Some Concerts

So I went to the Rush concert last night, the first time I had seen this great Canadian band live. I greatly enjoyed it, although, not being a huge fan of Rush, I only recognized about 8 songs. Still, for a trio of sixty-year-olds, they put on a very entertaining and energetic show.  This morning I had to look up the setlist online so I could figure out the names of some of the songs I heard last night.  Turns out a lot of them were from Rush's newest album, so, no wonder I hadn't heard of them.  (The one exception is the song Headlong Flight which is played on Q107 quite a bit).  As I was looking at the setlist for this show, I got to thinking about some of the other concerts I've been to in my life and what their setlists were like.  I wouldn't say I'm one of those people that goes out of their way to hear live music, but I have been to my fair share of concerts, and, up to a few years ago, I kept a lot of my ticket stubs.  Looking at these stubs I realized I could find the exact date a certain singer or band was in Toronto and what their setlist was.  All the info made me want to make a list...shocking, I know.  What follows is really just for my own amusement, but maybe these lists will rekindle some kind of passion for the concerts of your past.  By the way, the website I'm relying on is www.setlist.fm.  Also, please don't judge me, I had a very eclectic taste in music, still do in fact.

DEPECHE MODE - June 9, 1988 - CNE Grandstand

1. Pimpf

2. Behind The Wheel

3. Strangelove

4. Sacred

5. Something To Do

6. Blasphemous Rumours

7. Stripped

8. Somebody

9. The Things You Said

10. Black Celebration

11. Shake The Disease

12. Nothing

13. Pleasure, Little Treasure

14. People Are People

15. A Question Of Time

16. Never Let Me Down Again

     encore

17. A Question Of Lust

18. Master And Servant

     encore 2

19. Just Can't Get Enough

20. Everything Counts

BELINDA CARLISLE - July 22, 1988 - Kingswood Music Theatre

1. I Feel Free

2. Mad About You

3. Lust To Love

4. I Get Weak

5. Fool For Love

6. Circle In The Sand

7. World Without You

8. Nobody Owns Me

9. Our Lips Are Sealed

10. Vacation

11. Heaven Is A Place On Earth

12. Love Never Dies

13. Head Over Heels

    encore

14. We Got The Beat

DAVID LEE ROTH - August 3, 1988 - Kingswood Music Theatre

** incomplete setlist**

INXS - August 6, 1988 - CNE Grandstand

** incomplete setlist**

DEBBIE GIBSON - September 17, 1988 - Kingswood Music Theatre

1. Staying Together

2. Playing The Field

3. Wake Up To Love

4. Foolish Beat

5. Red Hot

6. Shake Your Love

7. In The Still Of The Night

8. Lost In Your Eyes

9. Should've Been The One

10. Out Of The Blue

11. Only In My Dreams

    encore

12. ABC/Stop In The Name Of Love/Where Did Our Love Go?

    encore 2

13. Between The Lines

14. We Could Be Together

HOWARD JONES - June 21, 1989 - Kingswood Music Theatre

** incomplete setlist**

NEW ORDER - July 7, 1989 - CNE Grandstand

1. Touched By The Hand Of God

2. Ceremony

3. All The Way

4. Dream Attack

5. True Faith

6. Mr. Disco

7. Your Silent Face

8. Vanishing Point

9. Round & Round

10. Temptation

11. Confusion

12. The Perfect Kiss

    encore

13. Blue Monday

14. Fine Time

SAMANTHA FOX - July 9, 1989 - Kingswood Music Theatre

** incomplete setlist**

did she sing?????

