Ruby Slippers for June 28 7-8 pm Happy Canada Day, Kids!

Hey everybody,

It's another glorious looooong weekend, and the weather will be, well, the weather.  But will it stop us from partying on? No sireebob.  Looks as if Dwayne Gretzky will be at Yonge and Dundas Square, which would be a great start to the hols, after, of course, listening to the show.

Which, by the way, includes Lighthouse who you can then go see in Aurora on Sunday (with CIUT's favorite sons, the Bloody Five)

Ahem, on with the playlist.

Operation...KingKhan and the BBQ Show  (summer= BBQ, get it?) (Montreal)

I'm Only Happy When It Rains...Garbage 

Paper Thin...Humble Wolf

It's Time...Imagine Dragons (covering Imagine Dragons..that part confuses me)

Andrew In Drag...The Magnetic Fields

Wrong Side of Town...Rouletta

iBELIEVE (Krystal Love B Mix)...Septembryo (Calgary!)

Black and White Mountains...Snowblink  (Toronto by way of San Francisco)

Good Enough (Cyndi Lauper cover)...The Acorn (Ottawa)

Legs Give Out...We Are The City (British Columbia)

One Fine Morning...Lighthouse (hip hip hurray) (Toronto)

Mama Tried...The Dirty Nil (Hamilton)

Resuscitate...Wintersleep (Halifax, NS)

Shut It Down...Kut U Up

Heavy Metal...White Rabbits

Clouds Catch Fire...Fever Fever

This is it! Hurray!

Have a rip snorting good weekend, and play safe.

And as always, thanks for listening.

Ruby Slippers for June 21 7-8 pm

Hey everybody,

After last week's show with the Bloody Five, I now admit to having to take a deep breath and think about how to come up with an interesting playlist this week. After asking four artists and their bands  what they would like to hear, it just reinforces to me that there is an infinite amount of inspiring and amazing music and never enough time. So with that in mind, here is the tentative list for this week.
Enjoy!

I Remember You (Live)...Sebastian Bach and friends ( Didn't finish it last week...this is for you, Jay!)
Ace of Spades (Motorhead cover)...The Bloody Five  (too good to miss)
Because I'm Awesome...The Dollyrots
C'mon...Go Betty Go
Lafaye(Scissor Sisters Remix)...School of Seven Bells
Eyes of a Stranger...The Payolas (..and this is for Tomi)
Harps...The Sea and Cake
Bloodrush...Royal Canoe
Rachel Marie...Digits
Fifty/Fifty...The Luyas
Soupe Au Lait...MonMon
Romance at Sala Rossa...Plumes (playing June 21 at the Tranzac)
Home is Where...Diamond Bones
My Beloved Monster...EELS

Just finished reading the autobiography of Mark Oliver Everett of the EELS. Quite a story, put it on your summer reading list.

As always, thanks for listening.

On Music and Schools

Hey folks,

During the pre show huddle with the awesome guys from Bloody Five, the topic of music in the schools came up.  The response was instantaneous and passionate that music is a very important part of students' lives in so many ways.  We didn't have a chance to really get to that discussion during the show, but here are my views. 

Music makes you smarter.  It exercises parts of the brain not only in the act of performance but also as one listens.  Just look at the kids who study music at school, with teachers outside of school and later play with their peers.  These are the kids who can relate to one another through that shared experience.  These are the kids who can focus on learning and playing through practice after practice and then in the moment of an actual performance.  They have, through music, become part of a community requiring cooperation, patience and finally pride as they play together for family and friends.

In a society where money, sports and academics define  success in life, music provides another avenue to succeed and be part of the group. Who among us doesn't remember trying to find ourselves as teens? I can honestly say one of the most memorable moments of my life was going to the end of year concert for schools across the GTA at the legendary Massey Hall.  I still get shivers down my spine remembering all those students singing the national anthem in four part harmony to a packed venue to start the show.  And that was just the warm up. At the end of the show (which flew by way too quickly) there were throngs of kids from every background imaginable chatting and smiling with family and friends, proud of being part of the night, and joining together in music.  There was no competition,

posturing or put downs.  There were just the kids and their music.

I believe that it is our responsibility as the older generation to ensure the one coming up has the building blocks to make this world a better place.  Every child (and young adult) deserves food, shelter, an education and a safe place to grow into the adults we know they can be.  As much as a healthy body is a right, so is the opportunity to find ways to express themselves through language, art and music.

