I have decided to start doing some video taping of shows (pre & post). This was my first attempt. There is some funny stuff there, but I couldn’t  include the pieces in their entirety because I was jerking the camera around so much. I’ll get better at it soon…

Around the 20 second mark – Sam Roberts confesses about his Flip Video recorder…
Around the 44 second mark – Steve Goold confesses about his heavy blog traffic and possible suspicions as to where the hits may be coming from…
Around the 55 second mark is video of the debut of our new song “Slow.Steady”

Sam and his band were really great! It was a lot of fun to play and hang out with them. Sam sent me home with some vinyl and some of his ideas about keeping shows interesting.

OFFICIAL SITE: http://www.ryanpaulandtheardent.com

I get to play with two musicians on the near horizon who I am quite fond of. The first is Sam Roberts… (the second will need it’s own blog entry)

Sam is is a Juno Award winning Canadian rock singer-songwriter, whose 2001 debut release, The Inhuman Condition, became one of the bestselling independent releases in Quebec and Canadian music history. He has the COOLEST story!
He was Born in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, to South African parents. He’s trilingual, speaking English, French, and Spanish. He married his high school sweetheart of 13 years.

I’ve been a fan of Sam Roberts since I heard Chemical City in 2006. I know his career spans longer than that. It is unfortunate that we don’t get to hear a lot of the cool Canadian bands in the States (Tragically who?!?).

So… If you haven’t heard Sam Roberts, check out this video:

Then Come See Us At the 7th St. Entry. November 24, 2009.

Ryan Paul
http://www.ryanpaulandtheardent.com

Since the first time I heard Sam Roberts back in 2002, he has always been one of my favorite artists. Recently we had the honor of meeting Sam when he and the band stopped into New York City for a show at the Gramercy Theater. Roberts is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. It’s always great to meet one of your musical heroes to find out they are one of the nicest people around. Enjoy the interview, I sure did.

At what point in your life did you think that music was something you wanted to pursue for a living?

I don’t remember what the exact age was that when it transformed from being something that I did into something that I thought I could do to sort of meet life’s more practical requirements. I just knew that at some point, getting a job would interfere with me devoting the time I thought need to be devoted to playing music and writing music. So I think when I really started to get into the writing side of things and realizing that was something I could do, that I thought I could do, and then maybe if I stuck to it then other people would connect with me somehow. Before that I just played, I just played because it was a natural instinct for me to always want to have an instrument in my hand. I grew up playing violin back home in Montreal so I was always playing one thing or the other. I never really thought of  it as a career and then I started, teenage angst cracked in and I started writing my first few songs, talking about your lost loves, you’re in grade 9 and you realize that other people share your painful experience. Then I thought well maybe this is something that I can do. Then it took another 10, 12 years to make it a profession. I’m holding on tight. I’ve got my white knuckles gripped on the rings trying to stay on this bucking bronco.

You were known for playing in Northstar, but when you released We Were Born in a Flame people really jumped on it. Were you really surprised?

After so many years, like I said, of trying and not succeeding, I was shocked by success, absolutely. Because it would have been much more rational on our part to assume that well after so many failures, you’re just going to continue; Not that I saw them as failures I just saw it as sort of part of the inherent injustice of the universe that people really get what we were trying to do. I never really took the blame, I didn’t really want to take the blame. Maybe it was the songs, maybe it’s someone in the band, it’s always someone . else’s fault. Then something kept telling us to keep trying and trying and trying. It happened in the most unlikely fashion. A demo tape was mailed to a radio station in Ottawa, and there was two competing radio stations in town and we mailed it to both of them. One started playing it then the other heard about it and they got into a bit of a showdown. And from there it spread across Canada, it didn’t make much of a dent down here, stateside, but I don’t think we could have scripted that entry into the world of successful musicians. I have no idea how it could happen, so be ready for anything. 

What inspires you to write a song? Is it always personal, or is it a story?

Both. They’re obviously personal experiences that for some reason I feel compelled to write into lyrics and share with other people. I think we all need to get those things off of our chest, and  for me music is how I do that. But it’s not always that, a song is also a vehicle for storytelling. I guess to some degree I can tear myself apart. Storytelling is based on the things you notice when you wake up and when you go to bed at night. It could be anywhere. You have to be open to seeing, to translating, to recognizing an experience that’s worth telling a story. But I think that’s something I’ve been developing more and more. At first all of my songs were personal. Then I realized you can tell just as much of a story though someone else’s eyes without pouring your heart open.

Is songwriting something that has always come natural for you?

