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January 25th, 2022

1/25/2022

It's been a long time since I have written The Stringer.
Six years.
A lot has happened in that time. Guess as John Lennon says “life is what happens when you are busy making other plans..”
I was covering the local arts and entertainment scene for the Waterloo Regional Record and that kept me very busy writing sometimes three articles a week.
But thanks to the pandemic, that ended in March 2020 when everything shut down and there was nothing much to write about anymore.
My radio show has also kept me very busy and I happy to say that The Afternoon Drive on community radio station 985 CKWR is now six years old.
When my local writing gigs dried up I decided to find some other writing avenues out of town.
Thanks to a radio colleague I found an old writing contact and started freelancing for her online publication Samaritan Magazine in Toronto.
I found a new connection to alternative lifestyles magazine Harrowsmith where I sold my first freelance article in 1977 when I was in Journalism at Conestoga College.
It was about St Jacobs blacksmith John Martin and the story was called “On The Brink of Museumhood.”
Needless to say, the editor was astonished when I sent her a scan of this article.
She was thrilled and gave me another assignment.
Now I am working on a feature story called Road Trip to St Jacobs which should come out in the summer of 2022.
I also figured it was time to write my first book.
I always thought it was going to be an interview book about some of the conversations I had with famous people throughout my career.
But fate had something different in store.
A few years ago, I also reconnected with an old friend, Milan Hrazdilek my boss from The Metro Tavern where I worked for many years as a waitress upstairs and a deejay / waitress downstairs at The Back Door.
We have been together ever since.
Milan's son Michael came to visit us from the Czech Republic and when I told him I was writing a book about the people I had interviewed, he seemed shocked.
“There is only one book you can write,” he exclaimed. “Write about the %$#@! Back Door.”
Michael Kubenk is now a famous deejay called DJ Czech. He learned to spin records in that little basement bar and I helped to teach him that skill when he was a kid.
Maybe he had a point.
So, with some help from a good friend, I applied for a Waterloo Region Arts Fund grant and got the money to write my first book.
At first it was going very well but then the unthinkable happened.
In the late summer of 2020 I lost my mother, then in March of 2021 I lost my longtime cat Siprio and in the late fall of 2021 I lost a dear friend.
I was halfway through the book and had to pause, reflect and process all of this loss. I am dealing with this as best I can and some days it is still tough.
After a wee break, I am now ready to complete the second half of this book and I have had the most wonderful time uncovering more colourful stories as the days go by.
I can tell you this.
The Back Door was more than a bar. It was the people who worked there. It was the artists who played there. It was the extraordinary cast of characters who made this ever-changing crypt legendary.
I was there. I lived it. And it lives on in me....
Stay tuned to this page for more updates in the weeks and months to come.
#MakingArtHappen #rwartsfund @rwartsfund

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The Afternoon Drive with Coral Andrews on FM 98.5 CKWR

2/17/2016

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On Monday Jan 11 I started doing The Afternoon Drive at community radio station
FM 98.5 CKWR.
It was like coming full circle.
For 17 years I was a volunteer at this station doing early morning shows, late nite slots and one show "Admit Two" which was on every Monday night. I covered arts and entertainment locally, regionally, and nationally and I loved doing it with various co-hosts / good pals the late Frank Fowlie and Bernie Sadilek.
Now all these years later, in an amazing twist of fate, I am back behind the mic at CKWR doing what I love - playing music, taking requests and featuring local artists.
I have a little 4 o'oclock feature that I like to call Today's Note in Music History. On the Afternoon Drive I also do regular weather reports and play up-to-the-minute traffic reports helping people have a safe and secure and commute home all set to great music!
This job is so much fun. I still write for Waterloo Region Record's Nightlife as well.
So life is pretty crazy these days .... Beep Beep and Beep Beep Yah!

