Palio-rama

Found this page devoted to the Siena contrade, the neighbourhoods that take part in their annual Palio horse-race. This has been going on for centuries, and leads to huge rivalries and neighbourhood pride or shame. The page features the cool medieval devices and theme songs for each contrada.

From D'oh! to Woo Hoo! in 7 seconds...

Thursday mornings are when I peruse eye's concert listings in the hopes of finding a concert that I might be willing to attend (I'm not a big concertgoer). Today I nearly flipped after noticing a listing for "Sugar Ray and the Bluetones." Skeptical of the $18 tickets, however, I checked the web and deduced that, sadly, this isn't a double-bill of the major-label schlockers and my luvvy Bluetones, but instead some local blues bar-band. Feh.

But wait, what's this? Nearer the bottom of the page, a listing that I almost skipped over! The Wedding Present, Lee's Palace. $15 Apr 26. YES!

Red Vs. Black/White/Green

This brilliant little mash-up reminds me a lot of my my old favourite Red Vs Blue. And for what it's worth, the Superfriends/Office Space rethink is great as well.

Mmmmm, mash.

The Luckies Are Coming! The Luckies Are Coming!

O frabjous day! In fact, o frabjous MAY! As if it weren't enough to have plans for my big, nerdy birthday party, I now hear news of a forthcoming North American Lucksmiths tour! Just in time for t-shirt weather!

For those not in the know, the Luckies are THE BEST BAND EVER. (Seriously - don't give me none of that "Beatles" or "Rolling Stones" guff.) They are witty and talented and a must-see live. (NB: Must-see-quotient increases if the venue provides delicious free donuts.)

Candle's schedule shows the following shows listed:
Friday April 29th - Knitting Factory, Los Angeles
Saturday April 30th - Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco
Sunday May 1st - Make-Out Room, San Francisco
Wednesday May 4th - Sunset Tavern, Seattle
Friday May 6th - Shuler's Books, Grand Rapids
Saturday May 7th - PA's Lounge, Boston
Sunday May 8th - Knitting Factory, New York
Monday May 9th - The Khyber, Philadelphia
Tuesday May 10th - DC9, Washington DC

Current and prospective Lucksmiths fans should know that the dates and venues are likely to change as the dates get closer. Follow my lead; rather than book the dates off work for your roadtrip, give notice that you'll be booking some dates off work for your roadtrip!

As per usual, I've emailed Candle Records impresario Chris "Crouchy" Crouch to encourage his scheduling of a Toronto gig. While I'm all out of lovely parting gifts, I'm hoping Dazza will put in a good word to the boys for me and my comfy, comfy couch (though it might be a restraining order instead... Can you tell I get a bit excitable about my Aussie "sing-ists"?)

Buh-Bye

Canada became a better country in which to live today, with the deportation of loudmouth Holocaust-denier Ernst Zundel. Awaiting him in Germany will be a welcome paddywagon and a criminal trial. As the CJC representative said, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

As he leaves us, I leave you with a typically meatheaded Ernstie quote. Note that the bold is my own snarky addition:
"Canada has become an absolutely Stalinist, repressive, censorship-happy society, if you are a dissident."