No I had to work at it. I think if I looked back to my first few songs, my lyrics were very cliché, you probably heard them a thousand times before, but from any number of different  bands. It’s more about the drive to share something, and you can get better about how you go about the sharing. If you shy away from expressing yourself than you’re not going to be really good about writing songs. You have to hone your craft. I think it’s something I’ve gotten better at by practicing, but I still…you have to go back to the drawing board, with any craft. Not necessarily methodical about it but you have to practice at some degree.

Do you write any songs when you’re on the road?

No, but I gather stories, I gather the information. It can be a riff stuck in my head or a lyric or a line stuck in my head, a melody that repeats itself over and over and over again. When I go home I take that jumble of music and try to make sense of it.

Are you constantly writing songs or small handfuls for the record?

I think lately, before we started touring all the time which was 8 years ago, 9 years ago, I used to write…write a song here, write a song there, I had the luxury of time I suppose. But now  being on the road because I don’t write much while I’m on the road, I really have to make the most of the time when I’m not. I tend to write 10, 12, 15 songs, and that’s to me what defines an album. They have a cohesiveness, they reflect an unidentifiable piece of time not just bits and pieces. I like the unity that comes with that.

How long does it take you to record a whole album?

A long time! It does. Long gone are the days of Bob Dylan and Neil Young when they put out 2 records a year. There’s usually 2 years between record releases, so that’s become the average. A lot of that has to do with when the record comes out we go on tour. We’re on the road for at least a year, a year and a half. The last one I think took us about nine months from the beginning of the record’s recording. The next one? Your guess is as good as mine. I have no idea. I really don’t. I want to think it will be fast and efficient.

It never is.

I know!

What are the differences you see between Canadian music fans and U.S. music fans?

 We’ve had really good experiences on both side of the border, to the point where I don’t necessarily distinguish between them, I don’t think this is a typical Canadian audience, this is a typical U.S. audience. In our case there isn’t a noticeable distinction between the two because we have a huge audience in Canada, but when we play down here and we’ve been growing the past couple years, it’s just amazing. It’s rock and roll music and hopefully if you’re doing it right people are going to want to hear it.

One time I saw you play at this tiny music festival in Pleasantville, NY and I was like “What is Sam Roberts doing here?”

 Ohhh we’ve done some weird things! I remember that one! I got a photograph of us playing from behind the crowd. A woman knitting on a blanket, and the shot was taken between the knitting needles of me on the stage sweating it out up there. We’ll play anything for anyone who wants to listen.

 Such a weird choice!

 It was hot and humid and in the middle of summer, and people knitting, playing softball behind the stage. Not exactly your quintessential rock and roll festival moment, but it keeps it interesting I guess.

 How has the relationship changed within the band over time? You’ve seem to be playing with the same guys for a long time.

Since High School, you know. We’re obviously at the core of how we’ve managed to keep going and how we managed to stay excited about this opportunity to make this our life. To do this with your oldest and best friends is just meaningful to all of us. It allows us to have faith and be able to keep it together. It’s a positive force in our lives. So many bands have the seed of self destruction sewn into the heart of them whether it’s crashing with creative ideas or egos, or just the grueling lifestyle of being on the road and what that can do to you psychologically, it can drive wedges between people. It’s hard to live like that with anybody. So I think we’re very fortunate that we strong friendships that we value above and beyond any success we may or may not get from the band, so as long as we keep that in clear focus and make sacrafice. It’s hard when you grew up playing soccer with someone and allow the petty differences to interfere with that. It’s good because I know at least the guy’s got my back and vice versa. We don’t know how the next batch of songs are going to go, or how the next record is going to go, or how is it going to be received, will it be received it all? There are so many burdens, so many questions all the time that we can’t answer, but if you can trust in the people that you play with then it’s above and beyond the call of duty.

What’s your favorite part about being in the recording studio?

 Just those moments when something appears, as if by magic out of nowhere. Something that didn’t exist before. Forcing it’s way into a musician’s hands, through the people that are playing them, a voice, whatever it may be. That spark, to me, it’s magic, and it’s what you create, it’s why you always create, for it to be something. After the record and you’ve been there for 12 months or a year, then you’re ready to get back onto the road. For the first few times that it happens, there’s nothing quite like it. The song didn’t exist before, and all of a sudden it’s great.

 What’s your favorite and least favorite parts about being on tour?

 Well there’s the stuff you can talk about and the stuff that’s best not discussed! The hardest part for me is being away from home. I got two kids, and I’m married and I’m out here. I do it for me because it’s a passion of mine, but also now I’m doing it for them. It’s how I earn a living, it’s how I pay the bills. It’s a responsibility now that comes with it that at least gives me a sense of there’s a purpose beyond my own. It’s a fantasy to do what I do but at the same time in fulfilling that, I’m kept away from them. Even if it’s only for 2 weeks, kids grow up really fast in two weeks. So I just have to make up for it when I’m home, but I do love when I get to be home I’m there from morning to night. I like it.

