Robert J

They played last week in Toronto. I took a pass. Curiously, no review in any of the local media.

I guess GOD had a hand in this one.

But did the English leave you any beer in your town

I've found some really interesting things at this blog/website. http://davidvaldez.blogspot.com/ It even has links to the Berklee Jazz Harmony 1-4 books on the web

Does this sound like a metaphor for U.S. foreign policy or what? "There was no other solution," said Anton Steixner, an official from the Austrian state of Tyrol. "Even animal-rights activists should understand that this bear killed sheep and tore into rabbits purely for pleasure," Mr. Steixner said. "Rabbits are also deserving of sympathy."

"Kojak - bang, bang!"

That's the week I am taking off! Nate mentioned the main Jazz clubs http://www.therex.ca http://www.montrealbistro.com I don't know your budget - but you could start here. I can comment on a few of these places. They are not all budget hotels - some are quite expensive, just as much as downtown Chicago. http://www.budgethotels.com/listings.php?city=Toronto,ON,CA Here's a good map of downtown w/cultural highlights http://www.toronto.ca/torontomaps/pdf/visitor_map_page1.pdf This is the "Chicago Reader" for Toronto http://www.nowtoronto.com Things to do You can look through here http://www.frommers.com/destinations/toronto/34_indattr.html From this list, I'd say the Art Gallery of Ontario (though under construction), the Royal Ontario Museum, Hockey Hall of Fame, and Toronto Island (you can take a ferry for $6 and get a great view and some great photos of the city). I'm sure I'll come up with more when I'm not at work!

Mark - What's your exact dates? This will help me plan your vacation

from the Globe and Mail 2 weeks ago: Gretzky did not want to be drawn into making a prediction for the series, but he admitted there is no doubt where his loyalties lie. "Once you're an Oiler, you're always an Oiler," he said. "I'm getting calls from guys I played with, from Paul Coffey to Mark Messier to Grant Fuhr. We're all happy to see the Oilers successful again."

Go Oilers!

Connie Chung as lounge singer You've been warned! I love how the piano player just sits there, not sure if he should intrude on this a capella masterpiece. edit: On second look - he is playing, just not in the mix for some reason.

I remember the summer this came out - I bought the 45 single. Here's the A and B sides. Gary Newman was really a genius for that time - he took synth pop to a new level, as well as creatively exploiting the music video format in 1979. Gary Numan - Cars Gary Numan - Metal

Wow, that's sounds like a good list of tunes! David, where did you get that set/recording list? The concert is tonight here in Toronto. It is $70 dollars, so we got a little lucky, sort of . That is still greater than my threshhold for this kind of concert. At lunch, I will see if I can get lucky with same-day tickets at a ticket kiosk. Otherwise I''ll comfort myself with the reviews and the bootlegs.

Here's some of my favourite blues piano cats! Roosevelt Sykes -Tall Heavy Mama Sunnyland Slim - Tin Pan Alley Blues Memphis Slim - Everyday I Have the Blues Otis Spann - Spann's Blues

whoops, I saw the Tonite Show reference in the description and well, you know, posting at work. It's still damn fine!

I've never seen Don Pullen on organ before! Forgot the Tonight Show is sometimes hip. Scofield - Smith - Pullen

That was great to re-live. Eddie actually looks more like Prince than JB though!

That was a nice Saudi goal

Virtual kaleidoscope

Inspired by the vinyl 70s thread: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Fire

Agreed, maybe playing too polite?

For the soccer fans - an amazing goal. WARNING: brief sport's nudity Goal!

additional facts

I saw the 84 touring group. Hard to beat that memory. Among the stage props I remember were a blowup Ronald Reagan doll and a Boy George effigy. Youtube already has some vids of the ZpZ tour from last week in Ireland. (not the best sound) Zappa Plays Zappa - Dweezil & Steve Vai 1 Zappa Plays Zappa - Dweezil & Steve Vai 2 For some reason the first clip reminds later Zep, and the second reminds me of Santana

http://www.zappa.com/cheezoid/whatsnew/zpz/