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Not sure if Mark put up a review of this yet but thought I'd take a quick stab at it. Only got to catch the Bullfrog closer Saturday night after craftily fashioning an orange wristband out of some paper, orange highlighter and tape. They were really solid, much better in an outdoor context. Still their standard set though. Koala's interlude was a craftily overlapped Moon River kicked down to the people in the campground or out on the water. Snakeskin was the closer. I love the percussionist, for more than just her playing admittedly. Plus Massimo is wicked on the kit and Santiago the bassist is definitely their secret weapon.

The show was close enough to our front door that we went home early in the morning to get some sleep after the drunken 'King of the Skanks' kept us up with their regalia, I nearly got in a scrap with them near dawn as I went to back up the lesbian who was hoping her lady and her could get some rest. After actually calling them the king of skanks, pure Ricky Lake and Jerry Springer their buddy broke it off - thankfully I would have been pummeled but at least they appreciated the metaphors. Actual snippet heard from Jenna (queen of the skanks): "well at least I didn't walk around the bar all night with 'stuff' on my face from blowing some guy whose name you don't know". Response: "for the record I know his name".

Sunday was full of a real mix of stuff from Bitch and Animal (Righteous Babe) who I missed (apparently they had five year old kids in the front row spelling DILDO with their parents urging them on) to Palenke Orchestra, Alejandro Escovado, House of Velvet, Noah 23, Nick Ali and Cruzao plus the Michelle Shocked closer. HOV rocked as usual as did Noah, Cruzao was particularly suiting on the Island stage as the sun set and dusk settled. And Michelle Shocked just blew my mind. I had real preconceptions about what she might be like, they were probably at least partly affirmed, but she still rocked. The whole set, full of what she calls something like new dub gospel birdsong, was breathtaking. I don't know the tunes really but one was probably called something like It's Amazing, another was about Anchorage Alaska (in the middle of which she stopped singing to berate someone for videotaping), and another about the backroads of East Texas in which the audience largely women sang the chorus sending shivers up my spine. Then a really brief encore with local chick group the Waifs and no Hillside Mountain Jam closer as advertised. The story that's come out now is that they may have been using that set as a placeholder keeping open the possibility of a last minute headliner rumoured to be Keith Richards due to in part his interest in Alejandro Escovado's music (which I didn't mention was really cool but hard to explain sort of Jeff Buckley meets the Latin Playboys). Rumours have actually circulated that Mick Jagger was actually there which I find very hard to believe. The rest sounds plausible though. Anyways great festival but they need to book Nero, Jimmy Swift and Grand Theft Bus next year. They do these really cool workshops with multiple bands- you get the gist. Apparently the Constantines and By Divine Right did some Talking Heads during their workshop the day before.

Last night's show in Hamilton was slayerific. For a band that hasnt' played a whole lot of dates lately they were cooking. I was just as excited to hear their originals as the covers (owing perhaps to the fact their originals have a bit of a Deady feel). Great covers though Brown Eyed Women and Scarlet Fire in the first set, Powderfinger in the second, a few more dead tunes I can't remember. Down with Disease! Joel (Litwiller) was hammering on the drums but you almost got the sense he was holding back because of what he's capable of. Anyways Fat Cats and Nero are right up their in the top 3 bands in Canada if you ask me.

I'm going as well although I'm not really impressed with the line-up this year. Will probably only make it out for Sunday.

Read this off the Slip's list. It's a review of the Vida show in Cincinnati. Said something similar, even a hint of scandal perhaps:

"I talked with Brad a little after the show about the

possibility of any inter-band jamming and he said they were waiting for

Page to say something first. I thought this fell right in line with

the modest, down-to-earth attitude that the boys seem to have. Brad

did mention something about Oteil playing with them at a later date

though. Page and Vida Blue put on a solid show as well with John

Lennon, Pink Floyd, and Lead Zeppelin covers abound (although at one

point it seemed like Russel got really pissed and left the stage?

Maybe, my imagination). They ended up playing a huge single set that

wore me out. "

in

Anyone know about the Bus having Charlie Hunter sit in with the boys at the Planet July 12. That's all I know, the Jazz Fest tent is across the street from the Planet so I can see him having been escorted across after his set. Wondering if they were taping- what a pity if it wasn't.

That looks quite doable and not just a little bit provocative.

Have to agree with most of everything that's been said. Nero was unfuckingbelievable, I've independently verified that point with less tweaked individuals. A whole lot of energy, to the rafters and bouncing back down. Moe with Warren for Recreational Chemistry seemed fitting if not mind sleighing. Shakedown > China Cat was sweet, Box of Rain nice but a bit typical, new material palatable but not jaw dropping. Dupree's solid, Mason's Children was a bit of a bustout. Al Schnier with the boys on Help Slip Frank made for a nice closer, lovely energy, hard to pick out the three guitars. But come on Liberty bites as a closer. Give us the Acadian Driftwood, the chilling Brokedown Palace, give us anything but pranksterish machismo americanismo.

