No Phosphorescent Tonight

As you all have probably heard by now, some shithead pinched Phosphorescent's touring van after their New York show on June 8. Inside of this van was an enormous amount of equipment, plus a bunch of merch they were going to sell during their six week US Tour. They have subsequently canceled tonight's Toronto gig at the Horseshoe, which will probably be rescheduled for the near future.  You can get your ticket refunded at the point of purchase.

Most indie bands make their income from touring and selling merch at the shows. This theft is a huge blow to the band, especially since it occurred on the first day of the tour.  I imagine it's also a loss to the Horseshoe in terms of booze sales.  The 'Shoe also got hammered (financially) when they had to close and cancel the These United States show on June 27 due to the G20 riots. Side note:  Jesse Elliott of These United States made a remarkable video about his experiences with the G20 riots, which was picked up by the Huffington Post.

Phosphorescent's management has set up a donation site where you can help out the band. Why don't you donate the door price that you would have paid to see the band ($15), order a CD ($11 on Dead Ocean) and then head to the Horseshoe and have a pint (~$6). That's what I am going to do! Criminals suck.

It's Hard To Be Humble (When You're From Alabama).mp3
Buy: Here's to Taking it Easy (2010)

The Party's Over.mp3
Buy: To Willie (2009)

Phosphorescent also has two killer sessions up at Daytrotter from 2007 and 2008.

Most Listened to Songs of 2009

I'm steeling this idea from another blog, and for the life of me I can't remember who posted it first. I know it was someone off of my twitter feed, but I went back through the feeds last night and I still have no clue who originally posted this. But anyway....

Are the songs that we call our "favorites" the same songs that we listen to the most? I went back through my media players to determine which songs from 2009 I actually listened to the most. The top 18 are listed below (38 tracks total as there are lots of ties). A few interesting notes: some albums I listened to almost exclusively on my MP3 player (Corb Lund, Slaid Cleaves), a few I listened to mostly through my computer (Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle, Tim Easton), and others tracks just can't be quantitated because I know I mostly listened to them on my CD player (Mark Olson & Gary Louris, Drive-By Truckers), and some were listened to by all three methods (Son Volt).

1. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Downtime" - Let's Just Stay Here
2. Justin Townes Earle - "Can't Hardly Wait" - Midnight at the Movies
2. Son Volt - "Down to the Wire" - American Central Dust
4. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "All Tim Low" - Let's Just Stay Here
5. Corb Lund - Game in Town Like This.mp3 - Buy: Losin' Lately Gambler
6. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Second Time" - Let's Just Stay Here
7. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Officer Down" - Let's Just Stay Here
7. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Saskatoon Tonight" - Let's Just Stay Here
7. Corb Lund - "Horse Doctor Come Quick" - Losin' Lately Gambler
7. Doug Paisley - "What About Us?" - Doug Paisley
11. Corb Lund - "Long Gone to Saskatchewan" - Losin' Lately Gambler
11. Corb Lund - "The Only Long Rider I Know" - Losin' Lately Gambler
11. Doug Paisley - "We Weather" - Doug Paisley
11. Phorsphorescent -I Gotta Get Drunk.mp3 - Buy: To Willie
11. Slaid Cleaves - "Beautiful Thing" - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
11. Son Volt - "Dust of Daylight" - American Central Dust
11. Tim Easton - "Burgundy Red" - Porcupine
18. Ben Nichols - "The Last Pale Light in the West" - The Last Pale Light in the West
18. Ben Nichols - "Toadvine" - The Last Pale Light in the West
18. Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - Get Yo Shit.mp3 - Buy: Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!
18. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Itchy Feet" - Let's Just Stay Here
18. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle - "Let's Just Stay Here" - Let's Just Stay Here
18. Corb Lund - "Talkin' Veterinarian Blues" - Losin' Lately Gambler
18. Corb Lund - "This is My Prairie" - Losin' Lately Gambler
18. Eilen Jewell - "Rain Roll In" - Sea of Tears
18. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - "Cigarettes and Wine" - Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
18. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Good.mp3 - Buy: Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
18. Justin Townes Earle - "They Killed John Henry" - Midnight at the Movies
18. Justin Townes Earle - Halfway to Jackson.mp3 - Buy: Midnight at the Movies
18. Slaid Cleaves - "Beyond Love" - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
18. Slaid Cleaves - "Cry" - Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
18. Son Volt - "Cocaine and Ashes" - American Central Dust
18. Son Volt - "Dynamite" - American Central Dust
18. Son Volt - "Roll On" - American Central Dust
18. Tim Easton - "Northbound" - Porcupine
18. Tim Easton - "Stone's Throw Away" - Porcupine
18. Those Darlins - "Wild One" - Those Darlins
18. William Elliott Whitmore - "Who Stole the Soul" - Animals in the Dark

Here is the artist that I listened to the least in 2009 (graphics from Last.FM):