Topic of Conversation Playlist - December 24, 2010

Here was tonight's setlist. Remember, you can always tune in my clicking here every Friday at 6:30pm (EST)


The Raveonettes - Christmas in Cleveland 
Okkervil River - Listening To Otis Redding During Christmas
Weezer - Christmas Celebration 
Shonen Knife - Space Christmas 
The Descendents - Christmas Vacation 
The Lawrence Arms - Faintly Falling Ashes 
The Ergs! - Linus & Lucy 
The Riptides - I Can't Have A Merry Christmas 
The Scutches - Christmas 
Everready - Father Christmas 
Sloppy Seconds - Lonely Christmas
The Mr. T Experience - Merry Fucking Christmas
Groovie Ghoulies - My Christmas Card To You
Stephen Egerton (feat. Milo Aukerman) - She's Got Everything
The Bollweevils - White Christmas
Groovie Ghoulies - Christmas On Mars
The Vindictives - Nuttin For Christmas
Jingle Punx - Blue Christmas
The Huntingtons & The Darlington- It's Always Christmas At My House
Griswalds - Don't Break My Heart Christmas Time
Monty Love - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 
Cousin Oliver - Naked Christmas
The Chinkees - Christmas
Bob Marley & The Wailers - White Christmas
Mariachi El Bronx - Lady Rosales
Darlington - The Christmas Song
The Prozacs - No Christmas This Year
Sloppy Seconds - Hooray For Santa Claus
The Barbecuties - Merry X-Mas, Santa Claus
Face To Face - Merry X-Mas
Joey Ramone - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
The Ramones - Merry Christmas 
The Raveonetes - Come On Santa
Ren And Stimpy - Fleck The Halls
The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York

Topic of Conversation - December 10, 2010

Here was tonight's setlist. Remember, you can always tune in my clicking here every Friday at 6:30pm (EST)


Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Bottled Up In Cork (From The Brutalist Bricks)
Texas Is The Reason - If It's Here When We Get Back, It's Ours (From S/T 7")
Superchunk - Detroit Has A Skyline Too (From Here's Where The Strings Come In)
The Smoking Popes - Need You Around (From Born To Quit)
Sludgeworth - Someday (From Losers Of The Year)
The Methadones - Far Away (From Career Objectives)
Screeching Weasel - The Girl Next Door (From Kill The Musicians)
Ozma - Apple Trees (From Rock And Roll Part Three)
The Rentals - The Love I'm Searching For (From Return Of The Rentals)
The Get Up Kids - In Your Sea (From Guilt Show)
The Loved Ones - Drastic (From S/T 10")
Chris Wollard & The Ship Theives - Left To Lose (From S/T 7")
Wilco - Radio Cure (From Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)
Attack In Black - Ever Faster (From Curve Of The Earth)
The Weakerthans - Left And Leaving (From Live At The CBC)
Joel Plaskett - Non-Believer (From La De Da)
Kepi Ghoulie And Friends - True Love Will Find You In The End (From American Gothic)
Paul Baribeau - Rolling Clouds (From Unbearable)
Sebadoh - Happily Devided (From Bubble And Scrape)
Chuck Ragan - Symmetry  (From Feast Or Famine)
Tim Barry - Avoiding Catatonic Surrender (From Rivanna Junction)
Steve Earle - Lonlier Than This (From Transcendental Blues)
Ben Nichols - Tobin (From The Last Pale Light In The West)
Porter Wagoner - Commitred To Parkview (From Committed To Parkview)
Merle Haggard - Leavin's Getting Harder (From If I Could Only Fly)
Leatherface - Not Superstitious (From Discography Part II - B Side Collection)
Nothington - The Ocean (From Roads, Bridges & Ruins)
Newtown Neurotics - The Mess (From Beggars Can Be Choosers)

Topic of Conversation Playlist - December 3, 2010

Here was tonight's setlist. Remember, you can always tune in my clicking here every Friday at 6:30pm (EST)


The Sadies - Tell Her What I Said (From Darker Circles)
Minnesota Calling - Whiskey Nights And Grey Skies (From S/T EP)
Old 97's - Big Brown Eyes (From Wreck Your Life... And Then Some)
Murder By Death - As Long As Their Is Whiskey In The World (From Good Morning, Magpie)
Red Collar - Used Guitars (From Pilgrim)
Two Cow Garage - Sally, I've Been Shot (From Sweet Saint Me)
Chris Wollard And The Ship Theives - Left To Lose (From S/T 7")
John K. Samson - The Last And (From Provincial Road 222)
Jon Rae & The River - Come Back To Me (From Old Songs For The New Town)
The Gaslight Anthem - She Loves Me (From The Record Store Day 7")
Elliott Brood - Jackson (From Ambassador) 
Arliss Nancy - Abacus (From Truckstop Roses)
American Steel - Hurlin' (From Destroy Their Future)
Hüsker Dü - Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely (From Candy Apple Grey)
Mission Of Burma - Academy Fight Song (From Signals, Calls & Marches)
Naked Raygun - I Lie (From Basement Screams)
Newtown Neurotics - The Mess (From Beggars Can Be Choosers)
Stiff Little Fingers - Nobody's Hero (From Nobody's Hero)
One Man Army - S.O.S (From Rumors And Headlines)
Tiltwheel - I Spent My Spring Break In Vancouver B.C and All I Got Was This Dumb Song (From High Hate Us)
Latterman - Water Manes At The Block's End (From We Are Still Alive)
The Loved Ones - Candy Cane (S/T 10")
The Queers - Back To The Basement (From Back To The Basement)
The Muffs - All For Nothing (From S/T)
Smoking Popes - Pretty Pathetic (From Destination Failure)
The Lemonheads - Skulls (Misfits Cover From Favorite Spanish Dishes)

