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#Rocktober 30 volume 28: Dan Mangan

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. There are times I feel that concerts are really just an excuse to see a large group of awesome people. That seems to be exactly what happened last night. Marta took my extra ticket, and while I’ve known that cute Polish doctor for probably 5 or 6 years now, we’ve never actually met in person. It was nice to finally meet her, and she brought along her sister Joanna (who I actually hang out with in person frequently), Jon (Jo’s man), and a friend of Jo I had never met… Read More »#Rocktober 30 volume 28: Dan Mangan

#Rocktober 30 volume 16: Dum Dum Girls

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. Went to see The Dum Dum Girls at Lee’s Palace. I’m glad I didn’t take my camera with me, as both the Crocodiles and Dum Dum Girls decided not to use lights, and instead projected patterns of light on stage. Any pic would’ve looked like shit. When I got there, I found Mechanical Forest Joe ((Joe, I’m calling you this now.)) was there, too, as usual. I had someone to chat with, and it’s someone awesome. The opener came out in a lovely dress, but that was the highlight of the… Read More »#Rocktober 30 volume 16: Dum Dum Girls

#Rocktober 30 volume 14: Rob Benvie, Matt Murphy, Different Skeletons, and Queen’s Park

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. Last night I went to a weird alley in Kensington which in turn led to a staircase up to a strange bar I’ve never been in.  It was a packed house where Rob Benvie of Thrush Hermit fame was to be reading from his new novel. I didn’t quite understand why the place was so packed, but I quickly found Natalia and Tim and hung out with those two for a while. After hanging around for a while, we spotted Val, in the audience, and chatted with her. Turns out… Read More »#Rocktober 30 volume 14: Rob Benvie, Matt Murphy, Different Skeletons, and Queen’s Park

#Rocktober 30 volume 11: Wild Flag

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. Ahh, Wild Flag. I’ve been waiting for this. This is the one event I was truly waiting for. The other events were/will be okay, but man this was… this was… THIS WAS ROCKTOBER!

#Rocktober 30 volume 08: Cheap Speakers

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. To make up for bailing on me the day before, Natalia invited me over for lunch. So I joined her and her bandmate Tim for some tasty pasta made by an authentic Italian. We hung around and chatted, and I got back my copy of the Back To The Future trilogy. Later that night, I was back at the Horseshoe, where I saw Natalia and Tim’s band The Cheap Speakers. They put on a good show as usual, and it was fun. Then came The Ruby Spirit, who were ridiculous… Read More »#Rocktober 30 volume 08: Cheap Speakers

#Rocktober 30 volume 06: Entire Cities, Government, and The Nick

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. After work, I went to Jackman Public School and voted. YES! My candidate won the riding. I then dined at Toronto’s best restaurant, The Old Nick. From there I chilled until it was time to head to the Horseshoe where rock and roll was to be had, and rock and roll was had. I saw Entire Cities (who I nearly called The Entire Cities). The were fun as usual. It felt like old times as I think the majority of the songs were from Deep River, their previous album. They… Read More »#Rocktober 30 volume 06: Entire Cities, Government, and The Nick

#Rocktober30 volume 05: Jonathan Richman

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. When I was scoping out possible events for #Rocktober30, I saw that Richman was coming to Toronto. I thought, “why not,” so after work one day, I headed to Queen and Bathurst and purchased myself a ticket to the show. I’d never call myself a fan, but when I was looking for kid-friendly songs, and my friend Matt suggested Jonathan Richman’s “I’m A Little Airplane” I was hooked. His fun, poppy songs are a great, and that one CD that Matt sent me, plus the debut of the Modern Lovers… Read More »#Rocktober30 volume 05: Jonathan Richman

#Rocktober30 volume 01: Dreadful Montreal

This month I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. Today in Montreal was fucking cold. Sadly, I wasn’t smart enough to look at the weather forecast for the weekend, so I didn’t pack much. I had a sweater-vest I wore yesterday, but no actual sweater. I paid a trip to a local shop which wasn’t great and were asking $500+ for their sweaters. I left, but before I left, the salesman had to wish me a Shana Tovah. SEE! I’m a visible minority1. I decided to visit The Bay or Baie (Quebecers don’t know how to spell). I got… Read More »#Rocktober30 volume 01: Dreadful Montreal

#Rocktober30 volume 00 – Montreal

This month (well, officially next month) I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. I woke up this morning, watched the latest episode of Archer and then threw random clothing in my suitcase popped in my car and hit the highway. Getting out of Toronto was nice and easy. I had my iPod entertaining me through the drive. I put it on shuffle albums and started my Recently Added playlist. It started with Wild Flag’s debut 7″, Future Crimes. Next was The Rural Alberta Advantage’s Departing which seemed appropriate, as I was departing Ontario. From there we went to Peter… Read More »#Rocktober30 volume 00 – Montreal

#Rocktober30 volume -02

This month (well, officially next month) I turn 30. To mark such a remarkable event, I’m spending every day of October drenched in awesome-sauce. Though October, and by extension #Rocktober30, don’t begin for another two days, I feel that my negative-second day of #Rocktober30 is worth noting. First off, it’s erev Rosh Hashanah, and as such, when you work in a Jewish school, classes are dismissed at 11:30, and the school shuts down for the following two and a half days. What a wonderful way to begin #Rocktober30! I had promised my bro-in-law that I’d give him some nerd-help, but I had a couple hours to kill until I met… Read More »#Rocktober30 volume -02