Well it's official, summer is over. The days are getting shorter, nights are getting colder, the kids are back to school and a bunch of grown men will once again be tackling one another in front of hundreds of millions of people. But let's not forget the wondrous times of Summer: the late-night drunken BBQ's, outdoor concerts, yard toss tournaments, days at the beach and/or lake, weekend road trips, bikinis, patios, and always wearing flip-flops.
To me, a summer song is one that always makes you feel good; it's bright, catchy, and laid back. Think Bob Marley, not Bob Dylan. It would fit perfectly into the soundtrack for your day at the beach, backyard BBQ or road trip. A summer song would sound odd if you were to listen to it by yourself on a dark, cold night. Not that you can't, but bumpin' "California Gurls" at your Thanksgiving shindig just doesn't seem to fit.
The criteria that I used were that it had to be released no earlier than Spring 2015, it was a proper single, and it is just a kick-ass summer jam. Without further adieu here are my Top 5 Songs of the Summer:
5) Jamie xx - "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) [feat. Young Thug & Popcaan]"
Starting with a classic soul sample by the Persuasions the proclamation that "I know there's gonna be good times" sets the mood for a perfect summer tune. Jamie xx has been known for being more dark and moody from his regular gig in the xx to his creepy electro album with Gil Scott-Heron. So it came as a pleasant surprise when he dropped this breath of fresh air. Assisted by Jamaican singer Popcaan and rapper Young Thug, the listener is quickly lifted to a happy, sunny place. Jamie xx masterfully weaves the three vocalists through the breezy backbeat, creating a sonic soundscape that feels like you're chillaxing on a beach with the warm sun beaming down on your cold drink. Pretty much the ideal setting for a summer jam.
4) Beck - Dreams
Up next is last year's Album of the Year Grammy winner (shh... don't remind Kanye) Beck with his surprisingly danceable follow-up "Dreams." Unlike #5, this one comes blasting in with a great, upbeat guitar riff and some catchy chanting "oh, oh, oh, ah, oh". Beck then urges the listener to "come on out of your dreams" before sending us right back into them with his smooth, airy chorus and lush atmospherics. Yet once again we are quickly awoken when the punchy keyboard chimes in and Beck sings of "running circles around around around around." This is the sound of Beck truly having a blast with his music. After the serious and melancholy tone of the award winning Morning Phase this single flipped the switch and took the indie rock world by storm.
3) The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face
Right in the middle we have The Weeknd with his smash hit "Can't Feel My Face." After a few albums of sexed-out, druggy ballads Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, decided to unleash his inner MJ. Complete with build-up 'Woo's', drastic changes in vocal pitch, and a chorus that's so catchy it's still trapped in the nether regions of your head, The Weeknd is carrying the torch for the King of Pop and doing a damn fine job of it. The world took notice and seemingly overnight The Weeknd became a household name, dominating the billboard charts with a number 1 album, Beauty Behind the Madness, and three top 3 singles ("Earned It" #3, "The Hills" #2 and "Can't Feel My Face" #1).
But how did this happen, you ask? Two words: Max Martin. The Swedish songwriter and producer is responsible for an absurd amount of the massive hits from the past 20 years. He either wrote/co-wrote and/or produced/co-produced 21 Billboard #1 songs such as "... Baby One More Time", "Teenage Dream", "One More Night" and "Bad Blood." And that's not to mention the work he has done with mega-stars like The Backstreet Boys, Pink, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson, and Ariana Grande. You can check out the rest of his amazing catalog here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Martin_production_discography. So The Weeknd brightened up just in time to dominate summer 2015. I'm beginning to notice a trend here...
2) The Growlers - Chinese Fountain
Runner-up is stoned California psychedelic rockers The Growlers with their single "Chinese Fountain." Now to be fair I cheated a bit with this one as it was technically released last September, but it wasn't released as an official single until March. Close enough. These dudes are known for their chill brand of what they have dubbed 'beach goth' yet for "Chinese Fountain" they did away with the 'goth' tag and just went straight to the 'beach.' The bouncy guitar riff was ripped out of the Nile Rodgers playbook with shades of glam and disco. The Growlers add their own touches of warbly keyboards and mumbled, croaky singing that will have the listener bobbing along and pressing repeat as soon as it ends. This is the summer song that you probably never heard but wish you did.
1) Tame Impala - Let It Happen
My number one song of the summer goes to Australia's Tame Impala and their epic "Let It Happen." The song begins with marching keyboards and guitars before falling into a psychedelic haze of lead singer Kevin Parker's smooth vocals. The listener is immediately transported to a happy, relaxing place; the perfect place to be when listening to a great summer song. Then the march begins once again, commanded by the bop-along keyboard blips. This is one of the better 'drops' that I've ever heard in an indie rock song and will surely have you nodding your head along to the beat. Though Tame Impala's songs in the past have been equally smooth and dreamy this is truly the happiest sounding one of the bunch. Then once again we are transported back to the dream land, this time with Parker's vocals being manipulated through an auto-tune machine as they float weightless through the spacey soundscape. Clocking in at almost eight minutes long this truly is an epic for the summer.
So you may have picked up on it but there is a running theme going through all of these songs which is that each artist has manipulated their own style to suit the needs that the perfect summer song requires. All five artists became famous for their more mopey and even dark songs; lightening the mood to create a happy, chill atmosphere has earned each of them a spot on the playlist of all-time great summer songs.
Without further adieu here are my runner-up and top spot for best musical performances at Pemby:
2) Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta
The
first name I read when the lineup was announced and the only name that I
needed to read to know that I was attending Pemberton 2015. Kendrick
Lamar was the final performer of the weekend (the same slot OutKast had
last year) and the anticipation could not have been greater. Every show
that I had seen so far built up to this epic climax of live music at its
finest. With Molly Kermit leading the way, the whole crew moved through the
masses to stake out a good spot, right side as always.
