You wanna know what can make me crazy? Yes, I know that is a long list, but at this moment, it is finding a great song and not being able to buy it yet! And such is the case when I first heard "When You're Not Around" by Theo, the Canadian singer/songwriter who simply made me drive to Toronto to hear him performing live a couple of years ago. I was excited when Theo alerted fans to tune into 104.5 CHUM FM, and that is when I first heard the song, and had me cursing at iTunes and Amazon. Well, allow me to introduce the song to you. This is the Pop confection that is Theo singing "When You're Not Around".
No you understand what I mean, right? It is fun, upbeat, sweet and also so very clever. It is the fine songwriting I have come to expect from Theo when I first fell in love with his music when I first heard "Lazy Lovers" back in 2009. That song inspired me to order imported copies of the album, wait for each and every music video, and eventually to drive to Toronto in 2010 and catch his 'Taking It All Back' tour, and see him live three times while I was there! It is not often a handsome boy has enticed me to use my passport, and this is one guy who did. You can find the charming Theo on social media, where you can 'like' him on Facebook, and 'follow' him on Twitter. And maybe, if you have a friend in Canada, you might be able to convince someone to purchase it and email it to you. This is a must-have song for my musical collection, and should be for your iPod as well! You can also see if you can catch it on Chum FM, which you can hear here. You can also request the song on the website, as well as via Twitter.
Just thought I would start the day with a little something special, and this week that is one of my idols, Canadian singer/songwriter Theo Tams. Theo has been in my thoughts this week, as he has not been feeling his best. I know when I am not feeling well, I just put on Theo's music - but I am not sure that will work for him, too. Well, there is only one way to find out, and that is to get Theo to listen to some, like this wonderful cover of Adele's "Someone Like You".
For more about Theo, 'like' him on Facebook or 'follow' him on Twitter.
Well, I can't tell you how excited I was to hear the new single from Beyond The Mountain was available. What, you don't know who Beyond The Mountain are? The duo are two very talented Canadians, Carly Jean Campbell and Theo Tams. Theo has been featured on the blog before, loving his music very much. Together, they are making stylized Roots music, with brilliant vocals and gorgeous harmonies. This is a clip of the two performing the first single, "This Old River". I must warn you - I am loving the single, and have it on replay on iTunes. It is so addictive.
I won't beat around the bush here. "This Old River" is now available on iTunes. Buy it. No, buy it now. For more about Beyond The Mountain, visit the official website.
Clockwise: Jonathan Groff; Gavin Creel; Theo Tams; and Joshua Kadison.
In the final part of my Mother's Day celebration, I thought I would offer a couple of songs that include some form of the word "mother" in the title. Interestingly enough, I came up with four songs with three variations of the word, and two spelling variations. There is a Mama, a Mamma, Mom and a Mother. And while it was not the original intention of the post, I noticed that I ended up choosing three gay men, and one bisexual as singers. Ultimately not surprising, considering my music collection, but cool nonetheless. I will start off with Jonathan Groff, who I was lucky enough to see first while performing in Spring Awakening, an amazing Broadway musical with Lea Michele. He was brilliant in it, and just so darned pretty. This is a clip of him singing a song from that show, only not sung by him. Groff takes on "Mamma Who Bore Me," with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Steven Sater. It was originally sung by Lea on Broadway.
While I have not been lucky enough to see Gavin Creel performing on Broadway, I have the good fortune of purchasing his recorded music, both his EP, Quiet, and the new album, Get Out. I love them both, and would kill so see him sing live. This is a clip of Gavin singing "For My Mom/Upper Hand" at a show in Joe's Pub in Manhattan. The song was written by Gavin Creel & Robbie Roth, who is playing with him in the clip.
Strikingly handsome Joshua Kadison took the world by storm in 1993, with the release of his album, Painted Desert Serenade. Two songs, "Jessie," and "Beautiful In My Eyes," flew up the charts, and suddenly the singer/songwriter was an "overnight sensation," after years and years of perfecting his craft on the road. Over ten years later, in 2004, Joshua came out as a bisexual man. There was another song on the album that caught the attention of many. It was the achingly beautiful, "Mama's Arms," written about his mother, who had died when he was a teen.
