Some colour on a grey day

Some colour on a grey day - #27/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Patient

Patient - #26/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Well Kooper wasn't that patient with me today as I was trying to get my picture of the day, but he was for this shot.

The big story today was that I had another problem with my 8GB SanDisk Ultra II SD card. I'm not certain what the problem was/is and I've only had problems over the last few days. How sensitive are these SD cards, could a gentle clasp between my teeth do serious damage ? But today, not only did I lose this picture, I lost a whole bunch of shots of my brother-in-law's 40th birthday party. I almost cried when I got home as I was (by default) the primary photographer for the party. I felt horrible, embarrassed, an idiot, and much worse. But I thought - I've heard about data recovery software, there could be SD card recovery software that may work. I did a quick search and found many choices, but I felt a little uncomfortable downloading an app without a personal recommendation. But I wanted this hell to be over as soon as possible so I trusted the user testimonials and downloaded Cardrecovery - www.cardrecovery.com. It was advertised as a free download, but of course there was a catch (or I didn't read the fineprint). After downloading the software and letting it scan by card, it showed me all the found (previously lost) images. That was their sales pitch - I could see my lost images ! At this point, I would have almost paid anything, so I made the required purchase (CAD$44) to complete the recovery process and low and behold I can now have a good night's sleep. Cardrecovery saved the day.

My new muse

My new muse - #25/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Tough day behind the camera today. I went out to the movies with my daughter and took my camera along. Right at my corner there's was a student jazz band playing on the street - but I forgot to put my SD card back in the camera. Then later in the day (after I made a pit stop at home and put the card back in the camera) I run out to do a few errands and take my camera along for my daily pick before dark. I saw an old wood paneled Buick station wagon in a alley with a fire escape and some nice lighting. Took quite a lot of shots...but for some very odd reason when I got home, the photos weren't on the SD card. I'm still baffled. Temperature ? Accidental delete bag button press? So, it's getting late and I'm looking for my shot of the day and my 7 month old Australian Shepherd is just chilling out at my wife's feet. He is my new muse, never complains about having his picture taken, has a natural high contrast coat, comes up with some interesting poses and has soulful eyes. My family helped pick this shot over the next next one as the pose was some adorable.

My Mom and My Dog

My Mom and My Dog - #24/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Wish upon a star

Wish upon a star - #23/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Dewy curves

Dewy curves, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Catch the joy

Catch the joy - #21/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Convex orange subway

Convex orange subway - #20/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Clockmakers

Clockmakers - #19/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Sushi time

Sushi time - #18/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

What security

What security - #17/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Early Christmas sight

Early Christmas sight - #16/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Walled in

Walled in - #15/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Groundcover

Groundcover - #14/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Wicked November

Wicked November - #13 in my 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

I like the wispy reflection of bare trees and the constant ugliness of a crane. Only just managed to get the shot as my battery died about 4 minutes later.

Nice wheels

Nice wheels #12 in my 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Things in her life

Things in her life #11 in my 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Sepia Subway

Sepia Subway - #10 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Foggy November Don Valley Parkway

Foggy November Don Valley Parkway, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Skeleton splash

Skeleton splash - #8 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Fuzzy memory

Fuzzy memory - #7 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Nu Music Nite at the Horsehoe

I've fallen a little behind in talking music over the last few weeks, but wanted to get this one out tonight as it looks like Tuesday's Nu Music Nite (NMN) at the Horseshoe should be a good one.  Our first experience with NMN was last month's We are the Take and The Temper Trap gig and we're still talking about that show.  Tomorrow's gig showcases some interesting local sounds with The Most Serene Republic and Still Life Still.  I just spent some time on their MySpace pages and I'm immediately impressed with their creative edge and complex compositions.  In addition to hearing some great new music, the other hard-to-argue plus for NMN is that there's no cover charge.  Can't beat that kids.

On my music travels tonight I found that CBC Radio 3 site has info on both these bands and a really nice interface.  Missed that one, shame on me, apologies to CBC Radio 3.  I'm listening now.

Round Hall

Round Hall - #6 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

I saw a lovely shot of Massey Hall a while back with the red doors reflecting in the wet street, no rain today, but some nice sunshine provided some interesting lighting, plus I'm maximizing my time with a borrowed fisheye lens.

Fall roof prep for Winter ice damming

Fall roof prep for Winter ice damming - #5 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

I nice balmy day today was perfect for this tricky job. These are heated wires that are supposed to prevent ice build up and the troubles of ice damming which leads to leaking.

Flared November lawn

Flared November lawn - #4 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Capping off a simply beautiful November Saturday.

November Whirlpool

November Whirlpool - #3 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Sweet child of mine - not

My son started to learn Sweet Child of Mine on the guitar tonight.  His friends picked it for their talent show song slated for the Spring.  Unfortunately, I've always disliked the song, but it wasn't so bad with his guitar teacher singing.