After
last year's somewhat disappointing set (disappointing because he came
out almost one hour late, only somewhat because he still put on a
helluva show and brought out ScHoolboy Q for "Collard Greens") he owed
us a true headlining set. And he delivered. From the opening beat of
"Money Trees" he had the undivided attention of the entire crowd. "It was absolute command over tens of thousands of people" as my long-time friend Trevor put it in his excellent blog, The Trevorium, titled Dust Bowl Chic (Day 4). This is an excellent first person account of the entire festival and I highly recommend that you check it out (https://trevorium.wordpress.com/2015/08/01/dust-bowl-chic-day-4/).
The
first half of the set featured mostly good kid, m.A.A.d. city classics
such as a raucous version of "Backseat Freestyle", "Swimming Pools
(Drank)", and "Poetic Justice." He also did a cover of A$AP Rocky's
"Fuckin' Problems" and snippets from 2Pac and Kanye West. This first
half of the set closed with "m.A.A.d. city (Part 1)" where he brought up
a fan that was going absolutely crazy to come on stage and claim the
prize of his shoes. The dude rose to the moment and rocked out hard,
moving like a mad man all over the stage. I couldn't even begin to
imagine what that would have been like, looking out at the thousands in
the crowd as they cheer you on.
One reason why I
absolutely love Lamar's performances is that he treats each song as an
individual moment, closer to that of a rock band versus the typical
hip-hop show where a verse or two are rapped before the song ends and a
new one quickly begins. This method was best exemplified throughout the
second half of the show. He started by taking things down a notch,
performing all seven minutes of the emotional tour de force "Sing About
Me"; the crowd clinging to his every word and singing along too. This was
followed by the first song from his brilliant new album, To Pimp A Butterfly, "i"
(also the first single released from it). With a full live band rocking
hard this song was a highlight, with the high-energy performance
echoing his legendary SNL outing (see below). Up next was the Cali classic "The
Recipe" that was a five minute love in for the place of "women, weed,
and weather." When I first saw Kendrick in 2012 he only teased 2 verses
of "The Recipe" so it was awesome to get to hear the full song.
After bringing out his buddy from Compton, YG Hootie, for one of his songs Kendrick launched into the next TPAB track,
"King Kunta." A candidate for my song of the year this is the one I was
waiting for and Kendrick delivered with a home run. The funky backbeat
sounded even better live as Lamar duck walked across the stage and by
the end the funk was within us all. The final new song was "Alright",
another highlight and the best visuals of the show that channeled the
masterpiece black and white music video for it. All three of these new
tracks were amazing, though I would have liked at least 1 or 2 more from TPAB, which would've launched Kendrick into the top spot. To close the set
Lamar dug back to his first album, Section.80, for "A.D.H.D." and the whole crowd sang along about "eight doobies to the face." This is another reason why Kendrick Lamar is such a thrilling performer: he enunciates every single word he raps, allowing the audience to hear, and more importantly, understand exactly what he is saying. After a powerful freestyle he returned for an encore of "Compton" the horn-heavy ode to his hometown. But for this particular night Pemberton was his home and he owned it.
1) Father John Misty - The Ideal Husband
One of my only regrets from Pemby 2015 was that I didn't try to convince any of my friends to come and see Father John Misty. They were all set on seeing some dude named Post Malone and to find some refuge from the blazing midday sun at the dance tent. But how could I truly do my best persuading without knowing what he was like live? All I knew was that his 2012 debut album (as Father John Misty), Fear Fun, was excellent and that his follow-up, this year's I Love You, Honeybear was even better. I also knew that his musical style is incredibly difficult to describe and pinpoint. His songs range from acoustic folk to piano-led ballads to rock-out-with-your-cock-out to hip-hop and electronic influenced tracks. It seemed like a daunting task and once I realized that one other couple in our group was planning to attend I decided to just go with them and leave the rest behind.
We arrived just as Father John Misty was launching into opener "I Love You, Honeybear". With the crowd relatively sparse still we easily moved up quite close and just within the shade of the stage. Clutch. Right away I was feeling good about my decision as FJM (real name J. Tillman and fun fact: original drummer of Fleet Foxes) strutted around the stage with a charm and charisma that I have rarely seen before. It all started with his look; his beard: burly, grizzled, and manly. His hair: long, flowing, and sexy. And his outfit, a full black suit with white shirt (see pic below) that, after pointing out how different he looked to everyone in the crowd, he described that he's "skied down piles of money in this outfit. And then I go fuck on a pile of beef jerky! And then afterwards I buy these hills up and this suit and turn it all into a Chipotle. It's from my new masters of industry line" (see video below). Confusing? somewhat. Hilarious? most definitely. This between song banter continued throughout the show and only got more funny and more ridiculous.
This chatter was followed by early set standout "True Affection", a ballad with shimmering keyboards and a hip-hop backbeat in which Tillman's voice floats effortlessly above it all. Up next came "Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)" with it's quirky lyrics about how "a queen would have ostrich and cobra wine" and mariachi horns. By now the crowd was really digging Misty and when I looked back it was clear that word had spread as a throng of revelers had taken up all the space available at the second biggest Mount Currie stage. A few tunes later my second favourite track from I Love You, Honeybear, "Strange Encounter", really brought out the showman in Tillman. He moved all around the stage and made stops on top of the bass drum, to the far right for a perfectly timed moment in front of the video camera, and then into the crowd. This movement can be much better described as "gyrating lunacy" (once again stole this from the Trevorium Blog, https://trevorium.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/dust-bowl-chic-day-3-pt-1/) as Misty blazed a trail that his mic cord was barely able to keep up with (I felt for the poor stage lady that kept having to come out to untangle it to seemingly no avail). "I'm Writing A Novel" kept things going with its bop along guitar and chord progressions that evoke The Beatles' "Paperback Writer." Another highlight in a set that was jam packed with them.
