Cameron Carpenter – 10 CC – July 14, 2016

I am going to save some time and stop trying to come up with clever (or not so clever) titles every week. As you may have noticed I have changed my theme once again and now, because it is much easier and less time consuming, I will be pontificating on ten different things each week. It’s more of a current events type of thing. Here we go….10 CC.

1. The Tragically Hip Final Show

I love the fact that The Horseshoe in Toronto (www.facebook.com/events/1748381658773036/) is going to broadcast the final Hip show of the tour on August 20^th. It is a pay what you can and all proceeds will be going to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research (donate.sunnybrook.ca/braincancerresearch ). I hope venues across the country do this and that the CBC turns a blind eye (broadcast rights/public performance) and allow this to happen. The amount of money that might be raised could be staggering. It is fitting that the Shoe was one of the first venues out of the box as the Hip shows at the storied venue have been historic and I couldn’t count how many of them I attended in the early days. I am hearing rumours that the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema (formally The Bloor Hot Docs) might be doing something special as well. Check for updates here http://hotdocscinema.ca/.

2. Fast Romantics

“Julia” written by Matt Angus of the Fast Romantics was awarded the 11^th Annual English SOCAN Songwriting Prize last week and the band was awarded $10,000.00. Things are really picking up for the Calgary transplants who have called Toronto home for the past five or six years. There have been some tweeks to the band, a new management deal and a very strong showing at the recent Prism Prize for Canada’s top video of the year with “Julia” making the final ten. I have been watching this band since their Calgary days and it is great to see them get the recognition they deserve as well as watching Matt become one of Canada’s great rock songwriters.

3. Grey Goose

I don’t think anyone is going to top their “Boulangerie Bleue” party held at Spoke on the Water on Centre Island last Tuesday night. Private ferries escorted the guests in style and the entire yacht club was transformed into a Grey Goose paradise. They had a bakery on site, bars all over the site, mini hot air balloons that doubled as drink holders, a cool GIF photo booth, free wifi, great food, a pool party and enough Grey Goose to fill a small lake. Over the top. I am sure things got interesting around the pool after midnight but by that time I was having a Jack Daniels over at The Horseshoe watching The Dearly Bereft. Spotted on the island were Revolver’s Don Allan, superstar bloggers and influencers Casie Stewart and Brock McLaughlin, director Kalen Hayman and CFC Media Lab’s Arthur Yeung.

4. Logan Brown

My indie artist of the week is Odessa, Ontario native Logan Brown (if you don’t know where Odessa is just ask anyone in the Tragically Hip). Much like Dylan Hennessey last week Logan is 24/7 committed to music and has probably performed more shows already this year than many artists have in the past two years. He pretty well plays either acoustic or with a band every night of the week and many days performs at more than one venue. He is performing tonight at Lou Dawg’s if you wanted to catch a local performance. I love his sense of marketing as he sells USB cards with his music, bio, photos and video all with his logo on them. He is a killer guitar player and will be making huge waves in the next few years. You can check out some of his music herehttps://loganbrown.bandcamp.com/ but is best to be seen live.

5. The Tenors

As you are aware I rarely discuss politics and won’t on these pages. However, don’t mess with my national anthem. It is not about what was changed it is the fact that it was changed. It was changed as a personal political agenda and it was not fair to our country that it was done at such a highly publicized event. Hats off to management for dealing with the situation so quickly.

6. The Emmy Awards

By the time this is printed the nominations for the Prime Time Emmy Awards will have been announced. Here are a few of my faves that I hope are nominated. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is brilliant in “VEEP” and she and the show should both garner nominations. I loved Bobby Cannavale in the recently cancelled “Vinyl” and Bob Odenkirk in “Better Call Saul” and hopefully both will make the short-list for Drama Actor. Season Two of “Fargo” was really strong and should be nominated for “Limited Series” as should actress Kirsten Dunst who was a strong lead. Limited Series actor could include Idris Elba (“Luther”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock”) along with Bryan Cranston for “All the Way” and Sir Anthony Hopkins for “The Dresser”. I have not seen the last two performances but I am sure they are more than worthy. William Macy is so fabulous in the very-much-underrated “Shameless” and should pick another Comedy nom.

7. Radio & Records Party

As you are reading this I will be surrounded by old radio and record friends at our annual get together. This event is usually held at a private home but this year it was decided we should move to a local bar and leave the cleaning up to someone else. Thanks to Al Mair, Gary Muth and the rest of the team for the invite. This is always a great event and it is nice to get together will an army-full of old veterans to catch up.

8. Indie 88

I am really enjoying the late morning programming with Dave “Bookie” Bookman and afternoons with Lana Gay. Both are smart well-rounder broadcasters with something to say, a love of music, and great local knowledge. If I do have anything negative to say it would be the daily recurrence of classic alternative hits like “Modern Love” by David Bowie, “Our House” by Madness and “Rock the Casbah” by The Clash. I do hear other great catalog songs from these artists but they are starting to burn a few classics out.

9. Quiet Riot

Still no Toronto show but the band will be playing in Kitchener next Friday along with Canadian metal icons Helix. Details HERE. Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali is one of the good guys in the world of rock’n’roll and I hope they have a great visit.

        10. This is Brody.                                                               Brody was our buddy and spent many a sleepover at our house. We miss Brody. RIP.

=CC=

Cam’s column appears every Thursday.

Follow Cam on Twitter @CC59, Instagram @Cambo1959 and Spotify @Cambo59

Contact us at: dbawis@rogers.com.

Cameron Carpenter has written for The New Music Magazine, Music Express, The Asylum, The Varsity, The Eye Opener,  The New Edition, Shades, Bomp!, Driven Magazine, FYI Music News, The Daily XY, New Canadian Music, NXNE Magazine and Don’t Believe A Word I Say.