The 2009 NXNE is June 17 to 21 in Toronto Canada
|
Hear IndieCan Radio
as you read and enjoy galleries of NXNE
|
|
|
Download Episode 137
HERE |
|
|
IndieCan's team on the street is bigger than ever. We'll bring commentary, video and pictures as well as great radio programming. We're off to a great start. Sensory overload will come every day with new content added.
The musical experience of North by North East is expanding. New venues are participating and more out door "free" events are offered. Score one for youth and families that can feel included in celebrating culture in what is sometimes sarcastically referred to by the arts community as the business capital of Canada. Dundas Square, in-store appearances and other all-ages opportunities respects what is the future for most emerging musical artists - our youth. Juno winners, Wintersleep, The Cliks, Spiral Beach, In Flight Safety and My Darkest Days are some of the indie rock bands that pour their creativity out into the open air of Toronto.
 "I WANT TO ROCK 'n' ROLL ALL NIGHT and learn the Industry every day" - NXNE Conference. Maggie Martin of EMI Publishing made her way to Toronto for her first ever North By. She did more than compare liquid weapons of choice; she shared with delegates the importace of publishing in 21st century. Maggie will be IndieCan's industry insider for episode 137. Moe Berg discusses who to be or who not to be on stage when performing. "Everyone talks about 'authenticity.' Well - bullshit. All the best acts are portraying a character when they are on the stage. They aren't being themselves. Look at Cheap Trick. They haven't had a hit song in... how many years? But they succeed on the strength of their live performance." The Ontario Media Development Corporation set up camp in Queen Street's Rivoli to cover topics like Music Supervision and Management. Promotion, law, money, media and airplay were all discussed.
 The NXNE Town Hall tradition kicked started the conference portion of the music festival with Jake Gold (pictured right) moderating a pannel of music experts. 300 years of collective wisdom interacted with artists and discussed the state of the musical nation.
Repartee between artists and industry varied from polite to restless. One band member spoke out about what does an indie act have to do to get the attention of industry these days? This is a band whose debut recording came out in 2006; they have 40,000 Myspace visits and 2,000 friends. Jake started the retort with a Tragically Hip example. It took them as a band 10 years to sell out the Air Canada Centre. "Snell's Law," Gold reminded us, "states the angle of incidence equals the angle of refraction. If you want a career that goes straight up, it will likely come straight down again." Better to be patient and hope for a gradual climb to the top, just for that reason was the point he was making.
"Do not be so preoccupied with getting our attention" was one of the messages coming from the pannel. "Focus on your craft - write great songs, be great musicians, never stop learning about performance. Then we'll find you. And if we come knocking on your door you can expect we'll be offering a better deal than if you keep calling us." The Panellists were: Jodie Ferneyhough, Managing Director, Universal Music Publishing Canada, Kevin Leflar, President, officialCOMMUNITY, Steve Kane, President, Warner Music Canada, Denise Donlon, Executive Director, CBC Radio, Paul Haagenson, President, Canada West, Live Nation Canada, Heather Ostertag, President/CEO, FACTOR, Jack Ross, Senior Vice President, The Agency Group, Jack Ross, Senior Vice President, The Agency Group, Chris Sisam, General Manager, Corus Radio Toronto, Bernie Finkelstein, President, Finkelstein Management, Chris Taylor, Owner, Taylor Mitsopulos Klein Oballa, Mark Jowett, Vice President/Co-Founder, Nettwerk Music Group. See what we saw - CLICK HERE!
|
Thursday June 20th, North by North East was in full gear with the music of the world on T.Dot's stage |
|
|
|
|
|
Top left, Chang A Lang, Toronto, Top Right, Spiral Beach, Toronto, Bottom Left Xavier Caffeine, Montreal, Bloodgroup, Reykjavik from Day one of NXNE
Keep scolling below for galleries and commentary for NXNE coverage from past years. | |
|
LILY FROST pays homage to fallen Toronto independent legend RAY CONDO
a personal experinece by IndieCan's Gayle Hurmuses |
 |
Lily Frost has a voice that gives me goose bumps and poise both on stage and off that makes me wish I was a "real" grown-up. It's a wonder that she and I had never met before, we've got lots of mutual friends and I'd been hearing about her for years, particularly from Ray Condo, a mutual friend. I remember sitting in his kitchen on Grant Street when he told me about Lily and her swing band, the Colorifics, Lily's wandering life and her fabulous voice. He mentioned them regularly over the years as one of the great bands in the Lower Mainland. As a Vancouver to Toronto transplant, I did try to get home when they were playing, but it never worked out.
On May 14, I was walking down College Street, when I saw the poster proclaiming: "Lily, Does Billie, For Ray" in the window of Soundscapes, two days before the show (Lily Frost, singing Billie Holiday for Ray Condo, on May 16 - his birthday).
Ray Condo was more than a colleague; he was a hero and a mentor. I had to be at this show - Thanks so much to Lily and RJ and Jake and Jane for getting me in at the last minute to this over-capacity show.
So, the show...May 16, 2009. I arrived at about 8:30 to see Emma Lee performing her set. Emma looking like a cross between Lesley Gore and Melanie, with a band that included an upright bass, guitar and drums. They did a great job on a swampy arrangement of Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog."
 Lily Frost and the Debonaires came out and opened with a dedication to Ray and the song "Lover Come Back To Me" a song recorded by both Billie Holiday and Ray Condo and one that I often think of when his memory crosses my mind. The Debonaires are: Terry Wilkins on Bass, Mitch Lewis, Lap Steel and Electric Guitar, Patrick Gregory, Acoustic Guitar, Bob Stevenson, Clarinet, and Jeff Halischuk on Drums.
Lily was perfection, her voice is so sure and pure and clear and she was the part down to the details, like a lovely early 20th century songbird. The band was right on the money too. While taking notes for the show, I was writing the word "Enchanting", when one of the people in the group beside me, turned towards me and said..."She's enchanting"...funny...the next day I mentioned seeing the show to IndieCan's Joe Chisholm, and his comment was "Lily Frost is Magical".
