THE BACKSTAGE RIDER

Gig Round Up: COURTNEY BARNETT, YOUR FRIEND, METZ, CLOUD NOTHINGS, JANA HUNTER, SHARON VAN ETTEN, YELLOW OSTRICH, ANTLERS, FRESH & ONLYS, WYE OAK, WAR ON DRUGS and ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN
It’s been a fantastic summer of music. Bypassing all the festivals this year to ride on their coat-tails in smaller venues, here’s a round up including Courtney Barnett, METZ, Cloud Nothings, Wye Oak, War on Drugs, Echo & the Bunnymen, the Antlers and more. Check out the pics!
August 20, 2014
Photos: WYE OAK and DIRTY PROJECTORS
Brooklyn’s art-folksters Dirty Projectors and friend-to-the-BSR Wye Oak popped by the imaginatively named venue called VENUE on July 24. Here’s a full photo gallery, and a bit of musing on both subjects *strokes chin*
July 29, 2012
Esben & The Witch, Wye Oak, Telekinesis, Braids, Toro Y Moi and Ron Sexsmith – Last Week in Rock
Esben & The Witch had brunch, Wye Oak blew minds, Telekinesis wrapped up a tour, Braids needed a hug, Toro Y Moi made the kids groove and Ron Sexsmith bailed on my chicken fajitas. Such was the week in rock for the BackstageRider in Vancouver.
April 3, 2011
Surviving SXSW 2014: The World’s Longest Round Up and Gallery
So. What happened at SXSW 2014? ALL OF THE THINGS. Future Islands, Public Service Broadcasting, Sean Lennon, Wye Oak, OFF!, Gary Numan, Eagulls, St Vincent, Damon Albarn, Fat White Family, even some Casual Sex. See the mega round-up here.
March 26, 2014
The Top 11 Things of 2018: A Bumper Crop
The flesh is weak but the spirit is strong. 2018 was another tough health year (though I did manage to get a diagnosis of my “complex chronic disease” after a dozen years of trying), with one surgery and 78 different health-related appointments. As a result, this site and I lay more dormant than I would…
December 31, 2018
SYLVAN ESSO and JENN WASNER/FLOCK OF DIMES live in Vancouver: Photos
Occasionally, you need to cleanse your palate of toxic sludge. You need to shake off body aches and pains, politics and despair. You need to slide, like a jelly octopus, off your sofa, and leave everything behind. You need to go down the street to your local Commodore Ballroom, and refill your cup of joy.…
August 18, 2017
BSR Does SXSW 2014: my bands to see
Can’t call myself a music writer without going down to get some free Doritos or something at SXSW at least once in my lifetime. Here’s what I’m hoping/planning/praying to see when I’m in Austin, Texas next week for the biggest music festival in the world.
March 7, 2014
Gallery/Review – Getting Lost at LOWER DENS (Includes Bonus References to NO JOY and ALAN RESNICK)
I went out and got lost in the Lower Dens. Check out this gallery of pics and a few words on the Dens’ gig at the Media Club in Vancouver on July 7. Plus a few of No Joy’s hair!
July 10, 2012
WEEZER CRUISE Diary Day 3: Saturday, Jan. 21 “BACKSTREET’S BACK”
January 21st will go down in history as: Parasailing in Mexico, eating fajitas with Yuck, rocking out to Pinkerton and Weezer, and going deaf again to Dinosaur Jr, an 80s prom and Backstreet Boys with Lou Barlow. In other words, PERFECT.
February 10, 2012