I get in the car to head to my ultimate game and the track CFRB 1010 use as an intro to the next segment after the commercial is Sweet Child of Mine.

My daughter's school is having an 80's charity night as well tonight.  My wife had quite the outfit and hair, I preferred to sweat it out on the ultimate field rather than the dance floor.

Dusk tower reflections

Dusk tower reflections- #2 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Lady Veteran

Lady Veteran - #1 365inCamera, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Remembrance Day, Old City Hall, 2009

Why start yet another new blog ?

I have a few blogs already, but I'm learning that people like blogs with a focus.  Therefore for those that like to look at a photo a day and decipher a message or just appreciate pictures ofurban life, my life and occasionally something more unusual, then I hope you like this blog.

A few days ago I started a new personal photo project (posted on Flickr) with the same theme and title of this blog.  I'm attempting to post a photo a day, but the rule is that I don't edit the images once they are on my computer and of course, I'm striving for good photography.  "Good" meaning technically, the photo is well composed, well exposed, well lit etc and also says something to the viewer.  Of course this is all highly subjective, and I'd welcome your thoughts and comments and all the photos.  The secondary point of this blog is to not procrastinate sharing with goals of perfection via photoshop edits, but simply share a photo on a daily basis and learn how to take a good photograph "in camera".

U2 360∘

Last month, I had the pleasure of seeing U2's 360∘ tour.

If you haven't read about my experience, you can read about it here.

If you haven't seen U2 live and that doesn't make you want to see U2 (with the understanding that you don't dislike U2), perhaps seeing the video of the Rose Bowl concert they broadcast live on youtube on Sunday night will convince you that U2 is an act not to be missed.

You can still view the concert at www.youtube.com/u2

A few weeks ago, Sympatico featured the 10 bands that you must see before you die.

U2 is the only band on that list that I have seen.

This week it was announced that U2 was returning to Toronto next July (along with Vancouver and Edmonton).

Tickets for those with a paid subscription to U2.com went on sale today (sorry for not posting sooner - I had meant to look it up, but didn't manage to soon enough). Tickets for the general public go on sale on Monday November 2. There is also a U2 bundle that goes on sale on October 29th.

For details, you can visit www.ticketmaster.ca

Confusing lessons from Monday dinner night

You'll like this one guys.  Ladies, maybe you can explain it.

With the chaotic lives we live, I believe a little bit of a routine is a good thing.  I suggested to my wife this year that I would be happy to cook on Friday, Saturday and Monday nights.  I've been trying to uphold this new household tradition as best I can and my wife has been quite supportive although perhaps not enthusiastic about the regimen. 

My wife was kind enough to do the groceries today and she mentioned a few dinner choices as I was on my way home from work.  I like Italian food and I really like gnocchi, so I was pretty happy to hear it was one of the base ingredients for the potential Monday night menu.  Even better, my wife found a wonderful recipe in a Jamie Oliver book for mushroom and sage gnocchi.

The recipe was quite straight forward and very tasty and wholesome.  My wife made a few comments about the roughly torn pieces of sage and had a bit of a fit with a overly aggressive piece of garlic, but on the whole seemed to enjoy the meal.

I commented afterward about how I loved the meal and perhaps we could add it to our family menu and perhaps cook it for friends.  At which point she informed me she doesn't like sage.  I ask why she picked the recipe and she says she thought I'd like it.

The mysteries of the female reasoning and logic process continue to amaze and entertain.

Time for comments on time

I'm up quite early on this Sunday morning, but know that the opportunity to write a few words will quickly escape.  It's not that I have such a busy work life or have children with demanding social and sports schedules or that I'm a conscientious home owner constantly maintaining my old home.  Ok, it's partly because I have a puppy at home (6 months today).  It's really because I choose to spend my free time on other things at the moment.  Last night I did have some time, but I was rather tired from quite a busy day and didn't really have the concentration required to contribute anything meaningful to this blog.  I was going to watch a movie, but couldn't find something that would potentially hold my attention for a couple of hours.  I ended up watching a 30 min travel show on HDNet and then going to bed early to start reading The Last Lecture (written by Randy Pausch, out from the library and quickly read by my wife and a book I've heard lots of good things about).

Interruption - Kooper steals coffee traveler lid - I need to take him for a walk...

Most of my free time these days is spent on photography.  I've always been a keen photographer, but with the latest digital photography advancements, I'm finding that I take a lot of photos, spending a lot of time fine tuning the images and sharing them online.  I'm very pleased with the results I'm getting and feel it's my true artistic calling.  I actually described myself as a semi-pro this week.  Well, I did this as I was asking for a photo pass for Friday night's concert.  Well, semi-pro isn't too far of a stretch when I do hope to make a little money with my photography some day and I'm getting quite a few photos published on various sites these days.  BlogTO have now used 5 of my photos and a few shots from this week have been posted to Skyscrapercity's forum.  I've even had one photo picked up by a cricket site.  Like all photographers, I'm constantly learning as a take 100's of photos a week and really appreciate all the comments I get on Flickr - I'm actually closing in on 10,000 photo views !  Just updated my favourites.