THE CULT - December 13, 1989 - Skydome

1. New York City

2. L'il Devil

3. Peace Dog

4. American Horse

5. Sun King

6. Edie (Ciao Baby)

7. Rain

8. Sweet Soul Sister

9. Outlaw

10. Wildflower

11. Fire Woman

12. She Sells Sanctuary

13. Love Removal Machine

MADONNA - May 28, 1990 - Skydome

1. Express Yourself

2. Open Your Heart

3. Causing A Commotion

4. Where's The Party

5. Like A Virgin

6. Like A Prayer

7. Live To Tell

8. Oh Father

9. Papa Don't Preach

10. Sooner Or Later

11. Hanky Panky

12. Now I'm Following You

13. Material Girl

14. Cherish

15. Into The Groove

16. Vogue

    encore

17. Holiday

18. Keep It Together

DEPECHE MODE - June 22, 1990 - CNE Grandstand

1. World In My Eyes

2. Halo

3. Shake The Disease

4. Everything Counts

5. Master And Servant

6. Never Let Me Down Again

7. Waiting For The Night

8. I Want You Now

9. World Full Of Nothing

10. Clean

11. Stripped

12. Policy Of Truth

13. Enjoy The Silence

14. Strangelove

15. Personal Jesus

    encore

16. Black Celebration

17. A Question Of Time

    encore 2

18. Behind The Wheel

19. Route 66

BELINDA CARLISLE - August 11, 1990 - Kingswood Music Theatre

** Incomplete Setlist **

THE GO-GO'S - November 20, 1990 - Massey Hall

1. This Town

2. Tonite

3. How Much More

4. Our Lips Are Sealed

5. Automatic

6. Lust To Love

7. Mercenary

8. Vacation

9. Cool Jerk

10. Head Over Heels

11. I'm The Only One

12. Get Up And Go

13. Skidmarks On My Heart

14. We Got The Beat

    encore

15. Surfing And Spying

16. Beatnik Beach

    encore 2

17. Turn To You

18. California Sun

STING - March 12, 1991 - Skydome

1. All This Time

2. Mad About You

3. Jeremiah Blues, Part 1

4. Why Should I Cry For You?

5. Ain't No Sunshine

6. Roxanne

7. Bring On The Night

8. When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around

9. King Of Pain

10. The Wild Wild Sea

11. The Soul Cages

12. When The Angels Fall

13. Purple Haze

14. Message In A Bottle

15. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free

16. Every Breath You Take

17. Fragile

POISON - June 4, 1991 - Kingswood Music Theatre

1. Look What The Cat Dragged In

2. Look But You Can't Touch

3. Good Love

4. Ride The Wind

5. I Want Action

6. Something To Believe In

7. Poor Boy Blues

8. Unskinny Bop

9. Love On The Rocks

10. Every Rose Has It's Thorn

11. Fallen Angel

12. Your Mama Don't Dance

13. Nothin' But A Good Time

14. Talk Dirty To Me

U2 - March 24, 1992 - Maple Leaf Gardens

1. Zoo Station

2. The Fly

3. Even Better Than The Real Thing

4. Mysterious Ways

5. One

6. Until The End Of The World

7. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

8. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World

9. Angel Of Harlem

10. Satellite Of Love

11. Bad

12. Bullet The Blue Sky

13. Running To Stand Still

14. Where The Streets Have No Name

15. Pride (In The Name Of Love)

16. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

    encore

17. Desire

18. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)

19. With Or Without You

20. Love Is Blindness

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC - June 21, 1992 - Ontario Science Centre Auditorium

1. Addicted To Spuds

2. Polka Your Eyes Out

3. One More Minute

4. Taco Grande

5. Lasagna

6. Like A Surgeon

7. Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies

8. Dog Eat Dog

9. You Don't Love Me Anymore

10. Theme From Rocky XIII/I Love Rocky Road/Chicken Pot Pie/The White Stuff/Snack All Night/Spam/My Bologna/Whole Lotta Lunch/Eat It

11. I Lost On Jeopardy

12. I Can't Watch This

13. Living With A Hernia

14. Smells Like Nirvana

15. Fat

16. Yoda

U2 - September 5, 1992 - CNE Stadium

1. Zoo Station

2. The Fly

3. Even Better Than The Real Thing

4. Mysterious Ways

5. One

6. Until The End Of The World

7. New Years Day

8. Dirty Old Town

9. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World

10. Angel Of Harlem

11. Dancing Queen

12. When Love Comes To Town

13. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

14. All I Want Is You

15. Sunday Bloody Sunday

16. Bullet The Blue Sky

17. Running To Stand Still

18. Where The Streets Have No Name

19. Pride (In The Name Of Love)

    encore

20. Desire

21. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)

22. With Or Without You

23. Love Is Blindness

24. Can't Help Falling In Love

DURAN DURAN - February 10, 1993 - The Music Hall

** Incomplete Setlist **

VAN HALEN - July 1, 1993 - Molson Park in Barrie

1. Mine All Mine

2. Dreams

3. Poundcake

4. Judgement Day

5. Panama

6. Love Walks In

7. Runaround

8. Bass Solo

9. Best Of Both Worlds

10. Pleasure Dome

11. Drum Solo

12. Why Can't This Be Love

13. Right Now

14. Finish What Ya Started

15. Give To Live

16. Eagles Fly

17. Top Of The World

18. Guitar Solo

19. Unchained

20. There's Only One Way To Rock

21. Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love

    encore

22. Jump (side note:  I jumped, and broke my ankle!)

23. You Really Got Me

24. Rockin' In The Free World

MADONNA - October 12, 1993 - Skydome

** Incomplete Setlist **

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS - July 28, 1994 - Molson Park in Barrie (Lollapalooza)

1. Soma

2. Rocket

3. Geek USA

4. Disarm

5. Quiet

6. I Am One

7. Drown

8. Hummer

9. Siva

10. Cherub Rock

11. Mayonaise

12. Silverfuck/Over The Rainbow

BEASTIE BOYS - May 16, 1995 - Maple Leaf Gardens

1. Stand Together

2. Sure Shot

3. Time To Get Ill

4. Shake Your Rump

5. Pass The Mic

6. The Sounds Of Science

7. Alright Hear This

8. The New Style

9. The Biz vs. The Nuge

10. Time For Livin'

11. Tough Guy

12. Sabrosa

13. In 3's

14. Bobo On The Corner

15. The Maestro

16. Slow And Low

17. Flute Loop

18. Posse In Effect

19. Do It

20. Hold It Now, Hit It

21. Root Down

22. Gratitude

23. Ricky's Theme

24. Son Of Neckbone

25. What's Really Goin' On

26. Beastie Boys

27. Egg Raid On Mojo

28. Heart Attack Man

29. 5-Piece Chicken Dinner

30. Slow And Low

31. So What'cha Want

32. Sabotage

VAN HALEN - August 19, 1995 - Molson Amphitheatre

1. Right Now

2. Big Fat Money

3. Why Can't This Be Love

4. Top Of The World

5. Not Enough

6. Bass Solo

7. The Seventh Seal

8. Aftershock

9. Mine All Mine

10. Drum Solo

11. Can't Stop Lovin' You

12. Feelin' 

13. Eagles Fly

14. Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love

15. Guitar Solo

16. You Really Got Me

17. Jump

18. There's Only One Way To Rock

19. Dreams

    encore

20. Poundcake

21. Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)

