A few things from the past week to report.
Firstly, not only are the guys in Boston's No Trigger rad, but they're a kickass punk rock band in the vein of Strike Anywhere slugging it out with Comeback Kid in a dark alley in New York City. They spent two companionable evenings at my home in suburban Ottawa with van trouble, and it was my pleasure, and that of my roommates, to chill with them a couple days. Check them out.
Secondly, I've never been prouder of the Ottawa hip-hop community than last night at the New Capital Music Hall, when we welcomed Jurassic 5 from Los Angeles to the nation's capital for the first time. It was a sellout, but beyond that, the crowd was more amped up than I've ever seen for a rap show. Kudos to you, Ottawa.
And I did J5's laundry before the show in a weird confluence of events that only illustrate how bizarre my life gets sometimes.
Our friends at TruthExplosion in Toronto are turning three soon! Go have a party with them! Visit the site for deets!
Hopesfall will ideally have their next album out in the spring; they're working on it now with producer Mike Watt(As Cities Burn, As Tall As Lions).
Hawthorne Heights have come out on top in their legal dispute with Victory Records; a judge ruled yesterday that they have grounds for terminating their contract with the label. Ergo, the dispute is NOT "over," as Victory honcho Tony Brummel said earlier this week.
Those who are big into the Taste of Chaos tour concept, here's the confirmed lineup for the next trek: 30 Seconds to Mars, Senses Fail, The Used(a repeat engagement), Saosin and more.
Cursed's Blackout at Sunrise EP contains this new song, so go listen to it. Cursed are awesome.
Speaking of Saosin - and you better believe we were - they're on tour with Underoath and Taking Back Sunday presently, and since TBS' Fred Mascherino has been absent of late, Underoath drummer Aaron Gillespie is singing three songs for TBS while his band's singer Spencer Chamberlain is singing one. And as if that wasn't quite enough interaction, Saosin's Beau and Justin have been alternating on guitar during TBS' sets. I'd like to see this.
Protest the Hero, in between touring overseas with DRAGONFORCE(capitalized because they're awesome), have found time for a little Canadian headlining tour with support from - wow - God Forbid and newcomers The Human Abstract, who are apparently quite good. The tour includes a stop here in Ottawa December 15th at Babylon Nightclub on Bank Street. Be there or I will find you.
When No Trigger were staying Chez Sweetdisaster earlier this week, guitarist Jon Strader had his laptop open on my kitchen table and told us that MxPx have re-signed to Tooth & Nail Records, and I had a hard time believing that til I just read it again. T&N will release the re-done Let It Happen album November 21st.
Word on the web is that bassist Clint Norris(who supplied the clean singing vocals on Shadows Are Security) has left As I Lay Dying. UNconfirmed, so don't get all freaking out and stuff. Yet. [lambgoat]
Ordinarily we do not care about such matters here at the D, but this is too funny: it's being reported that Britney Spears dumped that schmuck Kevin Federline(what a greaseball) via text message as the "rapper"(quotations ours) was filming some sort of reality-TV idiocy for MuchMusic in Toronto. K-Fed apparently took thirty minutes off before resuming filming.
Like mewithoutYou? Like, a lot? Well, then, here's some pictures of Aaron Weiss and company in speedos, courtesy of the deranged kiddies at buzzgrinder.
It was only a matter of time before Fox decided to start abusing Myspace for their own purposes: Louisiana band Bones one day found their Myspace profile - with 2100 'friends' - removed, and in its place was a profile for the Fox show of the same name. There was a mutiny such that Fox actually relented and restored Bones' site. Wow. I mean, it's clear why Fox bought Myspace, but I didn't know if the network would actually go ahead and screw with individuals. Nice.
Indie darlings Cool Hand Luke will release a retrospective album covering their eight year career on January 23rd of the new year.
Posted by mike at November 11, 2006 10:58 PM