It’s been a big weekend for Canadians in NYC (Bahamas, Gentleman Reg, Hidden Cameras, and Amy Millan all played shows), but one act who may have flown under your radar is Toronto’s Andrew Vincent. In 2009, Andrew put out a record called Rotten Pear which got my attention, it’s a bit of a hybrid affair shifting between acoustic folk (with toy accordion) and electrified rock with a bit of a country twang. According to Andrew’s MySpace blog, the album is a mix of some bedroom recordings that date back as far as 2004 along with some newer tracks recorded in the studio, (which kind of makes sense after listening to the album in its entirety). The lyrics are pointed and insightful throughout the record, and despite the layered on band on a few tracks, it still comes across primarily as the vision of a single singer/songwriter (which is a good thing). The more acoustic tracks are really the main draws here for me, and I think they would probably sound great live at a place like The Living Room, which just happens to be where Andrew plays the last of his NYC shows on Sunday (Nov 8) at 8PM sharp. Rotten Pear originally came out in Canada in early January on Kelp Records and was just released last week (Nov 3) in the US on Carrot Top Records, having said that, the best way to purchase it seems to be via Amazon mp3 or iTunes.

More Andrew Vincent tour dates after the jump.

Andrew Vincent 2009 Tour Dates
Nov 08 2009 Living Room Manhattan, New York, NY
Nov 11 2009 Cameron House, Toronto, ON
Nov 20 2009 Cole’s, Chicago, IL
Nov 26 2009 Elmdale Tavern, Ottawa, ON

There’s no mention of Pavement playing Sasquatch! in the press release I received today, but Paste Magazine reports that they will be headlining the annual pacific northwest rock festival next year. Discounted 3 day passes ($170) for Sasquatch! 2010 are available now through December 31 at ticketmaster.com (remember ATP UK sold out in advance on the strength of Pavement and no other announced bands).

Following early sellouts and rave reviews the past several years, and hailed by SPIN as “a pick-your-poison selection for your party at the edge of the earth,” the Sasquatch! Festival returns for its ninth year May 29-31 (Memorial Day Weekend), 2010 at The Gorge in Quincy, WA. For the first time, a special discounted 3-day festival pass will be available in time for the holiday gift season on Saturday, November 7 at 10:00 A.M. (PST) via ticketmaster.com . There are a limited number of discount passes, which will be available through December 31, 2009. The festival’s complete lineup will be announced February 16.

We’re quickly approaching the point of no return as far as significant releases go, before the tide turns to that of gift-oriented, so we have to savor what morsels are thrown our way. This week that means the latest from The Swell Season, Devendra Banhart, Tegan & Sara, Wolfmother, Gemma Ray, Broadcast And The Focus Group, Boat, a live release from R.E.M., a compilation from The Breakaways and deluxe reissues of U2’s The Unforgettable Fire and James Brown’s Live at the Garden: The Expanded Edition.

Playlist: New Releases 10.27.09

As wrong as it is, it’s hard not to think of this album as a sequel to Once, where Glenn Hansard and Marketa Irglova have broken up and are putting it to song. Of course The Swell Season existed before Once, with many of the songs from their debut ending up in the film, so this technically is a follow up to that release, but for the vast majority of the record buying public, Once is the starting point. I’m not sure what Hansard & Irglova are thinking putting their Van Morrison impersonations front and center (opening songs “Low Rising” and “Feeling The Pull”). The rest of the album has worked wonders as a sincerity tonic, cleansing my palate of all the irony and sarcasm in indie rock that are part of my usual diet, and for that I am grateful.

The transition from folk to minimalist new wave pop is almost complete for Tegan and Sara, with this their sixth album, Sainthood. Their past two releases both signaled the change, but the subject matter was a little dark on So Jealous and The Con. Here, there’s a lighter feel to go with the witty banter the sisters showcase during their live set, and it just feels a bit more relaxed, confident… and yes, fun. And when your opening single is titled “Hell,” that’s saying something.

