photos from the D’Urbervilles show at the Horseshoe, Toronto on Sept. 22nd, 2006, by controller.controller .

Alright. This one is going up early so you can all get excited about seeing The D’Urbervilles live tonight, opening for Cuff the Duke at the Grad Club. And speaking of Cuff the Duke, I am happy to announce that Michael & Rebecca are the lucky winners of the “Life Stories for Minimum Wage” contest. Your copy of the cd will be speeding to you as fast as Canada Post can take it…so expect to get it in July.

But onto the subject of this week’s post. The D’Ubervilles are the best kind of opening band and they should do and excellent job tonight. They are extremely energetic, have lots of audience participation in the form of handclaps and shouting (and i seem to recall they spent more than a little time in the crowd themselves playing), and they are loud, raucous and hard to ignore. Hell, all in all that sounds like the best kind of band period. They combine post-punk guitar riffs with killer keyboard lines and awesome four-on-the-floor drumming with lyrics about class inequality. Their live show is as fun as their music is catchy - very.

This show, which was recorded in September of last year, was from their tour with You Say Party! We Say Die! and controller.controller. It was recorded on analogue tape so there is a bit of a hiss but not enough to detract from the awesomeness (in my opinion at least).

Be sure to get to the Grad Club early tonight. And save me a seat, ’cause I’m going to be coming from the Ohbijou show. And if you can run pass interference and delay start time of the D’Urbervilles set until, say, 11:10, that would be sweet, because I really would like to see them as well as Ohbijou. What can i say? I’m a “have his cake and eat it too” kinda guy. There is lots of rockin’ and rollin’ going on tonight so be sure to get out there and enjoy yourselves.

The D’Urbervilles, Elixir, Kingston, 14 September 2006

1. Spin the Bottle.mp3
2. intrumental (title?).mp3
3. We Are the Hunters.mp3
4. a song made for dancing (talk).mp3
5. We’re Blowing Up!.mp3
6. he’s a helpful Steve (talk).mp3
7. Shout It Out! (Organ Song).mp3
8. only hotter from here on in (talk).mp3
9. Every Day and Night, Move Your Feet (title?).mp3

Pick up their debut, self-titled EP through their myspace page. And they, too, are on the Friends in Bellwood disc, so get that as well.

Were you wondering what the best thing since sliced bread is? Well, if you ask me, its CBC Radio’s Fuse, which currently airs on Saturdays at 9pm on Radio One. The show has been on for a while but I only recently caught on to its greatness. The idea is simple. Have two bands performing together. They learn each other’s songs and do covers. In addition to having two really acts performing together which I am a fan of - sorta like when the opening band comes onstage with the main act during the encore to do Traveling Willbury’s covers or something - you have bands challenging themselves and others to do great things. Of the shows that I have heard so far, the best by a longshot is the pairing of stunningly beautiful Ohbijou with the shockingly frantic Kids on TV. It could have, and probably should have, been an absolute trainwreck, but it turned out absolutely amazing. The abrasive electropunk of Kids on TV added really interesting accents to the sweet orchestral sounds of Ohbijou while in turn Ohbijou’s strings and glocks and other traditional instruments added warmth to the glitches, beats and hard edge of Kids on TV. Making things even more interesting were the eclectic bunch of really stellar covers that were included in the setlist. You can tell both bands really enjoyed working together (and I believe they have played some shows together since), with it all culminating in a no-holds barred rendition of “Breakdance Hunx” with various members of Ohbijou stepping up to recite the memorable lyrics and featuring both breakdancing and the violation of the CBC logo, or so I am told. I really like both bands individually but together they absolutely blow me away.

I recorded this show off the air on Dec. 30th. It was recorded sometime earlier in the year.

Ohbijou are coming to the Artel on February 23rd, I am really excited about this show, especially since they had to cancel their last show when their van died. I hope you enjoy this recording. I’ll try to get the next post up more or less on time.