 Do they go to your shows?

They do, they have those big headphones. When I just had my one daughter it was easy, but I have 2 now and it’s double the trouble.

You’ve won 6 Junos, do you ever get surprised by your recognition from the industry?

I think everybody fantasizes it. I’m not going to lie to you and say I don’t think about that. But giving an acceptance speech at an award show, like anyone else I fantasized about it. But we were so wrapped up in trying to get a break, once you’re involved in their pursuit for long enough, you stop thinking about those crazy fantastical moments, and have mini dreams that evolve from day to day. I forgot about that dream for a long time, and then all of a sudden it was ours. We had a hit song on the radio, and then a few of them, and then the next thing you know we’re giving a speech. Our first two years were so full of information and life experiences I’m still trying to untangle them and find out what the hell happened. Walking up there to accept it is just something. I think because we felt we really worked hard for it, that was our reward. A tip of the hat for sticking with it when we could of so easily thrown in the towel and stopped everything.

What’s your favorite song you’ve ever written?

That’s a hard one!  Every record I’m like “That’s the one, that’s the one!” I never know what will stand up for the test of time for me. Maybe “Bridge to Nowhere” if I picked a song out of hat right now. It’s hard. I like “Waking the Dead” too on the new record. But for me personally, it’s a song that’s more direct and personal. The one that’s closest to me.

You’ve done some great collaborations with K-Os and Mistress Barbara. How did you get involved in those?

When it comes along it has to be a song that I feel a connection to. Not just for the sake of doing it. K-Os and I are old friends, so that came pretty easy. He’ll bring me into the studio and fall asleep on the couch. I’ll do my thing and he’ll take what I’ve done and stretch it any which way he thinks is a good idea. Mistress Barbara just kind of contacted me like “I’m from your hometown, I’m a DJ” and I really liked the song and I was happy to do it. I like to get outside of what I’m doing. It’s rewarding. I’m happy people ask me.

What’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to you in tour?

Ah probably hitting a deer with our bus. It was one of the most jarring moments. In Northern Ontario and we were all pretty traumatized as we saw it flying into the highway, into the air. BANG! Like Rudolph the red noise reindeer. Then there was the time we were kidnapped by Albanian clowns.

I’m afraid to ask…

Yea you’re better off not knowing all of the details. Heavy duty clowns in Montreal.

Who’s your all time favorite artist?

 That’s a hard question, because it changes all the time. One day it’s Bob Dylan, another day it’s Ray Davies. If I listen to a great Kinks song I’m like “Kinks are my favorite!” if I listen to Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan then that’s my favorite. That’s a great thing about a record. My Dad’s record collection shaped some of my singing and songwriting. I got into The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, that was what was going on when I was a teenager. But I was into the Charltans, Spiritulized. Something about being a teenager and your music of the moment identifies you. Then it becomes your whole world. You chose your friends  based on your music, your clothes, everything, the way you talk, everything.

 10 years down the line, where do you see yourself?

Probably in the basement in the Blender Theater here still doing it, I hope. Actually I do see myself retired I Florida playing shuffleboard, prematurely perhaps, in a crushed velvet tracksuit. I’m prepared.

Saturday at Austin City Limits the rain came down and drenched Zilker Park. Festival goers went undeterred as the puddles turned into seas of mud. The first band I saw was Mute Math, who played a mean version of 
”Spotlight.” MUTE MATH mashes electronica and hard rock. These New Orleans musicians are excellent entertainers putting on quite the show. Lead singer and keyboardist Paul Meany literally did flips while playing his keys. Also MUTE MATH has a wonderful collection of interesting instruments from space-age synthesizers to wild effects pedal boards. Following Mute Math, I caught part of Canadian singer-songwriter Sam Roberts’s set under the tent. I heard someone describe Sam Roberts as the Canadian Bruce Springsteen and certainly the comparison seemed apt.

The rain really started to fall as Citizen Cope took the main stage. Despite the rain Citizen Cope served up some spectacular music. His laid back flip-flop rock lightened the mood with   “Back Together“
  and
  ”107°.”   And a mean version of the protest song “Bullet And A Target”  brought energy to the wet crowd.
 Clarence Greenwood aka Citizen Cope capped the set with the ballad  ”Sideways.”

