Archive for November, 2006
Champion and his G-strings
Lee’s Palace – 11.24.06
Rating: 9/10
There’s no doubting that the longevity and popularity of Electronica (house, trance, breakbeat, etc.) was short-lived from its inception in early 90’s to its decline with the advent of ‘electro-pop bands’ in the 21st century. It’s just like James Murphy of
LCD Soundsystem proclaimed in ‘Losing my edge’; ‘All the DJs sold there turn tables and bought guitars’. A whole generation of ravers, pill-poppers, dancers, and partiers no longer exist in the numbers that they used to; partly because of harsh ‘rave laws’ imposed in countries all around the world, but mainly because of mass media’s persistent downplay of rave culture. Fortunately for those of us who cherish the ‘good old days’ of dance parties passed and the four-to-the-floor grooves of Electronica, there’s a smidgen of hope left with up and coming dance acts like
MSTRKRFT and Champion bridging the gap in Canada between rock and house music.
On Friday night the Montreal-bred producer Champion brought his much-hyped live show to Lee’s Palace. From the moment the doors opened, the venue was jam-packed with a ‘buzzing’ crowd waiting in huge lines to get their first drink. There’s nothing like walking into a venue when the place is packed and the atmosphere is filled with excitement. Looking at the stage, it was lined with large guitar amps and a table of computers and mixers. Before the show even began, you could tell that this was going to be something quite unique to the usual DJ-centric dance party. At 11:35pm, Champion took to the stage, placing himself behind his wall of computers and audio equipment. As the crowd cheered he began to play a very simple drum pattern that quickly evolved into a four-to-the-floor assault. One-by-one his ‘G-strings’ grabbed their guitars and took to the stage, individually adding their own bluesy riff to the dance beat. It did not take long for the crowd to start ‘shaking their tail-feathers’. Champion and his G-strings toyed with the crowd, playing a 20-minute introduction of heavy beats and shredding guitars; building up and breaking down their music until finally leading into ‘Keep on ridin’’ from Champion’s album ‘Chill’em all’. Champion himself didn’t stop bouncing up and down to the heavy beat of his music, often pleading with the crowd to join in on the dance party and to let loose.
Amazingly, much of their set seemed to be completely improvised; Champion acting as a conductor to the rest of his band, often signing signals to the five guitar players on stage to play a certain riff or to drop out on a particular beat. It was like watching a small orchestra perform a techno symphony. As the orchestra played on, Champion invited album collaborator Betty Bonifassi out on to the stage to sing a number of tracks including the radio hit ‘No heaven’. Her sultry blue-grassy voice fit perfectly into the concoction of guitar, heavy bass and housey beats. The show lasted almost two hours, when the shirtless and sweaty Champion thanked the audience and ending off with the slower ‘Die in peace’.
My moment of ‘clarity’ came when I was walking from the bar looking out onto the dance floor; hands in air, heads bobbing up and down, steam rising from the masses, all signs of what reminded me of those techno days passed, when all anyone ever wanted to do was dance. Truly, this was one of the most exciting and original shows I have been to all year. As a DJ that likes to spin house music, it gave me hope that there’s still an audience out there for this type of music; all we need to do is find each other, leave the pretension at home, and dance.
Reviewed By: Craig Hill
November 30th, 2006
King Khan and BBQ Show
Silver Dollar – 11.22.06
Rating: 8/10
It’s pretty rare for people to checkout shows purely based on the hype they’ve heard leading up to the actual performance. But there’s something to be said about the sense of satisfaction you get when you take a chance on a concert and it turns out to be incredible. This is exactly what this passed Tuesday night was at the legendary Silver Dollar Room. This night marked the return of King Khan – an underground sensation in the Toronto scene – to this 200+ blues bar. This time, King Khan was joined by his long-time collaborator Mark Sultan (aka BBQ), a solo artist who plays rhythm guitar and a drum set with his feet. Not having heard much of their stuff before-hand, I was a little sceptical.