Don't let the school programs wither and die.  Fight for the students' rights to have qualified teachers, instruments that are playable, and a chance to experience the rewards of hard work, persistance and cooperation. 

Keep music in the schools.

Thanks for listening

Last Chance for Awesome! NXNE Sunday June16

Hey everybody,

Check out your guide for the last day of this amazing, overwhelming, inspiring week of music, art and movies. You honestly can't go wrong with any of the remaining showcases, and with a more humane number to chose from, you can actually catch quite a bit without running around like a loon.

But for my pick to end this biased guide...

Yonge and Dundas Square......Ludacris.  I'm just sayin'

Hope you had fun and see you next time on CIUT Ruby Slippers Radio.

(Now I can play dead for a few days)

Party On Garth...It's Saturday of NXNE 2013 and this is what I'm Lookin' At

Wow, everybody,

For Saturday of this year's festival, it's tough to make pics.

Sorta went with my gut on this one, but you can't miss regardless of where you are.

Here goes...

Bruise Cruise... lots of fun on the water with We Are Wolves and Odonis Odonis'

Danforth Music Hall...Northcote, Dinosaur Bones, Paper Lions and Wintersleep. Get there early

The Great Hall... for the name alone, Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys

Handlebar...Ocean City Defender and the Penelopes

The Horseshoe...Fucked Up with a great line up!

Rancho Relaxo...Papermaps and the Cautioneers 

Silverdollar...Gregory Pepper, International Zombies and Shannon and the Clams (want to see more of 

                     this band)

Silverdollar Side Stage...Henri Faberge

And of course all the movies, artwork, and Yonge and Dundas Square you can squeeze in!

Last installment tomorrow!

Cheers

The Third Run at the Schedule for NXNE June 14, by Yours Truly

Hey everybody,

I'm on a roll!  There is lots to see and hear for Friday, so plan your day accordingly.
Maybe take a vac day, and nap a while in preparation for a whirlwind adventure.

The BLK Box  sees Still Life Still in the house with (ta da!) Guelph's own The Magic

Czehoski  has Animalia (who quit following me on Twitter but I'm not bitter) and Twigs and Yarn

The Dakota  What could go better with nachos and beer than Tin Star orphans and Jim Tidman?

The Great Hall   Among others Sloan! Superfriendz!

Handlebar   sees Digits in the house with John Milner, and You're So Boss

****The Horseshow**** It's not enough that Brave Little Toaster is there, but BUKE AND GASE

Mod Club  presents Imaginary Cities, and July Talk

The Rivoli  has the Beaches and We Are The City  (have played some of their stuff on the show)

Sneaky Dee's  More nachos, beer, and WEBSTER, Luyas  Good times, good times....

St. James Gazebo  presents Northcoat and By Divine Right

And for those of us braving the crowds, Yonge and Dundas Square has a great line up including
    the National.

But dont take my word for it.  Get on the NXNE Site and see what's happening for yourself!!!!

Ruby Slippers for June 14 7-8 pm

Hey everybody,

This is the day (Friday that is) that the Bloody Five land on CIUT for the show.

They came armed with their own favorite tracks, as well as samples of the new Bloody Five album "Unreleased 2012". There is lots to talk about, questions as yet unanswered, and much much more.

Yer Spring...Hey Rosetta!  (Raw Beats' pick)

Release...The Bloody Five

After You...The Bloody Five

Things I Do For Money...The Northern Pikes  (KD's pick)

Blasphemous Rumours... Depeche Mode (Tomi Fear's pick)

(I Wanna Go To)New York City (Demics' cover)...The Bloody Five

Tormentor...Skinny Puppy (Jay's pick)

Sanctified...Nine Inch Nails  (my pick, just went really well with SP

Love Is The Drug...Roxy Music (KD's pick)

I Remember You...Sebastian Bach and friends (but we didn't get all the way through)(I PROMISE to play the whole thing for Jay to start next week's show)

This is the final playlist, with lots of talk in between.

You can catch this show on www.ciut.fm posted in archive starting on Monday.

And look up the Youtube video of The Bloody Five's Just Joking with Snow White/Sleeping Beauty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtfI-lX9rrA

To catch up with this amazing band go to their website  www.bloodyfive.com

as well as their Twitter feed, Myspace, Facebook and at least the first four pages of Google under Bloody Five!  Such great guests.

Thanks for listening.

PS (Day Two of Music Music Music)

Hey everybody,

Just had a chance to hear a cool multi instrumental group from Montreal, called the Archery Guild.

They will be at the Monarch and go on at about 1 am.