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Oct 3 2015

10/3/2015

Ahhhh .. I am sorry it has been while since I have written anything. I guess that is because I am so busy writing each week for Waterloo Region Record's Nightlife. And I usually blog when I have something to blog about.
Today is a significant day for me. And I did post a little bit about it on Facebook because I seem to have no heat. In fact. It is a Day Three without heat. And then I realized what today was. And that put everything in glorious perspective. I can always layer up. So I did. And then I made myself a potent cup of Tassimo Cafe Creme by adding a dram of St Remy to it. I made myself a full Scottish brekee (sans baked beans) and cleaned my house to the sounds of The Mahones - my fave Celtic punk band. I always wonder why I survived that night. The weather is exactly the same as it is today - howling winds, cold and raining. I think I now know why I am here, and my love of music grows stronger every year...
Happy Anniversary
Oct 3 1970 – it’s been 45 years since that fateful night. I love music and I love my brother Phil. He was a musician in a band and he looked like Alvin Lee from Ten Years After.
I was 15, and had to go and see Woodstock because Lee was showcased in the film that defined a generation. I had no idea Woodstock would define the rest of my life. We lived in an upscale suburb. The only way into town was the Hamilton bus. I stood on Highway #8's shoulder miserable in the teeming rain wearing a navy blue Ingo sweater, jeans, and a God-Awful Hot Pink Raincoat, thinking about my so called life. The damn bus, which was late, roared right past me, splashing me. Throughly pissed off, I jaywalked across the highway. Standing dazed in the middle of the four lanes, I remember two headlights careening towards me…
It is said I was hit by one car, then dragged a different direction by another, because The God-Awful Hot Pink Raincoat caught onto the license plate.
My Dad emailed me this letter and help me fill in the blanks.
“We had just returned from Ottawa to get my passport extended and came off the 401 onto Hwy 8 and saw all the flashing lights of the police and the ambulances. All the traffic was being diverted from Hwy8 to Edgehill Drive. When we got home, you were not there and we then began to really worry. I called the K-W Hospital and they told me the terrible news; your Mum started screaming when I said you were in the accident. The operator at the hospital told me to go and hold her and tell her you were badly injured but that you would be OK. Then we went to see you; couldn't believe it when we saw you, all bruised and your leg in a cast up to your hip---and a smile on your face!!!!”
I had a gash in the side of my head, that was the worst. I broke my pelvis and then I was discovered three weeks later that I also broke my ankle. I took me a long time to recover, from the first time I sat up to my first step, which to me, was absolutely amazing.
By the way... I did see Woodstock four years later. My brother didn’t look that much like Alvin Lee…

Nash....

5/12/2014

The last time I heard from Nash he asked to be my friend on Linked In... I thought he was kidding.
It said Nash the Slash musician/composer.
Self Employed.
That was March 13 2013. At first I didn't think it was him. I laughed out loud. Nash made me do that a lot. Then I realized by looking at his other connections, that it really was him. So I wrote back.
Subject line - Long time.
“Nash. How are you doing? Hope you are well.”
Cheers Coral

