Pearl Jam SRO at Chicago's Vic Theater

Not only did the fan club members get a show for the ages last Thursday in Chicago's famed Vic Theatre, but they were treated to a remarkable opening act.

When Eddie Vedder came out and played an acoustic set of rarities, songs from his imminent solo CD and even a tribute to the never quite close enough Chicago Cubs, the fans were enthralled.

But the night just took off from there when Pearl Jam launched into their eclectic set list. With the North American concert debut of the Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" and a rare appearance/guest performance by Ben Harper, who Like PJ was in Chicago for an appearance at Lollapalooza, to end the set, it just couldn't get any better.

So with a great event poster, and new shirts made from organic cotton or bamboo to memorialize the affair, the crowd left beyond satisfied, another affair for their Pearl Jam scrapbooks etched into their souls.

The Greatest Flew Through The Air

It was a sense of pride for all the Anthillers to have been chosen to operate the touring merchandising concession to Cirque Du Soleil's inaugural arena touring show, Delirium, now in it's second year and about to make its European debut in Holland.

And with the announcement that one of the Cirque's most famous touring tent shows, Saltimbanco was being reformatted to tour arenas throughout the world, it was again rewarding to know Anthill is again part of the traveling team.

Last night a captive audience in London, Ontario witnessed the shows debut performance which reinforced for all just why since it's inception Cirque Du Soleil has been considered the most creative and innovative family entertainment in the world. With performers from 19 countries including a cracking band, the show exudes greatness.

With audiences of all ages the products memorializing the show have to be equally formidable. Masks, dolls, dvds, hats plus programs compliments of Quantum and an array of brightly colored shirts from the always ready to please New Buffalo Shirt Factory were all well displayed. And loved by all.

The Saltimbanco tour will bring the wonder of CDS to many markets for the first time. It is not to be missed.

Catching a Few Z's

Could there be a better venue than Toronto's famed concert theater the Hummingbird Centre ( that's Canadian for center!) for acoustics and ambiance? Probably not.

And could there be a better audience than the several thousand aficionados that started arriving hours early to share stories of Frank as they awaited the opening of the venue's doors? Again, not likely.

Could there have been a better selection of Rockware awaiting them featuring the newest styles and designs memorializing the tour and the legend in all sizes and colors (colours if north of the border)? Of this, there is no doubt.

But what made the entire affair so noteworthy was the sensational group of musicians accompanying Dweezil Zappa in the 2007 version of the Zappa plays Zappa world tour. Collectively they performed a cross section of Frank's best music including several show stoppers like Suzy Creamcheese, and selections from Hot Rats and Joe's Garage. Dweezil has perfected the reproduction of the original recordings and "would have made his father proud" according to show promoter Riley O'Connor. And on a couple songs, with the aid of technology, the video screen above the band featured historical live concert footage of Frank himself performing with the ZPZ band actually playing alongside . Gotta love modern science!

With just a handful of shows under their belt and months of shows on the global itinerary on the horizon, anybody who calls themselves a lover of music has got to set aside 3 hours for this very special show. But don't go eating no yellow snow. Concert reviews welcome and postings on the Anthill blog assured.

DMC : My Adoption Journey Earns Emmy Nod

On Tuesday July 17th the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominations for News & Documentary Emmy Awards to be presented on 9/24 in New York City. It is with great pride and pleasure that Anthill Trading would like to Congratulate DMC ( of RUN DMC) on his nomination for DMC: My Adoption Journey - which aired on VH1 and has been nominated in the category of Outstanding Arts and Culture Programming.

A Tuesday...It's Belgium...and It's the Rolling Stones' European Tour

Despite a massive traffic jam, by the time the thousands of fans attending the opening night concert in Werchter Park began arriving, they were ready...for a strong set of standards and gems from Van Morrison and his great band...and for a perfect summer's evening of partying.
Of course fans also got to see the newest Rolling Stones Rockware additions- designs made specially for the opening night, two vintage inspired T's with European cities on the back, a green version of the Bigger Bang CD's liquid tongue and the latest tongue variation-a Biggest Bang DVD inspired tongue in motion featured on a button, t shirt and track jacket which proved to be very much in demand.
The 20 song blistering set that followed was as good as an opening night could be. With gems like Rocks Off, Some Girls, Heartbreaker, and the so rarely performed Waiting on a Friend, the crowd and band were as one. But with the return of the amazing Can't You Hear Me Knocking, and covers of a James Brown classic featuring a duet with Mick and Lisa Fischer and a very nostalgic version of Bobby Womack's It's All Over Now on the B Stage, the concert went into overdrive. The show finished with an encore of Sympathy For the Devil, a skyful of fireworks, and as the motorcade of vans filled with tired but relieved musicians departed with police escort for the 40 minute ride back to Brussels, it was unanimous the audience had truly experienced an amazing Belgian Bigger Bang.

