NHLPA Beard-a-thon Update: Week 5

image via smr.newswire.ca

As promised, I'm providing an update on my progress in the NHLPA Beardathon.

Just about to enter Week 5, and the beard is coming in real nice right about now.

Carney Of The Black Keys Talks Too Much

(Photo via buzzbox.com)

Ohhhh MAN! Turnbull and Ram are gonna be pissed at me for writing this! Patrick Carney of the Black Keys talks waaaaayyyy too much...and all the shit that comes out of his mouth is negative. This is disappointing since they have been riding on a high over the last few years, which if your keeping score, is positive. I held back when he quoted off about not making their new album El Camino available on streaming services, which surely resulted in illegal downloads. But beefing with Nickleback for no apparent reason?

Chef Raekwon Is Cooking Up Canadian Home Brew, Sets Up Shop in Toronto

(Photo via swaggnews.com)

Due to Drake and the Bieb's success on the international stage, Wu-Tang Clan member Chef Raekwon has taken his culinary skills north of the border for a piece of the action. With a newly purchased Toronto waterfront condo in hand and an office on Yonge Street for the newly minted Canadian wing of his Ice H20 record label, he's eager to sign some Canadian talent.

From Canoe.ca:

"What brought me here is because of the fact the city is so rich and filled with talent that's being overlooked, Alright you got Drake who made it but there's still more people here. And if you really look at the table chart of Canadian artists that made it out of here, the majority of them, you could say were successful

[....]

So my thing is we want come in and diffuse anything that's not real, anything that doesn't associate with real hip-hop. We want to be the one that says, 'Yo, we want to help build and build a bigger and better industry.' I'm just like. 'Yo with talent from Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec,' who's paying attention?'

The first artist signed to his stable is local MC JD Era. Raekwon thinks he's the real deal, but he wants the young MC to crawl before he balls:

"We got him, how can I say, in training. But he's in a great space right now. Next year, we're counting on him coming through and making an impact but it's about having your business together first. You being an artist that people can say, 'Yo, you're paying your dues.' You can't just come in and run to the top."

Rae also rhymes off on how much he loves Toronto in the piece. Could other Canadian business ventures be in his future? The full article can be found here. Take time to watch the video embedded in the article, even if it's just to see the Chef rocking a Blue Jays cap.

-Paqman

The League Brings Its Game to FX Canada

image via fxcanada.ca

FX Canada launched on October 31st, bringing with it programming previously unavailable in this country.  Shows on the network include the critically acclaimed Sons of Anarchy, and the scary as hell American Horror Story (I keep telling my wife to stop watching it - she hasn't slept in weeks because of it!)

But the FX show that's really got me open right now is The League.

Everything In Its Right Place: Radiohead Announces First 10 Gigs For 2012 US Tour

(Photo via misspeakmusic.wordpress.com)

Radiohead officially announced a few dates for their tour next year. No Canadian dates are on the list, but you know they have nothing but love for the Great White North. I'm expecting (read: hoping) that they will make stops in Toronto and Montreal at a minimum.

Here are the released dates as of today:

February 27 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena

February 29 - Tampa, FL @ The St. Pete Times Forum

March 1 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena

March 3 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center

March 5 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center

March 7 - Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center

March 9 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center

March 11 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center

March 13 - Broomfield, CO @ 1stBank Center

March 15 - Glendale, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena

Will post updates as they become available.

-Paqman

New Feist Album, Metals, Will Kill You Softly

(Photo via stereogum.com)

Our favorite axe wielding Canadian songstress dropped her new album this week. I'm not referring to Anne Murray (props for tearing up the golf course, Snowbird). I'm talking about the always incredible Leslie Feist. She returns with another great release that will enable her continued ascent to super stardom...without an iPod commercial.

Breaking Up News: Alexisonfire Extinguish Themselves

In happier times(Photo via glemberg.com)

The pride of St. Catharines, Ontario, have called it quits. It was announced this week that the band will not continue to make new music or ride on the Maid of the Mist while a bunch of kids rock out.