That was March 15, 2013. He did not reply and I had no idea it would be the last time I would ever hear from him.
I had been thinking of Nash lately because his picture hangs above my office door and I have many silver and gold pen autographed CDs from the limited edition Highway 61 soundtrack featuring the Doc Satan Orchestra, to his original score for 1922 German silent film Nosferatu.
I was going through my CDs the other day to pick a track because I like Wolf, Swing Shift, and especially Vincent's Crows which I often play on the radio. Because I loved the long and lingering syntho / electro violin and mandolin solos in Nash's work.
In a weird twist of fate, at The Casby Awards during the mid 80's I actually met FM band producer/bass player Michael Waite owner of Mike's Music Toronto. During a very brief dating stint, Michael gave me a lot of FM's music on vinyl so I was able to track the evolution of FM from the cool, iconic revolutionary late 70's sound of Black Noise to the commercial poppy sloppy schmaltz of mid 80's vinyl Tonight which I detested.
Nash and I vehemently shared this opinion, and I guess that's one of the main reasons we got along so well when we first met.
I remember my first chance encounter with The Bandaged Guy.
I was interviewing FM drummer Martin Deller. FM was playing The Coronet Hotel during its live music heyday. I was waiting in Martin's hotel room for our scheduled chat and the door opened. In bounced this rambunctious boxer dog and its very friendly owner. Nash (sans bandages) laughed.
“Hey! Do you mind looking after my dog Roxy for a few minutes?”
“Sure.” I replied.... thinking Wow! That was Nash the Slash (aka Jeff Plewman) without his bandages.
(**During the whole time I knew him, I never called him Jeff. **)
The door opened again and Nash returned for Roxy. After a few minutes Martin Deller arrived and our interview began.
A couple of years later, Nash (now a solo act due to FM's irreconcilable artistic differences) was playing at a packed Mrs Robinson's in Ye Olde Station Hotel.
Apre-show, I went down to visit him and latest canine Digger the Dog.
Nash and I soon found out that we had a lot in common. We were both hardcore music and movie nerds that appreciated a great sense of wit.
Nash told me about his plans to do more shows later on that year and asked me if I could suggest a few venues. Gobsmacked, I put my thinking cap on.
That was the beginnings of co-shows with Coral Concerts (his idea!) and Nash's company Cut-Throat Productions.
Sure, Nash was a rock star with BFFs like Iggy Pop, and the like. He had played the world over, from Russia to the UK, with some of my fave bands like The Stranglers, The Tubes, Iggy, Gary Numan, The Residents and so many more.
But to me he was a pal who, for a time, seemed like an older brother.
And show to show, I learned a lot about the guy underneath the bandages, a soft spoken, and kind hardcore Conservative, armed with a razor wit, who loved curry, limited edition vinyl, vintage horror sci-fi film, and his beloved pet dogs.
I met Rock and Roll Dogs Roxy, Digger, and Sandy in my time of Nash.
In the days of Coral Concerts, and Cut-Throat, we used to hang out with old friends of mine and a couple that had worked with Nash at The Kent Hotel (now the Huether) during its live music phase.
With Digger close by, and Rock Star Dinner Guest, I recall fabulous food, and libations, at these gatherings which fluctuated between intense animated discourse and loads of laughter!
I have countless memories of Nash from great live shows we worked on together be it brainstorming to show nights. I recall one day driving around the region with Nash and Digger. We were sourcing out venues, and we took Digger for lots of nice little walks while in the process. Any dog belonging to Nash was one lucky dog. Digger actually had her own place on Nash's "Grave"site. For many in KW who helped Nash with his shows, got her tail wagging commendation in Digger's Diary - a online blog before its time.
Coral Concerts and Cut-Throat Productions did shows in the coolest places from an intimate restaurant in Cambridge, and Club Abstract, to the venue that Nash preferred the most - The Registry Theatre.
Nosferatu, (one of the Registry's first live shows) was my personal favorite.
In this perfect Gothic setting, on the intimate black box stage in front of a 15 x 15 foot screen Nash performed his original scores from Luis Bunuel's acclaimed French surrealist film short Un Chien Andalou from album Blind Windows.
Then he performed his orginal score for Nosferatu also available on CD.
Nosferatu was what Nash liked to call his One Two Punch. Nosferatu @ The Registry was a standing room only show, and the audience responded with several standing ovations.
Nosferatu also garnered Nash an invitation to Russia's avant garde festival SKIF 6 – as the first Canadian musician to play this event in the electronic music genre. To his amazement, and delight, Nash was also invited to The Winnipeg Folk Festival, performing Nosferatu for a special midnight show in the park under the stars which he later described as “magical.”
Another show dear to his heart was Two Artists – A View from the Gallery, which he also performed several times at The Registry. This featured original compositions of Nash's music set to the sublime surrealist works of Toronto artist and his good friend Robert Vanderhorst.
I also have several Nash Live From the Crypt interviews where we chat about everything from his hot button topic of downloading music, to TV show scores he was working on as his legacy continued to unfold.
To me, Nash the Slash was a fascinating mix – a music virtuoso, and shrewd businessman, plus a performer / producer who demanded performance perfection from himself and his technical crew. He had a willing network of people, friends and fans, like me really, that would help him promote and present shows. I am sure they are very sad today as well, with memories of their own to share.
Again, through fate, and occasional jobs working in media relations, I also met one of Nash's closest friends, legendary music promoter Gary Topp, now a good pal of mine. Gary presented one of Nash's first shows at The Edge in Toronto. And thanks to Gary's encouragement, like minded sense of adventure, and sardonic wit, Nash embraced his now legendary bandaged personna that very night.
The last time I saw Nash was in the early 2000's for our last Coral Concert /Cut-Throat show Thrash @ The Registry Theatre. Before the show, he came to visit me at The York, and wondered around my vintage abode. “Wow, this is just like my place in Toronto. It goes on forever, where the hell is the kitchen?”
He loved my little kitchen because I have a poster of Garbage, and one of his fave singers Shirley Manson right beside my sink adjacent to my wood and glass cupboard doors. We had gone to see Garbage in concert at The Lyric and Nash (sans bandage) was my Plus One! Upon further home inspection, I heard him laugh out loud from my porcelain tiled bathroom. I have that iconic poster of an almost nude Graham Chapman from Monty Python's Life of Brian with joyous cutline Life's A Piece of Sh*t When You Look at It. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. As Nash walked back into my dining room, he lit a cigarette.
After years of quitting, he had started smoking again. So I gave him major Sh*t for that!
I am hoping that on Monday May 12 2014 he found Roxy, Digger and maybe Graham Chapman. I think they would get along. They could have a bloody good laugh taunting the world from on high. …
RIP Nash.
Listening in Safety Always…. Your Pal Coral FM