Beer, Chocolate and Rockware...aka Anthill Acts Attack Antwerp and some!

Three different clients booked by three different agents into three different venues in three different cities but with all falling between June 1 and 5, the Belgian music calendar most certainly belonged to Anthill.

Il Divo's non-stop touring schedule brought them to Antwerp Friday the first. With just one month left on this record breaking world tour, the Boys are still thrilling audiences with dramatic flair and Pete Bell keeps sending them home with a great range of collectibles.

Next stop was beautiful Brussels where Josh Groban made his Belgium debut in a perfect concert setting-the acoustically perfect and totally intimate Cirque Royal theater. In support of his multi platinum selling CD, AWAKE, the 17 piece band helped Josh show why he has earned so many accolades thus far and just how diversified his repertoire has become. And although he'll deny it Bob Hannam has admitted that he has strongly considered joining the German chapter of the Grobanites!

At the same time in a studio in Brussels, the rehearsals for the final leg of The Rolling Stones' Bigger Bang world tour were wrapping up. After a six month break and recharged batteries, band and crew both did some dusting-equipment and some songs from the vast Stones catalog. At the same time hundreds were already busily transforming Park Werchter into the site of 07's first Stones gig.

As busy was the newest Anthill Stones team delivering and allocating the latest Rockware range to Ash and Ruth of vending experts IVS who were putting finishing touches to the 7 impressive sales locations that just 24 hours later would be rocking.

Oh Say Can You BRMC ?

May could not have ended on a better note. Two hour's worth of notes actually.

The where ? That would be New York's trendy Webster Hall on the lower east side packed with anticipation by twenty and thirty somethings of all sizes in both sexes.

The why ? Because there is such a strong media/street/industry/scenester buzz about this three piece's recently released CD, Baby 81.

The Who? Well not exactly, but just as great a live band with a great sense of itself and not afraid to do it show by show, market by market.

The what ? A full range of edgy Anthill Rockware so aptly vended by the newest road warrior aka MerchGirl.

The band? Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Touring non stop on both sides of the Atlantic through 07. Accept No Substitute!

Back to the Scene of the Crime

It might have been the snow capped mountains surrounding one of the world's great port cities.

It might have been the memory of building a business from the ground up.

It might have been reminiscing about the whereabouts and exploits of so many of that business' alumni.

It might have been the runs around the seawall of Stanley Park still majestic despite Nature's best efforts last winter.

It might have been the pride of working in Western Canada with a band since it's infancy in a club and every step since on their ascension to the pinnacle of worldwide recognition and Hall of Fame status.

It might have been the mandate to have been asked to produce the exclusive range of merchandise for millions of fans to share around the world for the next year.

It might just have been the roar of the crowd almost deafening for the spectacular two hour performance some 23 years in the making.

And it might have been that much louder thanks to visitors like members of Pearl Jam and R.E.M., lawyers, business managers, label execs, or the always willing to fly for rock Joel Kleinfeld.

Or it could have been three guys who for the time being have regrouped to remind so many of so much.

And if so, the POLICE back in Vancouver where a marriage was consummated, Perryscope became a reality and Cathy was a marketing maven in training, was truly a totally surreal experience.

Another great reminder that the job has great rewards and lifelong friendships.

Out of the Black and into the Blue

It is said that to really understand what is being sold it makes sense to see how and where it gets made.

With that in mind a train trip to the country was in order – always a good way to experience the commute from Manhattan through to Massachusetts. Hello New Haven! Hello Stamford! Hello Providence! Hello Paul Roidoulis, founder and chief creative guru of longtime Anthill supplier/licensee Liquid Blue and today’s dedicated tour guide.

It might be said that Paul’s approach to design, attention to detail, and passion for using a complete color palette are the reasons for the numerous awards aligning so many walls in his ultra modern office/factory/warehouse.

But those in the know would point to what this visitor soon learned – there is also a complete team of illustrators, dye makers and mad scientists in training that have executed Paul’s Liquid Blue philosophy so effectively. Seeing a new AC/DC illustration in a conceptual stage or watching the TLC being put to a rush order for the Stones was worthy of note. Visiting the rec room where the staff jam band rehearses after hours reinforced how camaraderie always trumps complacency.

So with a slew of new product ideas and techniques presented by sidekick Mike Rotondo, during a lunch to remember, marketing ideas were discussed, fortunes made ( in mind only) and promises to return more often committed to.

Anthill salutes all of our suppliers but today Liquid Blue gets high fives!!