scottieking

in.

Whoh, whoh, whoh Dave-O. You and me gots lots in common, but I ask you to reconsider, good sir (sorry I've been watching alot of Deadwood lately)

The Weakerthans are more than their live show and Reconstruction Site. Left and Leaving, their 2nd album in 2000 I believe, stands still today as one of my top ten Canadian albums. Lyrically brillant, a swinging back and forth of sickly sweet ballads and punk poetry, I urge you to seek this out (perhaps Mr. Taylor has?)

Some examples of their lyrical prowess

1. Everything Must Go!

Garage Sale. Saturday. I need to pay my heart's outstanding bills. A cracked-up compass and a pocket watch, some plastic daffodils, the cutlery and coffee cups I stole from all-night restaurants, a sense of wonder (only slightly used), a year of two to haunt you in the dark, a wage-slave forty-hour work week (weighs a thousand kilograms, so bend you knees) -- comes with a free fake smile for all your dumb demands, the cordless razor that my father bought when I turned 17, a puke-green sofa, the outline to a complicated dream of dignity, and a laugh (too loud and too long). For a place where awkward belongs, or a phone call from far away with a "Hi, how are you today", and a sign that recovery come to broken ones. Or best offer.

4. Pamphleteer.

I'm standing on this corner. Can't get their attention. Facing rush hour faces turned around. I clutch my stack of paper, press one to a chest, then watch it swoop and stutter to the ground. I'm weary with right-angles, abbreviated daylight, and waiting for a winter to be done. Why do I still see you in every mirrored window, in all that I could never overcome? How I don't know what I should do with my hands when I talk to you. How you don’t know where you should look, so you look at my hands. How movements rise and then dissolve, melted by our shallow breath. How causes dance away from me. I am your pamphleteer. I walk this room in time to the beat of the Gestetner, contemplate my next communique. The rhetoric and treason of saying that I'll miss you. Of saying "Hey, well maybe you should stay." Sing "Oh what force on earth could be weaker than the feeble strength of one *" like me remembering the way it could have been. Help me with this barricade. No surrender. No defeat. A spectre's haunting Albert Street. I am your pamphleteer.

As for Gordie, I've always considered what he did as the equivilant of vocal noodling, riffing until he found that perfect solo. Can't comment on last night though.

Why are all these awesome festivals in June?!?!? I'm not free until July!!!

Birthday

Revoly

And

Debauchery

for you on this day, big guy.

I'll have to give a happy b-day at the riv-o-lay on Sat-ur-day. K, Mary?

I saw it last night too. I've read the books and saw it with someone who has yet to like a comic book adaptation. We both loved it. It was panel for panel the books and all parties involved (actors, directors, CGI, cinematography) did their jobs.

People are going to be blown away.

That is awesome. Congratulations on all your hard work. Heads getting ahead!

Guess who's got a conference in T-dot this weekend? Awesome. Can't wait.

I believe the quote was well kept, Rodeo. Settle down.

Smengy may be regional. It's definitely a Grand Bend thing. By the way, you can have a smengy (sh-men-hard g-ee)of anything, but it usually refers to drugs.

Are you hot blooded?

Check it and see.

Sgarlic, thanks again for your pre-trip recommendations. Portillo's was so good. I'm back at school but still riding high off our trip.

POG, it is flying isn't it? Can't wait.

This puppy is long, folks, so here are the chapter readings for those just looking for show reviews.

A Very Good Friday

Lost in Wrigglyville

The Duo Review

Eyes Gazing Upwards and Da food

Saturday Night Part 1 – Sid (story of the weekend)

Saturday Night Part II – Converted to a New Faith on Easter – The Umphrey’s Review

Saturday Night Part III – Blues Time

Final Thoughts

Never had Port Huron held such appeal to any man (or men) as myself and Guigsy prepared to embark on our weekend of music and mayhem in the Windy City. The knowns: Bennevento/Russo on Friday, Umphrey’s McGee on Saturday’s. The unknowns: pretty much everything else. The ease of the border crossing once again made us question why we chose not to smuggle, but the prospect of career loss on my part and the 2003 run-in at the Maine border is always enough to convince me that this is always the right decision. Something will work out and as it would turn out, it did to the effect of being the trip’s top story. This truly was going to a weekend in which Chicago would provideth. However onward…..