It was 50 years ago today....

2/8/2014

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It was 50 years ago today....
My Dad says that I actually saw The Beatles when we living in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
It was just before the global phenomenon which would become Beatlemania. They were performing or maybe conducting an autograph session in the parking lot of a supermarket called Supermac near the town of Newtownbreda - a small village just Southeast of Belfast. This is where we did our grocery shopping because it was the only real supermarket in the Belfast region back then.
The Beatles performed in Belfast twice, once in 1963 (with a show in Dublin) and then again in 1964. I was a wee thing at the age of 7. So I can barely recall this. But I did have a very cool exclusive Supersize Beatles badge and I always wondered where it came from. You could tell the winds of pop culture were about to blow in a very exciting direction. I watched BBC music institution Top of the Pops every week. The following year, on Feb 9 1964, allowed to stay up past my bedtime, I also saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show and now I actually possess a recording of this historic performance on vinyl.
Over the years, I became a huge fan of John Lennon because I loved everything about him especially the way he wrote in tomes Spaniard in the Works, In His Own Write, and Skywriting by Word of Mouth.
His inventive prose reminded me of a cross between the whimsical words of Spike Milligan from The Goons and the surrealism of Alice in Wonderland's Lewis Carroll.
And of course, to me, every phase of The Beats music was mega fab. The night I heard Sgt. Peppers was an aural revelation and The White Album occupied my turntable for days on end.
In the 80's I deejayed in a club called The Cavern (one of the music phases in the infamous little basement club nestled beneath Kitchener's Metro Tavern). The underground cave like bar (which had served numerous times as a punk haunt, and was a formerly a 70's disco nook!) was now adorned Yellow Submarine animation along its walled mirrors. It was a quirky shrine to the music of The Fab Four and their British cohorts. Thanks to vinyl retail experts Records on Wheels, Sam the Record Man, Record World, and Encore Records, (then at the crossroads of King and Cedar Streets) I was able to collect many Beatle platters from very early works to some rare bootlegs.
Monday Dec 8 1980, just after 11pm, I was deejaying. I always had some John Lennon with me in my vinyl filled plastic milk crates. I put the needle on Dream #9 from 1974's Walls and Bridges and left the chicken-wire deejay cage for the night.
Like the rest of the world, I was devastated....
In 1994, in another of my many surreal life moments I met The Beatles Outside Circle - Cynthia Powell Lennon, (John Lennon's first wife) Pauline Sutcliffe (the late artist Stuart Sutcliffe’s sister), Pete Best (The First Beatles Drummer), Louise Harrison (George Harrison’s sister) and Allan Williams – The Beatles first manager. They were here in Canada for a Toronto Beatles convention called Beatlerama and my pal music promoter Peter Jacobs asked me (and photographer Lorne Eillott) if we would like to come down and cover the event.
So, summoning all of my nerve, and keeping my Inner Fan in check. I led an hour long wide ranging panel discussion with this Fab Five from Early Liverpool Days to the 1994 musical bio-drama Backbeat.
Afterwards, I was chuffed to find out that Cynthia Powell Lennon, had agreed to a more in depth interview with me. Part of the interview was published by Raj Kumar Dash in bi monthly alternative publication Chaos Magazine, and years later on Vancouver based internet magazine Suite 101. The Music Editor of Suite 101 did not believe the chat was real, so I had Cynthia's manager contact him for verification. Imagine my surprise when a got an email from her on my likely now defunct My Space page. (***By the way, the rest of these Fab Five chats have yet to be published. And yes, I am working on it. ***)
I had brought the book Imagine with me, by Andrew Solt and Sam Egan, found a lovely pic of John and Cynthia together in Florida after the first U.S. tour, took a deep breath and asked Cynthia for a scribble. She wrote - “To Coral with love from Cynthia Lennon. X.”
I also chatted a little more with Allan Williams. I had a hard copy of his book The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away. He asked me if I could trade my copy of the book for HIS paperback copy. Of course, he autographed it. AND.. I discovered that upon giving Allan Williams BACK his hard cover copy that in the soft cover edition that he gave me (with William’s scribble) there’s an inscription from someone else in Dartmouth, Canada who did the SAME thing.
It says: “To Allan Williams. This is now your copy of YOUR book. Thanks for signing mine. Only one favour. If you ever decide to give it up please let me know. I’ll be damned (insert expletive here) if I’m going to bid against some bloke in order to buy me own autograph….”
I know. I guess I should have kept the original hard cover copy. Hide-sight is 50/50 yeah yeah yeah...
I also have a beautifully framed John Lennon lithograph (sold to me by Allan Williams no
less!) of my music hero wryly walking on the water. It is called Nothing is Impossible and it has a Japanese stamp on it. It is one of my most proud possessions. So congrats on 50 years lads! May future generations continue to think of your musical legacy as The Toppermost of the Poppermost.