The evening began with The Magnetix, a band from Paris that had been recruited by King Khan himself while on his last European stint. The band consisted of a gorgeous girl named Aggy Sonaro on the drums and a ‘bowl-hair cut’ Joe Strummer look alike (Looch Vibrato) on the guitar. Immediately most people would draw comparisons to the White Stripes; the only difference being that these guys played straight-up, clash/sex pistol influenced punk rock which totally kicked F@#$ing ASS. From the moment they dropped their first note, to their last ‘freak-out’, the audience was completely enthralled with the Parisian duo. Their loud, fast-paced set lifted everyone from their seats and made the bar a lot of cash. They can be described as edgy surfer-rock with the late-great Joe Strummer on vocals. For their first time ever performing in North America, the Magnetix definitely left their mark on Toronto, even if it was to a hundred people in the tiny Silver Dollar.
Quickly after the set change, King Khan and BBQ crept out of the crowd, drink in hand and ready to go; but not before they could get comfortable. BBQ quickly removed his shoes and Khan changed his ‘wardrobe’ into a purple wig and ladies dress as the pair rolled into their first track, a tweaked instrumental rendition of Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B. Goode’. Without even singing a note, the Khan and BBQ Show had control over the party; good thing too as BBQ had blown out his voice the night earlier in Ottawa. I felt like I was Michael J. Fox in ‘Back to the future’, freaking out with all the other kids at the school dance.
Even better, Khan and BBQ called up audience member, Andre Ethier (of recently defunct The Deadly Snakes) to help out with ‘Waddlin around’, a throwback to good old rockabilly soul. Ethier was called up again as Khan and BBQ rocked the crowd to a cover of the Sex Pistols ‘God Save the Queen’. Not only could these two rock the party with their fresh sounding throwback rock and roll, but they kept the audience involved in the performance, often calling up anyone who wanted to sing a song with them. They were even quick to shut-up an obnoxious drunk who was told to ‘do everybody a favour and leave the show’, which evidently led to the duo dedicating their next song, ‘The tea-bag song’ to the dude’s girlfriend. Needless to say, the heckling problem was quickly solved. By the time the show was winding down, Khan and BBQ had played for almost two hours, keeping the floor at the Silver Dollar shaking to some trashy fifties inspired rock n’ roll. The show itself was a gamble for me to check out, not knowing what to expect, but the reward was well worth it, an old fashion rock out at a great venue like the Silver Dollar.
For more information on the King Khan BBQ show check out their myspace site.
REVIEWED BY: CRAIG HILL
November 26th, 2006
Open Door Festival of Music
Fundraiser for Red Door Family Shelter
Rating: 8/10
‘Tis the season, and for musicians that means giving back the way they know how: a fundraiser. As indie musicians, they’re as broke as the next bloke, so there really isn’t a better way they can give back than perform for free for a good cause.
On a cool Wednesday, Nov. 22, I had the pleasure of attending the 6th Annual Open Door Festival of Music, a fundraiser in support of The Red Door Family Shelter in Toronto. The festival also showcases local indie talent from a wide range of genres. The Mod Club also donated the space for the evening (which was yet another reason why they’re the classiest venue in town!).The night began at 7:30PM sharp with ex-CBC radio host Avril Benoit as the MC. Julie Michels and The MCC (Metropolitan Community Church) of Toronto Choir began with their set of jazz covers. Julie’s demanding and soulful sound brought the audience to whisper. The Choir was a little timid on stage, which was mostly likely due to performing on an open concert stage with a chatty crowd rather than a seated classical theatre setting with a captive audience.
The chatty crowd escalated from nuisance to plain rude when folk singer/songwriter Craig Cardiff walked on-stage. Known for his intimate grassroots acoustic sound and john mayer like whispy vocals, the crowd noise over-powered him. With a serious demeanor, he looked rather uncomfortable for the entire solo set. For this final song he politely asked the crowed to “shhh” each other and to sing along to his version of “Time After Time”. Too bad no one was listening. It was a shame. But rather than sitting serious, why not crack both smile and the crowds' rudeness by delivering a few jokes?
Doubling in size, acoustic duo DALA hit the stage after Craig. Taking a fun and festive approach, Sheila Carabine and Amanda Walther dished out piercing harmonies ala Dixie Chicks, talking about tween 1st heartbreak, living in their 20s, and Rudolph. With great storytelling, witty banter with the crowd and powerful songs the crowd realized they were in a concert venue and should bloddy-well pay attention. In true fundraiser fashion, the gals performed a great Joni Mitchell cover and ended with the crowd wanting more. These girls are here to stay – look out for them!Intermixed through stage changeovers, Open Door invited members from the Toronto Poetry SLAM group to perform. They shook the house with aggressive raps about love at first sight, heart break, and cancer. SLAM poetry was a first experience for many audience members; it appeared as though they generated some interest for their SLAM nights on Saturdays.
