You say you want a revolution? …Okay, not really – that was for Aaron’s benefit. Har. Moving on.

Next time I go to a show, I read the ticket correctly for the doors time, and don’t show up 45 minutes early (which ended up being an hour by the time they did let people in). But at least I was first one in. But, as it turned out, there was no opener at all which meant even more waiting for the show to start. I had pretty much contemplated the meaning of life and was about partway through the universe when Chris Seligman and some techs came onstage just past nine and heaved his Korg Triton keyboard into place and furiously began patching it in.

It turns out that the keyboard had died an icy death shortly beforehand and they needed an old priest and a young priest to get things worked out, hence the delay. Whether this scotched an opener or not – the stage wasn’t really set up for any other act – we’ll never know. It’s a shame that they had to soundcheck the keyboards during the set, essentially ruining the first half of opener “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” – you could see the panic on everyone’s faces when they began as the synths were about two or three times louder than anything else in the mix. The band gamely carried on though, and all was sorted out within a few minutes. For there on, it was all smooth sailing.

Touring with a miniature string and brass section and a second guitarist, the band that shook the Mod Club last night was a far cry from the outfit that I saw play Blow-Up four years ago, or even opening for Broken Social Scene last March. Playing a setlist that pulled together the best moments from Heart and Set Yourself On Fire, Stars put on a far better show than I was honestly expecting. Both Amy and Torq have focused their on-stage charisma considerably and their harmonies are just lovely. I find the polished sound of their studio albums really benefit from the extra edge and muscle of the live performance, it gives it that extra necessary oomph.

I gotta say, watching the show last night I was really struck by how much absurdly good music is coming out of this city and country right now. I don’t usually play flag-waver or anything, but MAN. Oh Canada. Les photos est ici. The Mod Club did me a favour by keeping the light pyrotechnics to a minimum, favouring a really nice blue colour scheme for most of the show. Nice.

And that’s it – my last concert of 2004. Barring something cool showing up unexpectedly, that’s it for a month for me. Want some numbers for the past 12 months? 52 concerts. FIFTY. TWO. That’s one a week, dontcha know (though more often than not, two or three in four days, etc). That’s nuts. N. U. T. Z. I gotta get myself a life, no two ways about it.

Starflyer 59 release yet another new album, Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice, on April 12.

Todd McFarlane Productions files for bankruptcy. IT’S CALLED KARMA, TODD. Ha ha ha.

So some readers mentioned to me that I had gotten a mention in Mac-centric music mag Playlist this month, so while finishing up my Christmas shopping yesterday I stopped into a Chapters to check it out. Sure enough, there was an article on mp3 blogs and yours truly was in the sidebar, number three with a tracer bullet. Neat. I considered picking up a copy for my archives, but it really wasn’t worth the $8 to me – I mean, it’s published by Mac. The article on “Best mp3 Players” probably read something like, “iPod! iPod Mini! iPod Photo! You love Steve Jobs!” Blah blah blah.

It’s -15 out? What the hell is that? What the hell what the hell? And I have to go outside today? What the hell what the hell? God, this is gonna suck.

np – Mogwai / Come On Die Young

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