Monday 13 August 2012

Massey Hall

do you like rock n roll?
because we're performing exile on main street at massey hall
on november 23
i know many of you don't know this album
but it's important that you run out immediately
and buy the album
it's a heavy record
with a splendid history
and it will enrich your life
i love second generation blues
i know
i'm a purist too
but i love the blues when zeppelin play them
and i love the blues when the beatles play them
but i especially love the blues when the stones play the blues
november 23
big band
big night
a great way to start off a new season in toronto

maybe you need more rock n roll?
then on  february 9
you want to slip into roy thomson hall
we're performing sgt. pepper
wow
we've done this show a lot
but there's something about doing it at roy thomson hall
i dunno
it gives me energy
i feel like something important is going to happen that night
and we're all dreaming of the second set
we call it the outro set
it'll be another beautiful selection of songs from the lads
that marry well with the hall
shivers

perhaps
you really do love rock n roll
and it's not just a bullet point in your self description
then you need to stop everything
and buy tickets for the march 1 dark side of the moon show
back at massey hall
this is the 40 year anniversary of the album's north american release
and it's also CAL's 10 year anniversary
that's a lot of numbers to fire up
rob phillips will be performing the show of his life
it's as though his entire being has been circling towards this show
his people died for his right to play
dark side of the moon
at massey hall
on the 40th anniversary of the album's north american release
on march 1
and we're planning heavy fun sneaky things for the show
it's going to be our thank note to our hometown for 10 years of love and support

it's such a great honour to be able to honour these albums like we do

craig martin
august 13, 2012
hard boiled eggs and lemonade

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Leslea

the first time i met leslea
she was muscling her way into the queen rehearsal
2004
she insisted that she be a part of the album
she sang
and it was immediate
she's that good

we've had her on every album
she's worked so hard over the years
sang her heart out to thousands and thousands of people
and always a great performance
perfection
a true voice with captivating range

lots of girls say they can sing janis
janis sang every song like it was her last
leslea sang the show like that
she just kept going
like a train
note after note
tough hard edged screams
and then a little girl
alone in the spotlight

watch her on stage
her every movement
she's aware
she's aware that we're watching her
her hair afire
her hands graceful
born for the stage
seeing both beauty and bats in the lights

and she's smart
google smart
she's like a search engine
citing musicians in one breath
and historical events in the next

and she's beautiful
round and curvy
with innate stage attractiveness

and she's argumentative
like a diva
fighting for what she wants from a song
she's not afraid of the bumpy road
you arrive at respecting that

and she's the best
olympic gold medal best
one of the greats
twisting her voice around a song
with perfect clarity and delivery
i can't believe that she was never scooped up
and turned into a superstar

but that's not what it's about
the superstar thing
that's door number 3
rice a roni
one hundred eskimo bars
the real deal was about being the best you could be
and inspiring people around you
leslea does that
and it's an honour to work with her

craig
aug 9, 2012
bourbon (at the centre of contradiction)