Gig: The 1990s @ Union Pool


Admiring Fans of the 1990s @ Union Pool
Originally uploaded by ultrahi.

Last night went and caught up with Jess & Gerald down at Union Pool, backed by cause coMOTION and 1990s. Have to say that cause coMOTION didn’t really do anything for me with their uber short songs that all blended together. They had a few nice sounds but most of it just felt like noise. 1990s were much more pop rock and easier to get into, with some full on Scots accents in between to make me feel homesick. 1990s were tight and played a great set, full of rocking, guitar driven, catchy songs. I don’t think they’ll knock Franz Ferdinand off their ‘top spot’ but they are a very different sound. Go check them out tonight at Mercury Lounge if you get a chance.

Learning Stylee

According to the online DVC Learning Style Survey my primary learning style is ‘Visual/Non-verbal’ (Visual/Nonverbal 34 – Visual/Verbal 26 – Auditory 18 – Kinesthetic 14). Based on this they recommend:

“You learn best when information is presented visually and in a picture or design format. In a classroom setting, you benefit from instructors who use visual aids such as film, video, maps and charts. You benefit from information obtained from the pictures and diagrams in textbooks. You tend to like to work in a quiet room and may not like to work in study groups. When trying to remember something, you can often visualize a picture of it in your mind. You may have an artistic side that enjoys activities having to do with visual art and design.”

Learning Strategies for the Visual/ Nonverbal Learner:

  • Make flashcards of key information that needs to be memorized. Draw symbols and pictures on the cards to facilitate recall. Use highlighter pens to highlight key words and pictures on the flashcards. Limit the amount of information per card, so your mind can take a mental “picture’ of the information.
  • Mark up the margins of your textbook with key words, symbols, and diagrams that help you remember the text. Use highlighter pens of contrasting colors to “color code” the information.
  • When learning mathematical or technical information, make charts to organize the information. When a mathematical problem involves a sequence of steps, draw a series of boxes, each containing the appropriate bit of information in sequence.
  • Use large square graph paper to assist in creating charts and diagrams that illustrate key concepts.
  • Use the computer to assist in organizing material that needs to be memorized. Using word processing, create tables and charts with graphics that help you to understand and retain course material. Use spreadsheet and database software to further organize material that needs to be learned.
  • As much as possible, translate words and ideas into symbols, pictures, and diagrams.

I’m not sure if that’s all true, but some of it definitely is. When I was doing my GCSEs & A Levels I used to learn best by starting to revise about 10pm each night when it was dark and everyone was heading to bed, and by writing out my notes again neatly in new books, condensing it as I went. All of this was text based rather than using diagrams and visual aids, but then maybe I missed a trick.

Jimmy Carr @ Just for Laughs

Jimmy Carr @ Just for Laughs

Just saw Jimmy Carr in his last night playing at this year’s Just for Laughs festival. Highlights included – nice small venue, good drunken crowd and a fine selection of highly inappropriate jokes. I would repeat some of the jokes here, but I suspect my blog would get banned from everywhere in the world. Suffice it to say he is hilarious and highly recommended. In fact I enjoyed his show more than Eddie’s, which is surprising, although maybe I was expecting more from Mr Izzard. Just don’t sit in the first few rows unless you can handle being picked on.

Anyways, that’s it for this year’s Just for Laughs. The confetti is being swept off St Denis, the drunks are causing their last havoc at Couche Tard (the Quebec equivalent of 7-11) and everyone is either heading home or having a last dance on the streets. Until next year, thanks to all.

Prince and his Own Power Generation

Prince recently courted controversy by releasing his new album, Planet Earth, free with a major UK newspaper. The uproar came mostly from the music labels and stores – people who make money from distributing other people’s creations rather than the musicians themselves. Prince himself doesn’t seem to care, as far as anyone knows since he rarely gives interviews these days. His music is his message and he keeps playing, and playing damn well as I saw a few years back at Madison Square Garden. He may have been around a while now but he has an amazing energy, even way back from the stage. Undaunted by his secrecy, the NY Times has a great piece on what Prince has been up to all these years [From metafilter].

Doctor Wood

Well having enjoyed the latest season of Doctor Who, albeit with mild upset that they wasted the Master’s re-appearance and got rid of Freema, I decided to catch up on Torchwood – the X-Files/CSI esque spinoff series. I’d seen the finale episodes before, and felt a bit disappointed that it seemed to rip ideas wholesale from Buffy so hadn’t gone back to see the early ones. I mean – evil old creepy guy, sharp knives and rifts that mean the end of the world… hmm. All we needed was Captain Jack to have a fake sister and it was Season 5 Buffy all over again.

