The Easter Monday Office-Chair Race

Well, the long weekend is over...for me.

Wifey (Erin) & I ended up going to my parents place for Easter dinner on Saturday. My grandfather attempted to deep-fry a turkey. He got the fryer for Christmas and had yet to successfully fry a bird. Apparently partly frozen turkeys won’t work...and neither do chickens, as we found out...


I said it looked like he was running some sort of moon-shine operation in his car-port – he assured me there hadn’t been any moon-shine in the carport since at least last Thursday.

Anyway, that was a bust, because due to some kind of voodoo science, chickens cannot be deep fried as a Turkey can; the outside was a nice golden brown, while the inside had more of a salmonella tone...thankfully my mom had also prepared a ham. We didn’t go without food.

Here’s hoping 3^rd time’s a charm when it comes to deep-fried turkey...I’m still waiting to taste it.

Anyway, as mentioned, it’s back to work for us here at the Fox...or at least me...the hallways seemed strangely devoid of people; it’s like today was a holiday, but no one told me. Everyone’s still in a sugar coma from intense chocolate consumption, no doubt...or just completely shocked by the Vancouver Canucks...

Anyway, when it comes to days like this, productivity tends to take a hit and general tomfoolery abounds - Meaning:

OFFICE CHAIR RACES!


Me and Granter square off


I gain the upper hand... through no dirty tactic of my own *wink*



"Ever since I been the Champ!"

Anyway, hope you continue to enjoy your day off if you have...and if not, try office chair races; they really break up the day.

Cheers,
-Crash-

*By the way, one bonus to hangin' at my parents place is the wildlife that drops by...this fox came right up onto the deck:

My Easter Gift To You

Well, it‘s Easter weekend, that means chocolate for breakfast is socially acceptable, and the Easter Bunny's gonna make a mess all over my living room. (He always leaves some eggs near a heater that I fail to find until it's too late.)

I’m not sure what your traditions include, but at my house there was always an extra gift waiting for me to go along with whatever the Easter bunny dropped off. It was usually something like a new T-shirt or a maybe a movie or a CD I’d had my eye on.

Today, I’m going to pass that tradition on to you...with a musical gift!



Andrew Sisk is a New Brunswicker (his dad taught me in High School) who has been making music with various different names over the years. There’s his folk-rock project Share and minimalist pop duo Coco et Co. As well as his contributions to east coast indie acts Sleepless Nights and Jenn Grant. He’s now shedding the band names and other monikers to deliver the Broadcaster EP as a solo artist.

Andrew has recorded four songs and he’s made them available for download (with the option to “name your price”...so whatever you wanna pay – no minimum....though I’d encourage you to give something to help out an artist.)

My gift is to tell you about it and offer you the stream of the album as a preview:



Andrew is going to be stopping by Wilser’s Room on May 21^st, if you want to check out the music live. Have a great weekend!



-Crash-


BONUS:

Because it’s Easter, I want to share one of my favourite holiday themed comedy bits from the great Jim Gaffigan (this is just the part about Easter, but he does a bunch of 'em in the longer segment):

Let's Make Cancer History

Last Night one of the many events associated with the Fredericton Relay For Life took place at City hall; Luminary Lane.



Luminaries are sold each year to honour someone close to you who lost the fight to cancer, or to honour a survivor. All of the proceeds go toward putting an end to the disease. At dusk on the night of the Relay (June 10^th, by the way) the luminaries are placed along the walking track (Fredericton Raceway on the Exhibition grounds) and lit. It’s really a sight to see, and it’s generally an emotional moment.

Luminary Lane sees the luminaries which have been purchased so far lined along Queen St., starting in front of City Hall.


There were about 400 or so last night; there will be plenty more added as the main event gets closer.

I had the honour of being an MC for last night’s event, which gives a bit of insight into the Relay For Life and why we relay. Plus it’s a chance to introduce the Chair &Co-Chairs of The Relay, as well as others involved in eh event to those who may not be familiar; kind of a pre-relay gathering.


It was nice to see a good crowd.



