They’ve recorded here, and claim to be planning on doing so again. They’ve launched tours here, and played secret club shows here. If it feels like Athens Georgia’s R.E.M. is in Vancouver as much most local bands, well that certainly did not dampen the expectations on the group as they kicked off their latest world wide tour in Burnaby’s Deer Lake Park. Headlining a three act show that included Modest Mouse and The National, the show is an early front runner for highlight of the local concert season, and was well worth even the steep ticket cost.

After the jump a closer look at each of the three groups’ performances as well as pictures from the Deer Lake Park show on Friday.

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Sing sing, originally uploaded by louder.

It’s a bit odd to be ushered out of a concert so that hip hop night can start and it’s also a change of pace for a concert to end by ten. A 7:30 pm start was not that odd, but the fact that a 7:30 start meant a 7:30 start is nearly unheard of.

I went to The Plaza to see The Submarines play [wp]. I’d enjoyed their first album Declare A New State and was keen to see how the sound translated live. Sadly because of the early start time by the time I got into the venue twenty minutes after doors open, The Submarines were already on their last song of the set. It was a good performance, and it translated their studio sound well. If you’re into indie rock, checking out Declare A New State is well worth a trip to iTunes.

I might have come to see the opening act but it was Bell X1 that blew me away.

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Who: The Submarines & Bell X1

Where: The Plaza

When: Saturday the 29th of March, 2008

Do you want a pair of free tickets to see The Submarines and Bell X1 this Saturday at The Plaza? Here’s what you do, you comment on this thread answering a simple trivia question and if you are the first person to answer it correctly you win.

What’s the catch? There isn’t any. Tickets will be ready at the door for you and a friend and you’ll get a night of some good music.

Just answer the following question correctly in the comments. If you need help see this Wikipedia entry on The Submarines [wp].

Question: What are the names of the members of The Submarines?

submarines, originally uploaded by Orrin.

Los Angeles pop rock band the Submarines are coming to Vancouver and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away thanks to Nettwerk. They’re playing at the Plaza Club [pc] on Saturday March 29th, with Bell X1, and you could be there if you win these hot tickets. The Submarines started in Los Angeles, and so did Metblogs with Blogging.LA [bla], so a Vancouver Metblogs contest with the group seems natural.

So how do you win these tickets? Answer a bit of trivia and we’ll do a draw on Monday the the 24th from all the qualifying entries. Post the answer to the question in the comments of this post, and I’ll just have to be diligent in checking the comments and deleting the answers so you at the very least have to go to their Wikipedia entry to answer this.

Question: The Submarines first album Declare A New State was mastered by a friend as a gift for what special event?

Answer in the comments. Entries have to be in by Sunday March 23rd.

Edit: This contest has been relaunched.  See this post [vmb] for details.

I have to say, being able to attend two free concerts on my lunch hour from the day job was really a nice treat. On Thursday I saw Stephanie Cadman and yesterday it was Kinship. These free concerts are part of CelticFest Vancouver and it is happening right through the weekend. Looks like tonight’s going to be packed with all kinds of great musical entertainment. Tomorrow is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade with all the bagpipes you could ever want. My co-worker, Terry, will be there playing the pipes starting at 11:00 on Davie & Howe and hiking all the way down to Granville and Drake. But don’t take my word for it, check out the parade map here. I’m not so good with reading directions and street maps. Yikes.

Sadly, tomorrow I’m going to be part of a Diva Race that I haven’t even trained for. Hence, I’ll be walking. Slowly. I doubt I’ll make it in time from Jericho to the parade. But, I will be there if some kind of fitness miracle takes place for me in the next 24 hours.

Also, I learned from Kinship yesterday that “Oh ye cannae shove yer grannie aff the bus”. So please don’t. You’re brother’s okay, but not your grannie. Please enjoy the Celtic Fest and the bus responsibly.

Doesn’t It Make You Feel Better…, originally uploaded by Nicola T.

From the CBC [cbc]:

…the inaugural festival will feature a host of headliners that include Coldplay, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Jay-Z and Nine Inch Nails.

Canadians slated to take part include The Tragically Hip, Sam Roberts Band, Metric, Buck 65, MSTRKRFT and Wintersleep.

The bill will also feature many newer and emerging acts, including Death Cab for Cutie, Interpol, The Flaming Lips, Vampire Weekend, MGMT and The Airborne Toxic Event.

Excuse me? I believe I can hear my mind melting inside my head. Typcially we’ve always had to travel if we’ve wanted to see a decent music festival. EdgeFest was fun though it generally focused on one big band and a number of smaller acts. For example do you remember Econoline Crush? I do because I saw them at EdgeFest.

Having said that a concert on this level rarely happens in Canada, and when it does it’s generally in Barrie Ontario. So this is somewhat massive. The acts are wide ranging enough that there’s nearly something for everyone.

Tickets will be onsale, and probably sold out, on March 28th.  The festival will run from July 25th to the 27th.  More information can be found at the festival’s website [pmf].

A short post about Matthew Good’s Seattle show below the jump.  You can find a longer one over at my own blog [jks].

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Matthew Good, Belleville

, originally uploaded by shannon steele. 

Like so many other cross boarder scavengers this weekend I’ll be away to Seattle. The only difference is that rather than going down to take advantage of the good Canadian dollar and the cheap smokes and drinks on the other side of the world’s longest undefended border I’ll be at the Matthew Good show [mg].

It might bit odd, traveling to Seattle to see a Vancouver artist, but I keep missing his shows in Vancouver due to the fact that they sell out way too fast. Besides I need to do some Bunburying anyway [wp].

The pre-Olympic hype kicked off with a concert featuring Ron Sexsmith and Feist playing alongside the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Here are five random thoughts that popped into my head during the show.

5) My math might be off, but isn’t 2008 two years too early for the Olmypics?

4) Ben Mulroney hosting? What they couldn’t get Justin Trudeau? Are Ben’s writers on strike too, because he’s painfully unfunny?

3) Three songs from Ron Sexsmith, I thought he was supposed to be a co-headliner. Jesus, Jorane got more stage time.

2) I understand not getting press credentials, because we all know this internet thing is just a fad, but please if I’m taking a photo without disturbing anyone else and without a flash do we really need ushers converging on me like I just snuck outside food into a movie theatre.

1) Who taught Feist how to rock? And why doesn’t she do that on her albums?

Bonus) I really need to go see the VSO at some point. They’re quite good.

It’s the time of year boys and girls - Canadian Idol comes to Metro Vancouver.

On February 9th and 10th (this weekend) you have your chance to audition for the judges at Metropolis at Metrotown. Here are some of the basic rules on game day:

3. There is no 8 a.m. cut-off: people hoping to audition can arrive ANY TIME between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the day(s) of auditions. In most cities, you can choose to come on either the first or second day of auditions. You do NOT need to line up overnight, just show up between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the day of auditions.

5. Venues open at 6 a.m. on the day of auditions. Participants arriving before this time will be turned away by security. If you have subscribed to the Canadian Idol newsletter at idol.ctv.ca, you may be notified by e-mail about a change in the opening time.

9. You must be a Canadian Citizen or Landed Immigrant - NO STUDENT VISAS.

14. DRESS TO IMPRESS but please, BE YOURSELF and let your personality shine! If you want to be on TV, do NOT wear clothes with visible logos, trademarks or offensive language. (Although if you want to wear a Miss604 Metroblogging shirt, just let me know).
[Read more @ Idol Audition Rules]

If you don’t make it as the top dog on Canada’s search for the next great pop star then you could always become a part of a pre-fab pop rock band like Hedley. I’m just sayin’…