To maximize my time, I do try to do two (or more) things at once.  For instance, I've been writing this while "watching" the Liverpool ManU game - however, with with the sound off (Suz has music on) I'm actually missing what appears to be a gripping game (Liverpool just scored, gotta watch now). Actually there are of course a few no-brainer things you can do simultaneously like doing the dishes or flossing while watching TV or doing almost anything while listening to music.  But some things are almost impossible, like trying to take photographs while walking your dog or doing anything when your wife is trying to have a conversation.

On a related subject, wondering...do people wait for stuff any more ? It seems we don't have a lot of waiting time these days and consequently less golden opportunities to make the most of this forced down time and catch up on something.  The only concrete example I can think of when almost everyone still waits for something is at the airport.  Now there's a good time to catch up on your reading, photo editing, blogging or calling an old friend.

From another angle, if you're neglecting your relationships or find yourself talking to yourself more and more, there's nothing better than doing stuff with someone else.  Perfect examples for me are concerts (with my wife and friends), playing video games (with my son), doing some photography (with my daughter), going on a walk (with my mom) or playing golf (with my Dad, my son and my friends). For us blokes, these shared activities address most of people needs.  We're pretty happy fellas if we've got a bud to hang with.  However, the gentler sex  appear to require more dedicated talk time.  Unfortunately with the personal choices we all have these days, there seem to be fewer activities truly shared by friends, spouses or family and more "alone quality time".  But as we've recently added the dog to the family, I now have the proverbial man's best friend, a loyal, eager, non discriminating companion.  If only he understood the genius of Quentin Tarantino.

The Temper Trap at the Horseshoe Tavern

Last night, The Horseshoe Tavern served up a gem.

The Temper Trap who played at the Glastonbury festival this past summer, who are currently on the A-List playlist on Absolute Radio UK (meaning they get played a LOT) and who will be performing on Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday night played at a free gig at The Horseshoe Tavern for The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite.

The Horseshoe Tavern is one of the few good venues in Toronto who allow any kind of camera (without a photo pass), so with the D-SLR in hand, we managed to get some great shots.
I only found out about The Temper Trap during the last week. I downloaded some of their songs on Sunday. On Monday, I found out they were playing in Toronto the next night. Normally for me to love a concert, it helps if I know the songs really well but The Temper Trap are amazing live whether you know their music or not.

They are energetic and get the crowd into their music as you can see from these videos.






Here's the set list:


I look forward to seeing them when they are headlining. It's like we have seen them from their early days and there can only be great days ahead for them.

Concert announcements catching my eye - Oct 09

Browsing NOW magazine and a few concerts caught my eye that are not "hot" tickets per se, but are for bands whose music I like, the venue seems a good fit and I'd probably go if I had unlimited budget and lots of free evenings:

• Matisyahu - Phoenix, Nov 30th - Acidic Jewish hip hop - yes, you read that right
• Nitzer Ebb - Mod Club, Dec 1 - yes, das man ist bak (of Murderous fame)
• Devendra Banhard, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Nov 27th - haven't heard much, but Seahorse from a few years back was brilliant - psych retro at it's best
• Junior Boys - Lee's, Nov 6th - Hamilton Ontario amooth stylers
• Bill Bragg, Tues Nov 7th - a few mates going, working class hero always has a lot to say
• Sloan - Dakota Tavern Oct 19th War Child benefit and photo exhibit - good reasons to see a good rock band
• The XX - Mod Club Dec 2nd - worldwide tour date for alt chart toppers with lots of rave reviews, love their complex mellow sound
  
• Metric - Massey Hall Oct 20th and 21st - sold out, but likely worth scalper tickets, one of Canada's best alternative bands
  

And a couple that I'm going to:

• Thievery Corporation - Kool Haus Oct 23rd - smooth grooves, complex urban sounds and exotic vocal varieties, I saw them at the front side of the tour in the Spring and it was a highlight of the year, expecting similar set list enhanced by better looking date
• Champion - Mod Club Nov 27th - great band, better performers, best venue in the city, $15 tickets - no brainer

Blog Action Day - Climate Change

www.blogactionday.org

I truly believe we have a big problem on our hands - global climate change.  I think it is everyone's problem, from Western governments to the Third World to you and me.  Although  I'm not an expert on how to solve the problem, I'm aware of it and consciously (or subconsciously) try to do my small part every day.

