"And you know it's time to go through the sleet and driving snow...."

Winter is so pretty sometimes. Even in March. There are lovely icicles on our garage that make it still seem like a winter wonderland.

But, I am moving tomorrow and, even though it happens to be snowing today, beautiful weather (13°C !) is expected and the sun should kiss the last of those icicles buh-bye!

Moving in the Spring means you take your chances with what you might wake up to -- but this time it looks like nice weather, FTW!

Oh and in other news, (another first on my blog, I think)--I have a commenter flirting with me. It could be somebody I know pranking me, or it could be someone I don't know at all pranking me...or it could be legit. I don't know - and how could you know? I am flattered though. Isn't that silly? What is the proper reaction to overt blog flirting? I am clueless at this and I am so not interested. But you can't just blurt that out, right? You're expected to play the "flirt game" back...I am not good at that 'game playing' stuff, thankfully. I know ladies who are experts. They would know what to do here and say something sweet and saucy. They'd know how to flip your hair and smile via "blog flirting". I'm not that fancy. Plus, I tend to fuck it all up.

So kind Gentleman Commenter, thanks very much for taking an interest and being so lovely with the compliments. I really appreciate it, thanks!

Also...Countdown to MUSE continues...3 more sleeps!

Song Du Jour: A Sort of Homecoming by U2

“There's something liberating about not pretending. Dare to embarrass yourself. Risk.” ~ Drew Barrymore

Well, a first on my blog not to mention something I promised I would refrain from, The dreaded Questionnaire.

I was emailed said questionaire...you know those annoying things that you hate to fill out but find rather interesting to read when your friends fill them out? So I filled it out, procrastinating as per usual, and sent it back.
And now I have be "dared" to put it up on my blog. I declined. I am not some 13 year old who is going to take a dare. I was told I "never" post anything about myself on my blog. I would argue that is ridiculous! All I talk about on my blog is myself -- given the selfish nature of the blog, no?
So for the 3 of you who actually read this blog I will volunteer to share this with you. Apparently, I have been told, it might be of some interest. Feel free to disagree, I know I do.

What were you doing at 11 last night?
Packing my bags, Alice

Do you think you and your best friend(s) will be friends in 10 years?
Yes.

What's the craziest thing you've done?
I went to New York to see U2 in October 2001, a fan had a ticket and we went together. I had never met him before. That was crazy.

Do you have any plans for the weekend?
Moving, unpacking and whatnot, Panda's Silent Auction, dinner and drinks with family and friends.

Would you change yourself for the person you love?
Nope, well not since highschool. Oh yeah...I tried that but it doesn't work -- at all.

Let me guess, your last incoming call was from the opposite sex?
Yes.

Would you kiss anyone you have texts from in your phone?
Yes.

When was the last time something bothered you?
about 2 hours ago.

Do you like to hold hands?
Yes.

Anything embarrassing happen today?
No yet...

What does your phone do when it receives a new text?
My Blackberry vibrates and "Hello, hello" ringtone from Vertigo plays

Has anyone ever done mean things to you while you were sleeping?
Yes, you've met my friends!!
I was once half asleep, on a road trip to Peach Fest with my ladies, and one of them thought it would be hilarious to honk the horn...it scared the living crap out of me. It was hilarious but it took me a long time to admit it --I was so mad.

Do you have someone of the opposite sex you can tell everything to?
Yes, and I am very lucky that I can say I have more than one.

Last thing you spent money on?
I just bought a lottery ticket. *fingers crossed*

Have you dated the person you texted last?
a million years ago, yes.

Is good grammar attractive?
Very.

Who was the last person to call you baby?
I don't know...I don't really like to be called baby so I can't say as anyone has ever called me that.

What is your favourite color?
Blue

What color are your eyes?
Blue

How tall are you?
5'9

What do you have planned for tonight?
Getting ready to move in the morning; Glamourous things like laundry and cleaning.

Do you want to get married and have children one day?
If I met the right man I would be open to discussing the possibility.

Who is the 9th contact in your phone?
The Dude, I had to check...I just pranked him. Sorry The Dude.

Would you date an 18 year old at the age you are now?
Gross.

Have you ever dyed your hair?
Sure.

How many windows are open on your computer?
6

What was last thing you drank?
Water.

What do you like better: hot chocolate or hot apple cider?
I like them both

Do you collect anything?
I have a U2 collection and I collect postcards from all of my friends, well any of them who travel and are willing to send me one.

Do you think you are pregnant?
No

If the year consisted of only one season, which would you choose?
Autumn

You've had sex within these past 10 days haven't you?
You just had to ask this one....I think this is why you sent me this stupid thing

You have to get a piercing, what do you get?
Hepatitis B knowing my luck.

