Hockey

by Dan Schaumann on January 14, 2014January 15, 2014

On Sunday evening I went to the Air Canada Centre to see my first ever hockey game. Massive thanks to my brother Adrian for the brilliant Christmas gift idea!

Similarly to my first live baseball experience in NYC a few months ago, I barely knew a thing about the game of hockey and had never even gone as far as watching a match on TV before. I had absolutely no idea what to expect from Canada’s national winter sport.

I took some notes & photos throughout the match, and I present to you here a review in my (sports illiterate) eyes of the Toronto Maple Leafs vs the New Jersey Devils on Sunday 12th January, 2014.

The venue

I arrived at the Air Canada Centre around 15 minutes short of the 7pm face-off (I’m led to believe that’s the hockey-equivalent term for a ‘kick-off’). The venue is home to the Maple Leafs in the NHL, the Raptors in the NBA and the Rock in the NLL (Lacrosse), with a hockey capacity of just under 19,000. Judging by the sheer amount of people trying to get in, I figured there was a good chance that number would be reached.

One thing I love about downtown Toronto is that most buildings and public transport facilities are linked by an underground walkway called the PATH. The Air Canada Centre is no exception; it can be accessed via the subway without stepping foot in the chilly outdoors for even a second. However, as I’d spent most of the afternoon underground already taking part in the No Pants Subway Ride, I opted to take in some fresh air and walk my way to the arena along Bay St.

Toronto Hockey-2 — The PATH entrance to the Air Canada Centre

The hot dog

I was feeling pretty peckish and decided to grab a bite to eat before I found my spot inside. There were dozens of food options dotted around the arena; I knew I’d found the right place when I walked past a hot dog stand where they were frying up a bundle of bacon-covered sausages. Looking over the menu, they not only offered the bacon-covered dog, but a butter chicken dog, a poutine dog and a Ruben dog, amongst other varieties. I’d hit hot dog gold!

In the end I walked away with a footlong mac & cheese dog and a medium Molson lager for the princely sum of $22. Now to find my seat and tuck in.

Toronto Hockey-3 — Bacon-covered hot dogs 😀

Toronto Hockey-4 — My extortionately expensive mac & cheese dog and beer. But it was worth it.

The National Anthems

I could have sworn that when two countries take part in a sporting match, there are normally two different people from each of the represented countries in attendance to sing their respective national anthems. But not here at the hockey!

The US national anthem was sung first – and beautifully so, I might add. The majority of the crowd sang along with the Star Spangled Banner, including the Canadians. This surprised me. You’d never see Aussies sing God Defend New Zealand.

The Canadian national anthem followed, sung by the same girl. Perhaps she had duel citizenship?

A kid sitting next to me with a mini-vuvuzela decided to join in with a monotone squeal towards the climax of the anthem. It wasn’t to be the last I’d hear from him.

Toronto Hockey-6 — The Star Spangled Banner (Kumlu, if you read this, I took this pic for you!)

Toronto Hockey-7 — The Canadian flag held up by the crowd during O Canada

Toronto Hockey-8 — *‘Our home and native land’*

The first period

Vuvuzela kid squealed again with excitement to signify the face-off. And so the match began.

The first thing that struck me was that the referees are extremely agile. They ably dodged the speeding puck with precise accuracy every time it came hurtling their way, jumping over it or skating around it in the nick of time.

I loved the way the players ricochet the puck off the side of rink every now & then. They were also highly skilled at stopping the puck mid-air with their sticks, as well as at aiming the puck at the corner of the rink, curving it around behind the goal nets to the opposite side. It took me a while to get a gist of the general play of the game, but my attention was adequately garnered whenever a player performed one of these three impressive feats.

The crowd seemed fairly docile for much of the first period. The occasional “Go Leafs Go! Go Leafs Go!” chant would rise and fall, as would requests to “SHOOT!” from punters frustrated with the lack of pucks being hit towards the vicinity of the goals. We also vocalised our disappointment when a Maple Leafs player dribbled the puck halfway across the rink, only to go for a shot and miss the puck entirely.

The first of many time-outs was called. A group of people entered the rink during the break to choreographically sweep & shovel away the shards of ice dug up by the skates.

Vuvuzela kid let out a series of HONK-HONK-HONK, HOOOOOONK-HOOOOOONK-HOOOOOONK, HONK-HONK-HONKS, not dissimilar to the morse code distress signal.

The players would occasionally congregate around one of four circular markings around the rink where the ref would drop the puck for another face-off. I never quite picked up the hard & fast rules surrounding this activity.

Toronto Hockey-11 — The view from where I was sitting

Two more time-outs were called in quick succession. The time-outs were fast becoming my favourite aspect of the production thanks to the mini-presenations and shots of people in the crowd projected onto the big screen.

During the third time-out the camera cut to a man from Newfoundland whose name I recall was Geoffrey Randall. Upon announcement that he served as a marine in the Canadian forces, he received a standing ovation from the grateful crowd. It was very nice to see; he was clearly humbled by the gesture.

Toronto Hockey-12 — A well-deserved standing ovation

Finally, with 4 mins 7 seconds left in the first period, #42 Tyler Bozac scored a goal for the Maple Leafs! The action centred very close to the goals on the opposite end of the rink so it was difficult to see exactly how it eventuated, but the crowd went wild.

Some time was set aside in the break between first and second period for the Tim Hortons Timbits Minor Hockey. Two junior league teams made their way onto the rink to give a mini hockey game a shot. Despite the fact they only played for five minutes, it turned out to be the most engaging junior match out of any sport I’ve seen. Mostly because it was hilarious to see the kids lose their balance on the ice and fall over.

