Pat Blythe – Sisters, More Indie Week, a Finale……and Music!

Question: How many sisters does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Answer: Apparently two…..and that took over an hour!

Allow me to elaborate. I have a faux fireplace that, when switched on, displays (you guessed it) a faux fire, tricking my brain into thinking it’s warm and toasty on the main floor when in fact it can be, on some days, a tad on the coolish side. So, after a rather late night clubbing followed by a slow rising morning, my sister Chrissie (who is visiting for a couple of days) and I lounge around upstairs until we decide it’s coffee time. Off we trundle into a rather chilly downstairs. Chrissie decides to “light the fire”. She flicks the switch to ‘on’. Nothing. Tries the other switch, then the dial. Nothing. So after much switching back and forth and checking the plug, we determine a light bulb replacement is necessary. How difficult can that be? We were about to find out!

Peter Picks a Peck of Players

One of the things that most impressed me about Frank Gutch Jr’s “nose for noise” is that he started finding this great music before the Internet, almost before electricity, in fact 😉. The Internet has made such a difference in our lives, connecting us mostly for good, but sometimes for bad, sadly. In any case, it has certainly eased our access to music of all kinds, genres and eras.

Pat Blythe – Herve Bassett, Tom Cochrane and Blonde…James Blonde…..

I always seem to playing catch-up. I’ve managed to reduce the number of projects by a whole two. There’s a very, very, very long list of shows and photo’s that need to be addressed (metaphorically speaking) before I start loading up the flash drives on the camera again. September came and went in about 30 seconds….and in that 30-second clip it was go, go, go with music, music and…….yep, more music. When at home there were brief forays to the fridge for what sustenance could be found and the occasional trip out to the back deck to savour a Bombay Sapphire. With the weather being what it was, and still is, we can all be excused for thinking it’s still mid-August and Christmas is months away. Ya right!!!! Heeeeeere’s October and the back end of Thanksgiving. Hang on to your hats, it’s December tomorrow……

CMW….The Bands, The Music, The Food, The Rain…..

Well…..I’m sick and wide awake at 2am, coughing…. I refuse to bow down to the Spirit Virus. I will not yield to the scourge that is coursing through my system…my eyes, my nose, my body. I will not lie down on the Altar of Kleenex. I reject this damnable cold…. (it’s amazing what your brain comes up with at 2am). I am in denial but it’s not working. So, with a box of Kleenex, a cup of tea and enough ibuprofen in my system to kill an elephant, I power on. Homemade soup comes later.

Pat Blythe – Mixed Nuts…..

Laying low for the past several days and finally, the cold has been beaten down. Not too much cavorting around the club circuit this past week. However, there are a few things I’ve had twigging around in the back of my cranium…..

Pat Blythe – A Wedding, A Jam, A Concert (or two) and Indie Week Wrap-up

I’m going to start calling this column Pat’s Diary (nope, too blah), or maybe Zippy’s Musical Journey, or maybe….My Life As A Crazy Lady…..  Welcome to my world of music, pictures, and general mayhem. So we begin another 10 days of zipping (get it haha) around this wonderful city of ours enjoying the nightlife. I’m starting backwards…..

Pat Blythe: This, That and the Other….

I have been in a quandary about what I am going to write about for today’s column. The past week, and especially the weekend, have disappeared in a flash, everything just jumbled together, one thing overlapping the other. Now here it is Tuesday night and I’ve started this piece four times!

Cameron Carpenter: Past and Present Tens – If There’s A Rock’n’Roll Heaven

It only makes sense that every year more and more of the musicians I grew up with pass away. Last year, and especially the last few months, we lost a lot of greats. This is just the tip of the 2015 iceberg but here are ten that will be missed.

Pat Blythe: On The Road Again – The London/Toronto Scrapbook

It’s Scrapbook time!! So far, May and June have been busy months for a little bar-hopping between cities….checking out new places, acquainting myself with the local talent, hitting the dance floor and meeting up with friends. So, keeping everything in chronological order I’ll begin with my hometown of London, Ontario, famously known as The Forest City. (need you ask why?)

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.