Kids on TV and Ohbijou, Fuse, CBC Radio, 30 December 2006 broadcast

1. Two musical forces uniting (talk).mp3
2. We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off (Jermaine Stewart cover).mp3
3. Raciest fuse ever (talk).mp3
4. Wildfires.mp3
5. Brantford and Big John (talk).mp3
6. In Every Home A Heartache (Roxy Music cover).mp3
7. a call to arms (talk).mp3
8. Haunted House of Rock (Whodini cover).mp3
9. challenging ourselves (talk).mp3
10. Heartbeats (Annie cover).mp3
11. Woods intro (talk).mp3
12. The Woods.mp3
13. unlikely to be forgotten (talk).mp3
14. Breakdance Hunx.mp3
15. violating the CBC symbol & outro (talk).mp3

Pick up Ohbijou’s album from the band or download from Zunior and also pick up the doubledisc fundraiser for the Daily Bread Food Bank, Friends in Bellwood, featuring both Ohbijou (the masterminds behind the project) and Kids on TV along with a ton of other great bands (buy it here). You can get the Kids on TV album from the band, I assume, and at cool record stores all over the place.

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Don’t forget to enter the Cuff the Duke contest - email me (gimmestuff.bootlog@gmail.com your name and address, get free stuff, impress your friends and neighbors! They play Kingston the same night as Ohbijou, that’s this Friday. Be there or be square.

As I mentioned last week, Cuff the Duke will be playing the Grad Club next Thursday Friday, February 23rd. I imagine this show will be packed so get your ticket sooner rather than later. In advance of this show, I have been generously given a couple copies of the stellar album “Life Stories for Minimum Wage,” which was re-released by Outside Music this week, to give away.

Winning is easy - just send me an email gimmestuff.bootlog@gmail.com with your name and addresss in the message and “Cuff the Duke contest” or something along those lines in the subject line. The contest will close at noon est on February 22nd and the winners will be announced shortly thereafter.

It looks like my usual weekend post is going to be a touch delayed (I’ll try to have it for yu on Sunday evening or Monday at the latest) so check back in a couple of days for that. Until I get my act together, here is my favourite track off the “Life Stories…” album.

* Cuff the Duke, Ballad of a Lonely Construction Worker.mp3

photo by Brian Goldschmied taken at the Ottawa Tulip Festival.

Hey y’all.

Today I’m coming at ya from Houston, Texas and I can tell you that while I am sad to be missing a ton of great shows this weekend in Kingston I am not missing the snow and cold one little bit. Given my current locations I thought I might post something a bit (alt-) country, because here in Texas you see honest-to-goodness cowboys and the hats and pearl-button shirts are not just worn as an ironic fashion statment.

Kingston gets so many great acts coming to town sometimes we are spoiled for choice. Case in point is two great shows are going on concurrently on February 23rd. Ohbijou are playing the Artel while Cuff the Duke are hitting the Grad Club. I have my Ohbijou ticket but I am wondering if it might be possible to make both since Artel shows start early and things typically don’t get rolling over at the Grad Club until punk rock o’clock…certainly I will have to work out the logistics because Cuff the Duke are too good to pass up.  

If you need convincing that Cuff the Duke is worth hustling from one venue to the other, just take a listen to this live show recorded by CBC at the Horseshoe in Toronto which was part of the 2003 NxNE festival. The one-two punch of “Ballad of a Lonely Construction Worker” and “Blackheart” are worth the price of admission alone. One of the things that I love about Cuff the Duke is that they have some really heavyweight, emotion filled songs but also have a great sense of humour. Songs like “Girl of My Dreams” and “Poor Little Rich Kid” (are these the correct titles? I must admit that I just was guessing for these two) showcase their humour fantastically.

