Co-hosted by Daniele Palanca (Danny-Boy), George Rizok (J’orge), and
produced by Jolie Inthavong (G.I.Jolie) the Syndicate will start shooting episodes at
Phog Lounge again on February 22. That marks the fifth anniversary of the bizarre talk
show that started on youtube, expanded to TV Cogeco, and is now seen on various cable
affiliates throughout Ontario and Michigan.

“It’s a dream come true to flip through channels and see a comic book discussion
on TV” says Mike. “One channel is reporting on the presidential race, and the next
features a heated debate titled ‘Michael Keaton vs. Christian Bale’. It really does put
things in their proper perspective.”

George is proud of the exposure they have given to comic book creators. “We’ve
interviewed Chris Claremont, Michael Golden and Darwyn Cooke. Even if the show
warrants a footnote in the history of Canadian television, I’m happy!”

While millions flock to the superhero movies, is the audience for comic books
large enough to support its own talk show? “I think so,” says Jolie. “We’ve been
recognized on the street in Windsor, Detroit and Chicago. The audience is small, but it’s
loyal!”

“Comics have given me years of reading pleasure, and I owe it a to the people
that created them” adds George. “As a wise man once said: with great responsibility
comes…great responsibility?”

Join the fun at Phog Lounge for the live taping of their season premier on
February 22. For additional information, see www.comicbooksyndicate.com.

MARK BRAGG – Your Boys Home from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.

When Mark Bragg last came to Windsor…he got a killer write-up in the Windsor Star.
Not the usual case to get so much space and a huge photo. The guy is awesome. His band is excellent. And he’s coming from NEWFOUNDLAND.

They play Phog Lounge on Friday, February 17th. For only $5…which is just wildly under-priced.

Not only is he coming with a full band, but Wax Mannequin is joining him with his fierce brand of rock entertainment! One of my all-time favourite performers.

And Kara Kaufmann, of Windsor, is going to open the show with her phenomenal piano-playing-prowess and vocal vivaciousness.

The Juno Award Nominees list came out very recently, and the group of performers that’ve played Phog is ever-expanding.
Not only are we proud that we held them on our little stage, but we’re jazzed that these performers are getting the long-deserved spotlight shone on them.

Here’s a list of this year’s Juno Nominess that’ve played Phog Lounge:

Group of The Year – Arkells
New Artist of the Year – Dan Mangan
New Group of the Year – Mother Mother
- The Rural Alberta Advantage
Songwriter of the Year – Dan Mangan
Adult Alternative Album of the Year – Cuff The Duke
Alternative Album of the Year – Dan Mangan
Rock Album of the Year – Arkells
Rap Recording of the Year – D-Sisive
Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Solo – Craig Cardiff
Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Group – Good Lovelies
- The Deep Dark Woods
- Twilight Hotel
Video of the Year (EVERY NOMINEE HAS PLAYED PHOG or PHOG EVENT!)
- The Stand by Mother Mother
- Rows of Houses by Dan Mangan
- Stamp by Rural Alberta Advantage
- Good Day At The Races by Hollerado
- Rumbleseat by The Sadies

Dennis Maitland is a young, quickly rising Detroit based photographer with a constantly changing creative vision. He is known for pushing the boundaries and limits of himself which can be seen his photos. Dennis has an education in film production/visual effects which helped hone his photography talent and vision.

His theme and passion is quite obvious as most of his photos are from the Detroit (and surrounding) area. Detroit is seen as a mecca by urban explorers/photographers and is flooded with talented. Dennis helped make himself stand out by numerous photo series that are unlike anything Detroit has seen.

His “Year of the Rabbit” series helped him build a respectable reputation and fan base in the Detroit area. The self portrait project includes numerous photos of Dennis and his rubber rabbit mask. Utilizing the abandoned buildings of Detroit as his backdrop, the photos have a somewhat creepy, ominous feeling to them.

Dennis’ most talked about series is sure to make some stomachs turn and even give a sense of vertigo. His “Life on the Edge” series features pictures of Dennis’ feet dangling over the edge of buildings located primarily throughout Detroit. The outcome being a collection of astounding images, beautifully shot with stunning contrast and depth which will immerse viewers into a view behind his camera. No Photoshop trickery here.