As good as the first three quarters of his set were what came next was quite possibly the most entertaining three songs to close out a set that I have ever witnessed. It began with "Bored In The USA", a stand-out track from his latest album. The slow, piano-led ballad showcased Tillman's powerful singing voice and brought the crowd in to join him during the emotional chorus. Misty was up front and personal with the crowd, leaning over the gate and belting out "bored in the USA" when, out of nowhere and in a complete deadpan speaking voice he said "give me that." "That" was a long pole with the poop emoji on top and he was quickly granted his wish. So there was Misty in his black and white suit waving a poop stick while singing a harsh critique of middle-class American life. It truly was a sight to behold! Next came "Nothing Good Ever Happens At The Goddamn Thirsty Crow" and, besides being an amazing song title, it boasts one of his most hilarious lyrics as his baby "gets down more often than a blow up doll." And of course Tillman was up to his same tricks on stage, posing on his side like a bikini model (see pic below) and off stage as this time he grabbed a crowd member's phone and sang a good minute of the song into it, stopping once to say "Hello, YouTube" before returning it to its delighted owner (well as long as they had pressed record. Side note: I checked YouTube and found no such video...).
Finally came the final number, my chosen song "The Ideal Husband." The hardest rocking song in his catalog made for the perfect closer as the crashing drums, pounding keyboards and howling sirens blared away while the crowd began to really move. Misty stormed about the stage with wreckless abandon like a man possessed; it truly amazed me that he could top his antics from earlier and that he had this seemingly endless energy. By this point his cord wrangler simply could not keep up with him. Near the end of the song Tillman went to run one way but the mic pulled him the other way and he almost clothes-lined himself. Undeterred he kept going and just went the way of the cord, over behind the keyboards. For the grand finale he came charging back out to centre stage and, this time, was not taken back by the cord and instead took down both keyboards in a bombastic fury. The timing could not have been more on point as the song ended seconds later, Tillman waved goodbye to the crowd and left the stage. What an ending! For some reason that I've never understood a large number of people were calling for an encore. What on earth could he possibly play to top that, let alone the fact that he would be without at least one keyboard. I understand this desire for more songs and that it is a show of appreciation but the band left it all out there on the stage and did not need to play another note.
I then turned to my two friends and saw the look of sheer amazement on their faces, likely the same look that I was sporting. We all quickly agreed that that was the best show we had seen so far and that it would be very difficult to top. Clearly we were right as Father John Misty claimed the coveted prize of the EpiclyUnreal best performance at Pemberton Music Festival 2015. After reuniting with the rest of the crew and Molly Kermit at the mist tent we were still on such a high while the rest of them were in full chillout mode and said that Post Malone sucked. I tried not to brag but couldn't help it as I excitedly told a few friends all about what they'd missed. But my words then did not do it justice nor do my words now. So I would simply say that you must go see Father John Misty live the next time he's in town. I know I'll be there.
Honourable Mentions:
Banks put on a great set late Friday night at the dance tent. Her voice is even more powerful live than it is on record and her set was rad. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros were quite good and very tight as a live act. It was really cool to see Ed conduct the entire band in what seemed like quite a freestyle jam of "Up From Below." The Alex Ebert solo track "Truth" was another highlight. However, Edward and Jade recently broke up and she left the band meaning that their best song "Home" was missing her key part and the overall good vibes. Finally BADBADNOTGOOD were really cool and definitely the best pure musicians that I saw all weekend. The drummer reminded me of the dude from Whiplash and they played a sick cover of Flying Lotus' "Putty Boy Strut."
Disappointments:
Earl Sweatshirt was very bland, suffered from too early of a set time, and looked lost on the large main stage. It didn't help that it was insanely hot at this time and we hid for most of it in the shade of the beer garden. But when we finally mustered up the energy to go up close he wasn't even rapping anymore and was doing this stupid skit/DJ thing/I don't know what the fuck with his DJ and hype guy. The only saving grace was the completely out of place Florida Panthers jersey the DJ was wearing which gave me a good laugh. De La Soul were one of my top 5 acts that I was most excited to see. Therefore I was quite disappointed when they came on a half hour late and played virtually nothing from their first incredible album. It has always bothered me that these guys felt that their first album, 3 Feet High And Rising, was too soft or lovey dovey or whatever and they had to get all hard and angry to prove that they were real rappers or whatever. Their sound was so fresh in an era of hardcore gangsta rap; I really feel that they could've gone onto much bigger and better things had they stayed that course. With that being said they still had great energy and performed well. Plus they closed with the Gorillaz mega-hit "Feel Good Inc." that they guest on which saved the show somewhat.
So another successful Pemby in the books. Molly Kermit has been placed safely in his resting place, patiently awaiting his triumphant return. It will likely be at Pemberton again next year though Sasquatch simply cannot be forgotten, especially when the majority of my crew has never seen the breathtakingly beautiful Gorge.
After counting down the 5 shows that I had the most fun at last week it is time for the 5 best musical performances at Pemby. As fun as dancing to the likes of Tiësto and Duke Dumont or reliving high school memories to the nostalgia trips of Weezer and Ludacris were, these 5 performances stand alone for their pure musical merit. That exhilarating feeling shared between the performer and the audience when the former has laid it all out on the stage and left the crowd hungry for more is, to me, what seeing live music is all about. And at a large-scale music festival like Pemberton this is more difficult to do than one would initially assume. Many artists struggle with their performances due to issues such as a bad time slot (too early in the day, especially in the sweltering heat, or at the same time as a more popular act) or being on the wrong stage (I've seen bands struggle greatly on the large, main stage when used to smaller club venues). Nonetheless each of the 3 following artists (2-1 coming soon) conquered Pemberton in their own way and left at least one member of their audience wanting more.
5) Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires - How Long
On Friday I was able to convince a few friends to make their way into the grounds under the brutal gaze of the afternoon sun. I told them that Charles Bradley was an incredible singer who evoked the soul of Otis Redding, the funk of James Brown, and the showmanship of both. I illuminated the sad fact that Chuck had been homeless for a few years when he was younger and that, only by fluke chance, was discovered in a small bar in Brooklyn where he was moonlighting as a James Brown impersonator. He quickly signed to Daptone Records and the rest is history; a genuine American success story.
We arrived just as he was singing "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)", a piano driven lament to the problems facing the planet today. I was immediately glad that we had made the trek to see him. The power behind that voice is something to behold and you can feel every ounce of pain in his voice that has seen many tough days in his 69 years on earth. After a couple more incredible vocal performances he exited the stage but left the band out there. The Extraordinaires got their chance in the spotlight to which they did not disappoint. They played an upbeat funky tune that included trumpet, saxophone and guitar solos until Charles made his triumphant return. The band then launched into my chosen song, "How Long", a bluesy jam with flourishes of horns and a slick guitar backbeat. He really let it all out during this one, putting on a vocal performance for the ages (see pic below for proof). At this point the crowd was hanging on his every word as the mood turned from sorrow to bliss as he dedicated the next few songs to all the lovers out there. After the fury and ferocity of the heavier "Confusion", Bradley closed with "Let Love Stand A Chance". With positivity and hope back in the air Chuck went down into the crowd and began hugging as many people as he could. Tears rolled down his cheeks in what was one of the most heartfelt and genuine moments I have ever witnessed at a concert. There is a man who is truly thankful for a second lease on life and the crowd and I couldn't agree more.
4) Dan Mangan + Blacksmith - Vessel
Sunday evening kicked off with local indie rock hero Dan Mangan and his newly named band Blacksmith. With the majority of the crew at the dance tent chilling out to Tycho it was easy for the small group of us to make our way right up to the front of the main stage. Dan started out with the slow burning opener from his newest album, Club Meds, called "Offred". His powerful voice was showcased early; a smooth, deep growl that gets louder and more ferocious as the song goes on. After a couple more solid tracks he played my chosen song "Vessel". The stomp-along tune about how it "takes a village to raise a fool" features a complex drum beat accented by piano and keyboard grooves. This song is also when Dan's powerful voice really took off into the stratosphere, with every note belted out like it was his last. Highlights that followed included "Mouthpiece", "Rows of Houses", the politically charged, horn-driven "Post-War Blues", and the sing-along classic "Road Regrets". It was made very clear how happy Dan Mangan + Blacksmith were to be there as he exclaimed with a mix of pride and shock in his voice how cool it was that they were sharing the stage that day with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Missy Elliott, and Kendrick Lamar. This was a big moment for the hometown hero who does not get the main stage treatment too often and he took full advantage of said moment, proving that he and his band belonged up there.
3) The War On Drugs - Under The Pressure
The very first show that I watched at Pemby 2015 was one of my favourite bands, The War On Drugs. With the songwriting and vocal style that evokes Bob Dylan, the dynamic finger-picking guitar of Neil Young, and the epic song craft of Bruce Springsteen it's no wonder why I love these guys so much. Yet with all these comparisons, The War On Drugs are still very much their own, unique band. Their rolling, shimmering guitars and prominent use of baritone saxophone are like nothing I've ever heard. These guys have performed at almost every festival this year and it shows as they are extremely tight and flawless live. This was the fourth time that I've seen them and definitely the best.
Opening with the organ-driven rocker "Burning" it was instantly clear that these guys meant business. The simple blue/purple/pink backdrop in front of the beautiful Mount Currie set the mood perfectly (see pic below). A song or two later came the Springsteen-esque "Baby Missiles" in which lead singer Adam Granduciel blasted on the harmonica. Then the slower "Disappearing" showcased those shimmering guitars I mentioned earlier and gave the crowd a chance to sing along to the "yeah, yeah, yeahs". It was also around this time that my friends started giving me major props for convincing them to come see these guys; that always feels really good. Up next was "Red Eyes", my early candidate for song of the decade. The first single from their latest album, Lost In The Dream, is a chug-along rocker that features all of the best aspects of TWOD; bombastic baritone sax, epic organ and guitar, and sung with reckless abandon. Any more description wouldn't do it justice so I've added the video below for you to get a chance to hear for yourself.
This was directly followed by the extremely chill "Best Night", one of my faves that they rarely play live and a great description for that evening (well all four nights of Pemby to be exact). A few tracks later was my chosen song, "Under The Pressure", the 9-minute opener from Lost In The Dream. The previous two times I saw The War On Drugs they opened with this and I always felt that was a bit of a waste; thankfully they smartened up and played it in the perfect set-closing slot. With that being said, if you're ever looking for the perfect song to kick off a road trip, look no further. I say this because the potent combo of keyboard and guitar creates an atmosphere that is both relaxing yet clearly going somewhere. After my friends left to get a good spot at J. Cole I stayed for the encore of "Come To The City". After an incredible first show I knew that I was in for a real treat at Pemberton.
Another year and another epic Pemby Fest in the books! After last year's incredible introduction to the beauty of the scenic Pemberton Valley and the plethora of talented bands and artists gracing the 5 stages I knew that I'd be heading back again in 2015.
As amazing as the first year was, it came with a few hiccups due to the insane lugging of all our camping gear from the parked car to the site and the difficulty of keeping a large group all together. Anyone who has ever camped at Pemberton knows the struggle of getting all your shit from your car to the campsite. This trek includes a massive staircase traversing the highway, a long, bumpy trail, and a ridiculous security checkpoint. Last year, being the noobs that we were, we struggled through all of this, bringing way too much stuff and not enough devices to carry it with. Nonetheless this brought our crew together as we ended up with one of the best setups in the whole campsite and everyone quickly forgot this ordeal and had a blast. Once inside the festival grounds, our relatively small group of 13 managed to stay together relatively well with only a couple people getting lost at points but it could certainly be improved upon.