Next up was Kellylee Evans, a latin-jazz and a bit of blues singer born in Toronto. The first of the night to be backed by a full band, she performed a wide range of tunes, ranging from R&B, jazz, blues and latin inspirations. Evans performed unique version of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, putting her own R&B and jazz twist to the cover. I enjoyed her energy and infectious smile throughout the set. Even while she was talking abou her late mother's passing, she had a smile on her face and keep the mood positive and encouraging. Ember Swift followed Evans with a solid following cheering them on the stage. Ember’s politically charged folk-jazz-funk music had the mostly queer-female fans roaring and dancing. Ember Swift (vocals, guitar) and Lyndell Montgomery (guitar, bass, violin) put on an explosive and interactive performance – they are true musicians that know their instruments, and aren’t afraid to experiment. A highlight was “Elle est la”, with Swift transforming herself into a smoking Quebecois drama queen and sang the song en Français. 
Closing the night was Toronto-based Andy Stochansky, ex-Ani Difranco drummer turned singer/songwriter. I know him from his “Five Star Motel” release in 2002. He put on an acoustic set to a dwindling crowd. His music felt passé – all I could think of was what I was doing when his “Wonderful (It’s Superman)” and "Stutter" came out on the radio, about 4 years ago. Yep, that’s the guy.
The Open Door Festival of Music was a great event that not only supported a local cause, but also opened the door for new artists to showcase their talent. It’s the season of giving, and I couldn’t have thought of a better way to give my time and money (especially on a Wednesday night!).
Reviewd by: ROBB ENG
November 24th, 2006
I just heard that this year’s open door music festival is happening this Wednesday Nov 22 @Mod club. This is a great fundraiser and showcaser of Cdn talent. Some are independent, some are more well known. Previous performers include tegan+sara, danny michel, liberty silver, lindy, melissa ferrick, erin mckeown, d’bi young, jill barber, madviolet, jonatha brooke, ladybirds & serena.
This year’s lineup is:
- multi-instrumentalist with a cinematic flair for lyrical imagery, ANDY STOCHANSKY,
- politically-charged folk-jazz-funk indie music sensation, EMBER SWIFT,
- delightfully harmonious, new Universal artists, DALA,
- ascendant urban jazz artist, KELLYLEE EVANS,
- swoon-worthy acoustic balladeer, CRAIG CARDIFF,
- and the spectacular MCC CHOIR with multi-faceted and powerfully big-voiced, JULIE MICHELS
All of these musicians donate their time and undeniable talent to make a real and tangible local difference.
I will be going. Here is the website: http://www.opendoorfestival.com/
Cheers,
Robb
November 21st, 2006
Jamie Lidell
Lee’s Palace – 11.14.06
Rating: 7.5/10
Tuesday night marked the return of Warp Records star Jamie Lidell to Lee’s Palace. After the widespread success of his sophomore album, ‘Multiply’, Lidell has toured extensively across North America, solidifying his stature in the music industry with notable stops such as the Coachella Arts and Music Festival in California.
Simply put, his brand of neo-soul and electronic funk has taken audiences by storm, transcending genre barriers and bringing punks, hipsters, funksters, and hip hoppers alike together on the dance floor. In fact, Rob Gordon, drummer from hardcore indie band, ‘From Fiction’, explained to me before the show how ‘Lidell’s live performance was simply hair-raising’. Case and point. Having been the supporting act at the Habourfront Centre during his last visit, Tuesday night was Lidell’s chance to shine and have some fun with his own headlining performance.
Walking into Lee’s Palace many people were surprised to see the simple stage setup of two laptops, a synthesizer and a beat machine. What they didn’t realize was that that’s all it would take for Lidell to put on his creative, funkified performance. At 10:35pm, Lidell rushed back and forth off the stage, toying with the audience as their excitement and anticipation grew. After a couple minutes of play-time with the crowd, Lidell returned to the stage wearing what looked like a garbage bag for a hoodie, and a giant smile on his face. He eased everyone into his high-energy performance singing a slow ballad of the chance everyone wishes they took with ‘Game of Fools’. From the get go, Lidell displayed his incredible soul and passion for the words he was singing, sounding like a white Al Green at times, and like Prince during songs like ‘When I come back around’.