• I take the subway to my downtown office
  
• I prefer to take the subway when going out in the evenings and weekends
  
• I often walk to customer meetings
• I often ride my bike to locations within a couple of miles of home
• I bring my own shopping bags to the store
• I prefer not to use air conditioning
• I collect items for safe disposal on city environmental days
• I donate old clothes and household items to charities rather than throwing them out
• I use refillable water containers
• Under the right political circumstances, I think voting for the Green Party can make a statement
  

You could perhaps look at the following a few different ways (e.g. over packaging= clutter=waste/additional recycling, waste versus energy to recharge/recycle) , but I'll list them anyway:

• I don't mow or water my lawn very often
• I prefer to use cloth napkins rather than paper
• I try to be as paperless as possible and use the computer for reading and note taking
• I use rechargeable batteries
• I buy digital music rather than CD's
• I use CFL light bulbs in many parts of the home

 Make Green part of your everyday

Many little things from everyone can add up to a lot !

Polar bear side story: There are around 20,000 polar bears in the wild. However, scientists predict that, if current warming trends continue in the Arctic, two-thirds of the world's polar bears could disappear by 2050. Read more at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1218255/The-polar-bear-invited-dinner.html#ixzz0U1ZcQXNt

Where I find new music: Part 1 - the personal recommendation

When someone personally recommends music to me, if I don't know the artist or track, I'll make sure to make a note (Blackberry Note usually).  If we have guests at home, most music fans aren't shy (as there's always music playing in our home and I'm always interested in hearing new music) and making a suggestion on the spot and having me sample (iTunes or TouTube) it right there and then.  If I like the song right away, I'll often download it on the fly and if the mood fits, we'll be listening to the new track minutes later.  Likewise when I'm visiting other music fans, they'll often put on music for me that they think I'll like.  I'm sure many people would possibly feel this is inappropriate for a dinner party of other social occasion.  But on the contrary, the chance to hear and talk about new music is one of the big reasons music fans spend time with one another rather than just sitting at home with their own music collection.  However, we still perhaps feel it's more acceptable to host a dinner party and you just happen to play some new music rather than inviting people over for the simply listening to music together.  That we be kind of odd, like something teenagers would do.  Like I used to do.

Case in point.  We visited my sister-in-law and her family the other night, and her husband (RSc) is a huge music fan (old school CD buyer)  He recommended a band called The Clientele and lent me their new CD.  I sampled the CD the next day, imported it into iTunes, categorized and rated the tracks and now enjoying some lovely mellow psychedelic new tunes.  Solid warm album, perfect for quiet mornings.  Thanks RSc.


Looking forward to more recommendations from my network of music fans, including my partner in crime Suze20TO, Dogtown's Eco and KS, Riverdale's RSc and SR, DC's RSe and CS, Uptown and Serbia's NF, Oakville's SHa, Ottawa's TE and Victoria's SHu.

Blog stuffer #1 - PJMixer's October top picks

 

Tools of the Trade

  

Dump of stuff I'm listening to these past few weeks.

• Jamie T - new album is simply fantastic, poetic rhymes with irresistible beats, could be album of the year; pjtrack: Sticks 'n' Stones
  
• Cage the Elephant - solid rock licks, on-the-mark recommendation from SHa; pjtrack: In One Ear
  
• Florence and the Machine - strong vocals from the gentler sex and lotsa layers of sound and harmonies; pjtrack: Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
  
• Arctic Monkeys - not solid all the way through, but some standouts, especially a couple of the ballads; pjtrack: Cornerstone
  
• Kasabian - two brilliant singles vying for top honours in my books plus a wrath of pure winners on this stellar album; pjtrack: Fire
  
• The XX - male/female duet with moody back tones, wonderful late night listening, spot-on recommendation from RSc; pjtrack: Crystalised
  
• Thievery Corporation - this has been out for a while, but as I have tickets to see them for the 2nd time this year, the album is still in constant rotation fantastic grooves with tons of vocal talents; pjtrack: The Numbers Game
  
• K'Naan - I keep finding more and more fantastic lyrics in this superb album from local African/Canadian rapper; pjtrack: Take a Minute
  
• Dizzee Rascal - sing-a-long Brit rapper w/ some fantastic dance club beats; pjtrack: Dance Wiv Me
  
• Champion - simpler rock sounds for sophomore release, but those hard driving guitar and Max's direction and groove sounds combine on many great tracks, perfect appertizer for another live gig in a few weeks; pjtrack: Resistance (Skool)
  

How useful are social networking websites for finding answers ?

Today, I'm going to start a test to determine if social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook can actually be a useful tools for finding answers to your many questions (and I know you have lots). Many of us Twitter and Facebook users typically send out statements on what we're doing or how we're feeling and like when we get a comment back. However, I don't think many people post questions. I definitely sprinkle questions here into my blog and occasionally get some answers, but generally speaking I don't think we're getting the most out of our investment into web 2.0. Many people still go with the web 1.0 route when looking for answers, such as highest rated products, cheapest prices, best local restaurants, music reviews and concerts listings. The latest tools in web 2.0 offer an array of clever ways of creating ever widening social networks, so why not leverage those networks a little more ? I'd go out on a limb and say that more people like to answer questions and provide their suggestions and recommendations than simply post of comment about their thoughts. Perhaps this way, people can participate in web 2.0 networks without feeling they are bragging or telling the world useless bits of personal information ! I'll prefix my Twitter and Facebook questions with QOTD - question of the day, and see what I get back.