Armed with these memories from last year, my crew came better prepared for the great shitty lug by bringing a dolly and sled to pull gear with, leaving our gear on the right side of the highway to avoid the dreaded staircase, and discovering a new, flat way to get around to where our site was (close to where we were last year, even better set up). The trek still sucked, and likely always will, but each year we learn more and can prepare better. And, of course, as soon as that first beer is cracked/shot-gunned/bonged the bad memories quickly fade away. Then there was that wonderful "aaaahhhh" light bulb moment I had a few months ago when I discovered the one and only Molly Kermit at my friend's house. My idea was to attach the stuffed animal to the top of a hockey stick and use him as our crew's mascot. This worked incredibly well as all you had to know was to head to the right side and look up for Molly Kermit (pictured below) at all of the best shows and there we were! This year nobody got lost and even friends of mine that I didn't know were going found us after I posted him on social media.
So armed with our epic mascot our crew of 30+ converged on the Pemby Festival grounds ready to watch some incredible shows and have a ton of fucking fun! Here's my Top 5 Most Fun Shows:
5) The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling
After venturing into the grounds for a couple shows it was quickly decided that the late afternoon/early evening of Friday would be spent at our campsite. In the wonderful shade of the essential canopy, beers were bonged, bean bags were tossed and ping-pong balls were thrown as everyone got pumped up for the night's main stage headliner, The Black Keys. I was lucky enough to see them a few years earlier at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, just as they were taking off and becoming huge (they will never play a medium-sized venue like that again as arenas and festival headlining slots have become the norm). They rocked hard and put on a helluva show so I was excited to see more of the same. As KiD CuDi was finishing up his set from the closest stage to our tents we stumbled towards the grounds.
We arrived shortly before they came on stage and, surprisingly, got quite a good spot in the crowd. With Molly Kermit bobbing overhead the whole crew was hummin'! Since it wasn't insanely packed I was able to take the best group pics of the weekend (below). These pics would later be used to prove to a friend that he did in fact see The Black Keys! (You know you've had a ton of fun when ;p...) The Keys played a solid set of mostly new material from their most popular albums Brothers and El Camino as well as the new hit "Fever" and a few classics such as "Strange Times" and "Leavin' Trunk". They definitely put on a good show but I was a little disappointed by the complete lack of old stuff (nothing before 2010) and only one track from the newest album. They also never performed as just the two of them (always with full band) like they did at the Orpheum. Thanks to being with a huge crew this show was a blast but I had initially hoped that it would make my top 5 musical performances list and not just the fun list.
4) Tiësto - Adagio For Strings
With the crew still hummin' after The Black Keys we all decided to make our way over to the dance tent to catch Tiësto. Now I must admit that when the lineup first came out the influential DJ never even crossed my radar as someone I may go see; I figured that'd be the perfect time to go back to the campsite for more beers until a later show or catch something else. Boy was I wrong. By the time we got there he had already just begun and the crowd was fucking massive. Now I know why The Black Keys had a relatively small crowd. There are three massive arches that comprise the Bass Camp which can hold a few thousand under them. We were in an absolutely crazy part of the crowd and I felt that we did pretty good to move up closer when we could, yet we never came even relatively close to getting under those arches! For the next hour and a quarter I danced my ass off to the pulsating trance, dazzling lights and hectic drops created by the Godfather of Trance and EDM; as someone pointed out to me he's basically the Elvis or Beatles of that genre.
The looks of sheer joy on the faces of people all around me was a sight to behold, and soon enough Molly Kermit did his job and the other half of our crew had found us in the throng of ravers. Not knowing much beyond a few remixes I found myself recognizing a lot more of his songs than I thought I would. Near the end, my good friend who has seen Tiësto on 3 different continents turned to me and yelled in my ear that this song was "Adagio For Strings", his most popular track. I was definitely digging it and since it's the only one that I know he played it's the one I chose. Say what you want about the dumbing down of music to a few blips and bleeps and nonsensical, over-hyped drops, this dude knows how to put on a show. The fact that I have him ranked above one of my favourite bands really says it all. Check out the short clip below to get some sort of feel for what it was like. You can also see Molly Kermit to the middle right of the screen if you look hard.
3) Weezer - Island In The Sun
Saturday took on a similar tone as Friday with the sweltering heat forcing us back to the shade of our campsite canopy. This time it was a few rounds of chandelier (an awesome cross between flip cup and beer pong that can be played by lots of people) that got the crew hummin'. And this time it was pop-rock group Weezer set to take the second biggest stage to the setting sun. With a crew only slightly smaller than the one that rocked out to the Black Keys a day earlier we drunkenly made our way into the grounds. Along the way we were serenaded by the classic guitars from legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper as he blasted out hits "I'm Eighteen", "Poison" and "School's Out" (with a wicked segue into "Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2") to close his main stage set.
We arrived a couple songs in and immediately began to partake in the massive sing-along. For anyone who went to high school in the 2000's, like the majority of our crew, seeing Weezer live brought back many great memories as they played hit after hit after hit. Songs such as "Beverly Hills", "Say It Ain't So", and "Buddy Holly" had the whole crowd singing and dancing; for a few of my friends this was the beginning of the end of their voices. About three quarters through the set Weezer played their good times classic "Island In The Sun". The laid back guitar groove and catchy chorus caused most of the crowd to throw their arms around each other and sway back and forth; a beautiful love-in to be a part of. The pic below is proof of those good vibes.
2) Missy Elliott - Sock It 2 Me
The final day of music was different from the rest as, due to the large number of must-see acts all night, it was decided that once we went in around 5pm we were in for the night. After everyone had split up to see different acts (for myself it was Dan Mangan + Blacksmith and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros) we all met under Molly Kermit at the main stage for one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend. Other than a surprise appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show, Pemberton is the only other show that Missy Elliott has played this year; her only show since 2012 according to setlist.fm! Like Weezer, Missy's set was full of memory-inducing jams from high school and earlier that everyone was singing along to. This was the nail in the coffin of those lost voices that I mentioned earlier.
The show began with a massive white curtain hanging from the rafters and several dancers dressed in all black and white masks standing at attention. Then Missy's voice belted out a huge "Whassup Pemberton!" as the curtain dropped to reveal herself and even more dancers; the crowd, rightfully so, went bonkers! Looking great in a black jumpsuit and long, dyed red hair, Missy commanded the stage with a charisma that was equally hip-hop macho bravado and down-to-earth girl next door. I was thoroughly impressed with her stage antics as she led a massive dance party while belting out classics such as "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Work It", and "Get Ur Freak On". Midway through her set she played a medley from her first album Supa Dupa Fly which included my chosen song "Sock It 2 Me". The pulsating Bwummp's sounded incredible live as the crowd went into a frenzy. Check out the video below for an idea of what it was like. We were slightly closer and on the opposite side.
1) Ludacris - Rollout
Back to Saturday night. Right after Weezer ended was one of the toughest conflicts for me: on the main stage were Canadian indie rock titans Broken Social Scene and at bass camp was southern rap superstar Ludacris. Initially I chose BSS as they were on a little earlier and there were a few other die hards in our crew hell bent on seeing them. We arrived just as they were beginning and were easily able to move right up close, about 5 people deep. Sadly there were only a few hundred people watching at this point. Now I've seen Broken Social Scene twice before and know they put on a great show; unfortunately nobody else seemed to know this. In the first 20 minutes they played 3 of my 5 favourite songs which was great and I kept checking over my shoulder to see if bass camp was bumping yet and it was still quiet, although a huge crowd was assembling. It was at this point that I made the brilliant decision to head over to find Molly Kermit and all the others. I maneuvered through the masses and arrived at Molly Kermit just as Luda was coming on stage; perfect timing.
Like at Tiësto the night before, the crowd was absolutely fucking massive! (The video below illuminates this to a T). But unlike Tiësto we were under the arches and part of the hectic, rambunctious crowd. He started out by proclaiming "I got too many hit songs. I don't remember them all" and launched into tracks such as "Stand Up", "Pimpin' All Over The World" and songs he guests on, Usher's "Yeah" and DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win". Midway through the set he let his DJ take over and spin classics such as "Up In Here" by DMX and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Luda then returned and exclaimed that "this might very well be the loudest motherfucking crowd I've performed in front of" before spitting on his own classics "Rollout" and "Get Back". Finally he saluted all the alcoholics, weed smokers, and women with real asses before warning that the last song, "Move Bitch" might induce a riot. It didn't quite cause one but it sure as hell was a ton of fun!
Honourable Mentions:
Duke Dumont played a high-energy set at the dance tent. I prefer his music to that of Tiësto's but with a really lame light/visual show and smaller crew it wasn't quite as much fun. Also Jack U, the mega supergroup of DJs Skrillex and Diplo were absolutely insane and had a similar crowd to Tiësto and Ludacris. We stayed way back for that one in order to get a good spot for Kendrick afterwards but everyone was still going bonkers.
Here they are, The Goons!... They won't know what hit you...
Those of you who are friends with me on Facebook have likely seen me posting a lot about The Goons and the CineCoup Film Competition lately. The Goons is an action-packed comedy about three throwaway characters, the red shirts of the action world, that become the unlikely heroes. With their beloved 'Ma behind bars the three adopted sons must fight their way through the seedy underbelly of the crime world and free her from prison. With several other rival gangs looking to take over the city, The Goons are in for a tough fight as they bumble along in their unique, goofy way, discovering harrowing twists around every corner. Follow along with these three Goons as they attempt to top the crime ladder, save their town, and their loving 'Ma.
The Goons is the brainchild of three friends who met at Capilano University in the Acting for Stage and Screen program. They each have a solid background in on-screen fighting and always perform their own stunts. The Goons are Malcolm Masters aka The Brawn, Ryan Bolton aka The Brain and Camden Filtness aka The Blue. In the Spring of 2014 the three men began filming an action-comedy webseries that would follow their characters as they worked on various odd jobs and tasks that were always on the wrong side of the law and always hilarious. They were soon joined by David de Montigny aka The Son, who was the true, biological son of their adopted 'Ma and was in charge of setting the Goons up with their jobs, and Tom Hackett aka The Boss, who came on as the lead bad guy in the webseries. The series consists of 6 episodes, each 8-15 minutes long and can be found on YouTube (click the link above to find episode 1 and go from there).
By the fall of 2014 The Goons had entered their project into ComedyCoup, a contest run by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that would allow indie filmmakers from across the country a chance to earn the financing to create their very own 30 minute pilot episode of a comedy series that would be aired on the television network. After gaining a solid following and earning the love of fans through various challenges such as creating a poster and behind-the-scenes looks at the series the Goons' title hopes were stopped short just outside of the top 10 as they finished 11th. The awesome and gory violence of the series was likely a key contributing factor as to why they did not make it further in the contest run by the rather tame CBC.
Enter the CineCoup Film Competition. CineCoup is very similar to ComedyCoup yet differs as it is much more adult-oriented (Jameson Irish Whiskey is a key sponsor) and is all about the action, violence, gore and cursing. With Cineplex being the main sponsor, the contest is offering up to $1 million in financing to the winning project to make their very own full-length feature film which will be released across Canada and potentially worldwide. The Goons have their eye set on the prize, and have added myself on board to be the Marketing and Social Media Coordinator. Our talented team now consists of 6 core members as well as several other friends and fans that have come aboard to help with makeup, stunts, and extra work. After learning that the man in charge of CineCoup loved us in ComedyCoup we know that we've got a real shot at this and promise to not disappoint our fans!