Topic of Conversation Playlist - November 5, 2010

Here was tonight's setlist. Remember, you can always tune in my clicking here every Friday at 6:30pm (EST)


Joe Stummer & The Mescalaroes - Johnny Appleseed (From Global A Go-Go)
K'naan - Soobox (From The Dusty Foot Philosopher)
Outkast - Rosa Parks (From Big Boi & Dre Present ... Outkast)
Shad - Rose Garden (From Tsol)
Issac Hayes - Soulsville (From Ultimate Issac Hayes: Can You Dig It...)
Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman (From Superfly OST)
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - The Game Gets Old (I Learned The Hard Way)
The Deadly Snakes - So Young & So Cruel (From Porcella - Or - A Bird In The Hand Is Useless
Lucero - The Devil And Maggie Chascarrillo (From 1372 Overton Park)
Two Cow Garage - Sally, I've Been Shot (From Sweet Saint Me)
Arliss Nancy - Stella Lovely (From Truckstop Roses)
Drag The River - Death Of The Life Of The Party (From You Can't Live This Way)
Frank Turner - I Still Believe (From Rock 'n' Roll)
Red City Radio - We Are The Sons Of Woody Guthrie (From To The Sons & Daughters Of Woody Guthrie)
Latterman - Water Mains At The Block's End (From S/T)
Radon - Avidio Illusions (From 28) 
Hüsker Dü - Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely (From Candy Apple Grey)
Leatherface- Not Superstitious (From Mush)
Mission Of Burma - That's How Escaped My Certain Fate (From Vs.)
Naked Raygun - Bughouse (From Understand)
The Psychedelic Furs - Flowers (From S/T)
The Smoking Popes - Need You Around (From Born To Quit)
The Super Friendz - Karate Man (From Mock Up - Scale Down)
The Killjoys - Today I Hate Everyone (From Starry)
Frank Black - Headache (From Teenager Of The Year)

Topic of Conversation Playlist - October 29, 2010

Here was tonight's setlist. Remember, you can always tune in my clicking here every Friday at 6:30pm (EST)


The Flaming Lips - Halloween On The Barbary Coast (From Hit To Death In The Future Head)
Pink Mountaintops - Vampire (From Outside Love)
The Decemberists - Shankill Butchers (From The Crane Wife)
The Weakerthans - Bigfoot! (From Reunion Tour)
... And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Witches Web (From So Divided)
My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow (From Loveless)
The Jesus And Mary Chain - Cut Dead (From Psychocandy)
Dead Man's Bones - My Body's A Zombie For You (From S/T)
The Raveonettes - Dead Sound (From Lust, Lust, Lust)
Dinosaur Jr. - Freak Scene (From Bug)
Archers Of Loaf - Web In Front (From Icky Mettle)
The National - Conversation 16 (From High Violet)
The Constantines - Tank Commander (From Shine A Light)
Buck 65 - Blood Of A Young Wolf (From Secret House Against The World)
American Steel - The Blood Gets Everywhere (From Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts)
Dan Padilla - Fast Or Slow Zombie, It's Your Choice (From As The Ox Plows)
Iron Chic - Every Town Has An Elm Street (From Not Like This)
Leatherface - I Want The Moon (From Mush)
Leatherface - Plastic Surgery (From Dog Disco)
Leatherface - My World Ends (From The Stormy Petrel)
The Misfits - I Turned Into A Martian (From Walk Among Us)
The Brains - Zombie Walk (From Hell N' Back)
Rocket From The Crypt - I Drink Blood (From Halloween Hootenanny) 
The Ramones - Howling At The Moon (Sha-La-La) (From Too Tough To Die)
The Queers - Night Of The Living Queer (From Love Songs For The Retarded)
The Groovie Ghoulies - Deviltown (From Monster Club)
The Ergs! - Vampire Party (From DorkRockCorkRod)
The Manges - Zombie (From Rocket To You 93-03)
Sloppy Seconds - The Horror Of Party Beach (From Destroyed)
The Gruesomes - The Witch (From Hey!)
The Mummies - The Fly (From Play Their Own Records)
Spitfires & Mayflowers - Halloween Fable (Triumph EP)

