March 7th – North Bay – Urban Cafe
North Bay has always been good to me.
This time was no exception.
I played at the Urban Cafe, as part of a party for the Campus Free Press. The Cafe was a tight space with lots of tables and chairs, but it also had a second level, which is where I managed to grab a seat for some food. Having arrived there quite early, I made sure to try some of their eats, as they had been preparing for over an hour, and the smells were too much for me to handle: I had to order something. I can’t remember what the exact configuration was, but the wrap I had was fantastic.
The Dining Dead opened up the show while I was still upstairs munching, and their take on post-rock sounded great. Even when I came downstairs, prepared to be bombarded with volume because of the size of the room, I didn’t even need earplugs. They knew how to play to a room, and the crowd loved them, even though they’re originally from the Sault! I did my set and had a great time with the intimate crowd. After explaining that the title of “How Come No Bones” came from a short story by Steve Martin, I ended up having a micro debate about Steve’s legitimacy as a comedian. I don’t know who won, because my only argument was that “he used to be really funny!”
That night we met up with my friend Polly, who runs the Deluxe Custom Tattoo parlour. After a really late night in one of North Bay’s safest neighbourhoods, talking about all things under the sun and teasing fat cats with static electricity, it was time for bed. Little did I know that the next day would bring this wonder of food, at a Lebanese restaurant beside Deluxe Custom Tattoo: behold, the cheese pie!
It may not look that impressive, but it’s a pita (or some sort of bread/pastry that seemed more deep fried), filled with a melange of cheeses. Unreal.