I have made no attempt to hide my deep appreciation of the talents of Canadian Theo Tams. The handsome singer/songwriter can write a great song, but I'm not here with one he wrote. It is actually a song he covered while on his way to a win on Canadian Idol, written by Canadian singer/songwriter Jann Arden. When he sings "Good Mother," he tugs at my heart, and I feel the love he has for his own mom. This is a video from when I went to see him in Toronto in 2010.
I will admit I was a bit late to the party about Missy Higgins. Now, I can't tell you why, since I have a true affection for several Aussie musicians, and have always had a penchant for singer/songwriters who fall under the banner of the LGBT community. Although she would prefer to not discuss her personal life, she did say she has dated both men and women. The first time I heard her music was when I heard Canadian Theo Tams do a cover of her brilliant song, Where I Stood. That did lead me to check out her music, and I was delighted to discover I really loved it.
When I first started listening to her, I will admit there was a familiar feel, and she reminded me a bit of Shawn Colvin. And while I still hear some similarities, I quickly heard her making her own statement, her own sound in my brain. Scar off The Sound of White in 2004. It went to #1 in Australia. The song was written by Missy and Kevin Griffin, a member of the band Better Than Ezra. The song was also featured on the soundtrack to the CW hit, One Tree Hill. This is a wonderful song, and it has a certain freshness to it that I love.
The Special Two was the third single off The Sound of White in 2005. It went to #2 in Australia. The ballad was written by Higgins. It was certified Gold in sales, and some in the industry consider it to be Missy's finest work to date.
The next song is Steer, a brilliant song off the On A Clear Night album. It was the first single released in 2007, and went to #1 in Australia. I just love this song, and with a joyous feel and a clean,acoustic sound.
And, finally, we come to the song that kind of started it all for me. The first time I heard Where I Stood, it was being sung by singer/songwriter Tams. Little did I know that the song was the second single off the On A Clear Night album. I loved the song, filled with real emotions that were obviously heartfelt. It went to #10 in Australia. The song was also featured on several television shows, including Smallville, Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill, Friday Night Lights, Ghost Whisperer, The Hills, Lipstick Jungle, NCIS, Weeds, and Pretty Little Liars.
For more about Missy Higgins, check out her official website. You can purchase On A Clear Night on iTunes and Amazon.
A couple of years ago, Theo Tams got together with fellow Canadian singer/songwriter Ali Slaight to record Do You Hear What I Hear? for the War Child charity. They did a wonderful job with it, and I was thrilled to buy it. Give a listen here.
This season, they released wonderful covers of 2000 Miles and Baby, It's Cold Outside. Both songs have been getting airplay on Canadian radio, and I was happy to add them to my collection. In fact, last week, 2000 Miles mad it into the Top 10 in the Canadian music charts. You can find those on iTunes here, and on Amazon here. You can find Theo on Twitter here, and Ali on Twitter here.
Before he was voted Canadian Idol, a young Theo Tams was a student at the University of Lethbridge, majoring in both Classical Music and Psychology. In 2005, he recorded and released Unexpected, an EP that has been out of print for some time. (I will admit I got my copy last year, via a cool Canadian connection who had Theo's permission to get it to me.) In 2008, he auditioned for Canadian Idol, after taking a break from school to pursue a career in music. In September of that year, Tams was voted the winner and began work on Give It All Away. I love the album, and have openly whined about the need to import the album, as it wasn't available in the US.
So imagine my delight when I discovered Theo's Unexpected just became available to the American audience on iTunes! The 5-song effort includes the gorgeous ballad, Broken. I love this song. When I heard him sing it live, I got a bit choked up. Cause I've been there. We all have.
The EP begins with Let Go, a song that skirts the edges of anger and disappointment, yet still delivering a soaring chorus. On One Of Them, there is no skirting the anger. There is some hurt, and a bit of vengeance. All with a sweet rock guitar. On Trying To Make You Proud, Theo combines a folk sensibility with a strong blues base to create a strong sound. And, finally there is first cut off the EP, Blacklight. This is where Theo's youth pays off so very well. He captures the pain of that first love, the first betrayal, beautifully. I can't tell you how much I loved hearing this song when I was in Toronto.