More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Devendra Banhart – What Will Be
Wolfmother – Cosmic Egg
Gemma Ray – Lights Out Zoltar
R.E.M. – Live at the Olympia
Broadcast And The Focus Group – Broadcast And The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults Of The Radio Age
Yo Gabba Gabba: Music Is Awesome
Boat – Setting the Paces / “Lately (I’ve Been On My Back)” [mp3]
The Breakaways – Walking Out on Love: The Lost Sessions
Junk Culture – West Coast / “West Coast” [mp3]
Los Lobos – Los Lobos Goes Disney
Deleted Waveform Gatherings – Ghost, She Said
The Mother Hips – Pacific Dust
Chet – Chelsea Silver, Please Come Home
Chuck Prophet – ¡Let Freedom Ring!
Del McCoury – Family Circle
Gov’t Mule – By a Thread
Awesome New Republic – Hearts
I Love You – Bell Ord Forrest / “The Colloquialism Is Simply ‘Gas’” [mp3]

REISSUES
U2 – The Unforgettable Fire (Deluxe
Reissue)
James Brown Live at the Garden: The Expanded Edition

As a kid, I was a huge MAD Magazine fan, so having Al Jaffee show up in my backyard is something of a dream come true for my 10 year old self. Aside from the famed creator of the “fold-in”, the KingCon Comic & Animation Convention at the Brooklyn Lyceum will play host to a number of well known artists this weekend (Nov 7-8) including: Harvey Pekar, Jonathan Ames, Denny O’Neil (Batman and Green Lantern), Brian Wood (Local and DMZ, Peter Kuper (Spy vs. Spy) and many other talented folks (I’ve never really heard of). Even if your not deep into comics, for $7 (or $10 for a weekend pass), this convention seems like it’s worth checking out just for the “headliners” (I just wish I didn’t have all my old MAD magazines in storage!).

View the weekend panel schedule here and the full list of guests over here.

When a band takes 4 years between albums, a three song EP from the primary songwriter still counts as an “event” in my books. As is usually the case, John K. Samson takes on his (and my) hometown as the subject of his new short player, City Route 85, which came out digitally and on 7″ Tuesday (Nov 3) on ANTI- Records. According to the press materials, the new EP is the “first in a series of recordings exploring the atmospheric streets and highways surrounding Winnipeg, Manitoba”. After reading that, I have to wonder, could the first ever song about bumpershining be far behind?

The City Route 85 of the record’s title is the formal name for Portage Avenue, one of Winnipeg’s main thoroughfares. Samson begins his musical study of this storied street with the song “Heart of the Continent,” set at the corner of Portage Avenue and Memorial Boulevard, where a demolished building is resurrected by a narrator struggling to evoke the losses and despair that haunt the city and its people. “Grace General” travels west along Portage to Grace General Hospital, seen through eyes preparing to face the death of a loved one. The closing song, “Cruise Night” finds a young man desperate to join in the strange and innocent tradition of driving aimlessly up and down Portage Avenue, a social activity Winnipeggers have participated in on Sunday nights for as long as anyone can remember. [ANTI-]

Not one to rest on his laurels, John is taking his solo acoustic act to Germany (where The Weakerthans are huge) starting today (Nov 6). No NYC (or US) dates have been scheduled as of yet, but he’ll be opening for his pals The Constantines at three Ontario shows in December of 2009. All John K. Samson solo tour dates after the jump.

John K. Samson 2009 Solo Tour Dates
11/06 Weissenhauser Strand (Kiel), DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Rolling Stone Weekender (Opening for Kettcar)
11/07 Dortmund, DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Konzerthaus (Opening for Kettcar)
11/08 Berlin, DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Astra (Opening for Kettcar)
11/09 Wiesbaden, DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Ringkirche (Opening for Kettcar)
11/10 Hamburg, DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Fliegende Bauten (Opening for Kettcar)
11/11 Düsseldorf, DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – ZAKK (Headlining)
11/12 Münster, DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Sputnikhalle Café (Headlining)
11/13 Frankfurt, DE- John K Samson Solo – Yellowstage (Hazelwood Studios) (Headlining)
11/14 Stuttgart , DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – 1210 (Headlining)
11/15 München , DE – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Orangehouse (Headlining)
11/16 Zürich, CH – John K. Samson Solo Tour – Hafenkneipe (Headlining)
12/09 Kingston, ON – John K. Sampson Solo Tour – The Grad Club (Opening for The Constantines)
12/10 Hamilton, ON – John K. Sampson Solo Tour – The Casbah (Opening for The Constantines)
12/11 Toronto, ON – John K. Sampson Solo Tour – Lee’s Palace (Opening for The Constantines)

Click here to download your free Pixies Live EP. In case you forgot, the Pixies play the Hammerstein Ballroom on Nov 23, 24 and 25 (early/late) (Buy Tickets).