It was a Beautiful Day for U2

Wednesday, I saw U2 for my third time at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. I saw them at Exhibition Stadium in the early 1990's and in 2005 at the Air Canada Centre. The photo below was a similar view from where I was in 2005. It's not my photo because although I brought my camera, I forgot to put film in it!



I didn't get tickets initially this year for U2 because either I couldn't get General Admission tickets or I couldn't get any. I wasn't interested in being far again. Floors was all I was interested in...so when a friend of ours emailed to say he had a couple of General Admission tickets...we didn't hesitate (and that was before we knew they were compliments of R.I.M. - does that mean I should finally upgrade my basic cell phone to a Blackberry? at least hubby is on his second so I don't feel too guilty).

Speaking of R.I.M. it looks like they were the solo advertiser last night with much of the Rogers advertising taken down and "Blackberry.lovesU2" signs everywhere.

Snow Patrol took to the stage first. I thought they were amazing. I had seen them a year or two ago at Kool Haus. It was great to see them in a bigger venue with the big screen and extra lighting. Unfortunately with a U2 crowd, not everyone knows them so some people around us were talking...but I still think most people really ended up appreciating their music and their banter, well at least the people on the floor as you can see from this photo.



So now, it's been 3 huge concerts this year that I have seen from up close. The Killers at the Air Canada Centre in January, Coldplay at the Rogers Centre in July and U2 at the Rogers Centre this week. Who would have thought I would have these experiences at the beginning of the year (or even last week for that matter).

This one definitely had the spectacle of the "Biggest Band in the World". In the past I have felt that Coldplay's concerts were more about the music rather than the entertainment. I didn't think anything could top this summer's Coldplay concert. I found Wednesday (and perhaps it was because I was closer than in the past) that U2 was about the entertainment...but also about the music. The musicians were all showcased quite well with spotlights often on them.

I was initially disappointed that the bridges to the circular runway were closer to the back. This is the view from the back of the stage that my husband took (and interestingly I got annoyed at him for because I wanted to get down to the field). I even said "it's not like we would use this photo for anything anyway"...crunch, crunch...that's me eating my words...



The two bridges are covered here, but you can see that they go towards the back of the stage. I had seen a video online of Bono standing on one of the bridges singing, so I thought I wouldn't be able to see him from the front. What a pleasant surprise when I realized that the bridges moved. A few times one of them moved right in front of us so that The Edge or Bono were walking right toward us.



The runway definitely makes the venue seem smaller. They used it a lot more than I thought they would. They would take turns going on the bridges or on the runway so we did feel like we were closer than we really were (to the stage). Even Larry came out on it once playing a bongo.



One of my pet peeves with concerts sometimes is that the lighting is so low and there is smoke from the smoke machines so it's difficult to focus the camera to take a good shot. Last night, we got great shots early, so we didn't feel like we had to keep taking photos.



We could just enjoy the show. I would still get caught up in the moment when they came closer so I did video most of the times they came close, but when they were on stage, I could relax and enjoy the show.

The first time that Bono was on the bridge, I was recording the song...but sometimes, there was this black vertical line in the way. I was a bit annoyed at my "obstructed" view...


I didn't realize what the obstruction was until after I stopped recording as he walked off the bridge onto the runway. He walked towards us to a microphone that had appeared just to the right of us where he finished the song.



I was like a kid in a candy store. Having arrived at the concert at 6:30, I never imagined having such a view, especially since people had started lining up the night before.

This was the second time that the Rogers Centre had the roof open for a concert (the first time for Bruce Sprinsteen). It was so beautiful to see the CN Tower lit up. I panned to it at the end of this video:



Before the concert, I wanted two songs by Snow Patrol recorded on video. Since they were staying on the stage and the crowd were not going nuts, those videos were easy to capture. U2 was not so simple however. For some of my favourite songs, they were behind the stage, or to the side or the crowd was jumping up and down that visibility was minimal. I recorded the songs when they were on the runway or a few quieter ones. For one song (Beautiful Day), I actually recorded the big screen, just to have it because I couldn't see the band at the time.

That is one disadvantage to having floor tickets. Sometimes, you can't see....but you can't beat the atmosphere!

It was truly a Beautiful Day!

Champion: a music formula that works (for me)

The band: Champion; the sound: DJ Champion, aka Maxime Morin. The guitarists: the G Strings. Singers: Betty Bonifassi originally, now Pierre-Philippe (Pilou) Côté. Formula: Base of electronic beats; generous handfuls of hard rocking guitars x 5; interesting singers with straight up blue inspired lyrics. I've only been clubbing in Montreal a few times, but from what I recall from a great night at Fou Founes Electriques, Champion personify all that is cool in the Montreal music scene.

