Ya, so I said I was going to post weekly. I was raised to "not make promises you can't keep." Now technically I didn't promise . We all do it, don't we. We say we are going to do something but when we don't do what we said we were going to do and get called on it, we try get out of it or at least make ourselves feel better about it by saying "I didn't promise" It's almost like a game of Simon Says. I didn't say Promise!
I hate to admit it but I do it to the kids a fair amount. However, quite often when I say I'm going to do something they ask "Promise?". LIke it's some kind of contract that will stand up in the Supreme Court of Children. So from now on I promise to post...when I feel like it.
So November was a tough month to be a Leaf fan. All the turmoil at MLSE, poor play on the ice and the abuse from Leaf haters. Now real Leaf fans may critisize the boys in Blue and White, but we are allowed because we care. However we don't jump off the bandwagon.
As far as I'm concerned, born a Leaf fan you die a Leaf fan. That's loyalty. Just ask a Boston Red Sox fan. Generations passed between championships for them. For Leaf fans it's only been 41 years. That's nothing. Being the true optimists we focus on the fact that the team has won four in a row and look better lately.
The main thing is, The Senators lost 7 in a row.
The Grey Cup was in town and by all accounts a huge success. Unfortunately the home town Argos didn't make it. That would have really amped up the excitement. However, all the fans from Saskatchewan brought a small town feel and down hominess to events. I think most people were rooting for the Green Riders.
They were a nice story this year. Facing adversity and getting better as the season went on. I know Argo fans were roting against the "Beer Bombers" since they beat the Double Blue. Usually the Grey Cup game is a really good game but this year it wasn't very good. Both QB's overthrew and recievers dropped balls they should have caught. The story was the D from Regina. They stepped up and put the ball in the hands of their offence as well as in the endzone.
As I said it wasn't a great game but a nice ending and a success for TO. The 100th grey Cup is in 5 years. After the huge success (the committee even made a small profit this time) there is no doubt that it should be back in the Big Smoke.
What I wanted to RAVE about is a new DVD I bought (with some birthday money and a gift card-Thanks again Dyan and Ron). It's called "Remember That Night-David Gilmour Live At The Royal Albert Hall."
This is a stellar concert DVD from the Pink Floyd guitarist. It was filmed during his 2006/2007 tour in support of the "On An Island" release. It features an amazing band of friends like Phil Manzanera, from Roxy Music. Pink Floyd member Richard Wright. Dick Parry, the sax player from Dark Side of The Moon and a few guests such as David Crosby and Graham Nash. Also the Thin White Duke, David Bowie. The show consists of songs from Gilmour's career and his new album (O.A.I.). There are delicate and soft numbers as well as trippy and jamming rockers.
The show begins with an excerpt from Dark Side of The Moon then the band plays the new album in it's entirety. Then some more Pink Floyd tunes from albums like Division Bell, Wish You Were Here, The Wall, Meddle and as far back as Atom Heart Mother and Relics.The band even pulls out an old CSN tune. I don't want to give away any surprises for those of you that might get an opportunity to watch this concert but I must tell you about a highlight for me. David and the band give an epic performance on the the song "Echoes" from Meddle. It is one of my faourite PF songs. Plus Floyd rarely played it live. There is a version on the Pink Floyd -Live in Pompeii (that DVD captures Pink Floyd live -- and alone -- in a small stadium in the petrified Italian city of Pompeii). Gilmour's version is so close to the original it amazing. There is no video backdrop as when PF play live but the lighting and lasers are subtle and brilliant at the same time. They enhance the different moods created by the music on stage. The lasers are bounced off of mirrors and the cameras catch all the different angles from around the old theatre.
The sound on the DVD is crystal clear, capturing every instrument. The video is right in synch as well. I hate it when directors don't shoot the right player at the right time. No such problem here. Gilmour and his guitar are the stars here.
He has a unique sound that is rich, bluesy, spacey and atmospheric and fierce all at the same time. He is 60 years of age now. Like a good wine he has gotten better with age. Some of the brash is gone and it has been replaced with complexity.
The double disc has many bonus performances that are live and from the studio. There is a version of the old PF tune "Astronomy Domine" filmed at Abbey Road studios.
Obviously I highly recommend this DVD to any Pink Floyd fan. IT IS A MUST OWN. However, if you love stellar musicians playing live, with a great light show and great sound, but not a huge Floyd fan, it's still an opportunity to discover one of rock's greatest guitarists.
It might make a great gift for someone else this Christmas. (Just doing my part for the economy) It's always a good thing to buy music.
The holiday season is upon us and I'm sure it will give me something to talk about over the next little while. (Remember no promises about posting dates)
Happy Chanukah to my Jewish friends.
Anyway gotta go. Keep on shopping in the free world (Neil Young would hate me for that).
Peace. DDB Out!!
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