What a Difference A Day Makes
Friday, October 31 2003
Posted by brockp

So I am just settling in for a quiet evening yesterday, doing laundry, finishing C's Hallowe'en costume, and taking it easy before hitting the road with Mongoose, when I get a call from Shockker. He is flustered like I haven't heard him before and says, "I got some bad news..."

I'm thinking this probably means show cancellation or broken leg or something when he tells me our gig on the 31st in Chilliwack with Shocore is actually on the 30th in Abbotsford. I look at the clock and it is about 7:30 pm and we are supposed to be on stage at 9 or 9:30pm. By the time I have explained this news to (a not too pleased) Clayton, make a plan with RC and Shockk, and get out the door, it is 8pm.

The fastest load out in history ensues at the Sanctuary, wherein we are in and out loaded in the van in less than 5 minutes. Crossing fingers hoping C's mom is home, we head back to drop him off on the way to Highway 1.

By 9:45 pm we have covered the 80 or so km, loaded in, set up and are ready to play. I sit down to warm up my hands a bit with the big 3S sticks and the guy announces the beginning of our set after this song.

We hit it at about 9:55pm. Contrary to the set at the Railway Club the previous night, we proceed to tear it up. Thanks to Nick, there is excellent sound on stage, despite Clay's dying active pickup battery. Shockker busts all the moves and RC is without crutches on his broken toe leaning on the mic stand. Clayton even smiles a bit but still stays far enough away from me that I cannot whack or poke him with my stick. (I'll get him when his guard slips).

A brief photo shoot in the men's room, and a set by Joykamp waiting for Nick to scare up some cash from the promoter, and we are done. We get out of there and are back in Vancouver by 12:30am.

Misery
Thursday, October 30 2003
Posted by brockp

I hate suicides. A neighbour of mine once did himself in and it was far from pleasant. I also hate the stupid candlelight vigils and all that mourning and weeping and wailing. Nobody wants to suffer and somehow, a completed suicide cannot help but underline suffering - its pretty blatant.

I am blogging about this because I just listened to Elliot Smith for the first time in quite a while - maybe the second or third time since Figure Eight came out. Something came over me as I listened to his beautiful, sad voice singing Miss Misery. I remembered all the Joy I have felt while hearing his music and just started to bawl. F&*# here it is again.

I saw Elliot for the first time in Seattle at the Velvet Elvis when they were doing all ages shows there (maybe they are again). I'd heard his seven inch of Angeles and I Don't Think I'm Ever Gonna Figure it Out on KCMU and had to see him live. It was so close and intimate and happy and silly. He played for over an hour, just him and that yamaha guitar and the audience would not let him go. He said awkwardly like a little kid that he had to pee and so the audience told him to go pee and come back. He left the stage and went to pee and returned to play another half dozen songs, stopping at times amid song when it wasn't working for him. Like when he played 2:45am . I think he decided he'd rather play a Beatles song.

The last time I saw Elliot Smith was in Toronto at the Horseshoe with a good buddy of mine from the old days (hey Steve). That time he had the girl drummer from Sleater Kinney (what's her name again ?) and Mr. Coomes (Quasi opened) join him - they played Beatles covers again - Something in the Way She Moves (or whatever its called).

I will miss the comfort of knowing Elliot Smith is around in the world and doing well. His music made me feel not so alone in my isolated little inner world, and his success was a testament of hope for my dysfunctional life, which I guess will have to stand on its own feet now, without that small comfort.

Here's to Elliot Smith, a gifted being come to a tragic end.

Way Out Wednesday
Thursday, October 30 2003
Posted by brockp

Well Frank Rumbletone has sure made a big contribution to the local scene here in Vancouver and tonight was a good example. The guy clearly is passionate about music and it is just a pleasure to experience the contrast between his enthusiasm and the all too common disdain from venues only concerned with their bar sales.

Tonight there was a bit of a primadonna thing going on with gear and the first band Stag Reels but the trio did a fine job of executing their cowpunky tunes on the singer's 28th birthday.

The nicest surprise of the night aside from the place filling up just when I was starting to feel like an a$$ for not postering enough was the performance turned in by Victoria's own Fine Options. When I asked the singer what they were about he laughed and said they were like the gay Metallica. I actually disagree - they were much more in the indie-prog rock vein - but hell, they rocked the place and even brought a nice homey floor lamp to comfort the stage. Great vocal harmonies, and angular guitars with a tinge of analog keys here and there...kinda reminiscent of Dismemberment Plan or even Victim's Family at times. Definitely check them out if you have a chance. You may have to wait as tonight ended their six weeks of dates from coast to coast.

I have to admit that the Mongoose set tonight felt like starting up a lawn mower that's out of gas. You know the old kind with a pull start where you yank the cable and it just sputters ?

Well this happens to the best of us and I guess we were just guilty of being tired - Me & Shockk from not enough sleep, Clayton from too much sleep, and RC sufferring still-broken-toe-itis. Well there were a few moments but also a few other moments of real suck-age. Actuall, come to think of it, I better go to sleep or this will be the case for the rest of the tour.

I am laptopless for the coming trip and will do the spiral notebook thing and add blogs as time and circumstances allow. Stay tuned.

Mongoose Tour update
Wednesday, October 29 2003
Posted by brockp

As always, things keep changing. Here are the current dates for Mongoose this month.

Note - Sean Kennedy Show (Rant TV webcast originally scheduled for Oct. 27th) has been rescheduled for Dec. 8th. You can still attend in person at Endoplasmic Entertainment, Unit A-6011, 196A St., Langley, BC or stream audio from rantradio.com or video from ranttv.com.

Oct. 29th - with Stag Reels, Railway Club - Vancouver, BC (579 Dunsmuir, Vancouver, BC)

Oct. 31st - opening for Shocore and guests, City Limits - Chilliwack, BC

Nov. 1st - tba - Calgary, AB

Nov. 3rd - Lacombe Composite Highschool, Lacombe, AB
Nov. 4th - With Superbeing, Halfcut, Race to Red Light, Red's - Edmonton, AB. (West Edmonton Mall, #2556, 8882 - 170 St., Edmonton, AB)

Nov. 5th - 4pm: CJSR fm, Edmonton, AB; 9pm: Sidetrack Cafe (w Agriculture Club) - Edmonton, AB

Nov. 6th - Canmore Hotel -(duh) Canmore, AB.

Mongoose will also be playing an all-ages show with Billy & the Lost Boys on Dec. 3rd at Video-In (1965 Main St., Vancouver, BC)

That's it for now. Hope to see you all out there somewhere.