Some older vids...from the summer

I have a few videos from earlier this year that I unearthed from the depths of another computer.

Here are a few older live videos of Field Assembly, The Sleepless Nights (Halifax), and Wax Mannequin.

 Field Assembly


The Sleepless Nights


Wax Mannequin

The Got To Get Got (TGTGG) Videos of live show at Phog

Interview with Kevin Echlin, Yukon Blonde, and Library Voices from, well, tonight!

For those of you unaware, I have been lucky enough to get a wildly useful piece of technology called "the iPhone".
It's popular. You've likely heard of it...

I could go on and on, but won't.
There's a free app called Audioboo that allows users to record up to 5 minutes of sound, add a photo and tags to that sound, and then upload it to the internet immediately from the iPhone.

I have been using this for a little while now, interviewing bands, artists, festival promoters, etc, to show folks just how much is going on in this city, province, and country with regard to cultural talent.

So yes, when i post some of these interviews, they are happening minutes from the time they were recorded. It allows you to have a connection with an event or person that is actually still relatively within your reach (seeing their show, making it to their art opening etc.).

I'll keep you posted.

You can either listen to the posts here when I embed them. Or you can go to my Audioboo download page now and again to check what's uploaded. OR, the best option, subscribe to the podcast (internet episodes) on iTunes...so you can have them automatically downloaded to your MP3 player.

Rah Rah (Regina) w/ Stereo Goes Stellar play Phog Tuesday, October 27th

http://www.myspace.com/rahrahband
http://www.myspace.com/stereogoesstellar

Rah Rah is just one of those bands.
Rock/Pop/Indie perfection. They make people dance with almost every song they perform.

You find yourself singing their songs while doing chores or driving around town. They are a six-piece, energetic, friendly, fun group, and they have made two big impressions to two small crowds.

Let's show them how Windsor enjoys its music community by coming out to this one and supporting this AMAZING band coming all the way from Regina, Saskatchewan!

As if you needed another reason, Stereo Goes Stellar, local darlings, will be joining the bill, representing the performers of Windsor as good as anyone could ever hope. I'm super excited to see both of these bands on Tuesday.

Use this link below to see some live video action of the last time Rah Rah played Phog.

Phog November Listings

 November
1 - Sharon Lavin Art Show Up
1 - BOOK FEST - Alexander Zelenyj Reading
2 - Peace Leeches (Blenheim) w/ TBA - 9pm
4 - Engineers Without Borders w/ What Seas, What Shores w/ James OL and the Villains
5 - Ox (Vancouver) w/ Barzin (Toronto) - 9pm
6 - Book Fest - Reading by Ray Robertson followed by Kelly Hoppe
7 - Book Fest - Reading 4:30pm
7 - The Wooden Sky (Toronto) w/ Evening Hymns (Peterborough) - 10:30pm
10 - Immaculate Machine (Vancouver) w/ The Zolas w/ TBA - 9pm
11 - Paper Lions (Prince Edward Island/Toronto) w/ TBA- 9pm
12 - Wax Mannequin (Hamilton) CD Release w/ Rae Spoon (Calgary) & Mark Bragg (St John's, NL) - 9pm
13 - Lindy (Toronto) w/ TBA - 10:30pm
14 - Myles Deck and The Fuzz (Halifax) w/ High Mother - 10:30pm
16 - Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts
17 - Raw Shock Monthly Film Fest - 8:30pm
18 - You Say Party, We Say Die! (Vancouver) w/ Little Girls (Toronto) & Friendly Foes (Detroit) - 9pm
19 - Radio Adelaide w/ TBA - 9pm
20 - Rep By Pop (Toronto) w/ Perilelle - 10:30pm
22 - Parlour Steps (Vancouver) w/ TBA - 9pm
23 - Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts
24 - Video Art Awards: Visual Arts Program - 8pm
24 - Andy Brown (Fredericton) w/ TBA - 12am
25 - Jackie Robitaille w/ Kaley Bird,  Sidney York,  Amy Thiessen - 9pm
27 - Caladonia (Halifax) w/ TBA - 10:30pm
28 - The Mark Inside (Toronto) w/ Young Rival (Hamilton) - 10:30pm
30 - Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts

Library Voices (Regina) w/ Yukon Blonde (Vancouver) & Kevin Echlin

You want stories.
This is the connection between you and the upcoming show.

Well, here's a little one about the bands coming to Phog in the very near future...like THIS SUNDAY October 25th.
It's an early show, with a 9pm start time!! Yesssssss....
 
