Canadian Music Week has always been the first weekend in March, and as such, I’ve adjusted/cleared my schedule accordingly for the past few years. But this year, they’ve decided to make a change, moving the event to the fourth weekend of the month. The official reasoning I’ve heard is they want to have it after SXSW, as if that would entice more bands to come up and play here. Hey, there are tons of amazing metal bands that just played SXSW–and I don’t see a single one on the bill for Canadian Music Week.
In fact, that argument doesn’t even make sense when you consider that Toronto and Austin are some 2,600 km apart. I mean, if you’re flying over from across the pond, it’s probably cheaper to land on the East Coast and make your way over to Texas with some gigs in between. But if you’re flying into Texas in the first place, why would you stop in Toronto on the way home? The real reason why they’ve changed the date for CMW is all because of the weather, if you ask me. When it doesn’t rain during the first week of March it snows, as witnessed at the past few festivals. By contrast, they’re predicting a sunny 20-24 degrees from here to Thursday–dropping off to 16 and raining for the weekend. So much for that idea…
And let me say that moving CMW after SXSW doesn’t suit my schedule in the slightest, as it falls smack-dab in the middle of March Madness, the greatest sporting event known to man. That’s why I’m boycotting this year’s festival in protest. My bracket has been busted so many times it’s no longer eligible for parole, but I’d still rather watch the Sweet 16 than a buncha Canadian bands that are only somewhat heavier than Nickelback.
Now, there is one impressive event at CMW this year that’ll draw me away from college basketball for a couple hours, but I doubt that the star of the show will be in attendance. Last Days Here, a documentary about Bobby Liebling and the recent rise of Pentagram, will be screening for one nite only at the Bell Lightbox Theatre on Thursday. Admission is 10 dollars to the public, no additional charge to wristband- and pass-holders. If you paid 75 bucks for one of those things, you still won’t get to see Slash, though. Just sayin’…
Peace,
Greg
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