Music music music, all day long

19.06.2009

So bad news. I woke up, took a shower and then realized... I forgot my bra. Dancing all day would not be comfortable without one...crap.

Eduardo wasn't up yet, so I ate Chinese food leftovers and sat down with the festival schedule and figured out a general plan for the day. That took about 30 minutes. By the time I was done, Eduardo was up and I told him where I might be, he said he might show up later.

The sky did not look nice, it had been raining since I woke up. I'd hoped that me planning out my day as slowly as possible would perhaps make it stop. It didn't.

Because of some earlier drama, I did not have an umbrella, I'd have to buy one of those too. So, Eduardo gave me one of his umbrellas, but when I opened it, I noticed it was broken, and totally useless. I went right away to Chinatown and bought a bra and two umbrellas. The guy who sold them to me thought I was crazy.

Then, I still had some more time, so I went down to see if I could get a wristband at the Hyatt like last year. Nope, not open yet.

Maybe I could find some VIP invites like last year? Nope, not a one. The tables are in such a state of disarray that it is impossible to find anything good on them.

I give up, and head on down to Dundas and Yonge. When I get there, I meet Jason from TravelPod, one of the only bloggers I managed to get to come out to the concert. He brought me a very nice painting that I decided would match my bedroom perfectly.

Bryan showed up a little later with some delicious mint chocolates.

These little kids that play in a little band were there again this year. We watched them play and it was hilarious again.

Jason was hungry, so we went with him to this little diner and had some soup. The soup was vegetable and delicious on such a rainy day.

We went back to the concert, and then Jason took off.

Bryan and I went back and watched the Zoobombs, who were awesome, Golden Triangle, not so good and then we left when Crystal Antlers came on stage. They were rumoured to be the "buzz band" of the festival this year, like Hollerado was last year. Hollerado actually deserved it, but this band, just sounded like total crap.

Anyway, our ears were exploding so we went around Chinatown and I bought the same bubble tea that I bought last time I was in Toronto. Love it. Bryan got some sort of Chinese tunic thing and then we went for Indian food on Queen St. It was sooooooooo delicious. We had sooooooo much food that we just packed it up and I carried it around for the rest of the day so that we could have quick and cheap supper later.

Our first stop was the El Mocambo, definitely one of my favourite clubs in Toronto. The British Columbians were playing, a nice mix of the Racounteurs and some dirty blues. Sweet. Eduardo found us there and he listened for a bit. I don't think he liked it. He said he'd be hanging out at the Silver Dollar all night tonight again, so maybe we'd see him later.

Nooooooo I don't think so. NXNE must be approached from a crazy extremist standpoint. You must walk until your feet fall off, you must dance until your legs are sore (or until last call at 4 a.m., whichever comes first).

Next stop, Kathedral! We met up with Owen randomly on the street on our way there. He was taking pictures as usual.

A band from Welland, Street Pharmacy was playing at Kathedral, so you know that me and Bryan had to make it to that one. These guys sound EXACTLY like Sublime. If you like Sublime, you will like Street Pharmacy. We asked them later, and they went to the same high school as us, but they are a few years younger, how funny is that?

The next show was in the same building, so we went out and then came back in on the other side. The Reverb had Will Currie and the Country French. I got in a fight with the guy at the door because he wanted to take my entire water bottle. I understand maybe dumping it out, because who knows it could be vodka, but really? An empty water bottle? Why? I just ignored him and walked in anyway, he was more distracted by searching Bryan's backpack. One point for Louise!

I thought the band was really fun anyway. I thought they were going to be more like Something Corporate, but they sounded like a noisy Ben Folds Five instead.

Bovine Sex Club, our next destination was not far down the street. The Inward Eye were supposed to sound like The Kinks, but I didn't think so. They were good, but the crowd was packed in like sardines (as usual at BSC), however this time, nobody was moving...at all... borrring.

We headed all the way over to Front St. to catch the end of Courtney Wing. Really weird orchestral rock music with some opera singers thrown in for good measure. I was glad that we didn't have to sit around for the whole show. It was interesting, but not 45 minutes interesting. C'est What is a really cozy pub, probably the coziest I've ever seen.

We managed to snag one of the couches and then we sat back with some sort of way too bitter microbrew to watch Jason Plumb. He's the guy that fronted my favourite band when I was in grade 8, The Waltons! I was way too excited, I didn't know he was going to be here this weekend, and when I saw him on the schedule I was not going to let myself miss it, no way. His voice and music sounds exactly like it did before, except you know... less lively and more... "tired"... I guess you would say. It's still great though, don't get me wrong. You can close your eyes and imagine you are in Saskatchewan, that's how good it is.

I had to give him a hug after he was done, just because it was so cool. My first concert ever was The Waltons, so his band pretty much introduced me to you know, a whole new lifestyle of music and music reviewing, etc. etc. etc. Basically that Waltons concert created my life.

I told him that, but of course, he said, "That's great," and nodded... of course he didn't really care. I think he missed his afternoon nap.

So wow, we are really really tired. Owen decided to go to bed, and Bryan and I ate some of the leftover Indian on the way back to Spadina and Rancho Relaxo. I was supposed to meet up with John, but it was so far away, by the time we got there he was gone. Whatever band was there was also awful, so we couldn't leave fast enough. Sorry John!

We went back to the Silver Dollar for some 60s rock by I don't know who, had a pitcher and then started to walk back home. It was 4 a.m.

On the way though, we heard someone playing an acoustic guitar from what we thought was the roof. We went all the way up the fire escape, to find no one, but we still heard the music and the party, where were they? Oh well, we just kept going and then someone threw a (full) beer can right at our feet.

Me: "Ahhhhh, what the hell?!"

People on the roof: "Oh my God, sorry! Is someone down there?!"

Me: "Yeah, we were trying to come up and party with you!"

POTR: "Well come up!"

Me: "We tried, but we couldn't find you!"

POTR: "Go up the fire escape!"

Me: "Wha?? But..."

So we go back up the fire escape and we find them up on the steepest part of the roof (more than a 45 degree angle here, people), drunk out of their brains. What on earth would cause someone to do that?

Oh well whatever. So they come down, because we won't go up there. I wouldn't even attempt that if I was sober.

We met, Chuck, Helena, Dan and Dan. They are all students at U of T and absolutely hilarious. We talk for a while, and then go back to Eduardo's house, soooooooo tired.

What a mess