The first time I heard and saw Champion was on TV as they closed the Juno awards back in 2007, and right away I was hooked.

Their 2004 debut album, Chill ‘Em All, won a 2005 Felix Award for Album of the Year in the electronictechno category. Chill ‘Em All went Gold and The Remix Album was nominated for a JUNO for Dance Recording of the Year in '07. They also released a DVD called Champion at ses G Strings that perfectly shows the energy of their lives shows, especially playing in hometown Montreal at Metropolis.

They released the second album Resistance yesterday. I had a quick listen at home last night, but it wasn't until I got a chance to listen to the album properly today with headphones that I can now say I like it. It don't think it's as strong as Chill 'em all and the upbeat tracks are definitely closer to the rock curve. I'm not big on lyrics, and some may find the lyrics somewhat repetitive, but they work well for me as sing-a-long words for the driving, thumping electro-rock sounds. There are a few interesting tracks that explore more electronica and trance themes, with Champion's signature instrumental layering and building of electronic intros and groundwork with guitar riff crescendos and intricate rhythm patterns.I saw Champion at Lee's Palace a couple of years ago and it still remains one of my favourite concerts of all time. Unfortunately I attended solo and there's no photos or video. On a trip out to BC days after the show, my skills of persuasion failed when I couldn't sell my friends on the idea of going to see their Vancouver show. I think one of my Quebec work colleagues has seen Champion perform live (as they do a lot more shows in Quebec) but I don't know anyone else that has seen their fantastic shows in the past. But quiet a few of my friends have loved the music on the first listen ! I've waited a couple of years to see them again, and was over the moon when I found out they were going to play a free concert at Yonge Dundas Square to open the Toronto International Film Festival.

I'm proud to say my 12 year old son is a big music fan (across rock, alternative and electronic music) and in combo of learning to play guitar, he's a fan of Champion just like his old man. So I took him to the concert on Thursday. We got there nice an early as I wanted to make sure we got a good spot so he could see and I could take photographs. We chatted with a few photographers and music fans, including Stranger #22 - Sherlon. With the exception of not playing one of my faves (The Plow), Champion delivered an awesome show. What makes Champion's compositions and performances unique is that while he's live mixing the electronic side of the equation he directing the guitarists with the intros and transitions with hand signals (as you can see in some of the photos on flickr). On the DVD he talks a lot about this technique and I'm still a little amazed at how he pulls this off and creates such a well "produced" sound. I'm not certain how many fans were present, but I'm sure there were plenty of new fans afterward. The free tent in the square was pretty packed and everyone quickly fell into step with Champion's mix of driving dance beats with hard rocking guitars. New male lead singer, Pilou added strong vocals and the special appearance of Canadian Opera diva Measha Brueggergosman topped off the evening perfectly.

A little clip of the YDS crowd showing how you just can't stop moving to the Champion sound ! ( I love the guy in suit and tie holding up his BB on the left at the beginning of the clip)


Playing their hit No Heaven as their encore (poor sound, but you get the idea)

So, for me, Max has created a fantastic formula for an alternative to the often sterile sounds of pure electronic music and the dime-a-dozen unimaginative rock bands who struggle to find that killer riff and a recognizable lead vocal sound. I think his mix of his laptop creation of electronic dance beats and intricate orchestrated guitar melodies, riffs and movements is pure genius.

Rush and Massey Hall

A good friend of mine enthusiastically recommended the movie I Love You Man a little while ago and I got around to watching it last night - really funny. In the movie, the two lead guys hit it off when they discover they are both huge hands of Rush. Great to see one of Canada's classic rock bands feature so prominently in a Hollywood movie ! I'm a fan too and have seen them play a couple of times. So today, I take my burrito lunch over to the free TIFF (film festival) tent set up at Yonge Dundas Square and there's a few short movies playing, including an interview with Geddy Lee from Rush talking about Massey Hall. Now I come to think of it, I'd just seen a beautiful shot of Massey Hall (one block South of the square) just yesterday on BlogTO.

TIFF

The Toronto International Film Festival starts today. In the festival's early years, I attended quite a view events and made time to see some more obscure movies, however I don't have any set plans this year. But, I do plan on enjoying some of the free events and also trying to take some photos, incl. candid shots of celebs and fans outside some of the gala events. There are a quite a few free events this year, especially at Yonge Dundas Square where I just enjoyed a light lunch while watching Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man under the tent. Plus a treat I'm really looking forward to tonight is the opening night concert by DJ Champion. The new single is out and the album due next Tuesday. If you're reading this today and within striking distance and like some hard groovin' electro beats and guitar riffs, check it out, you won't be disappointed. On the movie front, I'm going to use the festival as an excuse to watch some quality movies at home. I have a few queued up, incl. The Wrestler and Water.