Topic of Conversation Playlist - October 8, 2010

Here was tonight's setlist. Remember, you can always tune in my clicking here every Friday at 6:30pm (EST)


Spoon - The Beast And Dragon, Adorned (From Gimme Fiction)
The Pink Mountaintops - Execution (From Outside Love)
The Raveonettes - Remember (From Chain Gang Of Love)
The Jesus And Mary Chain - The Hardest Walk (From Psychocandy)
The Baseball Project - Don't Call Them Twinkies (Previously Unreleased)
Nada Surf - The Way You Wear Your Hair (From Let Go)
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Bridges, Squares (From Heart of Oak)
John K. Samson - The Last And (From Provincial Road 222)
John K. Samson - Petition (From Provincial Road 222)
John K. Samson - Stop Error (From Provincial Road 222)
Two Cow Garage - Jackson, Don't You Worry (From Sweet Saint Me)
American Steel - Hurlin' (From Destroy Their Future)
Arliss Nancy - Abacus (From Truckstop Roses)
Lucero - Slow Dancing (From Tennessee)
Frank Turner - The Ballad Of Me And My Friends (From Sleep Is For The Week)
Social Distortion - Ball And Chain (From S/T)
Drag The River - Brookfield (From You Can't Live This Way)
Merle Haggard - Leavings Getting Harder (From If I Could Only Fly)
The Supersuckers - Roadworn And Weary (From Must've Been High)
Tom Waits - Pony (From Mule Variations)
Woody Guthrie - I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore (From Folkways: The Original Version)
Tim Barry - Prosser's Gabriel (From 28th and Stonewall)
Neko Case - No Need To Cry (From Furnace Room Lullaby)
The Sadies - The Stories Often Told (From Stories Often Told)
The Old 97's - Old Familiar Steam (From Wreck Your Life... And Then Some)
Husker Du - Green Eyes (From Flip Your Wig)

Topic of Conversation Playlist - September 17, 2010

Here was tonight's setlist. Remember, you can always tune in my clicking here every Friday at 6:30pm (EST)

Weezer - Countdown (From Songs From The Black Hole)
Mockingbird Wish Me Luck - Survival And Defeat (From Goodbye Debris EP)
Ladyhawk - Teenage Love Song (From S/T)
The Constatntines - I Will Not Sing A Hateful Song (From Daytrotter Session)
Dinosaur Jr. - I Want You To Know (From Farm)
The Flatliners - Christ Punchers (From Monumental 7")
One Man Army - S.O.S (From Rumors And Headlines)
Swingin' Utters - Glad (From Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass & Broken Bones)
Smoking Popes - Paul (From Destination Failure)
The Get Up Kids - Never Be Alone (From Guilt Show)
Sinkhole - Burning, Itching, Irritation (From Space Freak)
Samiam - Calloused (From Astray)
The Riot Before - The Oregon Trail (From Rebellion)
Iron Chic - Every Town Has An Elm Street (From Not Like This)
The Riff Randells - (I Wanna Be Your) Maitre D' (From S/T 7")
The Muffs - Saying Goodbye (From S/T)
Beatnik Termites - When She's Nearby (From Strawberry Girl 7")
The Queers - I Wanna Be Happy (From Pleasant Screams)
The Dopamines - Waking Up In The Monroe House With Cat Hair In My Mouth (From Expect The Worst)
The Riptides - Detention (From Hang Out)
The Methadones - Far Away (From Career Objectives)
Teen Idols - Her Only One (From Pucker Up!)
Teenage Bottlerocket - Without You (From They Came From The Shadows)
Leatherface - Andy (From BYO Split Series Vol 1)
The Draft - All We Can Count On (From In A Million Pieces)
Red City Radio - We Are The Sons Of Woody Guthrie (From To The Sons & Daughters Of Woody Guthrie)
The Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait (From Pleased To Meet Me)
The Jam - Down In The Tube Station At Midnight (From All Mod Cons)
The Jesus And Mary Chain - Happy When It Rains (From Darklands)
The Cure - Push (From The Head In The Door)

Topic of Conversation Playlist - September 3, 2010

Here was what I played tonight. You can listen in here every Friday night at 6:30 EST.

