THE BACKSTAGE RIDER

The BackstageRider Definitive TOP 11 “THINGS” OF 2012
In which I dissect the year in a painstaking, list-like fashion. The last few months may have sucked, but overall, this was a ROCKTACULAR year for the BSR.
December 25, 2012
SLED ISLAND DAY 1: A mostly LOU BARLOW, slightly SHADOWY MEN sort of day
Yay for festivals! Herewith Day 1 (a slow and mostly Lou Barlow-y sort of day with a touch of Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet) of the fab Sled Island festival in Calgary on June 20, 2012. The longest day of the year, and one filled with fab musicks and friends. Stay tuned for Days…
June 27, 2012
WEEZER CRUISE Diary Day 4: Sunday, Jan. 22: “THE END IS NIGH”
And now, the end is near. And so we face, the final curtain (or day at sea), on the Weezer Cruise. Here’s the final part of our four-part epic adventure in which we sit down with Rivers Cuomo and say our fond farewells to friends.
February 19, 2012
WEEZER CRUISE Diary – Day 2, Friday, Jan. 20 – “NIGHT OF THE LIVING DRUNKS”
In which I check out The Knocks’ Flip Cup Tourney and Yacht Rock Revue, then get absolutely shitfaced drunk with Yuck and the Nervous Wreckords, continue that through the rest of the gigs including Sebadoh, then pass out naked in my bunk.
February 6, 2012
WEEZER CRUISE Diary – Day 1, Thursday Jan. 19 – “I’M ON A BOAT!!!”
Friend to the (indie rock) stars, the Backstage Rider set sail for Mexico aboard a big honking cruise ship with Weezer, Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh, Yuck, Nervous Wreckords, and a ton more as part of the redonkulous Weezer Cruise. Here’s the start of my EPIC four-day diary series. Part 1, Thursday.
February 4, 2012
Top 11 of 2012: Why Look Back When You Can Look Forward?
What’s the point of looking back? Here’s the BackstageRider Top 11 Things to Look Forward to in 2012 (so far) with a bit of back-looking, I admit, in the form of musicks I did very much enjoy as well as some guesses about what might be awesome next year.
December 21, 2011
The Sick of Being Sick Playlist – BackstageRider’s House of Pain
Hey guess what! I was in hospital on Monday-Tuesday! And off sick for the rest of it! Hurrah! Or not. Find, herewith, a Top 25 Playlist entitled “Sick of Being Sick”. Miss Misery loves company so bear this in mind the next time you’re fluey.
July 15, 2010
OSHEAGA Day 3: NEW ORDER, HOT CHIP, FATHER JOHN MISTY, ICONA POP, JESSIE WARE, HOLY GHOST #mtlmoments
Day 3 at Osheaga Festival in Montreal included New Order, Hot Chip, Father John Misty, Holy Ghost!, Jessie Ware and, umm, Icona Pop.
August 14, 2013
PRIMAVERA SOUND FESTIVAL: Day 1 Photo Diary with Dinosaur Jr, Savages, Animal Collective, Metz, Grizzly Bear, Phoenix and Deerhunter…and Sonic Boom
Primavera Sound Festival Barcelona: Day 1 – in which I see Dinosaur Jr, Metz, Savages, Deerhunter, Woods, Wild Nothing, Hot Snakes, Phoenix, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Neko Case, Simian Mobile Disco…and more.
June 6, 2013