Photo Blog #15: Finger by courier; Photograhpy is not a crime spinoff

I went out at lunch yesterday to practice my panning skills, trying to determine the best shutter speed to capture movement, not too fast because you don't want to stop the background (and wheels etc) and not too slow that you can't freeze the subject. I was getting some reasonable results with 1/125sec. To be honest it was kind of hard to even find fast moving objects around Yonge and Dundas as the traffic is pretty grid locked most of the time.

This was the last one I shot and as it happened, I think there's a story here. If you're not from Southern Ontario, then you've probably missed the news about a prominent politician who is being charged in the death of the bike courier earlier this week (Bryant quits post, declares innocence, cyclists ride in support of dead bike courier). This incident has sparked the debate again about cyclist safety on our city streets. I sometimes ride my bike around the city and I've had a few close calls with cars and experienced the tension of sharing busy city streets with mammoth SUV's, trucks and just plain, poor drivers. However, I must admit that I'm not always a model bike citizen and on occasion I'm guilty of disobeying some laws of the road. Another combustible element to the argument is the bike courier - urban hero or antihero ? So back to the photo, could my friendly subject be reacting to the possible negative slants towards couriers or is it simply capturing the stereotypical anti-establishment attitude of this urban figure ?

The other story that this photo perhaps captures is the growing negative attitudes towards photographers taking photos in and of the public. I've been personally tackling this one as I straddle the line between trying to capture unstaged urban street scenes versus approaching strangers for permission to take their picture as part of my 100 Stranger project. There is quite a lot of new commentary and a few organizations raising awareness on public photography, how it is legal - not a crime, how it is a creative art form to embrace, and in some parts of the world, how photographers are sometimes being suspected of being terrorists (something I haven't personally experienced).

So I'm going to keep taking pictures of people, because they are beautiful, interesting, funny, colourful and in many cases there's a story behind their photograph.

Borrowed Lyrics and References

Friday night, while my husband was cooking dinner, we were watching an Oasis DVD. My husband began by selecting my favourite Oasis song...Don't Look Back in Anger.

I was debating whether I would ever see Oasis live, having missed the Virgin Festival from last year. I was saying that seeing them sing DLBIA live would be worth it...until the crowd was doing most of the singing in the chorus. I figured I wouldn't want to pay a lot of money to go listen to a crowd sing. But I was quite enjoying seeing them perform.

Being the multi-tasker that I am, while watching the DVD, I was also checking Twitter for any interesting tidbits when I saw someone mention that Oasis will never be the same. They were breaking up. I tried to go to their site (to confirm) - should I really trust Twitter with news? - but I couldn't log on to their site. I googled Oasis news and read an article quoting Liam's wife saying that they would never break up. So I let the matter go, until the next morning, when I saw in the news that Noel did confirm on their website that he had left the group.

So in honour of Oasis...I figured it was a good time to reveal my list of borrowed lyrics because two of my favourites are borrowed from Oasis. When I say "borrowed", sometimes it's intended and other times not.

What's the story morning glory
I feel so low and worthless
(It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry by Glasvegas
borrowed from (What's The Story) Morning Glory by Oasis)

The radio is playing all the usual
What's a Wonderwall anyway?
(Writing to Reach You by Travis
borrowed from Wonderwall by Oasis)

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
(The Saints are Coming by Green Day and U2 (cover of The Skids' song)
borrowed from House of the Rising Sun by The Animals

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
(All Summer Long by Kid Rock
borrowed from Sweet Home Alabama by Lynard Skynard)

And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
(When The Sun Goes Down by Arctic Monkeys
borrowed from Roxanne by Sting)

Let the love tear us apart
I found the cure for a broken heart
(Let's Dance to Joy Division by The Wombats
borrowed from Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division)

How far will you go?
How deep is your love?
(Can't Stop the World by Gavin Rossdale
borrowed from How Deep is Your Love by The Bee Gees)

We live in a wheel
Where everyone steals
But when we rise it's like strawberry fields
(Glycerine by Bush
borrowed from Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles)

Baby I was born to run
I won't be back to kiss you goodnight
(I Won't Be Back by Daniel Powter
borrowed from Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen)

I miss my wife and family
(Frontline by Gavin Rossdale
borrowed from Rocket Man by Elton John)

And I know that it's a wonderful world
But I can't feel it right now
(Wonderful World by James Morrison
borrowed from Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong)

There we were dying of frustration
Saying, "Lord lead me not into temptation"
(Yes by Coldplay
borrowed from The Bible)

Thinking of you

I ran out for a very late lunch break today and while passing through Atrium on Bay, my good friend DA popped into my head as he works in the building and I hadn't seen him for a long time. I run back across the street to return to the office and I get a tap on the shoulder and there's DA. We had a nice catch-up and promised to get together soon. The power of thinking of friends.