Alright kids. Enjoy this set and if you are lucky enough to be going to the Apostle of Hustle show tommorow let me know how it went. I’ll talk to you again next week when I’m back in the Great White North.

photo by Scene and Heard taken at NxNE, 2003

Cuff the Duke, Horseshoe Tavern, NxNE (CBC Radio Sonic), Toronto, 7 July 2003 

1. intro (title?).mp3
2. say hi to the CBC (talk).mp3
3. Hey Baby.mp3
4. Hobo Night Stalker.mp3
5. hard time getting back (talk).mp3
6. Ballad of a Lonely Construction Worker.mp3
7. have my baby, sir (talk).mp3
8. Blackheart.mp3
9. resentful ever since (talk).mp3
10. Poor Little Rich Kid Living in the ’schwa (title?).mp3
11. where do you find a good two-foot around these parts? (talk).mp3
12. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump/The Trouble and the Truth.mp3
13. do we know any more songs (talk).mp3
14. Girl of My Dreams (Don’t Dream About Me No More) (title?).mp3
15. more Jägermeister (talk).mp3
16. Lonely Path of Mine.mp3

Be sure to pick up Cuff the Duke’s great self-titled album and their earlier and equally great “Life Stories for Minimum Wage” which is being re-released on Feb. 13th by Outside Music.

Congratulations to Lukas and Jessie who each have won a copy of Woolly Leaves’ album “Quiet Water.” Thanks to those who entered. If you didn’t win don’t fret, Zunior can hook you up in ways that I can’t match. Go there. Download. Be happy. Or see Woolly Leaves in person Saturday, February 10th with Chris Brown and Apostle of Hustle at the Grad Club and get the album in person.

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If you are going to be in or around Kingston this week you should be pretty busy with all the concerts and stuff going on. Here’s a quick rundown: as mentioned before, Tokyo Police Club is tonight Feb. 6 at Alfies and on the 10th there is AoH, and I’m sure you already have your tickets for that.

Also tonight, at the Grad Club is Velvet Claws, PS I Love You, MCs from Slaves of Spanky, the Backyard Sex Band, & Stunlock Build, who are playing as part of the CFRC fundraiser.

Be sure to check out 1-Speed Bike tomorrow at Clark, a CFRC fundraising dance-stravaganza.

And speaking of the CFRC Fundraiser - DONATE! - you can get cds and all kinds of great stuff. One of the cds I got when made my donation was the Yoko Casiono’s “These are the New Old Times” who are playing with Major Grange the Golden Dogs at the Grad Club on February 9th. It is going to be power-pop-tastic, I guarantee. Don’t want to take my word for it? Frank at Chromewaves saw them at their Toronto show and has this to say about Yoko Casionos: “Their power pop was tight, punchy and impressive with a handful of really catchy, standout songs,” and this about Golden Dogs: “if The Golden Dogs come through your town anytime soon, you should check them out - they play pop-rock music and are a lot of fun.” So there. Listen to Frank. Check them out. And check out this song, which has been pretty much on repeat in my car stereo since friday:

* Yoko Casionos, Cameras On.mp3

One more show that you should make note of is The Sweet Homewreckers who are playing at Clark Hall Pub on Feb. 8th (with Charlemagne). This group from Peterborough is known for its mid-90’s Halifax-style power pop. It features not one but two trumpets and that, in my books, is pretty fantastic. What I have heard is fun and poppy and catchy as all get-out. Definitely should be a show worth checking out. Visit their myspace and their NMC page to stream a whack of tracks. Here are two songs off their album “From the Letdown to the Comearound” that you can take home and cherish:

* The Sweet Homewreckers, Wild America.mp3

* The Sweet Homewreckers, Amplification.mp3

All right Kingstonians. Keep on rawking and check back on the weekend for your regularly scheduled dose of live music.

Hey there hepcats,

This one is gonna be as brief as it is awesome. As you all surely know, Tokyo Police Club’s ep “A Lesson in Crime” was one of the best releases of 2006. This is quite a feat for such a young band, particularly given that the record lasts less than 18 minutes. But in those few precious minutes they pack in several lp’s worth of rawk. It is a stunning 7 songs filled with ridiculously catchy hooks, handclaps, and visions of a postapocalypic future where we are all enslaved by robots.