22. Panama

KISS - August 6, 1996 - Skydome

1. Deuce

2. King Of The Night Time World

3. Do You Love Me

4. Calling Dr. Love

5. Cold Gin

6. Let Me Go, Rock N' Roll

7. Watchin' You

8. Firehouse

9. Shout It Out Loud

10. Shock Me

11. Strutter

12. Rock Bottom

13. God Of Thunder

14. New York Groove

15. Love Gun

16. 100,000 Years

17. Black Diamond

    encore

18. Detroit Rock City

19. Beth

20. Rock And Roll All Nite

PEARL JAM - September 21, 1996 - Maple Leaf Gardens

1. Release

2. Hail Hail

3. Last Exit

4. Tremor Christ

5. In My Tree

6. Corduroy

7. Red Mosquito

8. Animal

9. Jeremy

10. Habit

11. Immortality

12. Even Flow

13. Not For You

14. Daughter

15. Cut My Hair

16. The Real Me

17. Young Man Blues

18. Lukin

19. Rearviewmirror

20. Alive

21. Blood

    encore

22. Who Are You

23. I Got Id

24. Cinnamon Girl

25. Leaving Here

26. Yellow Ledbetter

THE TRAGICALLY HIP - December 13, 1996 - Maple Leaf Gardens

1. Gift Shop

2. Fifty-Mission Cap

3. Grace, Too

4. Springtime In Vienna

5. Twist My Arm

6. Ahead By A Century

7. Butts Wigglin'

8. The Luxury

9. 700 ft. Ceiling

10. Courage (For Hugh MacLennan)

11. Cordelia

12. Flamenco

13. New Orleans Is Sinking

14. Don't Wake Daddy

15. Scared

16. Little Bones

17. Nautical Disaster

18. The Wherewithal

    encore

19. Daredevil

20. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car

21. Fully Completely

22. Let's Stay Engaged

23. Blow At High Dough

THE GUESS WHO - June 15, 2000 - Molson Amphitheatre

1. Runnin' Back To Saskatoon

2. Guns Guns guns

3. These Eyes

4. Rain Dance

5. Glamour Boy

6. Looking Out For # 1

7. Sour Suite

8. No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature

9. Talisman

10. Let It Ride

11. Undone

12. Follow Your Daughter Home

13. American Woman

14. Albert Flasher

15. Hand Me Down World

16. Orly

17. Road Food

18. Takin' Care Of Business

19. Laughing

20. Clap For The Wolfman

21. Bus Rider

    encore

22. No Time

    encore

23. Share The Land

SARS Stock (Toronto Rocks) - July 30, 2003 - Downsview Park

Kathleen Edwards

1. One More Song The Radio Won't Like

2. Mercury

3. Six O'Clock Blues

Sam Roberts

1. Don't Walk Away Eileen

2. Brother Down

3. Where Have All The Good People Gone?

Sass Jordan

1. High Road Easy

2. You Don't Have To Remind Me

3. Brand New Day

4. Make You A Believer

The Tea Party

1. Temptation

2. Sister Awake

3. Heaven Coming Down

Blue Rodeo

1. Trust Yourself

2. Hasn't Hit Me Yet

3. Lost Together

The Isley Brothers

1. It's Your Thing

2. Put Yourself In My Place

3. Who's That Lady

4. Summer Breeze

5. Shout

The Guess Who

1. Hand Me Down World

2. No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature 

3. Takin' Care Of Business

4. American Woman

5. No Time

Rush

1. Tom Sawyer

2. Limelight

3. Dreamline

4. YYZ

5. Freewill

6. Closer To The Heart

7. Paint It Black

8. The Spirit Of Radio

AC/DC

1.Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be

2. Back In Black

3. Thunderstruck

4. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)