You have to get a tattoo, where and what do you want?
I am getting one this summer with my Cousin. It is the U2 symbol from ATYCLB with the heart in the suitcase.

When is the last time someone of the opposite sex gave you a hug?
About 15 minutes ago

Do you have a good relationship with your parents?
No. Mother passed away, Real Father = don't know, adoptive Father = jackass, no contact

Are your friends taller than you?
2 of them are taller, yes

Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone?
I can see the merits of both really. And I like both.

Is the first person you talked to today male or female?
Male

Who was the last person you rode in a car with under 21?
My friends' children.

Do you know anyone named Matt?
Yes, we call him The Kid.

Is your hair curly or straight?
Straight Naturally? yes

What jewelery are you currently wearing?
Today I only have my white One Bracelet

Could you go the rest of your life without smoking a cigarette?
Yes

Have you ever in any way, been betrayed by someone you trust?
Yes

Did you have a good birthday this year?
It was wonderful!

"Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten..." ~ Horchata by Vampire Weekend

Went to see Vampire Weekend at the ole EEC last night and was pretty excited about it! I think I yelled, "oh my god, they are so freaking awesome!!!!!!" a couple of times.

Honestly, Vampire Weekend was brilliant last night. The crowd was kinda stunned...at least on our side of the great and giant pole. Horchata is off their new album and it rocks live, I am so glad to hear their new material and someday I can hear those anthems filling huge arenas.

I got some video clips!
Here is my favourite, Taxi Cab!




My favourite song off Contra is Taxi Cab. I loved it live too...they all gathered together on stage and the lights lowered and they played it almost sweetly with the bassist like magic on the bow. Beautiful! The rest of the clips are here.

That's what I like about Vampire Weekend, just enough salty to go with the sweet. A Punk blasted away! I was loving being down front for A Punk...Hey, hey hey hey!!! We were right next to some Uber VW fans who were also right into it. We sang and they knew all the words. Vampire Weekend nailed all the hits, they already sound so amazing, the new stuff is just more lush...and I was so grateful they covered so much material --it was a wicked set list.


I hope they come back soon!


Great night all in all, but I have made the decision not to rant again about how much I loathe the EEC. Mmmm...The Heinken's were delicious too.



Song Du Jour: Cape Cod Kwassa, Kwassa by Vampire Weekend



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wHl9qRsMzw

"And now I'm going to go have shots with Kings of Leon." — Green Day frontman Billy Armstrong after accepting the band's award for best rock album.

I watched for about 30 minutes and then turned the channel. Junk. The Green Day musical sounded so bad. Why do they always have to opera up the lyrics for a musical? Why? I was hoping it would be more punk rock than musical. Makes me concerned for the Spiderman musical too. Also, they awarded (prior to the show) a lifetime achievement award to Loretta Lynn...I was rather disgusted they did not actually actually recognize her in a meaningful way.

I suppose the fact that I did not even watch most of it makes my opinion moot though. So keep that in mind as I continue to rant.

I will admit I flicked past the Grammy's a couple of times later in the show, call it wishful thinking, and what I did see was a really big disappointment. What was the point of MJ's daughters speech? Why? I wish I could stomach it. It's just such a shit show. ummm....why couldn't Beyonce accept her first award? She was there, how much f'n prep time did she need to get in that skimpy dress?

I guess I just don't get it and that is fine with me. There is such amazing music out there, why this crap is held up by the Grammy's...it is senseless. I am oddly (and secretly) glad U2 did not win. I know it would have "legitimized" their album and helped, blah, blah ,blah...but NLOTH is so above the level of the shite I heard last night. It made me question; Can Taylor Swift even sing? She was flat and tuneless.

What did you think? Did you enjoy it? What was the highlight and lowlight for you?

I was shocked at the amount of viewers (via @sonic1029 on the twitter: 26.6 million watch the Grammys last night - more than any year since 2001). SHOCKED. Apparently, I am the only one who loathed it. I am glad Phoenix was recognized. And Silversun Pickup's should have won even if they are not new. I will say Eminem was....well I am amazed at his talent, it was an amazing performance by him. He just blows Lil Wayne and Lil Drake out of the water.

One final note: Autotune? Are you fucking kidding me? If this is the future of music just shoot me now.

Song Du Jour: Crawl by Kings Of Leon

You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZkIBOAa4VY

"You're like Def Leopard and I'm like Enya..." ~ Sara Quin

My first concert of 2010 has set the bar pretty high! Tegan and Sara played the Jubilee auditorium for two nights and I was at the 2nd show last night. The opening band An Horse, who come from Australia, were also very engaging and I thought WOW so much sound from just two people. One Singer/guitarist and one drummer (very impressive) and they have really good, catchy songs. They joked that they were brought on tour so Tegan and Sara could watch and laugh as they froze in Edmonton in January. They were very funny and warm hearted.