Nothing is Impossible ...

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The Wild Rover.....

12/16/2013

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Peter O 'Toole was my all time favorite actor.
So now with Alan Bates, Richard Burton, and O'Toole sharing libations in The Great Hereafter, there is only one of the My Fab Four British Lions left ..... Albert Finney.
It's funny because I have stories about Bates, O'Toole, and Finney from the same source - Lynn Redgrave, but that is for another time.

In 2006, I was so damned hopeful that Peter O'Toole would finally win his second Best Actor Oscar that I fashioned this little blog.

"…..Like good pal the late Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole's lost the Best Actor nod seven times and he is now running his Eighth Tinseltown race! Is O'Toole destined to become the Susan Lucci of the Oscars? Zounds! Why does this damnable statuette continue to elude County Galway's most imfamous imbibing son?
Peter O'Toole, is being recognized for his role as Maurice, a cynical septuagenarian actor who falls for a much younger woman, in 2006 British comedy/drama Venus. Critics are saying this is the performance of O'Toole's career. O'Toole, 74, “and proud of it,” wanted to “win Oscar now” and not for an entire body of film work. (Persuaded by his daughters, O'Toole
begrudgingly accepted a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 2003.)
If O'Toole were to “properly” win, it would be 44 years since his first Best Actor nod for 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia!
There have been so many Best Actor nominations in between -
Goodbye Mister Chips (1969),The Ruling Class (1972),The Stunt Man (1980) My Favorite Year (1982). O'Toole has also been nominated for the same role twice - King Henry II in Becket (1964) King Henry II in The Lion in Winter (1968).

So right from the horse's or “Pig's”mouth (as Lion in Winter co-star Kate Hepburn aptly nicknamed him) Peter O'Toole and his pithy screen alter-egos explain why he deserves to share a wee dram with The Golden One.
1)"I want to win the lovely bugger outright." - PT
2)"Damn you, I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star."- Alan Swann - My Favorite Year.
3) "Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere." - Anton Ego - Ratatouille.
4) "For what I am about to receive, may I make myself truly grateful." Jack Gurney, The Ruling Class.
5) "My dear boy, I should have won them all." - PT
6) "I don't like premieres and things like that. I'd just rather do my acting and then piss off." - PT
7) "You dare to damn me, do you? Well, I damn you back." King Henry II, Lion in Winter.
8) "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, my foot." - PT
9) "Am I the strongest? Or am I not?" - King Henry II, Becket.
10) "I'm a working stiff baby, just like everybody else." - PT.

