How To Win Fans (A Hockey Blog)

How do you have a Fan Appreciation Night when you don’t have any fans?



You bribe them

Last night, my hockey team, The Ice Dogs, hit the ice for the final game of the regular season. We were coming off a tough loss to the Falcons on Monday night, but have had a pretty impressive 2^nd half of the season. Since Christmas we’d won 3 and tied one…before the break, we had 1 win and 2 ties.

Yes, we suck.

However, since it was our final game before playoffs, we decided to have Fan Appreciation Night. We invited friends, co-workers and our significant others to attend the game and cheer us on. To convince them, we offered free booze. Turns out this is a great way to get a group of people interested in something they’d otherwise never know about.

And it made the difference.

We got the crowd into it early, and thus were able to score first, which doesn’t happen often with our team, and when it does, it generally results in a loss…most games do. We scored four unanswered goals to give our goaltender, Taylor Johnson, his first shut-out in 5 years. Naturally we awarded him the first star and snagged the game puck for him.

This was the first winning shut-out in Ice Dogs history – been shut out ourselves, plenty - so, afterward, the BPG’s* skyrocketed.

It was possibly our most complete game of the year – including a full roster – and having a crowd there was certainly a key factor. We need to get them there for our playoff games (schedule still pending).

The only downside was losing a top centre to injury. Stay off that ankle Marc…and then suck it up and help us win again.

-Crash-

*BPG = Beer Per Game


Oh, here’s my daily Roll Up Loss…I’m now 0-6:


1-in-6 my ass…

LISTEN: New Foo Fighters

I dubbed today “Foo Fighters Day” on my show.

I’m a huge fan…that’s no secret. It’s also no secret that the new Foo Fighters album, Wasting Light, is my most anticipated of the year…April 12^th can’t come soon enough. I’m so pumped, that I’m avoiding any and all internet bootlegs until I actually have a copy in my hand…I want it to be a true full album experience from start to finish.

That said, I’m totally down for hearing the first single…


"Gimme some rope, I'm comin' loose..."

…and playing it for you. The Fox Debut of Rope is on the Pick It or Kick It today and I thought I’d share it with you here as well:



Rope by Foo Fighters

So…what do you think? That chorus could’ve been on The Colour & The Shape…it’s old-school Foo Fighters if you ask me…with a bit of a Rush flavour mixed in.


How much longer til April 12?

-Crash-

Oh, by the way…another loss; I’m 0-5

And So, It Begins...

These are dangerous times for some. It’s a time when coffee addiction intermingles with a deep rooted gambling habit that you weren’t even aware you had. The two vices come together to form one all encompassing obsession, that will surely bring about your true colours.

Feel that? It’s the rage already beginning to boil inside of you.

Our national addiction is back for another season, this year promising “even more prizes” as Tim Horton’s Roll Up The Rim to Win contest celebrates 25 years. It’s a genius contest, really. I mean, we’re stopping there every day (sometimes more than once) for a caffeine fix, so why not get a little something back, right?

If only it were that simple.

I had my first cup of the season yesterday. This is how it went:


“KHAAAAAN!”

I’ve started Roll Up the same way I start it every year, with the opportunity to play again. After this morning’s coffee, I’m now 0-2 and will, most likely, see that abysmal win:loss ratio grow further into the negative…much like my bankroll after I realize how many coffee breaks I’ve taken in a month…thank God I don’t smoke, too.

This year, the odds are better – up from 1-in-9 to 1-in-6 – so, if I’m lucky, I’ll get a free coffee which, for me, translates to an XL Café Mocha (the most expensive drink on their menu; take that Timmy!)…might even try that new caramel mocha…though I need to win first…



Best of luck, and happy rolling.

-Crash-

Check out Freddy Mac’s latest blog post for a Rim rolling tutorial.

Mario Kart for MS

When you get a team together to help a good cause, you want to be sure to help raise some funds. The challenge is to find the best ways to do it. Sure, you could host a car-wash, or a bottle drive – and they’re great – but sometimes, you want to do something outside the norm; you want to get creative. I can say that friends of mine did just that over the weekend.