As the show progressed, one thing became perfectly clear; Jamie Lidell has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. What was most impressive was the way Lidell recreated some of his songs with the aid of nothing more than his own voice. The beginnings of ‘A little bit more’ featured Lidell beat boxing and looping his own voice, adding the odd harmony and tune. The result was a fast-paced layering of what sounded like fifty Jamie Lidell’s singing in unison (you have to see it to believe it). Once the music was created, he stepped out from behind his ‘live studio’ and sang his heart out about a girl who wanted too much. Another highlight was his performance of ‘What’s the use’, which featured Lidell singing flawlessly overtop of Eminem’s ‘Guilty conscience’ booming from the incredible sound system at Lee’s Palace.
The show ended appropriately with Lidell doing an encore performance of his smash single ‘Multiply’. As he crawled across the stage looking for audience members to sing along with him, it was clear that Lidell was having a lot of fun playing for this enthusiastic Toronto crowd. Although his set was very short – lasting a mere 45 minutes – Lidell put all of his heart and soul into the performance, yet again leaving his mark on our city. This was my second time seeing Lidell do his thing, and it has only gotten better. I recommend both his music and his live show to anyone and everyone. But don’t worry, if you missed him this time, he promised to be back in the near future supporting his new album set to drop in 2007.
Reviewed by: Craig Hill
November 16th, 2006
Update: Vote for your favourite venue here
When someone talks about a concert, they typically talk about only the band. A “great show” usually means the band rocked out and had a great set. But whether they explicitly say or not, a concert is not just about the band – It’s about the full concert experience. And a big part of that is the venue.
Like every major city, Toronto has a wide variety of concert venues for any type of band. Some have become ‘genre venues’ where concert goers will typically know what kind of night to expect and the kinds of bands that will be performing – without having to know the actual bands. Take the Opera House for example. You’re usually guaranteed something local, something punk/hardcore and something all ages. If any one of those three tickle your fancy, then the Opera House will likely not disappoint.
How about Holy Joes? It’s a warm and friendly with an apartment-like feel, housing local singer/songwriters for intimate performances for a crowd of < 100 people. There are also brutal venues like The Docks and Ricoh Centre where concert goers will think twice about going, even if it’s a band they’re dying to see. No matter how good the band is, these venues will make them on a whole sound like shit. Hands down.
Then there’s The Mod Club, the fucking best concert venue in the city. Anyone who has been to this venue will know why: intimate yet accommodating size, classy ambiance, versatility, crisp sound, great location, and a generally great atmosphere of people.
The Mod Club is located at 722 College St., in the heart of Little Italy. Like most clubs, they don’t want bands to take away from their Fri/Sat night club nights, which is why most shows have an early 7 or 8PM start. This turns out for the better, since this also allows you to also head out somewhere else after the show.
This year, hot artists have performed at MC: K-OS, Broken Social Scene-sters, Shout out out out out, Josh Ritter, Mobile and Ben Lee to name a few. From hip hop to roots americana to indie rock, MC has the versatility to host artists of all shapes and breeds – and each time pumping out great sound in an intimate atmosphere. It’s small enough for singer/songwriters like Teitur to interact and story tell, but also strong enough to hold the likes of mega rock bands like the Killers.
The ambiance of the venue oozes class, without pretension a la The Drake. Sure, it’s skinned as “MOD”, but for the purposes of a concert, it’s got great lighting, a side section with tables for the sitters (booo), an upper balcony and even a few video screens. I’ve also found that the people are more considerate here – perhaps it’s coincidence or relative to the bands performing, but when I’m at MC I don’t find childish rushing of the stage, drunk idiots or catty elbowing. Let’s put it this way: I never hesitate to get a drink or go to the washroom for fear I’ll never be able to get back to my spot (without a fight)… and we all know how ‘intimate’ it can get at places like the Phoenix. Sardines anyone?
