by Annie Webber

Hey kids – CMW is on its way. Snap up your tickets now (or wristband for the truly enthused) but don’t stop there. Empty out your best shoulder bag/backpack/trousseau, and fill it up with your very own CMW toolkit – [almost] everything you need to get through your week of musical bliss.

Clear Nail Polish and Spare Set of Hose This is only for a real emergency situation, because rips and tears are quite plainly the status quo in CMW cool. Do put a stop to runs that get out of hand, but don’t get all worked up over those sexy risqué rough patches-dab the clear nail polish at the end of a run to keep it cool, not crazy. The spare set is for when your stockings either spontaneously combust or the gaping hole becomes wholly inappropriate.

Disposable Camera They are TWO DOLLARS at Dollarama. While that is indeed a crime for a store that used to have everything at one measly loonie, it’s a steal when it comes to a camera – because what it comes down to is capturing the moment. Plus if you dunk one of these lil guys in your pitcher of 50, it’s not going to make you want to throw up quite as much as if it were your little sister’s digital SLR…

Earplugs! You may think that the buzzing in your ears after you leave a show is your brain telling you how much you enjoyed the viiibe, but really you’ve just lost precious hearing that you will NEVER GET BACK. Hearing = picking up frequencies in the air, and your ears lose the ability to do so when you’re blastin’ your drums with raging beats. So rather than sway in the back where the sound is muffled, pop some earplugs in and dance your tail off stageside!

Peanut M&Ms When hunger strikes, you’ll be prepared. Not to mention you’ll be everyone’s new best friend.

Hair Elastics It’s no good emerging from the depths of the Horseshoe and having your fringe plastered to your beet-red face with sweat. We all know that harrowing feeling when you realize that maybe you’re not “glowing” in the same way all those concert-goers in the movies do. By some cruel twist of fate, hair-down-dancers look ten to fifteen times cooler and more disgusting at the exact same time. The simple cure? Rotate your mane through cycles of devil-may-care hair tosses and non-chalant cool down (up?) periods. Also worthy of note – keep a stash of these on your person as often as you can, and hand out freely without the hope of ever seeing them again. You’ll undoubtedly be in need one day.

Arizona Iced Tea At 99 cents a pop, your liver and your wallet with thank you for giving each of them a break.

TTC Tokens What could be better than realizing that the three dollars you’ve been saving all night is actually yours for the spending when you remember that cute little token tucked into the pocket of your purse? Shots, shots, shots, shots-shots-shots!

Shades For playin’ it cool when your eyes/face/expression say otherwise. Also useful for the star-struck among us to not come off as… well, crazy.

Little Tiny Notebook and Pen For recording important notes and ramblings, for sketching a quick rendering of your favourite venue, for remembering those seemingly wise tidbits of knowledge your friends impart to you, jotting love notes to drummers.

Lippy Lip chap, lip gloss, lipstick, lip balm – whatever. Just put something on your lips. It’s cold outside and it really finishes a look.

Gimmick Every outfit should incorporate something fun. Like a little mini camera with real clicking shutter, or some deftly-placed flowers in your hair, or one of those packs of gum that snap on people’s fingers when they pull a piece out. Nothin’ like playing tricks on all your friends when they least expect it (i.e. when you are an adult).

Gum Who doesn’t love chewing gum? Buy one of the really sugary bad-for-you ones. Mint is overrated and you can’t blow big enough bubbles.