cats and metal (like birds of a feather)

I know a lot of cat-loving metalheads, so I was pretty confident I'm not the only crazy cat freak in the metal world. (Apparently I would have understood this better had I been a more dedicated Decibel reader, since they published a feature on metalheads and cats in 2009.)

My contributions to cat rescue have been modest so far – sharing my house with cats, being nice to strays, donating and spreading the word when I can (in print and online), and volunteering for a short time at Burlington Humane Society. Compared to Nuclear Blast USA accountant, Tanja Schoor, I'm a complete amateur!

Nuclear Blast announced this week that Schoor has opened her own cat shelter in Virginia: Clover Cat Rescue. The mandate is to save cats from euthanasia and other sad fates, adopt them out to good homes, and to promote spaying and neutering to help reduce the numbers of uncared for and unwanted cats.

The main ways of helping are adoption and donation - check out their Facebook page for more info (website to come). Perhaps we'll see Clover Cat Rescue benefit shows or recordings in the future as well...

briefly stepping out of seclusion

A few notes this month before I crawl back under my rock for a while:

If you've read some of my previous posts you'll know how little I appreciate circuses with animals. Circuses with just people, on the other hand are cool, and there's just such a festive event happening in Toronto this weekend - the 5th Annual Toronto International Circus Festival.

Other cool happenings in the immediate future include a charity fashion show for Haven of the Hart no kill animal shelter. It takes place Sunday at 9pm at Savage Garden.

(thanks to Toronto Goth for the above info)

I missed out on seeing The Birthday Massacre last week but managed to catch Swallow the Sun opening for Katatonia along with Insomnium and Scar Symmetry. I knew they (StS) were good, but their 35-ish minute set was a revelation.

Against my better judgment I'm addicted to the first single ("Amaranth") off the new Nightwish. With much less [i.e., no] embarrassment, I also confess my addiction to the debut by The Bombs of Enduring Freedom, especially "Guatanamo Bay International (Suspect Package Holiday)."

Now to bury my head in books for the next four years...