO GILBY"=5 DRINKS

FYI - You'll usually be wasted by the first 10 minutes, so play at your own risk.

Another Non Concert Post

What Can I say, it's been a dry summer concert wise. Stay tuned for The Detroit Cobras, The Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre.

For now, it's the annual HSBC Celebration Of Light fireworks festival.

It was 9:45 when we decided to check out the fireworks. Thankfully we had the presence of mind to try out the patio by Bridges on Granville Island. We we were sitting on the railing right as the fireworks started. The music was being played at Bridges so it was a pretty amazing place to watch.