Celebrating four years of reprising my live musical past. And perhaps my 2014 recap entry as well. (Thanks Joni)
It was four years ago this week—on February 7, 2020, just one moment before Covid locked down the world—that I resurrected mylifeinconcert.com as a podcast.
I launched the original blog on the late, great OpenSalon.com in June 2010 (I mark that as a separate anniversary) where I steadily accrued readership, with my pieces increasingly going viral. However, I folded MLIC along with the 2015 collapse of OS.
Creating the podcast series has been a blast since the 2020 launch (and blog re-launch). It continues to accrue new listeners from all over the world, although Toronto/GTHA and right here in London, Ontario have emerged as two of the biggest listener centres.
However, I want to say a “Hallo” to all of you tuning in from Frankfurt, Germany. There appears to be quite a bunch of you! Danke, indeed.
Actually, Danke to German listeners in general as you’re my biggest listening country next to Canada and the USA.
Additional shout out mentions to clusters of folks tuning in from The Villages, Florida, and a sincere G’day to those listening in Melbourne and elsewhere in Australia.
And multiple cheery “Bloody Hell!”s to those listening in the UK, the other country in my Top 5.
Thanks so much to my podcast guests who have joined me so far throughout the series, in particular my long-time friend Phil Robinson. He’s been a guest in many podcasts (such as on EPs for show by the Ramones, The (English) Beat & REM, the Gang of Four, etc.).
Thanks also go to Noelle, Colin, Marc Hodgkinson, Rob/Autobahn—and Mum—for taking the time to share your memories and insights with the podcast.
Big thanks also to Cublet for not only his interview participation but also for helping me out with this and other undertakings (and Mr. D too—I have a great tech team behind me!). Cublet helps keep so many things run smoothly. I couldn’t do this podcast or live my life without you. Lots of love.
I have also loved how the blog has reconnected me with many people I’d lost touch with and also connected me with so many great new folks. It’s a dark world out there, but don’t be fooled: lots of terrific folks still exist.
I usually do number crunching as to my most popular EPs so far etx., but I’m a bit thin on time for that this year. I will say that Episode 30 (Concert nos.23&24) The Circle Jerks/Psychic TV, The Reggae Lounge, Wednesday, November 16/Danceteria, Thursday November 17, both in New York City, USA, 1983: Back Against the Wall with Discopravity was my most popular podcast release of 2023.
And another round of Thank Yous go out to CBC London Morning, Michael Brooke’s A Tranquil Passage, and Colleen and Chris Catania’s Live Fix for having me on their programs or podcasts. Thanks also to Marc Hodgkinson’s #The500Blog for inviting me to write the piece on The Velvet Underground’s White Light/White Heat and The Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society.
For those of you who have been faithfully listening and enjoying, please spread the word about mylifeinconcert.com. Tell your live-music-loving friends! Tell your stoner Aunt Susan! Tell your crusty cousin Kathy who crushes on Kate Bush. Tell your record-collecting barista, Barry. Tell your tattletale telling teller Tallulah with “Tell Him” on her turntable! Tell Peter Piper who picked a peck of Parliament/Funkadelic.
Tell Tell Tell the live music junkies in your life … about the joy … and wonder … that is the mylifeinconcert.com podcast.
In the meantime, stick around as there will be 2024 episodes looking back on shows in in Toronto/GTHA and here in the Forest City by UB40, The Smiths, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bruce Cockburn, the London, Ontario punk rock scene 1977-1985, and more.
Let’s meet up at the next show. See you there and see you then.
Cheers!
NEXT ON STAGE> Birmingham UK’s reggae outfit UB40 made two trips to London, Ontario, in the mid-80s, playing to a packed and joyous Centennial Hall on March 7, 1984, and then returning a year later almost to the week, to pack out Alumni Hall on the Western University campus on March 14, 1985.
The first show came on the heels of their international breakthrough with the “Red Red Wine” single and its accompanying covers album, Labour of Love, while they were riding high in the Canadian charts with their Geoffrey Morgan album for the ’85 show.
This long overdue episode, which we recorded almost a year ago, will finally see the light of day and get my story back on track.
Not only will Special Guest Phil Robinson be returning with his always splendiferous and humorous memories and observations, new Special Guest to the podcast and all-round wonderful person and broadcaster Skye Sylvain joins us in piecing together a hilarious—and sometimes bumpy and not-so-mirthful for her—and very memorable ride through the events surrounding these two concerts, especially delving into the social stuff following the gigs and a particular interview with the band.
Stay tuned for group afterparties, setlist shockers, questionable album autograph signings, “excited” band “members,” contrasting memories about meeting Ali Campbell, Astro’s sweaty towel, and a “whoopsy-daisy!” moment that was part of a UB40 interview for Skye, complete with attempted strangulation.
All that and more is coming up next time in Episode 33, Concert no. 25, So Here I Am: UB40 @ Centennial Hall, London, Ontario, Canada, March 7, 1984 and at Alumni Hall, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada, March 14, 1985.
© 2024 Various Artists