The second period

The Devils caught up very early on, scoring with 18:21 remaining in the period. A single NJ fan cheered loudly in the row in front of me.

A clumsy Devils players dropped his stick mid-play. He never went back to pick it up; one of the refs kicked it off the field and the poor guy played stickless for a few minutes until he was called off.

Another score to the Maple Leafs with 14:04 left! Vuvuzela kid let us all know about it.

A second point went to the Devils at the 13:37 mark, but I missed the action. To be honest, my interest in the game was beginning to wane by now and I was busy consulting Google to find out how many 20 minute periods make up a full match. I could tell I was gonna be hockeyed out by the end of the third period and I was worried there might be a fourth. Thankfully there are only three.

The Michael Hill Jeweller Kiss Cam was fired up during one of the time-outs. The camera focused on various couples throughout the crowd hoping to capture a kiss for everyone to see. Highlights included kisses from a sweet elderly couple, a guy kissing a horse, and two girls going in for a pash. The biggest laugh came from a guy who had nobody sitting next to him; a girl in the row behind came to his rescue and planted one on his lips. That got a massive cheer.

Toronto Hockey-16 — A guy kissing a horse

Toronto Hockey-17 — Another mid-game face-off

During another time-out the camera again panned around the crowd to find whoever had the craziest reaction to being on screen. The guy chosen as the craziest won himself a Blackberry.

By the end of the second period the scores were level at 2-all.

Brian from Ajax was called onto the rink in the break between the second and third period. It was his 24th birthday and he was the lucky fan chosen for a chance at $1,000, plus tickets to an upcoming match and a Maple Leafs jersey. 50 pucks were lined up along the centre of the rink and he had to hit 20 of them into the goals to win. He won the prize around 30 shots in – not a bad way at all to spend a birthday.

Toronto Hockey-18 — The winning shot for Brian from Ajax

I took a quick break from the arena and grabbed a delicious Häagen-Dazs caramel almond ice cream from the snack bar.

The third period

One of the players rebounded the puck off the plastic guards above the rink – that was a bit dangerous, I thought. A little higher up and someone in the crowd would have ended up in hospital.

Vuvuzela kid realised his pipe was capable of producing a melody; not just a single note.

I noticed a bunch of banners hanging from the ceiling, dating 1918 through to 1967. I assumed these were the years Toronto came out on top of the league. Wikipedia indeed confirms this for me – the Maple Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967 🙁

Toronto Hockey-20 — Premierships from 1918-1967

A montage of the top 10 ‘game faces’ showed on the screen during a time-out. The most bloodied & gruesome looking faces of course received the most enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. Börje Salming came out on top.

Toronto Hockey-21 — Top 10 Game Faces #3: Mats Sundin

Toronto Hockey-22 — Top 10 Game Faces #2: Terry Sawchuk

Toronto Hockey-23 — Top 10 Game Faces #1: Börje Salming

Vuvuzela kid was quite proficient at the Las Chiapanecas Mexican hand-clapping tune by now.

The third period came to an end at 2-all so overtime was called. Both teams played a 4-per-side sudden death match for 5 minutes. The Devils came exceptionally close to scoring with 2.2 seconds remaining but the Maple Leafs goalie was too good. Nobody scored.

Hey, Mike Myers was in the house!

Toronto Hockey-24 — Mike Myers got noise

The failure to score during overtime resulted in a shootout to decide the winner, which if you ask me, is a total waste of a game. They may as well have not wasted their energy playing the three periods and just gone straight to shootouts to begin with. Anyway, rules are rules, and each team had three shots each to score.

The first shot was a SCORE by the Maple Leafs #21!

The Devils missed…

The Maple Leafs missed…

The Devils Missed…

The Maple Leafs missed…

And finally, the Devils missed again, resulting in the Toronto Maple Leafs winning their first game of the year, 3-2!

Toronto Hockey-25 — The final missed shootout shot by the Devils which led to Toronto’s win

Toronto Hockey-26 — The happy Toronto crowd

Toronto Hockey-28 — Congratulating each other after a close game

Conclusion & post-match

It was fantastic to tick off another entry on my Canadian bucket list: seeing a hockey game in Canada, made even better by Toronto coming out on top. But you know what I’ve come to realise? When you enjoy the food, junior league and time-out presentations more than the main event itself, it’s a pretty good indication that perhaps sport just isn’t for you. I think I’ll leave my sports-watching endeavours on hold for the time being.

As I was leaving the arena I heard a guy calling people over to his stall for a free Maple Leafs t-shirt. I wanted to get in on some of this action so I lined up for my gift. He asked me for my size and was about to hand over my Medium when he asked to check my ID – ultimately denying me of my free shirt because I’m not Canadian. Dammit!

But I did manage to pick up a free Kraft mac & cheese dinner at the door on the way out 🙂

Toronto Hockey-29 — It made up for not getting the shirt

Thanks again Adrian for the ticket!

Minus thirty-nine

by Dan Schaumann on January 7, 2014January 7, 2014

Today was cold.

I mean, REALLY FREAKING COLD.

I knew I’d be in for a harsh winter before I moved to Toronto, but even the locals are saying there hasn’t been an icy epidemic as ridiculous as this for many years!

Almost every consecutive week for the past month now I’ve broken my record for the coldest weather I’ve experienced. Prior to leaving for Canada my record remained at -11°C, achieved in Jindabyne, NSW in 2001 (that’s even despite spending 15 months in Europe from 2008-2009). It didn’t take long to reach my -11°C record upon my Canadian arrival, followed quickly by minimums of -14°C, then -18°C, then an ice storm, and on Friday last week exceeding all my expectations at -23°C with a -35°C wind chill.

