January 30, 2009
CFRC Funding Drive!
It is time to open your wallet and give to support Campus and Community Radio. Today is the start of CFRC 101.9 FM‘s (CFRC’s site is down at the moment after the AMS’ servers, which host it, imploded. A temporary site has been set up here) 4th Annual Funding Drive.
Giving is easy easy easy. You can pledge by phone by calling 613-533-2372 and talking to the kind operators who are standing by or you can donate online. Any little bit helps and if you pledge by phone (or in person at Lower Carruthers Hall on Queen’s campus) you can get yourself a sweet gift from one of the many awesome sponsors, such as my personal favourite Novel Idea, or if you donate online or by phone you can get a tax receipt. So please donate what you can. Every little bit helps.
To make parting with your money even more enjoyable, there are a bunch of spectacular Funding Drive events which the CFRC Facebook page tells me include:
Kingston Symphony Orchestra presents “Virtuoso Variations”
Sat. Jan 31, 7:30pm and Sun. Feb. 1, 2:30pm at The Grand Theatre
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118604230330ASUS Movie Theatre presents “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” (1973)
Sun. Feb. 1, 7pm at Dunning Auditorium (Queen’s main campus)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=57022945947Apple Crisp presents a CFRC Funding Drive Festival featuring Magic Jordan, The Gertrudes, Cities Turn to Sand, False Face
Tues. Feb. 3, 8pm (door) at The Grad Club, $7-12 sliding scale
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50636186318Into the Magic Soundbox
Fri. Feb. 6, 6pm and 9pm at Queen St. United Church
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=45411069705Soul Shakedown feat. DJ E, Redfoot and special guest Nuphonic
Sat. Feb. 7, 9pm at Time to Laugh Comedy Club
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50137156045
You can check out some of the bands playing at the Apple Crisp show on Tuesday at their respective Myspaces:
Magic Jordan — The Gertrudes — False Face
You get to see a kick ass show and help keep CFRC alive and kicking – it is win-win!
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I posted this for the 2007 Funding Drive but I think it is worth reposting. Jill loves CFRC and you should too.
* Jill Barber, When I’m Making Love to You (live at CFRC).mp3
(don’t forget to get your tickets to see Jill Barber at the Grand Theatre on Feb. 14th)
January 26, 2009
Gentleman Reg, Stages, Kingston, 4 April 2008
Photo by The2Scoops taken at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto, 11 December 2008
The first Apple Crisp of the year is going to be a good one. Toronto singer-songwriter Gentleman Reg is hitting the stage at Apple Crisp’s new home – the Next Church at 89 Colborne St. While the venue is different, two things are undoubtedly going to hold steady: tasty apple crisp and other wonderful baked goods and music so good you wonder how they can do it for only $5 cover. Gentleman Reg, who is promoting his new album Jet Black (out Feb. 24 on Arts & Crafts), will be playing this early show (7pm) with Apple Crispers PS I Love You. I haven’t heard the new album – his first in 4 years – in its entirety yet but from what I have heard, I can tell it will continue Gentleman Reg’s streak of producing stunningly gorgeous albums filled with irresistable pop hooks. His delivery is gentle, almost whispered, but it seems that Reg showcases his rock chops more than ever before.
Gentleman Reg only has a few upcoming tour dates so yourself lucky Kingston and get yourself to the Apple Crisp show. Full dates at le myspace:
27 January – The Next Church, Kingston
24 February – Soundscapes, Toronto (in-store @ 6pm)
12 March – The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
And for your listening pleasure here are a few tracks from Gentleman Reg’s all to short performance last April opening up for Stars here in Kingston.
Gentleman Reg, Stages, Kingston, 4 April 2008
* City of Eros
* It’s Not Safe
Buy GR’s cds and buttons at his site and be sure to get he new single and, in a months time, new record at Arts&Crafts.
***
More!
Apple Crisp!
Events!
Two other Apple Crisp events that you will want to mark in your calendars right this second:
1) On February 3rd, Apple Crisp is supporting their/your/our most favouritest and bestest radio station evah, CFRC, with a Funding Drive Concert Spectacular at The Grad Club featuring : Magic Jordan, The Gertrudes, False Face, Cities Turn to Sand. It is going to be six kinds of radical so be sure to be there. SUPPORT CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY RADIO – DONATE TO CFRC!
2) On February 24th Pete Samples will be playing an Apple Crisp show (Probably not at Queen St. United Church as advertised. I’ll confirm that). It is going to be wicked awesome and in case I don’t have a chance to mention it later I thought I’d mention it now.
January 21, 2009
Born Ruffians, The Grad Club, Kingston, 18 April 2008
photo by Roboppy taken at the Bowery Ballroom, 30 January 2007.
When their full-length, “Red, Yellow & Blue”, came out last year, it proved that Born Ruffians could sustain the energy and enthusiasm they exhibited on their great EP. Sure, they took a moment here and there to relax their pace, both mid-song and across the album, but even at their slowest it seems like Luke Lalonde cannot help but let his lyrics pour from his mouth. As soon as one word forms another is hot on its heel, the yelped words propelled by the martial rumble of the drums, and the jangly guitar. It is one the albums I kept returning to again and again over the year.
Born Ruffians are returning to the Grad Club (see the end of the post for details about how to show your love for the GC!) Kingston this Friday night. I suggest you be there, lest you be square. They have a few Ontario dates coming up before heading to Australia for February and then the US in March. Check their site for full listings:
January 22nd: Algonquin, Ottawa
January 23rd: Grad Club, Kingston
January 24th: Montreal House, Peterborough
Here are a few tracks from the last time I saw them in town. They played pretty much every song off their new record and were rather great all around. This one is a bit rumbly in parts (sooner or later I will figure it out) but I hope you dig it. Older recordings can be found here and here. Enjoy.
