The Ticketmaster?

Not all of them, but these are a handful of ticket stubs for shows. Sometimes the guest list makes the ticket needless, but over time these stubs tend to pile up. Some are faded, most of them aren't. The pink and yellow tags are for the ACC Gondola.

So, with this marking the end of the decade, it seems fitting to go through a handful of these handful of stubs and see how some of these are instantly recalled whereas others are unfortunately still not forgotten about. Some other highlights (Joe Strummer, Manic Street Preachers, etc) fall into the 1999 period so will not count. And these are in no order.....

1) My Bloody Valentine -- Sept. 25, 2008 (Kool Haus) -- Notoriously loud British shoegazers put on a spectacular show which leaves you physically and mentally disoriented. Earplugs are given out to audience members beforehand, one of the first times I've witnessed this. With one song left, the band -- led by Kevin Shields -- get the most out of the $400,000 US they spent on speakers and amplification on stage, leading into You Made Me Realise. A 25-minute middle portion is white industrial noise and feedback, dubbed by some fans as "The Holocaust." Decibel levels hit 160. Jet plane 100 feet overhead is 140.

2) Wilco -- August 3, 2004 (The Mod Club) -- Originally part of the failed Toronto Lollapalooza lineup, Wilco plays a sold-out show at this intimate jewel of a club. Using material from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as well as the new A Ghost Is Born, the band nail all of the material perfect while Tweedy is dressed "like a man transformed by the probable forthcoming television series Queer Eye For The Amish Guy...."

3) David Gilmour -- April 9, 2006 (Massey Hall) -- Playing two nights here, and seeing scalpers make a killing from some well-known in the business (including Floyd producer Bob Ezrin reportedly forking over $1000 for a floor seat), Gilmour performs his On An Island album note for note, but the second half of the 3-hour show contains some keepers, including Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Comfortably Numb and Echoes with the late Richard Wright off to his left onstage.

4) Kathleen Edwards -- November 10, 2005 (Phoenix Concert Theatre) -- This being the 11th time seeing here (that I can remember), Edwards mixes the set with songs from Failer and Back To Me. However, it's the performance of an untitled song dedicated to Alicia Ross, a young woman found murdered in late September of that year. The song -- taken from the point of view of Ross -- has Edwards performing it beautifully alone on acoustic guitar, tears visibly streaming down her face. The song ends up titled Alicia Ross and will appear on Asking For Flowers in 2008.

5) Paul McCartney -- October 10, 2005 (Air Canada Centre) -- Not covering it but decide to head down to see if I can find a cheap ticket. Patience is bliss. Scalpers scold me for not being willing to pay $200 for a seat, one pontificating that for this reason -- and this reason alone -- I will always be a follower and not a leader. (Note: Said scalper's leadership still has him selling ducats outside venues to this day.) Inside Union Station a man laughs when I offer what I'm willing to pay. I wait, realizing his friend can't use the ticket. The man grows impatient and I realize I might have my ticket, selling me a pair for $160 (one ticket is priced at $160). I resell one for $100, getting me in for $60. Only Springsteen's $50/$60/$60 trilogy of cheapies (Air Canada Centre, Skydome, ACC (solo show)) is perhaps a greater coup.

6) Live 8 -- July 2, 2005 (Molson Park, Barrie) -- A decent lineup but an odd start to the day, accidentally pulling a plug trying to find an outlet for the laptop. Pulling one cord out of the powerbar ("It's okay, nobody's using that one," a publicist says.) results in a large Brit stating that, "You just pulled the plug, we're with the BBC and we're live to air!" Oops, plug it back in and after three or four seconds all is well again. See Bryan Adams wrestled off stage and thankfully catch a glimpse of Pink Floyd's London slot in the nifty little press tent/refreshment area/catering table area.

That's all...for now....