5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

6. TNT

7. The Jack

8. Hell's Bells

9. You Shook Me All Night Long

10. Whole Lotta Rosie

11. Let There Be Rock

    encore

12. Highway To Hell

The Rolling Stones

1. Start Me Up

2. Brown Sugar

3. You Got Me Rocking

4. Tumblin' Dice

5. Don't Stop

6. Ruby Tuesday

7. You Can't Always Get What You Want

8. It's Only Rock N' Roll (But I Like It)

9. Miss You

10. The Nearness Of You

11. Happy

12. Sympathy For The Devil

13. Rock Me Baby

14. Honky Tonk Women

15. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

    encore

16. Jumpin' Jack Flash

VAN HALEN - October 7, 2007 - Air Canada Centre

1. You Really Got Me

2. I'm The One

3. Runnin' With The Devil

4. Romeo Delight

5. Somebody Get Me A Doctor

6. Beautiful Girls

7. Dance The Night Away

8. Atomic Punk

9. Everybody Wants Some!

10. So This Is Love?

11. Mean Street

12. Oh, Pretty Woman

13. Drum Solo

14. Unchained

15. I'll Wait

16. And The Cradle Will Rock...

17. Hot For Teacher

18. Little Dreamer

19. Little Guitars

20. Jamie's Cryin'

21. Ice Cream Man

22. Panama

23. Guitar Solo

24. Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love

    encore

25. 1984

26. Jump

THE POLICE - November 8, 2007 - Air Canada Centre

1. Message In A Bottle

2. Synchronicity II

3. Walking On The Moon

4. Voices Inside My Head/When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around

5. Don't Stand So Close To Me

6. Driven To Tears

7. Hole In My Life

8. Truth Hits Everybody

9. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

10. Wrapped Around Your Finger

11. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da

12. Invisible Sun

13. Walking In Your Footsteps

14. Can't Stand Losing You/Reggatta De Blanc

15. Roxanne

    encore

16. King Of Pain

17. So Lonely

18. Every Breath You Take

    encore 2

19. Next To You

AC/DC - January 9, 2009 - Rogers Centre

1. Rock N' Roll Train

2. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be

3. Back In Black

4. Big Jack

5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

6. Thunderstruck

7. Black Ice

8. The Jack

9. Hells Bells

10. Shoot To Thrill

11. War Machine

12. Anything Goes

13. You Shook Me All Night Long

14. TNT

15. Whole Lotta Rosie

16. Let There Be Rock

    encore

17. Highway To Hell

18. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

VAN HALEN - March 17, 2012 - Air Canada Centre

1. Unchained

2. Runnin' With The Devil

3. She's The Woman

4. The Full Bug

5. Tattoo

6. Everybody Wants Some!

7. Somebody Get Me A Doctor

8. China Town

9. Hear About It Later

10. Oh, Pretty Woman

11. Drum Solo

12. You Really Got Me

13. The Trouble With Never

14. Dance The Night Away

15. I'll Wait

16. Hot For Teacher

17. Women In Love

18. Girl Gone Bad

19. Beautiful Girls

20. Ice Cream Man

21. Panama

22. Guitar Solo

23. Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love

24. Jump

THE GO-GO'S - October 13, 2012 - Casino Rama

1. This Town

2. Vacation 

3. Tonite

4. How Much More

5. Get Up & Go

6. Mad About You

7. Lust To Love

8. Stuck In My Car

9. Automatic

10. Fading Fast

11. Cool Jerk

12. Cool Places

13. Unforgiven

14. Skidmarks On My Heart

15. We Got The Beat

16. Our Lips Are Sealed

    encore

17. Call Me Maybe

18. Head Over Heels

RUSH - October 16, 2012 - Air Canada Centre

1. Subdivisions

2. The Big Money

3. Force Ten

4. Grand Designs

5. Middletown Dreams

6. Territories

7. The Analog Kid

8. The Pass

9. Where's My Thing?

10. Far Cry

11. Caravan

12. Clockwork Angels

13. The Anarchist

14. Carnies

15. The Wreckers

16. Headlong Flight

17. Halo Effect

18. Wish Them Well

19. The Garden

20. Dreamline

21. Drum Solo

22. Red Sector A

23. YYZ

24. The Spirit Of Radio

    encore

25. Tom Sawyer

26. 2112 Part I: The Overture 

27. 2112 Part II: The Temples Of Syrinx

28. 2112 Part VII: Grand Finale

There are probably more concerts, but I'll have to search the "Net" for them...hopefully I'll be adding to this list as time goes on.

Teachers

So I know this is gonna cause a bit of a stir, but I can't hold my tongue (fingers?) anymore. First of all, let me say I don't think what the Ontario government is doing is very fair. To mandate absolutely no right to bargain with teachers is kind of Nazi-like. I don't believe in Unions at all in this day and age...and I belong to one that takes $70 a month from me. Back in the 30's and 40's Unions were needed because of all the corruption in many industries. That was 80 years ago! But, for a government body to say "No, you can't speak" is asinine. That said, I'm appalled at what I'm reading on the Internet from the teachers. I have relatives that are teachers and I have friends and acquaintances that are teachers and I can't believe they're standing behind some of the things that are being written. I do believe teachers, in all capacities, work very hard, for the most part, in what has become a thankless job. I realize that some teachers, not all, work extra hours without pay and buy supplies for their classrooms with their own money. I also realize that being in the presence of kids all day long one may contract colds and flus and such. My question to these teachers that are shoving this info down my throat is "So what???". I was a retail manager for nearly twenty years. I worked, on average, 50 hours a week without any overtime pay...but I never went on the Internet to complain about it. I touched money and dealt with thousands of people every week, coughing and spitting as they talked, and I was allowed to take 5...FIVE...sick days, which I hardly ever used because I couldn't get a "substitute" manager in to work for me. And, here it is, I NEVER HAD 8 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS OFF!!! EVER!!!! I realize that teachers work at times through the summer, some teachers, but you're not waking up at 6am every morning and working until 6pm. I know of people that became teachers because they got their summers off. Because summers off is what teachers get!! Please stop telling me how much you do during the summer...it's your decision to do these things and I don't think I should put you on a pedestal for that. I'm STILL WORKING!! Try working 12 hours a day through the Christmas season. Teachers get those two weeks off, too!! Ok, I realize I'm sounding like a teacher basher...that is not my intent. I simply want some teachers to realize that they've had it quite good for a long time. Halving sick days to 10, TEN, doesn't seem like a big deal. Not being able to bank sick days and cash them out when you retire? Welcome to every other job in the world! (Not quite, but you get my drift). And please, say it with me, you all GET SUMMERS OFF. Oh, and your average wage is more than I've ever made in one year. Do teachers deserve it? Absolutely!!! But it's my opinion, and only my opinion, that a two year wage freeze ain't gonna kill you. Once again, in retail, I went upwards of five years without an increase. And now the teachers are being told not to spend their time running extra-curricular activities as a protest to the Liberals. I liken this to a 4 year old that didn't get their way and is sucking their thumb in their bedroom. The teachers are always, ALWAYS, going on about being there for their kids. This action will not make the general public empathize with you. Your Unions must think of a different way to go about this because, I'm hear to tell you all, there are more people who think the way I do than think the way you do at the moment. I think most teachers are amazing people and it's a job I could never do, but I think most of you are acting a little immature right now. I'm sorry if that offends anyone, I really am, but that's just my opinion.