Me & Mayor Woodside


There was a short flag raising ceremony and then a brief ceremony to give information on the luminaries and what they represent.

As the sun went down, the luminaries were lit and there was a moment of silence to respect what the luminaries mean for each person in attendance.



This year will mark 10 years for Fredericton’s Relay For Life. It’s fun event, despite the negative connotations associated with cancer. Throughout the night, teams get together to walk the track, all night, to represent the ongoing fight to come through the darkness of cancer and emerge on the bright side of hopefully one day finding a cure. It brings about the hope and determination that so many face, and it’s a touching, but fun & light-hearted event filled with games and entertainment. If you’ve never been, I’d encourage to you be a part of it this year. You’ll meet new people, interact with teams doing different challenges and do your part in finding a cure.

There’s still time to get a team in place and do some fundraising. Get in touch with The Canadian Cancer Society to find out how you can be a part of it.

346 Queen Street
Suite 102
Fredericton NB
E3B 1B2

Phone: (506) 453-1551
Fax: (506) 450-1569
email: info@frederictonrelayforlife.org

I hope to see you there.

-Crash-

Anvi;: The Story of Anvil (a Film Review)

Motivational speakers make a living by telling you how to better yourself. As long as you’re happy, nothing can stop you, etc. There are posters and self-help books all offering the same insight.

I prefer to watch a rock doc like Anvil: The Story of Anvil.

The flick came out a couple years back, but for whatever reason I never got around to watching it. I certainly heard plenty about it. I was told it was insightful, hilarious, heart-warming; and would “rock (my) face off.”

Oh yes...it’s all of those things.

The film sets itself up in 1984, at the Super Rock festival in Japan, featuring the likes of Scorpions, Whitesnake and Bon Jovi; who would all go on to sell million s of records and be huge names throughout the decade. Then there was Anvil. A Canadian band (from Waterloo, Ontario) who should’ve had the same story, but instead found obscurity.

Anvil’s music was the same hair metal that made others popular at the time; their live show stood up with the best of them, and they were well liked and admired amongst their rock brethren (Slash, Lars Ulrich, Lemmy and members of Slayer & Anthrax all make an appearance in the film). For whatever reason, though, they just never made it.

The film then picks up with the band, 20-some years later. They’re living and working in Ontario, still together as a band 30 years and 12 albums on. Steve “Lips” Kudlow & Robb Reiner, best friends since they were 14, are the core of the band and the film, which follows them in their bid to be rock stars as they book tours of Europe and attempt to record their 13^th album. They’ve never given up the dream; which is a true testament to human spirit and perseverance.

Lips is a nice guy. He’s polite and happy, despite the years of continued unsuccess as a rocker. He drives a delivery truck, delivering food to schools and other institutions. Robb does construction work. On the side, they live the dream on stage at local bars, playing for friends and family. Their families are supportive, yet also feel the guys have wasted enough time and should move on.

It’s equally heartbreaking and inspiring watching this band try to make it. For 30 years they’ve stuck it out, doing it their way. They truly embody what rock ‘n roll is all about. They’ve never sold out and never want to. It’s all about the music for them. They just love playing and want to share their music with anyone who will listen. They show up at small clubs and large venues alike. A 10, 000 capacity room brings in 174 people. It’s frustrating. They don’t make any money doing what they love, but they soldier on. They fight; then reconcile.

The film is unscripted, and at times feels like an episode of the Trailer Park Boys crossed with Spinal Tap. Sometimes you want to laugh at their seemingly pathetic attempts (and you will), yet you also route for them. You feel sorry for them when they miss their trains and lose money because they show up late to gigs because they get lost in Prague. The one thing that holds true is that on stage, they’re alive, electric and in heaven. There could be 10 people or 10000; it doesn’t matter. They’re doing what they love and won’t let anything stand in their way. It’s inspiring.

4.5 Dented bumpers**





The film brought new found attention to the band and they’ve been touring and promoting their 13^th album – the recording of which is depicted in the film. This May, they’ll release their 14^th effort, Juggernaut of Justice, and will be playing Fredericton the day after its release. Check them out at Nicky Zee’s May 11.

