Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Saturday night, I dropped by The Cameron House to see up-and-coming country singer Whitney Rose (also signed to Cameron House Records). I saw her in an acoustic set opening for Ben Caplan at The Rivoli. This was a chance to see her with a full band.

Rose is diminutive, slender and quite stunning with classical features and dark wavy hair. With backing band Jane's Party, they played two sets of varied country music starting off with Chivalry Is Dead. For someone so young, she does seem to like writing hurtin' songs for her debut album (At The Do-Si-Do, You Only Love Me In The Summertime). Though usually even keeled, Rose does let loose some good pipes on more rocking/bluesy numbers. Being an East coast girl from P.E.I., she also sang songs about life there.

Her covers ran the gamut from Hank Williams' Jambalaya (On The Bayou), Jeannie C. Riley's Harper Valley P.T.A., to Willie Nelson's Good-Hearted Woman. With a full sound, it was obvious that her heart lay at the intersection between country and 50s pop, as evidenced by new number Old School Soul. With both looks and talent, here's hoping she'll go far in her career.

Dive Right In

After a Saturday morning yoga class, attended by a Canadian celebrity, I was off to grab some brunch. Being in the Ossington and Dundas area, I stopped off at The Lakeview Diner. When I first moved to Toronto, this eatery had become a has-been: sad 70s furnishing, perpertually empty. A few years ago, with a change in ownership, the serendipity of the night-life explosion in the area, it acquired hipster-cred and is now packing them in. Oddly enough, the decor hasn't change.

The menu has changed a bit. Still primarily your basic breakfast eat, it tries to offer better quality ingredients like organic eggs. I ordered The Standard ($9.50): 2 eggs over-easy, maple sausage, and rye bread. The eggs were competently done but could be more golden. I liked the slight sweetness of the sausage. The soft home fries, cut like potato chips, were easy to roll up to dip in the ketchup. Finish it off with some greens and fruit and you have your average brunch: better than some, but not compelling enough that you'd go out of your way to eat here.

Square Dancing

Friday night, I stopped off at Yonge-Dundas to see Lindi Ortega. This up-and-coming country singer had recently left Toronto to make a name for herself in Nashville. Backed by a 3-piece band, she regaled a crowd of fans and curious onlookers over the next 80 min or so.

Drawing on a majority of songs from her sophomore album, there were songs of love lost and found (The Day You Die, Don't Wanna Hear It). She seemed particular drawn to images of damnation (Demons Don't Get Me Down, Heaven Has No Vacancy). James Robertson (formerly of New Country Rehab), brought the fast fingers on rockabilly numbers and whammy chords on bluesy tunes (Little Red Boots). She did wear those signature boots (also the title of her first release), along with a curve-hugging black dress.

Whether old songs (I'm Not Elvis Presley) or new ones (Waiting For My Luck To Change), it was old-school country. Along with a quaver in her voice, there were definite echoes of Dolly Parton in her performance. But Ortega also delighted in letting her voice loose in "testifying" blues number including a cover of I Never Loved A Man (Aretha Franklin) Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (Nancy Sinatra), and Folsome Prison Blues (Johnny Cash). With a promise of a hug with every album purchase, a line-up of about 30 waited for her by the merch table after the show.

Font Of Fun

I don't usually go to bars in Little Italy but I dropped by Wild Indigo Thursday for some "good old-fashioned fun". Started by Elliott Loran (Ride The Cyclone) as a get-together for friends to sing and jam, Swinging Wingding has become big and popular enough to take place in a more public venue.

The 2.0 edition found musical theatre nerds and other entertainer types went up to the mic and did their thing. It was primarily singing whether it was original songs or classic standards. A few were well-prepared and professional, while most others treated as a lark to try something fun with friends. Of course, numerous sing-a-longs were encouraged (and had enthusiastic participation). There were a variety of other acts including a comic and 2 puppet troupes. One did an amusing sketch about a man, his "invisible" puppet friends, and his increasingly bemused room-mate. The other were "news reporter" who interviewed the talent. Both were funnier than the puppet slam I attended at 3030 Dundas.

It was also a cheap show, presumably because most were of the "starving artist" ilk. There was no cover, the bar had bourbon sours for $6, and a toonie got you 5 raffle tickets with over $300 worth of prizes.

