SOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Fall Nationals, Night 6 of 10, The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (November 16, 2004).
The Rheostatics, live at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, November 14, 2004. This was the 6th night of their 10 night Fall Nationals run at the Horseshoe. It was a free night and they still played for over 2 hours.
Two versions are available – Mark Sloggett’s soundboard recording and 8 track files provided by Steve Clarkson once again the Clarkson download is crisper and louder but with more crowd noise.
Not a lot of unusual stuff happens in this show. “P.I.N.” is perfect. On “Mumbletypeg,” Dave plays a new opening with some sliding notes. It’s a nice changeup, but it seems to mess up Tim–although he falls into place pretty easily. After the song, Martin notes: “one guitar down, four to go. Good thing we have a reserve.” Then he introduces “this next song we’re gonna do is called “Marginalized” by Tim Vesely.” Dave says,”And we have Chris Stringer on keyboards for the duration.” Mike: “He’s on everything, it just looks like keyboards. He’s just as equally on Jews harp.” Dave: “And very close to being on drums tonight.”
Once again, Martin really into “The Tarleks” especially the loud ending part. Then he says “More songs about invasions,” as they play “Aliens (Christmas 1988).” In the quiet part Dave starts singing “Artenings Made of Gold” and then Kevin Hearn comes up on stage to sing “Monkeybird.” There’s some wild noises and guitar nonsense in the middle. And as “Monkeybird,” ends as Dave is introducing Kevin Hearn, Martin finishes up “Aliens” right where the song left off.
In the second version, you can hear a request–a big shout “Shaved Head” and a smaller shout for “Record Body Count.”
Dave says “Try To Praise This Ordinary World” which “features a poem by Ken Babstock.” There’s no accordion this night and once again, you can’t hear the poem n version 2. Then a surprise of “The Midnight Ride Of Red Dog Ray” which features Chris Stringer on the mandolin with a nice solo mid-song.
Time says “Here Comes The Image” is a song from 2067. The year.” There seems to be a little trouble with the keyboard at first but it comes back and there’s a lovely solo.
Dave says “here’s a plaintive reading of ‘My First Rock Concert.'” he also ups the line to “Michael Stipe was distant, he was nice (he wouldn’t let me touch his dog).” Then he commends: “totally a Saturday night crowd on a Tuesday. That’s was the Argos going to the Grey Cup will do to a Toronto crowd, I tell ya.”
Whether you listen to our new album in the comfort of your own home or a car or … a boat.” Tim: “the comfort of your own boat.” “For those of us who have boats.” This is the first song you’d hear. Tim says canoes the best boat. Dave: “I don’t t know if it’s safe to have a portable CD player in a canoe or kayak. Tim: “I took my canoe to Hot Rod Jimmy’s and had it decked out. The subs are so… the ripples are just you don’t want to be camping next to me.” The first song on that album is “Shack In The Cornfields,” During the middle Dave says, “Stringer, stop stealing my tambourine or Jews harp.” Mike: “Crank it” (Jews harp solo). “Little Bird, Little Bird” has some slide guitar on it and “Pornography” is short and sweet.
Dave says “‘Loving Arms’ was sung by Sarah Harmer on the album and then she went on to be a big star. So we take full credit for her career. How many people were here for Jessie Harris and Justin Rutledge? Thanks for donations tonight for Tim’s childrens’ and my son’s school Alpha Alternative Public School. Mike: “Martin and I’s unborn children get nothing.”
“Saskatchewan” “reprising his starring role in Green Sprouts Music Week 1980 something: Justin Rutledge.” Justin: “It’s my first time playing the Shoe it’s very cool.” He sings it with a nice drawl although the song is incredibly slow.
“Dope Fiends And Boozehounds” has a middle section of “Alomar” after which Tim says “wow, I think the sun shone for a minute there.” After Martin sings “dark side of the moon,” the audience does the howling for him.” Towards the end, Martin starts playing a lovely “Song of Flight.”
Dave says, “we don’t want to keep you out too late. It’s a Tuesday night. We all have cartoons to watch in the morning.” And then they play almost 30 more minutes of music.
“Making Progress” opens with spooky trippy keys to open. It’s followed by a really harsh and aggressive “Feed Yourself.” There’s a long solo section with some spooky keyboards and them Mike says “play the big thing, frighten us, make it do scary shit.” And there’s this huge build up. “This is gonna be good. Wait for it.” Martin: “I hope it doesn’t blow up.” Someone jokes: “Can you do any Tragically Hip on that thing.” But there’s no pay off to whatever was happening.