- Hat tip to Drake LeLane

I was about to call it a night on CMJ Friday (Oct 23), but on my way to the subway I decided to duck into Spike Hill and catch a midnight set by The Bloodsugars. I’m glad I did because the Brooklyn based quartet was previewing new material off of their forthcoming album I Can’t Go, I’ll Go On which comes out on November 17 on Engine Room Recordings. Fans of the BQEP won’t be disappointed, as The Bloodsugars debut LP delivers more of the same catchy and intelligent synth flavored pop that you’ve come to know and love from this band. Here’s a little additional info on the new album from their press release:

According to frontman Jason Rabinowitz, I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On is “a modern prom playlist.” Of course, prom is not without its awkward, painful moments. Written during a time of personal difficulty for band members, I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On is about remembering that there is always something to celebrate, even in the face of major adversity. With their combination of thoughtful lyricism and kinetic beats, the album’s ten new tracks reflect a refreshing optimism and sweetness. Imagine a house designed by Paul Simon, built by Prince, and decorated by The Flaming Lips and you’ll have some idea of where The Bloodsugars live.

The album features a host of indie luminaries, including trumpet player Kyle Resnick (The National), cellist Colette Alexander (Rilo Kiley, Jens Lekman, Rachel Yamagata) and indie darling Bell. Additionally, Philadelphia-based recording wiz Bill Moriarty—the man behind albums by Dr. Dog and Man Man—produced and engineered the record.

If you missed them live at CMJ, you can catch them on tour right now, or for those of you in NYC, they’ll be at The Studio @ Webster Hall on November 21 with Project Jenny, Project Jan and Savoir Adore (Buy Tickets). More of The Bloodsugars tour dates and CMJ pics after the jump.

The Bloodsugars 2009 Tour Dates
11/06/09 Cedar Lounge, Youngstown, OH
11/07/09 Frankie’s, Toledo, OH
11/08/09 Melody Inn, Indianapolis, IN
11/10/09 The Mill, Iowa City, IA
11/11/09 Sauce, Minneapolis, MN
11/12/09 Darkroom, Chicago, IL
11/13/09 Northside Tavern, Cincinnati, OH
11/14/09 Brillobox, Pittsburgh, PA
11/21/09 Studio @ Webster Hall, New York, NY (Buy Tickets)

The Bloodsugars at Spike Hill (10/23/09)

This just in:

Radio Happy Hour
Craig Finn & Tad Kubler of The Hold Steady
and Chuck Klosterman
at (Le) Poisson Rouge

Nov. 14, 2009
1pm doors | 2pm show
Buy Tickets

Radio Happy Hour, a live variety show featuring a made-for-radio murder mystery sitcom and guest stars, is following up their hilarious summer series, which has previously featured Norah Jones, Andrew W.K., Tunde Adebimpe (of TV on the Radio) and Michael Showalter, with a November episode starring The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn & Tad Kubler as well as author Chuck Klosterman. The guest pairing comes on the heels of the announcement that Finn will be penning the big-screen adaptation of Klosterman’s book Fargo Rock City. On top of an interview with the band and Klosterman, The Hold Steady will give two intimate performances, and Finn and Kubler will star in the murder mystery radio-play as two bickering brothers on family vacation with their step-father Chuck Klosterman. When they make a pit stop for drinks at a small town bar along the way, they get fingered for a murder they may or may not have committed.

As with the show every month Radio Happy Hour will be punctuated with a happy hour in the Gallery at (le) Poisson Rouge with the stars, an audience quiz, and more than a few surprises.

Novels is a new side project from Tokyo Police Club’s Graham Wright, Will Currie of Will Currie and The Country French, Luke Lalonde of Born Ruffians, Dean Marino of Tin Star Orphans, and Jason Sadlowski of Chemical Sound. Novels initially came together for a marathon jam session in January of 2009 where they wrote, recorded, and arranged an 5 song EP in one day. Since then, the “band” has taken an unconventional approach to marketing their music, the songs aren’t posted anywhere and the EP isn’t for sale, but they recently screened a 35 minute documentary of their all night recording session (shot by film maker Wade Vroom) at this year’s Pop Montreal festival. Here’s a little bit of silliness from the band’s CBC Radio 3 web page.

Hello.

In January of 2009, five of us locked ourselves away in Chemical Sound Studios in Toronto with the goal of writing, arranging, and recording an EP from scratch in one marathon session. When we stumbled out the door in the wee hours of the next morning, we found ourselves with what we’re now calling NOVELS.

NOVELS won’t be sold in CD stores, on the internet, or anywhere else. Instead, we’ll give them away, or put them places. Maybe you’ll find a copy sitting on a park bench. Maybe a masked man will hand you one as he passes you on the street. Maybe none of these things will happen. But we’ll make sure that everyone gets a chance to listen if they want to.

We also had some friends come along to take pictures and video, which can be found on this website as well as in various other places on the internet. [Novels on CBC Radio 3]

View some video clips of their recording session after the jump.

NOVELS – Introduction & Pitch Session from Wade Vroom on Vimeo.

NOVELS – This Wouldn’t Be The First Time (Chapter 1 of 5) from Wade Vroom on Vimeo.

NOVELS – Mr. Foster’s Teenage Daughter (Chapter 2 of 5) from Wade Vroom on Vimeo.

NOVELS – Big Run (Chapter 3 of 5) from Wade Vroom on Vimeo.

NOVELS – Record In Hand (Chapter 4 of 5) from Wade Vroom on Vimeo.

NOVELS – No Hard Feelings (Chapter 5 of 5) from Wade Vroom on Vimeo.

In anticipation of the holidays, big time book readings are starting to slow down a little at our local area chains, but there are still a few good things this month. Here’s a list of November B&N and Borders events that I thought were interesting for one reason or another:

November 2009 Barnes & Noble (NYC)
11/05/09 Kenneth Turan, Oskar Eustis, Gail Papp (Lincoln Triangle)
11/05/09 Editors of The Onion (Tribeca)
11/05/09 Chris Welles Feder (82nd & Bwy)
11/05/09 Paul Auster (USQ)
11/09/09 KRS One (Tribeca)
11/09/09 Jennifer Burns: Ayn Rand and the American Right (82nd & Bwy)
11/11/09 Harold Evans (86th & Lex)
11/10/09 Gail Buckland: Who Shot Rock’n Roll (Lincoln Triangle)
11/12/09 Andre Agassi 12:30 PM (Fifth Ave)
11/14/09 Amy Sohn 2 PM (Park Slope!)
11/16/09 Jonathan Safran Foer (USQ)
11/17/09 Jim Cramer (USQ)
11/17/09 George Packer (86th & Lex)
11/18/90 Orhan Pamuk (USQ)
11/19/09 Wally Lamb (86th & Lex)
11/21/09 Thomas Keller (86th & Lex)
11/23/09 David Chang (USQ)

November 2009 Borders (NYC)
11/06/09 Jamie Oliver (Park Ave)
11/10/09 Chuck Klosterman (CC)
11/16/09 Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (CC)
11/16/09 Andrew Ross Sorkin (Park Ave)
11/17/09 Cory Doctorow: Makers (CC)

Friends of BAM receive priority access (through November 8) to the upcoming Dan Zanes & Friends family concerts at the Howard Gilman Opera House on Feb 6, 2010 (Buy Tickets). I also just noticed that Dan is playing a posh gig on November 8, 2009 at the Tribeca Cinemas in NYC (54 Varick St). The Sunday show, a benefit for the Mario Batali Foundation, also includes a screening of Wes Anderson’s new film Fantastic Mr. Fox (Buy Tickets). Last but not least, Dan’s excellent new DVD entitled The Fine Friends Are Here (my review) is in stores now.

Dan Zanes and Friends
Part of BAMfamily and Sounds Like Brooklyn
Feb 6 at 2 & 5pm

Brooklyn’s very own Grammy Award-winners Dan Zanes and Friends bring their wild dance party concerts filled with surprising and eclectic special guests to BAM for a unique program. Rock star to the little people, Zanes, and his band will sing songs in English and Spanish in their own homespun style.