Anyways, having gone back to watch it from the start I can only say that it is much much better than I thought. There’s a great mix of strong character development, realistic behaviors and weird alien stuff – not to mention disturbed humans. It was also interesting to see how far they took Jack’s ‘pansexuality’ (shagging trees anyone?). They may not have had the first on screen male on male kiss, but they certainly have the first male on male kiss between a time traveller and the dead guy he took his name from… I guess that would have been hard for him to become his own grand-father that way but they might have found a way.

Stand out episodes for me were Random Shoes and Countrycide – but they work best within the context of the overall story ark. Russell T Davis and colleagues have learnt some tricks from Joss Whedon for creating emotional scripts, and added some of their own. Definately a must see for scifi/fantasy fans, and maybe even for those of us who aren’t that geeky.

Bob Odenkirk & David Cross in Montreal

Last night we went to see The Line Up, part of this year’s Just for Laughs festival. The format was to showcase up and coming sketch comedy groups, presented by Bob Odenkirk & David Cross – who used to team up for the wonderful Mr Show.

The show was in a cramped, most likely over capacity, Kola Note which could have done with a bit more air conditioning. Luckily the comedy kept us awake for the most part. David & Bob opened the show with Bob introducing a fake ‘David Cross’ before the real David came in from the audience to reclaim his rightful place after an amazing dance off. That man sure can bust a move. They then carried out a short re-enactment of Bob’s attempt to buy coffee in a Montreal cafe, where David Cross stole the show completely with his over the top ‘Qwebetoise’ accent.

After this intro the other acts began, with Kurt & Kristen’s inspired double act of randomness. Their re-enactment of the real first ever telephone call was genius, as was our amazement at how sore Kurt’s throat must have been after his singing finale.

Next up was Hot Sauce, a trio of lads also from New York (there was a bit of NYC bias in this show). Again, very enjoyable with some planned heckling and excessive destruction of eggs before our very eyes. Without stunt doubles, amazing.

Bob & David came out for a brief interlude prior to intermission. After which they returned with David’s ‘French speaking mime’ called ‘Est le petit bonbon’, dressed as a clown and holding balloons. The sketch again revolved around Cross’ frantic movements – leaving Odenkirk mildly stunned. All this physical comedy was a great starter to the main course that was Karla, a female duo from LA with a great line in cerebral comedy. Karla was probably our favourite act all night, offering something that stood out as hilariously different and interesting, in a lineup that often seemed a bit in the same groove of east coast stylings. Go check them out if you get the chance, if just for their glove puppet morality tale.

Finally we had the Buffoons, another New York based male trio, this time with a much more physical approach to their comedy. There were some inspired moments of chicanery in their act, but for me it didn’t quite gel, although Miette loved it. They might have suffered at this point of being right at the end of a long show.

Thanks to Bob & David for a splendid evening, hope you had fun up in Montreal. Please come back soon with your own show!

Oh, and as a minor ‘celebrity’ bonus wandered past Greg Proops and Brad Sherwood (of Whose Line Is It Anyway fame) on the way out. Mr Proops looking very dapper as he grabbed a quick pre-show cigarette outside.

New York City Steam Explosion

Earlier today a steam pipe exploded in midtown Manhattan on 41st & Lexington, killing one and injuring others. This death toll is amazingly low considering the pipe exploded around 6pm, high rush hour, right next to Grand Central Station – one of the busiest parts of New York for commuters at this time. It’s amazing to see the images of the steam escaping, and to think that these pipes are under most of Manhattan. To me it raises the question of whether this steam driven system is appropriate any more, but then people die each year from ice falling off sky scrapers, or even electrocution from drain pipe covers!

Hole blown in road by steam explosion

You can see from the image above the size of the hole that was blown in the road when the steam escaped. Other images in the footage at BBC news show the steam reaching to midway up the Chrysler Building nearby.

John Hannah (& The Mummy 3) in Montreal

Another usual morning in the Old Port, Montreal. While waiting for our usual morning coffees at the splendid Olive et Gourmando, M noticed John Hannah checking her out from the corner. His hair was pretty long so we weren’t 100% sure at first, but it turns out he’s in town for the filming of The Mummy 3, along with Brandon Fraser, Jet Li & Michelle Yoeh, but unfortunately not with the ever stunning Rachel Weisz. Ah well.

And no, yet again I did not take a photo, but suspect John Hannah pics ain’t quite as valuable as one of Brad. Sorry John, I prefer you to Brad but somehow I don’t think posters of you adorn as many walls as his do.

Oh, and Rowan Atkinson is floating around town somewhere today prior to presenting his latest Mr Bean flick this evening. Not to mention the other assorted global comedy stars for this years Just for Laughs festival.