Irie Guy

you almost got taken out by Bruce's Business... couldn't help but laugh.

1st cut "Billie Jean" is terrible IMHO, hopefully the rest of the album is better or I certainly wont be buying this one

Hot diggety, now who can watch all 4 boys while mum and dad play... I'd love to see Dispatch

Plus One!!!

The Spirit of the Dead Lives On The spirit of the Dead lives on The Fat Cats The Fat Cats: Josh Williams (keyboards), Chris Gatchene (guitar and vocals), Todd Gillies (guitar and vocals), David E. Hill (bass), and Ed Casasanta (drums). Special to The Hamilton Spectator In many ways, the Fat Cats were born in the ashes of the Grateful Dead. It was 1992, the year the Grateful Dead returned to Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum for two sold out shows which many Deadheads still count among their favourites. Unfortunately, those shows were the last ones the Dead performed in Canada. Jerry Garcia would die three years later, a victim of his addictions, just as the band was reaching new heights of popularity. The Grateful Dead’s 30-year-run ended, but the band’s hippie ethos carried on in the hundreds of garage jam bands that seemed to spring to life in the early ’90s. In southern Ontario, the Fat Cats gained a reputation as being the best of the bunch. The Fat Cats wrote their own music, but the inspiration was obvious. You couldn’t help but notice how much the lead guitarists — Chris Gatchene and Todd Gillies — sounded like Garcia. There were also those long, meandering jams, enveloped in a big fat groove. The Fat Cats always got the listener from Point A to B, it’s just that they’d often stop at Points X, Y and Z along the way. For the Fat Cats, the scene started in a Dundas eatery called Rockwall’s (now the Thirsty Cactus). It spread into downtown Hamilton to the original Casbah and then found a home for several years at the Pepperjack Cafe on King William (now Club Absinthe). The Fat Cats toured hard and established a national reputation with pockets of fan support as far west as British Columbia and east into the Maritimes. They stretched south into the U.S., playing San Francisco, home of their improvisational patrons, the Grateful Dead. The Fat Cats have gone through some personnel changes over the past 20 years, but founders Gatchene and Gillies, as well as longtime bassist Dave Hill, remain. “We all have day jobs, a lot of us have families, but we’re all musicians at heart,†says Gillies. “It’s a lifeline. That’s why we all continue to play. One of my favourite things in the world is getting together with the guys, opening a beer and seeing what we can come up with.†To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the Fat Cats are releasing their third CD, a studio album of original songs called Shine Box. You can buy a copy at the Fat Cats CD release party Saturday, Jan. 28, at This Ain’t Hollywood. The Fat Cats What: CD release party for the Fat Cats’ Shine Box. The Fat Cats perform two complete sets. Opening act: The Allnighters When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. Where: This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., 905-529-9500 Admission: $10 at the door, or $20 including CD grockingham@thespec.com 905-526-3331 | @RockatTheSpec

The Fatties have a new album coming out Sweet. It's been a long time since Daredevil...

This had to be one of the best all round musical events I have ever been to in my 30+ years of seeing concerts. Rarely do you go to an event where the mix of young and old are having such a grand old time. Our 3 had a hoot. The food mix was great, Ethiopian food at a music festival come on. The lineups for drinks moved very efficiently there was lots of greenspace, I could go on and on it was definitely worth the drive back to Hammer and as a bonus we got to see some old friends that we hadn't seen in years. Edger, would have been nice to bump into you and Todd, maybe next year.

Thanks for the recommendations folks... now can someone make the thundershower possibility go away for Wed night...

Looking for a drive that will get the kiddos napping prior to a Bluesfest evening. A 2hr maximum car ride from downtown out to something scenic hopefully and back. Suggestions would be very helpful.

Sweetness, thanks for that clarification. This should be a very family friendly event and I imagine there will be a ton of little ones running about.

we will be coming down from the near north for this show for sure, my biq question is what will be the charge for the kiddos, $60 a pop is a tough price for little ones..

I'm following a dialogue on Facebook about this. What do you fellow skanks think?

Peter Murphy... this trips out the batcaver in me that used to live in the Hammer 25 years ago... Dr John is wild as is Ritchie Havens

Shoppers Drug Mart believe it or not has a really good 100% Ethiopian Fair Trade Organic coffee in their Organics Line. Price is right as well, regular price is $4.99 for a 400gm bag. It is preground but for the price it can't be beat. McDonalds coffee trumps Tim Hortons any day.

just gave me a flashback to my 9 public school years at Hillfield.... Thanks