As if I needed any more proof of my new city's vibrant multiculturalism, on Friday I went to a Swedish music DJ night at a Senegalese restaurant on the edge of Chinatown. Right on. Turnout was (apparently) lighter than usual, but it was good to meet and talk shop and Sverige with the DJs and to hear some great tunes, including the new Hives single and a hilarious country cover of Peter Bjorn & John's omnipresent "Young Folks." By all accounts the Swedish expat community in Toronto is tiny, which is a shame.
Today I had the fortune of seeing the second and final showing of the new documentary Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who at the Toronto Film Festival. The first showing was last night, and was the world premiere. It was really well done, and I was thrilled especially to see long-lost footage of the band in its Mod phase covering "Heat Wave" by Martha & the Vandellas at a London ballroom in 1964. The interviews were enlightening, and just hearing the recorded songs in high quality in a grand old theatre was a treat. The directors and producers did a Q&A session afterward, which was icing on the cake. The movie will be out on DVD in November, including a second disc of stuff not shown today. Maximum R&B!
Tonight I watched the Alabama-Arkansas game (which underdog Bama won with a touchdown pass with eight seconds left) with a fellow Alabamian. Not just any Alabamian, for that matter. This guy. We just started chatting when I realized he was cheering at the same time I was cheering, and hung out for the rest of the game. He's a really nice dude. So, one of my first non-work friends here is an NBA player. Go figure!
Oh, I had to give up my US driver's license on Friday. Nope, didn't get in trouble--traded it for an Ontario one, which I had to do within 60 days. Thankfully there's a reciprocal agreement that meant I didn't have to take any tests for it (because I've had a US license for over 2 years). I spent a total of 50 minutes in the offices of Service Ontario, most of it in line. Not a bad experience, overall...
P.S. - If you've never listened to Lee Fields, you should!
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3 comments:
hey broseph! very nice reportage. i always wanted to go to that film festival. so cool you got to see that one. and hang out with an NBA player at the bama game.
your lady swedes were eliminated today from the WC. by far the most attractive losers in the WC so far!
Way to go, Matt! makin friends in the NBA. sounds like you're making some good contacts ... i'm loving the blog!
Anne
Thank you, my friends. Josh, TIFF is really, really cool, from what I've gathered. I should have seen a few more films, but there's always next year. Yeah, Sverige really choked against Nigeria--that cost 'em in the long run. And they should have been playing Karolina Westberg more! Thanks, Anne! I appreciate the words and that you're taking the time to read...
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