HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, this is the first year of my life that I've taken more than a passing second in reflection of the outgoing year.

And I'm happy I've taken this time.

It's reminded me of a lot;
growth,
failures,
moves,
returns,
literature,
films,
and of course,
music that made me move and kept me up when I probably shoulda been somewhere lower.

I'd like to share some of these with you.

First, I whip through the year looking at great gigs and happenings.

Second, there's my Top Picks of the Year:
Music (with mp3's to listen to!)
Films
Books

Enjoy! All the best to you in 2009!

Say 'hi' to Mr. Lip-Faced Fish Man! He has a furry belly!

I started snowboarding late 07/early 08 - after a lifetime of skiing and so many years living this close to those gorgeous snow-covered mountains, I took up riding, with a little help from friend and snowboard instructor supreme, Niel Williams.
(I bought gear and a Seymour pass for the 08/09 season. I love it.)

I discovered Google Calendar - a friggin lifesaver; say goodbye to carrying around a daytimer!

I designed this poster for the Nerds In Love party!

Justice @ Commodore. The most satisfying show ever because I was exhausted, absolutely spent by the end. The boys may not have diverged from their recording, but they knew what we wanted and the capacity crowd responded by jumping non-stop from 1st track to the last.

Some brilliant Dubforms nights throughout the year, especially Kode 9, who surprised me because his recorded stuff is fairly deep dark churning brooding, but his live show was killer - absolutely destroyed the crowd. (Michael Red wins Vancouverite of the Year for all the work he's putting into developing a killer dubstep scene in our city)

My bro, Adam, and his wife Rene and new baby Zavier move to Aussie-land. At least they departed from Vancouver and we had a mini-family reunion before they left. I miss em, but it hurts a little less when I see and hear how happy they are down there (Yes, I see them - for the 1st time I actually have a great reason to take advantage of Skype! Brilliant!)

Black Keys @ Commodore - holy shit only a month after Justice, I'm blown away again, again by 2 guys, but a totally different show - this time, one on guitar and vocals, and the second hammering the drums, how only 2 guys generate such a destructively amazing sound I'll never know. They were one of my favourites before the show, now they're right at the top.

Holy shit April was good - Caribou played the Biltmore, super cool cuz the stage is at eye level, and yikes Caribou & his band know how to play! Absolutely prefect precision from track to track, and who the hell is his drummer cuz that guy was playing beats from Caribou tracks that I thought could only be created with knobs and buttons but he flew through them all without ever breaking a sweat.

Yup, April kept a' rockin.... A few days after Caribou, Hot Chip flew into town and put on a show - really beefing up all their stuff, which was cool cuz even though I love The Warning, Made In The Dark was spotty, and I wasn't sure about what to expect. But the boys fucked with shit. In a good way.

My work-family, ShowMakers, moved to Yaletown. Fancy!

Elbow graced our city in May, a truly religious experience held at St Andrew's-Wesley Church. It was a beautiful show, the lead singer has the purest voice, and the group is at their creative peak (newest album Seldom Seen Kid is their best, it won the 2008 Mercury Prize).

A week later, I saw Atmosphere at the Commodore. Now, these guys are amazing. Not only have they produced an amazing body of work over the last decade+, their newest album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, is probably the best release of the year. It takes Atmosphere's sound a step further by taking it all back a notch, injecting more live sounds. Live, by the way, they put most rap groups to shame.

I discovered why people talk about yoga like its a life-changing positive practice (Thank you Randy and Jennifer).

Cory, Kirby, and I start our almost-every-month collaborative art meetings. Great discussions, ideas, sketches, wordplay, photographic explosions, beers, Eastside walks, pastel play, guitar rockin' and quadripeding are had. I look forward to much much more.

After actually missing their show (a surprise early show last year, thanks shit-head organizers), Wolf Parade came back in support of At Mount Zoomer. The show was good, the crowd were zombies. Oh well. Spencer Krug (keys & vocals) and Dan Boeckner (guitar & vocals) will always be a kickass combo.

Radiohead @ Thunderbird. I'd seen them here a few years ago; this time was even better because of my partner-in-crime, that tracks from In Rainbows were so good to hear live, and that it slowly began to rain on us over the course of the night, which only added to the beauty of it all.

I rediscovered cycling. After my Nishiki was stolen in 2006, I didn't replace it. This summer, the lovely Amanda found a sweet big ol'heavy rusty orange-copper 10-speed. I love it. Cycled everyday to work right up till the snows hit.

Rock the Bells @ the Gorge, Washington. Hmm! The Gorge isn't as close to Seattle as we thought! Ha! Oh well, so so worth it - a hip hop extravaganza (Murs, pictured here, was awesome live, though it's tough to forgive MF Doom for not showing) in a setting that is high-inducing... Who wants to come in 09?

Hip Hop vs War @ VAG. Mediocre overall, but there was a First Nations duo who were hyper-talented - one guy with a ponytail (pictured here), the second guy had a grey hoodie & Jason-goalie mask. Who were they? Do you know?

