To quote the Pet Shop Boys, "It's a Sin". - or - A list of concerts I've attended...

Si I filled out one of those FaceBook MEME type thingamahjigs today and I was equally embarrassed, amused and lost in some fun memories...

You had to list all concerts that you've been t. Now granted my list is SMALL and it's very likely you've not heard of quite a few of these groups, (especially those outside of the Maritimes, or Canada) but whatever...

Here's my list as sad, and sparse, and all over the map as it is...

OK, here are the rules. Test your memory and your love of live music by listing 50 ((you’re kidding, right?!)) artists or bands (or as many as you can remember) you've seen in concert. List the first acts that come into your head. Oh, and list the first concert you ever saw (you can remember that, can’t you)? ((Screw that I'm putting them in order!))

01 Platinum Blonde
(First concert. Not a very good start huh?)

02 Loverboy
(I don't know why either)

03 Glass Tiger
(IT WAS FREE)

04 Tina Turner
(Private Dancer, GREAT CONCERT)

05 Haywire
(On 'the Hill' and FREE!)

06 Skinny Puppy
(sponsored by CKDU!)

07 Thompson Twins / OMD
(AWE-SOME. This was in 1984... CLASSIC 80's!)

08 David Bowie
(Second Row! We felt his sweat hit us in the face when he spun... w00t w00t)

09 Jane Siberry
(The first night of "Bound By The Beauty" she didn't know the lyrics to like 5 songs and had to read them out of a binder! But it was a great. a very small venue. very intimate)

10 The Rankin Family
(Shut up! I LOVE me some Capers!)

11 The Cranberries / Live
(Free Tix in the BCE Corporate box… We drank ‘em out of Gin and then moved on to the Vodka…)

12 Bjorn Again
(As close as I’ll ever get to seeing ABBA Live)

13 Bjork
(crazy ass bitch! She was fun!)

14 Scissor Sisters
(More freebies – Thanks again Kel - AWESOME concert! I ♥ Baby Daddy!)

DON'T JUDGE ME!

And what have you seen?

Gag me with a spoon Violin

As part of Didier's birthday presents, I gave him three tickets to see Pagagnini. They are one of the Pre-Festival shows for this years Festival Juste Pour Rire.

Didier, Sacha (D’s Nephew visiting from France) and I went to the show tonight and had a blast. They are a somewhat modified Spanish(?) string quartet (3 violins and a cello). Their show is a combination of Classical Music Concert and Comedy. Very slapstick and very entertaining. It of course didn’t hurt that there was a totally Cutie McCute violinist in the group, and I once dated a violinist… heh



It’s funny as the show was drawing to a close I thought how odd that they didn’t do anything with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (a particular favourite of mine, thanks to Nigel Kennedy) so you can imagine my pleasure when, as their encore they did a raucous and totally over the top (there were somersaults while they were playing) rendition of the third movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer), Presto.



It might not be to everyone’s tastes (the elderly gentleman beside me, barely laughed and did just enough applauding to be borderline polite) but if you enjoy classical music and want to double you evening’s pleasure with a giggle or twenty, then if you are in Montréal go see em! (they are performing until the 19th) and if you’re not in Montréal go see ‘em if they ever come to your neck of the woods.

Kitty Joy

Thanks to Mitzi I was reminded of my all time, ever favourite clip from the Vicar of Dibley. -If you don't know thew Vicar, you really ought to. It's such damned good fun.

What could be better than The Vicar? The Vicar as the Jilted Lover lip-syncing to Yvonne Fair's "It Should Have Been Me"

Karma be damned!

Kitty had a run in with an old lady on the bus this morning….

So, it’s Friday and Kitty need some happiness on my schlep to the office… I find that happiness in music, as many of us do. Today, it was Dead Or Alive Remixes… (I know, right! SOOOOO much fun!)

