high heels and a cadillac.

As promised I want to write a bit more about Canadian Musicfest (CMW) because I think it is such a fun festival and surely is one that was well worth the trip when I still lived in Montreal. I always encourage people to go out and support Canadian bands as we need need art to be part of our culture to evolve.

So even after partying like mad on Friday, I still went out and checked out a few bands on Saturday. This time, we chose to stay at the same venue all night: The Cadillac Lounge.  I love that place and its leopard decor because it is pretty much as close as you get to a rockabilly venue in Toronto.

The lineup for the night was promising.  Here is what I thought of the shows.

Familiar Looking Strangers at 10 pm. Acclaimed rock ‘n roll band from Liverpool, UK, I had seen the video for one of their songs before the show and was looking forward to hearing them play. They delivered a good performance although much more folk-ey that I had expected. Still a band to check out! They are good lads.

George Westerholm and the Rowdymen at 11 pm. George Westerholm started this project and recruited his musicians along the way. The melodies are great; a rockabilly sound that reminds me of Nashville. George even has the oufit going for him. The lyrics are another story. As much as I wanted to groove to the tunes, the bad song-writing just kept me on my seat. Better luck next time maybe.

Hey Negrita at midnight. Another band from the UK.  And you can tell by the way they dress too. A bit funky, a bit traditional, this band knows how to entertain. I even forgot I wasn’t actually in a pub in London for a moment. I was sold the moment I saw the accordion and banjo. Those instruments don’t lie! It was great to see them live; I truly enjoyed myself and would certainly recommend them, even if just to watch Captain Bliss  -the harmonica player-  deliver with so much passion…and barefoot no less!  As they said themselves: “Hey Negrita, it goes with beer!”.

The Von Drats at 1 am. This band looks like they were just pulled from an old black and white movie. All dressed in matching striped shirts they played a mix of mostly instrumental surf and garage rock that had the whole dance floor packed with people. Dano and Dave were my favourites as there was something almost macabre about them, their demeanor. And what can I say about the beautiful ‘pinup’ dancing on the stage in a white flapper-style dress (probably one of the guys’ girlfriend, well worth showing off). She made it all that much more entertaining visually, if that was even possible. Not necessarily the best in their genre but definitely a great Toronto band.

Needless to say, I had a wonderful time that night.  That is what CMW is all about after all. Enjoying yourself.

Now time to recover.

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everybody wants it 9 to 5.

I have been absent in writing this week because I started a new job right after coming back from Cancun and haven’t really had a moment for myself.

I now work for the Government at a pretty quiet but friendly office just north of where I live. I don’t have to take the subway to get there (just a bus for about 40 minutes) so that is a little bit of a relief in the morning. There is no need to be part of the tight, pushy crowds of rush hour on the subway if you don’t have to! The job is an 8:30 to 4:30 deal that needs some getting used to since I am not a morning person.  This week was all about adaptation. To a new workplace, new coworkers, new tasks and responsibilities, new lifestyle, new business clothes… I am proud to say that it all went much better than I apprehended. Even the husband was supportive in his efforts to stick to my new schedule. Call me spoiled, but the only thing I really don’t get is how us, as human beings, can work 5 days a week every week. With my position as a flight attendant I have been used to working only 3 or 4 days a week and that was plenty for me. Granted, flying is really hard on your body and working more than that doesn’t do anyone any good at all.  Working 5 days a week in an office?! That is asking too much of a person. I struggle to make it through the week and the only reason I hang in there is that I know that I only have 8 more weeks of this! On the other hand, coming home early enough to catch some daylight is a whole new experience for me. I am not used to that and it certainly influences your mood. I get home and still feel like I have a little bit of a day left.  So all and all, I made it through my first week in one piece but tired nonetheless and am kind of looking forward to my second week.

Ok. Now, important things: the CMW lineup is out! That makes me really happy because I strongly believe in supporting our own showcases and fellow musicians before going to all the major American festivals.  I took a good look at all the artists that will be coming to the big city in March and I am quite delighted to be living in Toronto for all this. That means I will not have to miss any work or travel very far to see the bands I like and party with some close friends.  Wicked!

Here is a list of my favourites that I can’t wait to see:

Beast, Bloc Party, Crash Parallel, Duchess Says, GrimSkunk, Malajube, Mistress Barbara, Priestess, Rebel Emergency, SNFU and We Are Wolves.

A few bands that I already know but have yet to see live:

Caracol, Hexes and Ohs, Holy Fuck and Inward Eye.

Also, I am very curious to hear these artists that I don’t know but seem very interesting. Come on, impress me:

Everything All the Time, Ladies of The Canyon, Left Spine Down, Les Handclaps, Redeye Empire, Ruby Jean, The Von Drats and Vancougar.

I will buy my wristband very soon and hopefully I get to see at least 5 or 6 bands that I like. The only issue with CMW is that often enough you will show up at an event only to realize that the lineup is huge and that you won’t make it in on time for the performance. Many times, you end up standing in line more than watching shows. The venues are packed and wristbands are not accepted everywhere. So make sure you have a map of your favourite shows and a “plan B” option in order to avoid frustration! Most of all, have fun and don’t miss the after parties! Frequently, they are the best part of this festival.

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