Born Ruffians, The Grad Club, Kingston, 18 April 2008
buy RYB etc.
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Our good friends at CBCRadio3 are looking for the Best Live Music Club in Canada. You and I both know that it is The Grad Club. You need to let CBC know. Once a day. For the length of the contest. As they say, vote early, vote often.
Here’s the deal:
Starting today you can nominate your favourite Canadian club on our blog, or email your nomination to searchlight@cbcradio3.com. Your choice must be indoor, cater to live music, have a legal capacity of 1,000 people or less, and be operational as of today, January 21 2009.
Then, on Wednesday, January 28: long list will be announced and voting will begin at www.cbcradio3.com and the process unfolds:
• Monday, February 2: Top 20 will be announced
• Wednesday, February 11: Top 10 will be announced
• Wednesday, February 18: Top 5 will be announced
• Wednesday, February 25: Final winner will be announced.
Got it? Get out there and start nominating! Then continue to show your love and votevotevote.
January 20, 2009
Neko Case – “People Got a Lotta Nerve”
Hey folks. Neko Case has come up with probably the best promotion tactic evah. She has found a way to have every blogger, including yours truly, post about the first single, “People Got a Lotta Nerve”, off her new record “Middle Cyclone” (out March 3rd) while helping a great charity. Since it is a week into the promotion you probably already know all about it, but in case you haven’t heard, Case’s label Anti- is going to donate $5 for every blogger who posts this track and $1 for every person who gives it the thumbs up on “iLike” to the Best Friends Animal Society. So here you go:
* Neko Case – People Got a Lotta Nerve
This is a fantastic track which, as you might expect, showcases Case’s stunning vocals. Even before hearing this song I was very excited for Case’s follow up to the amazing “Fox Confessor…” and it doesn’t sound like the new records is going to dissapoint.
You can pre-order Middle Cyclone and give a few bucks to Best Friends if you can.
January 16, 2009
Entire Cities, Skeleton Park Music Festival, 21 June 2008
We are a fair way away from the Summer Solstice, the date of the wonderful annual Skeleton Park Music Festival in Kingston and it is cold out – really, really cold out. But never fear because there is no better way to warm up than to get up, stomp your feet and dance (with or without your brother) to the riotous cowpunk of Entire Cities.
Long time b(oot)log readers know that I am quite a fan of Entire Cities – check out here and here for older posts – and I think it is safe to say that they are one of my favourite live acts. Onstage, and on their great album ‘Deep River’, they are passionate, energetic and often unpredictable. During their rollicking moments they can whip the crowd into a frenzy and will have you pumping your fist in the air, shouting along with the very memorable chorus to “Dancing with My Brother” (the choice words were edited out during the kid-friendly SPMF performance). Their slower songs will have you swaying along transfixed by the gorgeous melodies and lyrics.
At this year’s SPMF, Entire Cities put on quite a fun show. They tailored their material somewhat to the audience, editing the objectionably lyrics out of songs where necessary and they even pulled out a children’s song which had the young child beside me sing “Octopus farm, octopus farm…” for quite some time afterwards. However, they were not quite as raucous as I have seen them in the past, so to see Entire Cities at their finest be sure to get out of the cold on Saturday and head to the Grad Club to see them play along with Nich Worby. Some dates from their myspace:
17 Jan 2009 – The Grad Club w/ Nich Worby & the Milkwood Sparrows, Kingston
24 Jan 2009 – The Silver Dollar Room w/ the Schomberg Fair
I have just a couple of songs from the set for you. The recording was plagued by the aforementioned child who spent a great part of the set yelling across the park at her mother which doesn’t exactly make for great listening. Enjoy these songs and check out my older recordings linked above and be sure to check them out for yourself this weekend.
Entire Cities, Skeleton Park Music Festival, 21 June 2008
* Sunshine
* Accountant’s Dream
Pick up “Deep River” locally at the amazing Made4You in Kingston, digitally at Zunior, or at select fine retailers in your neighbourhood.
January 15, 2009
Land of Talk, Wolfe Island Music Fest, 9 August 2008
Hey folks,
After a brief period of hibernation I have emerged and hope to get back into the swing of things around here at b(oot)log hq. There is a metric assload of great shows coming through town. I have a list of ’em down there on the right hand side – each and every there is, I am sure, going to be mindblowingly fantastic. So get out there and see some music!
The year is starting off with a bang as this weekend there is not one but two fantastic shows over at Ye Olde Grad Club. Up first on Friday is Land of Talk. Featuring the (now healthy, I hope) vocals of Liz Powell who belts out plaintive but powerful lyrics, Land of Talk’s songs move along at a ferocious pace. That pace is set by tight rhythm section of new-ish drummer Andrew Barr and bassist Chris McCarron who build and build and build, enhancing the urgency of Powell’s razor-sharp guitar work. Even when not playing at breakneck speed, there is a tautness in Land of Talk’s songs, offering a melancholic, but never defeated, sound.
I’ve seen LoT perform live a handful of times over the last few years and they’ve become increasingly comfortable and self-assured onstage. Below I have a couple of tracks from their performance at the 2008 Wolfe Island Music Fest. They were a bit rushed as they arrived to the island late, but they provided a solid set with Loel Campbell of Wintersleep drumming for them after just one practice, drawing from their fantastic EP and from the then-unreleased new album “Some Are Lakes”. Hope you dig it.
Upcoming dates:
15 Jan 2009 Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (TONIGHT!)
16 Jan 2009 The Grad Club, Kingston
Land of Talk, Wolfe Island Music Fest, 9 August 2008
* Speak to Me Bones
* Some Are Lakes
* Young Bridge
Buy the new full-length from One Little Indian and shirts from their myspace.
B(oot)log 