Along with the script and our performances in the challenges, fan support is critical to success in the CineCoup Film Competition. You can help us out and do your part by signing up as a fan on www.cinecoup.com. From there you can check out our challenge each week, follow us, rate and comment on the videos and share us through your own Facebook and Twitter accounts. By doing all of this you will be earning votes that you can then put towards the major voting stages of the competition. Top 60 voting begins this Monday, then top 30, top 15, and top 5 in the weeks to come. It is quite fun to do as you discover our project as well as many of the other 75 entered in the competition. It can also be easily done on your mobile device or tablet if you're crunched for time. And some other fun ways to follow the Goons would be through social media of Facebook: "Like" The Goons at facebook.com/TheGoons3, Follow us on Instagram: @goonsthemovie and follow us on Twitter: @goonsthemovie as well as the guys' individual character accounts @GoonsTheBrawn, @GoonsTheBrain, @GoonsTheBlue and @GoonsTheSon. I post to all of these regularly and promise to always keep you entertained!
I've decided to focus on the webseries this week as it is a great way to get introduced to the characters, action and comedy. Here are my 3 favourite music moments from season1:
1.) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Ramble Tamble
"Ramble Tamble" is the opening song from Creedence Clearwater Revival's classic album Cosmo's Factory. The track has a wicked chug-along rhythm with fast-paced lyrics sung in beautifully rugged southern drawl by lead singer John Fogerty. The song then slows down for a cool guitar mid-section before blasting back to an epic climax. Epic climax is the perfect description for this song's use on The Goons as it was the score to the massive battle in the alleyway between the real Goons and the false, evil Goons at the end of season 1. A great old-school rock song for a great old-school back alley brawl!
2.) Newbeats - Bread and Butter
This garage-rock classic by Newbeats is a perfectly constructed pop nugget. Sung in an incredible high-pitched voice by Larry Henley, and backed by simple piano and guitar rhythm "Bread and Butter" will instantly put a goofy smile on your face. And that's just what it did during episode 4 as it scored a fun scene of The Goons just hanging out and being their goofy selves.
3.) The Blackbyrds - Do It Fluid
"Do It Fluid" by The Blackbyrds is a brilliant funk gem. I love the slow-burning groove that creates a chilled-out yet exciting atmosphere. The simple chants of "I like to party" backed by the too-cool singing of Keith Killgo create a masterpiece of horns, harmonica and funky electric guitar. This song is played during a funny trip the Goons take to the hardware store for some "supplies". I won't give away the exact reason for the shopping experience but the title's use of "fluid" has a lot to do with it!
From here on out I will add a section called "The Goons Update" to each week's blog post. In it I will chronicle what we've been up to, what we will be doing in the future, how you as a fan can help us out, and many other fun, action-packed moments along the way. After all, they're Goons... they won't know what hit you...
So unfortunately this week's blog post will be eerily similar to the last. That is because just less than two months after I lost my first grandfather I lost my second as well. Donald Langworthy Filtness suffered a fatal heart attack on the eve of February 22, 2015. He was 87. Grandpa had a wonderful final day; he went to the Legion with my Grandma where they enjoyed a nice meal and a beer while watching the Canucks get a big win. They went home, relaxed and kept each other company until, just before bed time, he was taken from us. As the much younger social worker put it to my Dad, Uncle and Grandma, "If that's the way I get to go out when my time comes, then sign me up!"
I feel incredibly lucky and am thankful that I was able to have all four of my grandparents be part of my life all the way up until the age of 25. I am very aware that this is not the case for many others and I now understand and feel that pain and emptiness. My Grandpa was a good man, everything that you could ask for from a Grandfather. He was always up for a game of cribbage or to discuss the sports topic of the day. I know that most of you never knew him so I won't divulge any further about him. I will however share 3 of my favourite memories of him:
- Grandpa was the first person to teach me how to golf. It was the day before my brother and I were beginning our one week junior golf camp at Sunshine Woods. Upon telling Grandpa about it he jumped up and grabbed his 7-iron from his bag, and was very excited as he handed it to me. The first thing he showed me was the grip; that slight interlocking of the right pinky and left index finger. It's rather straightforward but to a complete beginner it means everything to get it down right, and I have used the same grip ever since. He then briefly explained what the "7" on the club represents and what all the other ones are before watching my brother and I take a few swings. He corrected us on a few things but was overall pleased with and proud of our swings. Grandpa then gave advice that I still use to this day, describing that the irons are more of a chop motion, like an ax and that the woods are more of a sweeping motion, like a broom. For juniors this was a brilliant way for us to truly visualize and understand the use of the clubs, without having ever stepped on a course. And finally he gave the greatest advice by saying "keep at it and don't get frustrated, it will come with time, I know you can do it."
- The next great memory I have with Grandpa was doing Hockey Pools with him. Along with my brother, Dad, and Uncle we probably did one every season for 5 or 6 years in the mid to late 2000's. And I don't think Grandpa came close to winning a single one, though he may have finished third once! But boy did he ever enjoy it! We'd get him on speaker phone where he'd announce his picks like "Dats-yuck", "Hawssa" or "Choochoo". But mostly he loved the classic guys like Sakic, Kariya, and Sundin and always, always had at least one of either Selanne or Jagr. He also always had the most Canucks, taking Brendan Morrison every year and even having Dan Cloutier a few times! He would then follow his team online every day on the site we used, hockeydraft.ca, which I always thought was quite savvy for a senior citizen in those days! And he always had something fun to say about it, even if it was just his excitement for the re-draft at Christmas.