Nice-a-roni Treat

On Wednesday, I headed down to the Garrison for some exuberant pop. First up was smallpools, based out of Los Angeles. Though this was their first time in Canada, there was a respectable number of young ladies who knew the words to all their songs. It was upbeat power pop, self-described as 2 Tone. From Dreaming to Mason Jar, it was catchy music anchored by peppy rhythm and pulsing keyboards.

San Cisco, an Australian band doing their North American tour, was the head-liner tonight. Both them and their fans were quite young. Lead singer Jordie Davidson remarked that this was a bigger audience than the last time they were in Toronto. Hmm, it was pretty full last go round but he was right, it was packed tonight. Everyone sang and danced to their brand of cheery pop full of "da-das" choruses. Most tunes were propulsively powered by the other draw of this band, the fetching drummer Scarlett Stevens. The biggest cheers were for their hits Fred Astaire, Awkward, and cover of Daft Punk's Get Lucky.

Though most lit out after the show, some fans stayed behind to meet the band and shared a beer or two. At 100,000+ likes on Facebook, San Cisco are certainly getting bigger in Australia. If they make a breakthrough here, their next time round these parts may not be in such casual settings.

Swinging For The Fences

Fans wanting to overdose on vocals headed to Lula Lounge on Tuesday for a show by Retrocity. This 8-member a cappella group arranges 80s tune to include all the instruments and sound effects. They liven up their show with retro wear and (un)-coordinated dance move.

Since I have seen them many times, I know most of their repertoire. But their entire oeuvre is large enough that it would take 3-4 sets to do all the songs. So tonight, over 2 sets, they did some MJ (Rock With U), Cancon (Never Surrender), and perennial favourites (I Feel For You). They seemed to be mining numerous British tunes from Queen, George Michael, and Sting this evening.

Perhaps this was due to the friends portion of "Retrocity and Friends". Because the Swingle Singers, celebrating their 50th year, came on stage to do 2 sets of tunes, too. What a bargain for a cappella nerds because this group usually charge more than the modest $15 cover. They were definitely at a higher calibre: not only because they are professional touring singers, whereas some members of Retrocity do it for fun. But they also use more complex arrangements while Retrocity's aim is faithful reproduction. So whether it was a tongue-in-cheek You Oughta Know, a jazzy Single Ladies, a traditional Turkish folk (Gemiler Giresune), or a rousing Libertango, they got cheers for their fun stage presence and beautiful voices.

The night ended with both groups joining forces (15 singers!) during the encore for John Farnham's You're The Voice. That rendition brought the house down with the 3rd standing ovation.

Feels So Good

On Monday, it was back to the Cameron House for another Case of the Mondays. Before we get to the Guilty Pleasures set, 3 local musicians did 30-minute sets.

Stacey Kay sang sassy, urban-inflected songs, whether it was her own material (Island Girl, Take A Ride) or covers (Killing Me Softly, Forget You). She was animated on stage and given to both diva-esque singing and busta-rhymes rapping. Patrick Ballantyne was an older singer-songwriter who has collaborated with numerous Canadian artists. His lyrics were often simply phrased which did not work well on sappy love songs. But on the folkier tunes (Lost My Way), spirituals (Rolling Thunder) or rockabilly (She Loves A Man), it was a great fit.

The revelation of the evening was Miranda Mulholland with her guest guitarist, Justin Rutledge. The two of them had just flown in from the Vancouver Folk Festival. Whether it was her own original fiddle instrumentals (Charity Kiss, Shiloh) or beautiful covers, her voice and lyricism carried a timeless quality. She also played a mean fiddle. Mulholland's take on James Gordon's Frobisher Bay and Rutledge's Be A Man were spine-tingling.

Emma-Lee and her house band closed out the evening with some "guilty pleasures". It started with Toxic (Britney Spears) and ended with Don't Stop Believin' (Journey). In between, Emma-Lee and her guests went through all the decades (Video Games, I Kissed A Girl, Hero, I Wanna Dance With Somebody) to entertain us with these catchy ear candy.

Three Colours

It's always nice to visit an old favourite. So this Sunday, I went back to Pho Linh, a venerable Vietnamese restaurant at College and Dufferin. Back when my dinners consisted of various combination of Dufferin Mall food court, this place gave me a modicum of fresher, healthier options.

Named after an aunt who was a famous singer during the Vietnam war, Pho Linh has renovated itself like all current Asian restos: from grimy formica tables to nicer pressed wood tables and faux leather banquettes. The clientele has also expanded to include non-Vietnamese locals as well as a large Chinese contingent. For lunch, I ordered the "com tam".