Team Crazy Legs is one of many teams taking part in the annual MS Walk - the MS Society’s largest pledge-based fundraiser. So, in looking for pledges, they decided to get some friends together for a little friendly – and, at times, intense – competition.

Thus, Mario Kart for MS Research was born.

$20 got you a spot in the tournament, plus some refreshments, and a chance at glory. Top prize was a $25 Gift Card to NB Liquor (You have to know your contestants tendencies). This tournament consisted of twelve racers in three heats. Two racers from each heat advance to the next round.

This Mario Kart Tournament, played on the Wii, consisted of the following:

1^st Round – Mushroom Cup
2^nd Round – Flower Cup
3^rd Round – Star Cup
Final Round – Special Cup



*Special Cup features the dreaded Rainbow Road…it was basically a fight to not finish last*

I had fierce competition in my heat. I was up against my wife, Erin, Shawn (who I met just prior to racing) and our friend Katelyn, who apparently is a Mario Kart wizard…she was asking questions like: “how many CC’s are we doing?” y’know, really hardcore Mario Kart dedication going on here.

It wasn’t looking good for me. The last time I’d played Mario Kart was on the N64. Thankfully, though, I was able to turn those skills into something, at least for the first round, as I was able to hold my own and come in 2^nd to the very talented Katelyn. It was a nail-biter during the final race…I blew a corner and ended up off track during the final lap, which I thought was going to kill my chance. I got placed on an item box, which turned into the ever powerful Super Mushroom, granting multiple speed bursts.

I passed three racers just before the finish line to snag 2^nd overall. It was the end of the road for Shawn & Erin, but I celebrated despite my wife’s disappointment.



The 2^nd Round didn’t go as well for me. I ran into more off-road troubles and just wasn't able to compete against Katelyn and the man who would eventually be crowned Champion, Mr. Pete J - Well done sir.



Overall, it was a great time with good friends, and a fun way to gain some pledges. Team Crazy Legs brought in $180 that is now pledged to their team. Nice going guys…I’m totally stealing the idea, too.

-Crash-

For more info: MS Society of Canada

Fredericton’s MS Walk is Sunday, May 29, 2011.

Maybe Tomorrow Trailer

I’ve blogged about my passion for acting in the past. I’m fortunate enough to get a few opportunities to keep up with it and I’ve had a few flicks hit the Silver Wave Film Festival (Most recently this past year with Let Pie Gones Be Pie Gones).

The few films I’ve done up to this point have all gone for laughs - comedy is certainly one of the great joys of my life - but, back in October I took a supporting role in my first drama. I blogged about the experience and I’ve been looking forward to seeing the finished product – which, with any luck will be featured at this year’s Silver Wave.

Well, I still haven’t seen the final product – I’ve seen a rough cut, and it looks good – but, over the weekend the trailer made it’s way online. Check it out below. I think it really captures the essence of the film (and features a great song from Andy Brown called Lion.)

Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments section.

Maybe Tomorrow Teaser from Travis Grant on Vimeo.

-Crash-

WATCH: Highlights from a Night of Rock

Four bands; two venues; one night; I was ready for some live rock.

It had been far too long. I think the last time I caught a show in town was The Trews at The Playhouse…that was November.

Yesterday, Hey Rosetta! dropped by the Fox-Hole for a chat with The Uncle (Uncle Rob). They were in town to promote their newest album, Seeds, which hit stores on Tuesday. They brought in the strings and set a up a mini-orchestra in the room to do a live acoustic version of their latest song, Welcome.

Did it ever sound good in here!

Anyway, last night I caught their show at the Market, which isn’t the greatest sounding room, but it’s a good medium sized venue – something Fredericton is kinda lacking – and truthfully, it sounded fine to me! Along for the tour was another band from St. John’s, The Gramercy Riffs who opened up the night. As the crowd grew, they got more into it and the band’s change-off of female and male vocalists was a nice touch.