I will admit I tend to turn the volume up, but mostly because I do NOT want to hear other’s conversations on the bus, especially on a Friday when hearing about sweet old aunt Agnes’ hip surgery, or young Billy’s latest adventure in potty-training gone bad, will, very well tip me over the edge. Typically the volume is at 2/3’s And even still some times I can still hear them yammering on around me…

After the Metro ride I hopped on the bus, sat down, and began playing cards on the iTouch. A couple minutes later the Old Lady, henceforth to be known as “Crone”, walks up and taps me on the shoulder and signals me to take my earphones off. I do so and she begins to question me as to why I bother having earphones on since she can hear my music and doesn’t like it. I looked at her, blinked a couple of times (for effect) and replied, “Madame, just so you know the volume can still go much higher. And the reason I listen to music in the first place is so I don’t have to listen or talk to other people on the bus, so, If you’ll excuse me…” and I put the earphones back in.

Still standing over me, Crone taps me on the shoulder again. I take the earphones out, sigh and she again says “Would you turn down your music?” I replied, “Just as soon as you turn down your bunion cream and Yardley’s Lily of the Valley ‘perfume’ It’s making me gag. No? Oh well I guess the music stays.”

Crone knows I have her in checkmate and so she returns to her seat.

As I get up, just prior to my stop I turned up the volume to full as I am listening to “Cake and Eat It”, then pass her to get to the door.

As the bus speeds away I turn, look up, blow her the sweetest kiss, smile and wave goodbye.

Kitty: 3
Crone: 0

LOL. Literally.

I can't remember where I saw this referenced about a month ago. I meant to post a link to the post but can't remember, so I'm just posting the video here. Whoever it was THANK YOU.

Now, sit back, relax and laugh out loud. Literally.

Michael Who?

Over the weekend the viewer poll for Canada AM was as follows:

Who do you think is the biggest musical act of all time?

The results were as follows:

Michael Jackson: 11%




Elvis Presley: 44%




The Beatles: 45%

Music...

...makes the people come together,
Music mix the bourgeoisie and the rebels,
but most importantly...
makes the Kitty happy.

Honestly, I don't think the repeat option on my iTouch is good for my OCD. For just as I can watch most of my DVD collection again and again and again (records include watching Connie and Carla 5 tines in succession, and watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation from 8 am til 2 am the following morning on a none-stop loop) When I find just the right song, I can listen to it in an endless loop. Picture if you will "The song that never ends" by Lambchop and company...

What has been making Kitty infinitely happy on the inside and doing it's Calgon Duty on my commute to and from the office... MOST ESPECIALLY *FROM* the office are the following songs:

-FUCK YOU, Lily Allen
Great sound, fun, camp and to the point, no shit lyrics that inspire an almost zen-like state in me...

-MY SWEET LORD, Boy George
I do love me some George Harrison, but this version adds just a slight fabulous dimension that even one of the fab Four didn't give me...

-LET THE SUNSHINE IN, Army of Lovers
Ending the debate as to whether or not I am really and truly gay.



-VALERIE, Amy Winehouse
I can only pray the gurl gets her act together and puts out MORE music.



-RELAX (take it Easy), Mika
At one time I simply could not abide Mika.. but, then I grew...



-COMFORTABLY NUMB, the Scissor Sisters
This speaks to me in ways that Pink Floyd could never do.



And a couple Albums...

-FLASHBACK, Björn Again
OMG! OMG! OMG! I've seen Björn Again in person and they were indeed ABBAsolutely Fabuous, but then they take it a step further in their album where they do covers of other artists songs as if preformed by ABBA and they bloody well rock!...
...Woman in Love (Diana Ross)
...Stop (Erasure)
...Band of Gold (Freda Payne)
...When Will I See You Again (the Three Degrees)
...A Little Respect (Erasure)
...Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (the Shirelles)
THIS ALBUM is is musical GENIUS!... and I thank Scooter for bringing this to my attention.