Shad - Rose Garden (From Tsol)
The Sadies - Tell Her What I Said (From Darker Circles)
Old 97's - Old Familiar Steam (From Wreck This Life)
Neko Case - South Tacoma Way (From Furnace Room Lullaby)
Billy Bragg -  There's A Power In A Union (From Talking With The Taxman About Poetry)
Woody Guthrie - Talking Hard Work (From Folkways: The Original Vision)
Bruce Springsteen - Factory (From Darkness On The Side Of Town)
The Constantines - Soon Enough (From Tournament of Hearts)
The Gaslight Anthem - The Diamond Street Church Choir (From American Slang)
Against Me! - Because Of The Shame (From White Crosses)
The Flatliners  - Eulogy (From The Great Awake)
Nothington - Something New (From All In)
Leatherface - Andy (From BYO Split Series Volume 1)
Iron Chic - Every Town Has An Elm Street (From Not Like This)
Dan Padilla - Walk An American Mile (From As The Ox Plows)
Black Sails, Western Shores - Lullaby For The Working Class (From Half Way Home)
Beatnik Termites  - Strawberry Girl (From Strawberry Girl 7")
The Dopamines - Cincinnati Harmony (From Expect The Worst)
The Lillingtons - I Need Some Brain Damage (From Death By Television)
The Parasites - Hanging Around (From Solitary)
The Groovie Ghoulies - Lookout, Here Comes Tomorrow (From Monster Club)
The Mr. T. Experience - New Girlfriend (From Alternative Is Here To Stay Ep)
The Mummies - Dirty Robber (From Play Their Own Records!)
The Gruesomes - El Diablo (From Hey!)
The Ugly Ducklings - Just In Case You Wonder (From Somewhere Outside)
The Raveonettes - Love Can Destroy (From Chain Gang Of Love)

Topic of Conversation - August 20, 2010

Here was tonight's playlist.

Remember to listen in, Fridays, from 6:30 - 8:30 (EST) by clicking here:

The Raveonettes - Blush (From Lust, Lust, Lust)
Dinosaur Jr. - We're Not Alone (From Beyond)
Folk Implosion - Pole Position (From Dare To Be Surprised)
J. Mascis & The Fog - Where'd You Go (From More Light)
Jawbreaker - Big (From Biovac)
Fugazi - The Blueprint (From Repeater)
Mission Of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver (From Signals, Calls, And Marches)
Mockingbird Wish Me Luck - Orphans Of A Storm (From Goodbye Debris EP)
North Lincoln - My Summer Spent Indoors (From Midwestern Blood)
Samiam - Regret (From Billy)
Against Me! - Because Of The Shame (From White Crosses)
Frank Turner - Love, Ire & Song (From Love, Ire & Song)
Tim Barry - This November (From Manchester)
Steve Earle - Lonelier Than This (From Transcendental Blues)
Lucero - The War (From Nobody's Darlings)
Elliott Brood - Edge Of Town (From Tin Type)
Rumbleseat - Restless (From Rumbleseat Is Dead)
Sunparlour Players - If The Creeks Don't Rise (From Hymns For The Happy)
The Constantines - I Will Not Sing A Hateful Song (Too Slow For Love)
The Pixies - Gouge Away (From Doolittle)
Lemuria - Alec Eiffel (From Lemuria / Off With Their Head Split 7")
Weezer - Veloria (From Where Is My Mind - A Tribute To The Pixies)
Ozma - Maybe In An Alternate Dimension (From Songs Of Audible Trucks And Cars)

Topic of Conversation - August 6, 2010

Here was tonight's playlist.

Remember to listen in, Fridays, from 6:30-8:30 by clicking here:

Propagandhi - Dear Coaches Corner (From Supporting Caste)
Communique - The Sad Valentine (From Walk Into The Light)
Handsome Furs - Radio Kaliningrad (From FACE CONTROL)
Windom Earle  - Kitten Vs Pegasus (From Gold Wave)
Superchunk - Hyper Enough (From Here's Where The Strings Come In)
Sinkhole - Burning, Itching, Irritation (From Space Freak)
Samiam - Super Brava (From Astray)
Archers Of Loaf - Wrong (From Icky Mettle)
The Draft - Alive or Dead (From In A Million Pieces)
The Riot Before - The Oregon Trail (From Rebellion)
Funeral Oration - Wear My Heart (From Survival)
Latterman - If Batman Was Real, He Would Have Beaten The Crap Out Of My Friends (From S/T)
Spanish Gamble - It's All Coming Down (From It's All Coming Down)
Black Sails, Western Shores - Lullaby For The Working Class (From Half Way Home)
Pretty Boy Thorson & The Fallen Angels - Remember The Lilies Of The God Damn Field (From Take It Easy)
The Flatliners - Carry The Banner (From Cavalcade)
Mockingbird Wish Me Luck - Hollow Graves (From Goodbye Debris Ep)
Mission Of Burma - Academy Fight Song (From Accomplished - The Best Of Mission Of Burma)
No Knife - Academy Flight Song (From Fire In The City Of Automatons)
Weezer - Devotion (Never Released)
Weezer - Waiting On You (Never Released)
Weezer - The Organ Player (Never Released)
The Weakerthans - The Reasons (Live on CBC Radio)
Mixtapes - Maps (From Maps)
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead (From Hearts Of Oak)
Swingin' Utters - Glad (From Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass and Bones)
One Man Army - S.O.S (From Rumors and Headlines)
The Beltones - Fuck You Anyway (From On Deaf Ears)

Topic Of Conversation - July 30, 2010

Here was tonight's set-list. Remember, you can always listen in every Friday at 6:30 (EST) by clicking here:

The Clash - The Magnificent Seven (From Sandinista!)
The Clash - Robber Dub (From Super Black Market Clash)
King Tubby - Rock On Time Dub (From King Dub)
Burning Spear - Old Marcus Garvey (From Marcus Garvey / Garvey's Ghost 100th Anniversary)
Curtis Mayfield - Freddie's Dead (From Superfly Soundtrack)
Carla Thomas - I've Got No Time To Lose (From Stax Profiles)
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - Mama Don't Like My Man (From I Learned The Hard Way)
Drag The River - Having A Party (From Bad At Breaking Up)
Billy Bragg & Wilco - Walt Whitman's Neice (From Mermaid Avenue Volume 1)
Daniel Romano - A Losing Song (From Workin' For The Music Man)
Frank Turner - Dan's Song (From Poetry Of The Deed)
Elvis Costello - No Action (From This Year's Model)
Used Kids - Midwest Misummer (From Yeah No)
Lucero - Bikeriders (From Nobody's Darlings)
The Flatliners - Carry The Banner (From Cavalcade)
The Gaslight Anthem - Boxer (From American Slang)
The Riptides - Detention (From Hang Out)
The Queers - Teenage Bonehead (From Love Songs For The Retarded)
Teen Idols - Test Tube Teens (From Pucker Up!)
Off With Their Heads - Their Own Medicine (From In Desolation)
The Ramones  - My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (From Anthology)

Topic Of Conversation - July 23, 2010

It was nice to be back in the studio after a few weeks off. Remember, you can listen here every Friday, starting at 6:30pm (EST).


Pavement - Gold Sounds (From Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain)
The New Pornographers - Crash Years (From Together)
Built To Spill - Strange (From Ancient Melodies Of The Future)
Nada Surf  - The Way You Wear Your Head (From Let Go)
The Constantines - I Will Not Sing A Hateful Song (From Daytrotter.com Session)
The Golden Dogs - Can't Get Your Face Out Of My Head (From Everything In 3 Parts)
Immaculate Machine - Phone No. (From Ones and Zeros)
Mission Of Burma - 1,2,3 Party (From The Sound The Speed The Light)
The Cribs - So Hot Now (From 7" Split w/ The Thermals)
Titus Andronicus - Theme From "Cheers" (From The Monitor)
The Hold Steady - Your Little Hoodrat Friend (From Separation Sunday)
Husker Du - Hate Paper Doll (From Flip Your Wig)
American Steel - Emergency House Party (From Dear Friends And Gentle Hearts)
RVIVR - Cut The Cord (From S/T)
Superchunk - Detroit Has A Skyline Too (From Here's Where The Strings Come In)
The Supersuckers - Born With A Tail (From The Sacrilicious Sounds Of The Supersuckers)
The Tim Version - Someone Should Get Paid To Study Us (From 7" Split w/Tiltwheel, Dan Padilla, Hidden Spots)
Tiltwheel - Texas 10 (From Hairbrained Schemes For Addicts)
Radon - Avidio Illusions (From 28)
Hank III - #5 (From Rebel Within)
Tex Ritter - Rye Whiskey (From Blood On The Saddle)
Woody Guthrie - I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore (From Folkways: The Original Vision)
The Sadies - Tell Her What I Said (From Darker Circles)
Daniel Romano - A Losing Song (From Workin' For The Music Man)
Tim Barry - Prosser's Gabriel (From 28th And Stonewall)
Nothington - This Conversation Ends (From Roads, Bridges & Ruins)
The Riot Before - The Oregon Train (From Rebellion)
Mockingbird Wish Me Luck - Hollow Graves (From Goodbye Debris EP)

My North By Northeast Journal - 2010 Edition

As published in !Earshot Magazine -

North by Northeast: A Field Guide

Three nights, a hell of a lot bands, too many mustaches push our writer to the edge.

Words and Photos By Scott Thomson

Thurday, June 17, 2010 -

7:41 pm: What was supposed to be a simple one hour commute into the city turned into a three hour tour. The City of Toronto is gearing up the next weekends G20 summit and it is causing havoc already. I’m at NXNE headquarters where I have to pick up my media pass for the weekend. I just had to haggle for short term parking at the lot across the street. He wanted $15. I paid $5.
I don’t remember having to wait so long to get my pass, but then again, I don’t think I ever arrived so late.
I hope parking guy doesn’t sell my car.

John Doe of X

8:02 pm: Vomit inducing “fashion” victim number one was just spotted outside of the hotel. A seemingly normal looking guy walked by with one major fashion crime; dumbo-sized, stretched earlobes. They were about a half inch above his shoulder. They were flopping around like the extra fold of skin they were. The earrings he was wearing were not doing their job well enough to make you look at but the blob of epidermal matter.

Exene Cervenka of X

9:15 pm: First band of the festival, Grunge legendsMudhoney, are on the stage at Yonge & Dundas Square (YDS). Standing near the beer gardens, I see what appears to be the bands oldest fan. She is at least 70 and is dancing beside a table of beer, which one can assume she likely consumed. Besides her dancing, the other great thing about her is her hat, which has huge flowers on it. It looks like she got sidetracked from her knitting class only to end up shit-faced at a rock show. I hope that is me, minus the hat and breasts, when I am 70.