Library Voices first played on a night where the booking was cluttered thanks to Yours Truly.
They were asked to open the night, a spot they have been unfamiliar with for some time, I'm sure.

The bummer of this show was that I was desperate to be at a previous engagement. I couldn't stay. But I wanted to...
Eight of their TEN band members took the stage, all standing, horns, drums, everything...15 minutes before I had to leave the building.

When they launched into their first song, eyebrows leapt. Mine, and the other people in the room. Rino, a friend, was simply at the bar to have a beer while his bread was baking down the street. He couldn't believe his luck.

This band from Regina was like listening to a prarie version of Broken Social Scene mixed with The New Pornographers. High energy, fun, and TIGHT...with eight members! I am so excited to see this band, you have no idea.

And the band they're sharing the stage with - Yukon Blonde - a newer band from Vancouver. I didn't know much about this band, but I had been offered three shows with them on the bill in recent months. And when Said The Whale (I think) was in Windsor recently, they told me that Yukon Blonde was one of the best bands they'd heard all year. I remember being shocked by this, wondering how they could be so good, but only SO recently realized. When I went to their myspace page, I heard what was getting people excited about them. Go check them out now, and you'll hear ANOTHER reason why you should be at the show on Sunday.

On top of all of this, local songster, Kevin Echlin will be opening the show. The kid is sharp. It's going to be a great start to the night. And hopefully a trend of performances by Kevin at Phog.

Some vids for you:
Library Voices
Library Voices
Yukon Blonde
Yukon Blonde
Kevin Echlin

And these are the shows coming on the two days BEFORE this juggernaut.
They're all so AWESOME!
October 23 - Fjord Rowboat (Toronto) w/ The Diableros (Toronto)
October 24 - The Matavaras (Halifax)

Said The Whale at Phog Videos

Said The Whale had a majorly successful CD release party at Phog this month.
It was epic.
They were amazing, there were almost 100 balloons in the room, there was a confetti cannon, party hats, five CDs given away to the first five people to the show, and there was a renewed friendship.

This band is our friend.
So here are some videos I had yet to upload to Youtube at the time of the promotion for their last show.
These videos are from their SECOND-last show here, before the Canada Day live CBC TV broadcast where Ben wore the Phog Lounge t-shirt while performing and meeting the Governor General of Canada.


Enjoy.

SAID THE WHALE!!! Playing Phog Tuesday, October 13th with Hannah Georgas (Vancouver)

Said The Whale (Vancouver) and Hannah Georgas (Vancouver) are gracing our stage this Tuesday at 9pm.

We are BEYOND lucky to have these folks coming in again, so soon from their last show. Usually we have to wait a year to see them again. And they are returning off of the STELLAR NATIONAL performance they displayed on CBC Television on Canada Day WEARING A PHOG LOUNGE T-SHIRT!!!! Don't recall this? Check the link.
http://thephogblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/canada-day-said-whale-and-phog.html

It's a weekday show, so we're beginning earlier than weekend shows. SO you'll be able to see Said The Whale and still make it home in time to get rested for the next day's work or school.

For those who are unaware, Said The Whale is bringing along some new beauties. New CDs. Yes, this is a CD Release Party, decked out with celebratory bits and pieces, including cake, party hats, and more.
This will not be your average CD Release Party, as Said The Whale finds a way to do things in grand style.

I cannot fully express my excitment for this show, and I can guarantee an incredible outpouring of talent to all of you wise enough to come and partake. They have consistently inspired and rocked our building during every visit, and Tuesday will be even more special with the new record poised for emergence and success.

 Hannah Georgas will be opening the show. Anyone with a decent memory will remember her from the performance on Parliament Hill on Canada Day that was broadcast nationwide on CBC TV.

Go to her myspace and listen!

And if you've made it this far...and you have anything remotely Rastafari, or Bob Marley, or anything in the realm of that musical taste, bring it out that night so I can play it, as it is quite a favourite thing for Ben, one of the vocalists of Said The Whale.

Looking forward to seeing a full house for an early Tuesday night show!

Show Up with Matthew Rideout, CJAM's Power Down, and Doug Hoyer & Michael Rault

Here are three more short sound bytes of some interviews I did recently with musicians, and radio folk.

Show Up is now a podcast that you can subscribe to in iTunes, if you're into hearing about stuff going on in the city that I happen to come across...