Van Halen 2012

So I went to see the Van Halen concert last night, St. Patrick's Day 2012 of all nights.  I have been a die-hard VH fan for 28 years, ever since the album "1984" came out in 1984.  I was twelve years old and began to quickly buy up the rest of the VH tapes I knew nothing about before "Jump" and "Panama": Van Halen I and II, Women And Children First, Fair Warning and Diver Down.  To this day I still sing the songs from those albums loudly and emphatically.  One of my greatest regrets in life is that I discovered the band too late and I was too young to see the tour that accompanied "1984".  The next year saw the band kick front man David Lee Roth out of the group and I would never get to see the original four members play together.  I've seen them with Sammy Hagar twice (and I don't hate Sammy as other older fans seem to) and with Diamond Dave twice now.  When Dave came back into the fold in 2007 to tour with Eddie and Alex for the first time in 23 years, I was ecstatic!  I would finally get to see the original Van Halen!!  But, alas, it wasn't meant to be, as the original bassist, Michael Anthony, had been kicked to the curb and replaced with Eddie's son, Wolfgang.   On October 7, 2007, I travelled down to the Air Canada Centre here in Toronto and saw Dave valiantly try to remember the words to past hits, Eddie jump around the stage, Alex beat the drums as flamboyantly as ever, and Wolfgang look like he was about to puke at any moment.  (It's gotta be hard for a 17 year old to play in front of 18,000 people when EVERYBODY wants to see the former bassist).  That concert was a lot of fun.  Dave sounded good, Eddie and Alex were tight, Wolfgang needed to develop, but all in all I left that concert feeling pretty damn good.  Last night was different...

First of all, let me say my expectations were not too high for last night.  I realize these boys are only getting older.  Christ, Eddie is close to 60 now!  I thought the guitar playing would be great as ever, as I watched some footage on You Tube before the show, and I also knew Dave wouldn't be doing any of his signature jumping and bouncing around like he did in the late 70's early 80's.  I figured most of the night would be me and the surrounding fans singing most of the songs over Dave anyway, so it didn't necessarily matter how he sounded.  The band came out on their very minimalistic stage around 8:50pm, approximately 30 minutes after opening band Kool & The Gang finished their set.  (Yes, Kool & The Gang!!).  The crowd went nuts as the lights went up and my favourite band in the world started into one of my favourite songs ever, "Unchained".  I was up on my feet way up in the 300 section of the ACC, bouncing up and down, singing quite loudly.  Only three or four people around me joined in.  What the fuck???  This is VAN HALEN...with DAVID LEE ROTH...singing UNCHAINED!!!!!  What's wrong with this crowd?!?!?  So it's gonna be that type of evening, is it?  I don't care.  I'm drunk and I'm here to have a good time, dammit!!  Unfortunately, my excitement started to wane as I slowly began to stop singing and started to listen to Dave singing.  At least, I tried to listen to Dave singing.  The sound was terrible!  I could barely make out what was being said.  Never mind Dave forgetting the words to songs and making stuff up as he went along, but I just couldn't make out the words most of the time.  I was beginning to feel sad.  I just thank God I could still hear Eddie's guitar.  I have to say, he sounded phenomenal!  He may have lost a bit of speed in his old age, but his technique and sound was spot on.  But why did he look like Bart Simpson after getting hit in the face with shrimp?  He had to have been on some pretty powerful prescription drugs to puff up like he has.  This did not look like the Eddie of old...and he barely moved out of one spot.  Alex was hidden behind his huge drum kit, wearing shades all night, banging on his drums just as aggressively as he always had.  His drum solo seemed to last 45 seconds though.  It was over way too quickly, as I remember his solos going on for days.  He didn't even bang on that huge gong behind him like he always did in the past.  One of the bright spots, and biggest surprise for me, was Wolfgang.  The kid who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but on stage four years ago took total control of his surroundings.  His playing, by what I could make out, was solid.  What made me sit up and forward in my seat was his fantastically improved backing vocals.  I almost didn't miss Michael Anthony, the greatest harmony man in the world...almost. As the night wore on, I was getting more and more disappointed with Dave.  He sounded much better in 2007, I thought, and he just wasn't doing it for me this time.  He looks a little like Barry Manilow these days and can barely get his foot of the ground to attempt those signature high kicks of his.  (Perhaps he's afraid of breaking a hip).  The crowd around me just wasn't into it...until they played their final song, "Jump", which is one of my least favourite and, as my buddy Greg said, probably their gayest song.  (Not trying to be rude, but you know what he meant).  On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give the concert, total experience, a solid 4.  Van Halen played for just under 2 hours with barely a moment to breathe between songs...very little personality and often terrible sound.  Oh well, I guess I'll play my own concert on my XBOX with Van Halen's Guitar Hero.  Here's the setlist from last night if you're interested:

Unchained
Runnin' With The Devil (great into still)
She's The Woman (new song from old demo...sounded good)
The Full Bug (very happy to hear this, I sang very loudly)
Tattoo (I went to pee during this awful new song!)
Everybody Wants Some
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
China Town (new song, sounded good)
Hear About It Later
Oh, Pretty Woman (usually has a long opening of Cathedral...didn't)
Drum Solo (way too short)
You Really Got Me (not enough energy for this one)
The Trouble With Never
Dance The Night Away
I'll Wait (not very good...Dave couldn't get up there)
Hot For Teacher (usually has Alex' into go for a loooong time...didn't)
Women In Love
Girl Gone Bad
Beautiful Girls (LOVE THIS SONG...Dave forgot some words again)
Ice Cream Man (Dave forgot the second verse)
Panama (Dave let the crowd sing most of it)
Guitar Solo (still fabulous!)
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Jump