She really is and the show was like a spell, from the first note to the last, with the audience listening intently, even at the back of the room where the industry types were all standing about, as reverent in the face of her talent as any other fan. Now, that's not something you see everyday. Ray would have been proud.
More IndieCan Lily Frost pics by Wendy L. Rombough (Canadain Music Cafe) "Sailor" pic by Ivan Otis |
Hamilton - Canada's Steel Town sets new records for the Rogers Spring Music Festival with attendance and diversity |
|
|
| More bands from greater distanced applied to be part of the Hamilton Spring Music Festival in 2009. Hamilton fans got a taste of bands from more countries and as always, southern Ontario showed off some of our home-grown talent this year, too. Gordie Johnson and Grady returned to Hamilton this spring, getting a thumbs up from all those in attendance last year who left saying "Damn, So-and-so should have been here to see this!" This year they had a second chance to bring them to see and hear the big sound of Austin's Grady.
Jay Sparrow (Edmonton) returned this year as well but not hiding behind the big punk sound of Murder City Sparrows - this year, Jay was sporting an acoustic guitar. The Free Press of Toronto, Apollo's Down(Guelph) and Never Ending White Lights (Windsor) were some of the bands from driving distance that made Ontario proud.
"I started in the concert promotion business as a band, bringing bands into Hamilton to play so my band could open for them, then I started a label in the mid-1990s, so I had lost of street experience." points out Rob Rapitti, who heads the festival. "Then I got the corporate experience working with Canadian Music Week as sales manager, being flown to Vegas, L.A., New York and I really learned how to do business internationally." Bands from Philadelphia to Alaska were in attendance this year. Enough typing about music - here's what we have to see and hear:
IndieCan Radio - Episode 133 and 134 both have a Hamilton angle LISTEN HERE
See more pictures from the Spring Music Festival's Saturday night - CLICK for Pics!! See GRADY on YouTube
|
|
Presented by Long & McQuade
Why Schmooze? Creator, Ellen Drake is all about building community, education and opportunity for music artists and industry in Toronto
Who: If you live or are travelling within driving distance of Toronto -Songwriters, indie artists, people in the music biz or fascinated by the behind the scenes of today's music biz
What: The Big Schmooze! ANNUAL DEMO-LISTEN DERBY
Where: Long & McQuade music store in downtown Toronto, 935 Bloor St - upstairs in the conference room (follow the Schmooze signs)
Why: Songwriting is a craft like anything else. The idea of "natural songwriters" is a myth. Songwriters that make it not only take criticism, they seek it out, learn as much as they can and are open to being a better artist. It's like guitar lessons. If you listen to professionals, they'll identify your bad habits and show you how to get better.
When: April 24th 2009 7 PM to 10 PM
|
APRIL 24th - Demo Listening Derby. See the pictures HERE!
Many came to hear what the Big Schmooze panel had to say about what makes better songs and how great songs get the attention of both the public and industry. Over 20 songs were critiqued - a big plus for the artists who put their pride and joy up to public and professional scrutiny. But everyone in attendance got a real education. The audience was captivated by the depth of knowledge of both the industry and music and all the comments, although directed at each musical submission, had universal truth that everyone could take away to help improve their craft and understanding of song writing. Learn more about the experts below:
Panel moderated by Joe Chisholm -founder, host, IndieCan Radio.
John Capek - Teacher, Hit Songwriter for Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, Joe Cocker, Cher, Toto, Chicago, Olivia Newton-John, Little River Band, Heart, Patti Austin and Manhattan Transfer.
Doug Romanow - Juno-nominated producer and owner of Fire Escape recording studio.
Elizabeth Spear - Creative Manager with Ole Publishing, one of the largest independent Music Publishers in the world.
Bob Segarini - legendary Broadcaster, "The Ice Man" on Q107 and Sirius Satellite Radio, now producer of internet radio station Radio That Doesn't Suck! Bob had a few bands - google "the Wackers" - lol. Bob offers a music promtion service to indie artists at a very reasonable cost. |
| IndieCan Covers Canadian Music Week with more team-members on the streets than ever before. Once agian, you'll find more CMW here than at CMW. We will help if you are here - we will help if you can't be here. Hear IndieCan Radio CMW 09 Hear CMW President Neill Dixon on CMW 09 |
 |
|
IndieCan Radio will be bringing you hours of Canadian Music week including (show 124)Vanderpark live at IndieCan with CMW big-cheese, Neill Dixon + (125) Sunshine State live at IndieCan. Coming soon, we hear from April Wine (# 126), honoured with a Life Time Achievement Award by the Canadian Music and Broadcasting Industry Hall of Fame. See April Wine, talking to IndieCan, meeting old friend and producer, Ralph Murphy. See who's on IndieCan Radio |
 |
 |
Anvil was inducted to the Indie Hall of Fame in a presentation by Biff Naked to join the likes of D.O.A., Rough Trade, The Pursuit of Happiness and more. Performances included Montreal's Beast, St. John's Hey Rosetta and Midway State. XM Canada's Jeff Leake hosted an enchanted night to a charged up, full house at the Royal York - See Indie Award winners and performers HERE! More on Myspace (coming soon). Video on YouTube
READ MORE ABOUT ANVIL RIGHT HERE |
 |
Once again at CMW, legendary songwriter, Andy Kim hosted the Canadian Radio Star finals as finalists for 12 radio stations across the country sing-off for a great prize pack. Included were IndieCan friends Andrew Hunter (Nova Scotia), Jeffery Straker (Sask), The Insiders, Stephanie Mainville, Seven Days, Watters Brothers, Tigerbomb, Taylor Demetrioff, John Antoniuk (pictured with Andy Kim), Zoo Lion, My Sister Ocena and eventual winner, The Latency from Vancouver.