9:22 pm: The crowd, as expected, is pretty old. Most of it looks to be 35 +. It’s not about to get any younger either. LA punk icons Xare due on stage next.

9:27 pm: Bring on the dropped-D tuning. If it wasn’t for the mass consumerism at YDS telling me otherwise, I could easily mistake this show for one that occured sometime in 1992. Heads are being banged - Hard.

9:40 pm: DICKS HATE THE POLICE!!!!! MUDHONEY is playingThe Dicks classic!!!! Fuck Yeah.

Ali says having her band behind her relaxes her.

10:06 pm: X are killing it. The band sounds like they haven’t missed a beat in 30 years. The crowd looks great too. Everyone seems to be having a great time.

10:15 pm: Circle Pit! It’s not huge, but one starts abut four songs into X. Seriously, I can’t believe they sound so great.

11:05 pm: After not making it into The Rivoli forBuck 65’s performance, we head to the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern. We don’t want to miss Elliott Brood and The Ghost Is Dancingwho are set to play a set each starting at midnight. Game 7 of the Lakers / Celtics is on the screen in the front bar, so I grab a pint of 50 and take it part of the low scoring affair.

11:35 pm: LA’s War Paint are on stage in the back bar. Loud, psych-rock that gets you trapped in your head. It feels like time has stopped. Not my thing at all, but the crowd seems to be enjoying it well enough.

The Ghoat is Dancing

12:47 am: Elliott Brood just finished an outstanding set. I have seen then five times and they never disappoint proving yet again why they are one on Canada’s best live bands. Some heavy-set guy with long hair thought he was the fourth member of the band tonight. Imagine a heavily intoxicated Phillip Seymour Hoffmandancing and trying to get your attention. He spent more time looking at the crowd behind him then he did the band. Intoxicated enough to be singing the wrong words and clapping off time. Knowing that his hangover is going to be huge, I smile.

As an aside, during this set I came to realize I am getting too old for this. I have been going to shows for 15 years and while I am not stopping anytime soon, I just don’t understand fans today. People spend more time texting then they do singing along. I just don’t get it.

12:53 am: Some really drunk girl wants me to take a picture ofElliott Brood’s drummer, Stephen Pitkin, because “he drummed so hard, he sweat through his pants.” She doesn’t seem to notice the sweat on any other members; Just the drummer.

1:27 am: Toronto’s The Ghost Is Dancing is again a surprise. I have seen them three times and I always forget how great they are live. Their shows are a flurry of hand-claps, nudity, cover songs and smiles. I need to stop forgetting about them. This time the band does an great cover of The New Pornographers classic “Letter’s From An Occupant”. Neko Case is nearly impossible to cover in any capacity, but vocalist / keys player Lesley Davies did a fantastic job.

Jamie Matechuk of The Ghost Is Dancing

1:47 am: The Ghost Is Dancing just finished up one of the best sets of the weekend. Didn’t I write the same exact thing last year? The set ended with half-nude stage dives and a guitar being thrown into the crowd. Time for a long drive home, but first, street meat on Queen St. West.

Friday, June 18, 2010 -

4:05 pm: We finally made it back to the city after another long and grueling commute. We checked into our hotel in time to catch the last few minutes of the England/Algeria World Cup match. >We over look the pool and there seems to be a decent little party going on down there. After dinner, I think I will take a dip, but now it’s time to plan the evening. Tonight, if I can catch bothJapandroids and The Golden Dogs, I will be happy.

5:28 pm: The Much Music Video Award’s are on this weekend as well, so Queen St W it a bit mad. I am standing in front of Much headquarters surrounded by a few hundred young onlookers as some forgettable band is doing soundcheck. There are a lot of young girls here, and I feel a bit perverted asking them who is on stage for some reason, so I leave it alone. Whoever they were = Not Good.
Beside the building, there is a sign on a telephone wire. The sign has a picture of Frank Sinatra and another of MMVA host Miley Cyrus. The sign say “This is music (under the Chairman’s head). This is a commercial (under Ms. Cyrus’s). Learn The Difference.” I wonder how many people here can tell the difference?

6:22 pm:  Just finished dinner at one of the many Indian restaurants along Queen West. All of them have menus in the window. All of them have hosts who come outside and entice you to get out of the heat. We ended up going with the one with the most accolades and for what it was worth, it wasn’t bad. Not the best Indian in the world, but it will provide a nice base coat for my stomach seeing as I am expecting to put my body through hell over the next 10 hours.

Dave Prowse of Japandroids

8:22 pm: After a dip in the pool, a movie about a mermaid who has legs, and a panicked trip to the Eaton Centre for black leggings, we finally start our night. There really isn’t thing going on for a few hours, so we head north up Yonge and get off on Bloor, figuring we would make it to Lee’s Palace in time for Japandroids.