Next Jamaican reggae superstar Eek-A-Mouse filled the Wildflower tent with reggae lovers and good vibes.  This unique singjay performed his smash hit  ”Ganja Smuggling”  to a most appreciative audience. Interesting enough the Mouse also performed a cover of Dolly Parton’s classic country song
 “Jolene.”  It was amazing. The Mouse soaked up the Texas outlaw sound dropping gun-slinging rhymes and rawhide whips.
 Eek-A-Mouse is quite the entertainer demanding crowd participation and ensuring sweet reggae grooves. With the crowd shouting “Irie” the Mouse dropped the reggae classic  ”Wa-Do-Dem” and closed with  ”Sensi Party.”

Mos Def performed on the AMD stage playing a red hot version of 
”Casa Bey”  from the new album The Ecstatic. The Brooklyn rapper also covered one of Bobby Brown’s love songs “Roni.”  The smooth voice and bass heavy beats of this young rhyme sayer leaves fans bobbing their heads.

Devotchka turned out to be the highlight of the evening. In fact, I consider Devotchka to be the nicest surprise at the festival this year. I knew certain bands would kick ass. But I wasn’t even planning on seeing Devotchka until some of my friends talked me into seeing them. The Denver-based band of gypsies rocked and rollicked. One amazing performing burlesque artist glided above stage on a giant red curtain. Devotchka includes multi-instrumentalists Nick Urata (vocals, guitar, trumpet), Tom Hagerman (violin, accordion), Jeanie Schroder (sousaphone, bass), and percussionist Shawn King. I highly recommend seeing this band. You will not be let down. Their music is beautiful and fun. One of my friends said she liked to listen to this band when she cleaned. I can see why. It doesn’t matter if your are cleaning or standing in the mud Devotchka deserves a listen.

The Dave Matthews Band headlined Saturday night. The group played my favorite song off the new album Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King entitled  ”Funny The Way It Is.” Also from the new album the boys kicked out “Shake Me Like A Monkey” and “Spaceman.”  The Dave Matthews Band played some classic tracks, including “Jimi Thing” and
 “Cornbread.”
 And after a brilliant cover version of the Talking Heads song “Burning Down The House,” launched into the crowd pleasers
 “So Much To Say,”  
”Ants Marching,” and  ”Two Step.”

Sam Roberts played the opening set for Lollapalooza on Sunday at 11:30am. It was blazing hot, the crowd was Canadian, and he still managed to put on a great show. Check out his album “Love at the End of the world”. Video posted below and here is a pic of Sam I snapped at Lollapalooza 2009.

The South Central Community Action Program has purchased three new trucks from Bloomington Ford using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The new Ford Escapes will be used by energy auditors in SCCAP’s Weatherization Program, which has received ARRA funds to provide energy efficiency improvements to 150 homes in Monroe County. These ARRA funds come from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.

Pictured in the photo above (from left to right) are  SCCAP Energy Auditor Frank Peacock, Bloomington Ford Commercial Sales Specialist Sam Roberts, SCCAP Weatherization Manager Bryan Berkley and SCCAP Energy Auditor Jason Hickman. Click on the picture for a closer look at one of SCCAP’s new vehicles.

Peacock and Hickman are new employees that SCCAP was able to hire using the ARRA funds. They are among five new employees hired in the SCCAP Weatherization Program with the stimulus funds.

Well it’s been quite a hectic week for me, but now that I finally have some time to sit down and relax I’d like to take this time to talk about what an amazing weekend I had last weekend. Yes, as depicted above it was the Montreal date of the Yellow Bird Project Indie Rock Coloring Book launch tour.

In case you haven’t heard about it yet, YBP joined forces with artist Andy J. Miller in creating the Indie Rock Coloring Book, in which each page is devoted to a different indie band or musician and you have to colour it in. Of course all the proceeds of the book sales go to all the charities that the bands support. But instead of telling you about it why not take a look at some samples.

Here is the page devoted to Devendra Banhart:

Here’s the page devoted to Andrew Bird:

You get the picture…

So the tour started in San Fransisco where the project’s two founders Matt and Casey set up shop at the Outside Lands Festival selling YBP T-shirts and coloring books.

Here’s a picture of YBP’s booth:

Afterward they had a party in San Fran where they drank like adults and coloured like children:

The next stop on the tour was in New York City where the YBP crew hosted a book launch party at Housing Works where they had Ra Ra Riot DJing and a solo performance by Elvis Perkins.

Here’s the guys from Ra Ra Riot Spinning tunes:

And here’s Elvis Perkins playing and donning a lovely YBP tee!

And finally, the gang came back to where it all started…Montreal. Fortunately I was able to attend this one and let me tell you it was amazing. As I was pulling up to the Drawn & Quarterly Book Store where the launch was taking place, Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak from the Dears crossed in front of my car. And they were walking with their adorable daughter Neptune, who is responsible for the design on their YBP tee.

There were books, juice, cookies and coloring at this kid-friendly event but the highlight was an amazing solo performance by Murray from the Dears.