A Very Good Friday

Heading into Jesusland on Good Friday gave a tangible sense of foreboding. We were in the land of bad highways and bible billboards barreling down with a belly full of Bob Evan’s. However despite not being able to unravel such mysteries as to why some would choose to display large murals of soldiers, wolves and other such wild life in their entire back windows, or why all things snack food must be labeled Double Maximum Ultimate, we emerged after 7 hours on the road safely in Chicago. The city instantaneously makes its impression as the Lakeshore Drive holds you at arms length from the city’s one of a kind skyline. Chicago, from the get-go, was to be about its architecture. Our hotel was the lovely Raphael, just a block away from the northern part of the Magnificent Mile, its downtown shopping showcase. Anxious to get at the city, we set out immediately for what would be the key to the weekend, heel-toeing it everywhere. Overall, it’s easy to buy into every stereotype you’ve heard about the place. Clean, check. Amazing architecture, check. Great food, check. Vibe galore. Check. Enough so, that rather than bore with the chronological, a thematic treatment should and will be dealt with farther down.

Lost and Found in Wrigglyville

Friday night truly had one main goal but when we found out that we were going to be in the same area (roughly) as Wriggly Field, baseball historian and ex-second baseman Guigsy had very little convincing to do to get me to this living piece of history. Even at night, you could sense that this was so buried in the community, it was Chicago. Great moment. Having seen Grace St earlier, we figured that we must be within walking distance of the Abbey Pub, home to Bennevento/ Russo Duo for the evening. This assumption was, however, painfully wrong, but for the first half an hour afforded us a look at another amazing part of Chicago, still clean, still original as hell. Grace however would run out and after following three Easter Bunnys (which we took as a sign)and some adventuring in an industrial park, Grace was rejoined and we arrived an hour and a half at the Abbey, just as the band was taking the stage.

The Duo Review

Having had the benefit of seeing the Duo before but having it been on my blurry birthday, it was sort of like the first time. The crowd was good, the venue very solid, with about 150 or so in attendance. The band was pumped, commenting that it was their first “real” show in awhile (perhaps a happy to be free of the Gordon stigma) Overall the show was solid, showcasing some new originals and displaying to many who had never seen the bad before, the balls out intensity that these two men can throw out.

Actually, our “hook-up” was supposed to be a guy named Doug, but since we had little idea who this guy was or even what he looked like, we were forced to yell “Doug” at the top of our lungs all night, but to no avail. Chicago was Doug-less (listen for it on the tapes!) I met some dude who was kind enough to help out wayward Canadians, having been helped out by Canadians. Andrew as well would further our excitement for Umphrey’s the next night and give a glimmer of hope for maybe taking care of our needs then. Perfect. Overall the show’s highlights were covers (their Paranoid Android is becoming owned by them; it’s so long, so good) and I still maintain that Bennevento needs to drive more lyrical lines and soloing home and not so much chording and filler , but Joey Russo is an animal and is worth the price of admission any day. Got to talk briefly with Russo at the end and he said they’d be up this summer and I got to bug him about playing dress-up with M. Good times.

What’s not to love about a city that has bars open until 4am on Friday and 5 am on Saturday? The people that stay out that late to inhabit them. We gave up on Rush and Division around 4am and focused on being the best tourist we could be in the morning.

Eyes Gazing Upwards and Da food

Anyone that has been to Chicago will tell you that the sights are phenomenal, but personally I was blown away by the diversity of older and modern architecture to stare at. Guigsy and I walked about a total of 10 hours around different parts of the city on different days. Not once where we bored. Overall the whole vibe is so slick. The city is in top notch shape and its history is palpable.

We managed to pack in some touristy stuff too. We had a great time at the Art Institute of Chicago. We went up the John Hancock Tower. We found the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Buildings. We shopped, found great jazz record stores, and stared at landmarks. The people too were fantastic. Everyone was so friendly and helpful, it could have been Canada. If you were ever thinking of visiting, I can’t recommend it enough.