New Things That Bug Me

So I haven't written anything for a while again because of my new job and getting comfortable with it.  As some of you may know, I have become a letter carrier for Canada Post (insert Newman and Cliff Clavin joke here), and I'm loving it!  I enjoy the freedom of the job, something that I NEVER felt in retail.  As long as the mail gets delivered I've done a good job.  It's great being outside for a few hours a day, even in the rain, and especially in the snow - I've always enjoyed walking during a snow storm, don't know why.  So, as much as I've been enjoying myself, I have encountered a few things that piss me off, and so, I rant.
First of all, take a look at the picture to the left.  Have you all seen these mail slots?  They're the ones that are exactly wide enough for a standard envelope to go through.  If you have one of these slots in your door I beg of you, on my knees, GET A MAILBOX!!!  These slots were fine 70 years ago when all the mail you got was put into a standard envelope.  This is not the case anymore.  As a letter carrier, I try to drop off mail as fast as possible so I can be on my way to the next house.  I go to anywhere from 500 to 1000 houses every day.  These mail slots from Hell slow down everything.  The myriad of different sizes of mail these days makes it impossible for me to quickly throw the mail through these slots.  I have to put down the bundle that I'm holding, fold the mail in the proper way (which can be challenging depending on the amount of mail), hold the slot open with one hand and insert the mail with the other.  When I deliver mail, the one-hand method is preferred.  I realize this isn't a huge deal and some of you may be rolling your eyes, but how freakin' hard would it be to go to your local Home Depot with five freakin' dollars and buy a freakin' proper mailbox?!?  And if anybody ever complains that their mail has been ruined by being stuffed through these slots, I will be writing my next blog entry from prison.  I will go OFF!!
Ok, that's was just a small rant, here is the one that makes me swear under my breath all day long: flyers. If you don't want flyers, fine...call the toll free customer service line from the Canada Post website and tell them you don't want any flyers (admail as we call it).  This way the station supervisors can update our cases so we don't send out admail.  What does that mean?  Well, when I get into work at 6:00am I go to my workstation for my route, called a case.  These cases are just a bunch of cubby holes that represent all the addresses that I have to deliver to.  Along with the addressed mail, I have to sort anywhere from one to eight (!) admail flyers into each of these cubby holes.  If a customer has requested, through the customer service line, that they do not want flyers, there will be a little red dot next to their address.  I see a red dot, I don't sort in any admail.  That's all fine and good.  What is not fine and good are the little stickers and hand written signs on mailboxes that read "No Flyers, Please" or "No Junk Mail" or "We're Saving Trees, No Flyers Please".  If I don't see a red dot for your address and I've sorted the flyers in to be delivered, and I get to your house and see one of these signs, I can't deliver the flyers.  I have to take them back to the station!!!  Again, this may not sound like a big deal, but I sometimes come back to the station with 20 pounds worth of flyers...and thats not an exaggeration.  The more flyers I have to bring back, the less room I have for actual mail in my mailbag, making things incredibly aggravating for me, not to mention very heavy.  But let's look at the real root of my aggravation.  How freakin' hard is it to take these flyers and deposit them into your blue box for recycling?  "Oh, but I shouldn't have to do that" some will say.  I say this..."Do you enjoy getting your mail????".  If everybody got on this bandwagon and refused flyers from Canada Post, there would be no Canada Post!!  The revenues from the flyers we deliver is why we're still delivering mail!!!  "Oh, but I'm saving trees by refusing flyers".  Fuck off!!!!!  Recycling will help our environment...the flyers will still be printed even if you don't want them.  You may think by putting those little signs on your mailbox will solve some sort of problem, but for me, it creates a bunch of them.  Simply recycle them...that's all I ask.
That's all I got for now.  I may write again soon about dogs (I've been chased by one already) or people that think mailmen are there to converse with (cute sometimes, but let me do my job).

Director Series - Steven Spielberg

STEVEN SPIELBERG
Birth Name: Steven Allan Spielberg
Birth Date: Dec. 18, 1946
Birth Place: Cincinnati, Ohio
Features Directed: 28 and counting
Features I've Seen: 23 (82%)


Steven Spielberg is probably the most successful movie-maker ever, if measured as box office clout.  He began his love of making movies as early as 12 years old, making short, 8mm adventure films, often involving wrecks on his toy train set.  In 1963, at the age of 16, he wrote and directed his first independent film titled "Firelight" which would serve as an inspiration for "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind".  When his parents got divorced, Steven moved to California with his father.  While out there he attended Universal Studios as an unpaid intern.  He would sit in on editing and got to meeting some of the right people.  Spielberg wrote and directed a short film at Universal titled "Amblin" (what would later become the name of his own production company).  After the vice president of Universal's TV Department saw the short film, he signed Spielberg to a long term deal, becoming the youngest contract director for the studio.  He helmed episodes for such TV shows as "Marcus Welby, MD", "Rod Serling's Night Gallery" and "Columbo".  He was asked to direct a TV film titled "Duel" (which was released theatrically after some of Spielberg's success).  From there he never looked back.  He always seems to have a strong moral stand in his films, some people feel a little shoved down our throats, but I always loved his style.  Mixing heartfelt sentiment with high humour and usually having characters overcome some obstacle, you know you're in for a good time watching a Spielberg film.  He has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, 6 as Best Director, winning 3 in total.  What follows is a list of Steven Spielberg's movies I've seen, listed in three different categories, chronologically (imdb.com score in brackets):


MUST SEE
Jaws - 1975 (8.2): The first Summer blockbuster is as good today as it was ground-breaking then!
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind - 1977 (7.8): Spielberg's first big sci-fi extravaganza.  Fantastic!
Raiders Of The Lost Ark - 1981 (8.7):  Probably my favourite film EVER!  Perfect, non-stop thrills and action!
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial - 1982 (7.9):  Saw it 5 times in the theatre.  Great for kids and adults alike.
Jurassic Park - 1993 (7.9):  Scared the crap out of me when I saw it...and I was 21!!!
Schindler's List - 1993 (8.9):  Absolutely beautiful and evil at the same time.  A near-perfect film.
Minority Report - 2002 (7.7):  Much better than most reviews I've seen.  Interesting with good action.
Catch Me If You Can - 2002 (7.8): A lot of fun.  A good chase movie with two very able actors.
Munich - 2005 (7.7):  A very good thriller with, what I think, is a great performance from Eric Bana.