You can find it on iTunes here. For less than $5, you can have some amazing music from a brilliant and talented young Canadian. He is also the only out performer to win on the Idol franchise in North America, and from the way the voting has gone, it seems unlikely to happen anytime soon. Unexpected would be great way to acquaint yourself with Theo's music before his next release in early 2012. For more about the handsome and sweet Canadian, you can find him on FaceBook here, and Twitter here.
It has been a while since I have posted about one of my favorite Canadians, so it is time to rectify that. Like so many singer/songwriters, Theo Tams has done a cover or two at his live shows, and only the other day, he added a new twist. He posted a video he made of himself singing a cover of Adele's Someone Like You. The song was off Adele's amazingly successful second album, 21.
Last year, I took a bit of a road trip to Toronto so I could see Theo performing live for myself. I am so very glad I did. One of the songs I managed to catch on video from that trip was by Britney Spears, but Theo managed to put his own magic on it. Here is Sometimes.
While I might not have captured a performance of Theo singing Lady GaGa's Bad Romance on video, my friend Sue did. So, without further ado, here is Theo's wonderful Bad Romance.
To discover more about Theo, you can find him on FaceBook here, and Twitter here.
A very happy birthday to my friend from the north, Sue! We met on the internet, through our mutual appreciation of a certain handsome Canadian singer/songwriter. And when I made my way to Toronto to see Theo Tams performing live, I finally got to get Sue, and several other amazing Canadians, and have an amazing time! I was on a whirlwind tour, going to Toronto and seeing three different performance dates in 5 days, in Stouffville, Etobicoke, and Oshawa. I was excited to learn I would be joined at all three shows, in our own little Theo-fest, by Sue and Melony. And what fun we would have! We laughed, we sang along, we recounted our memories of the last show while waiting for the next one...
So, to celebrate Sue's birthday, it gives me the chance to revive a few of those videos once again. I think I will start with Theo singing Serena Ryder's Weak In The Knees, cause I think Theo made us all a bit weak with his amazing shows.
One of the songs he sung in that pub in Etobicoke was Wait For You, an amazing song from his Give It All Away album.
As an encore at the show, he decide to add another cover song to the program. Theo surprised one and all with a lovely version of Britney Spears' Sometimes.
Well, I hope that reminds Sue of our lovely long weekend together! And let's face it, any excuse I can have to listen to some of Theo's music, or to watch more videos, I will gladly take it!
A very happy birthday to my favorite Canadians, Theo Tyson Tams. He was born 26 years ago in Alberta, Canada. In September of 2008, he was voted the winner of Canadian Idol by the viewers. His first single, released on the night he won, was Sing, a song he performed on the finals to rave reviews from the judges. The song went to #2 on the Canadian Billboard Singles Chart.
In May 2009, his album, Give It All Away, was released. The first single, Lazy Lovers, was my introduction to Theo, and I have been a fan since. Lazy Lovers made it to #14 on the Canadian Singles Chart, and to #8 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart.
Later in the year, Wait For You was released. Theo made a brave move with the video, as it was shot with him performing a live acoustic version of the Pop song that was on the album. And it was shot in black and white. And it was amazing. The song made it to #14 on the Adult Contemporary chart. And it solidified my admiration of the singer.
Last year, he released Manhattan Blue. I would run a the video here, except Sony Canada has not made it available to be even seen by fans in the US, let alone embed in a post. Yes, over a year later, and they are keeping a tight rein on things. LOL When I originally reviewed the album on this blog (here), I mentioned he managed to do what few other Idol contestants have done, and put out a damn good first album! He was also the first LGBT contestant in North America to win, as certainly it has not happened in the US, nor does it seem likely in the near future.
Well, I kept talking about wanting to see Tams live, and it became obvious I need to take the bull by the horns to get that job done. So, once he had a tour in place for the summer of 2010, I made my plans to visit Toronto and finally hear him playing with my own ears. In fact, I timed it so I caught three different shows, and it was an absolute pleasure. Along with my favorite from the clips above, he also played most of the songs from the album, and some covers as well. One of my favorite was a performance of the Serena Ryder's Weak In The Knees.
So, have a Happy Birthday, dear Theo. May your day be filled with love, luck and laughter! To wish him your best, you can find him on FaceBook here, and Twitter here.
