garble

When thoughts rush out and spring new tributary-thoughts with them that ultimately generate a thousand more streams can be frustrating. Sometimes it seems like things are turning out to resemble a Godard traffic scene in the middle of nowhere where the road is narrow, and there's simply no way for you to turn back and the truck in front of you is carrying livestock, and you're top is down and broken, so there's no way of blocking the stench, and the humidity is making it all worse...

You're watching this whole thing as if in a dream sequence, and you have no idea what is going on and where this scene is going to lead to, and there's no way of finding out because the dialogue is unclear. Everyone is talking at the same time, and even the subtitles aren't helping. The scene goes on for days, ages, until you feel so sick, you don't even get to see how it all comes together in the end - if it does.

Pocket Diving: NXNE Day 5

-- reposted from Static --


Sunday was a good day for winding down. I got to Bellwoods just in time for Gregory Peck and His Problems, and did some more pocket-diving:

Feurd, The Elwins: phone, wallet covered in paper, cleaning cloth for this glasses, guitar pick, and keys attached to his favourite key chain ("It's a cash register from the '80s!")



Spencer, The Fabulous Yawn: artist badge, notebook with his setlist, wallet, and lighter



Bobby, Young Lions Music Club: loose change, phone, wallet, keys attached to a broken keychain, lighter, and someone else's phone



Annie: Her dress doesn't have a pocket, but Annie was holding on to this paper airplane.



Erika: twizzlers, sunglasses, Djuna Barnes book, wallet, cigarettes



Mitch, Born Ruffians: earphones, wallet and loose change, phone, keys, faded Canadian passport, a transfer ticket, and an airport receipt from Florida, where he went to recently


And here's Luke.

Pocket Diving: NXNE Day 4

-- reposted from Static --


My brain has turned to mush, no thanks to Redbull and… life, I guess.
Saturday at Urban Outfitters on Yonge & Dundas was the first daytime event I’ve attended this week. I arrived just after 2, in time to catch Zulu Winter for the third time. Their set was a little different from the last two I saw at the Rivoli and Lee’s, which I think further proves their range as musicians. It was great, albeit very short.


Obviously, more pockets were looked into.

Sophia: empty pockets!



Josh, Urban Outfitters: various camera gear, wallet, phone, keys, and $1.01



Morgan, Urban Outfitters: US passport, Urban ID and various cards, phone, and polaroid snaps of bands in the yet-to-be-released film with coloured frames from The Impossible Project



Iain, Zulu Winter: artist badge, guitar pick, gum wrapper, earphones, gum, Canadian change, wallet, phone


At Dundas Square…

Jen: cards in a clip, $10, keys and earplugs



Max: sunglasses that Max purchased recently for $5, paper with party info, keys, phone, media badge


After Of Montreal’s set, I left the mess that was Dundas Square and headed to the Garrison…

Stefan, Topanga: phone, keys, loose change, multiple guitar picks, wallet and an envelope of money from the show they did the night before in Buffalo

Pocket Diving: NXNE Day 3

-- reposted from Static --


Day 3 of NXNE slackened a bit for me. By the time I finished work and was ready to show-hop again, there were very little options for daytime events. Either they had already finished or were just about to. (My luck with day shows hasn’t been so great, so far.)
Naturally, a Redbull was downed. The Friday line-up at Lee’s won me over when I was planning my schedule, so I planted myself there all night. Too bad Aviva and I missed 2:54. Oh, well. Life goes on. Arrived just in time for DIIV’s set.


I didn’t get to bug very many people for pocket investigations, sadly. So this will be a short (but a good) one:

Yahlehly, Static Zine: hair tie, lipstick, melted lolly that was actually stuck to the fabric of her pocket (we struggled in the girls’ washroom to pull it out and failed quite miserably; I’m sure we raised some awkwardness in the air for the people around us, but whatevz), ticket stubs/receipts, transit pass, and a necklace



Brad Oberhofer: random papers, one of which included the name of a girl from a deli he ate earlier that day (he invited her to the show; she gave him free coffee — win-win), some change (Brad collects lucky pennies from everywhere), and krazy glue to protect his fingers while playing ze guitar

Pocket Diving (and shoe-snapping): NXNE Day 2

-- reposted from Static --


NXNE Thursday began with me wandering around like a stray cat. I was turned away from the Smith Westerns/Dusted island show, which I later discovered meant missing out on free backpacks. My plan B was Julie Doiron at Trinity Bellwoods, which I also found myself too late for.
Before the festival started, I thought I created a pretty pared down schedule, with deliberate overlaps meant for changes of mind, heart and whatever else. Anyway, I ended up at the El Mo a lot earlier than planned. After a few minutes in the downstairs room, I already wanted to go home, take a nap, then curl up and watch Buffy… or you know, write my damn essay. But the misery didn’t last, thank goodness.
Upstairs, Boxer the Horse were being delightful and fun. My only regret was not going up sooner. I only caught the tail-end of their set.


Then, I asked a few more people to empty out their pockets:

Joe, Mechanical Forest Sound: notebook, camera, wallet, recording gear



Pete, Sticky Magazine: earplugs, phone, Sticky Magazine stickers, cards, keys, camera gear (in bag)



Aaron: keys, loose change, wallet, pills, phone, contacts



Andy, Army Girls: keys attached to an awesome keychain and a drink ticket


At the Rivoli...