The Oscars were broadcast Sunday Feb 25, 2006. And sadly, The Last Thespian King of Ireland lost his Best Actor nod to Forrest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland. ...... "

I own The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, The Lion in Winter, King Ralph, Dean Spanley, and my all time O'Toole favorite, Becket. In glorious tribute, I shall pop some kernels, grab a Pimms with a dash of ginger ale and cucumber and settle down to re-experience Peter O'T's fabulous tapestry of celluloid characters. - a mighty playbill of electricity filled performances that soared across every generation. I shall miss those many potent yet often michievious movie portrayals.
Slainte Pig.
I shall be sad to see you play The Wild Rover, no nay never no more...

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Winning....

12/3/2013

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Me and Denney

On May 26th 2013 my mind was a thousand miles away when I heard CBC's Craig Norris call my name at this year's Arts Awards Gala. You see, earlier on that day, there had been a fire right beside the video store that I work at.
Yes, in addition to being an independent media professional, I am also a filmeesta aka video store sales clerk at Far Out Flicks.

And I love it. Because the people I work with are like family to me. Thankfully the store did not suffer very much, in fact we opened later that day, but the apartments above the stairwell next door did. In fact, my manager who lived in one of those apartments lost everything.
Hours before the ceremony I was at home having a nice quiet day. This year I was nominated for an Arts Award in the Event Volunteer category. This was my sixth nomination and third consecutive year having been nominated in other categories including Literary, and Community Supporter over the past 25 years.
I decided to check out the latest news on Facebook and as I scrolling down I saw my video store manager pal clutching his somewhat traumatized cat. They were both standing outside a burning building right beside the video store.
I leapt up and tore down the street to see what had happened.
My store manager and his pal were sitting in a van in a parking lot near the store. They had two cat carriers. And two very frightened cats. The fire started in the stairwell and because of the street smarts of an adjacent business owner, who immediately called 911, the fire was quickly dealt with but not before it destroyed and smoke damaged my friend's homes. I walked around the yellow tape and into the
store. Everyone was okay and safe. So greatly relieved, I went back home.
I was getting excited now, all gussied and glammed up in my best frock ready to tally forth to the awards, when I got a text from my manager asking me if I had a litter box, and some litter for his poor cat Sip (short for Siprio) . It was 6:45 and the Centre in the Square pre-Arts Awards mingle had already started. I instantly went down to my storage locker and foraged through it about to see if I had anything that would help. As the previous owner, of two cats myself, I discovered that I had indeed saved a litter box. My cat Squonk had passed away a few years back and I guess I kept some cat things just in case I decided to get another cat. (Which in fact, did happen because I looked after little Sip while my manager sorted out a new place to live, and she is now my cat.) I went down the store, dropped off the cat stuff and went to the awards. By the time, I got in there was no time to mingle, so I just went to my seat thinking about the day's events. And how lucky everyone had been.
When I won, it felt surreal, like a delicious blur. I think I thanked the right people but I know that I did talk
about how much the Arts Awards has grown. And I was so chuffed to stand on the stage, look at all the amazing talented artists of every age and every arts genre, and speak about the value of this signifciant cultural event in Waterloo Region.
Since winning the Denney, which sits proudly on my office shelf, I realize the best thing about winning this
little gold statue, is knowing that the work you are doing really is making an impact and that it does have value. Because so many of us work alone and then we send the work out there into the atmos hoping it is going to land somewhere important be it a painting, a play, a song or a even a concept.
Being recognized as a Nominee, gives every artist the drive and confidence to create something extraordinary. And so many careers continue to soar these 26 years on....

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The Piano Has Stopped Drinking ....