And then today happened. A blast of air direct from the Arctic made its way over Canada & the US, breaking decades worth of wind chill records. Just before I left home for work this morning, I checked the weather on my phone and found this:

Yep: that’s -24°C with a -39°C wind chill.

Holy moses!

To think that the ideal temperature for a freezer is -18°C, today’s weather more than doubled the recommended climate for freezing food.

As an Australian who spent much of my life in tropical North Queensland, this kind of weather is simply unfathomable. So what’s it like to experience such bleak conditions?

The first thing I notice as I leave the warmth of my abode and venture into the outside world is that it’s surprisingly pleasant. Of course it’s colder than normal, but I’m wearing a few layers, gloves, a beanie & a scarf, and the alcove between my front door and Dundas St West is safe and relatively well sheltered from the blistering atmosphere. However, a step onto the footpath exposes the bare skin of my face to the elements and I can tell it’s not going to be a pleasant journey into work. My lungs appreciate the crisp intake as I breathe in deeply, but as I do, I feel icicles form in my nose. It’s an uncomfortable sensation and I try to only breathe gently through my mouth going forward, for fear of freezing my pharynx.

I walk along happily for two or three minutes until a gust of wind catches me by surprise, whacking me across the face as if it were the back of a saucepan lined with razor sharp chunks of ice. All feeling instantly drains from my uncovered forehead, cheeks, eyelids, lips and nose. I now know the true meaning of a -39°C wind chill: if this preposterous breeze sustains for any more than a few minutes, there’s a pretty good chance frostbite will kick in.

I make my way to the streetcar shelter on Spadina & Dundas. One other guy is waiting for the tram, but there’s no sign of an arrival any time soon. I debate whether it’ll take me longer to die if I stand still and keep waiting, or get active again and continue a few hundred metres to Queen St. I choose the latter, refastening my scarf so that it covers as much of my mouth and nose as possible. A few more gusts of that dastardly wind ensue, and I check that I can still feel my cheeks. Thankfully somebody had cleared & salted the ice along the footpath earlier in the morning, allowing me to speed along toward Queen without paying too much attention to the slippery undergrowth. I notice my scarf beginning to freeze at the point where my mouth touches the material. I wipe off the frost building up on my eyelashes. I clench my hands deep in my jacket pockets to try to regain the feeling in my fingers after wiping my brow.

I finally reach the Queen & Spadina streetcar shelter, only to find the next bloody streetcar isn’t due to arrive for another 23 minutes!

I curse the TTC and bitterly decide to continue with the walk after recuperating in the shelter for a moment. Just as I’m about to head eastbound along Queen, a tram appears out of nowhere. All my problems are instantly solved and I arrive inside the warm Hudson’s Bay building a few minutes short of 7am. My time at -39°C has come to an end.

As I write this, I’m in my toasty, centrally-heated bedroom wearing a t-shirt & shorts – a far cry from the polar frost of this morning, and having survived the slightly milder return journey back home. I’ll remain right here until my next venture into work tomorrow where the ambient temperature is currently set to be -18°C. Who knows what the wind chill will be.

But you know what? I love it like this! The 2013/2014 Toronto winter has turned out so remarkably different from any climate I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s extreme, it’s unpleasant and it’s just so goddamn freezing that it makes me feel an odd sense of accomplishment to have survived it (so far). I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What’s the most extreme temperature you’ve experienced? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

No streetcars today (the Toronto Ice Storm)

by Dan Schaumann on December 22, 2013February 9, 2014

In the very early hours of the morning I was awoken by strange whirring noises and sharp flashes of light radiating through my bedroom window. At first I thought it was some kind of hallucinogenic dream, but as I regained consciousness and peered behind the curtains I found a streetcar creeping along the tracks at a very slow pace. Each inch it travelled, it would let out a bright electrical spark at the point where the trolley pole touched the overhead electrical line. I assumed it was a faulty tram on its way back to the depot for repairs and I returned to my slumber, completely unaware that Toronto was in the midst of one of the most catastrophic ice storms in recent history.

Unlike a conventional storm of wind & heavy rain, an ice storm is formed when light drizzle mixes with a sub-freezing ambient temperature. A layer of ice gently and gradually materialises on exposed surfaces; often unnoticed if it occurs overnight, as proven in my case. Its dangers include an increased risk of road accidents, slips & falls on the footpaths, and the collapse of trees & power lines under the pressure of the icy build-up. This can of course lead to loss of electricity, heating and plumbing – all vital for survival during the winter months. As I write this, an estimated 250,000 people across Greater Toronto are without power, a very un-Christmas-like situation which may not be rectified for another three days.

Having said that, the meteorological anomaly also has the ability to transform everyday objects such as bicycles, plants and rubbish bins into spectacular works of natural art, quite unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed before. It wasn’t until I woke up again at around 9am that I looked out my window and first saw the effects of the ice storm for myself, on the overhead electrical lines above Dundas St West. One thing was for sure as I made my way outside to investigate further: there would be no streetcars today.

Toronto Ice Storm-1 — No streetcars today

Toronto Ice Storm-3 — Smoking dog / frozen tree

Toronto Ice Storm-4 — Cold Kensington shrubbery

Toronto Ice Storm-6 — Some playground equipment in Bellevue Square Park

Toronto Ice Storm-7 — Polar pines adjacent to the playground

Toronto Ice Storm-10 — Outside a Kensington fashion boutique

Toronto Ice Storm-12 — A white driveway along Nassau Street

Toronto Ice Storm-13 — I’m pretty sure this is the same streetcar that edged past my bedroom window in the early hours of the morning. He was stuck there presumably until the overhead lines defrosted.