See the whole gallery here by Wendy L. Rombough. Congrats to all the fianlists. IndieCan wishes you could all have won. | I am filled with hope about the music scene in Canada and more specifically, in Toronto – which I often accuse of being a “thank God it’s Monday” town, to busy and important and overwhelmed for art. But the streets have been filled with excitement. CMW 2009 and more importantly, the Festival segment (Can. Music Fest), have seen many venues over-flowing or beyond capacity. Nothing I could have said could have got me into Mother Mother Thursday night at The Supermarket. Tyrone wasn’t out from at the Horseshoe and I got cock-blocked there too. It was the same all over town. Sure - I didn’t get to cover all the bands I wanted to see and talk to but the cold and heartless strictly business city I live in grew a soul. Like the Grinch, Toronto’s heart grew to the size of 10 Toronto’s + 2. Inside the Royal York Hotel, (which you will never find me calling the fairmout) conference were packed. I got to talk with Myles Goodwyn and the rest of the new-look April Wine. I will bring that to you soon. I didn’t ask where Jimmy Clench (bass player for all my favorite albums) was. In case the answer is ugly, why rain on their induction parade. Myles and Brian deserve it (bust so do some missing soldiers). Someone asked me, “Who’s that? He looks stressed out.” I said, “That’s Neill Dixon, president of CMW. There’s 5,000 people in this hotel right now who think they can run this thing way better than him. I doubt he’s had enough sleep and there just isn’t enough coffee.”
Twice daily Team-IndieCan will be posting new content here and Myspace and Facebook. We look forward to bringing it to you – what a privilege. Here’s a few pics, and comments to start with. Check out our radio page for some sounds of CMW.
For conference goers of Canadian Music Week, a battle of two influential titans emerged. I don't think I was planned that way, otherwise it would have been billed that way. Gene Simmons and Bob Lefsetz has what seems at times geometrically opposing views on the what is and should never be of the music biz.
 |
|
 |
Gene Simmons is looking to recruit the best of the best of the best in un-signed talent, provide his artist(s) with the weapons needed to come out on top - using his label, marketing and merchandising know how to create a made-in-Canada international superstar.
Lefsetz believes the traditional label-artist relationship is tragically flawed and has no future. In the most widely read music biz news letter in the world Bob Lefsetz has argued that in the near future the workable model puts the power with the artists not the label - not even if your subordinating your career to Mr. Kiss Army, the most successfully marketed franchise in the U.S. history.
Here's the common ground Simmons and Lefsetz agree on - most emerging artist are grossly unrealistic about the odds of success, the sacrifice required or the path to take. One titan won me over, but both won my even growing respect. Lefsetz, beholden to no one, Gene Simmons, an undeniable self-made man who plays to his own strengths and makes no apologies for his shortcomings. IndieCan will spend some time dissecting what these great men had to say. It's only fair - they both put years of work and experience into arriving at the convictions they promulgate now.
THIS JUST IN: Neill Dixon, preident of CMW seized opportunity - 4 PM Thursday in the Royal York Ballroom, the cage match was scheduled - Simmons/Lefsez - IndieCan was there! Details will follow soon.
Team IndieCan divvied up Day II Canadian Music Fest duties loosely as three teams: Bloor Street, College Street and Queen Street. Adjustments had to be made as several venues were at or over capacity, denying entry and forcing to amend our plans. This is a sacrifice worth making to give in to the fact that demand for these showcases is on the rise. Detailed galleries and commentary are coming soon including the Music BC Showcase, Tanya Davis, Amanda Rheume, The Parlotones, Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Easy Targets and much more. CLICK HERE for samples of IndieCan pics of Canadian Music Fest 2009 by Douglas Graham and others.
CMW DAY KICK OFF: IndieCan Wednesdays was one of five official Canadian Music Week kick-off venues. Several other renegade CMW celebrations were also presented across the city. The Rok Boutique was CMWing, and the Big-Bop was doing a two story 15 band night of Indie Night in Canada upstairs at the Reverb and down in Kathedral. IndieCan Wednesdays regulars and new-comers were treated to a trio of showcases that left most thinking there couldn't have been a better line
up of music anywhere in the world that night. Power-pop New Jersey lads, Jet Lag Gemini kicked the night off and if their set was some kind of foreshadowing, Rock 'n' Roll is here to stay, it will never die. I chatted with the band before the show (They will be at Tattoo Rock Parlor
Thursday night) andn they couldn't believe how expensive parking was. Were they ever happy to hear that with their Garden State plates they could collect the whole set - at no cost to them and use them as post cards to communicate with their loved ones back home. I pushed my luck a
little when I told them that if they get any ticket with 4 consecutive 3s they could take it to City Hall to redeem the $100 and bottle of Maple Syrup for possessing a winning ticket. Now, on to set # 2: What seems to be a haven for great alt/country, from the UK, Liverpool's Familiar Looking Strangers showed off some stunning vocal harmonies and many North American influences such as soul, R & B, Blies as well as the country/roots signature sound of the band. Paul Baker,
guitarist said to us "You can't choose what kind of music comes out of you." (FLS play The Cadillac Lounge Saturday night). Manana (Tomorrow) from Basel Switzerland are promoting their latest xperimental art/rock CD, "Interruptions" on a North American tour that includes CMW and SXSW. Manuel, lead vocalist when asked if he knew Canadian bands like The Dears, says, "The Dears - they are fucking awesome!" paying homage to his Canadian cousins. "People in the audience were shouting out song titles," exclaims Manuel Bürkli, "How do they know are songs?" The WreckRoom crowd wouldn't leave without an encore.
See Familiar Looking Stranger & Manana pictures here.
Wendy's WEDNESDAY PICS (Tattoo Rock Parlour, The Horseshow, Rok Boutique + Jet Lag Gemini)
Wendy's THURSDAY MARCH 12 - PHOTOS Saturday night Indie Awards performances
Like being there: See the indies, and come club hopping with us on IndieCan's YouTube page
Couldn't make it to the Gene Simmons/Bob Lefsetz cage-match? We have it HERE.
