Why People Suck.

I am not really a fan of Adam Lambert's music. I am typically more of a "substance" rather than "show" person when it comes to musical taste. I was not very impressed with his performance at the American Music Awards last Sunday night. Not because of anything he did specifically, although I did find his whole performance completely over the top and unnecessary, it was also that I didn't feel that his vocals were very strong. However, the complete and total hypocritical bullsh*it taking place on American Network TV right now makes me want to support him.

In case you were not aware, Adam Lambert closed the American Music Awards show by shoving his crotch in a dancer's face, making out with another member of his band and doing something to someone crotch that completely reminds me of this stripper I saw once..... True and funny story ...... About 10 or so years ago I was at the North Burnaby Inn with a bunch of people from work. They had a $3.99 Roast Beef Dinner, and really cheap beer. This girl was dancing, doing her thing, and she got upset that the dudes in the first row were not paying attention to her. So she stuck her hand down her g-string, dug her fingers in there real good and then...ummm...how do I say this..... there is actually no way to say this without cringing...... she flicked her juices in their faces. It was both hysterical and disturbing. I have never seen anything like it. Maybe that is what Lambert was doing. Getting ready to flick the juices of one of his dancers in Jay Z's face?

Anyways. Off topic, but funny as hell right? Back to Adam Lambert. There was an "outcry" after his performance. ABC edited most of it out of the West Coast feed and apparently received over 1,500 complaints. And not one of them was about his screechy performance. As a result of this "outcry", Lambert was disinvited from a scheduled performance on Good Morning America. Citing concerns over whether his performance would be appropriate for early morning TV. Cowards. F*cking cowards. Not because of anything he might do. But because they caved to the f*cking conservatives. CBS's The Early Show snapped him up quickly and he appeared on their show on Tuesday. Good on them right? Way to not completely overreact right? At first.

During the interview they had with Lambert, they chose to blur out the kiss between Lambert and his bandmate, but showed that stupid Madonna-Brtiney kiss from the MTV Awards a few years ago. When questioned by advocacy groups and entertainment shows about this blatant double standard this is the response they gave: "We gave this some real thought. The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated, and for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences.” BULL-F*CKING-SH*T. What they should have said was: "We were to scared that seeing 2 men kiss would freak out our advertisers and incur the wrath of the bible belt." Again I say F*cking cowards.

But for me, this pales in comparison to what the powers that be at ABC decided. In a true demonstration of how f*cking insane people can be, Good Morning America invited convicted felon Chris Brown to be on their show. You remember Chris Brown right? He is the non-repentant asshole who beat the crap out of his girlfriend. Back in February, while in a moving car he choked, bit, punched, slammed her head into the window & dash of his $250,000 car and threatened to kill his girlfriend. Yes, he took a plea. Yes he apologised. But what has he actually done to show he is sorry? To the best of my knowledge, everything he has done has been mandated by a judge. There has been no actual regret. This is not cowardly. This is F*cking insane and infuriating and incomprehensible.

An openly gay entertainer may offend the viewing public? Because what - is he gonna go at it on stage with someone? Pfft! But an unrepentant abuser of women perfectly acceptable.

People wonder why I am so cynical and typically dislike people. This is why.

XO

Rock Gods & Indie Queens

Since getting back from vacation at the end of October I have indulged a great deal in my first love - Music. I have been quite the concert whore - going from rock, to pop and back to rock. It has been rather tiring... spreading myself so musically thin... feeling like I am cheating on one with another......snicker snicker.

3 very different concerts in a week.....all amazing and memorable. Quick reviews of them all. No time to write a comprehensive one of them all.....

After being a fan for around 20 years, I finally saw U2 in concert. I remember when I was around 16 years old, ditching school with my friends Narissa and Fiona and stalking the hotel where they were staying at in Melbourne. We hung out for hours, waiting and hoping for a glimpse of them. Eventually someone drove by in a limo with their window down. They were going pretty slow so I stuck my uniformed arm (Catholic school) in the window and ended up with what I hope was an actual autograph from the Edge. For all I know it could have been anyone, but I am choosing to believe that it was him. Coolest day of grade 11 ever. And I didn't even go to the fricking concert.