With my ongoing celebration of the blogiversary, I am reminded of my roadtrip to our neighbor's to the North in Canada. Yes, I hopped into the car and drove by myself to Toronto, Ontario, last summer, all just for the opportunity to see a handsome young man. Well, to see him perform, anyway. That guy is Theo Tams, the singer/songwriter who swept through the competition to win Canadian Idol in 2008. I am a fan, and love his debut release, Giving It All Away.
But I also remember driving to Stouffville, a lovely town just north of Toronto, to see my first Canadian show. I was a messy combination of excited and a little fearful, knowing I was going to be meeting several of Theo's fans at the show for the first time - I am a shy guy at heart. I would also be hearing Theo live for the first time, something I had been interested in for about a year. So I drove into Stouffville, I was busy looking for parking, and to find the Lebovic Centre for the Arts & Entertainment. I found everything easily enough, and was early enough to notice that Theo was unloading some equipment from a trailer. Then I say someone speaking to him, someone whose face reminded me of a picture. Soon I found out I was right, it was Sue chatting with Theo. Soon, I was chatting with Sue, Melony and Cathy, giggling and laughing. Once we went inside, I discovered we were sitting in the front row, with Sue beside me. After StereoGoesStellar opened the show, my excitement level was so heightened, and Theo delivered a great show. Here is a video by Sue of Theo singing Tracy Chapman's The Promise at that show, seated beside me.
The theater was beautiful, and the grand piano was shiny and impressive, but best of all, Theo sounded magnificent. Now I know that my emotions were a bit heightened with all the newness, but there were a few times when Theo had me wiping a tear from my eye. His voice is so true, his emotions so real, and his smile so enchanting, he was everything I wanted, and more.
By the end of the show, I had myself quite worked up, so excited about seeing him, and his being so very good live. I was not alone, as he had brought the audience along with him on the journey that evening, one they greatly appreciated. Along the way, he played this beautiful cover of the Britney Spears song, Sometimes.
After the show, there was a bit of a meet & greet in the lobby of theater, and if it wasn't for the ladies, who had all met Theo before, I might have slipped out, as I was a bit overwhelmed from the show. I am glad I didn't, for Theo was sweet as can be, and we got some pictures, and plenty of time to giggle and laugh. As it was just the first of three shows I was catching on the trip, I got to know the ladies, Theo, and the music of StereoGoesStellar very well. What a fantastic memory.
I managed to drive myself to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, because I had the opportunity to see Theo Tams performing live, and just the thought of that made me happy. Seeing/hearing him, that is, cause it certainly wasn't the almost 11 hours of a drive. However, I got to see a couple of shows that Theo did, all the better. I first discovered Theo online when I saw the video for Lazy Lovers. I had to buy the album, and was an instant fan. That was Give It All Away, a great album, and another release from it was the beautiful Wait For You.
When Theo was on Canadian Idol, which he won in 2008, he sung a song by Serena Ryder, Weak In The Knees. I think he does a beautiful job with it.
As I hear intermittent reports about Theo Tams working on a new album, I am reminded that he released a new video over the summer, and I love it, but have been somewhat patiently waiting for his record company to make it available to people outside of Canada to even watch on YouTube. Well, many months later, I have given up on Sony Music Canada, and have decided to give it my own treatment.
The song, Manhattan Blue, is from his first album, Giving It All Away. It is a lovely song, written by Greg Johnston, Christopher Ward, and Robert Wells. Here it is:
While I don't exactly get it, I can see the Behind The Scenes video, which you can see below. You get to see Theo chatting about the video, and chat with his costars, Canadian dancing sensations Tara-Jean Popowich and Vincente Desjardins, a sexy pair, indeed. In the second season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, they finished 1-2, with Tara-Jean taking home the prize.
And here are some screen caps of the video. Enjoy them!
I really like the video, with it's slightly smokey feel and romantic journey. And, well, Vincente is rather hot to look at. But so is Theo, and to see him perform at the piano is very nice as well. I have my own copy of the video - all bought and paid for - so no one needs to worry! I just wish Sony Music Canada would loosen up a bit and let Americans watch it on YouTube, and maybe allow more people to see it. But take my word for it, it is wonderful. Or you can check it out on Theo's official website here. While you are there, you can check out all the information about Theo you'd like, including on his blog. And I am sure I will have some more information about Theo's next album soon!