We went for some beers in the lobby during the intermission and it was like a reunion we saw so many people we knew, it was lovely to see good friends!

Once we were settled the lights dimmed and a red screen descended from the stage and there they were: 2 wee girls surrounded by a ton of equipment. On stage all the band members wore red shoes (the drummer wore red flip flops--in January--in Edmonton, brave man) and it was as if we all just old friends getting together again after a long time apart. They changed guitars between each set and had 3, count 'em THREE, giant keyboards.



Tegan and Sara are talkative and engage the audience in a way I have not seen at a concert of this size before. They were witty, funny and gracious and made sure we were up out of our seats for some songs and comfortable throughout. Last time I saw them I was all crammed in standing room only at the Power Plant, it was nice to have a seat and breathing space to really enjoy the concert. They played a range of music. Lots of new stuff co-mingled with the old favourites I love and it was a great set list. The encore was amazing and my favourite part as it featured Call it Off, Back in Your Head, and ended with Living Room (linked in the title ^). It was such a treat.

There was one young girl who was yelling from the audience and was slightly embarrassing after a while. She asked Sara out and that got a bit of a conversation going. Tegan asked where she would take Sara on a date and the girl replied, "to my bedroom" and Sara replied, "I am not that kind of girl, I need dinner and a movie and to be romanced first."

Tegan told stories about her love addiction and prefaced many songs with anecdotes about the genesis of each. I really enjoyed this part, I love knowing where the inspiration for a song comes from. Tegan is a talker...she joked about the review of the 1st show in the paper and wondered aloud what loquacious meant. One audience member shouted, "Verbose" and another, "talkative" and she had to agree with the review...she does like to talk. I was grateful for it. How many times to you go to a concert and get to really hear from the band members in a meaningful way that is not just "Hello [insert city name here] we love you..."?

Great songs, incredible melodies, and such harmony that I found myself closing my eyes to soak them up just like the rays of the sun on a beautiful day. It warmed me and energized me. I had that "can't sleep concert rush" when I got home and had a hard time coming down off the music high. That is the signature of a great concert for me.

If you missed them you have a chance to see them again very soon as the news just came out that Edmonton will be part of the Lilith Fair concerts this summer and Tegan and Sara will be sharing the stage with an incredible array of talented women.

Song Du Jour: Miracle Drug by U2

Sometimes I wish I was dead. I'll be okay, I guess, 'cause I'm lookin' up. Lookin' for something to fall

So we went and saw Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire and I struggled to watch the really hard parts. It was the best movie...which seems somehow wrong to say...it was the most provocative movie I have seen, but I haven't seen Hurt Locker, it doesn't open until next week here. With Precious you see a stripped down, raw, and tender glimpse into a young woman's life. A woman who is told she has no worth but just refuses to listen. It will inspire you --no....Precious will rip your heart out and remind you to LIVE your life to the fullest. You will be transported back into the late 80's to Harlem where giggles and laughs are hard to find but when they come they are pure joy. The scenes with Mary the Mother from HELL are riveting. Mo'Nique should win the oscar --hands down. She plays a woman so completely convinced of her own distorted reality that I was blown away.

Not recommended for the softies out there, violence is part of their lives every day, and to walk with Precious through her life from day to day will wind you. It's the kind of movie you have to sit back in your chair after the credits roll and take a moment to let it all sink in. Powerful to the point that I thought how grateful I was for my screwed up life....Go see it!

This is going to be my pick for best movie of 2009. This and Up in a weird top 2 list. Everything else I have seen...from Avatar to Sherlock Holmes (maybe in my top 5 because of Guy Ritchie, but I hate a movie that just leads to a freaking sequel) to what ever other regurgitated scripted crap hollywood churned out---this is the one to see.

Song Du Jour: Born On The FM Waves Of The Heart by Against Me! (with Tegan! can't wait to see the Tegan and Sarah concert tomorrow night!!)

"Only the dead have seen the end of war... "

You know how normally you go to a movie to escape reality? The movie Brothers is no escape. It is incredibly heart wrenching, profound, complicated, violent and in a word, real.

And that is why you should go see it.

The tension between father and son (and father and daughter) is portrayed so vividly that I squirmed in my chair in the uncomfortable and pregnant silences. I have to admit I went to see this movie because I saw the trailer months ago and got goosebumps because they featured Bad by U2. That song brings so much emotion with it, and then to know Jim Sheridan was involved, well I knew it was a must see. Winter, a song soon to be nominated for an Oscar, is perfect in this movie and puts an end to the movie that left me breathless.

