Magic in the City
March 28, 2008
Quarrington is, among other things, an extremely amateur magician. (This interest arose out of a novel he wrote, The Spirit Cabinet, which features a couple of Las Vegas style showmen, not unlike his beloved Siegfried and Roy). Recently, on the advice of his friend Baldini (himself a prestidigitator of considerable talent), he attended a performance at Toronto’s Tranzac Club. First there was a display of mentalism by Mysterion (and then some metal music, during which Quarrington drank in the back room which featured a pleasantly whuss singer/songwriter) and then Steve Santini performed some terrifically terrifying escapes. I mean, how often do you see an escapist here in Toronto? I myself want more, more, more!!Here’s a picture of a Golden Lion Tamarin (I was in Brazil this summer, working on a movie, from which I was fired) because I had nothing better to illustrate this magical theme: 
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Futures Go To Port
March 27, 2008
Porkbelly Futures had a lovely time last week in Port, that is, Port Colborne, Ontario. On Friday night, Quarrington did a reading at the Roselawn Centre as part of the series put on by William Thomas. Then the “trio”–Rebecca, Martin and myself–played some songs from the new CD. Chas and Stuart arrived the next morning, and in the evening the whole group set up on the patio of “The Smokin’ Buddha.” We’ll be back there in September to wrap up the patio season. A real highlight was the wonderfully authentic Italian meal we ate at “Lucy’s.”
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Moving Stories Film Festival Seeking Submissions
March 23, 2008
Have a short film inspired by works of literature? Here’s the place to submit it.
The Moving Stories Film Festival
Producer Judith Keenan of BookShorts fame was the first to marry the creation of moving pictures with the release of the printed work upon which the short film is based, and introduce both to the public in a context that supports the authors, filmmakers and in service to helping readers, or new readers, find the books they love.
Literacy for Everyone!
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Congrats To Colin Linden
March 23, 2008
We understand that Colin Linden, whose stunning slide guitar solos on Gladstone Hotel and Hemingway enhanced our “Way Past Midnight” release, has joined Emmylou Harris’s band.
We are big fans of Emmylou, and her music has been a continuing influence. (We’ve also admired her guitarists: Ricky Skaggs, James Burton, Albert Lee, Daniel Lanois, Buddy Miller and now Colin. Whew!)
We therefore feel a special connection to both Colin and Emmylou as well as to blues singing sensation Roxanne Potvin who guests on our new CD and has a impressive new release of her own, produced by… Colin Linden.
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Paul Scheduled to Direct the Short Film Pavane
March 22, 2008
Paul Quarrington’s book The Ravine will be getting the BookShort treatment.
Titled “Pavane,” Paul will write and direct the short film based on his novel The Ravine.
The film has just been greanted a Bravo!Fact Award and is scheduled for a June 2008 release.
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Moose TV Wins CFTPA Indie Award for Best Comedy Series
March 22, 2008
The little indie sitcom “Moose TV” gets a surprise win in the comedy series category, besting ratings leaders “Corner Gas” and “Little Mosque on the Prairie.”
“Moose TV,” which stars Adam Beach as a native Canadian who returns to his hometown and starts up a pirate TV station, is produced by Montreal production house Rezolution Pictures and aired on the pay TV channel Showcase.
Paul Quarrington is the story editor for Moose TV.
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Porkbellys Play the Best Folk/Roots Concert of the Year
March 22, 2008
James Reaney Music Editor of the London Free Press votes one of our Ontario appearances last fall Best Folk/Roots Concert of the Year.
“Porkbelly Futures played The London Music Club to an appreciative audience and were as bloody great as you’d expect from a band good enough to have somebody from the Canadian Brass playing guitars and harmonica, the double bassist from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra bowing away and a Governor General’s Award-winning novelist supplying most of the lyrics. And they had London’s Teddy Leonard guesting on guitar. When Porkbelly Futures come back, don’t you dare miss them.” James Reaney, London Free Press, Dec. 29/07
Thank you Mr. Reaney!
We were also pleased to see Blackie and the Rodeo Kings (featuring Porkbelly contributor Colin Linden) in runner-up spot.
We’ll be back at the London Musical Club on Saturday, March 22. The estimable Mr. Leonard will be with us.
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Porkbelly Futures new CD hits the stores!
March 22, 2008
Porkbelly Futures’ new CD has been released by Cordova Bay Entertainment Group. It is entitled “Porkbelly Futures” so as to avoid any confusion. Please walk into your nearest music outlet and say, “Please give me ‘Porkbelly Futures’ by that great band, um… I forget.” OR… you can order your CD on ITunes. Or select individual songs. Indeed, we kind of like that, because the tracks get little lines after them, and the more popular, the longer the line. Quarrington, Worthy and Laughton, the chief writers for the band, are having kind of a horse race! So, come on! Help Quarrington’s pony win!!
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Quarrington on the Cover of Quill and Quire
March 22, 2008
Quill & Quire Feature Story of Canada Reads champ Paul Quarrington in the April issue of Quill & Quire, where Quarrington talks candidly about how his personal life affected his new novel, The Ravine.
In the April 2008 issue of Q&Q:
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Paul Quarrington Admits The Ravine is Semi-autobiographical
March 21, 2008
“It’s about this writer who squanders his talents in television, drinks too much, screws around and ruins his marriage,” he says. “So, yes, I’ve been telling people it’s semi-autobiographical.”
Read the complete article in The Star “
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