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These Electric Lives EP!

We finished our debut EP and here it is...

Under Fire: Drama Erupts At The Roy Thomson Hall Box Office

I normally avoid big concerts like a garage sale in the suburbs. The few exceptions I make are for shows at the Molson Amphitheater and Massey Hall, Toronto’s top concert venue. When I first heard that Arcade Fire were playing 2 shows at Massey Hall on May 15 and 16, I knew this would be one of those exceptions.

Roy Thomson Hall’s box office sells tickets for Massey Hall events and I thought going there to get tickets in person might get me better seats. What unfolded when I arrived at Roy Thomson Hall is the wildest ticket buying experience this concert-goer of over 15 years has ever been through.

Here is a timeline of what happened:

11:40am: I show up at Roy Thomson Hall and am about #30 in line

11:45am: Ticket official warns us that there is limited number of tickets available at ticket counter – try phoning for regular or premium seats

12noon: Tickets officially go on sale. Everyone calls the box office hotline repeatedly while slowly inching toward the ticket counter.

12:10am: An argument erupts when someone’s friend shows up and get in line with them a few spots ahead of me:

Angry guy: (runs toward them from the back of the line) “Hey! There’s a line here you know!”

Girl with friend: “RELAX! I’m buying his ticket for him!”

Angry guy: “How do we know that?!”

Other guy in line: “Hey man, take it easy. If this guy doesn’t go to the ticket window there’s no problem.”

Angry guy: “Yeah, right.” (walks back to his spot at the back of line)

Girl with Friend: (sarcastically) “Have a nice day.”

12:20pm: The ticket window claims it has run out of tickets. Extremely disappointed fans at the front of line wander out of the building in shock.

12:25pm: Those of us further back in line make it to the door but are still inside to hear the box office manager’s announcement that premium floor seats are indeed available at our ticket counter.

12:26pm: We are put into three completely new lines with many confused, angry or furious comments flying about the room. Angry girl behind me in line: “I’m channeling all my hatred toward that guy (the box office manager). “

12:30pm: I get to the front of line. The box office attendant (still in training and mostly clueless) slowly asks me for my phone number and asks me if I have bought tickets with them before. She asks me if I still live at the address in their system, but I have since moved. She slowly asks for my new address to fill in her database fields. Angry girl behind me in line: “I don’t think I can do this anymore!”

12:35pm: From a hopeless wait in a long line, to an announcement of sold out tickets, to 2nd row, centre premium floor seats, I make my way home – my head still spinning.

Cover Song of the Month (link)

Check out Howie Beck's awesome cover of "Reptilia". It's a great Strokes song and it sounds amazing in Howie's stripped-down, fragile acoustic style. Check out his other songs while you're there.

Bombing4Peace
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

10 Most Healthiest Foods...

blueberry_cheesecake
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

According to the Mayo Clinic:

Apples
Almonds
Broccoli
Blueberries
Red Beans
Salmon
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
Vegetable Juice
Wheat Germ

Blueberry Cheesecake anyone? It's healthy!

Happy August!

Our First Radio Performance!

thunder
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

We're playing 4 songs on CIUT FM's great indie rock "Blissful Thunder". We'll also be speaking with host Michelle Johnson after our performance.

You can tune into CIUT in Toronto on 89.5 FM, or online at CIUT.FM. The show starts at 1pm.

The Horseshoe!

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Originally uploaded by Gp+.

We're playing the legendary Horseshoe Tavern tomorrow night. A great way to kick off a big day for our band!

Rock out on Canada Day!

TEL_July_1_Flyer
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

We're playing a show at Cameron House in Toronto on Canada Day. Come on down!

My Favourite Records (so far) of 2006...

My Favourite Records (so far) of 2006
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

#1. Everything All The Time by Band of Horses

BandofHorses
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

Amazing record. I've already raved about them here before. Just saw them live last week. Ben Bridwell's voice did not disappoint.

#2. Nine Times That Same Song by Love Is All

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Originally uploaded by Gp+.

A great band from Sweden. Sound like a cross between The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Rapture. I saw them twice at SXSW and loved their show both times. This is an import CD for now, but they've recently signed to Parlophone in the UK and will get the global release treatment by the end of the year.

#3. Return To The Sea by Islands

Islands
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

A super cool band with super cool songs. I've seen them a bunch of times on the last Metric tour. They have one of the best websites out there. And they are forever.

#4. Hind Hind Legs by The Lovely Feathers

Feathers
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

Good friends of mine. They have one of the best BIO's ever. And their new video is really cool. And I'm thanked in their liner notes....a true thrill and honour for me.

#5. At War With The Mystics by The Flaming Lips

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Originally uploaded by Gp+.

Easily one of my favourite bands EVER. This is a really fun record.

Geekent.com Review!

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Originally uploaded by Gp+.

A great review of our May 19 show was recently posted on Geekent.com.

An Amazing Evening

pobl_debut01
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

Me in action last night at Clinton's in Toronto. A successful debut for our side project. I had a blast. We have 2 cool pins...find me and ask me about them...you might get 1 for free!

A big thank you to all my peeps that made it out to clap/cheer/laugh last night...it means a lot.
Photo: Jerrold Litwinenko

Burlington, Vermont

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Originally uploaded by Gp+.

Products of Better Living

CDRelease-05:24:06
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

My These Electric Lives boys and I have started this side project band. We're playing our first show as Products of Better Living tomorrow night, in support of our friend Megan Hamilton's CD release party for her amazing record "Feudal Ladies Club".

Come on down!

Big Show This Friday!

BandAide-05:19:06
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

We're on at 10pm. New set with a new kickass keyboard intro care of our boy Griff!

These Electric Lives at Sneaky Dees Tonight!

flyer-sneakydees05:10:06
Originally uploaded by Gp+.

We're playing with Ghetto Pony from Montreal and our new friends The Great Awake, who we played with at Canadian Music Week.

Come rock out mid-week style!