A great concert includes a great band and a great venue. The venue contributes to the overall concert experience. And as an experience, The Mod Club package rocks my world. It’s the Taylor of guitars or the Shure of mics. I can’t think of a better venue for any band. So for all you bands/managers out there – Why jeopardize your show choosing a shitty venue? Get yourself bloody booked at Mod Club!
Robb Eng
November 14th, 2006
Noel Gallagher
Danforth Music Hall – 11.07.06
Rating: 8/10
Close your eyes and try to recall the first time you heard an Oasis song. It was probably “Wonderwall”, and it was probably amazing. I would also hedge a bet that most of us (in a certain age-bracket) could admit that “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory” was one of the first CD’s in their collection. Well, if it hasn’t become painfully clear by now, Oasis is Noel Gallagher’s band and on this night, a small group of lucky fans got to be part of an acoustic set at the sold-out Danforth Music Hall in support of the upcoming Oasis greatest hits collection, “Stop the Clocks”.
Prior to the performance, those in attendance got a first-look at the forthcoming Oasis DVD, a black-and-white documentary entitled, “Lord Don’t Slow Me Down”. Now, I’m a huge fan of the previous Oasis DVDs, however, much of the rock-star posturing and backstage footage looked painfully tried. Dare I say it, but it’s almost as if Oasis has grown up. Long gone are the drunken spats between Noel and his front-man brother Liam. Instead, scathing one-liners and mockery seem to lack their usual Noel vs. Liam bite. Despite these shortcomings, the film has some hilarious moments and the performance clips are superb.
After a brief intermission, Noel hit the stage to a lively (and well lubricated) audience. For this gig, Noel brought along his right-hand man in Gem Archer to handle guitar and organ duties while journeyman Terry Kirkbride provided perfectly subtle percussion for the evening. From the get-go, it is clear that Oasis is more musically-proficient than ever before with Gem Archer ripping solos Noel has made famous. The set-list contained mostly Noel Gallagher classics as well as a few B-sides. “Talk Tonight”, “The Importance of Being Idle” and an incredible remake of “Slide Away” marked some of the highlights of the main set. For the encore, Noel opened with a nod to John Lennon and “Strawberry Fields Forever” while closing out the show with the underrated “Married With Children”.
Although the show was great, it felt somewhat restrained as Noel was almost business-like in his delivery of songs. The banter with the crowd, some of whom insisted on screaming out song requests, was kept to a minimum. But maybe, the subdued nature of the show should not be surprising. After all, Noel has always left most of the posing and smack-talk to his sneering brother Liam. This night, was all about the music that we have grown up loving. It occurred to me, while a thousand people sang “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger” word-for-word, that there will never be another band like Oasis in our generation. For the past year, the media has been hyping the ‘next Oasis’ in bands such as the Arctic Monkeys. But can you really picture a bar packed with people singing every word to “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”? No way.
Noel Gallagher is arguably one of the best songwriters to survive the 1990s and on this night, our small group had a chance to recognize it once more. Thanks Noel.
Reviewed by: Brian Smiley
November 12th, 2006
Bob Dylan with Foo Fighters
Air Canada Centre – 11.07.06
Rating: 8/10
For Britain’s Q Magazine’s 20th Anniversary, the publication put together 20 different covers featuring 20 different icons that best reflected the music industry today. Amongst the likes of Madonna, David Bowie, Jimmy Page, was David Grohl. David Grohl? Yeah, you heard me right. This British fascination with the front man of Foo Fighters has always confused American critics. It is safe to profess that after a performance from Dave and Co. on Tuesday night, the band has easily solidified their European credibility.
In addition to the usual gang of four, Foo Fighters were joined by four other new members that Dave handpicked in creating a much fuller sound. To see a stripped down, Sufjan Stevens-like ensemble, on stage, indicated the audience of a dramatically different sound. However, the most notable appearance was not the stage, but rather Pat Smear, an ex. “Fighter” having left the band due to complications with Dave in 1997. Now, he appropriately is remade famous again for playing in an acoustic performance, reminiscent to that of his first encounter with Dave on Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged.
Throughout the set, I felt the agony of each member to fully rock-out. Massive head banging, chair rocking and loud screaming makes Foo Fighters the heaviest acoustic performers of the decade. But this is exactly what sets Dave apart from all other pop rockers in the industry: He’ll give 110% in every single one of his performances. From “Times like these” to “Hero”, Dave belted his raspy voice with the greatest of emotions. It was his enthusiasm that turned “Everlong” into a grand finale musical and left the audience in standing ovation.