Sometimes called Three Colour rice (and even Five Colour), the number represent the variety of topping. The traditional 3 here included pork chop, egg meatloaf, and shredded pork skin. The pork chop is grilled, thinner than Western ones, and has a slightly sweet flavour. The egg meatloaf  comprises a steamed mixture of eggs, carrots, mushrooms, vermicelli noodles. This gives it a spongy flavour with only a hint of egg. The bi topping is a combination of finely sliced cooked pork, pork skin, and wheat flour. The resulting crunchy and slightly gritty flavour goes well with fish sauce. At Pho Linh, they actually use the traditional "broken rice" instead of regular rice. A lot of Vietnamese restaurants don't bother. The smaller rice, broken from the milling process, gives the dish a grainier texture and feel, closer to quinoa or other small grains.

One Hit Wonderful

I've been meaning to go to Case Of The Mondays, a weekly showcase hosted by Emma-Lee and Karen Kosowski that runs all summer at The Cameron House. After a few musical guests play original material, Lee and her band would do a set of theme-based covers.

First up tonight was Sarah Cripps. In her singing, she reminded me of a cross between sultry Alanna Myles and the tough-gal sound of Emma-Lee herself. Cripps' mix of driving blues-rock (Not The One) and country (Gypsy Eyes) had heads nodding. Field Study is an indie-pop band that recently moved here from Vancouver. They sing straight-forward pop (Lost and Found, Don't Settle Your Heart), often as a duet between singers Caleb and guest Adaline.

Emma-Lee and Kosowski also sang their own material tonight, sort of. They not only write for their own band, but also compose for other musicians, too. So we were treated to "covers of their own songs": an eclectic variety from country (One More Light), teen pop (Fall Apart), TV theme (Shot In The Dark), and big-band (Cabin Fever). It was a fun and interesting set, revealing their versatility.

After a short break, they returned with a set of "One Hit Wonders". From Torn to Tainted Love, they ran the gamut though concentrating mostly in the 90s. The previous acts also took turns doing a song or two. Sometimes it was a bit kitschy and silly (More Than Words were sung sitting on bar stools). But with professional musicians covering the songs, everyone had a blast. The night ended appropriatedly enough with Semisonic's Closing Time. Ironically, that song took on a poignant mood. As Kosowski sang out the final "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end", an old man shuffled past the stage.

Same As In Town

Early Saturday evening, I dropped by nightclub/lounge Bite on College St. for an off-site Fringe show called Love Is a Poverty You Can Sell 2 (Soup Can Theatre). On the heels of last year's success, this sequel is a cabaret with a 1920s Berlin feel.

As such, the performers wore suits or tight shirts and pants. The women were decked as flapper girls, wide-eyed ingenue, and androgynous Marlene Dietrichs. The 90 minute show was emceed by "Hans" and "Jodel": a cynical and jaded bon-vivant and his excitable and childish side-kick. The format had various singers take to the stage for classic numbers including Don't Forget Me, Tango Ballad, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Mein Herr. They often returned to dance and acted during each other's numbers.

This is a huge production for a Fringe show, with close to 40 people involved. So it's good they are having sold-out performances. I was impressed by the live 10-piece orchestra and the singers (also 10). It's always a pleasure to hear unamplified performance. But given the large space and background noise (streetcar rumbling by, whirring ventilator), I don't know if anyone further than 6-7 rows back can hear the lyrics. And they were wonderful words from timeless songs except for a few head-scratching modern additions. There are new songs that are equally fine but Coin Operated Boy (Amanda Palmer) is not one of them.

Most singers were great though one or two were flat. The stand-out was Natasha Negovanlis whose classical soprano reached to the back of the room on a beautiful rendition of Youkali. Outside of the lovely songs, I was dissatisfied with the pastiche. Ostensibly 1920s Germany in tone (both emcees spoke "German-accented" english), the songs actually spanned numerous decades. It was a bit superficial the trappings of period costume and manners. Having recently seen a "casual cabaret" where each song meant something personal to the singer, this show lacked the emotional depth that elevates a performance to powerful authenticity.

Sonic Metal

The SoundClash competition has several less well-known bands under various genre compete for a couple thousands in prize money and perhaps a little more exposure. On Saturday, all the finalists were scheduled to showcase a half-hour set at the Harbourfront. Kashka had the unenviable task of opening at 1:30 pm.