9/20/2013

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It was my local... a place to go to see some of the greatest live music in the region. I have not been able to go to The Boathouse as much as other people because of my job working as freelance journalist / Filmeesta at Far Out Flicks. But when I could go, I soon realized there was a kind of community in that place that I have not seen since the old days at The Metro Tavern where I worked upstairs as a waitress and downstairs at The Back Door as a deejay.
Thanks to Boathouse owner Kevin Doyle I got the chance to not only come and watch many bands but sometimes interview them as well which I thought was really cool.
Rough Trade icon Carole Pope played The Boat once in an "unplugged" performance set with guitarist Tim. I remember Carole saying to me "I'm kinda scared, because I have never done anything like this before. And I am playing in a park?" I laughed and told her no, it is a lovely little intimate venue IN a park and I am sure you will like it."
She did. I think Carole played several encores ... I would have to ask Kevin. I know she autographed her book Anti Diva which I brought from her.
I also remember Toronto's Run With The Kittens. Meowser! Got the hot red and white Kittens tee and CDs' to boot. Now those guys have some chops having played The Cameron House and Lee's Palace in TO for years. And they are mega-brill talented. From there, I discovered so many more performers, Daddy Long Legs, Lynn Jackson, Sexdwarf, Irene Torres and The Sugar Devils, Blue Venus, Meghan Weber, and one fateful Two Bit Spectacle Wednesday night - Brendan James Stephens.
And I was not alone that evening. I had a table with me including my pals from England - Dave "Durd" Richmond, one of the founding members/ bass player from British '60's band Manfred Mann and his son Chris Richmond (England's Atticus Finch TV / Ireland's Snow Patrol). Chris' film short Drone Strike is currently taking the North American Film Festival circuit by storm. They were both very impressed with Brendan aka The Vaudevillian.
Meethinks Brendan will indeed make it to the Topper Most of the Poppermost. Dave and Chris also loved The Boathouse. Said it was one of the coolest venues they had been to in a long time, and one of the highlights of their trip to Canada.
I will never forget Kev and Mo and their kindness to me on my birthday when I had a fundraiser for the two guys who lost their apartments because of fire beside Far Out Flicks. We raised over $500 for them and I still have my Boathouse FOF Family Fundraising Jug with a pic of my pal's cat Sip. I looked after Sip when she became homeless so now she's my cat. That was a Saturday and Romeo Sex Fighter were great. The weather was perfect, and everyone was in high spirits. It was also drummer's Jay's birthday as well.
But there were so many successful fundraisers at The Boathouse. It was a giving and thoughtful community and the patrons were filled with such generosity. I was always moved by the extraordinary kindnesses that took place.
I also had a very special Boathouse night last St. Paddy's Day. I had closed the video store and had Alan Parker's The Commitments movie playing most of the night. As a kid I lived in Belfast for a few years so I always make it a point to celebrate St Paddy's.
I went home that Sunday night. It was late. And I thought hell, I am going to the Boathouse by myself for a wee while. When I got there usual Sunday night act Paul MacLeod was performing. I ordered a half pint of green beer. Kevin, grinning like a Leprechaun gave me a dram of Specialty Irish Whiskey and a spoonful of delicious homemade Irish Stew from the St Paddy style menu. It was a perfect way to end the day. Paul later told me that St Paddy's was one of his favorite gigs to play because once a year he gets to play Muirsheen Durkin which is song I still have on a old 45 single and one of my favorite songs as a kid in Ireland. That's what made this venue so special. Everyone has a special story about The Boathouse and all the good times they had. So thanks for everything Kev and Mo from the quilts to keep customers warm on the patio to sometimes just lending a friendly ear. I will truly miss all the good times, one of a kind libations, and Fabulous Live Music.
Slainte! Coral FM

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The Stringer Update

9/13/2013

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Anna Atkinson

This has been a crazy time for The Stringer with many a story to write - from a huge assignment for Wedding Trends Magazine and a World Vision series to the savvy new Victoria Street Market and the awesome cool CrossFit Kitchener.
These past weeks in conjunction with reviewing shows for The Stratford Festival I also have conducted interviews with four of my favorite actors - Seana McKenna, Jonathan Goad, Sara Topham and of course, Brian Tree.
I also spoke with the lovely and amazing musician Anna Atkinson
www.annaatkinson.ca Anna is known for her work in Stratford productions Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris (with actor Brent Carver) Pirates of Penzance, and The Grapes of Wrath. Now in her fourth season Anna is The Fiddler in Fiddler in the Roof!! But I first discovered Anna through Aporia Records and labelmate Lily Frost. Her CD Mooniture is my current musical addiction. I highly recommend it. Stay tuned ! - Coral FM Podcasts will be coming soon with Seana, John, Sara, Brian and Anna. A Bientot! - The Stringer.

