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What? You haven’t been to Chinatown Remixed before? Well, here’s your chance. On Saturday, May 12 from 1:30 – 5 pm, Somerset St. in Chinatown (Bronson to Booth) will become an outdoor art gallery/party awash with cutting-edge work by 40 artists, drummers, dancers, music, dancing robots and, of course, good food. It’s a very fun free event. I spoke with artist Marisa Gallemit this morning about it. See our conversation on May 11′s NOW OPEN video of entertainment picks for the week. You can see some of her repurposed art on her website marisagallemit.blogspot.com andwww.chinatownremixed.ca

I think it’s made out of old movie film.

When music festivals go retro, in Ottawa they tend to go bad retro, with hoser-rock bands that should remains forgotten. Sadly, I rarely see old bands I liked growing up. If I had a festival, these are some of the bands I’d invite. Psychedelic Furs, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, PJ Harvey, Anthony and The Johnstons, Harold Budd and Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Simple Minds, Genesis, Talking Heads, John Cale, Terje Rypdal, Keith Jarrett, Grace Jones, Fine Young Cannibals and UB40. You have to admit, that would be a pretty impressive lineup.
No doubt, I will think of more.

Psychedelic Furs in their prime.

I’d love to see Kevin Rowland and Dexys Midnight Runners play one of the big summer fests. The band best known for the 1982 hit “Come On Eileen” (not to be confused with Sam Roberts’ song “Don’t Walk Away Eileen”), Rowland remains one of the best, most original soul singers out of the U.K. and is still touring. I think they’d be perfect at Bluesfest. How do we make that happen?

My big, fat, gypsy band.

The 31-year-old lead singer of punk rock band Against Me! told Rolling Stone magazine he’s becoming a woman.

Gabel claims he has a condition called gender dysphoria. He plans to take hormones and undergo electrolysis and is considering gender reassignment surgery.

His new name will be Laura Jane Grace. He says his wife and 2-year-old daughter are cool with his plans.

Against Me! is best known for the song “Thrash Unreal.” The group will hit the road for its tour with The Cult later this month.

He’s way more interesting in life than when he’s grunting and green – reminds me of St. Paddy’s Day after seeing The Pogues! – The Incredible Hulk star is still licking his wounds after being fired from The Celebrity Apprentice, describes the Queen of Mean comedian Lisa Lampanelli, who he frequently butted heads with, as “brutally competitive”. I think he was trying to be nice. Wasn’t she the fellow player Lou once said that if she wasn’t a woman, he would like to throw her out the window?
See, he really is the Hulk.
You can hear our interview, and read the story, in The Ottawa Sun.

Back when he was The Incredible Bulk.