Come out to Alfies on Tuesday, February 6th, to see TPC kick it Newmarket-style - it will undoubtedly be legendary. Thanks to our beloved CBC we have a little something to get your handsclapping and your toes tapping. Enjoy.

Tokyo Police Club, CBCRadio3 Session, Studio 211, Toronto, 17 May 2006

1. Box.mp3

2. Citizens of Tommorow.mp3

3. Cut Cut Paste.mp3

4. Your English.mp3

5. A Lesson in Crime.mp3

6. Nature of the Experiment.mp3

7. Be Good.mp3

Learn A Lesson in Crime ( bad pun!) from PaperBagRecords

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 A couple of things to note:

1. You still have time to enter the Woolly Leaves contest. Email gimmestuff.bootlog@gmail.com with your address. It is just that simple.

2. For those of you who I got all riled up about seeing Woolly Leaves with Apostle of Hustle you will have to cool your jets for a week: due to an illness the show on Feb. 3rd has been cancelled but AoH with Woolly Leaves and Chris Brown will be playing the February 10th show.  Get your tickets now, ‘case

Today marks the start of the annual funding drive of the Queen’s University/Kingston Community radio station CFRC, . You should open your hearts (and your wallets) and give, give, give. Not only will you be supporting what is, in my humble opinion, the best radio station around, but you will also be able to pick up some really great swag or tax receipts. For as little as $15 you can get a cd and larger donations will get you gift certificates to resturaunts, via rail, Goodlife etc. etc. and for every $10 you get entered to win plane tickets to anywhere in Canada.

Between now and Februrary 11th you can call to pledge @ 613-533-CFRC (2372), online here, or in person at the station in Lower Carruthers Hall (beside the bookstore). They are hosting all kinds of cool events, so you can donate there, too:

Fri Feb 2- Community Skate, Market Square, 5-8pm. Featuring CFRC DJs of Exploding Plastic Inevitable and Illogical Progressions

Sat Feb 3- Belly-dancing Classes at the John Orr Rm in the JDUC, 2-3 & 3-4pm with CFRC’s DJ Zanzi (All Leather Interior), $5 suggested donation (cfrc[at]ams.queensu.ca to secure a spot)

Sun Feb 4- Curry Off, 6pm at the University Club (168 Stuart St). $7 all-you-can-eat or free if you bring curry to share. Children under 10 eat for free. Curry Original gift certificate to the winning chef!

Mon Feb 5- Poetry and Spoken Word Open Mic night at the Sleepless Goat, 7pm, free. (cfrcbusiness [at] ams.queensu.ca if you’d like to perform)

Tues Feb 6- Live Music Night at the Grad Club (162 Barrie St) featuring Velvet Claws, PS I Love You, MCs from Slaves of Spanky, the Backyard Sex Band, & Stunlock Build, $5 at the door.

Wed Feb 7- 1-Speed Bike (ft Aiden Girt of Godspeed You! Black Emperor) at Clark Hall Pub (Queen’s campus) w CFRC DJs Anomaly (Radio Gnosis) and Sta Free (Testarossa Overdrive, Fridays at Alfies). $5 at the door. Breakbeat, hip-hop, & electro. Bring yer dancin’ shoes!

Thurs Feb 8- DJs in the Lower Ceilidh of the JDUC, 10am-4pm, including Lauren of Unknown Pleasures.

Sat Feb 10- Morning Bottle Drive 9-12pm; CFRC at the Grad Club for the last night of the Apostle of Hustle Residency, 10pm, $10

Sun Feb 11- CFRC Does Sweet Folk All at the RCHA Brigade Assoc. (3rd Fl, 193 Ontario St), 7:30pm, free!

So come out and show your support and give what you can.

Here is a little treat from our friends at CFRC - Jill Barber recorded live in their studios:

* Jill Barber, When I’m Making Love to You (live at CFRC).mp3