Friday, July 28, 2006



This is the ticket stub from the first time I saw the Rolling Stones, on the Steel Wheels tour in 1989, at Sullivan Stadium, the old dump where the Patriots used to play before they moved across the parking lot to the beautiful Gillette Stadium. This was a huge moment at the time, because the relationship between Mick and Keith had been frosty for a few years, and there was quite a bit of doubt as to whether we'd see them again.

As I was shelling out the ticket money (28 bucks, an out-freaking-rageous sum of money at the time) I clearly remember saying " It's the Stones...I'll never get another chance to see them!"

Oh well. In fact, in the two subsequent times I've seen the Stones, I was convinced that this would be "The Last Time". Corny joke, I know.

Either way, it was money well spent, and the Halifax Commons show will be no exception. Make all the jokes you want about the band being over the hill, but anybody who went to Magnetic Hill last year will say that the old buggers can still blow just about anybody off the stage.

Now, we're wondering who the openers will be. That'll probably have to wait a couple of weeks.

We can tell you who they aren't going to be, though... Aerosmith and Motley Crue are in New Jersey. The Who, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wolfmother and The Raconteurs are names that have popped up, but they're all playing at a big festival in Baltimore the same day.

Never did like Baltimore. Charm City, my ass!

You hate to throw names out there, especially if they don't pan out. I remember watching the TV in February, and there was a guy from a radio station (what do we know, anyway?) saying with absolute 100% certainty that U2, Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac (?) were going to play Magnetic Hill this summer. How's that working out for ya, Sparky?

Either way, the Stones always have a big name opener on their tours...it's just a matter of who's available at the time.

Saturday, July 22, 2006



This is me with Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden in the Spring of 1988, backstage after their show with Guns 'n' Roses at the Moncton Coliseum.
Now, I ask you...would you trust this man to fly an extremely large aircraft?

http://www.pr-inside.com/dickinson-...uees-r12273.htm

DICKINSON AIRLIFTS BEIRUT EVACUEES Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

2006-07-21 09:02:04 - IRON MAIDEN singer and qualified pilot BRUCE DICKINSON airlifted 200 British citizens who had fled war torn Beirut, Lebanon back to the UK yesterday (20JUL06).The 47-year-old flew a Boeing 757 to Cyprus where he picked up the evacuees and flew them back to London's Gatwick Airport. A colleague says, "He was only too keen to get involved and help."He has a strong interest in the welfare of people caught up in international conflicts and cares about what is going on."
Maiden were my absolute favourite band during high school, and they were also the first big band I was able to meet. They were all incredibly nice fellas, and I think I'm responsible for introducing drummer Nicko McBrain to the magic of Alexander Keiths!
As cool as Dickinson was at the time, it's still pretty difficult to picture him almost twenty years later, flying a 757 into a war zone to pick up a load of evacuees.
Aces High, Baby!

Friday, July 21, 2006

Read in the Chronicle-Herald the other day about how a Stones announcement is imminent, like in the next week or so...check this out, from Regina...

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=607ec56e-9749-48bb-8dc0-447b7b956fd1

Monday or Tuesday, at the latest, is when I'd expect to hear something.

We can put The Who and Chili Peppers rumour to bed, for t he time being, unfortunately. They're both playing a festival in Baltimore on September 23rd. Aerosmith are playing with Motley Crue in Camden, New Jersey on the same day. Looks like The Stones or bust, baby!

Looking over The Who's tour dates, though, they're playing some smaller places this time out, like London Ontario, so maybe we'll luck out!

Tuesday, July 18, 2006



This has been bugging me for awhile now, and it's time to get it off my chest...

Has anybody ever seen Interim Liberal Leader Michel Samson and the fabulous Ricky Gervais from The Office in the same room together? I haven't!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

First update in a few days here, between vacation and hosting the morning show for a couple of days, time (and brain cells) are in short supply! It's always a hell of a lot of fun filling in for BJ, but I'd be a lot happier if they'd move the show to...noon, maybe?

It's a fine week for concerts in Metro...the highlight for me will be Wilco at Alderney Landing tomorrow night. I've been a fan since AM in 1995. Live will be here Sunday night...they were here for a Canada Day show on Citadel Hill a few years back. AAAAAAAANNNDDDDD...the Stones rumour won't go away.

I've actually heard people say "Aaaaawww, man, The Stones were just at Magnetic Hill last year, couldn't we get somebody else?"

I've lived in the Maritimes all my life, and we've always complained that we never get concerts. Now we're in the position where we're getting uppity that the Stones are coming here too often? Dude!

A listener, Todd, from Bedford, e-mailed this great Paul Anka clip to me at tom@q104.ca

I'd love to use sometning like this on the air, but didn't for obvious reasons. The language gets a bit salty, so watch it...

http://www.noisetank.com/integrity/

Actually it sounds like me if my pre-show martini isn't ice cold!

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

http://www.republicaupdate.com/2006/06/u2_george_bush_.html

Happy 4th of July! The amount of work that went into this must have been staggering.

I'm on vacation this week, but I couldn't resist posting this. YouTube's the greatest, ain't it?

Saturday, July 01, 2006


Hope you're having a groovy Canada Day...nice to see the weather co-operating. So far, so good!

Joel Plaskett dropped by Friday for a chat and a couple of tunes, including 'Nowhere With You'. In case you missed the interview, we'll replay it on Route 104 Sunday night at 9. Probably the exact time he'll be hitting the stage at the Q Blast at Alderney Landing. If you're going to the show, get there early (the doors open at 5:30), have a couple of pops, and check out some of the other bands. In-Flight Safety, Caledonia, Carmen Townshend, all are well worth seeing. Plus, the dynamic presence of Bobby Mac as MC is a draw, in itself.