What an afternoon/evening. In order :

1) Finally picked up my SmartMedia card from Compucentre. At last I have memory!

2) Went to see Lovely & Amazing at the Carleton. Pretty good film – there seems to be a recurring theme in American indie film to create neurotic, deeply flawed and generally unlikeable characters, and then have bad things happen to them. This film was sort of a lightweight version of Todd Solondz’s Happiness. Everyone sort of self-destructs under the weight of their own character deficiencies and you’re not sure if you care because you haven’t gotten all that attached to them… I will say this – Catherine Keener is tops at playing grade-A bitches.

3) Ran into my old res roommate from first year at the Horseshoe. I haven’t seen Chris in over three years, it was good to catch up with him. He was also there to see Spoon – we swapped emails and if nothing else there’s someone else to see concerts with. I always regretted not staying in touch with him to some extent… situation rectified.

4) Spoon and John Vanderslice. Was very impressed with John Vanderslice, but I will always be partial to someone who gives away pins that say ‘Four Tracker’. Which is now displayed proudly on my bag. He played some really good basic indie pop, buoyed by the fact that he had possibly the most entertaining drummer I’ve ever gotten to watch. This guy was nuts, playing a tiny jazz kit like it was the end of the world. Fantastic. Wish I’d brought my camera! Spoon were also very good – wasn’t sure what they’d be like. Obviously on record they’re great but there’ve been mixed reviews of their live set. Thankfully, they were overall satisfying. Played just long enough, didn’t overstay their welcome. The sound was terrific though I would’ve turned the keys down some and the guitar up. I was disappointed in some of the arrangements, how they gave some kick-ass guitar lines to the keyboard to play. ‘Everything Hits At Once’ particularly suffered because of this. But there’s no doubt they are a tight, lean and punchy live act.

A good night. I picked up the Vanderslice CD and the Merge reissue of Spoon’s Series Of Sneaks. I’m spending way too much money lately.

Now sleep.

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