Jaimoe

I like Queen West starting at the Horseshoe and ending down to Dufferin and a little beyond. It ain't all pretty along that very long stretch of the city, but it's loaded with character and characters, plus some great stores and restaurants.

I can't wait for some of Downey's junior enemies to graduate to the NHL.

From JFJ in today's Toronto Star: "I enjoyed watching Kris Newbury beat (Downey) up Downey in that Marlie game," chuckled Ferguson. "But listen, it was a cheap shot. Blake didn't have his gloves off and he was being held by a linesman".

Can someone find footage of Blake in a fight or actually throwing a punch. I'm not looking to defend Downey, but I've never seen him mix it up other than to irritate other teams by being a pest.

I like the Silver Snail too. Great store.

Listening again to the first video that Starhead posted made me think stoner rock a la early Monster Magnet, but damn it if there isn't more in there than meets the ear. The female backing vocals throw things off into new areas. Interesting stuff.

Dave, those Brew Pub wings were terrible. Fatty and undercooked, but the sauce was good.

It's almost criminal to leave Bill Wyman off the list:

Yes, Pages and the two Black Market vintage clothing stores are there too. But the coolness of the entire strip is almost gone.

Well there ya go. I hope to god they don't play Downsview Park.

One of the only things I like about the stretch of Queen Street West between University and Spadina that bokonon fondly remembers is The Rex (The Horseshoe, The Rivoli and Steve's being the only other places that don't suck). However bokonon, the gentrification of Queen West up to Spadina has ruined this once vibrant area that once housed great indie stores and cool pubs. Anyone remember Chicago's? Well that was torn down for no reason - all that remains is an empty hole where that once cool bar and small concert venue sat. Where's the hotel that was supposed to take its place Toronto? The 360 has been boarded up for years and will probably be torn down too and replaced with another glass and steel built Gap or something along those lines. The Queen Street West vibe has moved past Spadina. I hope it can last.

I saw them in Barrie's Molson Park (one of my favourite concerts ever) with The Beta Band back in '01 and the place was packed with over 30 thousand fans - closer to 40. The Dome would be large enough, but Radiohead is a different breed of supergroup. They may not want to play big venues for this tour, even if they can sell them out - which they can.

because the amphitheatre is a horrible venue? the acc is a much better concert venue. fwiw' date=' the BMO stadium is owned by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment Ltd and was designed as a multi-purpose venue. the lack of seats at the north end, as well as the placement of the scoreboard was specific to allow for an inhouse concert stage. there are also wiring troughs under the field. [/quote'] I'd love to see them pull it off at BMO, but its still an unproven outdoor concert venue and will have all kinds of audio woes attached to a first-ever outdoor show. I can't see Radiohead playing indoors during the summer months.

BMO Field would be cool, but why not play directly across the road in a real amphitheatre for two nights instead of breaking in a new venue not designed for concerts?

Clarke's a maddening kind of guy. He drafts class acts like Richards and Carter, has a hand in the deals to bring in two other class acts like Briere and Timmonen. Now he praises Downey's gutless action against poor Blake. No wonder my dad's best friend and former teammate/roommate has never liked him.

Thanks for that Starhead.

Bobby Orr's season followed by Phil's. I do love my old Bruins.

The only reason why I seeked Black Mountain out when their last a was that I read a couple of reviews that referenced southern rock themes in some of their songs - particularly in their jammy experiments. I went out and grabbed their 2005 album and low and behold, I did hear some layered southern rock guitar elements buried in psychedelic grooves. I'm not talking Allman Brothers or even The Outlaws, but there was something in there that grabbed my interest. I'm going to listen to them today, southern rock or not. A great band regardless and unpredictable.

I think that Santana put on one of the only good Live Aid shows (although his collaboration with Pat Metheny that day was a bore). Obviously I take Santana's musical forays personally; I've been a fan since the mid 70's, and I like some of his music from that decade and some of his 80's output. Clapton is a tough sell for longtime fans too - see his frustratingly spotty albums from the mid 80's onwards. However blues saves Claptons ass time and time again whereas Santana love pop, and pop doesn't mesh well with aging rockers.

I've eaten wings in many many places (as we all have). I wasn't blown away from the "best wings in Ottawa" when I last visited Booche at that sports bar he and I went to to visit Davey Boy - I was shocked that I didn't love the wings. I also hated the big wings at the Kingston Brew Pub that my friends raved about. Anyway, my wife really likes St. Louis wings. I know tons of people that love them. It may have to do with how they are prepared over size. I do like the sauce consistency from mild to suicide - the only thing that changes is the heat. I do not like the St. Louis' pubs however. Fucking phoney sports pubs.

I don't like saucy wings nor big fatty ones, thus I'll stand by my love of St. Louis' "bar pidgeon" wings.

I'm sure Santana's original 1960's fan base and massive 70's following is scarce in numbers nowadays due in part to attrition and the undoubted horrific reaction to Carlos' latter career output. Eric Clapton arguably falls into similar comparisons.

If it wasn't for his later career path and subsequent brutal album collaborations, Carlos would be a lock as a guitar hero. Unfortunately, he's been butchering his own legacy going on ten years now. The Stones are still hanging around making subpar and irrelevant records, but at least they aren't selling out by collaborating with those fuckfaces from Matchbox 20 and Nickelback respectively, that lunatic Lauren Hill and that hack piano player/washed up tweeniebopper singer-songwriter Michelle Branch. Viva Santana!

I certainly heard southern rock flirtations on a few songs on their last album.

Happy Birthday Scott! You know cranking Mantra Slider is a requirement to kick off your celebration tonight.