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Just received this gem for you.
No editing was needed for this in the slightest.
I have decided to omit the email addressess I'm receiving these from in case it's an email worm and not actually spam.


Re: hi

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reviews reviews and more reviews

Ever have one of those moments when you have too much to say about something so you end up saying nothing? That's been my last two weeks. Not terribly condusive to blogging is it.

Last-Last weekend was the Vancouver Folk Festival. I worked most of the time at the fest so I didn't really get to see much of the performances save for when I was walking from point A to point B. Mostly it was a titch boring as the job I was doing didn't involve a lot of mental strain. It was also an emotional weekend as it was the year anniversary of the death of a friend. His memorial tree and bench also happened to be mere feet from where I was working. I did see a lot of other dear friends that weekend though and that's always very nice.

Last weekend was the Mission Folk Festival. It was WAY too hot to be in Mission. I did my best to fight heat exhaustion but the sun fought back harder. It also didn't help that I worked all weekend lugging gear in and out of a sauna-like moving van. Of course the music was fabulous and the evenings, sitting around listening to the musicians jam, was a real treat. I also got to meet some rather exceptional people and that too is always very nice. Will I do it again next year? I would...if not for the heat. That's pretty much a deal-breaker for me.

THIS weekend I did not work (WOO!). Instead 2 of my best gals, JJ and J, and I went out to an incredible meal at O'Doul's to celebrate J's birthday. We were all quite heady with it all. Our server "Hot Jayson" was even kind enough to chill our "water" to take to the beach after to continue the celebrations. What a beautiful evening. This also marked the 10 year Friendiversary for JJ and I. I'm so incredibly lucky to have such fabulous gals in my life. They truly are my sisters (along with K who now lives in Victoria).

But there's more...yesterday I had grand plans to go hang out on a beach to celebrate a co-worker's birthday (who's number I lost so I wasn't able to locate them) and then wander around Illuminares. As much as I love a good lantern festival there was no way I was going to miss seeing the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir when I found out last minute they would be in town. I thought I was being smart and didn't show up to The Railway to meet up with last weekend's friends until 11pm, thinking I'd get there in time to maybe catch some of the 2nd act and settle in for some good ole mountain music. But in true Vancouver style, the first act (The Mountain Bluebirds) was still on stage. Fortuitous for me though as it ended up being a band I'd heard about and had been wanting to see. As they themselves state it's where Paperboys banjo players go to die - Brad Gillard is their regular banjo player and Cam Salay was filling in. Next up was Old Joe - which played quite an array of styles - mostly revolving around folk-punk. My favourite was the klezmer-punk tune. They fit quite nicely in with my collection of odd genres. And really, how could you not love a band that does a song about the CBC. Ahhh, and then The Agnostics. I'm a little bit in love with Judd Palmer. The man's a children's book author, a puppeteer and a banjo player. *swoon* But beyond all that, he's a downright lovely fellow. I'm not even going to try to describe the band - just go to their website and listen to them. The one drawback from this evening of musical treats was that it reminded me how much I HATE seeing shows at The Railway. It's got to be the worst room in the city. It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so good at booking great bands, but they are, so they end up trying to pack way too many people into that front room. It's just wrong. At least their sound system seems to have been upgraded. I really hope the next time The Agnostics come back it's to the Media Club (unlikely) or Richards on Richards.

This morning is the first time I've slept in past 9pm in over a decade.

New poetry

This one is a bit more free-verse than usual.



Re: Katherine
by 230garrick@regiomontano.com

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 02:34:10 -0400
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Freedom

Be free, Wonderhorse, be free.



You've earned it.

Esoteric Spam Poetry

Some of the email spam I get is downright deep.
I thought I'd share some with you.

I have reconfigured it for style but nothing has been deleted or added.


BX
by MalloryDuvall@0points.com

that?

There are too many buzzards, that's why there isn't a single clean
appeared;
but then a silver cobweb exploded
on the sun and Kirill was no
probably would have called him Pretty Boy Artie.

We used to have another




Here's another winner featuring Kirill.
Could this be a message from another world?

M8 6
by ArleneRoman@mail.ru

hankies and an orchestra.

"Thank you, doctor.

My fellow Harmonites!

Finally we have heard a clear
In other words, we didn't touch on the subject again.
Kirill phoned PPS
Jonathan was dazzled. He forgot to ask about heaven.

"How do you do

Jazz Fest - The Final Day

What a way to end the fest - with a gorgeous day spent in David Lam Park, baking in the sun with good friends & family and fabulous music.