NICE TO SEE
Duel - 1971 (7.7): Great tension filled scenes with only two vehicles on the road.
Indy & The Temple Of Doom - 1984 (7.5):  Not as bad as everyone makes it out to be...but not great.
Empire Of The Sun - 1987 (7.7):  Great performances and cinematography.
Indy & The Last Crusade - 1989 (8.3):  Very good recovery from the second, but the first is still the best!
Always - 1989 (6.2):  Sweet, touching, well-acted.  Audrey Hepburn's last film.
Saving Private Ryan - 1998 (8.5):  The first 30 minutes are UNBELIEVABLE, but becomes only ok afterwards.
The Terminal - 2004 (7.2):  Tom Hanks is good, but you may lose interest too quickly.
Indy & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull - 2008 (6.4):  Worked occasionally, but missed the mark too often.


NO NEED TO SEE
1941 - 1979 (5.7):  Easily Spielberg's worst film.  An un-funny comedy that misses on so many levels.
Twilight Zone The Movie (Segment 2) - 1983 (6.3):  Disappointing on all fronts. 
Hook - 1991 (6.3):  Kids might enjoy it, but I didn't.  Only Dustin Hoffman scored marks.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park - 1997 (6.1):  A very un-needed money-grabber.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence - 2001 (7.0):  Quite frankly bored me.
War Of The Worlds - 2005 (6.5):  I wanted to like it...I really did...but I didn't.

Director Series - Martin Scorsese

MARTIN SCORSESE
Birth Name: Martin Charles Scorsese
Birth Date: Nov. 17, 1942
Birth Place: Queens, New York
Features Directed: 29 and counting
Features I've Seen: 21 (72%)


Martin Scorsese developed a passion for film at a very young age.  He grew up with asthma, which kept him from playing sports with other kids.  To keep him busy, his parents would send him to the movie theatres.  He was raised in a devoutly Catholic environment which led him to wanting to be a priest.  But his passion for the cinema grew and he decided to attend NYU's College Of Arts And Science.  He earned a Masters Of Fine Arts at NYU's Tisch School Of The Arts in 1966.  His first feature starred a fellow student named Harvey Keitel and was titled "Who's That Knocking On My Door".  Scorsese used quick editing, an ever-flowing camera, loud music and a strong conflict between religion and violence, something that he would expand on and perfect in the years to come.  In the early 1970's, director Brian DePalma introduced Scorsese to an actor he had been working with, one Robert DeNiro.  DeNiro would go on to star in no less than eight of Scorsese's films, one of the greatest partnerships in cinema.  Scorsese's love for music has led him to direct some documentaries on the subject including ones focussing on The Band, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and George Harrison.  He has been nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winning his first for directing "The Departed".  Four of his movies have been nominated for Best Picture at the Cannes Film Festival, winning once for "Taxi Driver".  What follows is a list of Martin Scorsese's movies I've seen, listed in three different categories, chronologically (imdb.com score in brackets):


MUST SEE
Mean Streets - 1973 (7.5):  DeNiro is fantastic, as well as Keitel.  Really great camera movement.
Taxi Driver - 1976 (8.5): It may look dated now, but what an impact!!
The Last Waltz - 1978 (8.0): One of the best music docs ever.  Great performances, great insight.
Raging Bull - 1980 (8.4): My fave!  Still can't believe Scorsese didn't win Best Director.  A masterpiece!
The King Of Comedy - 1983 (7.7):  Jerry Lewis was never better.  Great social satire ala "Network".
Goodfellas - 1990 (8.8): An incredibly well-crafted film.  Brutally violent, but not gratuitous.
Casino - 1995 (8.2): Very similar to "Goodfellas" in structure, so it has to be good.  Sharon Stone was great.
The Aviator - 2004 (7.5): Very long, but held my interest throughout.  Realized how good Leo is!
Shutter Island - 2010 (8.0): I didn't think I'd like this movie nearly as much as I did.  Loved it, in fact.


NICE TO SEE
Who's That Knocking At My Door? - 1967 (6.8): The first is interesting, but unpolished.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - 1974 (7.4): Got away from violence, great performance from Ellen Burstyn.
After Hours - 1985 (7.6): Really showed off camerawork here.  Underrated, fun film.
The Last Temptation Of Christ - 1988 (7.6): Nobody else could have made this movie.
New York Stories ("Life Lessons") - 1989 (6.2)
Gangs Of New York - 2002 (7.4): Went on waaaay too long, but some hugely powerful scenes.
The Departed - 2006 (8.5):  I liked it, but it was hyped so much.  And Mark Wahlberg was AWFUL!
Shine A Light - 2008 (7.2): Doc on The Rolling Stones felt like it should have been more in depth.