So way back in April when my good friend Kent suggested we go to U2 in October, my response was pretty much hell to tha yea! Sadly Kent ended up with what we think was the Swine Flu, so I ended up going with another friend. She was fun also, but not Kent :(.

Yes, the concert was at BC Place - a place that traditionally has crappy sound for concerts (ahem.... Madonna). Yes, it was with 50,000+ other fans. Yes that stupid claw thing on the spaceship blocked our view of the stage. But I did not care. The sound was actually fine, the crowd was completely into it, and they moved around the stage so much it didn't really make that much of a difference. Say what you will about the ego of this band, they deserve every accolade ever heaped on them.

They put on an outstanding show. They make the audience feel like they care about where they are. He mentioned the Skytrain, we sang happy birthday to Bill Gates, Bono forced a small child to run laps and didn't even have the decency to let her win. Bastard. They played a mix of old and new - which kept everyone content. I got to hear Sunday Bloody Sunday so I was happy. I am pretty sure I will never get to hear my absolute favourite U2 song - Hawkmoon 269 - a song they have not played live since 2001. This is it circa 1989 which is around when I stalked them with my friends....

It was a great, fun show. I wish Kent had been there :(. We had been looking forward to it for so long....... thankfully we had a few more shows coming up to make up for the lack of U2.

This Monday was the adorable Regina Spektor at the Orpheum. Adorable is actually an understatement for Regina. Seriously - she is as cute as a button. She skipped out on stage with her crazy hair and her cute skirt and leggings combo and this tiny Russian born New Yorker had us all in the palm of her hand from the first note. Although she was dwarfed by her massive piano, she commanded the stage - at one point pounding on a rickety chair with a drumstick while playing the piano with her other hand.

Her music is quirky and different - full of whispers and unique sound effects - and I love her for it. She played most of the new album - including Dance Anthem of the 80's - my fave song off of the new Album. She played a ton of old stuff as well. Which made me do a little happy dance in my seat. Highlight for me was the fabulous "That Time"(you-tube of it from Austin City Limits ala 2007 below) as well as a song I had never heard before that was about eye colour and how you can use the colour of a boys eyes to determine what kind of a person he is.

Tuesday night was the incomparable Metric. This Canadian indie band is a fairly new find of mine, even though they have been around for years. I have seen them at 2 festivals this year (Virgin Festival in Vancouver and Bumbershoot in Seattle) and it was good to see them perform a whole set. From the opening note until the lights went on we were on our feet, mesmerised by the amazing Emily Haines.

This woman is so incredibly sexy and hip and cool and who I wanna be. Srsly. If I could be her. Lawdy! She was wearing a gold sparkly mini-dress and looked phenomenal. We loved her dance moves - they are so frenetic and unique and uninhibited. It is as if the music takes hold of her and moves her - there is no method or choreography to it, it is just free and loose and awesome. I guess i don't need to state the obvious... that I have a mega girlcrush on this chick. Seriously, she makes you think about switching to the other team for a few days....

Their new album - Fantasies - is outstanding - and they played it all, as well as a ton of their older stuff. Dead Disco, Monster Hospital and my personal fave - Combat Baby. It was acoustic and amazing and someone a lot closer than I managed to capture it ...... below.

Enthralling and captivating and mesmerising and Canadian. Mad love for Metric.

All three concerts were awesome. All three had very different vibes. But they were all great.

Next up is Lady Gaga in December. Can't wait!

XO

Hello Gorgeous!

Growing up, our family was a big fan of road trips. When I was a kid, the five of us would pile into the car and drive - Sydney, Jindabyne, all around Tasmania.... everywhere. I distinctly remember one trip to or at least through Bateman's Bay on the coast of New South Wales. I don't remember the specifics of this vacation - what we did or where we stayed. What I do remember is the music. It alternated between Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand. My parents loved them both and we were subjected to what at the time all three of us kids considered the total garbage that was Neil and Babs. As an adult I appreciate them both. I even got a little miffed at my mother about 15 years ago when she didn't buy me a ticket to Neil Diamond cause she thought I wouldn't want to go. And I have a standing date with her to go and see Barbra together if we are ever in the same country when she is touring.