There were some firsts for me at the theatre last night...it is the first time I have seen the cops arrest someone at a theatre. Then, because I was about 1/2 an hour early, I was killing time in the lobby when security dragged another person from a theatre, all this drama and the previews hadn't even rolled.

During the movie, another first, a lady sitting behind us bolted from the theatre in tears, horrified. There is considerable violence in this movie...emotional and physical violence . One scene in particular, the one that had that lady running for the door clutching her tummy and sobbing, depicts a marine trying to get back to his family at any cost. The cost might be to dear.




The Brothers motif could have been reinforced with a few scenes from their past which would have made me connect to them as brothers. As it is, the sibling relationship does not develop fully or resonate the way I think Sheridan really wanted it to. I think that he almost had it because Tommy, Jake Gyllenhaal, tells the children about a time when he saved his brother from the river...this would have worked well if there had been one extra scene depicting that for recall later in the movie when the troubled Tommy has to wade into metaphorical waters and save him from drowning again. I wish that had been developed more.

The movie sort of falls short on dialogue...and doesn't really gel because it left me empty at the end and wondering a bit what was the point. BUT, the performances are spectacular and I hope they get oscar nods. Toby Maguire as Cpt. Sam Cahill is one scary mofo but the script lets him down I think. Bailee Madison, as the oldest of Sam's 2 daughters is so riveting I think we may see a lot of this young actor. She managed to show us the emotions behind her emotions on screen. Incredible. Really incredible.

So go see this movie for the U2 songs and for the performances and prepared to be assaulted by some real people in real situations with real problems. There is no fantasy here. It is raw and will leave you in the same state.

For the U2 nerds like me: Bad is the version off Wide Awake In America with additional lyrics "Come On Down", at the end. Winter is a different version than the one used in Anton Corbijn's movie Linear. The soundtrack version of Winter has more piano it, no strings and really captures the films rawness. But you have all heard it already this week so you already know. Go see the movie and then tell me which version you like better.

Song Du Jour: U2's Bad (Wide Awake in America version) live in 1985:

You Tube
Lyrics

Photo: Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brothers Photo belongs to all rights reserved: Lionsgate

"I was born to sing for you, I didn’t have a choice, to lift you up"

My 2009 CONCERT SEASON

I honestly think that our broken economy was brought back to life with a "b-zolt" from the Modern Rock Defribulator! The sheer number of concerts and all the amazing bands who toured this year must have had some impact. I could barely keep up and even though I saw Blink 182 and Green Day for free (Thanks Sonic 102.9 and Veronica and Clint)--like a pumpkin on the street come Nov. 1st I smashed my concert budget wide open this year.

Here is my Top 10 list of concerts from 2009. This was THE busiest freaking concert season so many of the peeps I saw didn't even get on the list. I missed No Doubt and Moby...but I imagine they'd be on this list if I had gone. Sad I missed out.

1. October u2 360 Las Vegas (BEP) - GA for the first time - nothing compares.

2. June 18 Coldplay (Snow Patrol) - almost as good as a U2 concert! And Snow patrol were great too. I have waited a long time to see these 2 bands...incredible show...The Hardest Part made me tear up...
3. August 12 Kings of Leon (The Whigs) HOLY CRAP this was a great show!

4. August 14 Silversun Pickups (Manchester Orchestra and Cage the Elephant) Just go see them.

5. Sept 5 - Sonic Boom Franz Ferdinand Taking Back Sunday, Metric, Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, Girl Talk, IllScarlett, The Wet Secrets, uss Special shout out to Ill Scarlet here...they blew me away! They alone were wicked! (I saw them again at the Starlite room with USS and they can get a crowd moving in a way that is incredible)

6. August 29 Oasis (Ryan Adams & The Cardinals)
7. Sept. 26 Gaslight Anthem, althought I hate, hate that venue...grumble, grumble...)

8. April 27 The Killers (Wild Light)

9. March 13 - Faunts

10. July 6 Green Day (Bravery) The Bravery sucked live which broke my heart, I am hoping they will tour again and come back and redeem themselves. Got to see soundcheck with GD!

Honourable mention: July 31 Blink 182 (FOB) (because it was a great show and Travis Barker...amazing, I am surprised they are on this list too by the way, the energy was amazing at the concert I got all caught up.)