- Finally I'll always remember games of cribbage with Grandpa. As I 'm pretty sure is the case with all Grandpas, he kicked butt at it. It felt like years before I could finally beat him. He had some of the greatest quotes during the game such as "Here comes Donny!" and "Everybody's best friend" whenever a 5 was flipped as the cut card. But the most amazing quote came after an incredible moment when during pegging he laid a 7, my Dad then played another 7, "14 for 2", and I followed that with a 3rd 7, "21 for 6" and was quite excited about it. Grandpa then looked at us with a devilish grin before he laid another 7, "28 for 12"! As he moved his peg up and up and up he exclaimed "feel something go flying past ya". My Dad and I sat there dumbfounded as he took the lead and never looked back.
Grandpa always loved Johnny Cash and "Big River" is a classic from the record he had, Live at San Quentin, a record that he eventually passed down to me which I have proudly displayed in my bedroom. He loved his voice and blue collar roots. Another artist that I always remember him playing was the great pianist Floyd Cramer. He had this yellow and blue cassette that he would play all the time when we were driving around Birch Bay, a small beach town just across the US border where he and my Grandma owned a trailer. I loved that album and was always looking at the box it came in. Here's a song by him below, a very cool blues track that has a wicked piano lead, something you don't hear much anymore.
This week's beer is definitely Labatt Blue, a Canadian staple and favourite of Grandpa's. Just an easy-to-drink, cheap, good beer. I've grown fond of it over the past few years (especially once the summer 15-pack for $19.99 deal comes around) and prefer it to all other cheap beers.
RIP Don Filtness. I know you're out there somewhere enjoying a cold one of these and watching the game. There will be a Celebration of Life held on March 29, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #142 (West Point Grey), 3679 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC. Join us to share your stories and memories of Don.
Tonight I will be flying back to Halifax, Nova Scotia; a place that I have been to at least 10 times over the years that never gets old and always feels like home whenever I'm there. It is an incredible city with kind and friendly people, a long and proud history, and the greatest seafood on planet earth. The people are hardworking but always know how to have a good time; they also act as incredible hosts every time I'm there, providing world class hospitality that is so genuine you'd think that you've lived there with them your whole life. From the Citadel fort overlooking the entire city and harbor to Canada's oldest tavern established in 1749, The Split Crow, to remnants from major past events felt by the city such as The Halifax Explosion, the sinking of the Titanic, and both World Wars, history plays an important role that can be seen and felt all throughout Halifax. And finally, there's the seafood, oh delicious seafood. Massive, deep-sea Atlantic lobster, scallops that are bigger than your palm, juicy steamed mussels and fresh, rich Atlantic cod are just a few of the options available to satisfy your hunger. I could go on and on about my love for this city (and I definitely will more in the future) but not today as there are more important deeds to attend to.
My Mom was raised in the Maritime capital so we have lots of family and friends to visit each time we go back. However this time when we go back, sadly there will be one less person to visit. My Grandpa, or Poppy as my brothers, cousins and I all call him, passed away on December 30, 2014. He suffered a fatal stroke during sleep and went peacefully. He was 83. Poppy was a good man, everything you can ask for in a Grandfather really; he enjoyed playing games with us, told great stories, including many from his time as a chef in the Navy, and was always kind and loving. I have many great memories with him but 3 will always stand out:
- While playing the game Rummoli at our house a few years ago Poppy went on a run for the ages. Rummoli is a fast-paced card game involving chips being thrown into the game board and then retrieved when you hit a pay card or cards, of which there are about 6 of. Some pay cards are easy to get, such as Queen of Spades, while others are very difficult such as King and Ace of Diamonds back-to-back or 7-8-9 of the same suit in a row. These ones are usually only hit once a game and often not at all. After deciding that this would be the last hand Poppy, simply put, went H.A.A.M. In one turn he hit 3 of the 4 single pay cards and then got BOTH the King/Ace of Diamonds and the 7-8-9 suited! For anyone who has played Rummoli you can surely appreciate how rare this is, like getting a hole-in-one or seeing a unicorn! But that was Poppy, bumbling his way through a game in which it seemed like he had no idea what he was doing at some points and exclaiming "I haven't played this game in 40 years" then turning it on its head and crushing us all.
- Another similar event occurred when the two of us played mini-golf at the Starlight Casino bar. He had been struggling all round and I doubt got less than a 4 through the first 8 holes. Then on the 9th and most difficult hole he nails a hole-in-one! Another improbable and epic finish.
- Twice my Nana and Poppy joined us on a trip from Halifax to Prince Edward Island. Both trips featured many great moments and fun times but the one that stands out the most has to be the beach day and lobster dinner. We spent the day hanging out at the red sand beach that we had all to ourselves behind the cottage we were staying in. Poppy and I shared a mickey of rum, Lamb's dark Navy rum of course, and mixed it with orange juice which was his favourite. I was playing tunes all day and right near the end when we were getting ready to head out for a big lobster dinner I played "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" by The Temptations. I'll never forget the look of sheer joy on his face as he was groovin' to this somewhat unlikely jam (ie. not Tony Bennett, Hank Williams or Engelbert Humperdinck). The dinner was incredible as well; it was a great day had by all.
The Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
"Say Hello" is a classic Canadian rock song by Halifax's own April Wine. I chose it for today because a) they are from Halifax, b) I will be saying hello to that city later tonight and c) I know that Poppy would have loved this groove as well, especially after learning that the band was made up of some good Canadian kids. And "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" by The Temptations is an all-time classic; the perfect mix of funk, soul and psychedelic. If you can't groove to this track then I'm sorry but you don't have a soul.
This week's beer simply has to be Alexander Keith's. The refreshing I.P.A. was Poppy's fave and is basically the choice drink of our whole family and one of the few things we all will always agree on. The beer has deep roots in Halifax with the brewery in the heart of downtown and Mr. Keith's grave being a popular site nearby (both of which I have visited).
He loved that beer almost as much as his family. Poppy will be greatly missed and I look forward to reminiscing about all the good times at his celebration of life this weekend. RIP Gerald Alan Goldring (1931-2014).
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