31 posts tagged “vancouver”
Finally went to a Canucks game. It's been FOUR years! 4 YEARS! Finally! Glad the Canucks won too! First period was terrible but then it picked up. All it took was me to go to the bathroom and the 1st point was scored. Caught the second point then went to the bathroom shortly after to hear the screams of fans as the 3rd point was scored. At least I caught the 4th goal being scored by Daniel Sedin. Check out the meh iPhone pic below. Thanks Darren for giving me your extra ticket rather than a client of ours getting it hahaha.
So... it finally happened. Madonna put on her boxing gloves and killed it! The setlist was great and the energy was top notch as always from Madonna. Our seats were fantastic even though some portions we could only watch her backside but we got to sit in between the stage and catwalk meaning we were able to get the best of both worlds. Coolest thing ever is that as we arrived to our seats we caught up with two of her dancers and even got a photo with them! Check us out with Leroy "Hypnosis" Barnes (master of krump) and Anthony "Ant Boogie" Rue II (who handed me his card with his blog on it)! They were such cool, nice dudes. Highlights from the show were Vogue, La Isla Bonita and Like A Prayer. She's Not Me was pretty hilarious too when Madonna impersonators came on stage. The girl that bought my extra seat turned out to be the sweetest girl I've ever met. She almost started crying during some parts because she was so overwhealmed haha. At the end of the show she then goes I have something for you and gave me a Madonna official Hard Candy sucker! She didn't have to do anything at all but so nice of her! Overall the show was amazing but I did enjoy the Confessions Tour more. That one is tough to beat.
Well enjoy the pics and video!
And it's almost time. I cannot wait especially after the most crazy day at work. This will be a nice way to let loose. You can feel it in the air in Vancouver. The excitement that Madonna is here.. for the very first time. To end the countdown is my favourite Madonna video, Bedtime Story, released in 1995 and directed by Mark Romanek.
Her Sticky & Sweet concert arrives to Vancouver this Thursday and I will countdown with my favourite Madonna videos each day until then. Today's will be Human Nature which she does perform during her Sticky & Sweet set to a video of Britney Spears trapped in an elevator. Check out the original video below from 1995 off of her Bedtime Stories album.
Check out HQ teaser footage of the show. 2 months and a week until she reaches Vancouver, Canada.
Images courtesy of DrownedMadonna.com and PerezHilton.com. And yes that is Kanye and Pharrell that you see on the backscreens who filmed backdrop videos to be used in The Beat Goes On in which their featured in.
So I'm going to blog about something that everyone is talking about these days. The Summer Olympics which apparently is drawing the highest numbers in ratings ever. Probably because everyone is sick of the fuckery that is TV nowadays and they finally have something meaningful to watch. I was tuning in yesterday and of course couldn't believe all of the Gold medals that Michael Phelps has amassed so far. He's breaking records and yet Canada hasn't even placed! What kind of crap is this!?!
Anyways, the real story lies behind the fake opening ceremonies. You know... that report that we've all heard. CGI enhanced footstep fireworks from Tiananmen Square to the Birdnest Stadium and then pulling out a child singer who wasn't pretty enough for TV screens around the world and replacing her with someone more presentable even though she Ashley Simpson'ed the performance. However, I for one do not feel lied to by the Chinese like everyone else did when praising what they saw and instead feel that the Chinese were only keeping the viewers in mind. They did not care about projecting a perfect image but instead were more concerned about ensuring the maximum viewing experience that audiences recieved when watching at home. That's what it was and not an attempt to make China look flawless because we know it is already.... Okay... back to blogging about music. I might get a comment by someone saying hey... stop blogging this kind of stuff because we can go find a blog who does it much better.
Shout out to dlisted for the image. I found it to be fitting for this post. Actually I might save it for the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 because it looks like a Downtown Van scene too.
Well Canada is always big at my home because it seconds as my Dad's birthday. Yep, the Dad turned 63 this year and because of that the city of Vancouver decided to put on a firework display for him. OK maybe not but we still get to enjoy all the festivities plus bday cake (wait! we didn't have one this year... whoops!). His bday was a bit of a two parter with yesterday at Ambleside in West Vancouver and today spent downtown with a tasty dinner at Malaysian restaurant "Tropika". Then we headed over with our coffees to Coal Harbour and waited for our asses to go numb but the firework display is always worth it. Hope y'all had a great one too. My Dad thanks the family all across Canada for the kind birthday wishes, especially your song Nelie, Roger, Chelsea and Emily.