The crowd, at this point ,was beginning to get much closer as the Market got packed in anticipation of Hey Rosetta! I hadn’t seen them since they played the Blues tent at Harvest a couple of years back – which wasn’t their best performance – so I was eager to see them, and hear some new stuff live.

They opened with this:





It was a nice energetic start to what was a much more energetic show than my last experience; for that, I was very grateful. And I wasn’t the only one, as the crowd sang along loudly, clapped, chanted and cheered during their favourite songs – which seemed to be all of them – and it made for a really fun night.

They closed with this:





After uproarious chants of “One More Song” the band came back out for a four song encore, during which, Tim invited Mara from the Gramercy Riffs on stage to perform a fantastic rendition of Time After Time…I so wish I’d gotten a video of that.

The show was over by 11pm; then it was time to take the Wife home (she doesn’t do the late night shows…she’s like Cinderella) and then I headed back downtown to meet up with my buddy Granter to catch Alert The Medic & The Stanfields at Nicky Zee’s.

I’d seen the Stanfields before, and I love the guys! They’re a great live band, and I ranked their album among my Top 5 of last year. However, I’d never had the chance to catch Alert The Medic. I’ve been hearing great things, but it seems every time they’re in town, I’m unable to go. I rectified that last night…sort of . I was late getting there, and the boys were already well into their set, but what I caught, caught my full attention – see below:





I’d encourage you to go see these guys next time you have the chance…this video doesn’t really even do them justice. They’re awesome.

Once the Stanfields hit the stage, it was time for some hard hitting east coast pirate rock – as I like to call it – and the boys didn’t disappoint.





It’s obvious these guys love to perform, and they’re naturals. The song above is on their album, Vanguard of The young & Reckless, but they also debuted a new song, and I got it on camera:





Overall it was an energetic night of rock, and a welcome return to catching some shows for me. Who’s next…

Oh, right…Matt Mays (solo) @ The Capital March 11…Oh hell yes!

-Crash-

P.S. also, Mark Roberts from your Morning Fix on The Fox will be playing at Dolan’s from 2-5 tomorrow (Feb 19^th); go see him. It’s his guitar players birthday…celebrations will be in order.

Film Review: The King's Speech

As a radio DJ and public speaker, I’ve certainly had my fair share of slip ups when it comes to speaking. Generally, I’ll make fun of myself and move on. I can’t imagine what it would be like to ALWAYS have a problem saying what I want to say the way I want to say it.

In The King’s Speech, Colin Firth gives a stand-out performance as King George VI, who, as a reluctant king after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicates, attempts to overcome his stammer in the time leading up to World War II. With the support of his wife - the Future “Queen Mum (Helena Bonham Carter) - and his Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), with whom become friends, The King is called on to bring hope and inspiration to his people in a time of war.

Sure, it has “Oscar bait” written all over it - a historical period piece about the Royal family with a solid cast, and critical praise from nearly everyone - so it may be easy to just join the masses and continue to heap on the accolades, but this movie really is that good. On the surface, it’s a story of human determination and triumph in the face of adversity, but deeper than that it’s about a friendship and how that can inspire as much as any technical method.

When Lionel Logue meets the future Queen Mum, he isn’t aware of who she is – she sets up the appointment as Mrs. Johnson. Therefore, he shows no favoritism toward her husband. Of course once he learns of the true identity of his client, he’s nervous, but still sets about to help the king in his own, unorthodox way. He’s able to get the King to open up to him on a personal level, and the disconnect between a public figure and his "people" is broken down. The two have respect for each other and that friendship provides the comfort and inspiration the King needs to overcome his debilitation.

The script, which was adapted form King George VI’s own personal journals, is fantastic; the dialogue is sharp and interesting. The film is directed and shot in a way that gave me a glimpse into a man I knew nothing about – other than he was the King…and that he apparently had a stutter – and took me to pre-war England.

