Top of the Pops!
So there are a few people in my life (most prominently, my parents) who wonder what is so appealing about all these concerts I go to - why spend money to go see all these crazy bands we've never heard of, especially when you already have them on CD?
My answer: you'd understand if you went to last Friday's Art Brut show - the best concert of the year for me so far. Most bands sound a bit livelier than they do recorded, but few exceed recording as well as Art Brut did that night. Very present and involved with the audience, Art Brut were clever, energetic, and damn funny. For everyone who missed the show, alas alas. But here, their Vienna gig is up on rbally. Listen: Formed a Band (live in Vienna) (complete with Metallica, Modern Lovers, and Burt Bacharach references!)
There were also a few extra reasons I enjoyed this show as much as I did...
Extra Reason #1: The surprise fantastic opening act
Gil Mantera's Party Dream reminded me why you should always show up early for the opening band. Looking equal parts Fischerspooner and Rob Zombie, these guys managed to entertain a crowd of scenesters at oh-so-early 8pm. It was just two brothers in spandex pants but they managed to rock the synth, pose, and kick enough for five people. And the vocoder cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" was brilliant.
Listen: Gil Mantera's Party Dream - Shadow Grip
Extra Reason #2:The Clark Kent of Indie Rock guitarists
Between sets, I went over to the merch table to grab a t-shirt and a CD for friends. Speaking with the merch guy, I noted how British- this guy looked. Wearing a classic tan trenchcoat (belted mac in Britspeak), Elvis Costello glasses (spectacles) and sporting a well-coiffed head of hair, he looked straight out of London's posh art scene.
Ten minutes later, the band takes the stage - including Arty-Londoner guy. Who then quietly removes his thick-framed glasses, places them on an amp. And then sheds the trenchcoat - to reveal quintessential indie rock guitarist outfit (shown at right). Sneaky!!
Extra Reason #3: Don't I know you from somewhere?
Anyone who knows Scott Swinford would have to agree - this Eddie Argos character must have been stalking him for a while and while Scott and the band were having artistic differences, Eddie stole his onstage persona, hightailed it back to London, and slapped a British accent on it.
Seriously, it was eerie. 
Extra Reason #4: Random Merch ExperienceSo for some reason, Art Brut may have been able to form a band but they can't seem to get a couple of groupies to run the merch table. (See Clark Kent rock guitarist story above...) So they run their own merch table! Eddie was in full chat mode, and ready to sign posters with headlines and paragraphs. Unfortunately, the Richards staff were chomping at the bit to kick everyone out, so thank goodness for Art Brut's lovely bassist. A crackerjack with the t-shirt sales, she whipped through the line like nobody's business! Thank you!
Anyway, Art Brut, you are top of the pops in my books - thanks for making my night!
The Big Blend-Off
Congratulations to the winners of our very first Blend-Off!
Elana kicked ass in the Round Robin
(after judging 9 rounds of blender drinks, James couldn't remember what the drink actually tasted like, but he did think it sparked some "philosophical consequences"...)
And in the "Iron Blender" category, Marisol and Lisa wowed everyone
with their very original Greensicle, featuring the iron ingredient: half an avacado!
It was a lovely time (as always) you lovely SCARPies!
Cabin Fever
This, my friends, is a photograph of genius at work.
Well, at least that was the plan.
The last time I spent a couple of days at Panabode in Camp Olave, the weekend was amazing. The lovely locale was a well-spring of inspiration, the xanadu where I finally reconnected with my thesis project. Ideas flowed and flourished and I came home more excited than ever about the value of what I was doing.
So when the first conference contract was finally over, I planned a super-productivity sojourn at Panabode to jumpstart the writing process. Away from internet, television, my stereo, and others to talk to, I'd finally be able to focus on my project. No tiara materials or knitting, just some classic CDs and my brilliant ideas. The perpetual rainstorm outside would only decrease my potential for distraction. Yes, there was no stopping me now - words would appear on the page with such a furor and with such eloquence that my supervisor would read it and weep with pride.
Well, things looked a little more like this:12pm: finish morning puttering by cleaning breakfast dishes12:17pm: make snack12:35pm: make tea
12:38pm: replenish snack12:51pm: try to remember all the words to Bist Du Bei Mir1:05pm: spot seals out in the ocean
1:06pm: continue to watch seals for 30 minutes (you can't see them in the photo, but they're there!)
1:37pm: make more tea
1:48pm: decide on Radiohead's The Bends
1:49pm: make lunch
2:12pm: wonder if the direct power of The Bends might just make it the best Radiohead CD after all....
2:13pm: remember I brought OK Computer along as well...
2:14pm: start The Bends all over again and actively listen to the whole thing right through2:59pm: do the same thing with OK Computer3:50pm: final "ding" of Tourist.
3:52pm: Decide that no, OK Computer is still the best Radiohead CD (it is musically more mature, more innovative, and has more 'moments' overall)
4:09pm: The sky has cleared up! I think a little air might help focus me...
4:45pm: return from beach photo shoot #1 (of 3)
4:46pm: time for more tea!
And so it went. The mind was constantly turning, but seldom in the proper direction.
Was it a total loss, though? Certainly not. But if there Time Frittering was an Olympic sport, I would be on the top of that podium.
And now, your moment of Zen.
Listen:
Goldfrapp - Deer Stop (live at Somerset House)
I don't know, recently I've found writing about my life to be a bit...wankerish, for lack of a better word. Not only because I feel I have nothing profound to say or that my daily life is so - well - everyday but because being a very visual person, a lot of what I have to share with you all are the things I see.
Remember my second post ever when I promised lots of photos and not too much gut-spilling prose? I loved blogging when I was in London because it let me not only share stories with you but also what I saw around me every day. And that isn't a London thing - my god, the visual moments here in Vancouver are equally brilliant. No, it's a camera thing. Boy, do I miss my camera so...
So. It is settled. A camera I must re-acquire. The fate of this blog rests upon it. Until then, I direct you to some of the fantastic photoblogs I visit frequently. Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't shoot, link.
PhosphorescentsA beautiful 20-something takes beautiful photos of her beautiful life with her beautiful friends in Oregon (which, yes, is also beautiful). The cross-processed slide film ones she does (like this one to the left) are just breathtaking.
The Treehouse and the CaveA New York artist invites other camera-happy people to share thematic photo series: signs, eyes, home life, balloons, sunsets, etc. The result is a wonderful visual collage of life in and around the Big Apple.
London PhotosA whole whack of photobloggers from my favourite city in the world contribute to this one. My favourite contributor is
Rob Gardiner's Walking the Circle Line - fantastic b/w photos capturing a "journey around and above the surface of the 14 mile loop that is London Underground’s Circle Line."
And even though they are rarely updated, the
Polaroid Manipulations are tops of the pops (like the one of Greenwich's Cutty Sark, left).
MontmartreA kindergarten teacher frequently pauses to capture the beauty of the everyday moment, often in glorious close-up. Yes, this is Amanda Gilligan (aka Sean's Amanda)'s photoblog. I love her lovely photos, and cannot wait until she finally gets to Montmatre to capture one of my favourite places better than I ever could.
Listening to: Magnetic Fields - All My Little Words
My answer: you'd understand if you went to last Friday's Art Brut show - the best concert of the year for me so far. Most bands sound a bit livelier than they do recorded, but few exceed recording as well as Art Brut did that night. Very present and involved with the audience, Art Brut were clever, energetic, and damn funny. For everyone who missed the show, alas alas. But here, their Vienna gig is up on rbally. 
Extra Reason #3: Don't I know you from somewhere?
