Nadia Elkharadly: Come Together, Right Now

It was a sad night in Toronto this past Monday.  Leaf nation had to endure the biggest disappointment they’ve faced since ye old strike of 2012; the Toronto Maple Leafs lost their shot at the Stanley Cup.  Losing a 4-1 lead over Boston, the humiliation was solidified into a 4-5 loss in overtime.  The city was quiet, the dejection palpable in the downtown streets.  But for those of us lucky enough to be at Cherry Cola’s that same night, the disappointment was distracted and then washed away by a completely different form of entertainment; The Bobcast.

Segarini: Xpriming CMW, Liver Damage, and a Bobcast Update

The annual Canadian Music Week rollercoaster ride has finally looped its last de loop, the cars have all been packed away, and the lights turned out and the tent folded until the carnival sets up again next year. As of this writing, there have been no reports of serious casualties, no reported marriages or pregnancies, and so far, no signings of fresh faced bands from hither, thither, and yon to a gung-ho label/management/agent ready to unleash them on an unsuspecting world. There was, however, enough music, parties, and open bars to kill Keith Richards, most soccer hooligans, and myriad hockey dads.

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Cameron Carpenter: Just Do It!

For many it has already started with the East Coast Music Awards or the annual SXSW conference in Austin. It is convention season as Canadian Music Week is followed by The Hot Docs Conference and then the NXNE Music + Film + Comedy + Art + Interactive. Old friends, new friends, many late nights and far too many early mornings. As we speak we are on day two or three of CMW and there are three more days beckoning as well as 4 AM closing times.

Nadia Elkharadly: A Week of Great Music

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in my journey of becoming a…something in this crazy music/entertainment/out of the box industry, it’s that sometimes you can’t do everything by yourself.  There are many times when you just need a little help from your friends.  One of the most recent, frankly one of the nicest examples of that exact thing happened just last night – it was the Bobcast.

Segarini: Mondays, Music, Movies, and Me

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am stumping for a 36 hour day. 24 is never enough. If I could just cut out sleeping, bathroom visits, eating, and having to mix drinks or make the trip to the fridge to get a beer, 24 hours might do, but as it stands, it is just not enough time to get done in a day what needs to get done. Maybe some of you are better at using your time, more organized than I will ever be. My problem is that I am interested in so many things that it is hard to fo…oh look! A bunny!

Segarini: Don’t Believe a Word I Say – The Bobcast – UPDATE!

Well, this is an unusual column for a bunch of reasons.

1. It’s not really a column.

2. It took me forever to do this because I might be an idiot.

3. We’re hoping all our Toronto friends can join us for this.

4. If you’re in town for CMW and arrive on the 18th, please join us.

5. I wonder if anybody else works at home in their underwear….

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Segarini: The Stockton/Toronto Connection – Food, Radio, and Music, PLUS Blackberry Smoke, and Brower’s Book

I have been caught up for almost 2 months writing about my hometown, (the sadly on the ropes, Stockton, California), which these days can be compared to the once mighty Muhammad Ali, and like him, still loved by those who knew him, but now not quite himself and well past his glory days. Those of us who grew up there can still revel in the halcyon days of the ‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and early ‘80s, and even though I was born in San Francisco, Stockton will forever and always be my hometown, my foundation, and the place where my dreams were born; the launching pad of my long, strange trip.

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Nadia: Reminders

I mentioned last week, there are some days, even weeks that simply by way of existing, make it hard to stay positive.  A hard few days at work, where thanklessness and bitterness overwhelm the desire to work hard and stay motivated will bring anyone down.  Lately, technical difficulties with my Examiner page have made it even hard to get excited to sit and write a music review, which really sucks.  When even the job you’re passionate about starts to get tiresome, you know something has to give.  Last week, when I was beyond frustrated, tired, cranky and really just “over IT” (IT being everything), the musical gods must have been looking down on me with pity and generosity in their hearts.  I was given not one, not two but THREE amazing music related opportunities, all of which turned into some of the greatest moments of my fledging music journalist career.  They also served as much needed reminders of why I am doing what I do in the first place.

Nadia Elkharadly: Parting is such sweet sorrow

My mantra for 2013 so far has been a good one.  In a nutshell, I resolved to be positive, open, and hardworking and as a result life will be full of opportunities; great ones.  I firmly believe that every one of us is in charge of our own destinies.  A friend once told me that “When you wake up, you decide if you’re going to be happy today”.  But some days just start shitty and stay that way, and no matter how hard you try you can’t see that silver lining.  So on days like that you just trudge along, not even thinking that something will come along and make it better.  That is, until you check your email and see that you’ve just been approved to cover The Darkness that very night.

Frank Gutch Jr: Who Will Save the World? The Mighty Transistors! (and other fabled foibles of the time)

I should be writing about important things but this week I thought I would take a left turn and explain how we got to where we are, musically.  Or at least one small leg of the journey.

It wasn’t all that long ago that I printed a piece about reality and each person’s perspective of it.  I used Big Star as an example of how reality can be warped (read it here).  I used The Wailers and The Sonics in a similar piece (read that here).  Is there no end to my ego?