CMW has podcasting of some of the key-note speakers. See what Bryen Dunn saw @ CMW HERE |
Hillside Inside 2009 Brings Summer to Canadian Winter February 7th |
|
|
| Wendy L Rombough photos - top: Bell Orchestre, Bedouin Sound Clash, K'Naan, Sam Roberts bottom: Thunderheist, The D'Ubervilles, That One Guy, Stars. Also The Magic, Great Lake Swimmers, Jay Malinowski, |
|
| |
|
"We are still in the experimental stage with Hillside Inside" says Artistic Director, Sam Baijal. "It's been 25 years of Hillside's summer festival and only the second year we've done this in the winter. Our summer festival sells out before we even announce the artist line up - it has that culture, it has that history. We are hopeful that in time Hillside Inside will develop those same attributes." Sam Roberts said from the stage "Let's here it for Sam for bringing summer to hockey arena in the middle of a Canadian winter." Some patrons jokingly refer to Hillside Inside as the first day of spring. Even the temperature came in line and rose out of the below freezing temperatures for the day. (Take a trip through Guelph's Sleeman Centre with photographer, Wendy L. Rombough - CLICK HERE)
There is always a great balance of genre, marquee acts vs. emerging acts and a feel unlike other concerts. Attendees are free to travel from the floor to the stands, to the vendors market, in and out privileges allow anyone to take a break and walk about downtown Guelph. Vendor, Jason Bellchamber (Bellchamber Rings) is a veteran of Hillside and he heard opening act, The D'Urbervilles sound checking as he was setting and he said "Whooo, that's attention getting - who are they." Locals, The D'Urbervilles aren't new to the scene but they are starting to get some universal recognition. Hillside kicks off an exciting year that includes Canadian Music Week and their first South By South West. The Magic was another local emerging act that impressed. Great Lake Swimmers introduced new music from their upcoming release Lost Channels which included some up-beat and very sing-a-long-able new tunes. Jay Malinowski introduced his solo material as well participating in a great Bedouin Soundclash set. The boys of Bedouin are off to the land down under and they tell IndieCan that they are stoked about doing some big-venue shows with No Doubt later this year. Montreal's Bell Orchestre includes Sarah and Richard from Archade Fire, who don't refer to Bell O as a side project at all. This ensemble includes both classically trained talent and other artists on record for rude comments about classical that has them in hot water with their parents. I first had my music-loving socks off by Bell O at the 2008 Hillside "outside" festival where they entranced the island stage patrons. K'Haan, a Sam Baijal favourite, The Aboriginal Opening Ceremonies, That One Guy and Thunderheist stretched the boundaries of pop, art and cultural community and the Sleeman Centre crowd finished the night off with back-to-back sets of more Montreal with The Sam Roberts Band and Stars - either of which could justify admission cost of $55 to $70 on their own depending on what spectrum of pop culture you identify with.
| Check out swanky Hillside Inside pics, Coming Soon: IndieCan Radio coverage of Hillside Inside includeing chats with The D'Urbervilles (pictured here with IndieCan Radio's Joe Chisholm, Bedouin Soundclash and organizer, Sam Baijal |
 |
|
January 17, 18, 19, 2009 the 4th Annual Blues Summit graces Toronto. Maple Blues Awards were handed out at The Phoenix
Don't just read, it, hear Episode 118, IndieCan gets the blues
Artists, festival directors, blues societies and other industry leaders meet and greet in Toronto. Day one at the Delta Chelsea Hotel, great artists strut their stuff at The Summit |
 |
|
Toronto has been treated to the countries best of the blues for three days. January 17th to 19th, The Delta Chelsea hosted Maple Blues bands on two stages. Ross Neilsen, Blackburn, (top) Fathead and Tracy K (bottom) were just four of the acts that brought Blues power to T.Dot's winter wonderland Saturday. pictures courtesy of Jenn Martin
Summit Pics -Saturday in colour - black and blue / Sunday in colour - black and blue and Conference Pics+ IndieCan presents... Eric Thom Pics
Sunday morning, following a buffet breakfast (and yes I agree - a Blues Breakfast should somehow be a smoke filled room that smells of stale beer, but croissant, eggs, hash browns and fried pig by-product were the order of the day… and plenty of coffee) The Blues Summit keynote speaker was Ben Manilla, The House of Blues partner to the radio front man, Dan Aykroyd, A.K.A. Elwood Blues.
 |
| Ben Manilla talk about House of Blues |
Ben's child-like love of music is still intact. He recounted so many of the idols he's interviewed that he still truly admires. His motto, stolen from Jerry Garcia, who stole it from Cary Grant, "If you just stay in one place long enough, people figure you're suppose to be there." The House of Blues radio hour (2 hours in some markets) is the longest running blues radio show in American history, running every week since 1993.
For anyone wondering what interest, IndieCan - an emerging music community would have in "tired old blues music," here's one of the most compelling commentaries Manilla made: "Every town I go to in the USA, someone's bragging about a 16 year old who's better than Stevie Ray Vaughn. One festival in particular in the USA has a youth component (21 and younger) to their Blues Festival and they had 23 performers"
In the media panel that followed the keynote, Danny Marks answered the question, "How can we (the Blues community) get our fan base average age down?" Without hesitation, Marks piped in, "As the old guard steps aside and makes room for young performers to play the blues, young people will catch on. As long as we look like Dad's music, young people will be reticent to embrace it."
 |
| Media Round Table discusses the state of The Blues |
Young Canadian artists like Jimmy Bowskill and Alex Tintinalli are ready to take their place on larger stages as soon as the limelight will be shared by the old guard. In 2008 Southside Shuffle did just that, introducing festival goers to Homemade Jamz from Mississippi. Neither audience nor critics treated this 16-and-under sibling blues team as a novelty act. They are the real deal - and nowhere did we hear the condition "…for a bunch of kids."
Blues players and fans alike always have, and always will honour their roots - those who have come before them and the craft of "the Blues." Tradition withstanding, music writers like Errol Nazareth still demand originality from new offerings. "If it's cliché I will say 'this is cliché' but luckily there is plenty of original blues and roots music on the Canadian scene like Julian Fauth..."