NO NEED TO SEE
The Color Of Money - 1986 (6.9): I was never a fan...thought Tom Cruise was AWFUL!
Cape Fear - 1991 (7.3): I became tired of DeNiro's act quite quickly.  Rousing finale, though.
The Age Of Innocence - 1993 (7.2): Some great performances, but boring.
Bringing Out The Dead - 1999 (6.8):  Still bored by this movie.  Seems as though Scorsese had little to work with.


That's Marty...who will be next???

Director Series - Woody Allen

So I decided to take the whole movie list thing a little further.  I've made a list of directors in which I've seen a vast majority of their movies.  As a service to y'all, and as another reason to compile a list of something, I will feature one or two directors every few days and supply a tally of the movies of theirs that I've seen, and a little bit of what I think of them.  I've left off many, what most people would claim to be, premiere directors...those that may have revolutionized film in one way or another.  I've done this for a simple reason; I haven't seen many of their films.  Directors like Akira Kurowsawa, Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, Luis Bunuel, Francois Truffaut and so on.  I've seen a few of their films, but the majority of the movies I watch are mainstream, American-made, stretching mostly from the 1970's to today.  So have a look, agree or disagree, and enjoy...

WOODY ALLEN
Birth Name: Allen Stewart Konigsberg
Birth Date: Dec. 1, 1935
Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York
Features Directed: 43 and counting
Features I've Seen: 38 (88%)

Woody Allen got his start as a comedy writer for the likes of The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show and Sid Caesar Specials.  This was in the mid-1950's, at the beginnings of television.  In 1961 he turned his attention to stand-up comedy where he invented his neurotic, nervous but intellectual persona that has served him so well through the years.  He soon began writing plays, his first success being Don't Drink The Water which ran on Broadway in 1966.  From this came the opportunity to write movie scripts - and the rest is history.  Allen has been nominated for a total of 21 Academy Awards throughout his illustrious career; 14 for screenwriting, 6 for directing and 1 for acting.  He has won 3 times.  As far as I can tell, his movies have garnered a total of 46 Academy Award nominations.  His style has changed through the years, starting off more slapstick comedy, turning to more intellectual comedies, reaching out to some high drama and back again.  But one thing that remains constant in his films is the feeling of the viewer eavesdropping on a character's life.  It's as if we are the proverbial fly-on-the-wall, listening in on big secrets and feelings.  Somehow, Allen has consistently gotten the best out of his actors, showing some on a level that may have not been noticed before.  He is easily the most prolific filmmaker of our time, rarely missing a year without releasing a new film.  What follows is a list of Woody Allen's movies I've seen, listed in three different categories, chronologically (imdb.com score in brackets):

MUST SEE
Bananas - 1971 (7.1): Woody's talent of slapstick scenes begins with this film.
Sleeper - 1973 (7.3):  Hilarious futuristic comedy
Love And Death - 1975 (7.7):  Rarely seen or talked about, but one of my faves!
Annie Hall - 1977 (8.2): What many consider to be Allen's masterpiece, originally written as a drama!
Manhattan - 1979 (8.1):  What I consider to be Allen's masterpiece...can watch it over and over again.
Zelig - 1983 (7.7): Brilliant idea, great photography, and funny.
The Purple Rose Of Cairo - 1985 (7.7): Another great idea, beautifully played by Mia Farrow.
Hannah And Her Sisters - 1986 (7.9): Phenomenal ensemble acting
Crimes And Misdemeanors - 1989 (8.0): Brilliant mix of comedy and drama.
Husbands And Wives - 1992 (7.4): Some more phenomenal ensemble acting.
Bullets Over Broadway - 1994 (7.5)
Match Point - 2005 (7.8):  Woody goes to London, and scores big!
Vicky Cristina Barcelona - 2008 (7.3):  Definitely all about Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.


NICE TO SEE
Take The Money And Run - 1969 (7.2): The first intro to Woody's neurotic, nebbish.
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex - 1972 (6.8)
A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy - 1982 (6.6)
Broadway Danny Rose - 1984 (7.4)
Radio Days - 1987 (7.5): A great love story to the past.
Another Woman - 1988 (7.3):  Gena Rowlands is AMAZING!
New York Stories (Oedipus Wrecks) - 1989 (6.2)
Alice - 1990 (6.5):  Woody's take on Alice In Wonderland
Manhattan Murder Mystery - 1993 (7.3): A lot of fun.
Mighty Aphrodite - 1995 (7.0):  The Greek chorus makes this film worth watching.
Deconstructing Harry - 1997 (7.3):  Robin Williams was great.
The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion - 2001 (6.7)
Melinda And Melinda - 2004 (6.5): Will Ferrell does alright, but its all about Chiwetel Ejiofor!
Scoop - 2006 (6.7)
Cassandra's Dream - 2007 (6.8):  Better than it looks, and great performances.
Whatever Works - 2009 (7.2):  Larry David does a great impression of Woody.
You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger - 2010 (6.4)


NO NEED TO SEE
What's Up, Tiger Lily? - 1966 (6.1): An over-dub of a Japanese film, the joke went on too long.
Stardust Memories - 1980 (7.2): Allen's nod to Fellini's 8 1/2...I didn't like it.
September - 1987 (6.5):  A Bergman-esque tale that I found waaaaaay too slow
Everyone Says I Love You - 1996 (6.8):  A Woody Allen musical...I didn't enjoy.
Celebrity - 1998 (6.2):  Seemed to go nowhere.
Small Time Crooks - 2000 (6.5):  Probably my least favourite Woody Allen film.
Hollywood Ending - 2002 (6.4)
Anything Else - 2003 (6.3): Another one I never need to see again!

Ok, so that's it for Woody.  More directors to follow...stay tuned...