So early in the afternoon on a blazing day meant that most people, the majority being tourists, were more interested in enjoying the lake than watching indie bands play. Nevertheless, a few did gather round the Redpath rotunda as Kashka began setting up. Although it didn't have quite the audience impact as their opening slot for Young Galaxy a few weeks, this was probably their best show to-date.

First, the mix was excellent. With an array of speakers encircling the stage, every sound came through clear and pristine. Second, Kat Burns had enlisted some musicians to help her perform tracks from her current album and 1 new tune. Being a dance music solo effort, she usually has only a lead guitarist, her keyboards, and backing tracks. The addition of Kelly McMichael (Rouge, Gentleman Reg) on vocals/synth, Mike Smith on bass, and Morgan Doctor on drums made the songs dynamic and vibrant. I'm not being ironic when I say that the syncopated cow-bell on closing number "Prestige" made it pop and got people's feet to shuffle and tap (though it was too hot to do much else.)

Southern Fried

On a very warm Saturday morning, I dropped by Rose and Son at Dupont and St. George for some brunch. This new diner takes over from long-running, and recently retired, People's Food. In fact, "Food" is still hanging over the eatery, with the outline of "People's" still visible. It still looks like your greasy diner except with the clientele and the line chefs/waitstaff skewing toward 20-somethings. The food remains stick-to-your-ribs fare though perhaps a little pricier.

I ordered the fried cornbread with a side-order of sausage. The fried onions, egg, and brisket that came piled on top of the cornbread were flavourful and toothsome. The maple syrup over-powered a bit the protein. The cornbread was thick and slightly sweet. It was too cakey and dense for me. This southern staple is probably not going to be one my favourite ingredient. The sausage, sliced lengthwise and grilled, imparted more of a bacon feel with its smokey and salty taste.

All in all, a nice place to drop by. But you'll have to be ok with sitting cheek-by-jowls in the tiny resto. Come before 12 when the lines start forming out the door.

With A Zed

After the torrential rain on Monday and several days of clean-up, Toronto finally had good weather again. So Friday afternoon, I went to a Fringe show at The Annex Theatre on Bathurst. Jennifer Walls (Fairy Tale Ending) had a one-woman show impersonating Liza Minelli in Liza Live! The conceit being that Ms. Minelli wanted to connect with her audience in a more intimate 70-seat theatre. Ms. Walls came out all teeth and show-biz pizzazz which immediately got laughs. At first, it was more of a parodic take, reminding me more of Jessica Holmes doing Liza. But as she inhabited the role more fully, it was an engaging performance:Liza funny and not Liza-impersonator funny.

The show was a mixed of performance and improv as Liza interacts with the audience and even invited two to come up and played the Liza Minelli trivia game show. We heard a little bit about her life, her parents, Vincent Minelli and Judy Garland. That was the shadow cast over her life and the show as well, the presence of her supremely talented and famous mother. Of course, Liza Live would not be complete without several well-known songs: All That Jazz, Liza With a Z (which she changed for her Canadian audience), Maybe This Time. Ms. Walls had the chops to handle those with aplomb. Perhaps not on the level of the real Liza, but on the other hand, she did it mostly unamplified (there was a small head mic buried in her wig for an audio boost). So she could probably shake the rafters through speakers.

I thought the pathos could have been dialed back. Liza Minelli would be a consummate professional and not be so revealing on stage. For example, when Walls sang Over The Rainbow in a cracked voice while looking at a black-and-white video of Judy Garland. Or some of the behind-the-scene "stories". A slight inadvertent peek here or there, to show the woman behind the persona, would have been more realistic. Minor quibble aside, this was a fun and enjoyable hour. Walls' upcoming "Liza and Barbra" show with Gabi Epstein in October should be a blast.

Mostly Harmless

On Saturday, I went to St. Vladimir's Theatre for a Fringe play. The young cast of Wolverine Theatre Company from the University of Michigan gave an abridged version of Almost, Maine. This play takes place on a winter night in a fictitious small town in northern Maine. 8 couples, in a series of vignettes, will run the gamut of romance: some will fall in love, some will fall out of love, and some aren't sure.

