I've been TAGGED!

If you received a message from me to read this, it means that I 'tagged' you via myspace. This is just a little survey where you can write 10 weird and wonderful facts, habits about yourself and it's nice to share.

I've been tagged by the lovely Emily and Glynis (I'll get you my pretties!).

READ THE RULES FIRST...

The rules: Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird, random things, facts, or habits about yourself. At the end, you choose 10 people to be tagged, list their names, and why you chose them to be tagged. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you are tagged" on their profile and to read your latest blog. Have fun !

10 Weird & Wonderful Facts About Pigography:

1) Most people already know this but I won't buy, prepare, cook or eat pork products UNLESS someone, who doesn't know I don't eat pork, has made the effort of preparing it for me, then and only then will I eat it without fuss - we all make sacrifices from time to time so there's mine.

2) I have an eraseable memory - birthdays, anniversaries, appointments all have to be written down. I am lost without my agenda book. On the upside, I can reread all my books and rewatch all my movies over and over again - seriously I'm like a goldfish. Also makes it impossible for me to hold a grudge as I'll never remember how you broke my heart.

3) I have 11 piercings and 2 tattoos, but you wouldn't know it to look at me.

4) I can eat ice-cream, gelato, frozen yoghurt (...or yogurt?) all year round, even in February in -20 degree weather. Yum.

5) I love the water, drinking, swimming, kayaking, etc. Even as a child of 3, while on a family holiday and the parents had their backs turned, I swam out into the ocean all by myself. Apparently I was such a good little paddler, I managed to get pretty far before the lifeguards caught up with me. But then my dad took my water wings away from me. I cried. Like a baby, oh wait, I was a baby. Nevermind.

6) I moved from Hong Kong to Canada when I was 5. Schools in Hong Kong are much more strict and demanding than schools in Canada. In Hong Kong I started school when I was 2! You heard me, 2! Kindergarden is 3 years there and at the end of the three years, they'll give you placement tests to see which schools you can attend; the kids who scored highest in their tests will go to the more affluent schools where it literally is a higher education: better programs, more funding, brilliant teachers, etc. But I moved just before my placement test. Here I am in a new country, new language (I couldn't speak a word of English) and suddenly it's the first day of school: Grade 1. I'm shitting myself because I'm expecting a placement test. If I fail, I'll be put into the worst ghetto school ever! We were ushered into the new classroom, met the new teacher and then... nap time? What the fuck is nap time? I didn't sleep a wink, fearing I'd miss something. After nap time, they laid out rolls of brown paper - okay! This must be the test! They put out pots of paint and kids dug in with their hands... finger painting?! I swear that was the most stressful day of my little life.

7) I LOATHE mosquitoes. Apparently my blood is like crack-coccaine to them. I could be completely covered in layers of clothing, standing among a hundred other people, and I'd be the one who gets bitten. Blood suckers!

8) I have stage-fright when I have to do solos. Found this out at age 7 when I couldn't even do my piano recital for my Royal Conservatory exams - nobody told me there would be a panel of evaluators staring me down! Sadly, it ended my dreams of being a classical pianist right there and then.

9) In high school I participated in M.O.G.A (Most Outrageous Group Activity) and our school got into the Guinness World Records - for the world's largest outdoor shower with the help from our local fire brigade. Please don't ask how many times I dropped the soap as I'm not going to elaborate!

10) I always carry a camera with me. Yes even to the bathroom, but that's private.

As to the 10 people - you know who you are! x.

Leslie Feist launched her new album, The Reminder, at the beginning of this month.


A warm-up show to wet her chops before her tour, starting in Vancouver on the 15th.



Thank you Leslie. The Reminder is GORGEOUS.

Who comes to mind when I say: Chicago Blues Funk Legend?
Buddy Guy.

This 71-year-old can make his guitar weep with one hand, all the while chatting up a woman in the audience. True.


Update: I'm going to Chicago in September! YAY! I'll be stopping by his blues club Legends and maybe I'll get to see him play again. Fingers crossed.

Sara Bareilles opened for Aqualung - what a lovely surprise.

Click on Sara to watch Vegas.


Aqualung is Matt Hales; he's currently on tour promoting 'Memory Man' with brother Ben. Lovelovelove the new album!

A bon voyage to Alun & The Quitters. They're off to play shows in CHINA!

Click on Alun to watch Whisper Of You.


Sadly, I was so stinkin' tired that night, due to my insomnia, that I only lasted his first 2 sets - and wouldn't you know it? I missed out on videoing the first Dakota Tavern BRAWL. Damnit. I miss all the good stuff.

