The Merriweather Deer

Really excited to see the Merriweather Deer play tonight at the Frindge Club, even more excited to get to interview them as well! Think I'm going to do this one in print rather than as a video, especially since for now since Sadie and I are across the world- it's a bit tricky to keep the camera on the people you are interviewing, while trying to read off of a question sheet. Plus, I haven't done much print in a while, and I do miss it!

http://www.myspace.com/themerriweatherdeer

Oh and I realise I haven't said anything about the Bane show...
MAN it was AMAZING. I can't even begin to describe it... except that the HK hardcore/ underground/ whatever you want to call it scene really came together! I hope that more shows are like that in the future.

Got to chill with the guys in Bane for a while after... they really are the nicest guys ever. I think getting to talk to them made me begin to understand the "youth" that really goes with, and is such an essential mainstay of hardcore. I only hope that by the time I reach their age, that I am as free and full of life and excitement as the guys in Bane are.

Hopefully throughout the summer I'll catch up a bit more with the HK scene, since I've really fallen quite out of sync with it. Hoping to make a quick trip somewhere else as well, so maybe will have the chance to check out some other bands.

Since getting a "real" job and starting my summer class things have been pretty busy-- and I really have not been focusing as much as I hoped I would earlier. I am really going to try my hardest however, to update this blog as much as I can!! Also really hoping to upload podcasted versions of a few of the radio shows that we managed to Salvage off of the Fusionradio computer-- a WHOLE bunch of our shows got mysteriously deleted however. If anyone knows anything about podcasting, let me know! I really have no clue as to what I am supposed to do! =\

- Becky

Shai Hulud Show

Man, it was SO NICE to be at a Hong Kong show again. As much as I do enjoy shows in Toronto, there is something very special about seeing bands in Hong Kong. As much as saying that kids at shows outside of North America are much more excited, and do not take hardcore for granted has become a cliche, I think I have definetely come to agree with it. While it is a real treat to be in Toronto where the volume of bands passing through is super high, I have to say that in comparison to being in HK, where shows are definetely more sparse, I always got more excited about going to a show than I seem to in Toronto. Or maybe part of it is just being older? Who knows.

Anyhow, Shai Hulud came through and played at the Warehouse this past weekend, and even though it wasn't the most packed show I've ever been to, it was definetely packed with energy. The dudes in Shai Hulud were so nice too! Not just nice and friendly, but so incredibly humble. I was surprised to find out after the show that their front man is 19, I'm not sure why but I thought he was way older, I guess cause the band has been around for quite a while. This show was such a good start to the summer, and now I really can't wait to see Bane this friday, especially since King Lychee and the Lovesong are opening, two of my favourite HK bands, who I haven't seen play for a good while. It's going to be an awesome night!

- Becky

TWO AWESOME WAYS TO START OFF THE SUMMER

FOR ALL YOU HONG KONG PEEPS:

SFS presents....

At Both Ends, Devotion, Verse & Dungbeetle

Justin passed me a copy of At Both Ends Fanzine (http://atbothendsmagazine.blogspot.com/) -- well the last issue of it anyway-- yesterday... AMAZING! It came with a pressing of a Bane 7" and some others, as well as an interview with Mark Palm, who was in Go It Alone, about his new project, Devotion, and an older interview with Sean Murphy of Verse. I didn't know that something else had popped out after Go It Alone died out, but was SOOOO stoked about learning of Devotion, cause Go It Alone are one band that I really would have loved to see play. Anyway check out some tracks from Devotion's Bastard Son of Affluence here: http://thesearemoderntimes.blogspot.com/ to me Devotion really has a Go It Alone vibe, but perhaps, more "southern", if that makes sense? Awesome awesome band. Hopefully Devotion will get out and play some shows. Here is a video interview of Mark Palm to check out:

Devotion from John Jenkins-Stark on Vimeo.

Also, the interview of Sean from Verse was phenomenal! The person who did it really got at some I don't know, good questions, like... meaningful questions. Things I feel like maybe dungbeetle has been missing in the last few interviews we've done. I think I'd like to look at getting some back issues of At Both Ends, don't think I'll be able to do it soon since I'm moving out of my house in a week or so.

Anyway, also checking out this zine is compelling me to really work on Dungbeetle this summer, especially since the radio show is looking like it worked out this semester and will start up in September again. Also, since I've had little luck with finding a job, and really only have 2 3-hour days of class to fill my time... I thin it is something that I will be able to give a shot at working on. I'd like to get the blog functional, and really just clean up the video clippings in the interviews, so the videos we put out are "finished", almost. I don't know, but I know I haven't been too happy with the way the videos have turned out, my video editing skills are pretty crap. Hha so maybe that is something to work on? I'm not sure, just smoothen out the edges.

Anyhooo, gna peace. 2 Exams tomorrow, but almost done!! =]

-Becky

The Merriweather Deer

YO! Check out The Merriweather Deer , the latest music featuring Eprihem from Whence He Came and the Lovesong, Glenn from Shepherds the Weak, Gideon So from Noughts and Exes, Don Cruz from Audiotraffic, and Lee Yat Ding of the Lovesong. They have got a few demo up on their myspace http://www.myspace.com/themerriweatherdeer . I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing them play this summer, it would be really cool to get to interview them too. 852 rep yo.

-Becky

KLC Show

So, it turns out I got my flight times mixed up and am arriving in HK a day later than I thought, which means I missed out on the King Lychee show... word is from Riz's facebook status that it definetely topped off recent HK shows. UGH! Wish I'd left Toronto a day earlier... Oh well... Evan should have picked up a copy of their new cd though, good news. =]

ALLLLMOOOST HOOOOMMMEEEE, when this stopover in Vancouver is through...

- Becky

Christmas & New Year

Super stoked for Hong Kong in six days,

as soon as I arrive I'm rushing home to drop off my stuff, shower, change, head out and catch King Lychee with Protoss, Mensheng, In Love and Pain, and Maniac for day #2 of KLC's CNHC tour. I haven't seen KLC play since May when they played with Have Heart,so I'm really looking forward to this! It's a bit of change not seeing them play for song long since I used to see them play quite a bit when I was still in HK. They've got a few new songs out which are up on their myspace that will be on their 10th Anniversary Cd, which will also have a bunch of their older songs on it too.

And then after the Christmas break in....

Another Breath are playing with Make Do And Mend on Janurary 16 at Siesta.. I've wanted to see Another Breath for such a long long long time, I jumped in my seat which I saw the facebook event request like WHOA!! Also, Make Do and Mend are awesome, missed them when they were here last but am really glad to get to see them again!

And then on the 23rd... Terror are playing

AND! Trapped Under Ice, Death Threat, Revenge, Plus Minus and Fortune Teller are playing a show in Toronto, Can't wait to see TUI again. They were here a few weeks ago, but didn't end up seeing them cause of a final a few days later, plus it was a little on the pricy end for a line up that I don't think I would have enjoyed that much. Can't wait to see them.

The new year looks quite promising!

-Becky