My mother has been gone since April of 1992 … 26 years ago. There are days when it feels like we were playing a spirited game of Rummoli only yesterday, and other days when I can’t remember what it was like to have my own little family. After my mum and grandmother died just days apart in that horrible year, the tenuous link we had with Montreal was broken. While I’ve been ‘home’ a few times since then, Quebec hasn’t really drawn me back for decades.
Ach and oy vey! This house move is cramping my style, big time. Haven’t been able to get out to a lot of events, because time’s a ticking, and there’s only so many hours in a day. I’d like to say I’ve become more selective in my outing choices. But the truth is, moving and packing is a bitch. There just isn’t any time to gallivant around.
But let me tell you about two recent events I did manage to squeeze in. Both were wonders in their own ways.
The big Indie Week finale is tonight at 6 p.m. at the Mod Club, where one of the acts that won their nights at the various venues will become “The Best of the Fest,”and earn the grand prize of a trip to headline the nextIndie Week Canada. Good luck to all the finalists; Ivy James, Uniter,Kendal Thompson,Gold Complex, The Reklaws,BlakDenim,Aaron Pollock Music, The Killing Floor,&Amberwood!
As we get older, we move the goal posts of what we think we can accomplish. When I heard that Toronto writer/humourist Malena Arpe had died this week, I was gutted. “But she was so young! Only 50!” I said to friends.
Thanks to the good people at AudioBlood, Bob Segarini, Pat Blythe and myself have spent the last ten days mixing and mingling with musicians, artists, and the people who love them. It’s been simultaneously exhausting and exhilarating. I won’t lie … my feet hurt, I’ve got a desk covered in CDs, business cards, and promotional bumpf of all stripes … and I’m relieved that I don’t have to do anything more strenuous than type this recap of the festivities. Although there are a few more events tonight …
Bullseye Records of Canada
Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say 