Geoffery Rush is great as Logue and is the only real competition Christian Bale is up against when the Oscars are handed out on Feb. 27^th. Helena Bonham Carter plays the supportive wife well, but it’s Colin Firth who truly shines. He makes the King a man: a friend, a husband and father, who just happens to be King. The stammers sound natural and the embarrassment he conveys upon issuing them is heartfelt and real. For two hours, Colin Firth was King George VI and for that, he does deserve the Oscar.

There’s not a ton of excitement - no explosions or car chases, etc – but there’s heart, humour and history. And it’s all very interesting. The King’s Speech is superb, go see it.

5 Dented Bumpers*





Crash's Film Rating Legend:

5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.

Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally

-Crash-

Heard It Through The Grapevine

Yesterday was the day love and sweetness smothered us with over exposure...today needed something.

Regent Mall to the rescue!

On my show today I got a couple calls talking about how Regent Mall had closed. Upon further investigation – which means, I opened the door and yelled down the hallway: “What’s up with Regent Mall!?”

Our kind and gentle news director, Randy McKeen, responded with the following: “Quit yelling... We have unconfirmed reports that part of the roof has either collapsed or is in danger of collapsing.” Which means, simply: I don’t know yet.

Then I got a call from a listener working in the mall, who told me what they knew. Our News room was updated. What we knew at that point was that the mall was evacuated and closed until further notice due to a RISK of collapse. Obviously the safety of mall vendors and patrons is a #1 priority, so it only makes sense.

Later, reports I received were that a part of the roof had collapsed. The key work being: part – that could be a large part, or a very small section…who knows. Naturally everyone assumes that means there’s a gaping hole in the center of the mall. Moments later, I was told it was a minor collapse (in the audio player).

Since Fredericton is a small town, word travels fast and very quickly gets misinterpreted. What we’ve now come to realize is that a small section of ceiling tiles fell, so for safety reasons the mall was evacuated while officials determine what may have caused it (Read our news story here). With all this snow we’ve received, naturally one would assume snow had something to do with it…so that’s what people went with, considering the small amount of info given.

Anyway, at the time of writing this, Regent Mall is a national trending topic on twitter, and the story has gone from “part of the roof collapsed” to “so the mall blew up into a small section of ceiling tiles…” – I love the grapevine.

By now, the Convention Centre escalator is feeling forgotten…and only the day after Valentine’s too; shame.

-Crash-

**If you want to call and find out when Regent Mall is open again or get other updates, call: 462- 0356

Goodbye Guitar Hero

The video game that sparked a renewed interest in rock n roll will be no more.

Today Activision said they will no longer be making Guitar Hero, nor releasing any more songs for download, etc. It’s been a good six years.

I scoffed at the idea of the game at first. Being a guitar player myself, I just thought: “play a real guitar.” Then I played a game with my brother and I was hooked. I’ve never been a big gamer to begin with, but it tapped into my love of music and my dreams of being a rock star on stage…y’know, except in my living room.

I have a few guitars and I play around with them at home, but I never joined a band and I’ve only played my guitar in public a few times; a rock star, I’m not. Put Guitar Hero on at a party and anyone gets a chance to shine. Once the microphone was introduced to the series, it became a whole new animal – especially combined with a few drinks. It beat the hell out of regular Karaoke.

More importantly, the game brought about awareness of classic rock. It introduced a whole new generation to the likes of Van Halen, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc, while highlighting rock from all of the decades, right up to the new stuff. Metallica released Death Magnetic as an album and as a Guitar Hero download, for Pete’s sake! That’s how massive the game was.

My brother actually learned to play the drums by playing games like Guitar Hero & Rock Band; and he's not the only one to do so. It inspired lots of kids to pick up a real instrument and learn to play.

So, with the decline in music sales, and the fact that it costs so much to get licensing for these games, Activision has decided to stop. It’s too bad, but don’t let it keep ya from rockin’ out. I think I’ll go out on tour….hitting up a living room near you.

-Crash-

P.S. People like this just make me sick:

Male Pattern Fear

One of biggest fears, aside from Justin Bieber doing a “rock album” or personally being buried alive, is: hair loss.

