Tim Thomas gets my vote for Playoff Beard of the Year. (Photo: Getty Images)
Hope you had an enjoyable holiday weekend! Let’s get this part out of the way first: CALLED IT!
Talk about a region that is simply torn when it comes to hockey loyalty. On the one hand, this part of Canada is crawling with longtime Bruins fans, thrilled to see the team in the Final for the first time in over two decades (it’s another geographic thing. See Red Sox, Boston.) On the other hand, a Canadian team is thisclose once again to hoisting the Cup, and that means the bandwagon is making room. Vancouver fans have waited nearly as long to get back to the Final: 1994, to be exact.
I’m also torn. It’s the Great Battle of My Hockey Boyfriends: Kesler vs. Thomas! And I realize I am crushing on two American-born players. Whatevs. This is going to be a fun series. It all begins Wednesday (here‘s the sched. Being on Atlantic time, I am grateful for all the 8pm Eastern starts. No need for me to mainline coffee the following morning unless we get subjected to OT.)
To celebrate, I pulled together a playlist featuring great bands from both great cities. So put some beers on ice, dig out your fave retro sweater and crank up the laptop speaker after the jump.
Let’s begin with the band that I had the pleasure of seeing in April: Pixies! Yes, my friends, after all of these years, they’re still touring. Like many bands on the nostalgia trip these days, they’ve taken to treating us to a performance of an entire album. On this latest tour I took in, it was a celebration of 1989’s Doolittle. Sweet Mother of God, I did not expect the Pixies to be so spot on and tight that night. Black Francis was at his blood curdling best, Joey and David kept us dancing and I think everyone wanted to give Kim a hug, she was so warm and sweet. My inner college student danced for days after that gig. Here is one of my favourite songs from the night:
I am a late comer to the Vancouver-based New Pornographers. After digging the tracks I heard on CBC Radio 2, I finally gave in last week and bought their latest Together. And…oh the wasted years! I have some catching up to do. This live performance is almost a year old but well worth watching. Dave’s people win for booking them.
I couldn’t have a playlist of Boston bands without featuring one of the most obvious: Aerosmith. Yeah, they’re a guilty pleasure of mine. Here’s a fun fact: Steven, Joe and the boys recorded three of their biggest albums in Vancouver with late producer Bruce Fairbairn: Permanent Vacation, Pump and Get a Grip. This track from Pump was always a fave of mine (SHUDDUP!)
Again with the obvious: Canadian rock stalwarts 54-40 (OK, they’re from Tsawwassen, but still.) The band is celebrating their 30th anniversary of togetherness this year. While they’re still making good music, we’ll go back to 1994 from one of their best, Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret:
I have to admit I don’t know an awful lot about Guster, only that they look wonderful in long johns and make great pop music. “Architects and Engineers” is another great track, for the record.
Limblifter is long since done, though thankfully Kurt Dahle is still making music with New Pornographers. But this track from 2000 is worth sharing. I almost forgot how much I loved it at the time.
Finally…more power ballad? Sorry. I just couldn’t resist. So. Much. Hair. And Cam Neely!
I know there’s more, so add your favourites to the mixtape in the comments!
Ladies... 