Here’s Murray, Natalia and Neptune arriving at the book store (that’s me and White Blank Page standing at the door):

Here’s some of the kiddies colouring:

And here’s Murray doing what he does best:

Hey look who showed up for the festivities…Sam Roberts and his daughter!

Here’s Sam, his daughter, Matt and Casey from YBP and Murray and Natalia:

Afterward the guys asked me to put on the brand new shirt designed by Little Boots so that they could take some pictures for their site.

Here’s one of them (that’s me trying my best (and failing) to look like a model):

And then to cap it all off they had an after party where everyone could chat, drink and of course colour.

Fun:

So basically it was a really fun weekend! Oh and if you were interested in purchasing the latest Little Boots YBP tee you can find it here.

Well that’s all for now. Are you gearing up for fall and all the wonderful fall music? I am. Can’t wait. I already have made up my fall playlist on my ipod. It’s called “The Minor Fall” and on it you will find stuff from Band of Horses, Midlake, Department of Eagles, Grizzly Bear, Sea Wolf, Nurses and of course Nick Drake. There’s probably more, but yeah…excited for fall.

Two-part series airing Thursday August 27th and Thursday September 3rd @ 9 pm on CBC.

From cbc.ca:

This Beat Goes On chronicles a jukebox full of Canadian classics from Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown” to Trooper’s “Raise a Little Hell“. Narrated by Jian Ghomeshi of CBC Radio’s Q, the documentary is a combination of rare archival footage and candid interview clips with artists from the time such as Randy Bachman and Danny Marks, as well as interviews with current Canadian artists Serena Ryder and Sam Roberts.

The first hour focuses on the formative years: a time of shag hair, bellbottoms and chart-topping sounds of folk singers, blues artists and heavy metal rockers like Prism and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The decade starts out on a controversial note, with a government ruling forcing radio stations to play 30 per cent Canadian content. But the ruling soon pays dividends, laying the groundwork for the incredible rock ‘n roll era that was the 70s. And, the Juno Awards, launched under that name in 1971, create a star system for Canadian musicians who rock audiences and the charts from coast-to-coast.

The second hour of This Beat Goes On keeps the Canadian hit parade rocking, set to the tune of classics like Burton Cummings’ “Stand Tall” and Loverboy’s “Turn Me Loose“. The program documents Canadian music’s international breakthrough in the latter half of the 70’s. Solo artists like Joni Mitchell and progressive rockers such as Rush still rule but it is also a time for punk and new wave artists to push their way into the spotlight. Music sounds from around the world, including Celtic and reggae beats work their way into the Canadian mainstream. With guaranteed airtime at home, the Canadian rock revolution impacts audiences, both here and abroad.

(Editor’s note: while I’m sure this will be pvr-worthy, programs like this always manage to leave out a few of your favourites, right?  Just in case, I thought I’d raise a glass to one of my favourite Canadian bands of the ’80s, Doug and the Slugs. Was lucky enough to see the late Doug Bennett and the boys in concert twice. A great live act.

When you meet Sam Roberts in person he is the antithesis of a rock star; soft spoken, polite, attentive – when he speaks to you, you are quite literally the only person in the room. But there is an intensity there too just below the surface, and it comes boiling up and out the second that Sam steps out onto stage with his band.

I’ve heard nothing but positive things about Sam Roberts Band live and the show I attended the other night proved that everything I’ve heard is an understatement!

Ten minutes before show time, venue security was suddenly beefed up and you could feel the anticipation mounting. Five minutes before show time, the fans were on their feet but still respecting the boundary line between audience and security personnel. One minute before show time and eager fans were pressed up against the fencing, with the security personnel on the opposite side. There was no element of danger to it though; it was all in good fun … and then bang! the show started.

Read the entire review HERE

Sam Roberts Band website
Sam Roberts Band Myspace

And a road trip in the forecast!

As the hours tick down to home-o’clock on this Friday afternoon, I’m pretty stoked about my weekend.  We were going to hit up Sunfest in Duncan tonight to see the Trews et al, but instead it’s going to be a chill night of delicious dinner and Startrek at the Imax!  (My nerd heart is aflutter!)

On the menu?  My ongoing search for zucchini recipes leat me to this little delight… the Zucchini Tart.  Oh yes.  I’m taking advantage of the cooler weather of the last few days to fire up my oven and bake dinner.

2 small zucchini (one yellow, one green)
2 leeks (white and light green parts)
1 lb red potatoes, ultra-thinly sliced
9″ pie crust (yes, I caved and bought the pastry at the store this time)
3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
fresh dill (to taste)
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
Olive oil
kosher salt and cracked pepper
parchment paper

Pre-cook the leeks & zucchini until tender, remove from heat.  Mix with potatoes, feta, dill, salt and pepper.  Roll out (if needed) the pastry onto parchment paper. Dump onto the pastry, leaving 2-3 inch border.  Fold pastry up to create a ‘basket’, brush with egg and sprinkle with more dill & salt.  Transfer parchment paper onto cookie sheet, bake for 55 min at 375F.

