Though October, and by extension #Rocktober30, don’t begin for another two days, I feel that my negative-second day of #Rocktober30 is worth noting.

First off, it’s erev Rosh Hashanah, and as such, when you work in a Jewish school, classes are dismissed at 11:30, and the school shuts down for the following two and a half days. What a wonderful way to begin #Rocktober30! I had promised my bro-in-law that I’d give him some nerd-help, but I had a couple hours to kill until I met him. I decided to head South to the Annex where  I dined at Japan Sushi. While in the Annex, I visited my new favourite record store, Sonic Boom¹. While there, I purchased a few new records…

1. Wilco – The Whole Love
2. The Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams
3. Elliott Brood – Days Into Years

From my brother-in-law’s/sister’s/brother’s/zaida’s we piled into my car and went to my parents’ place, and ate a hearty meal that would make by bubie proud. After that I hopped back in my car and drove from Thornhill to the west-end of Toronto, and popped into a crowded and small bar called Holy Oak where Valery Gore was performing for the first time in what seems like forever.

She was performing all new songs, and I’d like to say I can comment on the quality of the songs, but the sound quality was so poor, that I cannot give any worthwhile feedback. I can say that a vocal/piano cover of “She’s A Jar” by Wilco is… different.

1. This only became my favourite because Criminal Records closed down.

This time I went with Via Chicago.
Roasted onion and chick peas with a hint of curry topped with mango chutney and a tomato on the bread of your liking.

The lovely man who I believe owns the place, suggested I try it on the french bread, I was more than happy to take his suggestion.

Ooh! Depth of field. Wait, I’m supposed to talk about the sandwich.

I was asked to rate the Hoodoo Voodoo by someone, a while ago, I don’t remember who, but I gave it a 7/10. On that same scale, I’d rate Via Chicago a 5/10. It’s damn good, but I think I wasn’t necessarily in the right mood for the chickpeas, and we all know chickpeas have a very overpowering taste.

Five more vegetarian sammiches to try.

Dan Mangan performs “Robots” at Criminal Records in Toronto, during Canadian Music Week.

Gram Parsons & Chris Hillman trade off vocals in this Flying Burrito Brothers classic. Oh, and Sneaky Pete shreds on the pedal steel.

The Byrds (Roger McGuinn, John York, Clarence White & Gene Parsons) play “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” and “Wheels On Fire” on Playboy After Dark. White’s playing on “Wheels On Fire” is mind blowing.

I had:

Hoodoo Voodoo (v)
Asian pear with Gouda grilled cheese sandwich. Must be magic how the pear stays firm. We suggest using our own brown bread.

I didn’t take their suggestion and have it brown bread, instead I had it on their vocalized suggestion which was a cheese bread, and it was damn good. It was a bit odd, it seemed very heavy because of the extreme amount of cheese, but also very light because of the pears. Overall, I think it was a bit too heavy, but I still loved it. I’m STILL full from it, five hours later. That’s worth $5.

I also had a sweet potato and corn chowder, which was also fab.

The Millers shared the same soup, but they ordered:

Wishful Thinking (v)
Big, meaty portabella mushrooms teamed nicely with creamy avocado slices and rings of slow cooked onions on your choice of bread.

and:

Dreamer In My Dreams
Slices of roast beef topped with carmelized onions and a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. We prefer to use our Panini to press the sandwich and have the cheese melt over the onions and beef, but we’ll do whatever you dream up.

The Wishful Thinking looked really good, and Cari and Adam both seemed to like it. Adam, however liked his sandwich more, the Dream In His Dreams which to me looked gross and filled with too many dead animals.

I’ll definitely have to return.

1) Sleater-Kinney – The Woods (2005)
2) The Magnetic Fields – i (2004)
3) Belle & Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)
4) The Flashing Lights – Sweet Release (2001)
5) Neko Case & Her Boyfriends – Furnace Room Lullaby (2000)
6) The Joel Plaskett Emergency – Down At The Khyber (2001)
7) Julie Doiron – Woke Myself Up (2007)
8) Neil Young – Live At Massey Hall 1971 (2007)
9) Valery Gore – Avalanche To Wandering Bear (2008)
10) God Help The Girl – God Help The Girl (2009)

11) Wilco – A Ghost Is Born (2004)
12) Joel Plaskett – Three (2009)
13) Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (2005)
14) The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns (2008)
15) Valery Gore – Valery Gore (2005)
16) Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire – The Swimming Hour (2001)
17) Elevator – A Taste of Complete Perspective (2000)
18) The Guthries – Off Windmill (2000)
19) The Magnetic Fields – Distorion (2008)
20) Cuff The Duke – Cuff The Duke (2005)

21) Matt Mays – Matt Mays (2002)
22) The Apples In Stereo – New Magnetic Wonder (2007)
23) Neko Case – Canadian Amp (2001)
24) Local Rabbits – This Is It, Here We Go (2001)
25) One Hundred Dollars – Forest of Tears (2007)
26) The Guthries – The Guthries (2002)
27) The Joel Plaskett Emergency – Ashtray Rock (2007)
28) Amy Millan – Honey From The Tombs (2006)
29) Elliott Brood – Ambassador (2005)
30) The New Pornographers – Mass Romantic (2000)

31) Rufus Wainwright – Poses (2001)
32) The Superfantastics – Pop-up Book (2007)
33) Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice (2009)
34) George Harrison – Brainwashed (2001)
35) Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit (2006)
36) Sleater-Kinney – One Beat (2002)
37) Final Fantasy – Has A Good Home (2005)
38) K’naan – The Dusty Foot Philosopher (2005)
39) The Bicycles – The Good, The Bad & The Cuddly (2006)
40) Elliott Smith – From a Basement on the Hill (2004)

41) Peter Elkas – Wall of Fire (2007)
42) Gentleman Reg – Darby & Joan (2004)
43) Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (2008)
44) Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
45) k-os – Joyful Rebellion (2004)
46) Matt Murphy – Bring It Back Home: The Life And Hard Times of Guy Terrifico (2004)
47) Cuff The Duke – Life Stories For Minimum Wage (2002)
48) Tom Petty – Highway Companion (2006)
49) Travis – The Boy With No Name (2007)
50) Ruth Minnikin – Marooned And Blue (2004)