Scan barcode
selinayoung's review
4.0
My love of the Rheostatics aside, I really liked this book. Dave is a very witty & real writer and as a music fan I really enjoyed hearing about being on the road - I felt like I was along for the ride too. And who wouldn't love Reading bout a concert they were at?!
zee's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A look at Canadian music history, as of 1998, interwoven with the story and musings of a Rheostatics tour with The Hip. Each chapter has a mini essay from Bidini that is highly flowery in language addressing either specifics of the current tour, or general musings relating to the geographic area the chapter represents. Interspersed throughout, and with no introduction which occasionally results in jarring perspective shifts, are anecdotes from famous Canadians relating to the music scene - be they musicians, technicians, journalists or DJs. The anecdotes are thematically linked though the theme isn't formally presented which can add to feelings of disjointedness.
The interview anecdotes and stories are definitely the best part; Bidini's stories feel forced and pretentious with their overly lyrical vocabulary, though the contents themselves have merit. I did find I learned a lot about the scene and industry.
The interview anecdotes and stories are definitely the best part; Bidini's stories feel forced and pretentious with their overly lyrical vocabulary, though the contents themselves have merit. I did find I learned a lot about the scene and industry.
baffy's review
4.0
Great stories about rock bands touring in Canada. Many legendary artists provide insights and anecdotes. Bidini writes very well - the shinny hockey game story is great!
kittyburritoland's review
3.0
I liked this one but I didn't love it. Have to agree with other reviewers who said that it needed to be a bit more focused. It was really jarring to read Bidini's prose and observations on the Rheostatics' tour with the Hip, then have that broken up with road stories from other Canadian bands. Bidini doesn't give an introduction to those sections, and it is sometimes difficult to see the connection between what he's writing about and the other artists. When this book is good, it's a great nostalgic look on Canada: our expansive spaces, our small population, our national pasttimes. When it gets away from that, it can be a bit of a slog. Interested to read more Bidini for comparison.
More...