**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-

The Trews Rock Zee's

Simply put: The Trews Rock.



Last night, I had the pleasure of acting as MC – the guy that comes up and forces to you cheer loudly at least twice because after the first one he knows “you can do better than that”...it’s the MC equivalent to a band’s encore. It’s inevitable. – for the Trews fan appreciation gig at Nicky Zee’s.


I’ve never seen that bar so full.

When the band took the stage, they ripped into two of the more up-tempo rockers on their latest album, Hope & Ruin. World I Know has a bit of an AC/DC undertone musically, and People of the Deer is vintage Trews; a high energy, melodic rock sing-along with an infectious guitar groove. The band gave the perfect mixture of new material (they were celebrating the album’s release after all) and concert staples/fan favourites.


The set-list as photographed from my spot side-stage

I spent the whole night side-stage watching the show with my wife; she was appreciative of no-one being “all up in (her) business”. She’s not one for those sardine-can like crowds at shows. Fine with me; I had a great vantage point for the show. Although, I wasn’t able to get many straight-on photos.


Except for this one of Jack...


...and this one (John-Angus' pedal set-up)

Everything positive I could say about the band’s performance last night has already been said in spades with previous show reviews. Each time this band comes to town, they seem to be thoroughly enjoying their time on stage; last night was no different. One of the best live bands in the country played a small club gig for us – one of only six across the country – and the crowd showed them why it was the right choice. The Trews love coming here and we love having them.



This is a tweet this morning from the band’s twitter page:Thanks Fredricton! We had a wicked time with you last night. We hope to see you all again real soon. Cheers, JA



What a night! The band was great; the crowd loved it and my hearing is still fuzzy. That’s the key sign to a good rock show.





-Crash-

**Oh, before the show there was a band meet & great for contest winners and those who forked over the $100 to get the VIP package. Everyone got their photo with the band and got to hang out and have a drink before they took the stage. One guy got his picture with the Trews, then asked for a picture with me...apparently he’s a fan. Cool.

Meet Jason “Grooms” Groom:


I gave him a good deal: I only charged $5 for the photo with me ;)

East Coast; Best Coast

I must say: It’s been a busy week; a total change in pace to my week away in the sun, marinating in Havana Club & Coppertone.


But I'm OK with it.

Sure, it sucked to leave the beauty and splendour of an all inclusive resort; daily highs of 34 degrees, etc, but whenever I spend any amount of time away from the radio, I get anxious to get back to it as the vacation winds down. 4 hours in a Varadero airport will do that to a person especially well.

The night after our return to Fredericton, I was fortunate enough to MC for Ross Neilsen & The Sufferin’ Bastards at the Playhouse*. There’s been so much going on (hockey pools, new albums from Foo Fighters & The Trews; a Foos doc; tonight’s Trews show), I haven’t been able to give a full review of the show, but I will say I was wowed. I know I wasn’t the only one.

When I entered the Green Room Saturday night, Karl was relaxing pre-show, by playing some foosball. He claimed the “ladies” were getting ready (Ross & Shawn). When Ross did finally emerge, he was in a bright white suit; looking sharp and excited to perform (the suit being an allusion to the cleaner, gentler show the band was about to do, I’m sure.). Anytime I’ve had a chat with Ross or the boys, it’s always very laid back, friendly and upbeat. It’s the same personality they took with them on stage last weekend.

Celebrating the release of Live @ The Acoustic Grill, the band did things a little differently than one would normally expect. It was acoustic, yes, but they were still plugged in. Introducing them, I joked that the loudest thing on stage may well be Ross’ attire. Between powerful renditions of songs from the album, Ross was joking; laughing with his band members – even family members in the crowd who got caught for taking video. It was obvious they were enjoying themselves as much as the crowd was enjoying the show.



