R.I.P. Death Cab for Cutie: 1997-2008

Death Cab for Cutie played at Pemberton this weekend, and unfortunately, there was nothing anyone could do.  Their screwing up of the timing of the keyboard and vocals on "Transatlanticism" as their ending song at the festival put them into cardiac arrest and they were officially declared dead after the concert was over.  We could all sense this was coming - after countless mediocre performances and boring records it was only a matter of time.  I will always remember you in your glory days Death Cab, and I hope you are in a better place where you won't bombard us with your shitty music.   

The Night Nurse: The Flaming Lips at Pemberton

The day has finally arrived.... I saw the Flaming Lips. After watching their live performance at the Oklahoma Zoo repetitively on DVD and wishing I had been there, I got to see them at Pemberton. They exceeded every one of my expectations. Wayne Coyne came out in the plastic bubble as I had hoped, and when they played Free Radicals, he yelled "Fanatical... FUCK" as I hoped he would, and he made fun of the people in charge of the festival for not giving him enough time to play on stage (which is classic Wayne... getting angry and ranting for something that pisses him off). And during the "Race for the Prize" (I think... I was pretty hammered), confetti filled the air and came down on the audience. Now I can officially resign my complaining for missing them at Sasquatch.

The Colostomy Bag: Twin Crystals

Desecrating the name of the other "Crystal" bands in the indie repertoire (ie Crystal Castles, the Crystal Method, Crystal Antlers, Crystal Stilts), Twin Crystals was the opening band for Girl Talk and must have been Greg Gillis' idea of a practical joke.  The lead singer was obviously hammered and kept yelling incoherent things at the audience.  At one point he screamed "Princess is murder!" and I think he was trying to be hardcore like Liars but actually had no musical talent.  The keyboardist could play two chords and the singer played one chord on the guitar and had no vocal talent of any kind.  Halfway through he realized his guitarist wasn't even there, and asked, "Hey, where did Doug go?"  My friends and I spent the whole time laughing at this poor excuse for a band and wondered how it was physically possible that they had gotten this gig.  The most believable theory that I conjured up was that someone in Twin Crystals must have been Greg Gillis' low-life friend that he felt sorry for so he gave him a chance to showcase his musical "abilities."  Despite this horrific opening band, Girl Talk, I still love you.  

The Night Nurse: Girl Talk Live

I have only been to two concerts that have been like a religious experience: the first was Belle and Sebastian in my first year of university, where I snuck in with my fake ID and was so excited because they were my favorite band all throughout high school and I was obsessed.  The second was Sufjan Stevens in St. Andrew's Wesley Church (I actually thought I was Catholic again).  I can officially say that Girl Talk was my third religious-esque experience at a concert.  Greg Gillis came out with his laptop and jammed and we were all dancing aggressively, and none of us even cared that we were all in each other's space.  We just let ourselves go and went a little crazy.  A quarter of the way through the concert, Girl Talk announced, "Vancouver, there are no rules!" and everyone jumped on the stage and danced with him.  I still can't believe I actually got to dance on that stage with him, it was a truly amazing experience.

The Nurse's Station: Black Kids - Partie Traumatic

Following the flawless Wizards of Ahhhs EP, Black Kids have put out their much anticipated debut, Partie Traumatic.  It starts off with one of my favorite songs, "Hit the Heartbrakes," and each song is catchy and I love Reggie Youngblood's voice (it's a bit bizarre but not so bizarre that it's unbearable cough cough Joanna Newsom), and I just find myself hopelessly addicted to all of the tracks (P.S. I hope Youngblood is your actually last name because how killer would that be).  They are going to be the next indie sensation like Vampire Weekend, or the next Shins or whatever, but I can't help but love them.  I don't know why the title of the album is in half French half English though, that does remind me of something the Shins would do (trying to be too clever with their words) but I'll let it pass because I hum the song "I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)" to myself all day and do a little dance to it, so you win this time Black Kids.    

The Nurse Wants to Resuscitate Canadian Indie Music

When Broken Social Scene came out with "You Forgot It In People," Canadian music everywhere exploded. Arcade Fire came out with one of the best Canadian albums of the decade, Feist was not a sell-out, and it seemed like Canada's music scene was on fire. And now... I just feel like it died out. I mean we still have a few artists now like Patrick Watson, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists that are pretty cool but I just feel like the Canadian Indie Music Scene has died out again and we need a revival! Now we are all used to the stuff that already came out, and I'm tired of people trying to re-do the 80's sound, I don't think Canadian artists should strive for that... (I still love you Cut Copy and M83 but anymore shit that comes out sounding like Duran Duran will make me cry). I think that we could all use a throw-back to the weird folky hippie days of Jane Siberry and old school Sarah McLachlan (way back in the day when she was actually cool). That kind of sounding music didn't work back in those days, but I think we are ready for it now. I don't know, I just feel sorry for Canadian music and wish I could get back on the Canadian Indie Music Bandwagon, it's all just so boring right now.

Upcoming Concerts

July 29 - Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes (Richards)

August 23 - Mirah (Biltmore)

August 28 - Beck (L. Ron Hubbard's basement...with special guest Xenu)

August 30 - Sondre Lerche (St. James Hall)

August 31 - !!! (Richards)

August 31 - Stanley Park Concert (Neko Case, Destroyer, Andrew Bird)

Sept. 1 - Stanley Park Concert (New Pornographers, 1990's, Stevie Jackson from Belle and Sebastian)

Sept. 6 - Mogwai (Commodore)

Sept. 7 - TV On the Radio (Commodore)

Sept. 13 - Spiritualized  (Commodore)

Sept. 18 - Okkevil River (Richards)

Sept. 25 - A Place to Bury Strangers (Biltmore)

Oct 2 - Why?  (Richards)

Oct 4 - High Places (Richards)

Oct 9 - Chad Vangaalen (Richards)

Oct 11 - Black Kids (Richards)

Nov 28 - Joel McHale (the Moore Theatre in Seattle... Sure he's a comedian and not a musician but we love him too much to neglect him on this blog)

Pitchforktv: Pitchfork Music Festival '07

Right now on Pitchforktv, there are some highlights from last year's festival that are getting me amped up for summer festival season (aka my Pemberton adventure in two weeks time).  Anyways, check it out, and please note that Bradford Cox is wearing a sparkly gold dress that he may have borrowed from Fergie, and a crucifix with white pearls... just thought i'd throw it out there in case any of you were morbidly curious.

(http://pitchfork.tv)

My growing crush on the National...

As if I didn't love the National enough already, now the boys have designed a t-shirt for Obama's campaign!  The shirt says Mr. November, the closing track off of their LP Alligator, because the elections are held in November.  Very clever you guys.  All the proceeds of the shirt are also going to Obama's campaign... amazing!  Even though I am Canadian, I am invested in this election.  So I guess you have all discovered I am a democrat (but I must say I admire John McCain, he got knifed in the balls during Vietnam, that's pretty hardcore)