Special guests for these performances will include tap dancer extraordinaire Derick K Grant, an African drum and dance group from the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration’s Youth Arts Academy, and more. Everyone’s invited!

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
60min
Tickets: $15, 25

The 6th Annual New York Comedy Festival starts tonight (Nov 4) and they’ve got some big shows lined up for the next five days including: Stand Up For Heroes (with Bruce Springsteen, Stephen Colbert, Louis C.K., and special guests), Ricky Gervais, Patton Oswalt, Andy Samberg, Tracy Morgan, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Maher and many others. As far as comedy goes, by and large this is a pretty mainstream festival, but this year they have partnered with the Upright Citizens Brigade and 92Y Tribeca for a number of shows in an effort to give the fest an air of indie cred. You can obtain free tickets to all of the Comedy Central Presents shows at this year’s NY Comedy Festival by clicking on this link (most are already full though).

Check out the full New York Comedy Festival lineup after the jump.

2009 New York Comedy Festival

Blue Water Grill Comedy Show
Blue Water Grill,
Wed, Nov 4th

Celebrity Autobiography
Carolines on Broadway,
Wed, Nov 4th

Cipha Sounds
Carolines on Broadway,
Wed, Nov 4th

Comedy Central Presents
Gerald Lynch Theater at John Jay College,
Wed, Nov 4th

Stand-Up For Heroes
A Benefit For The Bob Woodruff Foundation
Town Hall,
Wed, Nov 4th

Your Favorite Band Sucks…at Comedy
A Night of Hilarious Musical Acts
UCB Theatre,
Wed, Nov 4th

Dane Cook
Dane Cook and Friends
Madison Square Garden,
Thu, Nov 5th

Funny Business
Carolines on Broadway,
Thu, Nov 5th

Jake Johannsen
Jake Johannsen at Gotham Comedy Club
Gotham Comedy Club,
Thu, Nov 5th

Mario Cantone
Special Engagement
Carolines on Broadway,
Thu, Nov 5th-8th

Mike Birbiglia
Mike Birbiglia: I’m in the Future Also
Town Hall,
Thu, Nov 5th

Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais: Out of England II
Carnegie Hall,
Thu, Nov 5th

The Best Sketch in NY
Showcase
UCB Theatre,
Thu, Nov 5th

YOU SAY TOMATO, I SAY SHUT UP… A LOVE STORY
92Y TRIBECA,
Thu, Nov 5th

Artie Lange
Artie Lange Live
The Beacon Theatre,
Fri, Nov 6th

Bill Burr
Bill Burr: Let it Go
Town Hall,
Fri, Nov 6th

Keeping It Fresh
Television Writing in the Internet Age
The Paley Center,
Fri, Nov 6th

Myspace Secret Stand-up Show – Rob Schneider
Carolines on Broadway,
Fri, Nov 6th

Time Out New York Approved
UCB Theatre,
Fri, Nov 6th

Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan’s Hard Knock Life
Carnegie Hall,
Fri, Nov 6th

Afterbirth
Stories you won’t read in a parenting magazine
Carolines on Broadway,
Sat, Nov 7th

Mike Epps
The Mike Epps is Rottin’ in the Apple Comedy Show
The Beacon Theatre,
Sat, Nov 7th

Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt Live
Town Hall,
Sat, Nov 7th

The Truthiness Behind the Lines
An In-depth look behind the scenes with the Colbert Report Writes
The Paley Center,
Sat, Nov 7th

Writing for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Writers of nbc’s “Late Night” will discuss their process and look uncomfortable”
The Paley Center,
Sat, Nov 7th

Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg and Friends Live from Town Hall
Town Hall,
Sun, Nov 8th

Bill Maher
An Evening with Bill Maher
Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center,
Sun, Nov 8th

Louis CK
Special Engagement: One Night Only
Carolines on Broadway,
Sun, Nov 8th

Urban Myth – Comedy Storytelling
Gotham Comedy Club,
Sun, Nov 8th

UPDATE: I just realized that I forgot to mention that The Boss will also be appearing tonight (Nov 4) at the Stand Up For Heroes benefit at Town Hall along with Brian Williams, Stephen Colbert, Louis CK, Lisa Lampanelli, John Ondrasik and other special guests..