Sorry to those of you who reads this but aren't local to Vancouver. I thought this was pretty interesting but maybe that's because I actually live here. Either way, check out the impressive facelift that BC Place will be getting in the upcoming 5 years. I say it's totally needed and to hear that a larger Vancouver Art Gallery's going to be built right across from it on the water sounds amazing! I wonder what will happen with the old Art Gallery building since it's smack dab in the center of Downtown Vancouver and is a historic landmark.
Check out the official news release below:
PREMIER UNVEILS NEW VISION FOR BC PLACE & ART GALLERY VANCOUVER – A major renovation of BC Place Stadium – including a retractable roof after 2010 – will expand the city’s sport, culture and entertainment district; feature a new home for the Vancouver Whitecaps; and provide a waterfront site for a new Vancouver Art Gallery, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today. “We asked PavCo chair David Podmore to develop a long-term plan for one of British Columbia’s landmark facilities. What he found was BC Place is in good shape but, like any facility that age, is in need of upgrades,” said Premier Campbell. “The upgrades pre- and post-Olympics will significantly reduce energy consumption and extend the life of this world-class facility for another 30 years. It will also give us the opportunity to create a vibrant arts and sporting community for residents and visitors alike.” Upgrades to BC Place will occur in two phases. Renovations to suites, seating, washrooms and concession stands, and enhancement of the existing roof liner will occur before the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. A new retractable roof will be put in place after the 2010 Games. Both phases are expected to go out to tender within five months, subject to design, completion of a business case and cost-benefit analysis and government approval. “Once we’ve completed our design and planning, we’ll finalize the budget and, subject to provincial government approval, get a fixed price contract with a guaranteed timeline,” said Podmore. “As much of the preparatory work on the roof as possible will be done prior to the 2010 Games. The remaining work to install the new roof will be completed over an estimated eight months after the Games are over. This is exactly how BC Place was planned and built more than 25 years ago. By waiting until after 2010 to complete the retractable roof, we’ll get better competitive pricing.” A retractable roof by itself will cut energy costs for BC Place by one-third, $535,000 annually. A further $100,000 annually will be saved through operational savings. For example, the stadium will no longer need air-lock doors to support the roof. Further options, such as solar panels and geothermal heating, will also be explored. As part of the new roof and upgrade, which is expected to be complete early in 2011, the Whitecaps will start playing at BC Place in the summer of 2011, part of a five-year lease with renewals after 2016. That will give the team the opportunity to apply for a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise. “We are looking forward to playing under the retractable roof at BC Place starting in 2011,” said Bob Lenarduzzi, president of Vancouver White caps FC. “We are confident that the planned renovations will make BC Place a more versatile venue, very suitable for soccer and a variety of other international caliber events. The move to BC Place will allow us to pursue the opportunity for an MSL franchise and will open up a host of additional opportunities that we are excited to bring to Vancouver.” “BC Place has been our home field for 25 years, so we’re thrilled with the plans to upgrade it and add a retractable roof,” said Bob Ackles, BC Lions president and CEO. “To be able to play outdoors under a retractable roof is going to make the whole experience even more enjoyable for our fans. As much as we enjoy playing under the dome, the chance to enjoy a game on a summer night will be very popular with our fans and players alike.” As part of the bigger vision for this part of downtown Vancouver, PavCo has been working with the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Art Gallery and Canadian Metropolitan Properties, the owners of the Plaza of Nations, to move the Vancouver Art Gallery to False Creek. Currently, less than three per cent of its collection is on display, because of space restraints. In return for future development considerations from the City of Vancouver on its False Creek property, Canadian Metropolitan Properties is providing the Vancouver Art Gallery with a waterfront site for its new 320,000 square-foot facility. The Province has already contributed $50 million towards the new gallery. “The gallery has experienced unprecedented growth in the last decade, and with more than 40,000 members, record-breaking admissions and a growing collection of 10,000 artworks, is now bursting at the seams,” said gallery director Kathleen Bartels. “The False Creek location presents an exciting opportunity to imagine a new Vancouver Art Gallery on this beautiful waterfront site, one that would serve as an anchor for this extension of Vancouver’s thriving cultural community. In addition to Premier Campbell’s recent commitment of $50 million, we are extremely grateful to the Province of British Columbia for bringing us another step closer to realizing our dream for a new Vancouver Art Gallery.” Development and the sale, or lease, of lands around BC Place are expected to generate more than $100 million towards the cost of the new roof and upgrades. Additional revenues will come from new sponsorships and expanded business opportunities. -30- 2 backgrounder(s) attached. Media contact: Bridgitte Anderson Press Secretary Office of the Premier 604 307-7177 Norman Stowe PAVCO 604 646-3556 For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at
Just cuz I loved it so much! This clip was from the actual Vancouver show. Enjoy!