Will, Zulu Winter: a 4-month old guitar pick, which Will was particularly proud of, wallet, lighter, and loose change of different currencies; He was in the UK, France, Ireland, America, and now Canada all in the span of a week, he explained.


Throughout the night, I also ended up taking photos of shoes.

This guy from Jane’s Party had these really striking red moccasin loafers, which I tried but failed to capture.



Rituals at the El Mo



I particularly liked that the guys from Zulu Winter all had English weather-beaten footwear. Too bad the lighting/photos didn’t capture all that character.


And saving the best for last…

Carmen Elle from Army Girls’ shoes. I’ve had terrible timing and have always missed the opportunity to see them before. I had Red Bull just before their set, so I was ready for them to melt my face off.




I was thinking of maybe altering the spelling of my name. Instead of Carmel, I could be Carmelle… then maybe I could be closer to being almost as cool as Carmen Elle.

Pocket Diving: NXNE Day 1

For NXNE, I decided to stick my nose into people's pockets... figuratively, of course.


-- reposted from Static --
My NXNE Wednesday started with pushing against elderly theatre-goers while lugging a pile of books on Albert Camus on King W on my way to the Hyatt to pick up my badge. (The Camus books were borrowed from the library for an essay I am working on for class, and not some over-the-top way of accessorizing. Though lugging it with me all night reminded me of that episode of Daria where her sister Quinn asks her what goes with the existentialist because she wanted to coordinate her outfits.)
After badges were picked up, I squeezed in some time to work on my essay before heading to the Static launch. (The essay is due Monday, and it is not going to write itself! I also have a presentation to prepare for, but NXNE is already draining me up inside already. We shall see if this spiralling will lead to madness later. Will keep you posted.)
Anyway, academic stuff aside, I’ve decided to photograph the contents of people’s pockets throughout NXNE, and here’s what people have shown me:


At the Static launch at Of A Kind…
Melody, Static Zine: earplugs and a phone



Aviva, Static Zine: anxious hands and crumpled transit tickets/transfers



Wini, Singing Lamb: 2 lip balms, phone, keys, and a reusable bag


[BAG EDITION]



David: Because, why wouldn’t you carry around your friend’s graduation photo?! –and sundries



Rochelle: essentials


[back to pockets...]

Felizia: a hair tie!



Brandon: the usual phone, keys, wallet trifecta + ipod, gum, loose change, a pull tab, and a map



Brian: cards stored in a tin cardholder!



Alex, Braves: smoothie bar business card


At the Meligrove after-party...

Travis, The Elwins: a copy of Static and a rock



Heather: a candy wrapper



Katie: vintage earrings and a Werthers Original!



Matthew, The Elwins: loose change, a lip balm and a card

tentative NXNE '12 schedule

I'm already overwhelmed, but the festival hasn't even started yet! Nevertheless, I am excited to write and share with everyone my NXNE shenanigans for Static! I can feel it in my bones, it's going to be good!

Tuesday, June 12
2pm     Carnival Moon @ Lavish & Squalor

Wednesday, June 13
5--9     Static #4 Launch @ Of A Kind (1037 College St W)
7--11   Meligrove after-party (586 Richmond St)
9pm    Army Girls @ Supermarket

Thursday, June 14
2:45    Army Girls @ JangBang
1--7    Audioblood rooftop party (435 Spadina Ave)
--:--     Julie Dioron (Bellwoods)
6pm    Dusted (Gibraltar Point, island)
--:--      Smith Westerns (Gibraltar Point, island)
10pm  Army Girls @ El Mo
10pm  Hands & Teeth @ Silver Dollar
12am  Bleached @ Silver Dollar
12am  Zulu Winter @ Rivoli
1am    Julie Doiron @ Lower Great Hall

Friday, June 15
8:30    Plants and Animals @ Dundas Sq
9pm    2:54 @ Lee's
10pm  DIIV @ Lee's
11pm  Parlovr @ Silver Dollar
11pm  Ryan O'Reilly @ El Mo
11pm  Friends @ Lee's
12am  Oberhofer @ Lee's
2am    Zulu Winter @ Lee's

Saturday, June 16
--:--     UO in-store
1--5    Boat party: Bleached, Hooded Fang (board at 207 Queens Quay W)
--:--     Ryan O'Reilly (Bellwoods)
--:--     Paper Lions (Bellwoods)
2pm    Luke Lalonde (218 Brock Ave)
3:40   THOMAS (218 Brock Ave)
4:20    Henri Faberge (218 Brock Ave)
2pm    Parlovr (Dundas Sq)
6pm    Oberhofer (Dundas Sq)
7pm    Of Montreal (Dundas Sq)
8pm    Portugal. The Man (Dundas Sq)
9pm    The Flaming Lips (Dundas Sq)
12am  Carnival Moon @ Czehoski

Sunday, June 17
--:--    Army Girls (Bellwoods)
8pm   Laura Marling @ Phoenix*


*The Laura Marling show isn't part of NXNE, but my week (/life) wouldn't be complete without her! #Truth

Brontë afternoons

Lately, when at home, I've been donning this velvet dress that has quickly become a favourite and patent brogues on the feet. (Sometimes, when running errands to the store or the post, tights and a long cardigan are added -- odd combinations to a June outfit, no doubt.)

And with Wuthering Heights and the usual cuppa on hand to keep my annoyance of Heathcliffe in moderation.