The above is Guigsy's actual shot of the buildings, obviously altered but pretty faithful. Mine don't look this good!

All I can say is that I pigged out all weekend. Two different types of deep dish (Giordano’s for the best of the two stuffing wise but the crust at Pizzano’s was the best I’ve ever had), and Italian Beef and Chili Dogs at Portillo’s were the highlights for us, but needless to say, there’s probably more were that came from. Honorable mention goes to the BBQ pulled pork at Bob Evan’s, our road stop pick of the weekend.

Saturday Night Part 1 – Sid (story of the weekend)

So the Umphrey’s show was all ages and was slated to start early. We hadn’t been able to get in touch with Andrew and faced the prospect of walking in having to rely on gin and Red Bulls to provide our inspiration. We flag a cab and settle in for the long ride uptown to the Rivera. Our cabbie, Sid, upon hearing we were from Canada, inquired about our Mary Jane laws but after a slight hint that we were looking, soon the conversation was heading back to the city etc. All of a sudden, Sid reaches back and passes us half a lit doobie and cranks up the Beatles. We were shocked and it was gooooooood. Sid THEN proceeds to give us another whole one for the road.

Now please, dear reader, picture this if you will. Team Scott has already had a fabulous weekend up until this point. The city has been marvelous to us as we commented so many times out loud. Timing wise we have been on the ball all weekend, never wanting for a single thing, save one. And now the one cabbie was the miracle we were looking for. We pulled up to the show, stoked, stoned and thinking how could this get any better?

Saturday Night Part II – Converted to a New Faith on Easter – The Umphrey’s Review

We stepped into the Rivera at quarter to eight, to find the band had just started and the place packed to capacity (I’d say around 1500-2000). Hometown show, the band just back from Amsterjam and just raging from the get-go. Our first time seeing them, I was familiar enough with their tunes from the handful of shows I have to

a)obviously drive to Chicago to see them

b)get pumped for the big tunes but not be able to name them

c)to have my expectations exceeded.

Now I do not have to lay out my credentials for y’all. I know my shows, and I have my favs. I miss Phish. I like moe. I’m a ‘head. Here’s why I would go see Umphrey’s McGee again (and again).

They are like nothing that is out there right now. It’s jamming, but it is so tight it looks rehearsed. More importantly, they actually sound like they DO rehearse (remember 92-95, Phans?). They play more prog rock, metal, compositional (ala Zappa) while invoking a white funk ala Talking Heads. The double guitar attack is disgusting. Moreover, there is seemingly no ego in any parts of the band. The band themselves look like they are having too much fun to be that solid. The drummers are very different, but providing what the other lacks in the sound. Do I love the singing? It suits the tunes but average. However, you aren’t there for the singin with this band. They are that good and will only get better.

The scene is young but it’s a scene again. Frankly, this stuff is not going to appeal to all, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. For me, I love watching a band hit its stride. These guys will keep me coming back whether it’s the small theatre scene, the arena or the festival. All I can say is catch it while it’s still infancy and watch this puppy grow.

03.26.05 - The Riviera, Chicago, Illinois

Set One: Believe the Lie, All In Time, Sociable Jimmy > "Jimmy Stewart" > The Fussy Dutchman, Push the Pig$, It All Comes Down to This* > Divisions$$

Set One: Atmosfarag, Roulette > "Jimmy Stewart" > Roulette, Wabash > 2x2 > Professor Wormbog, Fool In the Rain > Front Porch**

Encore: Der Bluten Kat^

Notes:

Rjd2 opened

$ with Syncopated Strangers tease and a Motown jam

* first time played, original

$$ with Top Gun theme tease

** with Resolution and Hysteria teases

^ preceded by They Love Each Other tease by Jake; with Brett Padgett on tuba, from the audience

last Wabash 11.02.02

All in all, fun, fun fun. By the time, they broke out Fool in the Rain, I was losing like I haven’t lost it in years. Thumbs way up.

