Game 7

Yes ladies and gentlemen it all comes down to one final game tonight, game 7, crunch time, sudden death if you wish. Pistons vs Spurs for the NBA championship! I'm not even playing and I'm feeling the jitters of waiting for this one. Lets see who will pull it out of the bag. Spurs have got to be favored for playing on their home court but those pesky Pistons don't seem to give up. Should be fun.

Now my man Obi over at Soul on Ice has done a blog or two about the Live 8 concerts over the past couple of weeks. (Safire mentioned it too.) Live 8 is a series of concerts designed to get G8 leaders to address issues like poverty, debt and AIDS in Africa. Great cause you say and I'd agree.

Well the concert series is happening all over the world; London, Rome, Toyko, Johannesburg, Philadelphia, Barrie. Hold up wait a minute did Jdid just say Barrie? Where is that? Well Barrie Ontario is about an hour directly north of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). Couldn't they have actually held it in Toronto where folks could actually take some public transit to the concert? Oh well not such a big deal I guess we're about to put Barrie on the map.

What is interesting though is the lineup for the Barrie concert. I'm seeing names like Jann Arden, Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Tegan & Sara, Bruce Cockburn, and Tom Cochrane, Gordon Lightfoot and Bryan Adams. What is this a baby boomers reunion? Did we find the oldest musicians we have in Canada for this thing? Oh alright they also have Simple Plan, the Barenaked Ladies, Our Lady Peace, Great Big Sea, the Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, Billy Talent, some of whom I've heard of before and some of whom I'm guessing may appeal to a younger audience but still how many of these guys are actually popular these days. What happened to popular Canadian artists like Alanis Morrisette, Shania Twain, Avril Lavie even a Fefe Dobson, Keisha Chante, a K-os, Swollen Members or Raskals?

Like Obi was complaining where are the actual African acts, I mean damn even a solitary black act would have been nice for the Barrie event. Come on Geldof! When you think about it Toronto, the GTA and its environs are currently one of the most multicultural places in the world. Why is it that this concert is only featuring has-been old white dudes who most of the younger generation don't even know? I commend the issues that this concert is trying to highlight but damn add some relevant music acts and some folks of color. I'm assuming you're trying to get the message out to folks of all ages so why are you loading this concert with acts that are not relevant to younger folk? Don't younger folk count amongst those you want to hear your message?