Good Music

Saw alot of good music recently - makes me feel lucky to know the people i know, and to be good friends with most of them. Lately I've been feeling more and more like I'm part of a community. I became acutely aware of it the other weekend when i went over to Toby and Sara-Paule's for the afternoon on Sunday and ended up hanging out for a few hours, sitting in the sun, drinking blackberry wheat, and talking about life, and random things, making a little sculpture on the ground out of twigs and leaves.
I've know Sara-Paule for a long time now, i thought, even Toby I've known for a few - alot's gone by in those years, quite a bit - it's amazing how much changing and growing we do, and we never really notice till we get some distance from some self-important signpost. My friends are these signposts for me, and the longer i've been in this town the more of them i find, and the more i'm reminded of who i was, who i am etc... it's all rather fascinating.
Going to shows, and watching people i've played in bands w/ or have known for so long - it's such a great experience - Sometimes, depending on the show it's like I'm just in the garage w/ friends hanging out having some laughs, playing some music. The only difference is how impressed I've been by these people lately.

Matt I've only known for about 6 months or so, i met him through Brodie, and we've all played some music together - but i only just recently got to see him perform as Snake in the Garden. It was awesome - it was one of the first times in recent memory that i heard music coming out of speakers from a local act that, if i closed my eyes i could imagine it coming out of the speakers of any worth-its-salt club in any metroland in the world - it was spot on noise, thoughtful and mindfucking, and not without it's own well played spin on things. It felt real, and individual - and
totally engaging.

Then there was this avant-jazz banjo and cello duo that - not to bad, definitely had their chops, sounded like if The Books weren't so patient and considered, but had all their beats programed by Autechre but then, when they got to the show, realized that they forgot there Macbook...


Then Oak, lovely.

The next night -May day, i got to finally see what my good friend Todd has been cooking up behind closed doors all winter and again, i was floored, true to form and flooding over with sincerity and self-righteousness, he played an outdoor set of hard edged, lo-fi rock. It was the most fitting music i could have imagined for a May day BBQ at "Speaking Volumes"


Tonight i went out with a whole dinning room of friends to Koto's to celebrate my friend Kyle's 27th B-day and again i felt like i knew and had known and been known by so many of the people around me, for a long time. It's funny - while i often times don't like feeling insulated and sort of "known" i think that it's only because i know i am, that it gives me the freedom to think otherwise. I've lived in cities where i was completely alone - and it's thrilling, it teaches you so much about yourself, but at the end of the day, i'd like to know someone, and I'm really glad i know all these people.

On another note - I was eating a granola bar the other morning, and just as i swallowed, i also sneezed, and immediately i felt this congestion in my sinuses, so i started blowing my nose real hard and after a bit all this granola just came shooting out. I thought i got it all, but within an hour my nose was stuffed up and by that night my throat felt tight and scratchy. Now i feel like i've almost got a sinus cold or something... I bet i have granola stuck in my sinuses, can you believe that shit?