Truth Be Told Victoria

So....another week, another tale to tell of crap bands, great bands, art that really really sucks and the worst food I've ever had.
The abuse continues.  the insults continue to plunder in and out.   It can be easy to fall into a footprint of instability when you are being bombarded by the continuous crap talk of the mentally weak.  We have all been there.  Unless we somehow missed high school.


Tuesday- On the first tuesday of every month, the art gallery of Victoria has a pay by donation day.  Most large cities have these once a week.  I understand that larger cities make more money and therefore can afford such a treat.
I  decided to get my kids and check out the central intelligence of art in Victoria.  The Art Gallery has a very institutional look about it.  You couldn't tell it was a gallery if you didn't know where to look.  There is a sculpture out front that is no tell tale sign as most office buildings are adorned with them.
Upon entry I became a bit excited.  Filled with anticipation and hope.  After sliding my 10 dollars through the slot on the donation box, I made for the first room on the left.  The Emily Carr room.  I was immediately taken in.  These paintings were so rich with life and color.  Her broad meaty strokes convulsing upon the canvas and creating an impression of the nature that was so peacefully before her.
This was to be expected.  We all know this is her town.  let's see what else this place has got.
The next exhibit was by Daniel Laskarin and titled Agnostic Objects (Things Persist).
The exhibit asks us to question the works on display and in turn question ourselves.  Pieces such as 'Butterfly Trap' and 'Row your boat'. The latter a collaboration with Cleo Laskarin, had me questioning why you needed two people to come up with this crap on the wall,  the former felt like a joke.  Perhaps that was the point.  A giant dupe on our gallery curators and the people of Victoria.  A giant hoop rotating with a tv screen of a face was supposed to be meaningful to anything or anyone?  These were the questions I had.  Why?  What the fuck?  and how much is this guy getting paid?
On to the next exhibit.
Samurais!   Yup.  Sumurais!  Lots of centuries old samurai armor and lots of reading on the walls. While I like Samurais and can appreciate the art of the armor, I felt like this was more of an exhibit that should be in a museum.
Same goes for the next room.  Lots of little snuff boxes from Japan and China.  I mean lots!  God!  No wonder the artists in this city are suffering so.  The example being set as accomplished art is so limited and malnourished.  The Japanese garden was a perfect example of this.  The path leads you to a small pond that is filled with rust and debris.  I pictured coy and a feeling of Japanese care that was seriously lacking.  WTF Victoria!
The next rooms had a few brilliant paintings by Thomas Sidney Cooper who seemed to like sheep very very much.  The Francois LeMoyne was the first and only nude that I had seen in this gallery.  I don't understand.  The Sophie Pemberton portraiture were quite nice.
Well, that was it for the gallery.  I am at a loss.  However, I do have new eyes and a heavier heart for the artists that live here after witnessing that lame ass excuse of a city gallery.

Wednesday- Dropped into Logans for a drink with a friend.  DJs?!  Oh no!  Not really into this.  However I stayed and had a drink and to my pleasant surprise the place came to life.  The scene was kind of different.  The huge afro DJ was playing a mix of soul, reggae,and funk in the front window of the bar.  Tables were shoved out of the way as the music took over and people began to dance.  This felt unusual but quite alive and fresh!
We decided to have another couple of drinks and let go.  A good time!  Then we went and had some pizza accross the street.  Big mistake.  Really greasy and gut wrenching.  My friend threw up.

Thursday-I went to Rehab to check out something different.  Boy was it different.  Plus what a terrible name for a bar.  Insulting really.  Electric Empress and the Electric Druids.
This was terrible.  I can't believe I stayed as long as I did.  Both these bands fall into a prog rock category, but in a way that misses the mark beyond there even being a mark.  It felt like everyone in the room was trying to be nice and smile and sit there and I don't know what. This was like heavy not metal meets rock that doesn't really rock.  This place had a weird vibe to it too.  I can't suggest any of this to anyone except those that have crossed me somehow or truly deserve an awful time.

Friday-Another night at Logans! This time with some bands from Vancouver and locals Slam Dunk!  The place was pretty full and real steamy.  The first band wasn't that great.  Root Beer Hype.  I like Root Beer, but these guys were pretty flat.  A mix of Wolf parade (not in a good way) and something I couldn't put my finger on.  At least their set was
short. The next bands were real similar.  Punky short stabbing songs that were sincere if not good. Hari legs and Nu Sensae. The poster for this show was disturbingly brilliant. A shivering moustached naked fellow in a puddle of his own sweat.
Slam Dunk! took the night.  It felt like a party when these guys and gals were on stage. Although the sax player kinda sucked, it added a dimention of stooges style amptitude.
At one point the crowd surfers were so amped up that the band went into a chant to calm the house down.  This was the best thing I had seen in Victoria thus far.  One thing to mention about this show, is the fact that it was a good mix of people.  Punks and indie kids and older beardo freaks.  What a good night! There is hope yet!

Saturday-I went to see the Pack A.D. at Sugar with Von Bones.  Big mistake.  There were hardly any people there and after Friday night wow, what a huge disappointment.  The opening band was really really bad.  They could have played at Rehab with those other crap bands on Thursday. The Pack A.D. were ok. The singer was passionate and the drummer was chatty.  I like the girl power vibe they have.  Though, this is just blues. Kind of a sub par White Stripes type thing and after a couple of songs,quite boring.
Oh well.  Kind of a successful week with friday being the good night as it should be.   Truth be told Victoria,  you need to get your act together so more nights are like this last friday night.

Restaurant footnote-
Sunday(today)-went to dinner at Osaka Sushi. This was one of the worst dinners out I've ever had.  We ordered some Miso soup, Sashimi, edamame and Beef & Chicken teriyaki.
the miso soup was standard.  Edamame was also standard, cant really screw that stuff up.
The Sashimi was terrible.  It looked like it had been cut with a dull saw.  my friends had bones in it. Bones!  when the server came it didn't seem to phase her.  She asked if she would like another order.  she politely declined.  The teriyaki came and this was truly disgusting.  Covered in slime, as if someone had sneezed all over it or worse.  The vegetables were raw. Asparagus, Broccoli and sprouts. All raw.  The rice was good.
The worst part was when the waitress came it didn't seem to bother her that we hadn't eaten anything other than the rice.  She asked if we wanted to pack it up for home.  When we said no, she brought us the bill.  Terrible.

Have a good week all,  and thank you.

love Max xo