Tomorrow morning, it’s stage 1:  Victoria to Cumberland for the Big Time Out.  It’s got the two headliners from BC Day at Deer Lake Park, Mother Mother and Sam Roberts, plus Dehli to Dublin,  Sex With Strangers and a few Victoria bands Jets Overhead, Vince Vicarro and The Raccoons.  Even if it’s just a one day festival, seeing music outdoors gets me excited to the point of asking for a “HELLS YES!”  (as opposed to a hell yeah, because that would be far too country. Ha.)

We’re camping overnight, then it’s stage 2: Cumberland to Vancouver to see Kings Of Leon!  Suh-weet.  It wasn’t until I saw them at Sasquatch that I was convinced about KOL, but they won me over big time.

For Stage 3: Vancouver to Victoria, we’re taking the ferry back first thing Monday morning for the return to work.  I don’t even mind because… (trumpet fan fare here) The Silver Sun Pickups are playing a tiny acoustic show AT the station.  Sorry, at the ballet studio which is attached to the station.  Ef yeah!  Then, Monday night, Cage the Elephant, the Manchester Orchestra and the SSPs are playing a show.

4 shows in 3 days… I’m in love with Rock n’ Roll road trips.

I have my U2 tickets firmly in hand (actually, they’re safely tucked away with my ‘most prized possessions’ so I wouldn’t lose them when I moved) and I can hardly wait for October 27th. Or is it October 28th? Doesn’t matter. I’m off to Vancouver to see my favorite band in concert; never mind that it’s a 5 hr drive to get there – each way. I’ve gone to Portland Oregon, in December, in an ice storm to see U2. I’ve flown to Hawaii to see U2… it’s been a tradition to not miss their show since the Joshua Tree tour all those years ago … so a mere 5 hrs is nothing.

Collective Soul tickets went on sale this morning and as much as I like the band, I had to debate buying a ticket. The show is in Vancouver – 5 hrs away.  Yes the band has two new singles out; Staring Down and Welcome All Again, yes the band has a new album due out August 25th, yes the band is currently on tour, and soon to be inducted into the Georgia Rock Hall of Fame (mid September), and yes they’re in my ‘top 5 bands of all time’ list – but… its 5 hrs away!

I jest   Of course I bought a ticket. It was a hard choice though – mainly due to the fact that their show is too close to the U2 concert date to make two trips down in that short of a time period, but too far apart to stay the week+ to cover both shows in one trip. Also due to the fact that I just saw them in March; two shows back to back at the local casinos. (U2 only tour every 4-6 yrs). Also due to the fact that casino shows are reserved seating and more intimate, and this show is in a nightclub -which means hours of standing in line to get in, standing on the dance floor through 2 or even 3 opening acts, standing during the Collective Soul concert (which is the only part we’d be standing for at a casino gig), and of course, dealing with drunken fools on the dance floor same as last time… It all combined to make me actually think about it, rather than ‘just do it’. But of course – it’s Collective Soul. And so I bought my ticket.

It got me thinking though – how far am I willing to travel for music? And what music am I willing to travel that far for? Being 5 hrs from Vancouver doesn’t afford me a lot of opportunities to see main acts locally, but Kelowna is not bad for music and only 45 minutes away. I’m going to Salmon Arm this weekend to see Sam Roberts – that’s only an hour away. Generally though, its going to be a road trip to Vancouver, and barring a snow storm, I’m quite willing to drive that far for my top 5 bands.

-U2 of course. Always has been my favorite band, always will be. Not too keen on their last album, No Line on the Horizon, but with a 25+ yr back catalog to choose from, and with a show that stops at nothing short of pleasing the audience every time, I wont miss them till they’re too old to keep doing it, or I am

-Collective Soul – in the three years since I first saw this band, they’ve improved ‘on stage’ by leaps and bounds. They’re professional, down to earth, humble, real. I’ve seen Ed (singer) mad at the world or at his roadies, but he wont let the fans down and neither will the rest of the band.

-Tom Cochrane – I didn’t grow up loving Tom but I grew to love him, his way about things, his stage show, his music. He’s one of the few people that can get an audience to sing without even trying hard (Bono is tops for that imho). He’s also one of the few people I’ve seen get a standing ovation and encore set – when he’s been the band on first, not the head liner.. he literally stole the show. Gives it all he has each and every time.

