....you can start off well but don't think you're gonna enjoy the rest of the day!

Now don't get me wrong anyone, I like Canada - I have a good life here, sorta. I have friends and enjoy the scene I'm involved in. I'm becoming used to things I don't have anymore and things I do, things I have to do and things I can't BUT last night was the last straw and one of the biggest kick in the teeth this place has delivered!

I am used to having to see people look at me funny, think I'm a "crazy African" just because I come from South Africa.....the fact that we are one of the strongest countries in Africa economically. WE have the natural resources the world want!! Yes Canada we have them! The fact we speack proper English, all irrelevant when the word "african" comes into play.....

BUT HERE'S THE DEAL!

Last night I spent over 2 hours finding my way to The Back Alley to see Ecoline Crush perform with Seventh Rain....it was supposed to be a fun night out with a girlfriend to celebrate Valentines Day our way! Instead I arrive (after walking about 45 minutes and a 30 minute train ride!) to be bounced for NOT having 2 pieces of ID and because I'm not Canadian. 

Perhaps I overreacted at this as I was literally seething and I hardly ever raise my voice about a short tone when angered, but this time I was close to screaming at the top of my lungs right outside Hooters. Now I don't know if it was because I was all dressed up with nowhere to go or whether it was the blantant discrimination or both but this really was the last straw....the cherry on the top....proof I'm not insane, I really do not fit in here

I will miss all my friends and my life here but I cannot wait to leave....at least in England I will be somewhat accepted, they say herb pronouncing the H!!

So this was a couple of weeks ago....a week and a half ago to be exact but it was definately one of the best concerts I have been to. Not counting Radio Logic and My Chemical Romance - yes I do believe Radio Logic could be in the league of MCR. As Spencer said, "You're rating us with real bands". ^_^

My sister and I arrived an hour before the doors opened - thank you Calgary transit for being on time for once in your lives!

We stood outside with the other eager faces before entering the inferno.....the inferno standing on a layer of ice. We learned that night that the entire floor of the Pengrowth Saddledome is a hockey rink; no wonder we freeze our arses off in there. Anyway, the opening bands were rather entertaining: Die Mannequin and Finger Eleven. The lead singer from Die Mannequin commented on my hoodie and ran into the stage, she's rather an interesting individual. Before that evening I had never heard of them before but I am now a fan of those 3 punk rockers. My sister was less amused.

FInger Eleven was a disappointment.....they only picked up during the last song "Paralyser". It was the only song people knew and by then the crowd was ready for Sum 41. However, the chanting and improvisation of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" was quite satisfying - although I do not believe many of the audience knew the words to the chorus and they did not know the words to The Hives "Walk, Idiot Walk". Finger Eleven did a good cover of The Hives most popular song.

Sum 41 eventually took the stage and was greeted by a deafening applause.....I'm suprised the ice didn't break with the moshing before the songs. 3 lucky individuals were granted the privilege of watching the show from the side of the stage...I was almost chosen, the young man beside me was slightly more enthusiatic.

Derryk was unbelievable.....a tiny fireball who doesn't sound Canadian. He stagedove!! Not on our side - but we were the cooler side...he even said so. He gave us lines to sing whereas the rights side was given mere chords. Where some bands deliver a different sound live to an audio recording Sum 41 sound exactly the same onstage and off....it was incredible.

Forgive me for no real detail but the words escape me.....buy a ticket and see the show yourself - it's worth it!

Nicole xx

We have had a mouse in the house for almost a month now. Yes I know, an actual mouse in the house! We had them back home but there we had brick walls so they couldn't scamper into the prefab stuff that we live in now.

Anyway, yes we had a mouse in the house which we found dead about 1 minute ago. 

Now you have to understand I have 1 morbid fear: SNAKES, and many little fears one being mice.

This mouse was brown and stone cold dead but I thought it would still move and it really looked like it was still alive.....and I thought I heard it squeak when it fell into the dustbin. Or maybe that's the medication talking. Hmmmm.....

Totally random blog I know, but hey...isn't that what a live journal's for?

Nicole xx

Quick tale: Jennifer and I standing outside The Castle pondering whether or not to go inside or back to her car and wait until 8pm....suddenly hail starts to pelt down....a nice suprise. Instead of running inside like normal human beings we stand there and try to catch it, throwing it at each other. I then have the bright idea of catching some on my tongue - which never happened btw. The hail turns to a light drizzle (I hate that word drizzle) which turns to bucketful downpours....and all this time we stand outside The Castle trying to catch water in our hands and drops on our tongue. Eventually we are picking hail off our waterlogged coats and eating the acid clogged droplets. When we finally went inside we could literally wring water from our coats and hair :) No wonder I'm ill.

Anyway, the concert was great. Radio Logic was even better than I thought they would be....though the bass was rather loud and Jennifer and I were giggling so much we barely paid much attention to the songs. We came to the conclusion Spencer (lead vocalist and guitarist) had watched too many Green Day videos and the stage is too small for them to move. Also Paola noticed the drummer had removed his pants and from where she was sitting she could see everything.....her words not mine.

Abandin All Hope - that's abandin with a freaking I - took the stage about 30 minutes after the Radio Logic boys. Abandin was good, I mean really good....or maybe I was just buzzing a little. I decided to have a beer and let lose a little even though I had said I wouldn't considering I was meeting the Radio Logic boys that night. Ah well.....if I seemed a bit of a tipsy weirdo, then that's how I seemed....you shouldn't judge on first impressions :/. The guitarist of Abandin All Hope was totally plastered, and rightfully admitted it, but was really a nice guy when I met him.....I think his name's Joey. Anyway got a sweet deal on a CD from them....soon to post a review on aptpunk.com, my music webzine. Go check it out when you have the time....or go check it out now cos it seems you do have the time to waste minutes of your life reading my garbage :) - shameless plug. Either way just check back there for the review of Abandin All Hope's album "My Friends Are Dead"....$10 for 24 tracks, personally I think that's a grand deal.

The night was an all round success. I have new business as I have a new band to promo....a good band to promo. I met the boys of Radio Logic, well 2 of them - though I think only Spencer actually knows who I am. Hehehe....oneday I actually will be able to say "who I am" and it will mean more than just a piddly wannabe who I am. It'll be like major big league Frank Iero "who I am". At the moment, Frank Iero is so much cooler than Gerard Way. Apparently Gerard Way is going to be directing MCR's next 2 videos....they're going the same route as RHCP, making a million videos off one album. At least RHCP have the rep to back that up, MCR dont!

Yeh....so, the night was good. Memories etched in my mind, new friends made. Cant wait for the next night out!

In the past 4 months, as I moved to Canada in May, I have attended 3 concerts.
1. My Chemical Romance
2. Good Charlotte w/Social Code
3. Only Crime

Tomorrow night I will be attending a Radio Logic concert at The Castle in Calgary central. Although this is going to be a wonderful evening for the outing alone it will also be a great night as I support the band on my webzine. My only hope is after the show they dont act all superstar on me and ignore me *boo hoo*

Several other concert dates have been diarised: