I’m writing this on Thursday night. My wife has been in early or pre-labour for several days. She’s catching some Z’s while my mom and my sister tuck my daughter in to sleep. That’s right, I’m in a house with my wife, my daughter, my sister and my mom. I don’t remember the last time I had a conversation with another man. We’ve been to see the midwives, the ultrasound technicians, and the foetal monitoring unit over the last few days. All women. We did see our male OB at the hospital today, but he didn’t actually speak to me.
Vancouver’s Louise Burns is heading out on tour in November with Matthew Barber. I don’t know who’s headlining. Either of them could. Barber’s been around for a while, I remember seeing him open for Buck 65 in early 2003 at what was then still known as The State. Buck has of course gone on to fame as “personality” on CBC radio. Barber’s sister Jill is married to another CBC “personality”, Grant Lawrence. Innnnnnteresting.
Anyway, like I said, Barber’s been around the block and paid his dues. But Burns has got a great voice and sound that easily recalls early Neko Case. She’s been making music since she was 11 and if there’s any justice in this crap hole we call a universe, she’ll be making music for a long time to come. Two words: Star, Power. Of course, there are no Regina dates on the tour (nor should there be, since the dates are all in Ontario).
Matt Goud, AKA Northcote, is coming to Regina however. November 1, at the Artesian. Goud’s an on-again/off-again Regina kid, currently based out of that other Queen City, Victoria. (Nelson, BC, setting of the Steve Martin/Darryl Hannah romcom Roxanne, also calls itself a Queen City. Seriously, Queen Nelson?) Goud’s doing okay for himself, building his rep on the naional stage. His latest project is a documentary series. The first part is above.
mp3: “The Hurricane” by The Migrant
I find it interesting that the hospital–St. Paul’s, downtown Vancouver–uses the oe spelling for “foetal monitoring”. St. Paul’s is a strange place, an old redbrick complex amid the shimmering glass towers. A little bit of Charles Dickens plunked into a Douglas Coupland book.
Emmet Matheson is a freelance writer who blogs at A Bulldozer With a Wrecking Ball Attached. You can e-mail him at: bulldozerDOTwreckingballATgmailDOTcom