All three of us kids bitched and moaned about listening to either Neil or Babs. I don't think I even liked "music" back then - but I knew that I did not like Barbra Streisand. We even came up with a nickname for her - Bloody Barbra, completely inspired by the fact we were going to Batemen's Bay. I was pretty young and found it rather daring that I could use such a curse word. Bloody Barbra. We thought it was hysterical. It still makes me chuckle, over 20 years later. I am very easily amused.

Barbra Streisand was on Oprah this week. It is hard to believe, but there was more to Oprah this week than Mackenzie Phillips revealing her consensual sexual relationship with her father. I am not going to even comment on this... except to say eww. Babs was there to promote her new album - Love is the Answer - coming out September 29th. More importantly, they unveiled the new limited edition Barbra Streisand Barbie Doll.

What the what? Barbra will have a Barbie? Gay men all over the world are peeing themselves in excitement. I even peed just a little and I am neither gay, nor a man. This doll is inspired by the an outfit she designed herself and wore to Hollywood's Coconut Grove in 1963.

All I have to say is Hello Gorgeous!

XO

Chack Bass is going Gay?

Instead of giving an actual storyline to their openly gay character - Eric van der Woodsen - the Powers at the CW have decided instead to make Chuck Bass (my shamef*ck Ed Westwick) gay for Blair.



Apparently in an upcoming episode of the CW's guiltiest of pleasures, Chuck Bass will make out with a boy - he seduces the boy in question (Neal Bledsoe pictured below on the right) in an effort to ensure that Blair is granted the honor of delivering the freshman speech at NYU or something lame like that. To be honest, I really don't care why Charles is kissing a boy (and liking it?), I just hope it is at least halfway hawt.

It probably won't be. It will be chaste and there will be no tongue or passion. A girl can dream right?

Here are a few shots of some of the cast in yet more formal attire..... Question: how does "wrong side of the bridge Vanessa" afford a different ball gown every week? Hmph.

PS: I have to say that I love that they cast Gina Torres (from Angel and Firefly) and Vanessa's mom. Maybe she will make Vanessa a little less vanilla? Here's hoping! Only a few more weeks until GG is back baby!

XO

Happy Vancity Pride Bitches!

Over 500,000 people descended on the West End in downtown Vancouver for the 31st Annual Gay Pride Parade. One of the largest in North America, the parade caps off Pride Week festivities celebrating the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered community.

This is only my third year going to the Parade. Normally the weather sux and apparently I am fair-weather supporter of the GLBT community. But it was 25 degrees & sunny in Vancity, and friends had secured a fantastic spot on the curb at the start of the parade.

Lots of very attractive gay-boys in their underwear, trannies dressed to the nines, political parties (with the noticeable exception of the Conservatives, who have not had a float for about 18 years or so), Dyke's on Bikes, Old and not so old Queens melting in the sunshine, Religious groups proclaiming that God loves everyone (I guess no-one told the Catholics, who were (not)shockingly absent).

Organisers had some cool grand marshals, most notably Cleve Jones, protege of of the late gay activist Harvey Milk (portrayed by Emile Hirsch in 2008's Milk). In addition, organisers recognised the late Cindy Kampmeinert, Vancouver's first openly lesbian firefighter who spearheaded the Vancouver Fire Department's Participation on the parade in 2002.

Another big change from previous years was the sombre "Moment of Silence" - which this year was categorised by float as opposed to the parade actually stopping for a moment to remember those who had passed. Although the float is probably a lot easier to manage logistically, I liked the notion of everyone - all 500,000 plus - stopping and acknowledging those who are no longer with us.

All in all, it was a hot fun filled 2 hours. As I was with the lesbians, I was the luck recipient of any condoms that were doled out.... now I just need to find someone to use them with..... Most importantly, I found the perfect gift for the man that has everything.... butt-crack waxing - only $8.00 - that is a bargoon!

Happy Pride one and all!

XO