SOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Fall Nationals, Night 1 of 10, The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (December 8, 2005).
This series of ten concerts contains the final Rheostatics live shows that are left to write about–except for their “final shows” and their “reunion shows” (which I really hope to see some day). This was the 1st night of their last 10 night Fall Nationals run at the Horseshoe. Ford Pier was on keyboards.
These shows seem significantly shorter that the 2004 Fall Nationals. This show is under 2 hours–practically unheard of in a Fall Nationals. Unlike the 2004 Fall Nationals, however, they are not promoting an album, so there is a lot more diversity of songs.
This recording is from the audience, so there’s a (shocking) amount of chatter from fans. You also can’t hear everything that’s said into the mics, so you have to listen close if you want to hear audience interaction.
The show opens with them talking to fans from San Diego (Mike: “that means Saint Diego”). Dave asks how long they’re here. He says well, we have three chances, then.
“Loving Arms” is a sweet opening from Tim. Then Martin starts announcing in a smarmy voice “I’m a member. Hi there.” It’s a launch into “CCYPA” (Miek: “in an election year, imagine that”). Tim follows with a quick “Song Of The Garden.”
Then Dave starts playing the opening to “Fat” to much applause. “That’s Ford Pier on the keyboards. That’s Tim Vesely on the keyboards. That’s Martin Tielli on the keyboards.” During the end jam section, there’s some loud, unusual backing vocals which I assume are from Ford Pier.
Martin: “What’s the first note of the next song, Dave? I’m feeling a little shaky. But that’s what this song [‘Fish Tailin”]is about so it should lend itself to this current number. After this comes “Mumbletypeg” Martin: “That is David Augustino Bidini. Dave wrote this song. All by himself!” It romps along nicely.
Next is the first of a couple new songs. “Sunshine At Night” is actually a song hat Tim would release on his 2008 Violet Archers disc Sunshine at Night (where it is mostly the same but more fleshed out and better-sounding).
Martin is having fun with the “Hi there” smarmy voice as an intro to “The Tarleks.” It’s followed by “Marginalized” which has a rather lengthy and dramatic piano solo in the middle.
Martin: “That was by Timothy Warren Vesely.” Ford: “Stop shouting everyone’s middle names, Jesus.” Dave: “Martin is obsessed with middle names, whenever he meets someone new he says ‘What’s your middle name?” Mike: “Yeah right but whats your middle name.” Ford continues, “A friend of mine was engaged to a woman from Slovenia. When she came to visit she was astonished to hear that everyone had a middle name–are you all rich? It was a difficult thing to explain to her. She associated middle named with wealth? Middle names were not a concept that came to her block in Ljubljana. Tim: “Ford tried to convince her it had something to do with wealth.”
Then came a song, “The Land Is Wild.” This would eventually be released on Bidiniband’s 2009 album The Land is Wild. It’s pretty much the same although this earlier version has a few lines that are not in the final. A line about him being in his own head and listening to Metallica, Ozzy or Queen. There’s another line about tickling the net and being lost in his head. Both of these lines are left off in the final. Interestingly, the final verse about fishing with his old man and his death were added later.
Martin says that for “Here Comes the Image,” Augustine is going to play the drums and Dimitrius is going to play the keyboard.”
As they start, “It’s Easy To Be With You,” Dave says, “My friend this is no time to be talking on your phone, there’s some serious rock n roll happening up here. Take a picture with your mind.”
It’s followed by a beautiful “Stolen Car.” Martin’s vocals are just so good. After the song ends, properly, there’s an extra acoustic strumming section that soon becomes “Nowhere Man” sung by Selina Martin.
Dave notes that it has been 25 years since John Lennon was killed. The world has gotten a lot shittier.
Ford then says, “You know who was really burned on that score? Darby Crash, lead singer of The Germs. He committed suicide with an intentional heroin overdose the same day. Five years earlier David Bowie said they only have five years left. So he told his band mates hat five years from now he was going to off himself. They ignored him, but he did. And then three hours later the Walrus gets blown away.”
Dave’s takeaway: “Never take advice from David Bowie. He told me to buy a wool suit. Well actually Springsteen told me, but Bowie told him.”
Tim once ate some hot soup with David Bowie.
We’ll do a couple more for you seeing as how it’s Thursday. Tim: “Can you do a little pretty intro for me that you sometimes do?” Dave does and “Making Progress ” sounds big and more rocking than usual (the keys help). Martin plays a more rocking guitar solo before settling in to the pretty ending. When it’s over you can hear Dave says “we can call him Timmy, I’m not sure you can call him… Well, I guess you just did. Is this your third straight year? Fourth? You’ve earned the right to call him Timmy.”
Thanks to the Creaking Tree String Quartet they were beyond awesome. I can’t wait to see them again tomorrow night. The set ends with a lovely version of “Self Serve Gas Station” with some great piano additions. The song ends in a long jam with trippy keys a fun solo from Martin. As he walks off Martin says, “I smoke Gaulioses Blue cigarettes, since they can’t advertise. The flavor! And so did John Lennon and Bruce Cockburn.”
After the encore, Dave sings and acoustic “Last Good Cigarette.” When Martin comes back out they play a surprising encore song of “Song Of Flight” which segues into a mellow intro for “In This Town.” By by the end it picks up steam and rocks to the end.
It was a fairly short first show, of the Fall Nationals, but they played a lot of interesting stuff.
[READ: April 20, 2017] Friends is Friends
This book had a lot going against it. The title is virtually impossible to find in a catalog (3 words long, 2 words repeat, the other word is “is” and the one main word is incredibly common in children’s books, ugh). On top of that, no libraries near me carried it. And then its got that creepy-ass cover.
Reviews of the book weren’t very positive either. So my hopes weren’t very high.
And even with low hopes, I was still pretty disappointed. (more…)
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SOUNDTRACK: PHOEBE BRIDGERS-“Kyoto” (2020).
I’ve heard this song a bunch and I like it more each time.
The Rheostatics, live at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, November 14, 2004. This was 
I Just Read About That... 