Coming soon - Pemberton Festival review

There's still love at the end of the world~

Here are a few pics for your enjoyment, more to come after I get back from Pemberton (with review and pics)

Just to let you know, Sam Roberts has decided to take our relationship to a new level. Tonight I saw him at Edmonton's Capital Ex, (even though I'm going to see him in two days at the Pemberton Music Festival - yes, I'm obsessed).

I brought along a homemade sign with "Taj Mahal" written in big, bold letters. I had been planning this for months, if not years, hoping he would remember me. (See post below)

And it worked! Which isn't too surprising, because throughout the whole concert I was waving it around like a maniac. At one point I was on the billboard so I knew Sammy must have gotten my hint by that point...

I knew it would be after encore, just as the band waits for the crowd to get riled up so they can discuss the closing mini-set. As soon as I made eye contact with the Egyptian pianist once they returned to the stage I knew my moment had come. (Later on a girl told me how the set list had "Oh Maria" instead of "Taj Mahal"). He pointed at me and my sign and nodded, and I got my camera ready. As soon as I heard the Egyptian pounding down on the keyboard, I jumped up onto a strong set of shoulders and waved my sign around like a maniac. The camera caught me screaming "I FUCKING LOVE YOU" and everyone around was looking at me...but I wasn't embarrased. Me and Sammy were having one-on-one action. He looked at me as he sang and I was singing the lyrics right back at him trying not to tear up. I managed to shove my camera into the hands of someone in front of me, so luckily I had the whole song taped, even at the end when Sammy blew a kiss. (Our first one!!) And I returned the love.

Afterwards I sneaked backstage and managed to talk to the Egyptian (Eric Fares) I gave him a huge hug and he asked me my name, and I told him how I was going to be at Pemberton and how much I liked "Detroit '67." The drummer walked up to us and I didn't recognize him at first because I was looking around for Sammy, and he just stared at us, wasted out of his mind. Eric promised he'd bring my beloved Sammy to me for a picture, but some Nazi whore told me to leave because I didn't have a pass. (She didn't even let me get halfway through my improv speech about how I have a media pass but I left it at home...damn the [wo]man) 

Yeah so Sam and I are pretty much boyfriend, girlfriend now, even though we didn't get any real alone time. But onto the concert...

All of the songs were a lot slower, probably thanks to the intoxicated drummer. Sammy started off with "Love at the End of the World" (good choice, Sam!) and then went into "No Sleep," "With a Bullet" (yay!), and "Bridge to Nowhere."For some reason "Higher Learning" was one of my favs of the night even though it has never been one of my favourite Sammy songs, but "Brother Down" was magical, as always, and Sammy and lead guitarist Dave Nugent play a wicked "Mind Flood." It was awesome to hear some of Sammy's new tracks as well, like "Fixed to Ruin" and "Detroit '67." I was pretty shocked he didn't play "Rarefied" because that was always a crowd favourite, or "Don't Walk Away Eileen," (another good choice, Sam).

Jesse F. Keeler - a Pemberton Preview Profile

I am a day away from the Pemberton Music Festival and shaking with excitement. Just a few days ago the line-up schedule was posted, and I was disappointed that there will be a few sacrifices I will be forced to make: I will be missing Death Cab for Cutie for Wintersleep, and half of Tom Petty's act to see MSTRKRFT. Don't get me wrong, I love Petty and "You Don't Know How it Feels," but you know and I know that Petty is a dinosaur now, and I'm not expecting to be totally blown away by his set. I am willing to miss out on hearing "Last Dance with Mary Jane" live for the first time, because I have heard it 987 times.
Now before you die-hard Petty fans fall off your seat please understand my situation in 3 words: DEATH FROM ABOVE.
After the death of Death From Above 1979 Jesse F. Keeler, the band's bassist and mastermind, went off to form an electronica project. I am not a huge fan of MSTRKRFT, but I hold DFA 1979 close to my heart. PLUS he has performed and recorded with my rock hero Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. I MUST see Jesse F. Keeler in the flesh, because he is a genius. This is his story:

GENRE: Heavy alternative - DFA 1979 and electronica - MSTRKRFT (pronounced 'Master Craft')
FROM: Toronto, Canada
STATUS: Genius
BEST KNOWN HIT: "Little Girl" (DFA 1979) or the Justice remix "D.A.N.C.E." AKA "1-2-3-4-Fight" (MSTRKRFT)

• Keeler met his future DFA 1979 band mate Sebastien Granger when they were in prison and used to live in a funeral parlour together
• The front cover of DFA 1979's only album You're a Woman I'm a Machine symbolizes how Keeler wanted their sound to be "like an elephant in your living room"
• DFA's break-up was bitter, and the two still refuse to speak to each other
• In MSTRKRFT Keeler has remixed songs by Pemberton artist Metric ("Monster Hospital"), Bloc Party ("Luno," "Two More Years," and "Flux"), Justice ("D.A.N.C.E."), Pemberton artist Wolfmother ("Woman"), actress Juliette Lewis' band Juliette and the Licks ("Got Love to Kill"), Pemberton artist Buck 65 ("Kennedy Killed the Hat"), Usher ("Love in this Club"), Jesse McCartney ("Leavin"), Kylie Minogue ("Wow"), Pemberton artist The Crystal Method "Keep Hope Alive"), Pemberton artist Chromeo ("Tenderoni"), All Saints ("Rock Steady"), Pemberton artist Brazilian Girls ("Jique"), Gossip ("Listen Up!"), the Polysics ("Ceolakanth Is Android"), The Kills ("No Wow"), and various DFA tracks

Stay tuned for my Pemberton Festival review AND pictures!!!

Sam Roberts - Pemberton Preview Profile and CD review

(yes these are my own pictures...screw you copyright laws!)

The horny Canadian girl in me cannot help but love Sam Roberts. I am more of a fan of his live shows than his CDs, and his latest album Love At the End of the World is no different. It seems that fame has certainly taken a toll on poor Sammy. His lyrics reflect a darker, aging, bitter Sam lamenting about life's hardships with a slightly harsher tone than heard on his previous albums. (Sounds like Sam needs a little Lex lovin').

Most surprisingly to me besides the change in his lyrics, is the transformation in his songwriting, which has become more mellow and bland. His first two CDs We Were Born in a Flame (2003), and Chemical City (2006), are very similar, except that the latter had a more psychedelic feel to it. But on Love at the End of the World, Sam uses blues chords and riffs in many of his songs, which I wasn't prepared for.

But before I stamp Sam down, like always, there are a few tracks that certainly prove Sammy is a credited songwriter as much as he is a performer. "End of the Empire," "Fixed to Ruin," and most of all "Detroit '67" are phenomenal and addictive tracks. "Them Kids" has also been a popular hit on mainstream radio this summer, and was remixed by his friend Canadian hippity-hopper K-OS.

Overall I recommend this album to anyone who likes Sam Roberts, but if you're not a fan don't bother listening to "Lions of Kalahari" because it's just as bad as "Bridge to Nowhere." I suggest seeing him live instead, like at the Pemberton Music Festival! He plays on Saturday, July 26th. This is his story:

GENRE: Poppy rock

FROM: Point Claire, Quebec

BEST KNOWN HIT: "Don't Walk Away Eileen"

STATUS: My lover

• Sammy's parents are South African
• He started his musical career with a violin and took lessons for 16 years
• Sammy has been rightfully compared to Bruce Springsteen and Beck
• His first band Northstar received airplay on college radio stations as well as a feature on MuchMusic
• On the original recording of "Brother Down" as heard on the Inhuman Condition (2002), Sammy plays every instrument except the drums
• He married his high school sweetheart and they had a daughter in January 2007
• He can fluently speak English, French and Spanish
• His favourite sport is hockey and the first song he ever wrote was titled "Keep Your Stick on the Ice"
• He won three Juno Awards (Album of the Year, Rock album of the Year, and Artist of the Year) in 2003 for We Were Born in a Flame
• His hits "Brother Down," "Them Kids," and "The Gate" won video awards on Much Music, as well as several nominations for a variety of different awards

Quote:

"I love touring. It's not just the playing, it is the whole mindset you get in when you are on tour. Having to get up for a show every single night of the week, reinventing yourself every day." - Sammy

Here is a copy of my column I once wrote about Sam Roberts for our Valentine issue:

I have a lover. He’s sexy and a true sweetheart, the kind of man you wrap up and bring home to meet your mama. His name is Sam Roberts.
Don’t laugh. Sammy and I have had quite the serious relationship for the past two years.
I remember the night we met like it was yesterday. It was May 2006 when I saw him live for the second time in Kamloops. Before the concert started, my friend and I squirmed our way into the front row.
It was a dream come true. I stood there looking up at Sam singing above me with tears streaming down my face. The first time I saw him live I lost my glasses and couldn’t make out his face (just his cute little bum). This time, I could see his angelic features perfectly. His soft brown hair danced around his scruffy face as he sang. Sweat poured off his square jaw-line and slowly dripped down his broad, veiny neck. When he rocked out to his music his sweat would shake off him, showering me.
At one point he looked right at me and winked. I almost fainted. It was love at first sight.
I read his eyes. They screamed, “I will divorce my wife. I want you to be my lover.”
Then he began throwing guitar picks to audience members on the other side of the stage. I lost my mind. I started jumping up and down screaming his name. Did his wink mean nothing? Didn’t I deserve a token of our love? I suppose my ape noises and erratic body movements caught his attention. He coyly smiled at me as he walked across the stage and handed me a guitar pick. I brushed my hand with his and stared up into his crystal blue eyes, my eyes saying, “I’ll see you after the show, lover.”
As we exited the venue I searched for him in the dark while digging through my purse for some much needed nicotine. All of a sudden there was a quick, blue flash. It was Sam!
I ran after him waving a pen and a paper and asked him for his autograph.
“Great show, Sam!” I screamed in excitement.
“Next time you come to town play “Taj Mahal”, I’ll be there!” He smiled and then pulled me into his muscular arms, embraced me with a passionate kiss and made hot sweaty love to me on his tour bus.
OK, so that last part isn’t true.
But if you’ll excuse me, I need a private moment with my beloved Sammy.
Dear Sam, will you be mine, Valentine?

(below: the hand that Sam Roberts touched)