Toronto Ice Storm-14 — The almost-glacial Trinity Bellwoods Park

Toronto Ice Storm-15 — A frozen pond in Trinity Bellwoods

Can snow clean dirty shoes?

by Dan Schaumann on December 14, 2013December 16, 2013

Earlier this week I pulled some Bear Grylls moves through the brambles in order to reach a near-frozen river, which left me with slightly dirty shoes by the end of the day. I hadn’t yet bothered to wash them, but a thought struck me this afternoon while admiring the first proper snowstorm to hit Toronto this winter:

Can a walk through the snow clean dirty shoes?

I donned my filthy footwear, took my camera along for some company, and set through the chilly streets of Kensington Market to find out.

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-1 — **Can snow clean dirty shoes?**

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-2 — I began my shoewashing circuit at the southern end of Kensington. A good couple of inches of snowfall graced the usually-grey pavement as I made my way north along Augusta Avenue

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-3 — Healing Crystals & Organic Tea at House of Energy

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-4 — “Safety First”

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-5 — A bicycle attached to the perimeter of Bellevue Square

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-6 — Normally full of hipster skateboarders, Bellevue Square was deserted today except for a young family strolling along the invisible pathway through the centre of the park.

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-7 — Some Kensington townhouses

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-8 — Rob Ford’s crack video made an appearance

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-9 — **Half way through the shoewash!**

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-10 — The deliciously snowy My Market Bakery along Baldwin St

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-11 — Cheese Magic: one of Kensington’s many cheese shops under snow

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-12 — Frozen apples, anyone?

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-13 — Truck artwork

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-14 — The sludgy Spadina & Dundas West intersection

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-15 — An aerial view of Spadina & Dundas West under snow

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-16 — A few urban objects at the Dundas & Kensington street corner

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-17 — Frozen haircut

And so after 50 minutes, two slippery falls and some minor frostbite to the fingers & cheeks, I made it back home. I scraped off the layers of ice that had built upon my footwear, anxiously awaiting the answer to my question: can snow clean dirty shoes?

Can Snow Clean Dirty Shoes-18 — **No it can’t.**

Great Big Sea

by Dan Schaumann on December 2, 2013December 2, 2013

I remember the day clearly. It was the 9th of Februrary, 2012 and I’d recently begun using Last.fm, a music recommendation service that takes note of the songs & artists you listen to and attempts to find other bands you might enjoy based on your listening patterns.

One of the first recommendations offered to me was a band I’d never heard of called Great Big Sea. The blurb on their Last.fm profile declared them to be a “Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs.” Straight away I was intrigued, given that I love the folk-rock genre and that they hailed from such a remote & faraway location you rarely hear about in the music world.

I quickly navigated to Youtube where I clicked through to one of their more recent releases, Nothing But A Song, an original tune from their 2010 album Safe Upon The Shore. It’s rare that a newly-discovered song resonates so well with me: I had a beaming smile on my face by the second bar and from the moment Alan Doyle’s captivating baritone made its passionate entrance, I can honestly say I was hooked.

I found the album on iTunes before the song had even finished. Over the next 49 minutes I embarked on one of the greatest journeys of musicianship and songwriting I’d been on – from the uplifting reflective opener of Long Life (Where Did You Go) to the hauntingly grievous title-track shanty that is Safe Upon The Shore; from the faith-restoring Good People to the comical cover of The Kinks’ Have A Cuppa Tea – and then there’s my personal favourite ballad, Yankee Sailor, the heartbreaking tale of a Canadian courtship torn apart by a wealthy & charismatic American seafarer, delivered with such an intensity and conviction that it brought shivers to my spine. These guys epitomised the type of music I loved.

And such began my musical love affair with Alan Doyle, Séan McCann and Bob Hallett, the mighty talented bunch of folk-rockers from the city of St John’s, Newfoundland who make up the core of Great Big Sea (that’s not to mention Darrell Power who retired in 2003, as well as Kris MacFarlane and Murray Foster who have been supporting members of the band since Darrell’s departure). Formed in 1993, the group today boast a discography of 9 studio albums (7 of which have made the top 10 in their home country), 3 live concert recordings, a plethora of singles and a lifetime’s worth of tour dates across Canada, the US and indeed the world.

Over the next six months or so I relished in getting my hands on the whole GBS back catalogue. I’d buy a new record of theirs on iTunes every couple of weeks and it never ceased to amaze me how each one held my attention and captured my imagination from start to finish. I was particularly impressed with how they were able to sustain such a positive, upbeat attitude while developing their musical style quite substantially over the years. They delivered a raw, traditional folk sound on their first few albums such as their self-titled Great Big Sea in 1993, Up in 1995, and 1997’s breakthrough record Play, before branching out to the more pop-inspired melodies of Sea Of No Cares and Something Beautiful in the early 2000’s.

They returned to their heritage in 2005, releasing an album entirely of traditional Newfoundland folk tunes called The Hard And The Easy. It’s been the greatest Great Big Sea discovery for me to date and it may just make the cut as my favourite album of all time. Each time I listen to it I feel richly immersed in Canadian maritime history made up of intertwining Irish, Scottish and French lineage; I’m transported to the ports, harbours and seaside communities along the Newfie coastline such as Tickle Cove, Harbour LeCou, Angle Pond & St John’s itself, and I’m carried away by stories of murderous captains, Arctic whalers, legendary horses and able young seamen both hard working & voyeuristic. Their two most recent albums Fortune’s Favour and the aforementioned Safe Upon The Shore yield a slightly more rock-influenced and heavily-produced characteristic which in my opinion, perfectly caps off nearly 20 years worth of recording.

