The Hidden Cameras
I love this band. It had been 6 years since I saw them last (terrible I know!) but they truly are one of my favourite bands to watch. Catchy tunes, lots of people on stage, dancing, smiling and fun. Joel Gibb aka main Camera man now lives in Berlin (moving from Toronto) so you’d think I’d get to see them more but I always miss them when they are here.
Anyway, as they are old friends I got dragged on stage to play tambourine which was SO embarrassing. People always assume because I play drums I must have rhythm – this is a LIE. I can’t really play tambourine. I kind of suck. John Power (the HC’s drummer) was very nice though and helped me along the way. Since the gig I have had Walk On in my head EVERYDAY. Here’s a little crappy video I took of it…
Divorce / Stag’s Head
The next night I went to see Glasgow’s Divorce at the Stag’s Head. It was Belle DMD’s birthday and loads of people came out. I was kind of ill though and had a coughing fit during Divorce’s set and had to runaway to the bar. Oops. There was a crazy party after the gig that I missed but involved the bands and pool swimming and drinking. Meh! I love that sort of stuff.
6Music Protest
Saturday was the “Save 6 Music” protest outside Broadcasting House which I went down to observe / take part in. I would describe it as sort of a “bad festival” – it rained, I couldn’t hear anything/see anything and I lost all my friends. Everyone there seemed to either A – work at BBC or B – be in a band or C – be in the music industry somehow. It was alright but I’m not sure it’ll change the trust’s mind. Let’s hope all the other emails / petitions have worked.
Halifax
I went to Halifax, NS this past week to visit my mom and along the way checked out an art closing at the Khyber (infamous thanks to Joel Plaskett), visited an underground Speakeasy, tried a pickled egg for the first time AND saw the amazing Wolf Parade.
I hadn’t seen Wolf Parade since they played the Brickyard in Vancouver 6 years ago. This was surprisingly their first gig EVER in Halifax even though they’ve been around for 6-7ish years and they are from Montreal which is really not THAT far.
The gig had been sold out for ages and was at the Paragon which used to be the Marquee – where I spent all of Halifax Pop Explosion 2001. So not only was it my first time seeing Wolf Parade in 6 years but it was also my first time back in that venue in 9 years. God, I’m getting old but still not old enough to not worry about ID. I’ve gotten so used to living in London where pubs/clubs hardly ID it completely slipped my mind and I left my wallet in my stepmom’s car. I thought I might be able to blag it as I had my BBC work ID on me and come on? If I have a job at the BBC I’m probably going to be over 19! Anyway, my friends were like that’s not going to work…so I ended up having to order a cab, sending them down the 103 to get my license and driving it back to me in Halifax. Most expensive mistake. Oops.
The show was so hot n sweaty (it had been 23 degrees in Hali that day) and overly sold out. They went on about 11:30pm (I know! Shows in Canada are so much later than British ones. I mean doors weren’t even until 9pm) and they played for like an hour and a half. It was crazy. I only really know the first album – Apologies to the Queen Mary – but it was all really good. Dante aka Tex (ex Hot Hot Heat) plays bass/guitar in the band and he’s been in the band for 5 years! Ha I didn’t even know that. So out of the Canadian loop sometimes. It was ace having a West Coast (as even though Wolf Parade are from Montreal they are all Vancouver Island boys) reunion on the East Coast. Can’t wait til their next London gig. Crazy Canadian drunken times will ensue I’m sure.
Rock Over London 