Happy Birthday Don Matsuo of Zoobombs!

Celebrating the birthday of Zoobombs' mainman Don Matsuo with performances of "Doo Bee," "Mo' Funky" and more.

Check out some vintage Pussy Galore photos by Rick McGinnis

Here's a rarely seen image of Julie Cafritz smiling in Pussy Galore photo from 1988 shot at the Silver Dollar by Rick McGinnis. 

Writes Toronto photographer Rick McGinnis...

"If most people who lived through the '80s made a movie of their life, they'd probably soundtrack it with, I don't know, U2 or A-ha or Tears for Fears. My '80s biopic would be scored to Pussy Galore - probably my favorite band of the decade, and one whose three albums and four EPs bring me back to the first years of life on my own, post-college, making a precarious living as a writer and photographer. They were another major enthusiasm of Tim Powis at Nerve, and he made the rest of us fans (my then-girlfriend had a maddeningly not-so-secret crush on PG front man Jon Spencer), though they didn't actually show up in town until the magazine was effectively defunct. I was without a steady gig then, but I begged a portrait session with the band during their two-night stand in April of 1988 at the Silver Dollar Room on Spadina. My big memory of the weekend was that Philadelphia rapper Schoolly D was playing the room in the basement under the club, and that Jon and the rest of the band were more enthusiastic about catching his show than doing their own gig."

Check out more photos of Pussy Galore from the session right here. Watch a Pussy Galore performance of "Undertaker" in Fort Worth, Texas back in July, 1989 below. 

Remembering Jay Reatard on his birthday

Here's a Jay Reatard performance with the Lost Sounds at the Silver Dollar in Toronto from 2004 and a Sneaky Dee's show in 2009.

Celebrate Dan Burke's 60th Birthday w/ The Highest Order, Comet Control, Hooded Fang and special guests @ Lee's Palace, Friday

DJs Davy Love and Chico will be spinning with guest appearances by Andre Ethier, Dallas Good, Jennifer Castle and others.

Tribute To Lemmy w/ Ian Blurton & friends @ The Silver Dollar, Thursday

Here's a Lemmy documentary to get you up to speed for Thursday night's multi-band salute at the Silver Dollar.

Farewell High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ Crazy Strings @ Silver Dollar, November 18

Celebrate T.O.'s long-running old time roots music night with a High Lonesome hoedown on Wednesday.

Crazy Strings top gun Chris Quinn writes...


High Lonesome Wednesdays at The Silver Dollar is coming to an end on November 18, 2015.
The members of Crazy Strings, current and past, are a who’s who of influential bluegrass and old-time musicians. There are Juno awards, Canadian Bluegrass Awards, and many other backstories. The Foggy Hogtown Boys: Chris Coole, Andrew Collins, Max Heineman, John Showman, Chris Quinn; as well as guitarist Marc Roy have been the most current incarnation of Crazy Strings.

And among its longer tenured alumni are such stellar Canadian bluegrass & alt-country artists as:
- Joey Wright
- Jenny Whiteley
- Dottie Cormier
- Victor Bateman
- Brian Baron
- John McNaughton
- Dan Whiteley (co-founder)
- Stef Fantin (THE founder)

Stef Fantin – who passed away a few years ago – began High Lonesome with a casting call.
He wrote: "Hey people, I have been searching high and low, to find the right group of guys to get THE MUSIC out there... I have been playing pro since I was 17...(I) am at the point in my life where making a fortune and being famous are no longer part of (my) vision...the vision is to create new, creative life changing music, that will shake the foundations of this crazy life. Join me, and let's take this ride to the next level."

Bluegrass and old-time music are alive and well in Canada, Ontario, and Toronto. This may well be in some part to having had High Lonesome Wednesdays as part of our culture for the last 20 or so years. Come out and celebrate with us as we bring this substantial chapter to a close.

Thanks for listening.

Chris / Crazy Strings