i’m making a list
The List
(revised from my local best 50
back in 2008)
March, 2010

My Fave Winnipeg Bands/
Musicians

The Scene
in all
of Canada
likely
in all of North America
heck, who am i
kidding?

this is The List
of the best bands
in the best music
scene
in the entire world.

double click
it
in your music
loving souls
and dance
with me.

so far,
79 bands.

the ones that came to me
(in sudden, sweeping waves
of how could I forget!)
this morning

Ultra Mega
Haunter
Sit Down Tracy
Grand Analog
Code Name Shark
Greg MacPherson
Matt Epp
and JP Hoe,
numbers
72 to 79.

oh!
James Keelaghan
and
Cara Luft!

breaking the 80.

oh my winnipeg
(Guy! Maddin!)

www.myspace.com/subcitydwellers

Subcity
is a local band
that I’ve loved
for years.

reggae
ska
punk
dub

i can dance
My Dance
to them
for them
every time
they play

just because

I can always count on drummer
Alain
to deliver me
into
Dance Heaven.

a beautiful man
a beautiful drummer,
one of the best
in Winnipeg.

the truth is
however
up until
last October

i never knew if one or two
of my beloved Subs
would have something
of an “off night”

just a little off/kilter
just enough to make
just Alain
enough
to send me…

and then suddenly
it happened

after a quick blast tour
out West
they returned,played
their CD release show
at the WECC and haven’t
been that slightly off
Subcity
since

what happened?
a tour
like so many other tours?

or is it because…
Ian’s now fronting Kids On Fire
and
Matt and Darwin are in
The Crooked Brothers
Darryl, Rob and KMac
have CKUW radio shows
and suddenly
with these expanded
musical horizons
has manifested
an immense change…

since last October

(or maybe they’re just practicing more!)

(or maybe, they’re all just,
happy)

they’ve been turned
fully on
fully engaged on
enraged on and
pushing
all the loving switches
on
On
ON!
in all the perfect
gee
spots
of music
and tight soul-rising
fits of passion.

Ian
sings and plays guitar
(usually the punky songs)
Matt growls and howls like Tom Waits,
plays nasty mean lead guitar
Darwin (funky bass)
Darryl (sax)
Allison (trumpet)
Rob (trombone, the man can dance)
they blow their horns
with
ferocity
intensity
and
beauty
and Kmac’s on the keys
(also in The Paperbacks)

now, here’s something else
you need to know about the
members of Subcity

they’re all Beautiful
youngsters/
so Saturday night
was billed
as

Solidarity Rock

a fundraiser
and
art show
(paintings and posters
and sculpture
and ceramics
created by Cuban artists)

to raise money
for Cuban
punk rock
musicians.

the cruel and mean-spirited
American (always sore-losers)
economic
blockade of Cuba
has meant
young Cuban alt musicians
have zero money/access
to instruments

(and yes)
Fidel
(and family)
is a dictator
an abuser of human rights
drunk/sick
on power.

$1,500
was raised Saturday night.

that’s beautiful.
and
just something
Darryl
Darwin, Ian, Rob, Kevin, Alain
Allison and Matt
feel deeply about.

on April 23rd
Subcity will play
The Kids Help Line
fundraiser
at the WECC.

I Love Subcity
the band and its players
fully
madly
deeply.

and Saturday
night
Subcity was tight
and mean
and rocking and Loving.

in all the right measure.

13 songs
and a rousing six minute
Bruce Springsteen
and the E Street Band
cover of
Rosalita!

Gun
Drag Me Down
Gastown
Wicked
Chill
Heart
Misery
The End of the Bottle
Jerk Chicken
Soft Hands
1st and 55th
Temper
Silence

72 minutes
and yes
i danced
fully engaged
on Subcity
and so did
scores more…

on a previous Saturday
February 27th
they returned to Winnipeg
after another lightning
tour of The West. at 6 PM
they unloaded their gear
and did sound check,
went to a local restaurant
for dinner (not home)
and played three
Blazing
sets
beginning just after
10 PM.

Subcity rocks.
and is tour hardened
supremely
professional.
and divinely
human.

big hearts.
with a
big big love.
Gigantic (Pixies!)

Subcity
WECC
March 6
Solidarity Rock!