Jenocide’s Unofficial Diary of Halifax Pop Explosion 2009 – Part I!

Day 1: Tuesday

I heard there was a killer metal show at Gus’, but I decided to start off lower-key and stop in at the Paragon to catch Crystal Antlers.
When I arrived, Red Mass were on stage playing some sort of disco, funk-art music. What’s the deal? They seemed to have a lot of art-rage which peaked with bottles being thrown at the bassist by the drummer. HalifaxLocals allstar Sean MacG, who was working monitors, put an end these shenanigans and they continued on with their set, while Sauza girls in green booty shorts grinded each other on top of the bar. Awkward. Sad. Sawkward? Yeah.

Too much confusion on a Tuesday night for me. By the time Crystal Antlers made it to the stage, I was sleepy. One song in, I saw a jambe in action I knew it was my cue to leave.

BEST:
Bottlefight! (duh!)

WORST:
Sauza girls!

Day 2, Wednesday

I posted up at Gus’ pub for the only punk show of the this year’s festival. This show started out with a small but very loving crowd and I was happy to finally get a chance to catch The Fat Stupids which features Craig Hamlin (former Dean Malenkos) on guitar. They were punkeriffic and even played a Descendant’s cover off one of my all time favourite punk albums, Milo Goes to College. Mmmmm! A very satisfying start to the night.

Ya Boi James Reid and I headed down to the Coconut Grove (aka COGO? MOJO?), for D-Sisive. This rapper just won the Echo song-writing prize, so I expected a better crowd. Lack of promo? Cursed venue?

BEST:
Gus’ Punk show feat Fear of Lipstick, The Hemingways, The Stolen Minks, The Fat Stupids!

WORST:
Hip Hop Buzzzzzzzzzzkill!

Day 3, Thursday

Omg! The big day! I was totally hyped to play the Paragon with Old Folks Home, Think About Life, and Cadence Weapon. Great music! New friends!

I had some much fun during my set, AA Wallace manned the light show (red lights!) and I wore red. I had a very awesome posse of dancers, which was so nice after the week of anxiety dreams about playing to an empty Paragon at 9pm (sobs sobs).

OldFolks Home (aka Shaun and Ricardo) followed up with a deliciously ghettotech set. Winnipeg must be a really awesome place, what’s with everyone from Winnipeg being so awesome?!

Think About Life put on an amazing show, best set of the Pop Explosion hands down. So energetic, so inspired, so much dance! Halifax’s Special Noise sweetheart Greg Napier recently took over drums in this band. Awesome! Martin and I had Jamaican Patties after the set (Martin had mild, I had spicy). Cadence Weapon continued the Paragon party, while I had to jet early to set up for The Rock Garden Pizza Party hosted by Stephan of Windom Earle, Rob and me!

A few hours later, The Rock Garden was bumpin, people streamed in for some hot pizzas and to listen to Graham of Holy Fuck and Cadence Weapon spin some jams. Henny was in full effect, the club went HAM! Tim aka DJ Co-Op further confirmed the awesomeness of Winnipeg and went buck!

We packed it in around 4am and everything about Day 3 is a resounding success. Until I’m a coasting down a hill a block away from my destination holding a bag of merch and… my helmet (read:not on my head). Enter: two bike cops. Why do these things always happen to me! Wait, this has never happened to me. Regardless, they refuse to give me a warning, instead I get a $135 fine. They may have taken my pride, and my faith in public service… but at least they didn’t take my fireball. SUCKERS!!!!!!!

BEST:
Think About Life set/ Pizza Party With Graham and Rolly. TIE!

WORST:
4am Helmet Fine!

Phew, that’s enough for now! Part II coming soon, complete with a full definition of going HAM, along with my joys and beefs of the festival’s final 2 days.

xoxox
MUAH MUAH!