The Octopus Project

This is gonna be my first show review EVER!! lol let me know what you think, ok? I had an opportunity to check out a band called “the Octopus Project” last night @ Lee’s Palace. One of my friends saw them last time when they were in Toronto. But since the show was double-booked with another band, they had to play at a different location. Thus, the audience was only about 5 people due to the problem. My lucky friend got to see them and told me how great it was. So, without having any plans on Tuesday night, I decided to check them out with him. I had listened to a couple of their songs before the show. It was not the type of Music that I usually like. But they sounded pretty decent. So finally I made up my mind and went to one of my favourite places, Lee’s Palace.

The last time that I was there, I saw Butch Walker.. When I got to the place, all the nostalgic memories came back to my mind... Ummm, Butch walker… Please come back to Toronto ASAP! After a couple of beers and a chat with friends of his, the opening band, Modern boys Modern Girls started playing. The First impression,,, they sounded ok. The solid sounds from the drums and bass . I wanted to hear more guitar solos though. The vocal was ok, but nothing special about it. Anyhow, after a few songs, they sounded all the same..

Despite a little bit of disappointment of the first band, I got more curious to see the Octopus Project.The place started becoming crowded. The kids are going closer to the stage. The members of the band showed up and started setting up their instruments and on the stage (they set up two ghosts on the stage lol). Some of the instruments are pretty… odd. I was asking my friend what they are. I’d never seen them before in my entire life. Especially, there was a wood-ish instrument next to 2 key boards. It was called a “Theremin”. It is an electronic instrument and can be controlled without touching it. It looked really interesting when the band member was playing. Their songs are more like instrumental, not much singing involved. The projected screen showed all sorts of music videos. Creative!!

The best thing that blows my mind was the band members switch their instruments quite often. It’s basically everybody can play anything, seriously! The drummer was playing the drums, but all the sudden he was playing the guitar… things like that!!!

Well, overall the show was something of an extraordinary mind blowing show for sure I did record one song for this blog and took a couple of pictures for you guys. ENJOY!!

The Rural Alberta Advantage

I went CD shopping with my friends on Sunday, but I didn't intend to buy any CDs. As my friend spent 85 bucks on CDs, I was starting browsing around the store. Then I finally found a CD called HOMETOWN from the Rural Alberta Advantage. I came to know them when I was reading their CD reviews on the Metro, the free newspaper in Toronto. As I have been trying to check out a lot of new bands recently, I went to the spinner.ca, where you can listen to a lot of new released CDs. Luckily, I found the CD on the website and fall in love shortly after starting listening to the first song, "The ballad of RRA" I and my friend totally agreed the drummer from this band is AMAZING!! I was gonna buy their CD via online, but you know, since I found it in the store, I just got it.

I just love the album so much. I have been listening to it wherever I go. In the subway, you can totally find me air drumming lol haha. If you spot me doing that, just say "the RAA rocks eh?"

Ok, let me talk about the band a little bit. The band is based in Toronto! (YAY it’s our LOCAL band!!!) However, how come they call themselves “The Rural Alberta Advantage" !? Because the singer has grown up in Alberta and their songs reminds the beauty of the nature in Alberta. The below sentences are from their Myspace website: http://www.myspace.com/theraa

The Rural Alberta Advantage play indie-rock folk songs about hometowns and heartbreak, born out of images from growing up in Central and Northern Alberta. They sing about summers in the Rockies and winters on the farm, ice breakups in the spring time and the oil boom’s charm, the mine workers on compressed, the equally depressed, the city’s slow growth and the country’s wild rose, but mostly the songs just try to embrace the advantage of growing up in Alberta




Anyhow, they are playing on this Thursday, July 30st at the Horseshoe. The ticket is only $10 adv and $12 at the door. I’m totally going for sure! Wanna join me!?!?

GO!GO!7188

I was gonna write something else today. But all the drafts that I have made got erased.. so maybe for another time.

So in the last posting, I was talking about my high school classmate who introduced me into the North American Music. My music taste has totally changed during my high school life. I was more into J-pop scene. But a band, called GO!GO!7188 totally changed it. They suddenly appeared in the Japanese indie music scene with a song called "jet ninjin" (which means Jet Carrot lol) A 3 piece band, Yuu, akko, and turky. With very unique lyrics and songs,they have been very popular not only in Japan, but also in the North America as well. In fact, 2 years ago, they came to NY and Chicago. I had a chance to see them in NY! it was such a amazing show and I got a chance to talk with Yuu and Akko!! OMG, you can tell how excited I was!!!

I will post 2 of my favorite songs.



The first song is called Tokyo. I love this song because the bass line is amazing. and it's just so different!



The second song is called "Ukibune" This song made them more popular. I decided to post not their original music PV, but their live. I thought they are awesome in shows.

well if you requested, I could translate both songs. let me know what you think about the band!!