Xavier Rudd, a memoire of January's Music Hall Show

I just can't get enough of this bear-like man with his sun streaked self cut blond hair. I'm not in love with him in romantic sorta way, I just think his sound and energy are awesome.

He finally came back to Toronto, doing an amazing 3 day stint at the Danforth Music Hall. Celebrating the release of his new album 'White Moth'.

He's always in bare feet and his hands are constantly in a prayer position pointing at the crowd. The show is a group of all ages, sizes, shapes, hairstyles and walks of life cheers. I went on a Sunday night. The energy was totally strong but chill, seems this show was the icing on a lot of people's weekends.

Xavier's spot is behind his instruments. An impressive set comprised of 3 Yadakis, several hand drums, stomp box, chimes, cymbals, a massive gong and a line up of guitars.

The vibrating drone of the Yadaki fills the room, the crowd starts moving and despite the no smoking regulations a smell of Canada's home grown slowly wafts through the air. His stage setup brings us images of our planet, the ocean and the earth projected onto a screen at the back of the stage. At this show there is a special guest on another drum set beside him. A change from his usual solo performance.

Hailing from southern Australia Xavier Rudd brings more than a feel good surf vibe with him wherever he tours. His shows are about awareness, about caring for each other and the planet. Not only do his lyrics rip melancholy, energy and happiness they also carry strong messages about caring for each other, our planet and ourselves.

As a not so regular one-man band, Xavier is no doubt musically talented. His skill on the Yadaki (also know as the Didgeridoo) is owed respect. The instrument is the work of termites boring a chamber down the length of a young tree. A wooden trumpet if you will. Air is pushed though the Yadaki continually using a technique called circular breathing. When played correctly it is easy to believe that these deep core-shaking vibrations are in fact an extension of the person playing it.

Hanging above the stage is the red, yellow and black flag that represents Aboriginal Australians. This flag has been a constant at his 10 shows that I've seen over the past 5 years; he is one of many who recognize the mistreatment and abuse of Australia's original people. Flying next to it is the skull and trident flag of ocean activists Sea Shepherd. While Xavier's music is full of happy energy, there is a strong sense of responsibility.

Big ups to Xavier's roadie rocking out on the banjo. Maybe it was just me, but I've never seen him do anything but tune the guitars and have a few laughs. It seemed to be a really special moment.
Rudd's live shows are addictive. Its the over powering feeling of joy that I can do anything and make any change I want in the world.

Test the Nation-Extreme Edition

Test the Nation Extreme edition is taping today! Come cheer us on!

"Hello Extreme Athletes!

We're really looking forward to having you take part in "Test the
Nation: Sports" on Friday, and wanted to invite your friends and family
to share in the excitement through NTN/Buzztime interactive
entertainment.

We have a Test the Nation correspondent chatting with people on-air at
the bar and demonstrating how the game works through Buzztime technology
LIVE at the Harbour Grille Sports Bar, at 10 Yonge Street. Please find
their website and a MapQuest link with directions below.

http://www.harboursportsgrille.com/

http://www.mapquest.ca/maps/10+Yonge+Street+Toronto+ON+M5E/

Please invite your friends and family to watch you LIVE via satellite,
before the broadcast of the show on CBC Television (we'll have the
official broadcast date for you very soon)."

A Little Shark Humour.

                I love, fear and respect sharks. For example I would never eat a shark by default giving it permission to eat me. Still I can't resist a little shark humour. Like these for example, take that sharks. 

All the bicycles will be made of gold and silver and there will be surf on the lake

 

The message on my voice mail was something along the lines of a very excited "its snowing and shitty out so there might be surf! ". I wasn't out surfing (sadly my fabled $80.00 wetsuit had not arrived yet) but I totally wanted to tough out the weather to take some photos and get stoked. 

"Weather" it doesn't sound very extreme, but standing out on the point with the wind howling at 30mph, and rain/snow pealting at me from the side it felt extreme. As I was running back to more sheltered surroundings I hoped that this would be the closest I ever come to war. My umbrella wrapped around me by the wind and a deafening rat-ta-ta-tat sound of the sideways rain against it. Lets just say I was running with feeling.

The waves looked awesome and the guys ripped it. Clean glassy faces despite the foul weather. The lakes are a weird place, its like opposite land from the ocean, at least as far as the good weather and wave quality ratio goes.

There were at least 10 guys out over the afternoon. Plus two cameras (myself included) and one video camera getting the whole thing down. All these guys trekked not only through the weather but through the ice, water, mud and copious amounts of goose shit. Dedication with a capital D.

On a very exciting side note, my new suit is now here, all 7mm of it. I can't wait to be sweating while catching some waves in our icy lake.

My Night with THE Iron Maiden

                You might not believe me. I barely believe myself. On Sunday March 17th at approximately 9:30 pm I was on stage with Iron Maiden. Not just on stage but on stage in front of a sold out Air Canada Center audience. Granted it was only for a few seconds, but it was still pretty awesome. I have to say it was a night to remember.

               After a missed call followed by a text saying "call me now." My amazing friend Deb was asking/telling me I was going to see Iron Maiden. Now to be completely honest, before this night I could not name a single IM song but, I knew they were legends and that this was something I needed to experiance.

             I hopped in the first cab I saw to meet deb and three of the four English gentlemen that would be our guardians for the evening. Deb had been serving these gentlemen in the late afternoon. Being the charming, beautiful and genuine person that she is, these men truly wanted to show her and her friend (being me) the rock show of their lives. I can't say I wasn't a bit weary, I wasn't willing to pay anything in anyway to see the show, but I do trust Deb's judgement and quickly realized for myself that these guys were nothing but gentlemen and rightfully believed that the IM put on a legendary live show.

                By the time were cramming three English men and two Canadian girls into a cab were were all pretty comfortable with each other. Our escorts were the go-ahead to travel through the ACC's underbelly. It was here that we received our yellow VIP stickers and were declared "Iron Maidens". We also got to meet some of the crew and get just a glimpse of the amount of work that goes into put on a show of such caliber.

                This was the last stop on a world tour that not only went around the world but up and down it as well. Flying (on occasion by pilot by day front man Bruce Dickinson) they made 23 stops in places from Mumbai, India to Japan, Australia and Chili. Toronto was the only Canadian stop. Using a majority of their own equipment packed into the back third of the plane the entire tour had reportedly gone off without a hitch. No late shows, no lost gear. As the last stop on this world wide jet ride Toronto was time to give it all. Admittedly, I screamed my face off the entire time.

                Entering from the backdoor the concrete hallways turned into carpeted floors then sounds boards lined the walls and finally opened up to the entirety of the 19,800 seat ACC as seen from stage left. Awestruck. Floor to ceiling seats of people cheering and chanting for Maiden, wearing Maiden and drinking $7.00 beers but not caring because they were seeing Maiden.



                    We headed to a clear spot just behind the sound booth. From here we were able to take in the entire set and feel the energy of the surroundings. Intense. The stage stretched the width of the floor, the backdrop a giant skull sphynx and we were given promises of pyrotechnics.




                     Before we knew it the lights were down, the crowd was roaring and sounds of airplanes filled the room. On either side of the stage a giant screen gave the audience a video recap of the amazing journey that the band and crew had taken so far. The volume increased and just as its breaking point was about to be reached the notably original Iron Maiden burst on to stage. Some how the volume increased.

                   We grabbed Deb's completely stoked little bother and friend from the stands and headed up front. Tucked next to the bouncers between the stage and the crowd. I had to restrain myself from reaching out and stealing Yanik' white reebok hightops.



                   In there somewhere were those unforgettable seconds that we were on stage for. The IM fan club runs a contest for its members, the winners get to run on stage and help with a song during the show in their respective city. Our amazing escorts got us in on this. We were both terrified. Both our eyes had been opened to how hard Iron Maiden rocks however neither of us knew a song let alone could sing one. I admittedly had visions of being booed of stage by thousands of longtime fans but still couldn't resist. To our relief we had may be 20 other people with us, we rocked as hard as we could and did manage to sing along a bit. I also made sure to take a moment to breath in the feeling of being on stage in front of that many people as it is looking unlikely I will ever be in a metal band, let alone "performing" with one to such a big audience.



                 The rest of the show rocked hard, we returned to our spot behind the sound boo as the last couple encore songs were played and danced to Monty Python's "Always look on the Bright side" as the fans exited around us.




              We said out goodbyes and we on our way to the exit when another one of the guys who we hadn't seen since earlier in the night scooped us up and brought us back to reunite with our old chums. Deb and I were riding the high that comes with going to an amazing show and were planning to go out anywhere, in the end it was decided that we ought to go to the after-party, it was the last night of the tour.

                 We drank and ate and chatted for the rest of the night. Everyone got a least a teeny bit silly and we got to meet some really amazing people. Noting Richie and Randy from Lauren Harris's band (Steve Harris's daughter and opener for the tour) both had some of the greatest hair I think I might ever see in my life, actually all the guys had amazing hair.







The biggest thankyou I could ever imagine to our guys that made this happen. You are truly legends.