I realize it’s natural, and it happens to the majority of guys, but there’s just something so emasculating about losing a full head of hair. Maybe it’s because Samson got his strength from his hair…or because lions rule the animal kingdom with huge manes, or…I’m vain.

My point is: I like my hair, and I want to keep it as long as possible; because for every Bruce Willis or Vin Diesel, there’s a Clint Howard.

...Maybe if i work out, baldness won't be as bad...

Now, part of my fear comes from the fact my dad is bald – and has been since sometime in his 20’s, I’m told. Then again, they say baldness comes from the mother’s side of the family - well, there are some chrome-domes on that side too. So, needless to say (why do people use this phrase??), I find myself spending more time in front of the mirror lately - as if that’s possible - inspecting my hair line. And trust me, I know the irony of how stress and worry can lead to it, but I’m 25 now, so our time together (my hair and me) is getting shorter – it’s one of a few things that is making me feel old.

Due to my fears, I’ve never shaved my head or cut my hair too short. I figure I might as well have lots of it while I have it. When the day comes that no hairstyle will hide the fact my hair is disintegrating, I’ll get rid of it; mainly because I refuse to be a guy with a comb-over, which – like socks and sandals – is socially unaccepted, yet still very prevalent in society.

Anyway, this all stems from the fact I saw this video (below) and it kinda terrified me…I mean, if you thought 5 blades (Mach 5) was too much for your face…yikes:





-Crash-

Film Review: 127 Hours

I’m not a fan of tight spaces. Nor am I a fan of being immobile for any great length of time. I have trouble lying still while I sleep at night, for crying out loud. I couldn’t imagine being trapped for 5 days.

127 Hours tells the true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco); a mountain-climber who falls into an isolated canyon of Canyonland National Park in Utah. He spends five days alone, with his arm trapped between the canyon wall and a large boulder with little food or water, trying to survive and examines his life and the choices he’s made that have brought him to this point.

The real Aaron Ralston has said this film is as close to a documentary as you can get while still being a drama. James Franco sells that idea with his emotion and range. Five days alone, unable to move, will bring on all kinds of thoughts, regrets and hopes; all of which are expressed through Franco’s brilliant performance. The entire film rests on his shoulders and without the commitment and passion he exudes into the role, we’d never care as much as we do watching his emotional journey. Stuck in place, the film relies on Franco’s emotion to tell the story.

Danny Boyle has directed a film that couldn’t have been an easy sell. The main character, aside from about 15 mins of the film, is stuck in one place. But, by employing some signature flashy visual effects (split screens, odd camera angles, time lapsed shots of the sky, etc) which were prevalent on his Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire, the story feel exciting. As a viewer, you’re able to feel the rush of Ralston’s every day life as well as the claustrophobic nature of his situation. Any Flashbacks that are shown feel as though they’re in the characters mind, so it never truly feels like you’ve been taken out of the canyon.

By the time we reach the point in the film where Aron must make a decision to either die in the hole, or cut his arm free and escape, the character has gone on such an incredible journey just within his mind the story never seems to lag or slow down. When that much talked about scene takes place, it’s graphic, realistic, and not for the faint of heart; my jaw and fists were clenched the entire time.

127 Hours is an amazing story of survival and self-redemption. James Franco is mesmerizing in his role and deserves the accolades he’s been receiving. It’s an intense drama that just happens to be telling a true story…otherwise, you might not believe it.

4 Dented bumpers*





*Crash’s Film Rating Legend:
5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.

Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally

-Crash-

I Fell In Love Witha Band...

...and that band is no-more.

On Groundhog Day, The White Stripes posted a message on their website explaining that, though the decision is for a “myriad of reasons”, it had nothing to do with musical differences or personal health (Meg White’s anxiety saw them pull out of their last US tour and it’s been widely rumoured she’s the reason they’ve never resumed). The duo just wants to “preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way.” And the band was certainly special.