-Mobile – Mat the singer, is intense. Goes out into the audience. Strains to give every ounce of himself to the audience. He’s topped only by the rest of the band   I’ve only seen Mobile in concert once, before I knew who they were. It was such an incredible show that the very next day I went out and bought both their albums. Am eagerly awaiting the third which they’re currently in studio recording.

-Sam Roberts – same sort of intensity as Mat, as Tom, as Ed, as Bono – won’t quit until the audience has recieved what they paid for – notice a theme here yet? Sam is an incredible live performer – his Cd’s don’t do him justice; they can’t capture his very essence.

And someone else I’d travel 5 hrs to see (and haven’t seen live yet which is why they’re not in the top 5) is Seether/Shaun Morgan. I think I’ve missed something by not seeing Seether live yet. But one day I’ll get there.

So… how far would I go for music that moves me? As far as I have to… how far would you or have you gone?

Sam Roberts, the Arkells and Mother Mother played Deer Lake Park last Monday. And while the bands were good, the venue was even better. Full review here.

Thank effin baby jesus that this is a short week.  I won’t bring you (or me) down by listing all the reasons why work is shit this week.  Instead, I’m throwing in a list of things that are keeping me going.

First off, this:

Shakespearean Metal?  Hi there.  You’re hilarious.

Next up, the weekend I just had.  I’m sad not to have any pictures of the amazing Pink Palace Party… but it was fab.  Super hot during the day, but Natalie sacrificed all semblance of comfort and dryness to man the BBQ, everyone sun baked while trying on dresses and tops from Olivia and Clare’s funky closets, and when the kegs of beer arrived they were VERY welcome.  There was beer-pong, girl and boy bits on display, and a lot of drunk, happy fundraisers!

Sunday I saw two great friends get hitched.  It was a beautiful ceremony, a beautiful yet casual reception, and I made a lot of new friends.  There were some seriously RICH people at the wedding… they scared me a little.  But the Radio kids were, of course, an entertaining bunch.

Jill, the bride, was stunning.  Man that woman is beautiful, and her dress was so classy… Josh just looked plain happy.  I don’t think I stopped grinning the whole night, and I still smile when I think about it.

Monday with Sam Roberts was… well, it was Monday with Sam Roberts.  A lot of Denim and a lot of love.  Deeelightful.

There was a real crowd of Demi-Douches in front of us… not quite full douches, but close.  They were very jocky, very rowdy, and all standing in a hug chain swaying in time to Sam… I wish for a camera at times like these, but I think Tindy got a few choice shots of them.  Also there were a few of them grinding along to Sam.  Seriously, where do you think you are, the Roxy? Ok, ok.  Stop judging, Price.  Judging = bad.

Next, I would like to pay homage to three things that are very Canadian: CBC Radio 3, The Dudes and Partying.  Here are all three combined in a fun-times video.  Plus wrestling.

Ok, I’m smiling again.  Thanks for sharing!

So this morning I’m setting off with a few friends to Chicago for the mighty Lollapalooza Festival at Grand Park, so you wont be hearing much from me until I get back on Monday.  I figured I’d start the trip off with some videos from bands I’ll be seeing at the shows, and hopefully I can get some decent quality videos with my camera while I’m there too.  Stay tuned.

Tool

Kings of Leon

Jane’s Addiction

Ben Harper

Lou Reed

Fleet Foxes

Andrew Bird

The Decemberists

Ben Folds

Bon Iver

Coheed & Cambria

TV on the Radio

Band of Horses

Silversun Pickups

Sam Roberts

Vampire Weekend

Portugal. The Man

Kaiser Chiefs

The Canadian rock singer and his band: Sam Roberts Band. Bronson Centre ,Ottawa 2009.

Click here to see the photos of this memorable show!

Okay, we all know about Rock Band.  In fact, unless you’re living under a rock (or North Korea), I think it would be fairly difficult to find anyone who doesn’t.  But that’s not the point I’m trying to make…kinda.  The makers of Rock Band and Guitar Hero seem to be vexed on putting a crap load of metal into their games.  While that’s not bad, it makes the hardest tiers unbearable for people (like me) who dislike metal.

Because of this, I created my own list of songs that should be in Rock Band.  From Indie Pop to Hard Rock, this list has it all–well not really.  It’s actually quite limited.  The list features bands like Collective Soul, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Third Eye Blind, and Band of Horses. As always, lemme know what you think should be added to the list!

Check it out after the jump!