His show will be up at Phog for the entirety of February, and he’ll be selling framed photos for a STEAL while also selling many prints:
5 – 16×20′s, 5 – 18×24′s, 1 – 20×30 all framed and matted. Also about 30+ 8×10/8×12 prints in clear plastic sleeves.

February
Thursday 2 – Some Kind Of Invasion – US Comedians Attack Again
Friday 3 – Gypsy Chief Goliath w/ Cellos, and Thunder Hora
Saturday 4 – Will Currie and The Country French (Waterloo) w/ Menos Mal
Monday 6 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Wednesday 8 – Phog Phunk Phest VI: Windsor Canadian Music Festival
Friday 10 – Ron Leary (Toronto) w/ Great Aunt Ida (Toronto) and Henry Svec (Toronto)
Saturday 11 – FREE SHOW – Pat Robitaille, Efan!, and Mike Hargreaves Jam Night
Sunday 12 – Film Night – Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song
Monday 13 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Wednesday 15 - TOAST Open Mic Poetry
Friday 17 – Mark Bragg – full band (St. John’s, NFLD), w/ Wax Mannequin (Hamilton) Kara Kaufmann
Saturday 18 – Awake To A Dream w/ Diesel Junkies, and Stone River (Toronto)
Monday 20 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Wednesday 22 – Comic Book Syndicate live filming!!!
Friday 24 – Dennis Maitland Art Reception with the Myskow Family Revue (7pm – 10pm), followed at 10:30pm by Father Head (Toronto) and Justin Faubert
Saturday 25 – The Blue Stones (Windsor), Little City (Toronto), Crissi Cochrane (Halifax / Windsor), and Jackie Robitaille
Sunday 26 – FILM NIGHT – American: the Bill Hicks Story
Monday 27 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L

March
Friday 2 – SixtyFirstSecond w/ Leighton Bain, and Ravenscode (Toronto)
Saturday 3 – Speakeasies (Guelph) w/ Club Thunderbolt (Windsor)
Monday 5 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Tuesday 6 – FREE Poetry / Book Reading w/ Marty Gervais, John Wing Jr., Peter Hrastovec, Vanessa Shields & Kate Hargreaves
Thursday 8 – Erin Elizadeth Art Show Opening and B-Day Party
Friday 9 – Samantha Martin and The Haggard (Toronto) w/ Tara Watts
Saturday 10 – Birthday Cakes (Sudbury) w/ The Tighe Brothers, and The Blue Stones
Sunday 11 – FILM NIGHT – The Untouchables AND Call In (short film, shot in Windsor)
Monday 12 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Wednesday 14 – Zachary Lucky (Saskatoon) w/ Carly Maicher (Grand Manan, NB)
Friday 16 – Cellos w/ Mad Anthony (Cincinnati), and The Blue Stones
Monday 19 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Wednesday 21 – TOAST Open Mic Poetry
Thursday 22 – Craig Cardiff (Ottawa) – TWO SHOWS – All Ages at 7pm / 19+ at 10pm
Friday 23 – Amos The Transparent (Ottawa) w/ TBA
Sunday 25 – Rococode (Vancouver) w/ Sea and Air (Germany)
Monday 26 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Tuesday 27 - Dekadens (Bucharest/UK) w/ TÉA (Vancouver)
Friday 30 – The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra (Toronto) w/ TBA
Saturday 31 – The Tyres w/ ASK, and Bella Clava (Toronto)

http://www.cbc.ca/thebridge/episodes/2011/06/08/it-wont-be-music-coming-thru-the-doors-of-the-phog-lounge-in-windsor-tomorrow-nightitll-be-laughter/

We have hilarious Detroit-area comedians returning to Phog for the fourth successful show in a year…

Each visit has seen great, receptive crowds and we expect more of the same. If you’re a fan of comedy, come see the show that has been proven to draw a crowd again and again for a funny Thursday night out!

2011 was a big year for Phog. That growth, evolution, and change for the better was almost solely due to my business partner, Frank Incitti. Period.

It started with an insistence on changing the way we book shows. And while I was apprehensive, he was absolutely right. The changes have been great for Phog, the touring bands, and the scene in general. I won’t go into specifics, but they were needed in a big way.

