Three shows: Rattlesnake Choir, Cajamarca, U2

Rattlesnake Choir is a Folk/Country music band, and indeed they rattled and hummed the joint at The Dakota Tavern. The steel guitar and fiddle presented great energy but the over all sound is a bit loose. John the vocal is good but it’s almost as if he didn’t care or there is other places he rather be. For a Monday night and cheap beer, it is a good enough live music outing.

Cajamarca a band from Brasilia, the capital of Brasil, Anand Brito (bass), Leonardo Aguirre (drums) Pedro Gadelha (guitar and vocal), Pedro Veloso (acoustic guitar and vocal). I ran into them complete by chance, mainly because they played at a place that is within walking distance from home. I went in there between set thinking the place is for once not overly crowded and rowdy, then they came on and it was a pleasant surprise and a welcome intrusion to my quest of a quiet evening. A winner at the 2008 Tom Jobim SESC Award of Brazilian Music and twice runner up at the 2007 and 2008 editions of the University of Brasilia Music Festival. The sound is a mix of rock, hip-hop, and a lingering effect of Bossa Nova. Hearing them live if far better than their recording, where they presented a very coherent energy. Got to meet the entire band after the show, and they seem to be a fun and cool bunch. Wish them all the success and that they make regular visits to TO.

U2: a sold out show at the Roger’s Center in TO. I still can’t comprehend how a 50 thousand plus stadium can be called a “center”, the original name Sky dome is much more appropriate. I got a pair of tickets courtesy of Peter, my music guru tennis partner in Holyoke. It cost him a few pretty pennies for those seats but fortunately for him, he had classes that day and can not make it, so somebody had to go take up the vacant spot☺ Opening act for them is Snow Patrol, an Irish up and coming Rock/Indie band. Their show began at 7pm when most of the people were still slowly filing into the stadium. I think they deserved much more attention the less than half fill stadium gave them. It is hard to energized to played to a seemingly empty stadium under the still very bright early fall sky, and to warm up a crowd that is not yet there. I have never been too much of a fan of “rock” but every now and then hearing the primitive repetitive drumbeats gets the blood flowing.

There was a long pause between the opening act and the main feature. What was suppose to be a change stage set turn into a long wait for the U2 to arrive, they arrive almost an hour later via cars through the tunnel, and they left the same way. You know you are mega stars when you can let a stadium full of people wait for your arrival, at this point the place almost pact to a full house, and the sky is sufficient dark enough to fill in the empty void between the stage to where the audience sits. From there Bono and his cast of three bellowed out their collection of new and old songs going back as far as twenty some years. They may be old by the current age standard in the music industry but true professional as they are, they jumped, spinning with arm fully outreached, ran around the outer circle of the stage as if they are in their 20’s. In those two full hours, they did not take a single break and went from one song into another whipping the crowd from one frenzy height to the next. I have never seen such feverish display of what is to be a fan. Generally I associate such behaviors with teenager infatuations but when it comes from a middle age man, it is an entire different matter. Aside from the odd moment of heavy patronization and propaganda for freedom and etc, the entire experience was overwhelming. As my probably one and only rock concert, I have no complaints, Ok, I do have one, beer was $10 a pop, simply outrageous!

One tiny awesome moment was when Bono ask everyone to hold up their cell phone and turn on the screen, they darken the entire stadium and all one see is what seemingly millions of tiny specks of light screens…it’s almost like looking at an inverse Milky way of stars and galaxies.

AGO & ROM

The new addition/renovation of the ROM and AGO were hailed as two of the most significant architectural events in recent years. The last bit of architectural excitement was probably caused by Santiago Calatrava's pedestrian promenade connecting BCE Place and the Hockey Hall of Fame. ROM's new addition, the Michael Chin Lee Crystal was designed by Daniel Libeskind, the same DL who won the "design vision" for the reconstruction of ground zero in NYC. Though tearing apart the grand old Victorian design of the old ROM to add the gleaming metal and glass triangular structure was controversial, but the simple fact that there is a debate about any architectural creation is healthy hint that aesthetic life still exist in this city. Not to be out done by the ROM, AGO also decided it's outdated Brutalism structure of the 70 could also use a bit of updating. Who would be a better choice then Toronto's own Frank Gehry. The same FG who single handedly brought Bilbao, a once sleepish coastal Spanish town into global existence with his creation of the gleaming titanium clad Guggenheim Museum.