This was a pleasant trifle that came straight out of the Hollywood rom-com playbook. I can imagine Zooey Deschanel, Jennifer Aniston, and any number of "hot Hollywood" being cast in this ensemble piece. It was a bit too whimsical for this cynical bastard. There was a girl carrying her broken heart around in a paper bag! The young cast worked well with the material (only callow youthfulness can speak so preciously without irony) except when they had to play long-time older couples. The flannel shirts, winter boots, snow pants inspired wry smiles in all northern climes dwellers, including us Canadians. Though it was a muggy summer day, the clothes weren't out of place at the coldest venue at Fringe. In general, I would have liked more down-to-earth dialogue to match the practical outerwear.

I'll Be Back?

I was excited to try Saturday brunch at new spot Bickford Flexitarian which replaces The Linux Cafe. But after waiting 10 minutes in a half-full restaurant, and no water, no menu, not even a server, I left. I guess flexible service is also their motto.

I made my way to Kensington Market and stopped off at The Burgernator. They have a manifesto written on a wall declaring "war on bad burgers", using only local, fresh ingredients. Strong words given the plethora of good burger joints in town. Can they live up to their boast? Let's try the Atomic Burger ($8.50) with some cut fries ($2.99).

The burger came out with a thick 6oz patty. On top sat a deep-fried herb-encrusted cheese. The patty was rich and almost loose. A good chew but could use more fattiness. The cheese was just gilding the lily. I would prefer it melted over the patty. The sun-dried tomato aioli didn't add much to the flavour. The fries was average: fresh but insufficiently crunchy. All in all, a good enough lunch but unlikely to challenge the top joints in town like Burger Priest.

The Scottish Play

Wednesday night, I went to see Canadian Stage's Macbeth. This is a year of firsts for the long-running Shakespeare in High Park: A repertory season (Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew), and a collaboration with York University's MFA program.

Access to a larger group of production people was immediately apparent in the staging. Multi-level stairs, platforms, soaring girders, balustrades, and rustic doors evoked the feel of a massive medieval castle. But the play started a little silly for me: Macbeth led his men to battle before the first scene. With the group trotting in place, simulating horse-riding, and the inarticulate screams and deaths, it was like Monty Python meets Game of Thrones. Luckily, the rest of the performance went much better.

The strongest actors were Hugh Thompson as a burly, thick-armed Macbeth, Ryan Hollyman as a righteous MacDuff, and Phillippa Domville as a stylish, Beverley Hills-esque Lady Macbeth. They all inhabited the roles and especially the words, though Thompson at times seemed a touch diffident, belying his powerful physicality. The other actors were competent, though now and then they recited their lines in sing-song patter instead of forthright realism.

This staging was loading with effects, some more successful than others. The witches appeared cloaked in red, their faces painted white. They spoke their lines in staggered triplicates, making even risible (to modern ears) passages like "eye of newt" sound other-worldly. The director loved putting the other actors in slow motion movement while a character speaks aside or in a soliloquy, then resuming "normal" speed. This worked best when Macbeth invited Duncan into his home while pondering murderous thoughts. But it seemed gimmicky after the 4th time. Perhaps influenced by HBO's Game Of Thrones, this was a violent staging with fights and murders lovingly choreographed.

Canada Day

Before heading down for some Canada Day fun at Harbourfront Centre, I grabbed a bite to eat at Via Mercanti. I had previously stated I would not eat here after some mendacious customer service. But vows are easier kept as a loner hermit. You don't want to appear as a wild-eyed lunatic with dining companions, and they wanted to dine here.

I opted for the lone calzone ($12.95) on the menu. It came out flatter than the usual puffy version. But the high-heat pizza oven made the dough wonderfully chewy. The cheese oozed thickly and the soppresata gave the dish some piquancy. For dessert, it was a strawberry/pistachio gelato cup ($7). The pistachio was superior in flavour and richness.

Hot Summer

Just in time for summer, there are lots of activities to celebrate the Canada Day long week-end down by Harbourfront. On Sunday and Monday, I spent a couple of hours by the lake to enjoy the festivities.

It's great that they have turned their large parking lot into a "park" called Canada Square. Although park might be stretching it. Certainly there were some trees and greenery, but it was mostly concrete (even if they were walkways) and artificial grass. You can't plant trees in fake grass and thus, you don't have much shade. So while there were some spectators for Chloe Charles set, they stayed far away from the stage, squirrelled up under whatever cool shadows could be found. She sang allusive and poetical indie pop with a touch of urban ornamentation. Though her tendency to structure most songs as a repeating sequence of plaintive, acoustic passage followed by loud, beat-heavy chorus got a bit tiresome.

