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C R Avery sings a naughty song at CBC radio concert

CR Avery's lyrics caused me to laugh and laugh aloud with shock during his CBC Radio 3 recording in Vancouver on Saturday, Feb. 6. He teamed up with the Legal Tender String Quartet, who offered some wicked violin solos and general intensity. CR and the quartet were a combo that combined in such a cool way - such rich strings with CR's music and concepts and showmanship.

Regarding the most risque song, CR said if more men followed in his footsteps there would be less war. I'm too polite to quote him here, and I'll be curious to see if it gets on the air. I hope it does! I'm even more of a fan now, along with many other ladies I'm sure. LOL

This concert was the first of CBC Radio's Toque Sessions Concert Series - and we all got really cool toques.

Vancouver says bye to Paul McKenzie at Enigmas reunion

Back for one show and one show only after 20+ years are seminal Vancouver punk/new wave heros The Enigmas.

So says the Facebook Page for the Enigmas Reunion - a long-awaited event on January 8 for those of us who loved their shows back in the 1980s. At Vancouver's 50 Bourbon Street, the crowd danced like mad to some of my faves from "back in the day" - Windshield Wiper, Out of the Question, Teenage Barnacle (see YouTube video, below), and Psychotic Reaction.

A sample of comments from Facebook:

"The Enigmas blew the roof off the joint last night! Goddamn..."

"Could I have had a better time at The Enigmas last night? Absolutely not..."

"...last night's show ranks in the top 5. Vancouver is amazing!"

"The Enigmas rocked the house last night and I was so amazed to see all those familiar faces under one roof sharing the moment...xo to Paul, he will be missed."

Indeed, it is sad but true: Paul McKenzie is leaving Vancouver for Austria - and departing today on tour with the band he's played in since 1992: The Real McKenzies. Paul - always the joker - told us why he is leaving us for Austria.

"If you people hadn't voted for Gordon Campbell twice in a row, this wouldn't be happening - so you can blame yourselves!"

The show was held in celebration of Vancouver cinematographer Danny Nowak's 50th birthday. The Manglers - "Canada's only Stranglers tribute band - also treated us some fine musical entertainment, as always.

A visit from the mystical Thunderbird?

By Earl Maquinna Sutherland guest blogger, Vancouver, BC

About a week ago, I saw a huge bird flying way high over Vancouver. It was black, but it didn't look like an eagle or heron or any other bird I've ever seen before. It was hard to gauge how big it actually was, but I'd say quite a bit larger than a bald eagle, but smaller than a beaver aircraft. It never once flapped its wings, and I must have observed it for nearly two minutes. There was another witness, a Filipino woman. I pointed it out to her, and she commented it was the biggest eagle she had ever seen. It went into some clouds and we both lost sight of it and I haven't seen it since.

I thought it was spectacular, and am still convinced it wasn't a huge eagle. I would like to believe that I saw the mythical Thunderbird. I've googled unknown birds and the closest thing I came was these sightings of huge unknown birds in the Philippines. And, yes, the other witness was Filipino. Weird! (but true).

Some peeps around the world fear the Thunderbird, but we First Nations revere it. To witness it is supposed to be almost a spiritual experience.

p.s. I have a ghost story too. but later ;)

Blue Man Group Megastar World Tour hits Vancouver

"Scream if you're paying attention."

That message was broadcast in LED lights to the audience at the Blue Man concert last night at UBC's Thunderbird Arena. I took their photo, above, using my iPhone.

The three blue dudes shared the stage with four drummers, three electric guitarists, a keyboarding man singer, a powerful trip-hoppy woman singer, and others. It was as much theatre as it was music - and my 9-year-old son joined in with the rest of the audience who participated on queue. I thought he was going to lose his voice!

The storyline of the show explores what happens when the Blue Man orders a guidebook on how to become rock megastars. As the Blue Man's expressions shifted from confused to curious to nervous to mischievous, the audience was wild with laughter - screaming, stomping, jumping, and practising rock moves together. The guitarists hammed it up in full, rock guitar solo style. It's so amazing to watch how the Blue Man trio creates music - actual melodies - with their big, plastic pipes.

Here's what Blue Man member Wes Day told Canwest writer Graeme McRanor: "The best part of touring the world is getting to see it all and getting to meet amazing people and audiences," he said. "It's incredible to see how different we are, yet how universal our reactions can be to non-verbal humour." (Read full article.)