I'd say Unbroken Chain's sitting at about 8:1, Soulshine's a good 10:1 longshot, Acadian Driftwood and/or Broken Arrow are sitting pretty at a 5:1 for the CanCon factor. Still looking for that miraculous bustout - Alligator, New Potato, something completely unexpected for the Canadian kids.

See you all there. Won't be able to miss me.

I can't believe people are talking about G Force, is it really called Battle of the Planets? I was starting to think that it was a dream. Wouldn't you love to get video of old episodes, of many of these shows. Like Dr. Snuggles or Barbapapa.

tickets at shanti baba, sonic temple, cd replay and soundscapes.

Some of the obits did make reference to the fact that touring was an economic reality for Roger and Entwhistle where it was not for Townshend (just like Robbie Robertson gets all The Band's cake- I guess The Gap is just icing). Seems as if Evan Rogers Highlander residuals just aren't paying for the house in France.

AAAAAaahhhh this lurking is killing me. What did they close out Bonnaroo with. I'm dying here.

Tom Wilson is also one third of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings with Colin Linden and Stephen Fearing. They're a solid unit.

Also a big fan of the fatties. Joel 'Litwiller' Stouffer is studying at the drum collective in NYC. He should be sick by the time he gets back and turns age of majority. Not sure if the boys will be playing together much again.

You know the direct connection to St. John is Grand Theft Bus. Tim Walker and his girlfriend, as well as most or all of the band members live there. They'd be good to talk to and I could give them a buzz for you if you like drop me a line by email and I'll look into it.

Pete's not so mysterious but he did get a board patch. Haven't heard yet how it turned out.

Thursday's show at Club Abstract was ripping as well. The points when Jomomma was seguing in or out- with like 7 or 8 people on stage- were unbelievable. Plus Nero was doing alot more on their own then Jomo with twice as many players.

Hey Ranchstaffer what do you make of Buck 65's Man Overboard. It's an unbelievable disc, Radiohead professed their love for it on CBC Radio, with alot going on. His live performances are very like the disc but more amusing I suppose.

Caught Jo at the Ebar in Guelph last night. Never seen them before, but they were smoking. Really high consistent energy all the way through. Definitely going to have to catch them in Kitchener with Nero next week. Their tune 'Briefly' does alot for me. They pulled it out at just the right point to bring it down a notch. Geoff Hilhorst has got great tone and style and tone to his keys: "there are some things you can't hide".

Ebar is in the Bookshelf building (book store, cinema, restaurant bar)- it's actually a pretty cool concept. There was a good crowd out. About twice as much as an underattended Jimmy Swift gig I saw there a few months back. But apparently not as packed as when House of Velvet a local band plays. Bubba Gibs I haven't been to, talked to a kid there last night who's playing there and said they have an alright sound system and what not.

I wasn't sure what was happening with that. Garth mentioned to me that he had done an interview (fairly recently) with the makers of the DVD so I knew it would come out sometime. I hope it's not all Robbie and Marty talking about it. Levon's book Wheels On Fire really rips into the both of them for what he feels was basically a scheme to launch Robbie's solo career. He goes on about it at length. They really are (Robbie and Marty) putzes to be fair.... Like last minute Marty tells Levon that Muddy Waters will have to be cut from the program (or at least filming) and Levon goes off to the effect that if 'that little faggot Neil Diamond (whose album Robbie was producing) is going to be in it you can bet Muddy will'. So Marty filmed it but with only one of like six cameras, then at the end of Muddy's bit (I guess he had gotten word that Levon had gone to bat for him) he got up and went over to Levon and kissed him on the head which was one of the signal moments of Lee's career. None of which was caught on camera.

I had something similarly freaky happen a day ago- I got what was obviously virus emails. "I send this to you for you to approve" etc. But the attachments were named after things that I was interested in or had surfed the net for i.e. German History etc. Freaky.

I also get alot of emails from Star Wars Kids but that's because someone signed me up as a gag in retribution for criticising Burt presumably.

lurky lurky lurky

Totally jealous, beyond jealous. But I have a good excuse for missing it. Had to meet with a lady about house sitting and we got the place- a dank 3 bdrm. house until December completely off the cuff.

Anyways everyone must have lyrics or snatches of lyrics washing around in their head. Such great songs that the Bus writes:

"I swear somebody would share see the things I see"

-Weight of Circumstance

"Man on a subway talks to himself all damn day"

-Streetsleeper

"When you're lying you know I never can tell"

-Never Can Tell