During the encore break you can hear someone enunciate “Sweet. Rich. Beautiful. Mine.” But instead, Tim comes out to do “First The Wheel” solo. Tim says, “personally I’d like to hear “Satan is the Whistler,” Dave if you’re listening. “When he finishes, he says, “I’d like to welcome back the Toronto cast of Rheostatics.”
Dave mentions “the special guest vocalist night tomorrow with 28 different singers. And Kevin Hearn & Thin Buckle opening.” Tim: “That’s definitely worth coming for. Martin: “Rheo-oke.” Dave says more like we’re the Blues Brothers band backing up these great people.
Thursday night, Danny Michel is here for a double bill and Mike’s brother John Wojewoda and Bluegrass Nightmare. Friday night The Imponderables and The Buttless Chaps.
They honor Tim’s request and play a Rocking “Satan Is The Whistler.” They do it justice and the ending really rocks. The night ends with “Soul Glue.” Martin still has his robotic voice thing and keeps saying “Soul Glue” as an intro and they play a fun, spirited version of it, with Tim really vamping by the end.
[READ: April 22, 2017] The Time Museum
The story opens with a man traveling through time. He is with a group of people whom he tells to flee when he sets off the machine. Cut to 8 months later as the crew is looking for evidence of the man’s success or failure. They don’t see anything. Until the man (known as The Earl) appears from behind a rock with a glowing object which he declares “is TIME.”
Then we meet the main character, Delia Bean. Delia loves science and is a nerd. The other kids don’t love that so much. But summer is coming so that’s okay. And the summer means a trip to Uncle Lydon’s place. He is the coolest because he is curator of the Earth Time Museum–a place outside of normal time where Earth’s wonders are displayed.
When they get to Uncle Lyndon’s house Delia is in heaven (her brother not so much). He winds up going to the town pool but Delia does some research in the neighborhood. While walking round she discovers a (quite frankly adorable) kiwi bird. It licks her and then runs off. By the time she catches it (and names him Tammany), it has led her right to the Museum. The museum is amazing with sights and sounds and smells from the history of the Earth. And that ‘s when Lyndon reveals a secret. Yes, he is from Hoboken, but he is actually from the year 5079. He’s a time traveler.
Why has Delia never been to this museum before? Because Lyndon was waiting for the right time to tell her. He is looking for an intern, the right person to work at the museum, and he thinks she would be it.
Then he reveals that in fact there will be a contest to determine the next intern. And the selection pool will be children from around the world in time and space. First is Michiko who is from roughly 2217. They are to room together and they instantly bond and then take off to explore the museum.
They meet Sir Walter Dixon, honored knight of the garter. He is a walking talking suit of armor (I assume someone is in there) and he is the tour guide and competition instructor. He explains that time travel can be difficult and so they will always travel in groups called Epoch Squads.
Then its time to meet the rest of the competition: Titus Valerius Marianus (ancient Rome), Dex, (Neanderthal) and a woman with a huge amount of blonde hair and an attitude to match Greet Wedderburns–she’s from Scotland and has no doubt that she will win the internship.
So let the challenges begin. After some initial instructions and preliminary tests, they do their first time travel. They head to prehistoric times: Cretaceous Period. And they are on a treasure hunt of sorts. They are meant to stay together but they don’t. They wind up encountering some pretty fearsome dinosaurs. But while Delia is alone, she runs into The Grey Earl–that dude from the beginning. He gives her the glowing object. And while he seems nice there’s also something sinister about him.
After the incident, Greer comes around–she was a bit humbled by seeing the dinosaurs and she offers to help them all out instead of fighting them.
For their next test they head back to the ancient library in Alexandria. But their challenge is interrupted by Grey Earl who shows them a secret hiding spot under the library. Then he attempts to blow up the historical building with the kids in it! What gives, Earl?
The kids are all mad at Delia because she told them to follow the Earl, but Uncle Lyndon tells her that they have to work together or they will never succeed in their final trail. It is set in future London and their task is to find any anachronisms and freeze them. This leads to some very funny misunderstandings and funny anachronisms. And they discover that when they work together they can ask each other about things from their own times. Teamwork is a good thing.
The end of the book sees the return of the Grey Earl who is clearly up to something. And since Delia has that object only she is able to figure out what he’s up to.
The end of the book is full of wonderful surprises which set everything up for the next book (I don’t know how many there will be). There is a surprise challenge for the children and an excellent revelation about Uncle Lyndon both of which lead to great cliffhangers without short-changing the ending of this book.
This is great stuff and a lot of fun for middle and younger readers.
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