Category: Music

Everyone knows my favourite Canadian band is the Rheostatics. In the dozen years or so that I’ve been a fan, I’ve seen them live maybe 15-20 times. The only time I ever saw a sub-par performance was around this time last year. You see, for the past couple of years, the boys from Etobicoke have been playing a series of shows at the venerable Horseshoe Tavern on Queen Street. They began in 2001 by playing 11 consecutive nights. Last year, it was 12 (and I caught them on a bad night). This year, yes, they are playing for 13 consecutive nights.

And let me tell you, after being mildly worried that my hometown heroes had somehow lost the magic, my faith has been fully restored. The Rheostatics kicked all kinds of ass tonight. During their 140-minute show, they played some old favourites, some rarely-heard album tracks, and even a few choice covers: XTC’s “The Mayor of Simpleton,” Guided By Voices’ “Teenage FBI,” (since they’re in town playing tonight) and even Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Only Living Boy In New York.” And did I mention they did this last night too? And are doing it tomorrow? And the next day? And the next? And so on?

I’m hoping to catch them again next Thursday night (Night 11 of 13) when they’ll be playing an all-covers set.

As an added bonus, before the show Brent and I met up for a drink with fellow Rheophile Robot Johnny and his friend Stacey, though they couldn’t stay for the show proper.

Elliott Smith has apparently taken his own life. I’d recently been wondering what he’d been up to, not knowing whether to expect a new album or news like this. Obviously, I’d have liked him to keep making his haunting, beautiful, but undeniably sad music.

Microsoft’s response to yesterday’s unveiling of iTunes for Windows, along with access to the iTunes Music Store:

Lame. Microsoft is lecturing music fans about choice? When their crappy Windows Media Player won’t even let people rip MP3s? When their software is so full of DRM nonsense that has more to do with keeping lawyers happy than consumers? When the “other services” referred to have been pitiful failures so far even with the huge market open to them? Puh-lease.

Last night, I met up with Josie and Carla and we saw The Polyphonic Spree.

It’s not too often you get to experience a shot of joy. And that’s quite hard to describe in words, actually. The concert was great. A highlight was the cover of David Bowie’s “Five Years” and the harp lullaby at the end of the show. Another cover I fully expect to hear next time is “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In” by the 5th Dimension. I’m actually surprised I haven’t heard more comparisons between the two bands. And since I’m mentioning a song from Hair, how about a Broadway revival starring the Spree?

Openers The Starlight Mints were also very good, though we arrived halfway through their set.

Can I just tell you how great The Polyphonic Spree is? I’d heard of them as long as two years ago, since they’re a Texas band and they usually play at South By Southwest. I finally picked up their CD a few weeks ago, and just want to recommend it.

The Polyphonic Spree are a “band” of more than 25 singers and musicians, all dressed in gospel choir robes, and singing the most joyous music I’ve heard in a long time. They have a gospel-hippie vibe that’s infectious and I have to admit that their music almost makes my heart burst every time I hear it. It’s so full of joy that I want to cry. Wacky, eh?

Check out some live performance video here (crappy RealPlayer software required). Lots more video available at the band’s site, too.

Gah! I just checked their site and they’re playing in Toronto on September 29th and 30th. Anyone wanna come hear some great music and watch me crying?