D’Angelo at the Apollo. Front row. His first show after Black Messiah dropped. People always ask me “what was the best show you’ve ever seen?!” and every time, without hesitation, I say it was this one.
Devastated to hear one of my favourite artists has passed. Voodoo and Black Messiah are two of the greatest albums of all time — I urge ya to toss on some headphones now and hear some of the finest sounds ever recorded. His records take you places.
Thankful that his music will live on, and so will my memories of that magical night in Harlem, where D’Angelo showed some weird white boy in the front row a shocking amount of love. Still can’t believe he was not only singing his guts out, straight from the soul, two feet in front of me, but that someone got pics of me losing my mind at the concept. I told ya his music takes ya places. What a night. What a talent. What a loss.
MAN! I’m (still) getting blown away after two incredible nights with Neil. What a special couple shows at the newly anointed Fresh Water Amphitheatre. Venue definitely lived up to its name, with an on-stage guitar dousing, the entire crowd going home soaked on night two, and seemingly mandatory aquatic venue transportation?! This boat’s for you!!! Neil is the greatest.
Man!! Just when ya think a three day beach festival with your favourite band couldn’t possibly get any better, they bust out a surprise Neil cover and you get appropriately BLOWN AWAY!! One major highlight in a weekend of many. And that, my friends, is what keeps ya coming back!! What a trip at OBH!!! Until next time…
Two takeaways from my first Goose show. 1) These guys have the coolest lights on the planet. 2) These guys have the most jammin’ drummer on the planet. Goodness gracious!!!!!! And MAN, this new album is killer. Hope they don’t wait another decade before coming back to Canada because I gotta hear all those jams live asap.
III shows, III nights — another Jack Trick complete! Feeling incredibly grateful for a multi-night run that didn’t involve a road trip, and a trio of shows that remind you why Jack keeps ya coming back!!! Man oh MAN, that Massey debut was something special. All-timer!!!!
Keith Urban week concludes, after a very special show at the Horseshoe, and taping enough Sportsnet liners to last us till 2032!!! High and Alive tour comin at ya this summer Canada!!!
Man, shout out to Creed and their whole crew for treating Hockey Night like a buncha Stanley Cup champs. On American Thanksgiving, the Creediest day of the year!!!! Tune in to watch them take us Higher this weekend. Also does anyone know how to remove the smell of burnt hair and gunpowder.
MAN!! Sturgill at Massey was one of those shows. One of those shows where the second it ends, you’re looking at flights. Goodness gracious! I need to follow this tour. Quite possibly the best live band on the planet right now. Jammed for three hours straight and I don’t even think they paused for a sip of water?! A feat all the more impressive considering they were on fire the entire show. Speaking of heat, time to rearrange my life and get to Mexico for a weekend of Sturgill shows in January…
MAN! Feeling incredibly grateful for the opportunity to see Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench play together again… let alone rippin’ classics from The Band songbook, just a few blocks away from where Robbie Robertson and the boys played their first gigs!! Also Jamey Johnson has a hell of a voice and did Levon, Danko and Manuel proud. What a band, what a tribute and what a show!!
MAN!! Springsteen always brings the joy!! Though it didn’t appear that would be the case at first. Bruce kicked off the show in a fiery mood, perhaps due to struggles with his private plane that delayed the start of the show, perhaps he was upset about something else that happened this week. But whatever was bugging him, it got us a super aggressive Adam Raised A Cain that ignited a high five fest in the pit, and for that I’m forever grateful. Nothing but smiles and wide eyed amazement from that point, all the way to damn near midnight. Also want to thank the girl next to us for tossing the Boss a Santa hat and prompting him to play a mean version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Her happiness was infectious — that’s the kinda Bruce joy I’m talking about!! What a show!! Ah one-two-three-four!!!
Man!! It’s crazy how many great songs MJ Lenderman has already. Guy looks barely 20 and he has a catalog deep enough for the crowd to sing along with every line the entire show. Myself included!!! Almost unfair that he’s got an absolutely killer band too. What a jammin’ night!!!!
Traveling across Portugal with an increasingly mobile 1-year-old — the family adventure of a lifetime! Two weeks of stunning vistas, delicious meals, relentless inclines, navigating mountainside flat tires, realizing I made a huge tactical error by learning no Portuguese, and of course, a ton of wine and Super Bocks. Obrigado baby!!