Merely 2 months after first setting my ears upon Great Big Sea, I chanced to see in a local gig guide that they were about to embark on their first tour of Australia. I immediately booked a ticket and was lucky enough in April 2012 to catch their show at The Basement, an intimate venue in the heart of Sydney’s Circular Quay, where I was offered my first glimpse into exactly how energetic these guys really were in real life. Up until this point they were a barely-accessible folk band from the other side of the world, of whom I’d only ever heard a handful of recordings, but now here they were metres in front of me performing a killer set of in front of a devoted ex-pat Canadian audience. It was at that point I can say I officially became a devoted fan of Great Big Sea!

To give you an idea of exactly how much I’m into these guys, this is my graph of top 10 artists I’ve listened to since I began using Last.fm in early 2012, and the number of times I’ve played tracks by each of them:

LastFM Artists — I’ve only listened to them 2,146 times!

Crazy huh?! As you can tell, their music has taken up a large portion of my life over the past few years. I even recorded my own little cover version of Safe Upon The Shore, and I namechecked them in a song I wrote a few months ago called I Wish I Lived In Canada.

Earlier this year I did actually go through with the decision to leave behind my job, home and life in Sydney, and embark upon a new adventure in Canada, where I have since settled in Toronto. There were a number of reasons why I chose Canada above other destinations, but one of them was for the opportunity to see Great Big Sea perform to a local crowd within their home country. And on the 28th of November 2013 I succeeded in ticking off the #1 entry to my Canadian bucket list, after catching Alan, Séan, Bob, Murray and Kris play a sold-out show as part of their XX tour at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, around an hour east of Toronto.

It was an absolutely incredible performance that fulfilled my every wish, to the point where I couldn’t even sing along with the opening tunes Ordinary Day and The Chemical Worker’s Song because I was too overwhelmed 🙂

The one thing that strikes you about a Great Big Sea audience is that as soon as the band sets foot on stage, EVERYONE gets their arses up off their seat and claps/moves/dances/sings/screams their lungs out along with EVERY song. The vibe is indescribable, unlike any other show I’ve been to – and this is coming from a huge live music fan with very high expectations, having seen over 350 artists perform in my time.

I booked well in advance and as such, scored perfect seats in the centre of the auditorium, only 4 rows from the front of the stage. Highlights for me were Bob’s rousing a-capella rendition of Come And I Will Sing You, Alan’s kick-arse guitar solo in When I Am King, the chilling singalong harmonies of Séan’s classic, General Taylor, and the montage of fans projected onto the screen during the beautiful Good People. The two & a half hour show left not only me but the thousands-strong Oshawa crowd with a soul so uplifted that I doubt I’ll reach that level of musical contentment again for many years to come.

Great Big Sea - Oshawa 1 — The boys during the first set of their Oshawa gig

Great Big Sea - Oshawa 2 — The beautiful montage of fans projected onto the screen during Good People – Alan is up the back watching the show 🙂

Great Big Sea - Oshawa 4 — Waiting for the encore…

Great Big Sea - Oshawa 5 — Murray, Kris and Alan during the encore

Only a couple of weeks ago, Séan announced that the XX tour will be his final with Great Big Sea. I’m extremely grateful I got to witness the GBS boys live in concert in Canada before Séan’s departure, and I wish him all the best with his upcoming endeavours.

I wanted to write this post not only to express my adoration for the band, but to hopefully inspire newcomers to check them out, and also as a way of saying a heartfelt thanks to each and every member of GBS over the years for giving us all the wonderful gift of music that truly changes lives for the better.

Whatever the future brings for Alan, Séan, Bob, Murray and Kris, one thing will remain for certain:

Great Big Sea fucking rock!

GBS Hoodie — Me after the show in my awesome new Great Big Sea hoodie 😀

Have you got a Great Big Sea story to tell? Where did you first hear of them and what do they mean to you? I’d love to hear from any likeminded fans – feel free to leave a comment below!

Santa Claus Parade

by Dan Schaumann on November 18, 2013November 18, 2013

Yesterday was the day of the 2013 Toronto Santa Claus Parade! At 5.6km long and having been held every year since 1905, it’s one of the longest running and altogether largest parades of its kind anywhere in the world.

Now, I’m normally a major grinch when it comes to Christmas-related items. I’ve always thought it was a silly celebration in the southern hemisphere (commercially speaking, anyway). We’re bombarded with images of snow and Santa and reindeer when in reality it’s 42 degrees under the blistering hot sun and as humid as a sauna. But seeing as I’ll be in the northern hemisphere for Christmas this year, I figured I’d at least make a small effort to soak in the traditional wintry Christmas imagery we’re all so familiar with.

I almost didn’t bother going to the parade until my friend Laura mentioned on FB how impressive the floats all looked as she walked past them lining up for the event early in the morning – not to mention the fact that there was a One Direction float in the mix. That was enough to convince me to get out of the house, but I still had the inkling I wouldn’t be impressed, so I declined to carry around my camera.

Thankfully I still had my phone camera, because it actually turned out to be a darn lot more impressive than I could have imagined. Never in my life have I seen such a conglomeration of clowns, marching bands, gorilla/monkey/bee/squirrel/giraffe onesies, fairy floss, Santa Claus hats and floats featuring all kinds of crazy Christmassy characters… it was insane! And I couldn’t believe how many participants there were and how many people lined the streets to observe the jolly festivities.

I’m still not a Christmas convert but I’m glad I made it out to see the parade in the end. Here’s a little of what happened on the day:

CLOWNS:

MARCHING BANDS:

FLOATS:

RANDOMNESS:

CUTE!!

Labyrinths of Toronto

by Dan Schaumann on October 14, 2013October 14, 2013

Never before have I been to a city so abundant in labyrinths!