Well, it should come as no shock to anyone that my next subject is in my list of favorites. In 2008 he was named winner of Canadian Idol, and can truly say his is the only winner of that brand that I listen to. He is still the only franchise winner to be out during the run of the show, which is impressive. I didn't see the show, and only became aware of his music with his debut album, Give It All Away. I caught the video for Lazy Lovers online, and was hooked. I got my import CD, and when I talked about it on this blog, named it one of the very best Idol-related albums I had heard, world-wide. I so enjoyed his music, I drove to Toronto this past summer to see him performing live, my first ever trip to Canada. I had seen the video for Wait For You, where Tams made the gutsy choice to shoot it live, creating a new version of the song off his debut.
Well, the trip was quite worthwhile, for I not only got to meet several other Theo fans, now my friends, I also had the chance to meet Theo, and he is even more charming and sweet in person than I thought he would be! And I had the chance to hear some new music live, which certainly enhanced the trip. So, when it came time to put this series together, I had no choice but to ask him about his favorite holiday music.
"By far my favorite Christmas Album is Home For Christmas by Amy Grant," Theo remembered. "It speaks volumes about the family that I come from. My sisters would always belt out these songs at the top of our lungs while Mom and Dad would drive us around looking at Christmas lights." Well, I would be just a Grinch if I didn't help recapture those memories, right? So here is Amy Grant singing Grown Up Christmas List.
Knwoing he had written a Christmas song, I couldn't wait to hear his favorite holiday song to perform. I was a bit surprised. "Do You Hear What I Hear was always my favorite Christmas song," he answered. "I finally got a chance to record it as a duet with another emerging Canadian singer, Ali Slaight. It went to number 1 last year which was a craaazy great Christmas gift," he said, laughing. Here is the video for the song, made to raise money for the War Child charity, offering assistance to children affected in areas of conflict, and post-conflict. You can check out War Child's website here.
As I asked the others, I was eager to know about his hopes for the New Year. "To keep on keeping on," he answered. "Simple as that. To find more balance. To make more melodies, and tell more stories." I think that is what many of us would like, my friend.
Trying to dig into Theo's iPod, I asked what was his favorite song and/or music from 2010. "That's hard," he said, thoughtfully, "there has been a lot of great music this year. I would have to give the edge to Lady Antebellum. Need You Now has struck a chord with a lot of listeners, the vulnerability is exposes is very human."
With 2011 on the horizon, I wanted to know what he was looking forward to musically. "Working on the new record already, so 2011 will be writing, recording, and waiting (not patiently!)," he said excitedly. "Then it'll be a bunch more touring which I love - life on the road brings me closer to my fans and those are always very special times. I feel like I am meeting more family every day - what a wonderful part of this crazy journey." I had mentioned before he had written, with Luke McMaster, Simon Wilcox and Greg Johnston, so I thought it might be nice to hear it now. The name of the song is Christmas Dream, and it is quite lovely. This video was recorded at a radio interview Theo had, which also raised money for abused and neglected children.
Theo is currently hard at work on his follow-up album, due out in the new year. I, of course, will be eagerly awaiting that one. And, hopefully, the tour to support it, when I might be making my second trip to Canada! You can find more about Theo at his official website here. You can also find him on FaceBook here, and Twitter here. And, quite regularly, you can find him playing on my iPod!
I recently came across this clip on YouTube as I was searching for songs by my favorite Canadian artist, Theo Tams. It immediately made me think how wonderful it would be to wake up on a chilly Sunday morning, and stay wrapped in a blanket and listen to his sweet voice singing a cover of One of Us by the amazing Joan Osborne.
I have been thinking of Theo since I purchased a ticket to see an online concert (here) on December 10th. After I had a memorable trip to Toronto to catch a few shows, the thought of being able to enjoy a live performance of Theo singing his first hit, Lazy Lovers, seemed like a perfect tonic to the change in the weather.
And in case you need to perk up a little bit, here is Theo putting a little bit of swing into the song The Sweet Ones. So nice when Theo puts a touch of growl in that beautiful voice of his.