Both addition/renovation did wonders the otherwise banal existence of Toronto architectural scene, not to mention raise both institutional profile in its respective neighbourhood and as a cultural destination for the city. It also gave both place a chance to breath new life into its exhibition space by rearranging their old collection while expand in adding new contents. Back to the actual renovation, on a very quick run through, it seems the Crystal spend much of its effort on the exterior finish, which is spectacular to say the least, but the interior finish is very raw. Its radical design offered unique exhibition space inside but it also created some very awkward dead spaces. Due to the expanded interior, all exhibition are now expanded or restructured. I went there on a Wednesday night when it offered free admission from 4.30pm to closing (5.30pm). It's funny and sad at the same time being booted out of a museum that early in the afternoon. In that one hour I barely have enough time to go through its Asian collection and the newly created exhibition spaces before I was swept out along with other disgruntled visitors.

AGO on the other hand offered a much more relaxing free visiting experience. There was a long line up prior to the 6pm opening for the free admission Wednesday night but it was very orderly done. Once inside, the crowd quickly dissipated into the cavernous exhibition space throughout the gallery. Though the exterior was a scale down of Frank Gehry's original vision, but AGO did not skim on its interior renovation effort. The complete renovation of the interior gave the impression of grandness without outshining the artwork that it houses. It was neat and polished in its spacing and detailing, specially in its focal point the grand spiral wooden staircase that fitted nicely in the old Walker Court.

What I was mostly impressed was its exhibitions. There was a consorted effort in showcasing Canadian achievement and there are plenty. The only part I missed is that all the Inuit carvings used to be in one gallery but now that are scattered throughout the gallery. Though it is a nice surprise when one see them where they are not expected, like running into an old friend in some far away places. I am extremely happy they finally got rid of the giant dusty hamburger that was part of the contemporary art (from the 60's or 70's) Another really inspiring feature of the main collection of classical arts(European) is that they are now are organized in a thematic fashion, such as how women were being depicted traditionally, and how women artists showcase the world as they experience it. Last but not least, my beloved Henry Moore atrium is largely intact. It is awing experience every time I in the presence of those giant plaster sculptures. It literally like standing on the shoulder of the giant while in communion with the wisdom of the old master.

Immortality

Why do we want to be photographed in front of famous landmarks, status of celebrities and hero of an bygone era. Is this our momentary escape from being "ordinary" and if so, what is so wrong to be "ordinary" In the recent reading of a book comprised of interviews with notable scholars from a diverse range of disciplines, and in one of the interview, the subject said something like this; I know that everything I wrote will not likely be passed on as classics, it may be remembered in bits and piece in one form or another, but largely it will passed on as the wind. If I managed to say something about someone that is extraordinary, I than at least be riding the wake of their fame and gain my access into history.

Fiesta in da city

The recent trend seems to have as many festival as possible, it just seems like the thing to do for whatever the reason or causes. In a short three week period, I have observed no less than 10 neighborhood, art, music, film, food, cultural festivals in the city. The most recent one, aside from the all hip and happening Toronto International Film Festival is the smallish Allende Art Festival. It celebrates, well the infamous event took place in Chile 30some years ago. Here is their mission statement: "This September 11 thousands around the globe will be commemorating 36 years of the military coup in Chile. It is a time to remember the fallen, it is a time to celebrate the survivors and Allende’s legacy. It is time to denounce militarism in Honduras and all of Latin America."

Am I complaining about all these feverish celebration of anything and everything under the sun, I am not sure but what I am sure of is that I am tire from all these bombardment to the senses. I went from participating in a Chilean human right rally complete with drums, musics and dances to drinking with a Brasilian 40%hiphop, 40%rock, and 20%jazz(Bossa Nova) band in less than 20 minutes apart. How can I be complaining!

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Holyoke

Integrity of the idealized image

Just a thought after sitting through a few photo lectures; do we photographs what we want to see or are we photographing what the world presents to us?

I suspect the general immediate response is that photographers go out there with fresh eyes to see the world in the new light, literally and figuratively, but are we really?

Case and point, a "landscape" photographer goes to Patagonia (or insert a location of any exotic photographic locations of your choice) and come back with spectacular images of clouds, sunsets, sunrises, scenes or Torres del Panes drenched in golden first light and glacial icebergs...Are we photographing a stereotype, thus confirming and reinforcing it, or are we seeing and photographing it in a new light?

Case two, a "documentary" photographer goes to Turkey (or insert any foreign and exotic locations of your choice), what sort of images do we expect to see; bazzars full of women cover in black, men in traditional garbs smoking and drinking cha, Mosques of all shapes and sizes. What if we see a Turkey that is modern, women dress in the latest fashion from Milan, modern architectures of glass and steel, or man dress in t-shirts and baseball caps. Would these images just as interesting compare to the streotypical images of near Middle East?

How far do we go, or should we go to be bias one way or another and how do we justify our reasoning?