2006: live-wise (music-wise)

Broken Social Scene - this show was in Halifax during the hooplah-cane of Canadian musicality that is known as Juno weekend. which meant that pretty much the entire BSS super team were on-hand to crowd the stage; even whatsher-Feist. they played a pretty long set, including just about every song from their latest album. about halfway through i started playing a little song-by-song tally game. (ok...3 guitars, 2 trumpets, 4 vocals, 2 drummers, etc.etc.etc.). it was a big show in every sense of the word. towards the end i really had to pee but was afraid i'd miss my song so i stayed and squirmed and prayed. this gave new meaning to the words "It's All Gonna Break".

Chad Vangaalen - the first time i saw CVG was at the Pop Explosion 2 years ago; which i assume i enjoyed but barely remember due to excessive consumption. this time i was a little more sensible and it was a slightly more intimate venue. this guy is fucking awesome. strumming and shreiking and harmonica-ing and foot pedal drumming his weirdly catchy little songs all by himself (towards the end he was joined by some other players, but it was his stage, his law). an excellent show with plenty of babes who wouldn't talk to me. (Warning!! to the shitbag scenekids who'd rather stand up front horsing around to get seen than actually watch this guy perform his songs...i remember your stupid haircuts and i will make our next meeting impossibly uncomfortable and morbidly embarrassing. for you.)

TV On The Radio - these guys were great. packed house, lots of energy, great musicianship, interesting banter, catchy songs and even a shout out to Hall and Oates. one of those shows where you leave feeling totally fucking juiced. A++.

the Freaky Blind Guy who was singing "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago in the Guy-Concordia Metro station - absolutely mind blowing.

Dinosaur Jr. - i was half drunk, half running, and all the way stoked-as-hell; just minutes from the Marquee Club and Dinosaur Fucking Junior; when i reached in my pocket and realized that i forgot my fucking earplugs. i could see them, sitting on my desk (well not MY desk really because i was staying at someone's place because i was kind of in-between homes at the moment, but anyway). i stopped for a second and weighed my options. go to the show and guarantee myself semi-permanent ear damage? or not go to the show and wake up every morning in a sea of bile and spew and preventable self-hatred for the rest of my days. so i did the responsible thing and stood a foot and a half away from the stage and got my ears reamed by all the songs that my ears have been begging to get reamed by since before i could sprout facial hair. it was feirce. the noise was punching my organs. J looked like a cross between Gandalf the Grey and a guitar with legs. fucking perfect. also, the ringing is starting to fade a little.