The IndieCan favourite quote of the day goes to Richard Flohil : "Music has to reach you in the head, the heart, the crotch or the feet - any two of the four can give you a hit song."
 |
| Keith Hallet's New Brunswick Blues |
|
|
More panels, more learning, networking, bonding and such. Now, after a full of day of conferencing, how about a full night of music? We saw MonkeyJunk, Scott McCord and the Bonafide Truth, Amos Garrett, Suzie Vinnick, Matt Anderson, Ray Bonneville, Steve Strongman, Keith Hallett and more. You will be hearing from some of these people in IndieCan Radio episode 118 and seeing what we saw in photo galleries The Maple Blues Awards at the Phoenix Concert Theatre payed tribute to Jeff Healey and his band - Check our Myspace Blog for all the winners. |
"When Balls are held for pleasure, that's the balls I like the best" AC/DC ~ Wednesday December 10th XM Satellite's Channel 87 THE VERGE had their "Thank God It's Not Another XMAS Party!" GalaThis was a free event at Tattoo Rock Parlour. Moneen, The Arkells & Hollerado played to the 500 that got in of the 700 that RSVPed.
Wednesday in Toronto is a working night (if working for nothing counts-lol) for IndieCan as we host IndieCan Wednesdays at The Annex WreckRoom and we had a full night slated there as well. Never the less, we couldn't miss this night-of-nights. It was great to see Hollerado again. It's been a while since I go my first "Demo in a Baggie" from them back at The Silver Dollar, July 14th, 2007. They sport the same CD in a luncheon bag but they are colour printed CDs now with different bonus tracks that correspond with the different colour codes. Jeff Leake and Kelowna were there from The VERGE. If you have Satellite Radio, they are broadcasting the night on the 20th and twice again on the 25th. So maybe it was another XMAS Party - but it felt more rock 'n' roll than that. IndieCan's eyes caught the first two acts. I missed the Moneen crowd surfing - something new for the swanky Tatoo Rock Parlour. So that's what Leake meant when he said in a dead-pan kind of way, "Yeah, some people looked like they were having fun alright." (PICTURES RIGHT HERE)
Also, see what our friend Peter saw: CLICK HERE
Rocking the Burbs - Award winning Indie acts DO Kitchner / Waterloo + New Market Ontario!
James "The Road Dog" Walker and Sound FM hosted their annual fall night of noise in Kitchener Novernber 21 and IndieCan was there. Hello Beautiful closed the set that included The Joys, Low Level Flight and locals, Bravura. Pictures paint a thousand words so this should save me tens of thousands - CHECK THIS OUT - snappy pics, aren't they? Sound FM plays IndieCan Radio Wednesday's at 3 PM on 100.3 on the FM dial in Kitchener/Waterloo. Thanks Elements Night Club and thanks PIZZA NOVA for the warm and yummy food.
The other part of the November 21 double header included bringing culture to Toronto's northern outskirts where IndieCan was proud to be part of a first class night of music with Human Record, Little Sunday and Japhy. See what IndieCan saw at the Newmarket Theatre, "NEW CONCERT SERIES" CLICK HERE
 Halifax POP Explosion 2008
Halifax POP Explosion is an annual festival that feels like a holiday for me. I love the pace of Halifax, I have great friends that live there now and at every HPX I have great friends show up there. HPX is only small when you compare it to central Canada's festivals like NXNE, POP Montreal of Canadian Music Week that sees upwards to 500 bands and/or artists performing. I know the heart-ache for all the bands in Central Canada that apply for Halifax POP Explosion and get refused each year. I know these performers; I think they should be in Halifax; I think their charisma and music would make the festival a better experience for locals and bridge more gaps in our somewhat problematic music community. It's too bad that there isn't room everyone. I am sure "You are not welcome here" is not the message HPX Jury members are trying to convey. I know that bands like Toronto's The Free Press and Ottawa's Loud Love would enhance the experience for locals and travelling delegates alike but there isn't room. There are venues playing live music during HPX in Halifax, but for what ever reason, there are only a select group of HPX venues.
|
See what we heard Saturday Day & Night the conference, Sebastien Grainger, Islands, Waye Mason, White Cowbell Oklahoma |
|
See Halifax POP Explosion Friday |
|
See Halifax POP Exlosion Thursday |
|
Halifax POP Explosion Wednesday Night - CLICK FOR PICS Mt. Royal, Love Machine, Nick Zubeck, Golden Hands Before God, The Spades, The Diableros + |
|
Halifax POP Explosion Tuesday Night CLICK HERE for Emm Gryner, Jay Retard, Modern Boys Modern Girls, Kestrels, Share |
|
|
|
listen to IndieCan Radio's Show ( # 106) on Halifax POP Explosion |
"People are still buying VIP delegate passes from the USA and other far-away-places and when they come here, they want to see the Joel Plasketts and other local buzz bands when they get here," says Waye Mason, Executive Director of Halifax POP Explosion. That said, some of you may remember a blog I sent out after Tuesday of HPX called "NO FRED NO SAID" because at Coconut Grove, Fred from Ireland and Said The Whale from Vancouver we scheduled to play, the engineer at the venue told me he was unaware of any cancellations at 7 PM when I made my preliminary rounds, but then the 9:30 start got pushed back by the time I got there at 9:15 because both bands were no-shows. I don't know why that happened. I think in the case of Fred, there arrival hinged on a travel grant that never came. I hope all is well with Said the Whale, but I don't know what happened there. That's the sort of thing that might irk someone who received a "P.F.O." Sonic Bid reply.
Not all was lost on Day 1. IndieCan saw Emm Gryner at The Music Room - what a cool location. Its downside is that it's so far off the beat and path but it's an intimate, bright and warm place to enjoy great music and Emm, what a great way to kick off the festival. At the other end of the music spectrum, the night ended with Jay Retard at the Marquee - Folk to Punk - love it! Share was a band that played the shortened Coconut Grove set and I loved them - good local talent worth checking out.
