*NEW* Slackhopper will entertain you!

~A Slackhopper Introduction in Random Order~

Please allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Donna Hopper, better known in the cyber world as Slackhopper...
yes...Slackhopper. I have a blog...well...three, actually...a Myspace, a Flickr account and a multitude of other internet connections that all know me as Slackhopper.

I LIKE stuff and things. According to my husband, whose last name is Slack...get it now?... I have too much stuff and far too many things. I DO stuff and things...but I don't feel as though I do enough stuff or things...nor do I HAVE enough stuff and things. I am a pack rat.

I am also an amateur photographer. Live bands are my favourite subject to shoot. I have over 2000 photos of bands, both local and national, that I have shot over the last year.

But more importantly, I have an immense passion for music...all music...live or otherwise. I grew up in a house with music everywhere. My father, Ken Hopper, was a massive jazz fanatic and had a Sunday night radio show on CHAS. My brother, ten years my senior, had hundreds of records...remember them?...ranging from AC/DC to Kate Bush and everything in between. I had no choice but to be a fan of every genre on the planet.

My name is Slackhopper and I am here to talk to you about and share my passion for music...and hopefully entertain you...or better yet, direct you to local venues where you can be entertained.

Speaking of which, this Saturday June 24th the Downbeat Lounge at 740 Queen Street East will be hosting on their tiny but mighty stage "Random Order"...a ska-punk band from Toronto. This gig will mark the band's second appearance at the Downbeat and I have something horrible to admit...I missed their first time through in July of 2005.

But since that date, I have heard nothing but "Oh my God!" and "When will they be back?!" when those lucky enough to have seen them talk about Random Order. I promised myself I would not miss them again.

The band consists of six members, although only four play at live gigs. They have two bass players (Nina Martinez and R. Emerson John) and two drummers (Sarah Stephans and Manny DeSilva) that they switch up for tour dates.

With a soft sweet centre and hard crunchy shell is S. Lynn Phillips (pictured above) on lead vocals and guitar sporting a Strummer-esque Mohawk and the voice of an angel. The expertise of John Jowett on trombone will make you move, groove and laugh in true ska fashion.

As their website states, Random Order is “Canada’s premiere reggae-ska-punk-rawk-world underground supergroup who pack floors quickly with politics you can dance to”. For further information, please visit randomorder.ca and downbeatlounge.com

The Downbeat Lounge...June 24, 2006...11:00ish...no
cover before midnight...I will be there. Will you?

Be sure to check back as I will post an update
including photos and a review of the show. My name is Slackhopper and I thank you for letting me entertain you.

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