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22 years later, eric’s trip still 'love tara'.

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The Eric's Trip Show

By Matt LeMay

Experimental / Rock

Teenage USA

January 30, 2002

It's all been said so many times before. I probably don't even need to go beyond this. Half of you know what I'm going to say. I feel trite just thinking about it. And yet, as is always the case, necessity squelches the desire for originality. Here goes:

This live album, while a must-have for die-hard fans of the group, will disappoint those who are looking for an inspiringly different interpretation of the band's canon.

Live albums are tricky business. One out of fifty times, a live album provides a stunning insight into a spontaneous, dynamic performance, or a collection of particularly outstanding performances spanning a given period of time. The other forty-nine times, a live recording is little more than a collection of a band's songs run through a bulldozer and stripped of a good deal of their ornamentation, complexity, and character. And thus, the above statement comes into play. If you love the songs, you'll love the slightly different versions of the songs; if you don't give a fuck about the songs, you're wasting your time.

In the case of Eric's Trip, the live treatment does marginally alter the nature of the band's music, sometimes allowing some extra vibrancy and energy to come through, but almost always removing a good deal of the charm that makes their albums so appealing. Eric's Trip slapped together beauty and noise in a fantastically haphazard manner, jumping with reckless abandon from lazily strummed acoustic guitars to hectic, screeching feedback. On The Eric's Trip Show , the contrast between the various sounds employed by the band is greatly downplayed, replaced by a steady stream of consistently rocking numbers.

Which is not to say that there aren't some absolutely lovely songs on The Eric's Trip Show . The album opens with "Stove," a classic cut from the band's debut, Love Tara , featuring Julie Doiron's gorgeous, breathy vocals. It's all well and good, but it doesn't do much in comparison to the original, with its dreamy cymbal crashes and intensely intimate recording quality.

Indeed, the loss of intimacy is a big problem with this album, as the close-up, lo-fi recording that helped make Eric's Trip's proper albums so great is no longer a factor. The band plays their songs through, and the songs themselves are pretty damned good. On tracks like "Blinded," Mark, Chris, Julie, and Rick really start to rip shit up-- a needed blast of energy, and a nice addition to The Eric's Trip Show , but certainly no replacement for the moments of sheer brilliance that can be found in the band's albums.

Which brings me back to the original point. The songs on The Eric's Trip Show are very good songs. I'd venture to say that some of the more straight-up rock numbers actually sound better here than they do on studio LPs. But generally speaking, this album leaves Eric's Trip without some of their greatest musical assets. If you're in love with the songs, this probably won't matter to you; if you're not, this won't help. But you already knew that.

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Eric’s Trip

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Wikipedia: Eric’s Trip

From Wikipedia, the free encylopedia.

Eric’s Trip was a Canadian indie rock band hailing from Moncton, New Brunswick. Formed in 1990 when musicians Rick White and Christopher Thompson of The Forest joined Julie Doiron and Ed Vaughan (who was later replaced by Mark Gaudet of Purple Knight), they took their name from a Sonic Youth song. They emulated the distorted guitar of Dinosaur Jr. ., the folk leanings of Neil Young , and the lo-fi aesthetic of Sebadoh . Rick White described their sound as “sappy melodic pop music on top of thick distortion.”

Eric’s Trip were the first Canadian band, and one of three Atlantic Canadian bands, to be signed to Seattle’s Sub Pop Records in the early 1990’s. (The others were Jale and The Hardship Post .)

The band broke up in 1996, but reunited in 2001, and again in August 2006, to play at the Sappy Records Festival in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.

Bassist Julie Doiron currently has a successful solo career and plays in Shotgun & Jaybird , Rick White and Mark Gaudet play in Elevator , and Christopher Thompson enjoyed some fame as Moon Socket.

*The most current Eric’s Trip updates can be found @ Wikipedia .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License . It uses material from the Wikipedia article ’Eric’s Trip’ .

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Copy My Trip: a culture and food tour of Jaipur

Apr 30, 2024 • 6 min read

Explore the history, cultures and flavors of Jaipur and landmarks like Amber Fort (pictured) with this guide © Akanksha Singh

Lonely Planet editor Akanksha Singh traveled to Jaipur to experience its history and culture. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip.

Road trips to Jaipur were a key part of my childhood in India . Before we left India, my parents would drive my sister and I over from Delhi on long weekends. We’d spent our time visiting local sights, stopping at streetside kathputli (puppet) shows, eating local food, and listening to ek tara , single-stringed instruments, played with a bow. 

Some 20 years later, the familiar sight of the red-, pink- and honey-hued forts never fails to amaze me. People say India’s Golden Triangle – Jaipur-Delhi-Agra – is a sensory overload. And it definitely is for people who haven’t traveled through pockets of Asia. Dubbed the “Pink City” after its pink paint-slicked walls that are lined with shops, this trip to Jaipur took me deeper into the historic town's chaotic bylanes and beyond the city’s outskirts.

Agra vs Jaipur: which Indian city is best?

Where did you stay? What was the vibe?