In between his regular tour dates with the E Street Band, Bruce Springsteen will be appearing (presumably solo) at a benefit concert for Autism Speaks on November 17, 2009 at Carnegie Hall. Tickets for that show are pretty pricey, but it’s a benefit, and it’s for a good cause.

Benefit Concert for Autism Speaks with Jerry Seinfeld
and a special appearance by Bruce Springsteen
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Seventh Avenue and 57th Street, New York City
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Pre-show Private Reception for Sponsors
Sponsored by KRG Children’s Charitable Foundation (Business Attire)
7:30 PM: Performance
Buy Tickets

In other Boss news, it has just been announced that Bruce will be reviving the classic album + greatest hits format for his two upcoming Madison Square Garden shows (Buy Tickets). New Yorker’s will be treated to the The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle and The River, each being performed in their entirety for the first time.

Special programs announced for this weekend’s Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band shows at Madison Square Garden

On Saturday, November 7, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle in its entirety for the first time.

On Sunday, November 8, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform The River in its entirety for the first time.

The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle was originally released in 1973 and The River was originally released in 1980. They now join Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, and Born in the USA as albums that Bruce and the Band have performed in their entirety during their Fall tour. [BruceSpringsteen.net]

One of the striking things about the shows is that most scenes were filmed once without the opportunity to reshoot if things weren’t quite right. On the new set of remastered DVDs, Cleese provides a commentary that reveals him as a frustrated perfectionist. He chuckles along at classic moments — “excuse me laughing at my own jokes, but I think that was Connie’s” — but is also hypercritical. He points out where moments of slapstick weren’t spot-on, analyses how lines could have been tweaked and picks over minute editing decisions: “Could have taken the first three seconds off that shot.”

But what is striking is how quick the show still seems. “It hasn’t lost pace, that’s the great thing about it,” says Scales. “And that’s because of the talent of Connie and John and the rigour of John; how fast he played. If you couldn’t keep up with him you had to really get in there. That’s what its enduring quality is, the pace.”

The reaction of the audiences when they recorded the shows was positive, but she had no inkling that she was involved in something that would go on to top polls of the greatest British television programmes. [Times Online]

This set is truly a gem and something every comedy fan should own, that’s why I’m pleased to offer 3 copies of Fawlty Towers: The Complete Series Remastered DVD box set to three lucky readers of this site. To enter the contest, just fill out the entry form after the jump (just don’t mention the war!). Winners will be notified and selected on November 11, 2009. Contest is available to US and Canadian residents.

But wait, that’s not all, in addition to my contest, there is a “Fawlty Towers Lookalike Contest” going on right now on Facebook where you can win even bigger prizes including a signed John Cleese Photo, a John Cleese signed Fawlty Towers DVD and a bunch of other FT related items. John Cleese himself will be picking the winners of this contest!

Bumpershine contest entry form, more info about the DVD box set and the Fawlty Towers Lookalike Contest after the jump.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered

Actors: John Cleese, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, Prunella Scales
Format: Box set, DVD, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Subtitled, NTSC
Language: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 3
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Warner
DVD Release Date: October 20, 2009
Run Time: 374 minutes

Product Description
Coming to Special Edition DVD for the first time, it’s the complete Fawlty Towers collection with all-new commentary from John Cleese! Hot off the runaway success of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, John Cleese embarked on his now-legendary sitcom, Fawlty Towers, creating one of the most memorable and best loved characters in all of British comedy, Basil Fawlty. Basil Fawlty is a much put-upon, hard-working hotel manager whose life is plagued by dead guests, hotel inspectors, and riff-raff. Of course his biggest headache is his “little nest of vipers,” his nagging wife Sibyl. Together they run their hotel, Fawlty Towers, with a little help from the unflappable Polly and the trainee waiter from Barcelona with marginally more intelligence than a monkey, Manuel.

