Taranta

So it has been a couple of days since I have had a stable enough internet connection to post thangs, so here we go!

It was looking like we were going to have a day off on Thursday night, but we ended up jumping on a bill in Burlington, Ontario with Vancouver band Castle Grey Skull, TCD, and a local. This was located at the Legendary Red Rooster Vintage Cafe, and it was pretty fun and we played loud on a big stage. After the show TCD got locked out of their van, so to kill time while CAA arrived we played soccer in the parking lot and Castle Grey Skull started up their barbeque and cooked us up some beans and deer sausage. Great cats, those guys.

We spent the following day eating at a great Polish breakfast joint and roaming the streets of Toronto. I am really impressed by the city . . . it has been more than 10 years since I’d last been here and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. . . and I have to say that I am really impressed. We’re probably in town at the exactly right time (not snowy, not super hot), but everything is green and there is so many people around. The market streets are a crazy diverse community and people have been super friendly to us. Friday night we played at the Hard Luck Bar with TCD and The Isosceles Project, and got to see some old friends. The light setup at the venue was insane; it was like buying a ticket for the psychedelic highway and then breaking off the cruise control, if that makes any sense. We stayed up late and ate late night shawarma, although that is pretty relative as I don’t think I have been to bed before 4 am in the last 10 days.

Saturday we rambled on Queens Street and looked at the Moog boutique and Steve’s Music Store. Ultra cool stuff (out of my price range). We ate at a place that was right on the main street and I thought that it was going to be super pricey, but virtually everything was $4. And damn good. Later I got lost briefly as I didn’t have a cell phone with me to locate anyone else so that they could tell me where I was. Eventually I found the van and clambered inside for a snooze. We found out that our Saturday gig was cancelled, and were mulling over what to do – which led us to call Castle Grey Skull and they were kind enough to let us jump on their bill at the Hard Luck Bar. The show was good times and we drank with those fellows for a while and made brilliant plans for the near and distant future. Super exciting times. On the way home we got stopped at a roadcheck - Paul was the designated driver so we had no worries, but the constable inquired as to whether Paul had drank, which he replied in the negative. Then he said "At first I thought I smelt alcohol, but it is not that - what is that smell." Julian informed him of our status as a touring band that has been in a van stewing in our own juices. He laughed and sent us on our way. It is possible he was smelling the volatile organic compounds released in the air after late night shawarma.

Tonight we play at a venue that is made to look like a boat (it is called “The Boat” . . . ) located in Kensington Market. And tomorrow is Paul’s birthday and some very interesting plans are in the works. . .

- Calum

We are staying at Scott's Aunt's place in Toronto. She has two dogs, this one is Piper, he's an active fellow. The other one is named Holly, she is lot more low key.

Band cats starting up the old barbeque for some parking lot eats.

Grass in Toronto.

Looking way up.