December 11: Elizabeth Riley at the Elmdale

An amazing thing happened this fall. I've been pinching myself for a while now, and I have lots of bruises, and the thing still appears to be true.

The owner of my favourite bar/watering hole/music venue stumbled across this post, where I was whining and complaining about not being able to go see Ball and Chain. She liked what I said about her bar, and watched our videos. Then she sent me the following miraculous message: "I love your band. You should play here."

Just a second while I pinch myself again. Ow. No, I'm not dreaming.

So, our first full gig is going to be at my favourite place to hang out, drink, listen to music in all of Ottawa, the Elmdale House Tavern in Hintonburg.

Ow. Yes, it's true!

So save this date - December 11th, it's a Thursday night, you can call in sick the next day.

If you don't like drinking beer by the quart, you can have Beau's Organic. Or if, like me, you're not really a beer person, I recommend a rye and ginger.

7 random and/or weird facts (yes, it's a meme)

I was tagged for this by Raino. I'm going along with it because of my basic good nature. And I've been meaning to post anyway...

These are the RULES:
1.Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2.Share 7 random and / or weird facts about yourself.
3.Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include the links to their blogs. 4.Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Do it ! It’s fun.

These are the FACTS:
1. I like being up late late late at night. Alone, with others, whatever, wherever. It might be pathological. It might be an addiction. An addiction to insomnia.
2. As a teenager, I was horse-crazy. But the last time I was on a horse was ... oh, ten years ago, maybe? And when I got off the horse, EVERY MUSCLE IN MY BODY ACHED. Each muscle ached with a little separate ache, so I learned about muscles that I didn't even know I had!
3. My phone is pink.
4. I like rainy days. I also like November.
5. Right now, as I type this, I am supposed to be doing something else. Shocking.
6. um, I'm having trouble thinking of something else...
7. I have no favourite colour.

Here's one more fact: One of these days, Elizabeth Riley will have a website and a myspace set up - it's in the works, thanks to the wonderful Carmel and the fabulous Mike.

Umi and Irene's

Here are some pictures from our visit to Umi last Friday. It was a rip-roarious night. I just love that place - the energy is amazing.

Umi's energy is: open, accepting, questioning, young, idealistic, lost, found.

I think the high point, for me, was hearing Sergio bring it all together in a rousing freestyle performance as the penultimate item in an incredibly diverse open mic.

Sadly, I don't have a picture of Sergio. But I have a picture of Brianne, who poured her heart out and got us all singing along.

And a few pictures of Elizabeth Riley: one ensemble (featuring the elusive Mike, in the distance!) and a couple of Sarah. We were joined by Doc Woods, on sax. You gotta love a guy who can tap dance and play the sax at the same time. It even got a mention on Umi's blog.

Thanks Devon! And thanks, Keane, for the photos.

I heard a rumour Elizabeth R. will be appearing at Irene's this Saturday afternoon. That Elizabeth, she loves to perform.