The worst concert: The award for most disappointing goes to Stone Temple Pilots...and I was soooo excited to see them, they were not excited to be here. or be on the road, or be on the stage and you could tell. Love their music. Sad their energy was so lackluster

Song Du Jour: Catch and Release By Silversun Pickups.
Swoon was my 2nd favourite Album of 2009 after No Line on The Horizon By U2
Concerts already booked for 2010:
Tegan and Sarah in January. Vampire Weekend, Muse & Silversun Pickups in March! U2 x3 in June and July, you'll only understand if you've seen them live, and Sasquatch! I can hardly wait!

"...20 minutes in that shop defined our sound as a band..." Mr. The Edge

I went to see the movie It Might Get Loud last night and, like every other motion picture I have watched at the Princess, I loved it! You are instantly transformed into voyeur and you get to delve into the lives that created Rock Gods.

You get to revisit places with them, see the look on their faces as they walk the halls they once recorded in...see the place where they laid down the tracks that changed music. The Jack White "together at different ages" was odd, but whatever. Getting to hear them all play together was riveting.

As a music fan I loved the discussion about hand made guitars (Jack White is officially the MacGyver of guitars) and getting to see the first guitars these gentlemen owned was very compelling because it showed that genius comes from any little spark.


As a U2 fan (obsessed sans frontiers) this movie takes you into the magic world of Mr. The Edge and his own obsession with music. There is sweet video of The Hype performing Street Mission and it is pretty classic and hilarious, I wasn't the only one who laughed out loud. Larry, drumming in a Red Jacket, looking about 12 years old is worth the price of admission. The fashion the Hype are sporting is just flamboyant enough to distract from the look of terror in their eyes as they perform, giving it their all.

This movie proved to me that even if you are not really sure --you should just follow your instincts. What if Jimmy Page had not broken away from session guitar playing to follow his own sound. What if the Edge has become a banker and didn't pursue whether or not he was a songwriter.
That he asked that question....that to me was a brilliant part of this movie. The Edge's insight into Sunday Bloody Sunday and what it took to write that song was like getting a peek behind the emotion that resonates in that song, to catch a view of what he was like at that age in a time of war in Ireland.

At one point he is at a kitchen table rooting through old cassettes and crams one in to a 1960 style tape player and out bubbles the creative genius behind Streets. I loved the whimsical look on his face when he recognizes what it is. The old recording is edited incredibly well with concert footage; Flash forward to the Elevation tour and Streets in concert, the crowd giving it back to them. Having just experienced being on the floor of a U2 concert for Streets I got goosebumps watching that crowd bounce in unison and the power of that riff...the sheer power of rock and roll.

If you have no idea what I mean about the power of a rock song then this movie is not for you.

If you have ever been to a gig and felt something in your soul crack wide open when that guitar plays then -- go see this movie! I mean now. GO. What are you still reading for, go! Off with you..look up the time the movie starts and just go! If you are in Edmonton it plays at The Princess 6:50 and 9 p.m.

Song Du Jour: U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (The Edge) - Live Popmart Santiago

"As some of you know, my wife left me after 17 hours of marriage, but I survived that because I live for music"

I like movies, I see a lot them. So far this year I have been wondering if every movie is going to be a horror movie...man, there are a crap load of those being made lately...shit even Martin Scorsese is making one called Shutter Island (I just saw the preview and the chicks sitting behind us screamed at the end of it, so that bodes well. Not for me...for Scorsese I suppose).

Anyhoo...there is this wee gem of a movie out there called Pirate Radio and if you like music you must see this. British humour is so smart and witty and well I just loved it from beginning to end. My favourite scene has no lines in it, features tea and cookies and 3 men on a couch, it is endearing and lovable. Glad they FINALLY released it here. Finally a wicked movie in a sea of shite.

Speaking of shite, I have a guilty pleasure you've read about it before on this very blog, I saw 2012. Not because I thought it was going to be a wicked movie, because it is not. If you want plot go see Pirate Radio. If you want excellent story telling rent Up. But if your goal is to delight in the downfall of civilization go see this freaking show. The visuals are stunning! I really enjoyed the amazing break up of the earth's crust...the screaming peeps, the death and remarkable destruction.

I just came back from Vegas so watching the Wynn crumble was really enjoyable. I really do have a soul, really I do, but I just love these movies for some reason that is beyond me. Bury the bar and you will enjoy this movie. Have no expectation and you will be wowed. I honestly thought the acting wasn't half bad (gulp) and watching the mean dude get it is satisfying. There are also some pretty funny parts where you are indeed laughing with them and not at them.

Also the new theatre at City Centre (Empire Theatre) Mall has really classed it up over there, you should check it out. They have flowers in the bathroom and everything. CLASSEH!

Song Du Jour - "Back Against The Wall" by Cage The Elephant