My first week in Toronto led me on a chance discovery tour of said structure, first developed by the Ancient Greeks and featured over the ages on coins, walls, rock, paintings, tattoos and pottery. These days the labyrinth predominantly appears as a path set into the ground for the purposes of walking as if it were a pilgrimage – it’s said to bring a sense of meditational peace to anybody who follows its trail.

Unlike a maze, which is made up of a path that branches into multiple directions and often leads to dead ends, a labyrinth comprises only of a single twisting, turning path that eventually terminates at the centre of the pattern. And Toronto just happens to be full of them.

The Toronto Public Labyrinth

It was my second day in Toronto, walking toward the Eaton Centre along Dundas St West, when I noticed a street map at an intersection advising me the Toronto Public Labyrinth was in the vicinity. I made mental note of its location and took a right along Bay St, expecting a jungle of perfectly-trimmed hedges to pop up in front of me at any moment. At this stage I wasn’t aware of the difference between a hedge maze and a labyrinth – of course, the hedges were nowhere to be seen.

‘It’s definitely a good labyrinth if I can’t find the bloody thing to begin with!’ I thought to myself. I forgot about it and went on into the Eaton Centre to do my shopping.

I decided to have one more search after I finished at the mall. Upon exiting, I eventually found its giant granite arch gates and set foot upon the intricate spiralling pattern that was the Toronto Public Labyrinth.

Toronto Public Labyrinth 4 — The granite arches guarding the entrance to the Toronto Public Labyrinth

I had walked through numerous hedge mazes in the past, but I’d never before encountered a labyrinth laid into the pavement such as this. The guidelines suggested I enter the labyrinth with a specific question or intention in mind, follow the path from the entrance to the centre, then stay in the centre to reflect on my question for as long as I want before returning back to the entrance via the same path. I did just that, and it felt surprisingly refreshing!

Toronto Public Labyrinth 1 — Looking toward the centre of the Toronto Public Labyrinth

Toronto Public Labyrinth 2 — The hypnotic path

Toronto Public Labyrinth 3 — Twists & turns

Walking the Toronto Public Labyrinth was as though I went on a mini expedition in the centre of the city, where I was able to drown out everything that surrounded me and instead focus all my attention onto myself walking the path that lay ahead. It was humbling to stand in the centre and reflect upon my question, before reversing back along the path the same way I came. It’s a form of relaxation I would recommend to anybody who may wish to slow down for a few minutes and look inward.

As impressed and intrigued as I was, my interest in labyrinths probably would have ended there if it wasn’t for the fact that I walked past another one the very next day.

Ashbridge’s Bay Park Labyrinth

I’d formed a plan during my first week in Toronto: on each day, I would visit a different area of the city. On my third day in town I took the streetcar to the end of Queen St East and walked through the beautiful Beach District. Toward the end of my walk from east to west, I found myself in Ashbridge’s Bay Park, where – lo and behold – there was another labyrinth. Two labyrinths in two days!

Ashbridge's Bay Park Labyrinth 2 — Just up from Woodbine Beach, the labyrinth was set in the middle of the gorgeous Ashbridge’s Bay Park

Ashbridge's Bay Park Labyrinth 3 — The outer perimeter

Ashbridge's Bay Park Labyrinth 4 — A rose along the trail

High Park Labyrinth

As if two wasn’t enough, a trip to the picturesque High Park a few days later led me to my third labyrinth for the week. I was running out of questions to ask myself but I still took the course to the centre and back again.

High Park Labyrinth 2 — An autumnal path with a flowery centre

High Park Labyrinth 3 — The spiralling orange trail

High Park Labyrinth 4 — A beautiful setting amid the greenery

Labyrinths everywhere!

There’s something quite remarkable about Toronto in that I’d never visited a labyrinth before in my life, and of a sudden I’d seen three in one week. It didn’t take long to find there is a Labyrinth Community Network dedicated to collating information on all sites not only across Toronto, but the whole of Ontario, as well as spreading the word about the goodness of the labyrinth in general.

I was also impressed to find a World-Wide Labyrinth Locator, which is an online resource that lists details on their whereabouts across the planet. Although the majority of listings in the database are located in the US and Canada, the labyrinth is clearly a global sensation.

As time goes on, I’ll surely visit more sites and continue enjoying the serenity of the winding path to the centre – I encourage you to do the same if you happen to be close to one! For now though, I thank the good people of Toronto for opening my eyes to the labyrinth 🙂

Post-script: The bicycle arena

A few nights later during the Nuit Blanche celebrations I happened to walk past the Toronto Public Labyrinth again, where it had been converted into a nighttime bicycle arena. Anybody could line up for free and take one of the many bikes for a spin around the pavement 🙂

Toronto Public Labyrinth 5 - Nuit Blanche — Multitasking labyrinth!

Nuit Blanche 2013

by Dan Schaumann on October 6, 2013October 6, 2013

Toronto was buzzing last night!

It was the night of the annual Scotiabank Nuit Blanche (“sleepless night”) festival – a city-wide, night-time arts & cultural exhibition developed by the French over a decade ago which has since spread across the world. Ontatio’s largest city was the first North American location to take on the Nuit Blanche concept in 2006; 8 years later, 2013’s event saw 110 official art locations scattered around the CBD with easily a couple of hundred thousand sightseers taking to the streets between sunset & sunrise to revel in the festivities.

I had no idea the festival was even happening until the last minute – a friend pointed it out to me the day before so I decided I might as well check it out. Not knowing what to expect, I left my hotel in time to make the 6:51pm starting time, and as it turned out, the vibe was so electric that I didn’t get home until the very wee hours of the morning.