Phog October Listings

October
1 - Art goes up...Denial, Dave Kant, Cary Wilkins, Jason Deary
2 - FAM FEST!!! High Mother, Blasternaut, Shawn Ladd & The Wall of Bees (Toronto)
3 - FAM FEST!!! Bulletproof Tiger, The Definition (Detroit), Sledgehammer, VEX and the Computer Rock Show
4 - FAM FEST!!! Modernboys Moderngirls (Toronto), Perilelle, Shoe (Detroit), Paper White (Detroit)
5 - CJAM 91.5FM Farewell - Power Down Party
6 - Doug Hoyer (Edmonton) w/ Michael Rault (Edmonton) & Octoberman (Toronto)
8 - We Were Lovers (Saskatoon) & The Balconies (Ottawa)
9 - Dan Mangan (Vancouver) w/ Field Assembly & Will Currie & The Country French (Toronto)
10 - Corbin Murdoch (Vancouver) w/ Sarah MacDougall (Vancouver)
12 - Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts
13 - Said The Whale (Vancouver) w/ Hannah Georgas (Vancouver)
15 - Baird Brothers (Toronto) w/ Construction and Destruction (Halifax)
17 - Elephant Stone (Montreal) w/ The Magic Hall of Mirrors
18 - Rodney Decroo (Vancouver) w/ Dave Lang (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) & Dave Newberry (Vancouver)
19 - Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts
20 - Raw Shock Monthly Film Festival
23 - Fjord Rowboat (Toronto) w/ The Diableros (Toronto)
24 - The Matavaras (Halifax)
25 - Library Voices (Regina) w/ Yukon Blonde (Vancouver) & Kevin Echlin
25 - SAC Songwriters Group
26 - Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts
27 - Rah Rah (Regina) w/ Stereo Goes Stellar & TBA
29 - The Last Trio
30 - The DoneFors (Toronto) w/ Pat Robitaille
31 - Halloween with Lonesome Lefty & The Cryin' Shames

Octoberman (Toronto) w/ Doug Hoyer (Edmonton) & Michael Rault (Edmonton) Tuesday, October 6th

The return of Doug Hoyer is about to be actualized.
He came from Edmonton a few months back, and ingratiated himself on a crowd who didn't know what to expect.
He played, sold a bunch of CDs, promised to come back, and has fulfilled his promise by booking this date with Michael Rault.
Rault, another Edmontonian, will be making his first appearance at Phog. To give his stuff a listen, head over to his myspace page.
Octoberman returns, downsized, as a solo or duo (yet to be decided).
This is always an impressive performer, with or without accompaniment.
iTunes picked Octoberman’s first single off of Fortresses, “Trapped In The New Scene”, as their Single of the Week!
Listen to the stuff on HIS website.
Or watch this video:

Dan Mangan (Vancouver) w/ Will Currie and The Country French (Toronto) and Field Assembly (Windsor) Friday, October 9th

Dan Mangan is on his way. This is a big deal, for those who don't know. Look him up in musical circles and you find out that he's become a hit across the country. His Twitter account is rife with congratulations on achievements, interviews, awards, video links, and the news that he was named XM Satellite Radio's VERGE Artist of the Year! Do you need another reason?




Will Currie and The Country French will be accompanying Mangan on this tour, which is almost talent overkill. This band came here months ago, and absolutely mesmerized those in the room. They have been a band of high caliber for as long as I can remember, so when they got to Phog, I KNEW we were in for a treat, but it seemed to be more of a surprise to those in the crowd.

The songwriting, the musicianship, all of it, slick. And such great people. Being chummy with them was automatic, and I told them to hurry-up and get back here. Here they are.

The local act on this bill is the supreme match to Mr. Mangan and Mr. Currie-French. Field Assembly is slated to make a very strong argument for Windsor talent in its relation to the rest of the country. I believe the biggest mistake made on this show's evening will be people who try to come out later to catch one of the out-of-town bands. Field Assembly's album, released this year, is easily one of the best of all I've listened to, with one song in particular (Light Speed) being my favourite song all year.

This is simply the strongest folk/roots line-up I've ever had at Phog Lounge.
There.
I said it.
Be smart, and save $3 per ticket by getting them in advance.
Advanced Tickets = $7
Tickets at Door - $10

And they're ALL ON TWITTER!
@danmanganmusic
@fieldassembly
@countryfrench

Follow them.

Interview with Murad of FAM Fest.

I got Murad to talk with me about twenty minutes ago (7pm, Friday, October 2nd, 2009) about the opening night of the FAM Fest which begins tonight.
Get a glimpse.

Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking go musical

Interview with Jean-Paul De Roover and Pawnshop Diamond from Wednesday night.