If you wanted to dance and move your feet, Son Ache provided lively music from Latin America: salsa, meringue, rumba. Though most just tapped their feet, some did shake and groove, including a lady who was pushing 70. On the other hand, if you were older and in a nostalgic mood, a big band was playing on the main stage: Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong (Just A Gigolo), Andrew Sisters (Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy), and the ubiquitous "Sing, Sing, Sing" (Benny Goodman).

On Canada Day, the 20-piece Motown tribute band The Big Sound took the stage. Given how long this has gone on for them, obviously the band would want to change their repertoire and not play the same old songs. But given that most here today would not have seen them previously at The Great Hall, it was surprising that almost 1/3 of their songs would not be familiar to a casual Motown fan. But all were catchy, prompting more and more people to stand up and dance (especially as the big hits were played) as the set went on. At each show, there has always been 1-2 singers that really set the stage on fire. Previously, it was Maylee Todd doing Michael Jackson and lately Tanika Charles has been killing with Aretha Franklin. Today, Gary Beales as James Brown got people cheering and standing up for his take on It's A Man's World.

Kegging The Question

I don't often go to chain restaurants but I had a gift card for The Keg Steakhouse and Bar. Saturday evening, I headed off to the St. Lawrence Market area after some Jazz music at The Distillery. Wow, this popular neighbourhood is quite empty at night. After being led astray a few times by the inferior Bing Maps, I finally found the restaurant at 26 Esplanade.

It exuded a different vibe than the restaurants I usually frequent. These tend to be chaotic with either trendy or cheerfully mismatched furniture. Both the Keg's patio where I sat and the main restaurant strove for the "classy but welcoming" feel with attentive waitstaff in uniform, big padded booths, dim lighting, and dark wooden paneling. I ordered the Garlic Cheese Toast ($5.95) and an 8 oz grilled sirloin ($22.95) with roasted veggies. The toast was unevenly sliced so that one side was extra thick, which actually made it soft and tasty, but the thinner side was too crunchy. Being a steak-house, they offered up to "blue rare". My medium rare was soft enough and reasonably flavourful, but it seemed insufficiently pink given the selection.

It was an OK meal, though a bit over-salted. On the quality side, The Keg would not be listed in any top 50 restaurant in Toronto list. And with prices pushing $30 and beyond for mains and $10 or more for appetizers, it doesn't offer a cheaper option for dining out, like the Eastside Mario and Olive Garden of my youth. So I'm not sure why you would eat here, because people obviously do.

Better Late Than Never

I accept, but don't like, how music shows often start later than their set times. Only a few venues such as The Horseshoe Tavern keep on a strict schedule, at least for the early bands. But on Saturday, it was a blessing as I was late for a few shows.

In the late afternoon, I headed down to The Distillery district to catch some free music at the Toronto Jazz Festival. But I was bogged down at Castle Frank subway station. The bus was not only late but while pulling out of the station, it was blocked by some belligerent teens. They had run directly in front of the bus as it began to move. When the driver wouldn't open the door, one threw a soft drink at the windshield. So we had to wait until while the police was called to move them from the bus' path.

The Jessica Stuart Few was still doing soundcheck when I finally arrived. They went through songs from both albums (Kid Dream, Two Sides To Every Story), new tunes (I Like To Ride My Bicycle) as well as a fun cover of Rihanna's Only Girl (In The World). For the show, their music seemed to have a jazzier vibe on the solos and song selections. The only downer was that the stage was located just inside a beer patio. So a fair number of attendees who didn't want to pay for overpriced drinks watched the show peering over the wooden fence barriers. Corporate sponsors are a mixed blessing.

After dinner, I was also running late for Rouge's show at Superkitty for Pride Week. But they haven't gone on yet and Sina Skyn opened the show. Her dance music fitted in with the vibe but watching someone singing mostly to backing tracks wasn't too interesting. The dance-pop music of Rouge was a good fit for the night, which would end with Carmen Electra on stage. Inspired by Robyn and The Eurythmics (they covered Love Is A Stranger), but "not the Dragonnettes" as they reminded the MC, they got the crowd dancing to singles (Modern Lovers I, Destruction) from their debut 7" and plenty of new songs such as Get It Right and We Don't Need To Talk Loud. For their biggest stage yet, they were in full skimpy outfit with lots of glitter. Joining them on stage for the fun was Geordie Gordon (The Magic) on guitar and even some dancers, with even skimpier outfits.