Once again, it's the Friday Five:

1. What was the first band you saw in concert?
I went to my first concert at age 12. This was not my choice but rather my parent's. We went to the Ottawa Ex at Lansdowne Park and saw Kenny Rogers and Dotti West. The first concert I went to on my own (with my friends) was at age 15 and it was April Wine. Yuck huh?

2. Who is your favorite artist/band now?
I can't actually say that I have one favourite artist/band. My favourite British band at the moment is Hefner. My favourite girl singer is Kirsty MacColl. My favourite British singer-song writer is Billy Bragg. My favourite Scottish band is Belle and Sebastian. My favourite American alt.country band is Wilco. One of my favourite American pop bands is Fountains of Wayne. One of my favourite American singer-songwriter is probably Jonathan Richman. My favourite Canadian roots type guy is Fred Eaglesmith and one of my favourite Canadian singer-songwriters is Ron Sexsmith. Honestly, I have too many favourite Canadian bands and artists to list just one so I'd best stop now.

3. What's your favorite song?
I don't have one favourite song. I have many favourite songs. Amongst those in heavy rotation this week are: Across the Universe - The Beatles, Poses - Rufus Wainwright, The Sylvia Hotel - Zumpano and Streets of Baltimore - Gram Parsons.

4. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
I'd love to learn how to the play the guitar.

5. If you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why?
Yikes. Good question. In my life I've met a few musical icons already and I'm always terrified to meet someone who I truly admire and respect for fear of being let down. I would have loved to have had the opportunity to meet Kirsty MacColl. She was an amazing, under-appreciated talent. I've been huge of hers for many many years. Her music moves me and affects me more deeply than I would have ever imagined. I don't know that I will ever get over her death. To this day, to think about it makes me so sad that I just want to put on Titanic Days and cry...and some days, I do.