In the area of 2011, Frank introduced a vast poutine menu which impressed everyone with a penchant for gravy-goodness. It took a brief hiatus, but came back even stronger in December with a full gourmet pizza menu along with all the specialty poutines. With Stephen Hargreaves’ help, Frank designed and creatively introduced the new menu by naming all the pizzas after famous albums and musicians. The menu has been the single greatest adjustment to Phog since we opened.

In the middle of the year, Frank bought paint and did an ocean of work to change the look and feel of Phog. He did most of the patching, all of the sanding, the lion’s share of the painting, and then installed all of the new art-hanging infrastructure to eliminate damage to our walls. It has been a noticeable and excellent change.

With art, Frank decided to be the booking contact for Phog. All of the art shows that went up, went through Frank’s scrutiny first. And I think he did a great job.

Hopping online, he searched out various items to improve the bar including a brand new sound board (which is WAY better than what we were using prior) and an entirely new matching set of chairs (which have not been unleashed yet). We didn’t even unpack them yet. When we do, you’ll notice.

The social media realm is now unsafe from the touch of Frank since he decided to get himself a Twitter account (@PhogPhrank) to further promote the menu and events at Phog. He does this in a way (frankly) I simply cannot do. It’s his MUCH NEEDED voice.

Phog Phest 3 wasn’t going to happen. I had my mind set on skipping 2011. Frank was insistent about having the event, and being a more integral part of the process. The event, with his guidance, ran so smoothly and with a feeling of confidence that I almost didn’t recognize it. By far, it was the most successful Phog Phest yet. I can’t wait to collaborate with him on Phog Phest Phour.

Frank has always endured an incredible amount of work to keep Phog going. But the effort from Frank in 2011 is, in my opinion, the biggest contribution that either of us has made for this business/community in our 8-year history. This business has evolved in it’s scope, reach, and purpose because of his enormous reach this past year. He has sparked a renewed vigor and interest for the way we do things, and why we do them in this scene.

Thanks Frank.
I mean it.

February
Thursday 2 – Some Kind Of Invasion – US Comedians Attack Again
Friday 3 – Gypsy Chief Goliath w/ Cellos, and Thunder Hora
Saturday 4 – Will Currie and The Country French (Waterloo)
Monday 6 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Wednesday 8 – Funk Fest Five as part of WCMF (Windsor Canadian Music Festival)
Friday 10 – Ron Leary (Toronto) w/ Great Aunt Ida (Toronto) and Henry Svec (Toronto)
Sunday 12 – Film Night – Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song
Monday 13 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Friday 17 – Mark Bragg – full band (St. John’s, NFLD), w/ TBA
Saturday 18 – Awake To Dream w/ Diesel Junkies, and Stone River (Toronto)
Monday 20 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L
Wednesday 22 – TOAST Open Mic Poetry
Sunday 26 – Film Night – The Untouchables
Monday 27 – Open Mic Surgery with James O-L

There’ll be loads of giveaways and draw-prizes. And Frank will be cooking up loads of the new menu items (platinum pizzas and plentiful poutines with TONS of toppings!)

Featuring

The Rowley Estate
Your Best Bet
Jeffrey David’s Blues Connection
Allison Brown
and
Shrimp Yogurt

MC – Chris Crossroads

There will be a killer draw at midnight for Clash/Mescaleros CD’s, Terra Cotta gift certificates, Graphic Novels from Rouges Gallery, T-shirts from The Mill Tavern, CJAM swag and more!

A Super Community Event with all proceeds going to the Windsor Youth Centre on Wyandotte Street East!!

ONLY $5!!!

See you there!

It’s been YEARS since we got Run With The Kittens into Phog. That’s why Saturday, December 17th is so special. This is the band that notoriously arrives in a full length black school bus with their band name emblazoned on the side in white letters.

This is quite simply one of the most electric, schizophrenic, hilarious, talent-soaked bands that bothers with our little building. They have ridiculous energy, and a penchant for wild antics onstage. We are THRILLED that they’re returning.

They bring along the oft-headlining Speakeasies from Guelph who bring a ton of rock, and fantastic Guelph peeps. They’ve been to Phog a lot more lately…and that’s a very good thing. Their last show with The Locusts ave No King was amazing.

Also playing this gig will be Menos Mal…who seem to be getting more and more attention with each show they play. They’re eager to get on this bill with such dynamic musicians…and this show will impress the likes of neophytes like me, or the accomplishes musician.

Bring a friend.