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A Rhinestone in the Rough

7/1/2013

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T’is now the time of year for me to be In the Aisles.

Whenever I go to review theatre, I continue my tradition of sitting in the aisle seat and enjoying a drinkee at intermission.
From the Stratford and Shaw Festivals in North America, to London's West End, I always get the aisle seat. (Tho meethinks London may have been a lucky fluke as I was there to see my friends Gerry and the Pacemakers when they were in Ferry Cross the Mercey.) Imagine my delight when the usher told me I could take my capped libation to the British Aisles with me.
And I am happy that this civilized practice is now carried out in many a Canadian theatre aisle as well.

2013 year marks my 30th season writing about The Stratford Festival.
Thank God they switched the name back from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
ZOUNDS! And ….. now that I am once again single my theatre loving friends are rejoicing because I can amass my own Guest List. Although for the first time in 30 years, a longtime friend asked me to be his guest which was a lovely birthday surprise.
From my aisle seat, I've seen my first two shows at Stratford this year.

Waiting for Godot (pronounced Goddo) is a masterpiece and a season highlight.
Directed by Jennifer Tarver, it features more of the fabulous chemistry between actors Stephen Ouimette and Brian Dennehy as witnessed in previous season productions The Homecoming, and Twelfth Night.
With Ouimette as Estragon, and Dennehy as Pozzo, Samuel Beckett's timeless libretto is interpreted with great gusto and aplomb. The talented duo are complimented by the excellent work of Tom Rooney (Vladmir) and Randy Hughson (Lucky) which creates a brilliant and delightful absurdist quartet.
In fact, Hughson's portrayal of Lucky is the best I have ever seen.

Romeo and Juliet is a blessedly traditional Elizabethan vision thanks to sublime director Tim Carroll. Sara Topham's Juliet is reminiscent of Olivia Hussey's impassioned performance in the Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film classic. Topham is supported by a fine brace of acting veterans including Jonathan Goad (Mercutio), Kate Hennig (The Nurse), Tom McCamus (Friar Lawrence) and Scott Wentworth (Lord Capulet). Mike Nadajewski almost steals the show as Peter! But debut actor Daniel Briere as Romeo.... Wherefore art thou in this role? Here's such a coil!
HA!
When it comes to commentary, I prefer to call myself “reviewer” or “arts writer.”
Because I feel the need to know so much more. I am neither 'highbrow' nor 'lowbrow'.
Suffice to say, I am .... 'no brow'. And would never deign myself “critic” (the word curiously used as insult bandied about in Godot!)

The Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan
Home of The Famous Algonquin Round Table!

My heroine Dorothy Parker was a 'critic'.
Parker aka Queen of the Quipping 1920's Algonquin Round Table alias The Vicious Circle drank and dished with fellow merry magazine scribes Robert Benchley, and playwright George S.Kaufman on a regular basis. The Algonquin's famed Gonk Bar features a sophisticated sip Martini on the Rock – a $10,000 imbibe which boasts a diamond inspired by Parker's famed avowal "I love a Martini..."
On a recent trip to New York, I sat in The Gonk paying homage to my critical hero by raising a glass of sparkling white vino. Excelsior! I too have a pithy (sometimes) vicious circle comprised of fellow writers, and good friends called The Cranks which meets on a semi regular basis. And I would like to think I have Miss Parker's caustic blessing.
To quote Dot, I too am a “rhinestone in the rough.”
To the Aisles!

At the Gonk Bar
Raising a Toast.
New York is "Simply Finely."

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My skills include writing, editing,
blogging, social media, interviewing
and radio broadcast aka The Afternoon
Drive 985 CKWR

"The hardest thing about writing...is writing."
Nora Epfron

Nothing is Impossible ...

The Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan Home of The Famous Algonquin Round Table!

At the Gonk Bar Raising a Toast. New York is "Simply Finely."

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The Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan
Home of The Famous Algonquin Round Table!

At the Gonk Bar
Raising a Toast.
New York is "Simply Finely."