Update: Got this message from Alun.
"Just a short hello from Shanghai... Enjoying the Jimmy Swift Band every night. However the air quality is fucken killing me."
(So things haven't changed since I was last there in 1995? Air quality is putrid in the urban areas of China; it's a shame as the history, architecture and sights are magnificent.)

Drowning Girl - new name, a nice and easy name.
Formerly she... they, were known as Hill Kourkoutis (her name). But perhaps it was getting a bit tiresome as they kept having to spell it out for everyone.
K-O-U-R-K-O-U-T-I-S... and yes it's Hill - as in Lauryn Hill, Benny Hill, a mole hill?! GAH.

Klaxons sans glowsticks, ha.

Click on Simon and Jaimie for a couple live performances.

Exclaim! is a monthly national music paper - and a former employer of mine.
They kicked off April with their Spring Fling concert with four awesome Canadian bands: You Say Party! We Say Die! (Vancouver), Malajube (Montreal), Chromeo (Montreal/New York), and (DJ) Champion (again from Montreal - what can I say? Montreal's where's it at!).

But first here's You Say Party! We Say Die! earlier that day at MTV.

Then they raced over to the Spring Fling show and kicked things off there. Here's Derek & Stephen rocking out.


Malajube is a francophone four-piece. Yes, they sing in French but music is universal. N'est pas?



Chromeo are Dave 1 and P-Thugg. The only thing I had heard from them was a fun remix of Feist's Sea Lion Woman - worth a listen on their myspace.


DJ Champion made the show! Max, the mix-master/conductor started things off.

Then one by one, four guitarists made their entrance: Barry, Fets, J-L and Seb.

Then the ladies came out: Manon the bassist in the back and Betty in front.


What a night! Baisers!

I ended the Month of March with a blast - Snow Patrol Weekend!

First stop, Montreal. Here's Jenny & MOI.

Silversun Pickups were amazing! Pablo came out and played on Lazy Eye!

OKGO were having far too much fun. Crazy projections!

And rather than posting photos of the SP boys, here are some videos of Gary rambling...okay, maybe ONE obligatory tummy teaser first.

Snippets from Montreal. Click to view.

Gary proclaims his love.

Gary on a gay day.

Set The Fire...on the first girl.

Set The Fire...with Marianne.

Snippets from Toronto. Click to view.

Superstition.

My dear Robert.

Set The Fire...with Alex & Jen (aka Sam).

As they say across the pond, IT WAS A BELTER! Love to all, x.

Holy shit. Has it been over a month already? Best finish up the end of March.

March 23rd, the return of Sebadoh.

Lou kept going on all night about his 'Canadian pick'. One point during the show he accidentally flicked it into the crowd, 'Hey, give me back my Canadian pick'. That's some attachment; that's some Canadian pick!



March 27th, Stars of Track and Field open for...


The Long Winters.

Pete Yorn.

He stopped by Toronto for his Nightcrawler tour. It's been, what, 3 years since I last saw him on his Day I Forgot tour - thankfully he doesn't mumble anymore! That was the one thing that bothered me most; he mumbled on his last tour. New tour, new confidence, and it shows.

During Canadian Music Week, there's generally FAR too many shows to choose from - and most often, you're just going on someone else's recommendations. So I shut my eyes and pointed at the schedule... ha, noooo. I wouldn't do that. Someone recommended The Cinematics: young Scottish boys,touring with hometown boys, The Reason and some Americans I hadn't heard of called Mute Math.

The Reason: shouty stuff, a bit thrashy at times and songs sounded a bit similar, still though, a solid opener.


The Cinematics were great: catchy melodies, solid vocals, some sweet guitar riffs - no complaints on them musically. But... performance-wise, they seemed a wee bit static, like they accidentally put a bit too much starch in their... yeah, nevermind about that. However, I will say that Adam (bassist), did try moving around on stage, a bit, only a bit though. They're young still - just need to gain more confidence and let loose. Especially in stark contrast to the following headliners: Mute Math; hopefully they picked up a thing of two about showmanship from these guys.


Mute Math: a four piece from New Orleans - Paul, mesmerizing frontman, Darren, drummer extraordinaire, Greg, guitar & pedal guru and Roy, el bass grande hombre. It was just an unbelievable show! They assault you with their synthesized, electro-noise/sounds, and each band member performs like a seasoned veteran. Their showmanship is something to behold; they should bottle that energy, and sell it. I can't this stress enough - if you have a chance to see them, DO!





This is Paul doing a handstand on his Rhodes organ. Yes, blurry but it's a true representation because Paul's a ball of energy and all you'll be able to see is blur anyway.

Paolo Nutini.

A 20-year old Scot with a bluesy soulful voice.