One particularly touching moment came when introducing Daddy Taught Me, a song inspired by Ross’ late father which came about after realizing that despite his best efforts – and comedically so at times - he was turning into his old man. It’s a story I can definitely relate to. Every day I do or say something that reminds me of my own father. It truly is inevitable; and hilarious to me. As Ross sang the song though, he put his heart into it; the emotion of the song is strong and he conveyed it in spades, taking a moment to wipe his brow as the final note rang out.

After a 15 minute intermission, Ross returned to the stage alone, this time in a black suit – was the night going to get a little more devilish, perhaps? He opened the 2^nd set with the title track from Early Grave. I’ve never heard Ross do a capella before, but the dude nailed it! You could hear a pin drop; everyone was listening and paying attention. It’s the kind of moment that make theatre shows special – it brought to mind Neil Young’s ’71 Massey (a personal favourite). Then he played a song or two on a vintage guitar (can’t remember the make, but it was f a 1931 model) Then the Bastards returned.



For two or three songs as a band, they were truly acoustic. Ross on guitar, Shawn on mandolin and Karl keeping time with a bodhrán (a celtic drum) Someone managed to bypass security and get some video of the guys performing Badlands:





After that, the Bastards went back to their respective places behind the drums and bass, and it wasn’t long before Ross picked up his prized guitar, Cherry Sherry. He couldn’t keep her quiet all night.


When Cherry Sherry spoke, the energy - already at a high - increased.

In lieu of the now cliché encore call, the band stated they’d simply stay on stage, rather than ask for an ego stroke. (They got one anyway, as the crowd jumped to their feet in a show of appreciation).

It was a fun night. The band was tight, energetic and having way too much fun. They ended the show in a big way as well. The entire show they had a special guest sitting side-stage. The night before he had opened up for Buddy Guy in Toronto, so Mat Andersen was riding high when he walked out on the Playhouse stage to join Ross & The Bastards for what would be their final “encore” song: a kitchen party style rendition of The Band’s The Weight.

In need of backups singers Ross called two buddies of his from the crowd and had them come up. They all shared the mic; with Mat, Ross & Shawn all taking turns on verses. At the end, the guys - all smiles - walked off stage to yet another standing ovation. Ross Neilsen & The Sufferin Bastards had rocked the Playhouse, and each member of the audience knew they’d seen something special. It’s performances like this that make East Coast music something to be truly proud of. Our musicians can hold their own with the big guns; and can often eclipse them. Just give them the chance.

*Good Luck to all at the ECMA's this wekend*

-Crash-


*The show was a joint presentation between The Fox, Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival and the Playhouse. Thanks to Tim Yerxa for letting me get on stage to intro the band.

Playoffs!? You Wanna Talk About Playoffs!?

Alright, It’s playoff time!

Fresh off of my March-Madness pool victory (despite selecting Villanova overall) I’m ready for our NHL office pool. Don’t worry; I didn’t pick the Maple Leafs...oh, man how I wish I could’ve.



These office pools are fun. Half of the people who enter them simply do so because at $5 a pop, why not. It’s not like you even really need to know anything about the sport. My March Madness bracket proved that. Granted, I do love hockey. That’s not to say my love of the game comes in handy at all when selecting winners in an inter-office bet. I tend to pick with my heart over my head or my wallet, sometimes, so...here goes:


That’s right: Bruins over the Canucks. The B’s are my playoff team every year the Leafs don’t make it...yeah, it’s been 6 years. (I KNOW!) The shared Habs rivalry allows me to bond with them like no other team or fan-base. *I’ve never taken them the distance, until this year*

Now, obviously, the organizer of this pool didn’t factor in the fact that, unlike in March Madness, it’s not really set up like a bracket. Top seed plays lowest seed each round, etc. However, I think I’ve selected pretty well based on what I predict to happen – Which means I expect Buffalo to upset twice. The Rangers upset is my truest wild-card. I think Buffalo beating Philly is a popular choice.

We’ll see.

Wish me luck, friends. And good luck to you in your pool (unless you work with me, in which case...bring it on!)

-Crash-

**BONUS** I couldn’t not post this, but felt it’d be best as a bonus to an otherwise unrelated post. My blog has been pretty over-saturated with Foo Fighterrs posts lately.