Vancouver Jaks host 24th annual skate comp for kids at China Creek

Once a year, on the second Saturday of September, the Vancouver Jaks Skate Club invites local East Van kids to China Creek Skatepark for a skate competion. Yesterday was the 24th annual Jaks skate comp at China Creek - the oldest skatepark in Vancouver and the second oldest skatepark in Canada.

This year is China Creek's 30th birthday and we are lucky it's still here. It was nearly demolished in 2007, but a plan to bulldoze it was cancelled after local fans of the park lobbied the Vancouver Parks Board and convinced them the China Creek Skatepark had value as a public space in an area that lacks parks. Kudos to the Vancouver Parks Commissioners for listening to the community and creating such a beautiful park renovation.

Yesterday China Creek was buzzing - with more than 100 at the Jaks comp and dozens more on the new playground.

"I talked to every Jak here and they think for sure this is the most people we've had in a skate comp ever," says Jaks veteran Simon Snotface, whose recent novel Prisoner of Evil has been described as "one of the most disgusting books ever written."

My son met Simon at a recent punk rock reunion party - and the two hit it off! Simon invited Toby to the comp and he has been excited about it for the past few weeks. On the big day, he started bugging me to take him to China Creek at 7:30 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., we were the very first people to arrive. Toby wanted to practice for the comp due to start around noon.
I noticed dew on the grass as I opened my lawn chair on the grassy hill above the skate bowls. I felt like a "skate mom" - similar to but different than a soccer mom. I chatted with a mom breast feeding her baby at a picnic table. I sat in my lawn chair and read twitter tweets on my iphone. I saw the first two teenaged boys who showed up.

"Everyone will be watching and clapping and cheering you on, no matter what you do," one of them said to my son.

"Don't be scared of falling," says the other, a Grade 11 boy named Tony who honed his skating skills while living beside China Creek.

Jaks members and their families and friends and local kids all showed up - along with a generous offering of prizes from Skull Skates, Zulu Records, and others (please comment and tell me who I missed). I recorded a little chat with Simon, using QuickVoice on my iPhone. He told me how the prizes have changed since the comp's early days.
"Back in the day, all of us were on welfare and no one had any jobs, so we had to go collect pop cans and save our empties and go to Value Village and buy bogus trophies," Simon says. "That was 20 years ago. Now we're all growed up and we're all better. Lots of us own businesses and have lots of cash so now we get very generous donations to make this thing go down. This year my entire purpose is to encourage young people and anyone who's being intimidated, like girls. It's been fantastic. This year, even the kid who came in last in juniors got a deck and all.."

My son came home with a new skate deck, a set of wheels, two t-shirts, and three music CDs. It was like Christmas morning for him. For these kids - many of whom are from low income families - it was an absolute delight to get these prizes. Our new pal Brendan - an 11-year old in Grade 6 - won skate shoes and sat beside me as he took them out of the box and put them on. That's one less pair of shoes for his family to pay for - a big help!
Sincere thanks to the Jaks for putting on another great event for our kids.

Let's all say thanks to the Jaks in the comments section here on this blog...

Merchant makes time for curious kid

Edward Gutierrez answered a slew of questions from my son today when we visited his store in Chinatown. He showed us healing stones and described their attributes - obsidian, coral, jet, jade, a type of meteorite found in China, and more.

I felt so happy and grateful that Edward took the time to answer so many questions from a curious little boy. This type of spontaneous education is exactly what I love.

We will go back to Edward's shop - Artistic Arts and Craft Ltd. at 107 East Pender St. Vancouver B.C. Canada. They sell fine gem stones and jewelry at affordable prices, like pendants starting around $12.

As I glanced at Chinese horoscope necklaces, charms, bracelets, rings, and collectables I made a mental note: "Remember this place next time I want to buy a gift."

My son is saving $49 for an obsidian wand. Son said he felt a cool wind come from the wand when Edward pointed it above the palm of his hand. He told Nana about it on the phone tonight and she was skeptical. My mom describes herself as "down to earth" and she only believes in things commonly believed by Western science and medicine. She is a smart, skeptical Nana who asked my son a few times: "Are you sure you felt something when the stone pointed at you?"

He said to me later: "Hmph! So much for supporting my new interest. She should be more open-minded."