As with most cultural festivals of this stature, the artworks and performances varied greatly in dynamic, coherence & relevance, with a lot of room for interaction & participation from the public. From the traditional to the downright absurd, some of the exhibitions included:

– An impromptu streetside performance of Romeo & Juliet
– A panoramic screening of a future Martian landscape
– Artificially intelligent fishing rods playing tug-of-war with a canoe in the middle of a pond
– A raised platform where the crowd were encouraged to strap on a blindfold, walk around and see in the dark
– A wolf, hawk, frog, penguin and dodo (I think that’s what they were anyway) all having a tea party in a magical medieval garden

Here were some of my favourites!

Nuit Blanche-1 — The magical medieval garden from *A Quack Cure*, which helped raise awareness in animal extinction due to human neglect

Nuit Blanche-2 — *There is an elephant in the truck*: an elephant made out of cardboard mâché, its intention to point out the ignorance we lend to political and social issues going on around us

Nuit Blanche-3 — *Parallax*: thousands of cardboard tubes stacked together with a light source behind them

Nuit Blanche-4 — Part of the patchwork dress worn by the very pompous *Queen of the Parade*

Nuit Blanche-5 — A few eerie, shadowy frames from the *Tanks* installation, where patterns from lace fabric were cut into steel to create the perfect juxtaposition between materials

Nuit Blanche-6 — A tree embraced in LED rope in *Pink Punch v.2*

Nuit Blanche-7 — A performance artwork called *Night Shift*. Paper was shredded to produce gold confetti; dancers then contorted their bodies relocating the confetti from one end of the stage to the pile at the other end.

Nuit Blanche-8 — The *Familia* as seen through the contorted floor mirrors in the Church of the Holy Trinity. The pipe organist belting out contemporary rock tunes added tremendously to the atmosphere.

Nuit Blanche-9 — 5,000 pairs of socks in *Clothesline Canopy*, reflecting the number of people in Toronto without adequate housing

Nuit Blanche-10 — The pièce de résistance, *Forever Bicycles*, by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. 3,144 bicycles were used in the construction of this exhibit.

The final piece I saw on the night made the cut as one of the most magnificent artworks I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing. By this stage it was well past midnight and I was on the walk home to my hotel in the city’s north-west, when I chanced upon the Trinity College Chapel, discovering an off-program exhibit called The Composition Engine.

Positioned within the gorgeous chapel were a number of musicians, vocalists and script-readers, who each had a light assigned to them. Members of the visiting public were able to walk the halls of the chapel and turn the lights on or off: if the light was switched on, the performer would play; if the light was switched off, the performer would stop. It was an incredible concept – words can’t describe how peaceful it was to be part of this ever-changing soundscape and lightscape. I was there nearly an hour before completing the journey home in newfound harmony.

Nuit Blanche-11 — *The Composition Engine*

Toronto – all I can say is that you’re doing a fantastic job at welcoming this newcomer to your beautiful city. I can’t wait to see what else you have in store… and bring on Nuit Blanche 2014 🙂

If you went to Toronto’s Nuit Blanche 2013, I’d love to hear in the comments below what your favourite installation was!

Let the Canadian adventure begin!

by Dan Schaumann on September 24, 2013September 24, 2013

I can barely believe it! For the second time in my life I’ve succeeded in quitting my job, packing my bags, moving out of my humble abode and driving my possessions up to Queensland for storage at my parent’s place north of Townsville. At 1:50pm on Wednesday 25th of September 2013, I’ll be leaving the life I’ve established over the past four years in Sydney to embark upon a new adventure: first, a five-day stopover in New York City, before flying into Toronto for a working holiday. I have the potential to live and work in Canada for two full years, but having merely booked three nights accommodation at a backpackers so far, I can only see as far forward as October 3rd; anything beyond that date remains a mystery. This sense of not knowing – of having a blank canvas future in a foreign country – is amongst the greatest feelings I’ve known.

This is not something I’m new to. In 2008, I journeyed to England for an extended period of time, although the catalyst upon which I decided to travel this time differs quite substantially to the circumstances of yesteryear. It wasn’t until I’d conquered the misery of a failed online romance that I came to fully appreciate my time in Britain, by which time my working visa was nearing an end, resulting in my return to Australia much more prematurely than I would have liked. Now, four years wiser, I’m set to recommence the voyage on nobody else’s accord but my own. It’s an understatement to say that I CAN’T WAIT!!

As much as I would have adored returning to my beloved England, unfortunately my quest for obtaining European citizenship through Italian ancestry has turned out to be a lot more complicated than I initially anticipated. I came to realise earlier this year that it’s likely to be a few more years before it comes through (if ever), so I started focusing my attention onto other potential worldly locations to explore. The majority of countries that participate in the working holiday program stop issuing permits once you enter your 30’s, so with a year to go I figured that if I wanted the full international experience once more, it would have to be now or never. And it just so happened that Canada came out on top of my list of the potential worldly locations.

Why Canada?

Well, it’s mostly thanks to my all-time favourite band Great Big Sea, who I discovered nearly two years ago. The Newfoundland folk/rockers came up as a recommendation for me to listen to on Last.fm – I was hooked after the first song and spent the next six months getting to know their incredible back catalogue of releases. Their lively renditions of traditional Newfie folk tunes and optimistic original compositions paint pictures in my mind in a way that no other group of musicians have been able to match. I was lucky enough to catch the GBS boys perform live at The Basement in Sydney in April 2012, and ever since then it’s been a dream of mine to catch a gig of theirs on home turf. Combine that with the fact that every Canadian I’ve met has been infectiously pleasurable to be around, and it made perfect sense that I should get to know the land of poutine & maple syrup for myself. Oh – and it helps that I love the cold as well!