Anyway, the band was on Letterman last night and to go along with their performance on the show, they also taped a live performance which ran as a web stream. The band came dressed as the Beatles from their Ed Sullivan appearance (Letterman’s show is filmed in the Ed Sullivan Theatre in NYC). It was neat; and an intense performance; check it out :





Have I mentioned how much I love the new album? I’m not the only one; Check out Uncle Rob’s unbiased opinion.

Sun-Tanned & Pickled (Things I Learned on Vacation in Cuba)

This morning, after giving up the search for a buffet and pouring coffee into my "Bubba" mug instead of alcohol, my vacation officially came to an end. It was a good one, though!


Meet Bubba, a friend to anyone staying at an all-inclusive resort.

Once the plane finally left the ground, we all (the entire plane) let out a collective cheer; our holiday had begun. When the plane touched down on the scorching Cuban asphalt, another cheer rang out.

As I stepped out of the plane, the heat punched me right in the face; the hoodie and jeans I was wearing did nothing to soften the blow. After clearing security and customs (the Cuban with the rubber glove was surprisingly gentle) I shed the hoodie, and waited for my luggage.

Naturally, mine was the last to pass through the care and attention all baggage receives at an airport. Jeans are a stylish, comfortable option only when the temperature is below 23.

Outside the airport, shuttles await, as does a man selling beer at $2.50 a pop (and he accepts Canadian). Giddyup! Bags on the bus; beer cracked; flip-flops on; ah...vacation.

On the 25min shuttle ride to the resort our tour guide said many things; two of which I understood: rum and Cuba. Oh boy, was there rum.



If you’ve never been to an all-inclusive resort, I highly recommend it. It was the wife and my first time taking such a vacation, and boy did we take advantage. Hungry? Just show up to the feeding trough and fill your plate...a couple times over. Thirsty? Drink til you’re stupid, if you’re so inclined. (We ran into a few vacationers who took full advantage of the open bar. You can tell by their shared loss of balance; red eyes; and slurred speech, all reaching a plateau at around 8am.) Plus, the resorts are all along Varadero’s 24km of white-sand beaches.

Aside from the gorgeous weather and time spent by the pool or the beach, we also managed to get in a couple of excursions. The tour of Havana was really cool, and included a tour of the cigar-factory and rum factory museum. For lunch, we had a roast-chicken meal that would put Swiss Chalet to shame.


Me & The Wife in front of the Capital Building; those vintage cars are everywhere.


Tributes to Che Guevara are everywhere (This is in Revolution Square)


This is where Castro gave all of those really quick speeches...

We also took in a Catamaran tour, which included a swim with dolphins, snorkelling and a fantastic seafood lunch. Who knew I liked prawns?


The Sun reflecting on the clouds in the morning



This is our tour guide feeding the gulls from the boat.


Me & Erin with Jessica (The Dolphin)

Anyway, it was nice to get away for a week and be unconnected to the rest of the world for awhile; no cell; no computer; just relaxation. The resort did offer an internet cafe (which might as well be called Facebook Alley) for those that can’t go without it while on vacation...but I wasn’t having it. Though my mom probably wishes I’d taken advantage at least once. Sorry, Ma...We were fine, though. ;)



Now for some Things I Learned While on Vacation in Cuba:

- The food isn’t nearly as bad as people will tell you
- At the market, in an attempt to make a sale, A Cuban will tell you he hand-crafted the wooden astray you’ve already seen at five different booths.
-Rum & Lemonade is delicious
-The more you visit the bar, the more rum you get with each consecutive drink.
-Rum & Lemonade loses its appeal once vomited.
- Cuba may have a higher concentration of Newfies than Alberta at any given moment
- It goes: sun-block, beach, re-apply, fall asleep on the beach; and NOT: sun-block, beach, fall asleep on the beach, re-apply.
- The bigger a man’s girth, the smaller his Speedo...unfortunately.
-Topless beaches are NOT what you hope them to be.

-Crash-

**This is the sunset as seen from our room: