I wanna take you to a gay bar

You know how every so often the perfect pop song comes along that encapsulates everything that's going on in your life at the moment? I remember tearing up at a Jane Siberry concert, shortly after a breakup, as she was performing "Love is Everything". All of a sudden the lyrics made more sense than they had when I was a teenager. And as a teenager, Sarah McLachlan's "Elsewhere" had such resonance with me that I can still sing you all the words today at the drop of a hat.

Well, now there's a new addition to the soundtrack of my life. It happened a couple of days ago: a guy stopped me in the street and asked if I would like to go get a drink with him at a gay bar.

So without further adieu, here is "Gay Bar" by Electric Six. Who would have known it was so true to life?

(Warning: this video contains comical footage of men in little shorts.)



(And no, I did not go with him to the gay bar. Even if I would have been a superstar.)

Peter Appleyard @ the Harbourfront Centre

Peter Appleyard is 78, plays the vibes, and is awesome.

You wouldn't think it if you heard a recording, but in person he's unbelievably spry, charming, and always looks like he's having a great time. I first saw him at Jazz Lives, the now-annual Jazz FM fundraiser, in 2005. We had seats in the back row of the furthest balcony in Convocation Hall, and we could still see his bushy white eyebrows and the shiny brass buttons of his jacket. He only played one number, but if that had been the whole show it would've been worth the price of admission.

We saw him again at Jazz Lives in 2006, and this time we were so close to the stage we could see his name on his vibraphone. Last night at the Harbourfront Centre we weren't quite that close, but we still had a great view from the side balcony despite the box office attendant's trepidations that the seats weren't that great. Awkward, yes, but just the right angle for seeing the great man in action.

Our unique view raised some questions, though. What was the difference between mallets other than the colours of their heads? Why did he sometimes seem to pause and change his mind about mallet choice? And how long did it take him to perfect the technique of playing with three mallets at once?

Everything he played was a sheer delight, but the highlight for me was the liveliest version of Cole Porter's "Love For Sale" I've ever heard. Normally it's a dull, dragging, plaintive dirge that makes me want to poke my eyes out. Mr. Appleyard turned it into a fast-paced, sparkling confection with a hint of calypso.

My only complaint was that there should've been more vibraphone. There was plenty, but the show could've been called "Peter Appleyard and Friends" as he brought on a couple of guest soloists (a saxophone player and a vocalist) and he let his rhythm section shine without him on several occasions. (The upright bass player even got to take the lead near the end, performing "Our Love is Here to Stay" with support from the guitar and drums.) They were all stellar professionals, and normally I would have been happy to see them play. I just like Peter Appleyard that much.

Peter Appleyard website
The vibraphone on Wikipedia

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Bonus: footage of Mr. Appleyard playing with Lionel Hampton in the 1970s. You can see his three-mallet hold near the beginning.

Hey! Get over it!

So I pop into the Starbucks next to the Edge this morning, and there are these cute, shaggy-haired, nattily dressed fellas at the front of the line. With the radio station next door, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that they're guesting musicians. I take my place behind two girls who are eyeing the guys furtively and fumbling in their purses. One has a camera in her hand, and finally they strike up the courage to approach them. I act disinterested, being an aloof celebrity-immune Torontonian.

As I pay for my low-fat cranberry muffin, the cashier chirps up, "You guys played a great show last night!" I don't hear their response, but at her co-worker's inquiry she says that they're in OK Go.

"Hm...OK Go," I think. "I keep meaning to check them out."

So as a reminder to myself:

OK Go website
OK Go on MySpace

...

Meanwhile, nine great punk videos via BoingBoing, most of which are from the year I was born and thus eliminating any credibility I may have when it comes to punk. Damn.

Beautiful and terrible

I can't stop raving about My Brightest Diamond and the show at the Drake last week. If anything, I'm impressed at how strong Shara Worden and Pedestrian's performances were, despite the sparse audience. The Drake Underground is already tiny, but they rawked out as if they were playing a stadium of screaming fans.

Luckily aNewCanadian posted a few videos of the show on YouTube. Guess he must've been one of the people roaming about with cameras that night. Sadly he didn't post the bluesy solo covers she did of Nina Simone and Prince, but the sound and video quality is amazingly good for YouTube.

"Something of an End" (my favourite song on Bring Me the Workhorse):


"Freak Out" (which proves that Shara Worden can rawk):


"Golden Star" (when she hit that high note, J. and I just looked at each other in astonishment):