Wednesday saw more of Team-IndieCan out. If you're on YouTube check out IndieCan Joe for a couple of videos in a series I call "IndieCan Crappy Cannon Cam Videos" by Joe C - Cannon doesn't pay us to enhance their product branding, it's just the point-and-click digital that I shoot these things on. Wednesday started my "Crappy Cam" coverage which over two videos will include Holy Fuck, Sebastien Grainger, Young Rival, Golden Hands Before God, White Cowbell Oklahoma, Modern Boys Modern Girls and much more. Doug Graham will be bringing us some high-quality video from HPX but all in good time. My crap is posted quickly and suffers through spelling errors and marginal quality. I know that to people with whom spelling matters, it matters a lot - but if it's how I will be judged, I will be judged badly. I also digress badly, don't I?
Thursday and Friday, let's see what I can cram in to what I saw and loved - VKNGS, Catherine MacLellan and Boxer The Horse from PEI, Sports The Band, Hilotrons, Innes Wilson from Guelph, The Superfantastics, Holy Fuck, Rich Aucoin, Rural Alberta Advantage, American Eric, Windom Earle and Sheva - who wasn't part of HPX.
|
|
| City of Halifax, Young Rival, Catherine MacLellan, Sebastien Grainger, Emm Gryner, Grant Lawrence, The Superfantastics and The Seahorse Tavern |
|
|
Saturday IndieCan stopped by the brunch at Gus' Pub where Mat and Dave of Let's Get Baked (Radio Show) were jammin' with Laura Peak and others were enjoying breakfast. Not long after that, you could have found IndieCan at the Zine Fair and we had a blast, not far down from the 6015 Willow project's table. We met some long-time listeners, made some new friends, sold some buttons and T-shirts and got a bunch of new Email pals. I found Chantal of The Maynards there too, who I saw the night before and got thier CD from her. Sebastien Grainger and Islands were part of the CBC Radio 3 night, where we got to hang with Kelowna of XM Satelitte Radio, Grant and Craig from CBC and chat with Waye Mason about this years Pop Explosion - an interivew you'll hear on that hyper link to 106 right down there... go ahead, you can click it. If it doesn't start playing some super-fab music, let us know.
Also on the final night, Myles Deck and the Fuzz, White Cowbell Oklahoma, Toronto's The Bicycles were jamming with Township Expansion, locals Iron Giant and seeing our Hamilton friends, Young Rivals was sweet, too.
Thanks for having us Halifax - we will have to POP and Explode again very soon. Enjoy some picture galleries in the mean time and if you have not heard Episode 106 of IndieCan Radio - what's the point of reading about music anyway? Get to it and listen up. It's more like being there.
Indie Week Toronto - October 8 to 11, 2008
What do you get when you have showcases all over the west end of down-town from Wednesday to Friday as part of Indie Week? 18 bands making the final showcase finals, playing off for the fans and the judges with thousands of dollars in cash and prizes up for grabs. The format was this: Reverb was retrofitted with an extended stage, an extra backline (drums, amps and PA system) ready for 10 bands to go back to back to back with 15 minutes sets and upstairs at Holy Joe's another 9 bands were playing off in what we'll call "Pool B." More of the acoustic or smaller acts (3 or less performers) were competing in a show that previous Indie Week winner, Peter Katz was hosting.
At IndieCan we are still putting together commentary and the final day photo-gallery but here's the punch line: In a Reverb playoff that could have been a coin toss between at least 5 acts, Walter Mitty & the Realists - one of the Irish invasion bands won downstairs and Bella Clava took the Holy Joe's showdown. Each of the two finalists went head to head with a couple more tunes for the audience and the judges and it would be Walter Mitty & the Realists who won the "winner-take-all" format. "I have seen these guys four times now," says Darryl Hurs, IndieWeek founder "and they get better and better with each performance." Walter Mitty & the Realists lead vocalist, Niall MacTaidhg added, "This hasn't really sunk in yet but everywhere we went in Canada, every show we played, we were treated like fucking Gods - we love this city!"
Yes, there was an Irish Invation in Toronto this weekend - Vesta Varro, who along with Durham's Hello Beautiful won Indie Week '07 are part of an all-Irish showcase at The Hide Out Friday October 10 included Fred from Cork and Walter Mitty & The Realists + Maslow from Limerick.
 |
|
(above) Bella Clava, finalists
(below) IndieCan with Indie Week founder Darryl Hurs, plus three members of the winning band, Walter Mitty & The Realists |
 |
What was Oliver Black - now Townline DID the Horseshoe Friday night. The Riv, Shoe, Bo, Hideout, Reverb, Holy Joe's Free Times Cafe and Rancho Relaxo are all in on the IndieWeek act as well as Tattoo ex-Friday and Saturday, where they make way for their dance crowd from the 905.
IndieWeek format puts diverse musical acts in front of audiences who have never heard of them. No matter who you came to see here at IndieWeek, you were treated to other acts on the bill that were sure to impress. Great job to Darryl and his team - IndieWeek 5 was a great time, well attended and had a great vibe to it.
IndieCan couldn't be everywhere but we didn't find any soft spots in what we did see. We hope you enjoy our pictures and commentary. Episode 104 of IndieCan Radio will be completely devoted to Indie Week # 5. Congrats to all the other bands hat made the finals: Nathan Moormaw, Christina Maria, Larry Bagby, Ariel Mura, Ketch Harbour Wolves, Whaletooth, Braine, The Cunninghams, Pavlov'e Dog's Orchestra, Selena 7tySix, Random Robbery, Murder City Sparrows, Isle of Thieves, Purr and Process.
More on IndieWeek 2008 click here!
