Karen Ruby

INXS at Air Canada Centre

I'm still thinking of the INXS concert that I went to on Sunday night (May 14th) at the Air Canada Centre (along with 15 000 other people). What a performance!

INXS is on tour to promote their new album, Switch and is made up of Andrew, Tim and Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly, Garry Beers and J.D. Fortune.

I was hooked on the TV reality show "Rock Star: INXS" last summer as many, many other people also were and was very happy that a fellow Canadian, J.D. Fortune, won the show to become the band's new lead vocalist.

Okay, I admit it, I didn't think he would win last summer, but am really glad that he did. I absolutely loved the "Pretty Vegas" song that he co-wrote with the band's guitarist Andrew Farriss and seeing the band perform the song live was fantastic, if a little surreal as I can remember watching them perform it on TV last summer. But, nothing compares to seeing the band's hour-and-35-minute live performance.

I think J.D. was born to be on stage and be a singer.  It got me thinking that it must also be surreal for him to be fronting a major band like INXS as it wasn't too long ago that he was living out of his car when he heard that INXS was looking for a new lead singer and was holding auditions for the Rock Star: INXS TV show. It's amazing and motivating to me how fast he turned his life around. I know that a lot of people were very impressed with his performance on the show, even though sometimes his antics were considered to be very arrogant and selfish. But, you can also say that he was confident in his abilities and wanted the lead singer position more than any one else on the show. You can tell his hunger was more pronounced than the other contestants/singers.

I also think there's a lesson there. If you want something bad enough, have the talent to back up your words and actions, are hungry enough, and believe in yourself, you can achieve your dreams.

Just something to think about.

Tags: INXS Switch

Matt Dusk @ the Bay autograph

On the way to my night class tonight, I stopped off at the Bay Queen Street and am I ever glad that I did!

Matt Dusk is in town for the Toronto Jazz Festival and he was at the Bay wowing the crowd with an intimate performance of his songs and he had an autograph session afterwards.

Here are some pictures that I took of him at the autograph session.

And, yes I did buy his Two Shots CD which he was nice enough to autograph. I love jazz and his music and I am so happy that I got to see him in person.

If you didn't catch him performing on the reality show 'The Casino' (one of Mark Burnett's reality shows) in June 2004, you really missed out. And, if you haven't heard his singing yet, definitely give a listen to his Two Shots CD.

You can find out more information about this incredible singer at his website http://www.mattdusk.com/