Monday, November 27, 2006

Windsor Live Music: The Canaries and Eric Welton were amazing!


I have to say, that was one of my favourite nights of music in recent memory.
Thanks Eric, Dan, and the rest of the guys.
Very happy and looking forward to having you back.
Here's some photos...



Art show ideas




This is the kind of thing that makes me wish I was creative...more creative.
I would love to see a local show with folks from the community being "zombie-ized" or even drawn as animals or athletes or a combination of both. I think I would be a weasel or some other rodent...maybe a hyena, whereas Frank could easily be transformed into a smoking bulldog or something.

This image of the zombie-guy is an artist from Canada who takes images you send him, and them draws your zombie portrait for $80.
Pretty cool.

Any show ideas coming from this? I hope so...

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Store This Away...Patrick Watson


He's playing Phog in February...so don't say I didn't warn you!

http://radio3.cbc.ca/blogs/2006/11/NMC-Track-of-the-Day-for-November-24th-2006-Patrick-Watson-Luscious-Life

New Music Canada Track of the Day for November 24th, 2006: Patrick Watson "Luscious Life"

Posted by Lisa Christiansen on Nov 24, 2006

There are a few musical artists that live in the netherworld of "sounds like", i.e. "Hey, this band sounds like: The Pixies, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, the Stones." In the singer/songwriter realm it's Jeff Buckley that gets the most comparisons, I'd say.

The late-great California-born singer with the falsetto of an angel left only one musical release, but a lasting legacy of admirers...and possible heirs. I have to say that most of the time I disagree with comparisons to this artists. Maybe the artist being compared can reach those dizzy heights vocally, but misses out on the wounded sexiness that was Buckley's trademark.

So it was with apprehension that I first listened to Montreal's Patrick Watson who lists him as an influence. But for once it fit. This isn't straight up imitation to anything. Watson has his own take on music with a band that creates full songs that are pop sweet and complex. Buckley was really a folk artist with a rock band. But Patrick Watson is inside his own world... but then again - he too was born in California.

Interesting, that.

From his latest release Close to Paradise, this is "Luscious Life".

Wanna play NXNE? Here's how...


This blog posting will tell you how to get your music-related film...or...your band into the festival.
I have a lot of incredible bands who are friends of Phog, so I thought I should pass this on.
Check it out. You should take heed of this early opportunity...Windsor bands in particular should get ahead of the game!

From http://radio3.cbc.ca/blogs/2006/11/You-Like-Me-You-Really-Really-Like-Me

"You Like Me! You Really, Really Like Me!

Posted by Jennifer Van Evra on Nov 24, 2006
» Post a Comment

Feel it's time to show the world what you've got? Or Canada at least?

The North By Northeast Music & Film Festival and Conference - affectionately known as NXNE - is now accepting submissions for next year's festival. They're looking for bands who want to play, and for filmmakers with who want to screen their music-themed flicks.

Every year, NXNE showcases more than 450 Canadian and international acts at 35 downtown Toronto venues. It's also a great opportunity for musicians to catch up with old friends, rub elbows with musical legends, and show their stuff to label reps.

If you submit before December 31, the fee is $25; after that, it's $35. The final deadline is January 12, 2007 - so better get cracking!

Or, feel more like a little sojourn by the sea? At the other end of the country, NewMusicWest 2007 - which is happening in Vancouver next May - is also looking for submissions. If you've you've got a demo to dish out, go here."


It's cheaper to submit the sooner you submit...so GET ON IT!!
Tom
Phog

Check the CBC Radio 3 Blog to get the links to the submission forms.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

P H O G

Friday, November 17, 2006

What do you know about Windsor blogs?

Are there any other bloggers out there telling people something valuable about the city we live in?
I am listing a few here, so that you have the chance to peruse the thoughts of people who try to stay informed.
Enjoy them...hopefully as much as I do.
http://bwopwindsor.blogspot.com/
http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/
http://voiceofwindsor.org

Cheers
Tom

Eric Welton...Our New Guy


He is on point, and ready to serve.
He's the new man behind the bar.
Phog finally has a guy who can work the bar AND tend to the needs of musicians, adjusting the soundboard that Frank and Tom are clueless around. You see, he's actually a talented person. He plays guitar! Look for him to perform now that he's doesn't have to drive from Chatham to perform.
Eric is a great guy who we look forward to working with, and we know you'll welcome him the way you welcome all Phog newcomers.

Apparantly, when you want people to comment on your site, you need comments turned "on".
I was changing settings for the blog the other day, and I obviously screwed up.
So, once again, you have the chance to comment the day away...


Cheers

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Calling All Prints

We have been lucky enough to run three successful t-shirt art shows.
This December, we will be holding another Phog Original T-Shirt AND Print Art Show.
This means that if you want to submit a t-shirt, handbag, or anything else with an original print on it, we welcome it into the show. This addition comes after learning that several artists also do a lot of printing on paper. These are ALL welcome.

The other difference will be that pricing will be in the "cash and carry" variety. There will be no pieces sold in the "silent auction" format, which we have used in each preceding show.

Entries are welcome as of NOW and will be hung and displayed December 15th.

Remember, you choose the price of each item you enter into the show. I suggest you price them to move before Christmas.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

The end of this week...


A great foreshortening exercise.

As this weeks draws to a close, we have a clearer picture of what will be happening with our schedule for music.
We want NON-show-goers to know when there are no shows as much as we want music fans to know when bands are playing.
As far as we know, Sunday through Thursday will be FREE ADMISSION days, meaning there are no events, or the events are free. The only time we will not stick to this plan, is when an undeniable great show is asking for a mid-week or off-night show. If this happens, the shows will be properly promoted and publicized, so that the bands who deserve a crowd...get one.

The weekends will be our strongest offering on a regular basis, with Open Mic Surgery with Ron Leary anchoring the early week.
With The Avalon Front sceduling more Saturday shows in upcoming weeks, it makes for an even stronger reason to come downtown to see live music.

The Creeping Nobodies were a pleasant surprise. Very, very good.

The mid-week shows, again, will be posted with much notice, as to not interfere with the non-show-goers expectations of fun "talk-filled" nights at Phog. We know that bands can hinder the fun interaction with their big sounds, but sometimes, they will not be denied a weeknight if they are bringing the GOODS!

For instance, Friday Morning's Regret (Toronto) and The Locusts Have No King will be playing a mid-week show in December, but because they are incredible, and they don't have many shows scheduled in the same timeframe, it should be a barn-burner.

We are doing this for you, and we are doing this for the bands.
We book entertainers who we feel deserve the attention, praise, and record sales, so this is our way of trying to make sure they get it.

Hope to hear from people about what they think about the changes once they are noticeably in effect. We want only the best shows we can offer, and that means better bands, less often. No more watering down the week.

A couple of nice shots of Halloween spirit at Phog:


Frank as an Asian person...


Dave (Plastic Man) and Paul getting to become "Super Friends"


Just a shot I took in Ann Arbor. Why are all these changes coming in the Fall, the time of change? Coincidence? No.