Hear IndieCan's IndieWeek Radio Show
|
|
|
Fidget at the Hideout (left) and BreadFan doing the Reverb (below) as part of the Jagermeister showcase. IndieCan will be at the finals Saturday evening and bringing a complete review of Indie Week. More images coming soon - why, because we love you, that's why. |
 | |
POP Montreal 2008 - October 1st to 5th was an annual party in the streets unlike anything else in Canada. We've told you about many of the bands before, we have covered club style festivals in Canada, but Montreal is in Quebec and Quebec is a distinct society; a cultures absorbing, party loving society with scale. Venue after venue that IndieCan visited neared over-capacity. I don't know if that's good organizing or just a testament to what a great city for art that Montreal is. Founded in 2002 by Daniel Seligman, Noelle Sorbara, and Peter Rowan (who has since moved on down the 401 to T.Dot's Queen Street), it has expanded in scope and vision every year, and celebrated it's 7th anniversary. We met visitor from San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Long Island, Vancouver, Halifax and….. damn, I know I am forgetting a few!@$@$!
|
SEE ALL OF WHAT INDIECAN SAW
CLICK HERE |
 |
| Hollorado get everyone dancing unitl 3 AM |
 |
| Outside and in - it was crowded |
 |
| The Dears, new music, new light, new look. |
| |
Thursday IndieCan arrived but POP Montreal had started without us. Some of the Thursday acts we caught were Dave Martel, The Dears and Hollerado. The Jupiter Room must have been over capacity for the Dave Martel set. I noticed some industry buzz-buzz-buzz and it's nice to see a town and a room embrace Dave Martel's music the way it deserves to be enjoyed. I knew I would be catching up with Patrick Krief later in Montreal and then back in T.Dot for IndieCan Wednesday October 15, but I didn't yet know if his non-stop song writing frenzy and if his Black Diamond Bay commitments had brought an end to his Dears duties. Well, Krief was there, along with new band mates Andre, Roberto and George to take in The Dear's showcase at the Masonic Temple. - a campy, oddly lit let down for photographers, horny to post evidence of their presence at the unveiling of the all-new Dears (in the low-lights) new music. Two days later, I would talk to George about just that while we were stage left at Café Campus waiting for Black Diamond Bay to take the stage. "It wasn't really an act of indignance, we just wanted to do something different."
Friday was a WeeWerk focus as they had "side-by-each" venues pumping out non-stop twang from 8:30 PM to 3:00 AM. I missed Don Brownrigg (sorry Don, long story - explain in Halifax) which was bumming my POP Mtl high, but I did get to catch up with Charlotte Cornfield, Proof of Ghosts, Ladies of The Canyon, The Burning Hell, Canteen Knockout, The Unsettlers and United Steel Workers of Montreal. Some of Team-WeeWerk is off to Germany for Popkomm Music Festival in Berlin including Andre of Canteen Knockout, Don Brownrigg and USWM. For those of you who can't wait of the new Steel Workers CD, (and I still love Kerosene & Coal) it's being mixed and mastered now, so it won't be long. I got to hear some of the new music - smokin'!!! I also got time to head further on down the road to catch part of the Hey Rosetta (winner of this fall's XM Satellite Channel 52 The Verge $25,000 Music Act of the Year award) set which, as always was like a breath mint for the soul.
Saturday wasn't too hard to pick a venue - Café Campus had Black Diamond Bay and Mother Mother back to back - how sweet is that? It should have been a bigger venue according to the wrap around line up out front of hopefuls that never got in. That made for a great start to the night before seeking out new music on "The Main." So, Patrick Krief are coming to Toronto, NYC, Quebec City and Boston this Fall. This is one of our few "MUST SEE" live acts. If you ever wanted to know about what great '60s jam bands like Cream, Hendrix and Ten Years After were really like, come see Black Diamond Bay - it' not far from the real thing. Ryan Guldemond took some time to talk about the new record, "OH MY HEART" which I will be featuring on IndieCan Radio soon. Some serious make-over time and thought has gone into Mother Mother hair - looks like they got that "Touch Up" they were singing about last year after all. Mother Mother is on their way to CMJ October 24th. So, for anyone going to New York City write that down. If you aren't going to be there, check them out online to see where you can see them - I have seen Mother Mother three or four times and I am a long way form tiring of them just yet. Also, like "Touch Up" this isn't a CD you will buy, listen to and put away for life. You'll be coming back to this one - over and over.
At POP Montreal Symposium IndieCan took in some meaningful workshops or seminars. There was an interesting discussion on the state of Music Journalism. The comment was made that for readers - things haven't ever been better. For journalists, things haven't been this bad… ever. People like "just the facts" blogs and books when they want detail; feature articles - the main-stay of the journalist, fans don't have the time for. A lot of time was devoted to "Why is this so?" as the panellists performed a public wake for their profession of choice. You know what's strange? None of these people where at PodCamp Montreal - which we were at two weeks ago, where the answers to these questions were articulated. Journalists use to be gate-keepers. We came to them because they got the music first; they got to ask the question directly to the songwriter, "What were you going through when you wrote that song?" Now fans can get the music as it comes out of the studio on myspace. Fans can ask the things they want to know directly thanks to facebook. Fans can also find out where the band will be, how to get tickets, swag or what have you without waiting for the weekly Entertainment section in the Paper to arrive.
Songwriters Association of Canada panellists spanned four decades in age and the anatomy of a song discussion had some clear generational differences of opinion. I loved this discussion. Don Quarles, of SAC moderated and did a good job to keep the audience involved.
Another great panel was all about taking it on the road - international touring and festivals. Did you know that 10,000 applications come in to SXSW. 1,800 are selected.
More POP Montreal coverage 100's more pictures will follow. I want to take this time to thank organizers for having IndieCan as part of the festival. And thanks to La Belle Provence for making us feel at home.
Canadian Music Cafe at TIFF 2008
Day 1 Photo Gallery Day 2 Photo Gallery Day 3 Photo Gallery
For IndieCan, the highlight of the Toronto International Film Festival is the Canadian Music Cafe - a three day showcase exposing Canadian artists to music supervisors, directors and anyone in the film industry that is responsible for music placement. This is another opportunity to have Canadian music enjoyed by the rest of the world. Day One had had an anxious feel to it as reports were coming in that Tuesday's show clean-up hitter, Martha Wainwright was stuck on a plane delayed somewhere south of the border .
