Who hasn't heard of these guys? Bon Jovi is a classic, A CLASSIC! With millions of records sold and a career that started way back in 1983, this well-loved American rock group has never failed to deliver memorable hits. Some you may recognize include Livin' on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name, and It's my Life.
I thought I'd share a little more Bon Jovi love with some pics and vids for their Circle Tour concert that I went to on July 15th, 2010 (exactly a month ago). It was held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Their opening act was none other than Kid Rock, another well-known big shot of country-rock.
You Give Love a Bad Name:
Pretty Woman:
Livin' on a Prayer:
I was sitting in the cheap seats section, but that did not dampen my experience in any way. The stage setup was great and the sound was quite crisp and definitely LOUD enough. This crowd was full of energy and the music was just plain awesome. The set was very looong. What more could you ask for?
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is based off of a series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It was released in Canadian theatres today, August 13th, 2010.
The basic premise goes something like this: Scott is a 23 yr old guy. He's out of school, has no job, and lives in a tiny room/house "liar", sharing its only bed with his gay roommate. Scott is also in a band (called the Sex Bob-ombs) and is currently dating a catholic high schooler (who's chinese). One day he dreams of this other girl. He meets other girl (Ramona Flowers) in real life. He starts dating Ramona. Suddenly he starts getting attcked by her seven evil exs, who wants to battle him to the death for Ramon'a love.
It's a fast paced movie. Not too too much character developement to be found. But the stylization and funny dialogue makes it so very enjoyable. It's set up like a video game - with extra lives, bonus points, and evil characters bursting into coins upon death. Even the music takes on the whimsy feel of games. It's bound to become a cult favourite.
The story all takes place in Toronto. Seriously, it's in Toronto. They didn't just shoot here and pretend that it was New York or Chicago like most Hollywood movies do. It's purely Canadian. There's the TTC, Second Cup coffee, Queen Street, Casa Loma, and even the ever tacky Honest Ed's.
Come on, a nerdy movie based on a comic book, protrayed like a video game, and actually takes place in Toronto? Awesome!
The story was losely based on the story of Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly but relocated to the era of the Vietnam war. It revolved around the romance of one young Vietnamese girl and an American GI.
Last month, Dancap Productions company put on Miss Saigon in Toronto. It was staged at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. This was the first time the show has been officially performed in Toronto since 1993.
Also returning with the show was Ma-Anne Dionisio for the main role of Kim (the girl). This was a role that Dionisio has not only played in Canada before, but also in British, Australian and American productions. I must say that her voice was lovely for the role.
Now I don't really want to give away the plot of the musical, but I can tell you that this is not one of those sing-dance-and-have-a-grand-ole-time type of shows. The characters had depth and there were plausible reasons fueling their actions. There were moments of joy, fear, anger, regret... and it was all played out so well. From the music to the acting, the cast put on quite a believable performance. They had me tearing up by the end too.
Here's a video from the original West End cast of Miss Saigon. They had a worldwide casting call for the lead roles. This led the producers to discover the wonderful Lea Salonga, one of the most well-known musical actresses of this generation. She was 18 when she played Kim.
I'll most definately see Miss Saigon again if I ever have the chance. That's a promise.
Let me now introduce you to a little group called Michou. They hale from from the city of Windsor, Ontario. Comprised of four fun-loving guys whose music just needed to be spread outside of just their city.
Michou has so far released 3 albums, each one showcasing their unique folky style. They are jedis at blending sound together, from the basic piano to xylophones, and even boxes and the clapping of their own hands. You should check out their tracks on iTunes.
They are a quirky band. If their original music is not enough to describe them, then perhaps you should read what they have to say about themselves:
A scientist from the future made a quantum leap back to the year 1974 and conducted an experiment in which one man would impregnate 4 separate women with 4 separate children. The 4 children were all born male, and therefore brothers from separate mothers. Following in their father’s footsteps they became inner city cowboys and started a gang known to all as “the downtown rumblers”. They were feared for their frequent attacks on the innocent, and their calling card: cooked macaroni noodles stuffed in shirt pockets. Citizens would walk around fearing the call “MICHOU!”, which the gang would shout as they jumped from near by ice cream trucks.
The scientist, realizing the damage and randomness of his experimentation, took the inner city cowboys back into the future; the year 2009. The rumblers used their post teenage/futuristic angst to compose delicate indie music with pop sensibilities. Now their music is daring to take over the world, as the scientist sits back and collects 15% publishing rights, and an additional 5% on any gross over $200,000. The band, paying homage to their previous attack call, “michou” decided to name the group as such. Now we look to the future and watch their destinies unfold.
I was actually introduced to this group by attending one of their live shows back in early 2008. From then, I've been following their progress and I must say that they have indeed made some great strides. Their touring schedule is jammed packed. Their music videos also made some waves of viewer requests online.
Now how excited do you think I was when I got the chance to go see them live for a second time? And this time they were touring with San Sebastian and The Archives too!. Below is a vid from the Michou portion of the show today at the El Mocambo.
And if that wasn't enough Michou for you, here are a few of their music videos:
One of my interests is music. Let's just say that I am one of those people who always always have music on. Silence makes me uncomfortably anxious for some reason I cannot explain. So expect me to post a lot about random bands/artists, some you may have never even heard about before and others that you definately have. There will be a very diverse range, so you've been warned.
The first up on the block today will be Metric.
Metric is an indie rock band based originally out of Toronto, Canada. They had their start back in 1998, but have since then gotten plenty of momentum. Metric has released four albums to date, with most recently Platinum selling Fantasies out in April of 2009. This album went on to win Alternative Album of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards. It also made history as the first ever album to have a single that has entered the Billboard Top 20 without the backing of a major label. Metric also recieved the honour as Group of the Year.
Today (August 4th, 2010 - yes, it's technically the 5th now since it's past midnight, but really it's the same day to me still =P), I was surprised to find out that they were going to be having a free concert. To be completely honest, I have heard their music in passing before but I wasn't exactly a die-hard fan of theirs. This has definately changed!
Now if the success of thier CD was any indication of their talent, I would say that it might be off mark. I found that their live performance was even better than thier recordings. It was exciting, energic, and definately dance-worthy.
The crowd was screaming and dancing for the entire set (and sweating, it was 37 degrees Celsius out there - just about 100 degess Fahrenheit). But the heat did not stop the thousands of people who showed up. Surposedly, the concert was kept a secret for as long as possible but news travels quickly these days. The entire street had to be closed down.
I managed to nab a spot right near the front of the barracades. It was an awesome view. Luckily I got to snap a few shots and videos before my camera's battery died out. You should definately check them out. Go buy thier CD if you like what you hear.