Following Foo Fighters was a man that needed no introduction (but ironically got one). Bob Dylan’s humble entrance into the arena was followed by an even more humble performance. Rumors of his arthritic pain were only confirmed more as he dropped playing the symbolic guitar to standing nested behind the keyboards. No longer did Bob scream out notes, but instead, was left with short, winded words to carry a tune. As a result, lyrics, and even melody could not be recognized – evidently heard on “Positively 4th Street” and his current single “When the Deal Goes Down”.
Dylan blew through his set list in robotic fashion. Only once did he remotely acknowledge the crowd throughout the performance. It was as if he has chosen to play for his own amusement, touring for the sake of touring.
What seemed disappointing at first eventually took a turn for the better. Dylan’s encore set redeemed his mediocre performance. With great reception, he belted both “Like a Rolling Stone” and “All Along the Watchtower” for both fans and poseurs alike. In a sense, his choice for the Dave Matthews-U2-Jimi Hendrix-covered “Watchtower” reminded me why his status is legendary. Much like going to The Louvre and seeing the Mona Lisa first hand, it is always better when witnessing the original.
Reviewed by: Phil Leung
November 10th, 2006
Lyrics Born with Cut Chemist
The Phoenix – 11.06.06
Rating: 8.5/10
You’d be hard pressed to find a really strong hip-hop performance coming through Toronto. Most of the acts I’ve experienced in our city have been half-assed attempts at trying to get through what is usually a short set list (like Del the Funky Homosapien’s disappointing performance last December). Unfortunately, in my experience, what is usually heard on the album is rarely translated into a live performance when it comes to hip-hop. But not always.
On Monday night, hip-hop heads from around Toronto went to the Phoenix concert theatre to see Cut Chemist and Lyrics Born perform in support of their latest releases (CC’s ‘The Audience is Listening’ and LB’s first live album, ‘Overnight Encore’). Although the venue was merely half-full, the crowd was buzzing with much anticipation. I arrived at the Phoenix a few tracks into Cut Chemist’s set. With a setup of about six turntables, two beat machines, and a wack of multimedia equipment, he played several tracks of his new solo album including the charged-up swinger single ‘My 1st Big Break’. Being freshly departed from the Jurassic 5 crew due to creative differences, Chemist seemed more in his element than ever before. His set was filled with heavy break beats, scratch patterns and live remixing that got even the thuggish looking cats in the back tapping their toes. What was most impressive was how he interviewed and recorded audience members, only to playback and scratch an audio-visual image of each interview over top his legendary remix of Blackalicious’ ‘A to Z’. Having listened to Jurassic 5’s weak-ass attempt at a new album with out Cut Chemist, and seeing him play an impressive set on Monday, it’s clear that he was the one keeping J5 grounded as underground legends. Regardless, Chemist seemed much happier doing it on his own.
Now that the crowd was revved-up, Lyrics Born exploded onto the stage with his six-piece funk band to a roaring audience. This guy is truly one of the best performers I’ve ever seen. He fired through his catalogue of both ‘Later That Day’ and his remix/b-sides ‘Same Shit Different Day’, playing several crowd favourites including ‘Do That There’ and ‘Lady Don’t Tek No’. After about three songs he played the party anthem ‘Hello!’ pleading to the crowd;
‘Whatchu think this is, the opera? You gotta get out on the dance floor cause we came all the way from the Bay to party with y’all. You got one life to live Toronto, and you got to live it right!’
His set was filled with call-and-response chants between him and the crowd, continuously hollering in between each song making sure everyone was having a good time. About half way through his set, the Phoenix was noticeably sweaty as the dance floor was going insane for LB’s funkified party-driven songs. Not only did LB deliver, but his band was incredibly tight, jamming in between songs and recreating his lovely beats with a full funk band. Equally impressive was his wife, Joyo Velarde, layering his songs with her sweet sultry voice. Needless to say, I haven’t had that much fun at a hip-hop show in a long time. It was certainly refreshing to see that a rapper cared enough about his performance not only sound flawless, but to also make the audience as integral to the show as he was.
Reviewed by: Craig Hill
November 8th, 2006
