Awesome Tunage for the Summer

I don't know how behind I am, but apparently we have a new radio station here in Vancouver!

100.5 The Peak plays aaaawesome rock - Sam Roberts, Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, Metric, and all sorts of fun and indie rock. I pretty much have this station on all the time at home, and all the time at work - which I can do because you can listen online!

The music you listen to in the summer is so important. It's the soundtrack, right? So if you're listening to crap music all summer, your summer probably won't be so good. I urge you to go turn this station on right now. I would like to guarantee that it will make your summer better, but... I don't have that kind of power.

You can find The Peak online at www.thepeak.fm. And no, they have no affiliation with The Peak, SFU's student newspaper.

A Tribute to Canadian Music

I was inspired this morning, while I cleaned my apartment and blasted the Broken Social Scene and then the Arcade Fire (sorry, neighbours: I hope you’re fans!). I was thinking how strange it is that I am always drawn to Canadian Music. I’m a CanCon fan.

It’s not on purpose, I swear. I honestly hear the music first, fall in love with it, and then discover that it is yet another Canadian band.

It all started when I was in high school, I suppose, and Matthew Good was the local hero. Along with Moist, I Mother Earth, Econoline Crush, The Killjoys and others, this was the soundtrack in my formative years.

I moved on to others at later times: Broken Social Scene for mellow days, Metric when I had a little more energy. I moved on to the Arcade Fire at some point… they were a natural step after Broken Social Scene.

The Arcade Fire played in Deer Lake Park last summer, but I heard about it much too late and missed out. Then I tried to block their concert out of my mind and pretend it wasn’t going on. Until I read the review in the Georgia Straight. It brought tears to my eyes, apparently the concert had been amazing.

In the fall, I had the good fortune of attending a Hot Hot Heat concert at the Commodore: dream venue, dream band. For me, that was a dream: a night of high-energy, poppity rock in a great venue, with a gin & tonic in my hand.

I’m a little sad this evening, because I have to report that I will most likely be standing, teary eyed or not, at any amazing venues watching any of my favourite bands this summer. Apparently Ontario is the place to be, and although I have always dreamed of going to Toronto, it’s not going to happen in the next two months.

Matthew Good will be playing in Ontario in July and August, but not in Vancouver (http://www.matthewgood.org/shows/).

Sam Roberts band’s only date in BC is at the Pemberton Festival. You couldn’t pay me to go camp in a smelly field and go to this concert. Hmm… Actually, you could. Please e-mail me (ms.michelle.mara@gmail.com) if you would like to pay me to go to this concert). Sam Roberts band’s tour dates are at http://samrobertsband.com/tour/.

Broken Social Scene is not playing in Vancouver this summer, either. The closest they get is the Whistler Music Festival (http://www.arts-crafts.ca/bss/).

According to the Arcade Fire website, “There are currently no future shows planned.” Damn (http://www.arcadefire.net/tour/).

Metric will also be playing at the Pemberton Festival. Sigh… (http://www.myspace.com/metricband).

So, to sum it up: I will at this point NOT be seeing any music shows this summer because apparently nobody good is coming to Vancouver. I’ll be at home, with a spotless apartment, blasting my neighbours out of their places. I hope they’re fans!