I finally join the Vancouver Art Gallery as a member. Much like snowboarding, this is something I've been thinking about doing for years. If there's one thing that's undeniable, it's that shit doesn't get done until you just do it. Then you do it and it feels good. (I've seen Magdalena Abakanowicz's Red Abakan up close thanks to the WACK! show!)

I bought my snowboarding gear at the Turkey Sale in Kits and haven't looked back. Except when I end up ass-over-head on the hill.

I missed Tanya Tagaq at the Heritage Hall. Definitely won't let that happen when she comes again.

A brilliantly enormous turnout for "I support keeping the Westboro Baptist Church out of Vancouver" outside Havana in the pouring rain.

My bday - turned 33 - brilliant weekend in Whistler, rented a townhouse with 10 close friends, hot tubbed all weekend, went riding even though the conditions were not perfect, the day kicked ass cuz everyone had so much fun despite a lot of runs being closed.

I joined the Car Co-op. Have yet to rent one, but excited by the possibilities.

Atmosphere
When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

Like I mentioned above, this album is absolutely brilliant. Dope without trying to be dope.

Listen to track 2: "Puppets"

Roots Manuva
Slime and Reason

After getting depressed on his last album, the Manuva MC comes back with his rump-shakin best.

Listen to track 4: "Let the Spirit"

The Black Keys
Attack & Release

I love The Black Keys. It's that simple. Oh, and Danger Mouse is a genius producer.

Listen to track 3: "Strange Times"

Elbow
The Seldom Seen Kid

Gorgeous music. Elbow has reigned in their tendency for cheesiness and created their best album as a result.

Listen to track 4: "Grounds for Divorce"

Coin Gutter
Pigeonless

I think I may have told the Coin Gutter boys I liked this album. I may have risked our friendship by saying that.

Listen to track 2: "third conditional"

Tapes 'n Tapes
Walk It Off

These guys are new to me, but I'm diggin' their rough around the edges rock.

Listen to track 12: "The Dirty Dirty"

Aesop Rock
None Shall Pass

Does this guy just talk shit? Who cares, the tunes are brilliant and unique. Dope art, too.

Listen to track 2: "None Shall Pass"

The Roots
Rising Down

Dark as hell, and there's more misses than usual, but this is still The Roots, and they're still a massively talented bunch of musicians.

Listen to track 2: "Rising Down"

Jean Grae
The Evil Jeanius

Yeah Jean Grae! She's been enhancing everyone's tracks as a guest for years, but it's rare she releases full solo albums. This one's a keeper.

Listen to track 4: "Threats"

Wolf Parade
At Mount Zoomer

A huge deal following Apologies to the Queen Mary, but the boys didn't play it safe and repeat themselves. Instead, they challenge us and still deliver the goods.

Listen to track 5: "California Dreamer"

Nine Inch Nails
Ghosts I-IV

With each new album, NIN continues to surprise and impress me with his depth of talent.

Listen to track 35: "35 Ghosts IV"

Black Mountain
In The Future

I know, I know, these guys don't need any more attention, but hell, they deserve it!

Listen to track 7: "Evil Ways"

Portishead
Third

Bloc Party
Intimacy

Celebration
The Modern Tribe

I want to marry everyone in this band and give their crazy weird unique fantastic sounds massages in a bubble bath everyday.

Listen to track 6: "Tame The Savage"

Holy Fuck
LP

Crazy. MUST see these guys live; I've heard they put on an insane show.

Listen to track 6: "Royal Gregory"

The Cinematic Orchestra
Ma Fleur

Beautiful. What an insanely talented band.

Listen to track 9: "Breathe"

Beastie Boys
The Mix-Up

Hey! It's the Beastie Boys! They're gettin' old, but hell do they still know how to funk it up. Solid.

Listen to track 11: "The Cousin Of Death"

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly

Uhh... Speechless.

I'm Not There

I was so pleasantly surprised by this film. The hype deterred me for so long, but it's an artistic director's vision gone fantastically right.

The Darjeeling Limited

Much more subtle than Wes Anderson's other works, but I absolutely love it.

The Visitor

An absolutely charming film. Very powerful, both in its performances and in its messages. Wonderful. And an atypical ending...!

Eat Pray Love
Elizabeth Gilbert

Cheesy title, I know, but a beautiful and honest book that came to me at the perfect time.

In 2009,
I will get really freakin' good at snowboarding (already underway).

I aim to (finally!) tattoo my left sleeve as I've been planning for years.

I will also make time to redesign formatnoauto.com (my creative home on the interweb), so that I will have the online workspace/gallery that I've been envisioning and designing for over a year now...

I will continue drawing and taking pics and have a show of my work before the year's end.

And I want to learn to whistle.

Oh, and I aim to turn 34 with a group of friends in another ridiculously hedonistic weekend away. Lord it up!

Happy New Year 2009 to my friends and family!
Much love from me with wishes for your happiness, good health, and success in your endeavors.

- Ashley