-ABBA METAL (A tribute to ABBA),Various Artists.
OMFG! OMFG! OMFG! This is an album you have to hear to believe, and I can assure it it's phenomenally addictive... ABBA METAL is a tribute album of ABBA songs played by a variety of heavy metal and hard rock bands, released in 2001 by a German record label: Nuclear Blast. There is just something inexplicably enjoyable about mixing ABBA music with Heavy Metal drums, guitar and vocals... and it SO works.. THIS is was REALLY de-stresses me as I leave the office. Do yourselves the favour and search it out.. buy it, download it.. com eon over to our place if you must, but you MUST give it a chance.

-YES!, the Pet Shop Boys
I've previously commented on their first single "LOVE etc." and as much as I love the song, the album as a whole is exponentially more enjoyable as a whole.

Music.
...makes the Kitty happy.

Topaz: The iPod Shuffle

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Put your iPod, iTouch or other music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the NEXT button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got this from. (or better yet... tag yourself if you like it)

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Calm Before the Storm
(Cyndi Lauper)


WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
The Balcony Scene: Romeo et Juliet
(Prokofiev)


WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Don’t Be Stupid (you know I love you)
(Shania Twain)


WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Relax [OH SO TRUE!]
(Frankie goes to Hollywood)


WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Climb Every Mountain (OST: The Sound of Music)
(Mother Superior)


WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
The Life is the Red Wagon
(Jane Siberry)


WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN?
You’re All I Ever Wanted
(*N’Sync)


WHAT IS 2+2?
Up!
(Shania Twain)


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Hey Ya!
(Outkast)


WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Lay All Your Love On Me
(ABBA)


WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
I Don’t Wanna Grow Up [I shit you not! That is what came up.And it’s SO TRUE!]
(Holly Cole Trio)


WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
California Dreamin’
(The Mamas and the Papas)


WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Blessing [*TOOT TOOT*]
(Jean Michel Jarre)


WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow [Hmmm I could see that]
(Amy Winehouse)


WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Aime-Moi
(Henri Salvador)


WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Swing, Swing, Swing[I take the penicillin daily... lol]
(Keely Smith)


WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
An Túll
(Clannad)


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
I Would Die For You
(Jann Arden)


WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Season of the Hollow Soul
(k.d. lang)


HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Cloudbusting
(Kate Bush)


WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Racing Hearts
(Dr. Draw)


WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Personal Jesus [he is HILARIOUS!]
Depeche Mode


WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Miserere (OST: the Mission)
(Ennio Morricone)


WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
There Must Be an Angel (Playing with my Heart)
(the Eurythmics)


WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Evening Falls
(Enya)


DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
You Know I’m No Good [I guess not!]
(Amy Winehouse)


IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Twenty One
(The Cranberries)


WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Waiting for the Night to Fall
(Depeche Mode)


WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Topaz
(the B-52s)

we be trippin'

Road Trippin' that is...

Next weekend, we're headed to Oshawa. Hey! don't judge us! We're going there, along with four others, to spend the weekend at friends, to attend their annual pool party blow out. (Men, men and more men, booze and clothing optional)

Anyhoo, the reason for this particular post is because I'm gonna throw together a couple CDs for the trip and I wanted to ask for your suggestions as to 'great road trip songs'.

Don't hold back, but please keep in mind it's going to be a vehicle full of gay men, so ease up on the:
"Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane" ,
"On the Road Again by Willie Nelson",
"Born to be Wild by Steppinwolf",
"Where the Streets Have No Name, by U2"
and "Everyday is a Winding Road by Sheryl Crow" type-suggestions...

...however...

"Where the Streets Have No Name, by PetShopBoys",
"Route 66 by Depeche Mode"
"Fly on the Windshield by Depeche Mode"
and
"These Boots are Made for Walking by Mz Nancy Sinatra" type-suggestions are MOST welcome...

Ok people, impress me!