bradm Posted June 15, 2003 Report Share Posted June 15, 2003 arcane and I took a little stroll along Preston last night, to enjoy the last bit of the Italian Fest. We got there about 5pm, walked up, checking out what was going on, came back down, got some much-needed espresso, then sat down at La Favourita for some 'za. By the time dinner was over, the sky had cleared up, and the street had been blocked off. A little wandering later, and in dire need of a beer, we found ourselves at Pub Italia, just as the Sugar Sticks were starting up, under a tent on the street. The Sugar Sticks are a really good band; they do a weekly gig at Pub Italia, and lay down some very fun and listenable jazz. They're stone-cold pros: the members have their own binders of sheet music, and each page is laminated. You get the feeling they're used to be playing anywhere and under most any circumstances. But. We're standing there, and as the trumpet player turns around, we just about lost it. Phred, does your Dad play horns? This guy looks like you, but aged about 30 years. The facial structure, the hair (greyer than yours, admittedly, but still the same), the way he moved (slower and less enthusiastically than you, admittedly, but still much the same)...it was uncanny. Like, if you were going to film an episode of "The Twilight Zone" in which Young Phred the keyboard player gets flung forward in time to see himself having given up heavy jam music to become a weddings/parties/anything kind of horn player, and then has to make a life-changing decision, this is the guy who'd play the Elder Phred. OK, that was pretty weird. Later, we were wandering past a place that does wedding (etc.) videos ("Ital-Can" was the name, I think). They were showcasing some of their work, and there on the screen was a kid, probably about 13, with a paisley pull-over on, and a natural-grain Strat-type guitar around his neck; it looked a bit big for him (which is how I judged his age; guitars come adult-sized, and this kid was obviously not an adult). He was playing pretty intensely, head down, focused on the guitar and what his hands were doing with it. I took one look at his face, and exclaimed, "That's Lauzon!" From what I could see, the clip was from a wedding, and was done under a tent. There was a later clip (seen after much other wandering) which looked like it was done at the same event, but featuring people in tuxedos and formal garb doing opera. Unfortunately, we couldn't hear the soundtrack, so I guess we'll never know whether nero had its beginnings under a tent, at an Italian wedding... All in all, it was fun night, packed with stuff happening...bumped into FreekeryByTheSpeaker, Pootie Tang (and Dana), and one of arcane's nephews, had a beer ("Kwak") that came with a glass that I swear looked like an interesting lamp, got down to some seriously sick beats from the Fire Dept. marching band (who were coming into Pub Italia while the Sugar Sticks were playing...I yelled for a set-blender, but no dice ), and generally fell in love with Little Italy. It does my heart good to know that I live in close proximity to a part of the city that can be so alive. It was as if there was something interesting, fascinating, even magical, going on at every stop; as if you could turn down any street and find something to fill you with wonder and delight (and good pizza; the body as well as the soul need replenishing). Ciao, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phred Posted June 16, 2003 Report Share Posted June 16, 2003 Unfortunately, no my father doesn't play horns. My father lives in B.C and is very far from being a musician (to give you an idea of how far away from it - he listens to adult pop!). It would have been nice to grow up in a musical family like that, but I didn't. My brother and I had to strike out on our own and find our own path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted June 16, 2003 Report Share Posted June 16, 2003 I'd love to see this wedding video. Perhaps, bradm, you should go in there and say that you are getting married. Request a copy, I'll then take it and digitize l'il Lauzon and we'll get him on the internet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo Sanchez Posted June 16, 2003 Report Share Posted June 16, 2003 sorry, I've never played guitar at an Italian wedding before. Sounds like Brad was having a "everyone looks like someone else day" I had one of those in Toronto a couple weeks back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted June 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2003 Hopes twice rent asunder, I type, my blissful ignorance shattered by the cold, hard, force of truth and reality. Was it imagined? Was it the roses? (It must have been the roses...but there weren't any roses...)? Was it the quantities of mind-altering substances (several beers [including Kwak], wine, espresso, cappucino, etc.)? The exhilaration of being admidst so much activity, not unlike a bee hive (or maybe a be hive)? The wonder at finding something interesting and captivating at every turn? Maybe it was the feeling of being connected to everything that was going on, combined with the desire (always present, but usually submerged) to be surrounded by those about whom I care so much, that tricked my mind's eye (or maybe my mind's I) into transmogrifying what was seen into what was known. You people have done that to me: made me see that it's possible that everything I come in contact with is my friend; that magic, coincidence, synchronicity, and wonder permeate existence. Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freeker Posted June 16, 2003 Report Share Posted June 16, 2003 It was really nice to have visitors on Saturday. Brad thanks muchly for the cap, and on second thought maybe I should have gone for that walk with you and arcane, ah well, next time.. Glad to hear you enjoyed Italian Fest. I came out last night after the show and wandered around. Great music, beautiful women and terrible music .The traditional Italian stuff was great, it was the bad Nsync bands, Keroke, and little rapper kids that made my stomach turn. Quote of the night - (little rapper kid, in the middle of his dope rhymes ) - "If I were Prime minister, I'd make everyone take Martial Arts, cause it would give people stuff to do, and there's lots of people out there who need stuff to do" --- What a crackhead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted June 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2003 The weird thing was that we were thinking of dropping by before dinner, which wouldn't have worked, since (IIRC) your shift started at 6pm. Post-pizza, we strolled by, and not only were you there, you were outside, and easily spottable. Then, later, we're getting cappucino, and arcane reminds me that we were going to bring you one. We did, and who should come by but Pootie Tang and Dana. 'Twas a night coincidence, indeed. You're right about the music. It was like being in the middle of a John Cage composition. Every half a block or so, there'd be a different PA system, some blasting out good stuff, others playing crap. Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcane Posted June 17, 2003 Report Share Posted June 17, 2003 I'm attributing the timing to Brad. It was raining when we left home, and it stopped when we got to Preston Street. I should have seen this coming. Brad's right; those guys really did look like ElderPhred and Dave Lauzon. The rest of the folks we bumped into were as advertised. By the end of the night, I was in the habit of looking around to see if anyone else we knew might have shown up. Preston Street was truly a small world that evening. Lalala la la la, lala la la ... Too bad the kids were monopolizing the jumping castle, though ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted June 17, 2003 Report Share Posted June 17, 2003 was nero playin that night??? I think it was Pablo playing one of his secret moonlighting gigs we're not supposed to know about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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