I stayed at Teela the Glamping Resort in Achrol, a village an hour outside Jaipur. I’ve never “glamped” before (I studied geology at university; camping’s more my thing) but I enjoyed the novelty of the experience. It’s really no different from staying in a swish five-star hotel but in a “Moon Dome” – a geodesic tent – with stellar views of the desert, complete with raw dunes, tiny bulbuls and larks twittering away outside your door. 

There’s a single restaurant, Rait, on the premises (food was good; I’d recommend the Indian menu over the continental spread) and Teela does offer hotplates and a mini kitchenette setup for long-term guests. However, I did make the mistake of thinking breakfast would be most enjoyable al fresco (it was – for all of two minutes) until I realized that gritty stuff caught in my teeth was indeed sand in my aloo paratha (potato-filled flatbread).     

What was the most touristy thing you did? 

I did so much touristy sightseeing on this trip and, since it’d been a while since I’d seen the highlights, I regret none of it! I toured Amber Fort , with its extravagant chambers and geometrically charged gardens, took photos of the iconic red-and-pink-latticed Hawa Mahal and visited the City Palace , which is still home to Jaipur’s royal family.

Built in the 18th century, the City Palace’s four gates – in an inner courtyard named Pritam Niwas Chowk (“beloved’s courtyard”) – are an artistic obsession of mine. Each “gate” is an extravagantly designed door, themed against a season and dedicated to a Hindu deity. If I’m being honest here, the most touristy thing I did was take an Instagram-esque video of a journal with the Lehariya Gate or Green Gate (which represents spring) on its cover with the gate in the background. The gate is spectacular: glossy forest green tiles frame an ornate, heavy golden door in a cinquefoil arch. 

For those less obsessed with gloriously designed doors, the City Palace has much more to offer, including a museum and a splendid blue room (Chhavi Niwas), and parts of the royal wing are open to the public too. Plus, it’s right by Jantar Mantar  – an 18th century observatory that’s a UNESCO site built by Jai Singh II, a king fascinated by astronomy. (Bonus tip: buy a composite ticket to skip queues and hit up all of Jaipur’s attractions.)

Looking for souvenirs from your trip? Explore our guide to  Jaipur in 5 Shops

What was the best thing you ate?

Jaipur has an impossibly good selection of food, and I’m one of those people who plans their days around meals, especially when I’m traveling. If I had to choose, my favorite meal would be the Rajasthani thali (plate meal) at Kuchali Mud House , a quaint, family-run establishment in Chak Charanwas, a village roughly an hour outside Jaipur city.

Most Rajasthani thali meals boast a combination of dhal, baati , churma – baati is a crusted unleavened bread that’s softened with melted ghee (ideal for the once nomadic desert folk) and churma is crushed, sweetened baati , dressed with nuts and dry fruit. However, the fragrant gulab (rose) churma  – cerise and topped with slivered almonds – was new to me and delicious. 

There’s a common belief in these parts that food cooked on a chulha (wood-burning stove), with freshly milled flours and freshly milked dairy is superior to their contemporary counterparts, and I have to agree. I have a reasonable spice tolerance, but those who aren’t as keen on heat are requested to call ahead to communicate this along with any other dietary restrictions. For a good Rajasthani laal maas (literally “red meat”), a decadent goat meat curry (with adjustable spice levels), try rait . 

What was the most under-the-radar activity you enjoyed?

I rode ATVs and went paintballing at Motosport Park (both are a combined ₹1700), but visiting a pottery community in Chak Charanwas (organized by the Kuchali Mud House) was the highlight of my trip. Jaipur is famous for its pottery with a cobalt blue glaze, which is Turko-Persian in origin. However, I got to throw tiny forms on a potter’s wheel with locally-sourced clay. I’m a hobby ceramist, so learning from experienced potters was an absolute boon. 

Pottery is still largely a caste-based profession in India (which means it’s not usually a profession people get to choose, but are born and forced into). So, it was refreshing to see a thriving enterprise run by people who now also supply their terracotta pottery to big hotel groups in addition to selling it to visitors. They make everything from vases and diyas (lamps) to screw-top water bottles and sculptures. 

What was the handiest thing you packed?

Layers and linens. I traveled in early March, when days are sweltering but evenings – particularly if you’re set up outside the city in the desert like I was – can get a little nippy. One thing I noticed about the rooms at Teela were that they had both ACs and radiators to bridge the change in seasons. Overall, light layers to wear over linen clothes and sun protection are essential. 

It’s also hugely important to stay hydrated in the sun; I packed a reusable water bottle to cut down on my plastic waste. Most resorts and restaurants will refill your water bottle with filtered water on request (add chlorine pills if you need to be extra careful). 

Also, the midday sun often results in phones overheating, so it’s probably worthwhile investing in a phone cooler, particularly if you plan on taking a ton of photos and videos. 

Best tip for someone who wants to plan the same trip?

Many tourist spots in Jaipur frequently close for filming and there’s no way of finding out whether a certain attraction is closed for a shoot until you’re on the premises (calling ahead doesn’t always work). Leave plenty of time for sightseeing with the aim of revisiting popular sights if they’re closed.

Also, while there are a few cafes dotted around the city, chai is the caffeinated beverage of choice in these parts. So, if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to pack a cafetiere.

Akanksha traveled to Jaipur with the support of Teela . Lonely Planet staff do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.

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