Celtfest 2003

I went to Celtfest again this year. Missed hearing Danny O'Connell and Kelly Sloan perform (they're local acts) but enjoyed Newfie singer extraordinaire Dave Anthony, who has a powerful voice and a frenetic stage presence, with the usual songs sung about people fightingand drinking while pubs (or ships or fair lasses) burn down. One song rhymed"arthritis" with "colitis". It was windy and damp, and rained off and on,but we hung tough and enjoyed what was being done on the little stage in the hollow of the hills with forest around. I only saw 7 or so kids I taught while student teaching last year in this small town, but went unnoticed by them, being out of context and having more of a beard and shaggy hair than they're used to. Lots of piping and some outstanding stepdancing from four sistersin a family group called Searson. A bevy of young girls with hairflying in the wind, stamping rhythmically, but somehow also appearing next to weightless, like they were on wires. Wirework special effects in movies never impresses me much, but trampoline performers, gymnasts, dancers, martial artists and other people who appear like they can almost fly make my heart pretty much stop while they're in the air.

The crap you can get on eBay!

This attractive plastic duo, engaged in not-quite solitary vices! I had the one on the left (Aquaman) when I was about 6. It was the first action figure that I bought. The hole in the hand (for putting weapons and objects in) was perfect for threading string through, and then you could slide them down string or thread stretched out the window to trees and so on.

First Blog Post

I'm newly-certified to teach high school English, and find that July isn't a good month to talk to schools about hiring. They've all disappeared to cottages, no doubt. So, I'm just trying to pass the time without spending any money, despite having recently discovered eBay. I'm doing swimming and writing a script for an online Flash cartoon I think I will call "Sonnet Crescent"

Chicago Trip

Tonight I went with Michael and Bethany to see John Gorka at "The Old Town School" in Chicago. He played guitar and piano, and generally tugged the heart strings. Afterward, I got him to sign a CD, and told him where I was from, and he said he'd have to consider coming to Canada so I wouldn't have to fly to Chicago.

Jann Arden Concert

Tonight I saw Jann Arden. Hilarious as always.

Alice Cooper

Tonight was Alice Cooper at the NAC. I got some good pics, like this one here. He sure has a huge body of work to choose a "greatest hits" from. He had snakes, a sword, a can, a whip, a tall and rickety pulpit, evil clowns and a giant dumpster to burst out of in a blaze of light. He had the stage fill with balloons he could pop with a sword, filling the air with "Alice Cooper money," and he did an encore (Elton John's "Rocket Man") in a silver lamee jacket, with an "Alice Spice" t-shirt underneath.

Roger Waters

I've never seen Pink Floyd, so going with Bill to the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto and seeing Roger Waters yesterday was a thing to see.  All of those amazing songs, and with lasers and blobshow projections and so on.  He was funnier than one would expect, and also seemed to be deeply enjoying rock starring it up.  He was dressed all in black, with a black bass guitar.  He began playing as the sun set, and seagulls wheeled overhead.  He focussed on the sorts of songs that his exbandmates don't tend to play.  He played all of "Animals and during the huge instrumental part in the middle, he and the other musicians who don't do anything during that part (everyone besides the keyboardist and drummer) went to one side and drank beer while playing cards while sitting on a couch, which was on the video screens, including the hands they were playing.  It was amazing.  The best show I've seen yet.  Then the 5 hour drive back home, of course, to talk about it.