Pat Blythe – London Music Week, Canadian Musician Celebrates 40 Years …and Music!

I’m in London, Ontario attending Forest City London Music Week and the awards gala. Hanging my hat at home with my mom. Music was a huge part of my life growing up whether it was inside or outside the home. In the 1970s London was filled with clubs and bars covering everything from punk, rock, jazz, blues, folk to disco. Venues included The Cedar Lounge, The Diamond Club, Fryfogles Tavern (I celebrated my 18^th birthday there), Old City Hall, Kelly’s, Mingles, The Noodle Factory, The West End, Smales Pace, Ridout Tavern…..just to name a few. There was something for literally everyone. Major concert venues included Wonderland Gardens (my favourite spot), Centennial Hall and Treasure Island Gardens…..the latter located way out of town near Highway 401.

Pat Blythe – Survivors Ball, Taxi Chain, Jeff G and The Four Heads, Photos …and Music!

I’m so deep in the rabbit hole with the reorganization of photos I lose all track of time. I come up for air when the need for coffee arises or when my stomach thinks my throat’s been cut and I haven’t eaten since my morning banana. Then there’s those moments when you know you’re forgetting something….but what? It’ll come to me…. It’s slowly dawning on me just how many photos I’ve taken or moments I’ve captured and the sheer number of bands and artists I’ve seen and heard!!  I look at the collection trying to figure out how I could possibly have packed so much living and incredible music into such a short period of time. It’s been a dramatically life-altering and exhilarating four years.

Pat Blythe – Christmas past, NYC, John Harris, N’we Jinan…and Music!

My house looks like Santa barfed up an entire Christmas store. Lights, decorations, bibs and bobs scattered about, the decorating a work in progress and I haven’t even purchased the tree yet! Chris use to chide me on the amount of Christmas paraphernalia I had accumulated over the years so I decided one year to use the minimalist approach. A week before Christmas day Chris asked me when I was going to decorate? Ya can’t win…. So, five containers, an extensive Santa Claus collection and a couple of supplementary boxes heaved up from the basement, I am now sussing and sorting, banging nails, climbing ladders, walking on the counter to get to the top of the cabinets….letting no space go “unChristmased”. Even my musical Charlie Brown Christmas Tree is back in its place of honour.

Pat Blythe: CMW — Over and Out Part 2 – Until We Meet Again

I was overwhelmed with what CMW had to offer. So much to see and do, so many contacts to make, so much to learn and waaaay too many clubs to hit. Impossible in ten days but we all do our very best.

Roxanne Tellier: Musicians and Money

Well, for most of us, there ain’t much … money, I mean. Last week I talked about Indie Week, and the high of seeing new live music all over downtown Toronto. Reminded me of the good ol’ days.