The cottage dream

I drove up to Muskoka this past weekend to pick up my son from camp. Whenever I'm driving back from this beautiful part of Ontario, or just passing through, or even after short visits, I have a very strong feeling that I want a cottage for me and the family. But it's not just a cottage that fills my dreamy head, it's the water, the dock, the boat, the whole shabang. There is just something relaxing about being close to water, maybe it's the sounds, or even the smell, but it's definitely how clean lake water feels on your feet, or as it cools you down with a summer swim. I love how tired you get when you're at the cottage, it's all that fresh air in your lungs, the sun still warm on your skin, your face weathered from the boat ride.

I truly think that Muskoka is one the Ontario's best assets, the water is clean and deep, the shorelines are rocky and dramatic and mostly free of weeds. There are many lakes or varying sizes (but none too big) and every one of their bays is unique. If you can afford a a property, they are spread out, strategically situated for lake and sun angles. The cottages are large with separate guest and boat houses. A Muskoka chair adorns almost every deck. Muskoka is a true outdoors escape just a few hours drive from Canada's largest metropolis. If a vistor to Ontario was to ask what the most beautiful and truly Canadian thing to see was - I'd say Muskoka.

But this is where the dream luckily ends. I've been able to create a nice little argument against the idea of a cottage. First, the traffic. A normal drive from Toronto to Barrie (half way to Muskoka) is about an hour; on Saturday morning (of the long weekend), it took me two and a half hours to get to Barrie. It was bumper to bumper for almost 100kms with only an occasional (and very dangerous) speed up break. People often say the Friday traffic is terrible and I've been caught in Sunday drive home traffic too. Net, the traffic to and from Muskoka around and on the weekends is very bad. Second, money. Ok, obvious I know, but lets peel back a few layers. A cottage is a second home and it would require just as much maintenance and maybe more over the years. It takes a lot of my energy to destroy my city home, do I have the time (no) or money to pay someone to do all the work on a cottage. Plus, contractors and trades are known to be more expensive in prime cottage country. Then there's the furnishing costs, I'd surely want most of the comforts of home in my new cottage, incl. an adequate entertainment system and a decent kitchen. Toys - well that can get expensive, from additional bikes to the highly desirable ski boat. And last of course, is the cottage itself, better-than-the-city size and parking (guests welcome), waterfront with dock and a deck with a view. I hate to be a snob, but what good would a small shack in a field within "walking" distance to the lake be ? If I'm going to have a cottage, it has to fit the dream. But I'm afraid, that picture is just too costly for this dude.

My Mom's crazed namesake

I was rather shocked to see my Mom's name (under a picture of a smirky 43 year old Wisconsin woman) on the front page of the Metro today. My Mom's namesake had been involved in a bizarre lover's quadrangle resulting in a rather humiliating outburst of female revenge on their lover. Come to think of it, my cousin shares my Mom's name and is much closer in age and looks to the crazy lady ! A rather unsettling coincidence.

The Shepherd's Song

We were talking about jazz tonight and Dad was remembering going to to see "trad Jazz" in Britain in the early 60's. Dad got one of his favourites out and played us some Acker Bilk. We then bounced around music genres for a long time and I then played one of my favourites of the day - Pete Doherty. So as Pete's singing, I pick up the Acky Bilk CD and I'm scanning the song titles and just as I'm reading the title of track - The Shepherd's Song, Pete sings "as simple as The Shepherd's Song". Wow.

A perfect new morning

Kooper woke me up around 6:15. I didn't mind the early wake up call, I had a good night's sleep. I'm starting vacation this week, so no work reminders, ideas or problems rattling around my head. No puppy mistakes this morning and he played nice and gentle with some timely treats and some lovin'. He's getting at that bonding stage where he wants to be close to one of us a lot of the time and when I sat with him this morning, he wanted to straddle me and sit on my lap - part dominant move perhaps, but still nice. Had enough mini-breaks to check computer stuff (still trying to figure best backup process), and he had a little snooze, timed perfectly for me to grab a shower. He woke up and I just took him for a little walk to the corner and back. It's one of those summer mornings where there's a slight coolness riding the gentle breeze, like that morning when you're up before everyone else in the cottage and you go out to the dock and you're alone with the water, the rising sun and splashes of fish and some merry birds. Well, here, there's no water, and the sounds are rather more urban, but accompanied with that fresh scented, summer morning breeze, they feel gentle enough to great a summer Monday morn. Kooper is loving his newly introduced walks and is very excited at the possibility of meeting new people. Not a lot of people out at 7:30am, but there was a work crew assembling for their job down the street. Sure enough, one of the rough looking guys asked about Kooper and came over to get some licks. I'm loving our new walks too ! Now, just getting enough minutes to record some thoughts on the deck with Kooper on this perfect new morning.

Joe

I had to do a double-take on the latest comment on my Flickr pictures...the name of the person providing the comment (also from Toronto) was almost the same as my next door neighbour. The best coincidence is that the second picture in his photostream is of a baby (born July 4th) and our neighbour brought home his new son yesterday (born July 3rd).