Just wanted to wish Sue Jackson a quick 'Happy Birthday!' Sue is one of two people to attend all three Theo Tams shows recently. In fact, Sue and Melony made it to more shows, as would I, if I wasn't 10-11 hours away. That said, Sue has been a good friend to the blog, first stopping by to investigate my postings about Theo. I have had occasion to use a few of her pictures, and certainly several of her videos. We have also discussed to great length out particular musical favorites, so I thought I might offer up a little something for her. This is Take That singing Pray. Well, everyone deserves video with half-naked men for their birthday, right?
And, of course, I couldn't celebrate her day without posting a video of Theo from the show we sat together, side-by-side, in Stouffville. This is Sue's video of Theo singing The Promise by Tracey Chapman. It was at this show that the pictures were taken.
Top: Sizzlyn & Kathy. Middle: Melony [with Theo Tams] & Miss Holly Housewife. Bottom: Gabrielle & Bjorn.
OK, it has been a buys couple of weeks, and I have been derelict in my duties. Since last reported, there are six new members of the Soundtrack family, and it is way past time I have welcomed them. So, Sizzlyn, Kathy, Melony, Holly, Gabrielle and Bjorn.
Sizzlyn is someone I am familiar with on Twitter and on the blog The Chris Dallman Connection, where she is a host. She is from Singapore, and from what I can tell, is very smart and sweet. Kathy and Melony are two of my Tams-manian devils, sharing my love for the music of Theo Tams. Kathy is an online buddy, as I did not get a chance to meet her on my sojourn in Toronto. Melony, on the other hand, kept me company for all three shows I went to, including the one with the unfortunate view in Oshawa.
I might be mistaken, but I don't think that picture really is Miss Holly Housewife, but I would say the picture captures her thoughts well, as she has a bit of a retro feel, a fondness for the 40s, 50s and 60s. She has two blogs, Being Bree Hodge and Through the Looking Glass... Into Never, Neverland. BBH celebrates housewifery in the style of a Desperate Housewife, while TTLGINN talks about and celebrates vintage Pop culture. Gabrielle does not have a blog of her own, but describes herself as I'm a silly, vegan, gluten free, cancer survivor, 22 year old college student that is addicted to Facebook, Twitter... oh yeah & my Blackberry! so I am sure many can identify! And, finally, there is Bjorn, a blogger in charge of Bjorn's Brutzelbude. Bjorn is German [I believe] and his blog covers anything from cute boys, pop culture, to tidbits of Bjorn's personal life. The blog is written in German, but there is a translate button just below some pictures of Bjorn, so you can read it easily.
And for the traditional greeting, I feel the need to offer a couple of videos, as I was a naughty boy who is a bit tardy, so I have figured out I would go with three videos. First up will be Theo Tams singing Weak In The Knees, because when I check in to find additional followers, I feel just that. This clip of the Serena Ryder song is from the show in Etobicoke I attended last month.
For those liking the mid-century style, I offer you Fly Me To The Moon by one of my favorite groups, Westlife. Yes, they aren't mid-century themselves, but they do a fantastic job with the song, and the Allow Me To Be Frank album is a winner for sure! I used the song in a slide show for my parents 50th anniversary.
And, finally, for those who like their music in the singer/songwriter vein, there is the amazing Christopher Dallman singing Subterranean, a glorious song . The clip is from a show in Los Angeles earlier this year. I love the song, and was going to say it is a favorite from his recent stuff, but all his songs are so good, I can't pick a favorite.
So, here is hoping everyone feels welcome and at home here at Soundtrack to my Day, and we get to know you a bit more and we get a chance to chat!
Above: No, Theo wasn't trying to threaten me, although some thought my picture with the sign at Timothy's Pub in Etobicoke a bit odd.
Just one month ago, I started on my journey to Canada to complete a yearlong quest to see Theo Tams performing live. After working for a partial day on Wednesday, August 18, I hopped in the car and drove for about 8 hours. The next day, I completed the trip to the hotel, and made my way to the first show, in Stouffville. On Friday, I found a mall and printed up some pictures, and went to the show in Oshawa. After that show, I went back to my hotel and kinda crashed. I woke up and it was a bit rainy, and I hung out at the hotel, caught up with a bit of sleep, and reveled in the experience, checking out the audio tracks from the last show, loving it all. So for the show Sunday, I was well rested and looking forward to the show in Etobicoke at Timothy's Pub. I was going to meet Sue & Melony, who had been at both earlier shows, as well as new friends Pam and Jen Cathryne. Thanks to the GPS, I had no problem finding the place, helped by the large sign, and I immediately knew I needed a picture by it.