Artist – Title of Song – Album

As Fast As – Florida Sunshine – Open Letter To the Damned
Band of Horses - Is there a Ghost? – Cease to Begin
Band of Horses – Islands on the Coast – Cease to Begin
Barenaked Ladies – One Week – Stunt
Barenaked Ladies – It’s All Been Done – Stunt
Ben Kweller – This Is War – Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller – The Rules – On My Way
Blind Melon – No Rain – Blind Melon
Collective Soul - Where the River Flows – Collective Soul
Collective Soul – December – 7even Year Itch
Counting Crows – 1492 – Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings
Counting Crows – Cowboys – Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings
The Cranberries – Zombie – No Need To Argue
Dave Matthews Band – Funny The Way It Is – Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King
Dave Matthews Band – What Would You Say - Under the Table and Dreaming
Dr. Dog – The Ark – Fate
Foo Fighters – Learn to Fly – Learn to Fly
Foo Fighters - All My Life – One By One
Foo Fighters – Times Like These – One By One
Gin Blossoms – Til I Hear it From You – Empire Records OST
Guster – Amdsterdam – Keep it Together
Guster – Barrel of a Gun – Lost and Gone Forever
Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta – Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?
John Butler Trio – Funky Tonight – Grand National
John Butler Trio – Fire in the Sky - Grand National
Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire – Only By the Night
Marching Band – For Your Love – Spark Large
Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s – Quiet As a Mouse – The Dust of Retreat
Modest Mouse - Dashboard - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Monty Are I – In This Legacy - Wall of People
Our Lady Peace – Supersatellite – Naveed
Radiohead - Just – The Bends
Radiohead – Paranoid Android – OK Computer
REM - It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) – Eponymous
REM - What’s the Frequency, Kenneth – Monster
Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes – More Adventurous
Rogue Wave – Lake Michigan – Asleep at Heaven’s Gate
Sam Roberts – Love at the End of the World – Love at the End of the World
The Silent Years - No Secrets – The Silent Years
Spin Doctors – Two Princes – Pocket Full of Kryptonite
Sugarcult – Memory – Palm Trees and Power Lines
Stereophonics – Devil – Language, Sex, Violence, Other
Still Water – Fever Dog – Almost Famous OST
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Me and Mia – Shake the Sheets
Third Eye Blind – Graduate – Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind – Blinded – Out of the Vein
Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind
Vampire Weekend - A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
The Wombats - Let’s Dance to Joy Division - A Guide to Love, Loss, and Desparation

from http://samrobertsband.com

Though I plan on focusing primarily on blues lyrics in this blog, I’m starting out with an examination of Canadian rocker Sam Roberts.  An incredibly talented songwriter, he’s composed all the music and lyrics on his band’s three albums.  It doesn’t take much listening before a clear pattern begins to emerge in his work, through various devices and themes he continually explores purifying and destructive natures. 

Like many blues artists, Roberts’ songs often focus on sin and the refusal to repent.  What Roberts’ does seem to have faith in is individual spirit and a righteousness that comes from remaining true to that spirit.  He has great sympathy for the revolutionaries and the questioners of society.  “It’s alright to get caught/Stealing back what you’ve lost” he says.  If it’s not a crime if it’s committed for the right reasons, repentance is unnecessary.  In fact, in such a case to repent would be to compromise one’s self.  If a revolutionary were to admit he was wrong to steal back what was taken from him, he would be justifying the oppressor.  The sin then lies with the organization that would make the individual feel guilty for his actions. 

Roberts exhibits a contempt for blind acceptance of religion, “I’ve been sold down the river/And I’ve been told that Jesus delivers/But don’t believe everything that you bleed.”  He seems to feel betrayed because religion has failed to deliver him.  A belief in Jesus has not kept him from being sold down the river and so he no longer believes in the religion that has been instilled him.  Yes, Christianity is based around the idea that Jesus bled and died for humanity’s sins, but as far as Roberts can tell this has not prevented any suffering in this world.  And he is certainly not willing to believe in something merely because it is his heritage, (or in his blood so to speak).  Also, religion often requires one to suffer in order to atone for sins or attain spirituality.  But Roberts suggests that just because something is bled for does not mean it is inherently virtuous.

Here’s Roberts’ performing “Up Sister”, the song I quoted above.

I recall, about 4 to 5 years ago, how obsessed I was with music videos. Sure the music was nice … maybe even great, but what I enjoyed most were the visuals. I used to draw up little concepts and key frames in notepads, and whenever we had career planning assignments I’d go on and on about how excited I was about my future as a music video director! However, that ended … as sad as unfulfilled childhood dreams can, this isn’t too sad, because I still have quite the liking for music videos. And so, I have this little gem to share with everyone!

This is Misstress Barbara featuring the oh-so-grand Sam Roberts, in a very authentic song – the music video is very creative not only in it’s basic “back to beginning” concept, but notice the clean colour editing, the stops matching the beat … splendid! Anyway, enjoy folks!