Hello from Vancouver. I’m making an overnight stopover out here en route to Taiwan, and then Japan (and then back to Taiwan). I should remain pretty well connected whilst over there, and time zone wackiness notwithstanding, posting should continue apace and I shouldn’t be slipping into full travelblog mode either. There’s probably only so many times I can say “I don’t understand anything anyone is saying”.

And naturally, while I’m gone, there’s a whole whack of shows coming through town that I would otherwise be all over like a fat kid on Smarties. But even though I’m half a world away, there’s no reason you shouldn’t attend (these specific shows for Torontonians and these tours for those on the east coast):

The Magnolia Electric Co & Destroyer @ Lee’s Palace – March 25
Neko Case @ The Music Hall – April 2
The Hidden Cameras @ The Music Gallery – April 2
Eisley @ The Mod Club – April 3
Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s with South @ Lee’s Palace – April 3
Arab Strap @ Lee’s Palace – April 4
The Flaming Lips @ The Phoenix – April 4
Centro-Matic with Great Lake SwimmerS @ The Horseshoe – April 5
Beth Orton @ The Carlu – April 6

All of these come with some degree of endorsement from yours truly, for what that’s worth, though realistically I’d probably only have made a real effort to get to the Margot, Centro-Matic and Flaming Lips shows. And if I have to recommend just one show to see in the next two weeks, it’s unequivocably Centro-Matic. And not just because there’s no way you’re getting Lips tickets. Their new one Fort Recovery continues to grow on me and their day show at SxSW last week definitely served to remind that they’re an amazing live act – hopefully they’ll bring their a-game for their Canadian debuts. Creative Loafing and Cokemachineglow both have interviews with head Centro Will Johnson. And note this endorsement has nothing to do with the Centro-Matic ad running down the side there, but if you want to hear Fort Recovery streamed online, feel free to click through…

The St Paul Pinoeer Press recounts the story of Neko Case while Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune (via The Miamit Herald) talks to Neko and producer Daryl Neudorf about fairy tales and Fox Confessor.

Chart talks to Arab Strap’s Aidan Moffatt about cheering up on The Last Romance. Incrementally. And co-conspirator Malcolm Middleton compiles “Nine Songs That Give Me Goosebumps and Make Me Want to Give up Music When I Hear Them Because I Feel Like Dirt Next to Them” for Pitchfork.

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of a press maelstrom of Lips-ian proportions brewing. Duck and cover, kids. Duck and cover. The UK is getting it started with Flaming Lips pieces in The Telegraph, The Scotsman and The Independent.

Beth Orton is the subject of feature/interviews with Paste and North Jersey.com.

Joey Santiago tells Billboard that besides a brief European tour this Summer, he has no idea what Pixies will do next.

Some rock (three-finger devil salute) shows to announce – The Duke Spirit are at Lee’s Palace on April 18 and Heavy Trash are at the Horseshoe on May 6.

So on the plane yesterday, I was served some Yoplait “Probiotic active culture”. Mmm mm good! Ask for it by name! I spent much of yesterday roaming the UBC campus and otherwise enjoying the temperate Vancouver weather. Today I am on a 13 hour flight across the Pacific to Taipei. That international date line thing is fearsome to me. It’ll be like some crazy-ass time warp. But see you on the flip side.