After forming in 1997 when Meg learned to play drums, they released their debut (The White Stripes) in 1999. In 2000, De Stijl was released and the cult following intensified. White Blood Cells provided a song that had one of the coolest videos of that year (or that decade?). After Fell In Love With a Girl, people began to really take notice and after Seven Nation Army was released, from 2003’s Elephant, everyone had heard the name The White Stripes.

The Success of Elephant brought the band fame, acclaim and even a guest spot on the Simpsons. They’d hit it big. Then they went in a different direction for 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan, which was largely piano-driven and featured a sort of southern gospel vibe of the 1940’s, complete with the way the band dressed at the time. In 2007, they released what would be their last studio album: Icky Thump.

Icky Thump was a return to form for the duo, with Jack White attacking his guitar with such a ferocious urgency; it was like he was saying: “I missed you”. Icky Thump may well be the band’s heaviest song, and the album itself is possibly their most bluesy. In the documentary It Might Get Loud, Jack mentions how he likes beat up guitars with character, which help provide the songs he writes with character and mood. He likes to fight with his guitar to get the sounds he produces; he doesn’t want it to be easy. Icky Thump shows this, possibly, more than any other album. The fact that it’s now their studio swan song, is a testament to that special nature in which they mention wanting to preserve the band.

The White Stripes’ mixture of punk, garage rock and blues combined for a refreshing sound which harkened back to the days of Zeppelin’s blues infused rock. Much like the blues that influenced him, Jack White always incorporated a bare-bones approach to the Stripes – when you only have two members it’s easy to do – which gave their music a raw, intense vibe. They were known to write and record albums in just a couple of weeks, while other acts would spend months at a time in the studio, tweaking and layering their music to make it sound bigger and more polished. The White Stripes never needed that. There was sense of urgency and emotion in the music that was unparalleled.

Much like Nirvana did for Grunge in the early 90’s The White Stripes paved the way for the garage rock sound of the early 00’s. For whatever reason, though, they never quite achieved the same massive, widespread success and status as Nirvana. That huge momentum shift in rock that happens every decade or so (The 80’s saw Glam rock, the 90’s had Grunge, then Rap-Rock, etc) should have belonged to the White Stripes, but they were eclipsed by bands like Nickelback, who seemed to take off with their thing at the same time and so that became the bigger sound, which is still massive today. Things like that just happen.

Of course, as is the case with any band (Nickelback included), there are those that scoff at the idea of The White Stripes, with most of the scorn going to Meg’s drumming. She’s not the flashiest drummer, and her beats have always been very basic; but that’s the point. The band has always had a very minimalist approach to music and the basic nature of the drums combined with the ferocity in which Jack attacked his guitar, made for a sound that was unique. The truth is: the White Stripes have never been very flashy. For jack, it was always about the music and the art. Jack rarely gives interviews and there was just enough eccentricities connected to the band to keep people interested enough to discover the music: The red, white and black theme; the brother-sister label - despite the fact it was later proved they were married; it was all part of the art. They were aloof and intriguing, and they let the music do the talking. I’m gonna miss them*.

Below is a clip of the band on late Night with Conan O’Brien, where they appeared many times – including the one week stint from which this performance is taken. It’s a cover of Dolly Parton’s Jolene, and, to me, it exemplifies the integrity and passion that goes into everything the band did. It’s not perfect (his guitar falls out of tune) but it’s certainly raw and full of emotion – and one of my favourites:





...sure sounds like he's fighting that guitar, huh?

-Crash-

*Now, obviously Jack White is still very active; he still has the Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, plus his duties as a producer and label boss (Third Man Records) but there was something special and unique about the White Stripes. Unfortunately, I missed the chance to see them when they toured Moncton and now they’ll be on my Concert Bucket List forever - hopefully they do a reunion tour someday.

Thankfully, the released a documentary about their Canadian Tour in which they became the first band to ever tour the entire country. They stopped in every Province & Territory, playing in everything from a bus to a bowling alley to arenas. Under the Great White Northern Lights is a fantastic documentary which gives a glimpse into the band’s world, while still maintaining their personal distance and mystery.