10:41 pm: Well, what have I been up to for over two hours? Walking. Lots of walking. We took the Subway north for a bit, but ended up on foot for most of the time. Stubbornly, I am wearing terrible footwear tonight. I am a slave for fashion and my black and red bowling shoes needed  a night out. Sadly, however, a brief trip to Shopper’s Drug Mart ended up with me putting insoles in about half an hour ago. You would thing that I would have learned that sensible footwear is a must for this festival years ago.

We stop for a pint at a bar beside Lee’s because they have a tap, a jukebox and are considerable cheaper then anything inside the club. The jukebox is digital, meaning it has thousands on songs. I panic and hand off the responsibility to my girlfriend whose selections drew more then one compliment. We down our drink just in time to head next door for San Diego’s Wavves.

11:37 pm:  The hipster count is high. Are ironic-looking mustaches still ironic if every third guy has one?11:19 pm: Wavve’s bassist ,Stephen Pope, looks a bit like The Melvin’s King Buzzo. They are talking about “Fucking a dog in the ass.” Good thing their music is fun. The crowd is having a blast, though I would wager a guess that a large percentage either have fake id’s or just turned 19. R Kelly would like the girls in this crowd.

Wavves

11:46 pm:  Wavves just finished their set. It was fun, tight and a whole lot better then I was expecting. The kids in the pit looked like they were having a blast too. On a serious note, I may have uncovered a conspiracy that Health Canada may wish to further review. It would appear that Optometrists in Toronto are ripping kids off by selling them black framed glasses with no lenses. Oddly, most of the people wearing them also have mustaches, so I doubt that they can even tell that their vision isn't getting better when they wear them. I guess they really don't mind looking like assholes.

12:17 am: Vancouver's Japandroids are on stage at Lee's Palace. The band is three songs in and the place is going nuts. They played a secret show last night at the Dakota Tavern that I have heard more then one person talking about. I wish I could have been in two places at once last night.. Their brand of danceable punk rock is really infectious live. Guitarist/VocalistBrian King is playing in front of the largest collection of amps this side of a Dinosaur Jr. show.

12:27 am:  It finally strikes me. I could never pinpoint it before, but seeing them live I am finally able to determine that I likeJapandroids so much because they are the direct result of two friends, some amps and some free time. In other words, the best type of rock & roll music. No pretension.

12:54 am:  After leaving the Japandroids set a bit early, we caught a cab down to the El Mocambo on Spadina. I don't think I have been here in over a decade. Amusing thing overheard in the men's room: Back at the Horseshoe Tavern for more Mudhoney and more Labbatt's 50"Hey, do you know how to set off the sprinklers" one friend asks the other. "Use a lighter" he responds.
About 15 seconds, and  a bit of pondering later, the reply of "Not quick enough" is heard. Things may get interesting.

1:39 am:  The Golden Dogs just finished their set. I think this was the fifth time I have seen the band live, and while it was likely the weakest of those performances, the band again provided some pop gems so infectious that you will be asking your MD for an ointment. Most of the set featured songs from their forthcoming third album, and it sounds good. The songs were not as fast and as poppy as I would have liked, but overall, I am looking forward to seeing them again when I am a little more familiar with with the tunes.

1:42  am:  I was just cut off by CBC's Jian Gomeshi... That's it. It's wa,r Jian!

2:10 am: Back at the Horseshoe Tavern for more Mudhoney and more Labbatt's 50. The back bar is full, so I down my pint up front with the aged local bar flies. Sitting here, with this clientele, I feel a bit like Bukowski.  Now if only there was an Off Track Betting venue around the corner...
Best I can tell, the band is playing a double set. It would have been nice to actually see them again, but they do provide a nice backdrop to the countless men attempting to seduce the half-dressed, tattooed women.

4:00 am:  After opting to walk back to the hotel, we grab a late night dinner at an all-night burger truck across the street. Finally, after a long night, time for bed.

Saturday, June 19

2:23 pm: After checking out of the hotel, grabbing lunch and walking for what seems like hours, we end up in Little Italy. There is a street festival called "The Taste of Italy" happening this weekend so the area is packed full of people and great aromas. It to sticky and hot, so in reality, all I want is a drink. Fresh squeezed lime juice and mineral water do the trick nicely. Interestingly, there are more Thai, Caribbean and Asian food vendors then there are Italian. I guess even Italy is a cultural mosaic now.

6:17 pm:  We walked, and walked, and walked. We haven't really stopped since noon. Exhausted, we find ourself back on Queen St W where we have to move our car to a new lot. The one we were in closes at 11:00 pm. My black jeans feel like they have been painted on. We wanted to check outNeutral Uke Hotel, this afternoon, but never could find the venue. It would have been fun too. Luckily, we have found a clean, air conditioned establishment for a pint and another burger. We contemplate another night in a hotel simply for a shower/pool.

7:35 pm:  Back at YDS and we catch the end of Wavves part II. They are the first of the big draws on stage here tonight. Yonge Street is closed. I have been told that this is the first time it has ever been closed for something like this. The crowd is massive already. If I get close enough to take any pictures, I will be shocked. Due to demand, my press pass won't get me into the photo pit tonight. Good thing for zoom lenses.