-Exclusive commentary by John Cleese
-2009 extended interviews, including exclusive interview with Connie Booth
-Accompanying booklet
-Interviews with John Cleese, Prunella Scales, and Andrew Sachs
-Series 1 director’s commentary by John Howard Davies
-Series 2 director’s commentary by Bob Spiers
-Artist profiles
-Outtakes
-Torquay Tourist Guide (short documentary film)
-Cheap Tatty Review

Episodes

Series 1
A Touch of Class – Basil Fawlty is in a campaign to improve the class of his clientele at Fawlty Towers. His efforts have spectacular results – in the short term.

The Builders – Sybil has picked a professional firm for the alterations to the hotel. But Basil makes an executive decision that his friend can do a better job.

The Wedding – Basil occupies himself in a losing battle against moral turpitude. His predicament is exacerbated by Manuel’s birthday celebrations.

Hotel Inspectors – One of the dreaded events in a hotel manager’s life is the inspector’s visit. One calls, and Basil has to decide which of the guests he is.

Gourmet Night – It is Gourmet Night at Fawlty Towers, and it seems that Basil’s long cherished dream will be realized. But the chef lies drunk on the floor.

The Germans – A moose head falls on Basil during a fire drill, giving him a concussion. But he must leave hospital to deal tactfully with a group of German tourists.

Series 2
Communications Problems – A nearly deaf and very difficult Mrs. Richards arrives at the hotel. When she loses a large sum of money, she demands that the police be called.

The Psychiatrist – Basil is certain one of the guests has smuggled a girl into his room and sets out to investigate. Unfortunately, he is caught in a compromising situation by Sybil.

Waldorf Salad – An American guest tips Basil to keep the kitchen open late, but chef has left for the day. Basil steps in, but he meets his Waterloo when the guest requests a Waldorf Salad.

The Kipper and the Corpse – What should a hotelier do when he serves a guest breakfast in bed and finds that guest dead? Whatever that something may be, Basil does not do it.

Anniversary – It is Basil and Sibyl’s anniversary, and Basil has actually remembered. In true Basil fashion, however, he has not told Sybil he has remembered and she is hugely upset.

Basil the Rat – Manuel has been ordered to get rid of his pet rat before the health inspector pays a visit. But the pet breaks away, leading the Major to trying to shoot the rodent in the bar.

Fawlty Towers Lookalike Contest (http://tr.im/fawltycontest)

Grand Prize
One (1) grand prize winner receives a prize pack that includes:
*Signed John Cleese Photo
*Signed Fawlty Towers DVD
*Fawlty Towers embroidered white terry-cloth bathrobe
*Fawlty Towers story of Britain’s Favorite Sitcom book
*Fawlty Towers corgi toy car

2nd Prize
One (1) second prize winner will receive:
A signed Fawlty Towers DVD and a Fawlty Towers corgi toy car.

3rd Prize
One (1) third prize winner will receive: A signed Fawlty Towers DVD.
Prize Eligibility

This contest is open to people at least 18 years old that reside in United States.

Contest Starts
October 21, 2009 @ 12:00 pm (PDT)

Contest Ends
November 15, 2009 @ 08:59 pm (PST)

Need more Details?
Read the Official Rules

The massively popular UK teen drama Skins is being remade for American television and casting for the new series is about to begin in New York and Toronto.

US cable network MTV is to create an American version of hit E4 teen drama Skins and has promised to “preserve the authenticity” of the UK version, which included graphic scenes of drug taking, drinking, swearing and casual sex.

Viacom-owned MTV landed the rights to develop the drama – which regularly pulled in more than 1 million viewers during its three series on Channel 4’s digital channel E4 – “after intense competition” over two years, according to the US broadcaster.

In a bid to maintain the original production’s successful model of bringing in new young writers, MTV will also draft in teenagers to write and star in the series, which will be set in Baltimore, Maryland. [Guardian.co.uk]

The Skins USA Open Casting Call will take place on November 15, 2009 at University Settlement (273 Bowery at Houston, New York, NY) from 10AM – 4PM. They are looking for teens aged 15-18, actors and non-actors are welcome.

Here’s a little more about the casting call from the flyer:

No acting experience necessary, we are seeking brave, charismatic, genuine, edgy teens. All ethnicities are encouraged to attend.

Skins is a comedic drama that follows a group of teenagers from Baltimore, Maryland as they grow up. Skins deals with the personal struggles, issues of race, religion, drugs, sexuality and eating disorders.