Saturday Night Part III – Blues Time

After a brief and somewhat hilarious interlude at a lounge near the venue, Team Scott decided to hit up a blues club. The Kingston Mines had been recommended to us pre-trip, but most (including our saviour Sid) agreed for a more genuine experience, B.L.U.E.S, right across the street was a better bet. It was definitely cool to be in Chicago, late night, hearing the house band tear it up. The sit-ins were the best part and the stage was so small, the guest sax man had to stand on the floor. All and all, a great way to top off the night. We headed back to the hotel, finished our last smengy, ate some cold deep dish and passed out, legs sore, souls very happy.

BLUES LINE OF THE WEEKEND:

I’m your coffee man. I’ll grind you and never stop.x2

I’m your Maxell House, baby. I’m good to the last drop.

Final Thoughts

The city treated us like gold. We commented that every place we went had cool music, a cool look, just something about it. Chicago provideth! All and all, we didn’t get to see everything we could have, but that’s just more reason to go back. A super solid roadtrip with a super solid partner in crime. As we pulled out of Chicago (you Slip fans can only guess what Guigsy qued up), the sun was going down, and we, not unlike a certain other hippie on that day, felt resurrected and full of the spirit of Chicago. Amen.

for more photos from Team Scott Chicago, try here chicago

We'll be adding more soon.

Your child is beautiful. I hope Mom and Dad are taking care of themselves too and look forward to seeing the baby in warmer times this year.

Team Scott is heading to Chicago this weekend!

Bennevento/Russo on Friday

Early Umphrey's Show on Saturday.

Lots of time kill otherwise. Any hot tips?

For me, I don't know if it so much Trey bashing. I've been a phan for over a decade and quite frankly, it's mostly good natured ribbing somedays, utter disappointment others. However, all of this is 2% of my comments on the man's playing, the rest is usually spent in awe.

Fact of the matter is, if you saw the band enough, you heard a Fluffhead where you just go "eeewww, that was a trainwreck" or the like. Such is the nature of the beast. Bad drugs, bad luck or bad practice habits can kill any musicians. Even Trey.

As for the rest of the world, it's easier to hate what has came before to separate yourself; to look ahead of the curve.

Now Donna hating on the hand..... ::

and by the by, high tops, free and over by 12:15 (not to rub it in) ::

Doors at 9:00 - band 10:30ish

Take a listen here somethingsomethingsamples

Wow, how'd I miss this? The Outback Shack at Fanshawe is the location. I should be clear of this post St Pats hangover by then! Anybody else in?

Creme de Menthe pancakes? Yikes!

Faith and begore, tis that time of year again. And for once, I don't have to work in the morning!!! The sliver of me that's Irish tips one high today in honour of me Grandma Essie. Erin go brough or as we say it here, Erin go braaaaaaaaa.

tuesday, bump

It's OK, Brad. I understand. I can take it. ::

Anyone else?

I don't know about you folks, but I have pulled some really good shows off the Archive, that I'm sure we'd all enjoy. So here's a thread to steer some people to a great show they may not have thought to check out.

Umphrey's Mcgee - 10/19/04

The Breakfast - 2/27/04

Calexico - 4/25/03

All high quality sound. All repeat listens for me.

In an effort to demostrate the cyclical nature of the universe (and not to rub in a bad day, Brad), I represent the yin to this tragic yang.

I awoke this morning to the sound of one hand clapping and the realization that despite the fact it was still relatively early, I slept in and looked forward to the beginning of my March break. No high priced vacations for me, just merely the realization that I have dedicated my morning thus far to coffee, reading and more reading in the comfort of my own pajamas. I have lit my incense, lit something else, and continue at the pace of a man that really does not care what time it is. The day will no doubt be replaced with less noble pursuits (Deadwood Season 1 DVD) but I have vowed to make it outside if nothing but to take the movie back (I Heart Huckabees, which was a really delightful exilstentalist debate).

Next Monday won't be this good, but hey, that's the universe. And now back to nothing.

Mr. King decided to go and see Stars/Apostle of Hustle last night. Mr. King and Guigsy had some bevys and munchables. Mr. King forgot that a)it's the last day before March Break (aka wrangy kid day) b)that he volunteered to have pudding dropped on his head for fundraising at lunch. Luckily, it's tropical dress up day and I can wear shades all day. Just don't breath on anyone.

By the way, both bands delivered well. Nothing above and beyond, but tight, note for note solid.