Sone Rose Wagner of the Raveonettes

7:52 pm:  Having been here Thursday, I found a way up front and managed to find a place to snap some pics. Truth be told, if I am still here during The Stooges, I will be shocked.

Sharon Foo of The Raveonettes

8:02 pm: The Raveonettestake the stage surrounded by smoke from the smoke machine. Note to stage crew - Smoke machines are not effective outside. Besides the wind, and the meat smell coming from the food vendors, it just looks like someone burnt their brisket backstage. Even though the view is obstructed due to the smoke, the band sound great. Truth be told. it would appear that they don't move around much anyway, so the smoke isn't that big of an issue.

8:27 pm:  Some moron behind me yells "Elvis is alive at Yonge and Dundas." Really, the best musical comparison you can make for The Raveonettes is Elvis Fucking Prestley? The band breaks into their song "Lust".

8:55 pm:  The Raveonettes finish their set. Lead singer Sune Rose Wagner says "We don't want to get our asses kicked by Iggy Pop for playing too long." They sounded great, but lacked the energy that the crowd expected for the band opening for The Stooges.  Personally, I wanted more "I Want The Candy" and less "Ally Walk With Me." Too many mid-tempo songs.

9:00 pm:  The sardine can just got a whole lot tighter. Co-emcee for the evening, Fucked Up'sDamien "Pink Eyes" Abraham calls The Stooges the "Greatest rock & roll band ever." The crowd seems to be mostly in agreement. I talk to a few guys who saw the band in the 70's and 80's. These are the stories I want. One guy tells be about the time he saw The Dead Boys at the Horseshoe tavern. As the story goes, if you got too close to the stage and tried to get on it, you ran the risk of getting hit by a hammer. Another guy says "Iggy Pop saved my life." and then started talking about how great the poetry of Jim Morrison was. I have said it before, and I will say it again - Fuck hippies.

12:01 am:   I have never seen a show like that. There must have been 30,000 people here. The Stooges an hour ago and my ears are still ringing. I couldn't get a decent picture because of the pit. I couldn't write because of the pit. I couldn't do much because of the pit. Iggy, the sparkplug he is, called for "dancers" at one point, inviting the crowd on stage. I don't think I have ever seen security so frightened. My view for the show was terrible. I ended up in the front row beside the stacks of speakers, meaning the only time I could see the band was when Iggy or his stage manager came towards the crowd. Still, even without having seen much, it was a memorable performance by one of the true greats.

As much as I wanted to keep going, I want my bed, my dog, my cat, my shower, and most importantly, my quiet house. I turn 30 in a few weeks time. Three days of mayhem is enough for me. I love this festival but my aching feet are telling me it's time to quit. Until next year...

Topic Of Conversation - June 25, 2010

Here's what I played tonight. You can listen every Friday at 6:30 pm (EST) by clicking here.

Sleeter-Kinney - You're No Rock N' Roll Fun (From All Hands On The Bad One)
Snap-Her - I Want To Beavis You (From Queen Bitch Of Rock & Roll)
The Muffs - Better Than Me (From S/T)
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Bottled Up In Cork (From The Brutalist Bricks)
Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire (From Post-Nothing)
The Ghost Is Dancing - Dream Of A Failed Architect (From Battles On)
The D'Ubervilles - Shout It Out (Organ Song) (From S/T)
Off With Their Heads - Trying To Breathe (From In Desolation)
Off With Their Heads - Princess (From 7" Split with Detournement)
Off With Their Heads - I May Be A Lot Of Shitty Things But At Least I Am Not A Rapist Like You (From Trying To Breathe 7")
Against Me! - The Disco Before The Breakdown (From The Disco Before The Breakdown)
Defiance, Ohio - This Feels Better (From The Great Depression)
The Riot Before - Answers For Change (From Rebellion)
Fugazi -  Full Disclosure (From The Argument)
... And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - It Was There That I Saw You (From Source Tags & Codes)
Fucked Up - No Epiphany (From The Chemistry Of Common Life)
Hot Water Music - Wayfarer (From Caution)
Mockingbird Wish Me Luck - Hollow Graves (From Goodbye Debris Ep)
Leatherface - Diego Garcia (From The Stormy Petrel)
Naked Raygun - Bughouse (From Understand?)
RVIVR - Cut The Cord (From S/T)
Tiltwheel - Texas 10 (From Hairbrained Schemes For Addicts)
The Mummies - Dirty Robber (From Play Their Own Records!)
The Sonics - Cinderella (From Boom)
The Gruesomes - Nowhere (From Hey!)
Glen Glenn - I Don't Know When (From 50's Rockabilly Fever)
Buddy Holly - Blue Days, Black Nights  (From The Great Buddy Holly)
Dion And The Belmonts - The Wanderer (From Dion And The Belmonts Greatest Hits)
The Gaslight Anthem - The Diamond Street Church Choir (From American Slang)

Until next time...