++UPDATE! THE REMAINDER OF MY PICTURES ARE HERE++
I was lucky enough to get floor seat tickets last night to Kanye's historic Glow In The Dark Concert which stopped at GM Place in Vancouver. The sold out night did not dissapoint. The line ups were insanely long due to the camera checks. Well my buddy Peyv pulled some skills out of his ass and snuck us through to the front while I smuggled my camera in without a hitch!
As we arrived some local chantuese was finishing up and I was worried that I missed some of the top notch acts that were billed to open for Kanye. Our seats were alright but I would have prefered much closer of course but these tickets were tough to get selling out in minutes.
First up was Lupe Fiasco. The first tune was pretty good at getting the crowd's attention but by Superstar the whole audience was sucked in and wanted more but he had to wrap it up two songs later because ultimately this show is about Kanye. I was so surprised with Lupe's stage presence. The dude is a star. I want to see him in a smaller setting because he was fantastic. Don't even get me started on Matthew Santos too. His voice is extraordinary and paired with Lupe resulted in magic on the stage that I wouldn't have minded watching for much longer.
As soon as Lupe was off a giant LCD screen was being assembled. Out came N.E.R.D. Pharrell was on stage just meters in front of me... PHARRELL! He's huge! The N.E.R.D. set was much more rock than hip hop but they played well. It was a bit all over the place and not as concise as Lupe but still enjoyable. Especially where hos from the audience came up on stage to gyrate (two of those girls were sitting in front of us and were actually pretty sweet but unfortunately when walking home will probably be asked "how much?"). Well one of the hos felt pretty good about herself because she just licked Pharrell's sweat off of his abs after he pulled his shirt up. With her new found confidence she started busting her moves at the edge of the stage and bang she went down. In mid song Pharell's goes "OK when I say go you... OH SHIT!" hahaha.
Then alien princess herself came on a few minutes of stage assembly. Rihanna had landed. The space theme was slowly being thrown upon us. Her entry was hot. Very S&M where RiRi was cloaked in a black robe with this long tutu lace train thing wrapped around her perfect waist. Yes those curves are banging and her face is flawless. Her voice is remarkably good! However, when her big tunes came on like "Don't Stop The Music" and "Umbrella" I was expecting just a little more umph. Don't get me wrong... she brought it but there's this calibre that's out there that separates you from good to extraordinary. I thought Rihanna could reach the extraordinary but came short. Maybe in time she'll get there.
Then we crash landed on another planet. Out came the extraordinary. It was Kanye. Lifelessly lying on the stage which had been transformed into another dimension. Another planet. ANOTHER WORLD! The thought that went into his production. The work that went into the remastering of his tunes. It was amazing. There were times I caught myself not cheering or saying anything simply because I was just so taken by it all. Each song rolled into each other with few pauses in between. Kanye delievered a non stop vocal barrage while sweating up a storm leaving me to believe this guy doesn't breath. I would have been collapsed on the ground due to exhaustion after twenty minutes worth of what Kanye gave us. Flashing Lights was by far my favourite just due to the intro itself. Yes it had very eletronic bleepy bits which is just a given for me to love. I also loved the geniousness of how this space age sci-fi theme told Kanye's life story. He played all the hits but for some reason it wasn't about his hits... it was about this journey we were on. Everything tune made so much sense when played and I again couldn't get over the amount of thought put into this. Absolutely amazing and I can't wait to see him live 3 more times! 4 more times! 5 more times... as many times I'll get!
Check out my less than amazing pics from the night but you'll get the jist of it and I had to post previous concert footage of Flashing Lights.