We went down there around 1:30 and caught a bit of Gary Comeau - although I was disappointed that my friend Johnny wasn't playing with them. Then we met up with my brother and wee nephew (who I chased half way round the park - or at least it felt like it) while we listened to Moses Mayes. We decided we should wander around a bit to find some shade and I bumped into a number of friends I hadn't seen in awhile - which, aside from the music, is precisely why I love jazz fest. We really wanted to stick around for Santa Lucia but we were starting to feel a bit sun-strokey, so we headed over to my friend's place for a couple of hours to recharge and eat sushi. This was the best thing we could have done - we felt SO much better afterwards. We got back in time to get a decent spot on the grass for a show I've been looking forward to for awhile - Orquesta Goma Dura. They're a 20 piece latin jazz orchestra from Vancouver and I try to never miss a show but I've been really slacking off lately. Unfortunately they weren't quite the powerhouse they normally are but I can imagine it would be rather difficult to keep up any energy in that heat. They were still wonderful though. I was just thrilled that I got to hear Danny play his signature incomparable bari sax solo.



So by the time we left the area it was about 10pm. Not a bad way to end the festival at all.

Jazz Fest - 4 down, 2 to go

I'd been looking forward to this night for some time now and not just because it was exactly 15 years ago (that day) that my Greyhound bus first rolled into Vancouver after 31 hours on the road. (Look out Vancouver cuz here I am and I ain't never leavin'!) (sorry, just rewatched The Thing Called Love)

First off was a dinner out with My Very Best Friend (who I've known for 10 years this summer). It's a treasured and all too rare occurrence to have a night out with just the two of us. Incidentally - the Peter Lehmann Cabernet-Merlot-Shiraz is really lovely. Normally I'm not much of a fan of blends but this was really nice.



On to the shows! The opening act was a local group - New Orleans North - the type of band that has you smiling from the first note. This quartet of cornet, clarinet, drums and piano where completely charming and, as my friend said, cheeky. To me, nothing says New Orleans jazz like the sound of a clarinet. Their music was such a beautiful tribute to New Orleans, they were just the perfect appetizer to the main act - The Preservation Hall Jazz Band.



I had seen Preservation Hall when they were in town two years ago and I knew at the time if they ever returned I would need to see them again. This band had such an amazing presence and energy - which is especially impressive considering I think their average age is about 70. It felt like the crowd would have been perfectly willing to give them a standing ovation after each and every song (had this not been in Vancouver where apparently we even need permission to clap along to the music). They didn't let us get away with being passive though - they demanded interaction. I must admit, I'm not much of an applauder after solos because I want to hear what's coming next, but even I was cheering loudly after every one. Well, you couldn't help but cheer for that drummer. Talk about cheeky. I had already commented to my friend that I wasn't really all that impressed with the drum solo during New Orleans North's set so when this Preservation Hall guy did his thing it was like he was inadvertantly saying "THIS, my friends, is how it's done". Basically this show lived up to my expectations as I knew it would. Save for one little odd...I shudder thinking about it. I wish I could convey to you exactly what it was like to watch their guest singer. This guy was in his early to mid 20s and he really just did not fit in. His singing was fine, if not a little uncreative, but man oh man he was intense. I thought he may go into a seizure at any minute. The only saving grace was that he only came out for two songs. I'm hoping my friend comments on this - maybe she can describe the experience a bit better. To end the show, after parading up and down the aisles collecting audience members in a parade that led onto the stage, they played the most heartbreaking rendition of "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans" which has of course now taken on a haunting new meaning.

My evening was not yet over though. After dropping my friend off at home I scooted over to O'Douls (my new home away from home) where another friend of mine (the very same one I keep meeting at O'Douls of course) was holding a table for us. Every year I always have to catch a bit of Kate Hammett-Vaughn and this year was not going to be an exception. I sometimes forget how much I enjoy watching her sing. She so obviously LOVES what she does and it shines through her and you can most definitely hear it in her voice.



Once her set was done I ordered me a Black Plague Stout and settled in for the jam. There were the usual treats of getting to hear young Mr. Morgan Childs, Bill Coon and Brad Turner, in addition to what has become one of my favourite things about this year's festival - getting to hear Adam Thomas (who is normally a bassist) sing. What an incredible and soothing voice. I could listen to him all night. He wasn't the only one to get up and sing though. I have finally (FINALLY) seen Denzel Sinclaire sing. Can you believe I hadn't? He is absolutely.... He was just.... well, he took my breath away. Just when I think this year couldn't get any better.