Give them a listen on Bandcamp, you won't be sorry.

Also check your program guides for anywhere the Cautioneers are playing (they are out and about 2 o3 three times) 

Good Lord, what have I gotten in to!

Second Installment of the NXNE Totally Biased Guide for Thursday June 13

Hey Everybody,

Hope you got your musical sealegs on the Wednesday night line up, cause here's a big one for Thursday.

Cameron House has among others, The Lighthouse and the Whaler

The Central plays host to Holyoak, and Jon Davis, a favorite here at CIUT

Comfort Zone = BRAIDS, need I say more?

The Dakota presents Graydon James and the Young Novelists.  Check them out!

Detour Bar   Ahhhh, the Waxmen. Hang on to your teeth.

The Great Hall (gonna be hard to get in, come early) Coeur de Priate, and Loon Choir

Hard Luck Bar  presents The Schomberg Fair and others

The legendary Horseshoe  plays host to DIANA and Dan Deacon

Lee's Palace   OMG White Cowbell Oklahoma! Supersuckers!

The Piston  hosts Devon Cuddy and friends

The Silver Dollar  gets down and dirty with Dirty Nil

Wrong Bar  presents We Are Wolves  (saw them at Hillside years ago..well worth seeing)

And if you are hankering for a little airport action (plane spotting, Tim Horton's, impossible parking, OK so the bus does go there)   Pearson Terminal One has the Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet

Where to start? Who to see? How much beer can you drink?

Stay strong, it ain't over yet....

Hey! First Installment of the NXNE Guide Sampler June 12

Hey everybody,

As I did for CMW, I have had a little look at the guide which is pretty impressive and quite frankly takes my breath away.  In fact I was just about ready to give up on it completely and let fate take me where it wanted, but after another cuppa, came up with a few picks on a day by day basis you just might like to see.

So...bearing in mind that everything at Yonge and Dundas Square is a good bet and Lord knows, the price is right, here's what else is out there.

For Wednesday

The Rivoli has Human Bodies , Gentleman Reg and friends.  If you heard the interview with Kate from 

   HBod and the exclusive to us new tracks, you know where this is coming from. (If you missed it, the 

   show is up on the CIUT site for a week under "Ruby Slippers".)

The May Cafe has of course the CIUT Showcase, and having heard cuts from all the bands, it's a great

    mix.  Bloody Five will be on the show June 14, and their energy is out of this world.  Also love Take 

    with Audio, Seam, ATTAGIRL, MANcub, Stuck on Planet Earth. You would never have to leave 

    this venue for a full evening.

The Free Times Cafe  with Maneli Jamal.  Crazy good guitar, this artist holds you from the first note.

For more info, check out the NXNE site, there are loads of interesting bands out there.

Stay Tuned for Part 2 of the Completely Biased Guide!

A Big Thank You

Hey everybody,

Big love to Kate from Human Bodies for joining me on Ruby Slippers Radio last night.
Her band's showcase is at the Rivoli on Wednesday June 12 (that's this coming Wednesday) and they will be on the same bill as Gentleman Reg.

The first EP Continue is available on Bandcamp at http://humanbodies.bandcamp.com/
and the upcoming album will be released sometime at the end of summer/fall.

If you missed the show and want to hear two of their new tracks they are on the archived version of the show at www.ciut.fm under Ruby Slippers on the schedule. (Posted on Monday June 10) and will be up for a week.

Next week, stay tuned for a great show with The Bloody Five (also playing June 12 on the CIUT showcase at the May Cafe)

Have a good week and thanks for listening.

Ruby Slippers for June 5

Hey everybody,

This is now a complete list....my cohost this week is Kate from the band Human Bodies, and she will be bringing in some music as well as some of the band's material.

Quiet My Heart...Great Forest
Suspicion...Hexes and Ohs
Feyd Rautha Dark Heart...Grimes
A Prince's Shadow...Jon Davis  (playing at NXNE)
Love Story...Jethro Tull
Say Anything...Ryan Ro
Exit Sign...The Bloody Five  (CIUT showcase performer, and possibly on next week's show!!!

Two world premiers from Human Bodies...Breathe, and Twist from their upcoming album (release end of summer? )

And Kate's Pick....Land of Talk with The Hate I Won't Commit

I hope this peaks your interest, and you will join me on June 12 for what promises to be a great ride!
Check out the concert listings, go to Dundas Square, see a movie, be part of the scene!

Wristbands to be given away on the show, keep those dialing fingers ready.

And as always, thanks for listening.