T240220041655 Vancouver, Canada

Just another episode in my crazy new life …

I had my second day of work yesterday (yes I am employed again, working at a real estate investment company right in the city (about 5 minutes walk away from where I’m staying), doing random admin things, data entry etc) which was bearable – could have been better, but could have been telemarketing so I’m not complaining.

I got home and was told that I was going out that night, to no less than Arrested Development and Grandmaster Flash. Now I know what you’re thinking – “Wendy went to a hip-hop gig?” You would be justified in that thought too. But I couldn’t miss out on a legend, a once in a lifetime opportunity – especially for only $15! Couldn’t believe it. Also, I did used to listen to hip-hop … way back in the day when I was about 11. Early 90’s old skool stylez.

Anyway, I’d completely forgotten that it was on last night, what with the excitement of starting work on Sunday and all. A bunch of people told us that we’d be queuing for hours and would never get tickets, but that didn’t deter us. So I went along with Michelle and Lisa (two British girls) and we waited outside the club for just over an hour before being allowed through the velvet rope to buy tickets. There was a bit of random pop and hip-hop being played by the DJ (including Blue, which made us all very excited), and then Arrested Development came on around 10 and played a wicked set. They played a bunch of new stuff, their old classics (Everyday People, Mr Wendell, Tennessee) and an awesome version of Redemption Song by Bob Marley. There were 7 of the group playing, and the bassist was amazing. He did a solo that was like 5 minutes long.

There was ages to wait between the two sets, and the DJ began playing his pop hip-hop again, interrupting every now and then to say “Monday night, Atlantis, Grandmaster Flash!” until we got sick of being tricked into getting excited (as if we didn’t know where we were and who we were seeing anyway). We spent the time looking at the wide range of munters that seemed to have collected in the club (and also trying to avoid the ones trying to dance with us). More waiting, and then the weirdest thing – they started playing a VH1 documentary about Grandmaster Flash on the screens. It had clips of him through his career (including him giving props to the Queen for her jubilee) and the usual “people in the industry say how great he is” bits. Not that it’s not true but it went on for like 10 minutes and every time they introduced him on the video, the crowd would think he was coming on (it was pretty packed in there), but we were disappointed over and over. He finally appeared though and the set was so good. He really knew how to work a crowd (although with 30 years practice, you’d think he’d worked it out by now). He started with In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins, and then played everything from the beginning of hip-hop in the 70’s, through Michael Jackson, Run DMC (including tribute to Jam Master Jay) and OPP to Missy Elliot, Sugarhill Gang and Fiddy Cent. What a total legend. Although I’ve probably heard enough “Somebody say OLD SKOOL” to last me a long time.

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Now it’s Wednesday. Liz came into the city to hang out for a bit, which was really cool. I warned her that I probably wouldn’t be up for much since I’d only had about 3 and a half hours sleep before work yesterday. Needless to say I was out til after midnight anyway, and in fact didn’t get to sleep til 3am again. I’m about to go hunt coffee. I also have to go back to the hostel in my lunch break to shift rooms. Not a happy bunny. Oh and also, according to labour laws here, I’m not entitled to any paid breaks (i.e. morning and afternoon tea). That along with the insultingly low pay rates has me convinced that maybe this isn’t a first world country after all. But I will persevere! Things will just take a little longer.