Again, there was more good food - an essential part of the live music experience, at least for me! - and great company. StereoGoesStellar once again opened the show, and I realized I really liked them. For more about the band, check out the post I did here. But for me, the trip was all about Theo, and soon it was his turn in the spotlight, and again he impressed me. His show again consisted of a mix of fantastic original songs and fun covers. I decided I was feeling bolder, and took out my video camera and started to tape some songs. One of the originals he performed was Just A Little Longer, a song he had recently written. I was so pleased I was able be there to hear it.
Theo has an amazing way with cover songs, to take them apart and make them his own. I have always enjoyed Howie Day's charming song, Collide. I think it is quite lovely, with such a sweet sentiment. But once I heard Theo performing it, the song was taken to a new level for me. I really like the way he doesn't veer to the overly sentimental deliver, instead keeping it feeling intensely personal.
His final song at the show was another cover, this one Sometimes by Britney Spears. Yes, when he first announced it many in the crowd were laughing, some even scoffing, but it didn't take long for him to not only quiet the laughter, but earn a huge ovation when he was done.
Blacklight is a song that originally appeared on a pre-Canadian Idol EP he released, Unexpected. I am lucky enough to have that EP on my iTunes, so I was very excited when he started playing it.
After the show, we made sure to see Theo again. After all, in the morning I was going to be back on the road, driving for 10+ hours. So I saw him and got my hug - Theo is a fantastic hugger - and I gave him prints of a couple of shots I had taken at the first show. To my surprise, Theo gave me a kiss on the cheek when giving him the present, and I was grateful we were is a pub, because I don't think anyone noticed me blushing!
So I said my goodbyes to Theo, the ladies, and headed back to the hotel. In the morning I was heading out, having had a wonderful four days in Canada, already thinking about making a return trip next year when Theo tours with the release of his next album. More than 1,100 miles, close to 1,800 kilometers, three shows, new friendships and so many wonderful memories later, I am so glad I made the trip. I loved Theo Tams before, and now I love him even more.
Check out my other posts about the Theo Tams shows here, here, and here. You can also check out his official website here.
On my recent trip to Toronto, I not only got the chance to see Theo Tams 3 times performing live, but also the band StereoGoesStellar. Unfortunately, all three shows I caught had limited setup space, so I never got to see the five-piece band in full force, as the first and third shows were limited to three, and the second had four members attending. But according to their website, StereoGoesStellar are made up of Mick Di Maio on guitar, Keith Howlett on bass, Iain Kennedy on guitar, Erik Stenlund on drums and Jeremy Coulter playing piano and lead vocals.
Another song I really enjoyed was Eighty-Eight Keys. Like the earlier song, it can be found on their self-titled album. I'll leave a link at the end of the post for those who might want to purchase the album.
One of my favorite songs of their is the fantastic Wish Upon A Plastic Star. The music alone on this song is beautiful, and the lyrics only add to the package. I just really enjoyed the total experience, and find it every bit as satisfying on the recording.
While there, one of the things I was meaning to mention to Theo [cause once I got over my nerves about meeting him that first night, I could be my pushy, know-it-all-self] was what would have been nice if they did a song together. I don't know, I like it when I see that at shows. Hey, I still cherish the memory of seeing Tom Goss and Eric Himan performing together at the World Cafe Live, singing Last Train To Clarksville by the Monkees. Well, I never got aroundto mentioning it, but the following week, I saw that one of the ladies I met in Toronto had posted a clip of Theo and Coulter singing Good Mother together.
For more about StereoGoesStellar, you can check out their official website here. You can listen to some of their music there, or find them on MySpace here. You can purchase their eponymous album on iTunes here. I'll be honest, I was so wrapped up in the Theo Tams experience, I didn't purchase their album there, but I did download it once I got home. Too bad, I wasn't clever enough to buy it and have them sign it while there. Maybe next time.