My Canadian bucket list

After many hours spent at the library vehemently studying every Lonely Planet, Eyewitness, National Geographic and Frommer’s guide available at my fingertips (not to mention Charley Boorman’s series, the barrel-of-laughs-and-full-of-ideas Extreme Frontiers: Canada), it’s clear to see that the world’s second-largest country is full of compelling cities, attractions, festivals, roadtrips, activities and experiences. The following is by no means an exhaustive list, but I’ve taken a few notes of unique things I’d like to tick off while in Canada. Some of them may be a little far-fetched (eg. crossing the Arctic Circle) but you never know what might eventuate!

– Try some authentic Quebec poutine
– Sample fresh maple syrup syphoned straight out of a tree
– Eat a Nova Scotian Donair
– Experience a proper Canadian Thanksgiving and White Christmas
– Take a girl on a date to the 360° Restaurant at the top of Toronto’s Sky Tower
– Sit in the audience of a Canadian TV show
– Catch a Great Big Sea play a gig to a local audience (this will be happening and is booked for November!)
– Spend time in St Johns, Newfoundland, and witness the landmarks that Great Big Sea mention in many of their songs
– Visit the French territorial island of Saint Pierre off the coast of Newfoundland (just to get my passport stamped)
– Join a local folk/rock band with likeminded musicians
– Take a sip of the famous Sourtoe Cocktail (an alcoholic beverage poured over a human toe) in the Downtown Bar at Dawson City, Yukon
– Go kayaking on Lake Ontario
– Take a boat trip underneath Horseshoe Falls
– Visit Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands along St Lawrence River
– Have a go at adventure caving in the Vancouver Island caves
– Take the train through the Canadian Rockies
– Learn to ski
– Go ice skating on a frozen river in one of Canada’s cities
– Feel the blistering chill of -20° (or colder) weather
– Go on a roadtrip from Toronto to Detroit
– Visit Sydney, Nova Scotia and compare it with Sydney, Australia
– Visit London, Ontario and compare it with London, United Kingdom
– Visit the town with the weird name of Moose Jaw (cheers Kumlu for finding that one!)
– Get up close & personal with squirrels, beavers and moose in the wild
– *Mum, cover your eyes* Get within a few hundred metres of a wild Grizzly *Ok you can uncover them!*
– Eat moose meat (sorry, vegetarian friends)
– Watch a hockey game
– Watch a baseball game
– Go shopping at Walmart at 3 in the morning (although I’m not sure if they’re open 24 hrs in Canada? I know some stores are in the US and I’ve always found it amusing that people shop there at ridiculous hours of the morning)
– Explore the subterranean terraces of Toronto’s PATH (27km) and Montreal’s Underground City (32km)
– Catch a bunch of acts at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal
– Travel far enough into Manitoba or the Northwest Territories to see the Northern Lights
– Cross the Arctic Circle
– Learn French

So long, Australia!

Although the Sydney lifestyle didn’t turn out to be for me in the long-term, looking back on my time here I’ve had a brilliant run. I’m eternally grateful for the countless hilarious hours spent with a fantastic group of mates (which included some pretty impressive achievements over the years such as three 26km+ charity walks and winning the Peoples Choice Award at the 2012 SydneyVision Song Contest). From living in a beautiful apartment with very pleasant housemates in one of the most picturesque Sydney locations to landing a highly stimulating & challenging role at Nespresso; from getting to experience the most delicious cuisine across the city with my foodie friends to having access to explore the likes of Burning Mountain, Newnes, Condobolin, Thredbo and everything in between: I’m left with many, many happy memories of this place. I offer my heartfelt appreciation and thanks to all my Aussie friends and family for being so awesome. I’ll see you all again soon.

I will try my hardest to blog about my upcoming travels more frequently than what I have been doing recently, so make sure you subscribe and keep in touch!

And on that note: let the Canadian adventure begin.

I Wish I Lived In Canada

by Dan Schaumann on June 10, 2013September 24, 2013

Here’s an acoustic recording of a little tune I’ve been working on over the past couple of weeks, dedicated to the gorgeous country that is Canada.

I’ve never even set foot onto it, but from what I’ve heard and from the people I’ve met who hail from its shores, it sounds like an incredible place.

In any case: travel + romance = perfect song inspiration for me 🙂

Maybe… just maybe… I’ll make it there someday?

Lyrics
(C) 2013 Dan Schaumann

I wish I lived in Canada
Cause everyone I know
From British Columbia
To Ontario

Has got this charm
Within their personality
I wish I lived in Canada
Yeah it’s the place for me

I wish I lived in Canada
The stories that they tell
Through their song and poetry
Imagination dwells

From guys like Hawksley Workman
To bands like Great Big Sea
I wish I lived in Canada
Their music is for me

I wish I lived in Canada
I’ll become a connoisseur
Of Nova Scotian Donairs
And of gravy chips with curd

And bottles of that syrup
Syphoned from the maple tree
I wish I lived in Canada
It tastes so very sweet

I wish I lived in Canada
That’s where I’ll find my girl
After all these travelling years
She’ll light up my world

In her cutest little accent
As we watch the northern lights
She’ll say to me “je t’aime”
And we’ll hold each other tight

I wish I lived in Canada
Where it snows at winter time
We’ll light the fire together
And we’ll dream by it at night

We’ll wake in each others arms
On our white Christmas day
When I find her in Canada
That’s where I’ll want to stay

I wish I lived in Canada
Cause when I find my girl
I’ve got this little plan
To surely lighten up our world

I’ll take her to the far east coast
A trip to St John’s town
I’ll hold her while the sun sets
And put one knee on the ground