Ali Milner of Whistler BC kicked off the event, a piano playing songstress who looked pretty bubbly at the 1:00 pm start time considering that's 10:00 am Pacific Standard time. An IndieCan favourite, Kyrie Kristmanson introduced us to her latest record Pagan Love and some CBC commissioned work she's doing. About Kyrie, I always refer to a coffee I enjoyed on a Queen Street patio with Michael "A Man Called" Wrycraft where he eyed Kyrie's first record in a stack I had on the table and he said, "Have you heard that CD yet? Did it fuck you up?"
 Royal Wood, the only full-on band of the day, took Martha's time slot and played to a very receptive crowd. Royal Wood was one of the first reviews that ever appeared on IndieCan.com, compliments of co-founder, Andre Skinner. The Duo, Thunderheist was a hip-hoppin' caffeine injection to what had been a pretty safe and easy listening day - hey not that folk can't be dangerous and edgy… come to think of it, that's a good question. Well, the answer to that question was addressed as Martha Wainwright hit the stage to close the show - no band, no makeup, no sound check, just her and a guitar. Her new CD, "I know that you're married but I have feelings too" says something about the humour of this multi-generational songstress that I won't attempt to fairly represent in print. You have to see it, and if you haven't you should. She was funny, she was talented and she was professional. She wowed the crowd and CBC host Craig Norris was apologetic to admit that he had never seen Martha perform live.See What IndieCan saw Day 1, Click Here
 |
 |
| Ali Milner Day 1 |
Royal Wood - Day 1 |
Wednesday September 10 Day 2 CLICK HERE to see Gentelman Reg, City and Colour, Final Flash, Two Hours Traffic, Jill Barber. IndeCan had some great interviews that we will share with you on Day 2. Final Flash is a new Montreal band working with Jace Lasek from The Besnard Lakes on their upcoming CD. Jill Barber, a Toronto native, got her music career going in Halifax and is now moving to the left-coast. Restless spirit? Maybe there are some answers in her new record, "Chances." Two Hours Traffic wasn't completly down with being dubbed "the band in plaid" but they were still good sports about talking shop with us. These interviews and more will find their way to IndieCan Radio soon.
 |
| Two Hours Traffic - Day 2, hear them on Episode 100 |
 |
Thursday September 11, 2008 Shuyler Jansen of Saskatchewan showcased some singer/songwriter twang, Grand Analog, Lindi Ortega and Kreesha Turner, who you may have seen doing her Dundas Square performance at NXNE, all performed to a healthy and welcoming industry crowd. The show closed with The Midway State, the Collingwood Ontario pop-rock foursome who will be part of our one hour radio show (EPISODE 100) which you can hear by clicking the link. This year, Michael Perlmutter is the Café Coordinator and he talks to IndieCan on Episode 100 as well. Micheal comes to the role with sum creds as music supervisor of such films and television shows as “High Life”, “Childstar”, “Queer as Folk” and “Degrassi: The Next Generation”.
CBC Radio 3 broadcaster and podcaster, Craig Norris hosted this years event, meeting some old friends and scoping some talent that was new to his national brodcaster ears and eys. Day 2 was recorded for CBC.
Day 3 photos CLICK HERE Photo credits: Wendy L Rombough
 |
 |
 |
| Craig Norris- Music Cafe Emcee |
New from Montreal- Final Flash, Day 2 |
Lindi Orlega- Day 3 performance |
Read/see all about Music Cafe 2007 with United Steel Workers of Montreal, Hunter Valentine, Justin Rutledge, Great Lake Swimmers, Die Mannequin and more CLICK HERE
Metal Queen Management Music Fest 2008
Top Left - head draw for the event, Fidget, Top Right - headliner Exciter, Bottom Left - head cases, Bobnoxious, Bottom Right - head Metal Queen, chief and bottle washer, Betty
MQM's 2008 Phoenix Concert Theatre rocked hard for the house-party size crowd that paid their $25 in advance, $30 at the door afternoon and evening of big-hair sound. The line up was pop-punk to death metal to straight ahead De Lorean ride back to 1985 Heavy Metal, to afro-world beat. I am not a metal guy but I appreciate that these weren't light-weight music talents. Several of you have commented on how I poked fun at Montreal's Psychotic 4 by panning them in print; they took pretty well, so I invited them into our studio to have a few laughs, rock out and celebrate the music they have devoted their life to.
Many an IndieCan insider (male and female) own hair spray and apply it with pride so I don't get away with any "more sophisticated than thou" elitist crap around here. I don't go to enough of these types of shows to know if there is demand for this music. The bands I know, Bobnoxious and Fidget generally draw a crowd, but said-crowd all know they can wait a couple of weeks and see them somewhere else for $7. I assume that being at The Phoenix means there was some expectation of a larger crowd. I think like the beer commercial goes, people who like metal, like it a lot and "those" people, if they were here, they would have liked it.
We got some great photos. We had a good time. I can only assume the event was a bust but I don't pretend to know why. Performances were top-rate, the look and talent was there, and what a cool poster! Taking it on the chin and wallet in the same day isn't fun for anyone who works hard to create opportunity in the music business. I don't know what the winning formula is. Let's blame all the "May Be Attending" RSVPs from FaceBook that couldn't get the $30 together. But seriously, it looks to me like Metal Queen Management is only one or two slight adjustments from drop D-Shangri-La. I hope they keep at it. Their cold-blooded satin-worshiping hearts are in the right place.
SEE MORE OF WHAT YOU MISSED Photo credits: Wendy L Rombough
|
 Hillside's 25 Summer Music Festival Gueph, July 25-27, 2008
What makes Hillside Music Festival one-of-a-kind on planet earth? Let's start with their "mission statement": To create and present music-focused events and projects within a non-commercial, environmentally responsible framework while engaging a diverse multi-generational community and volunteer base.
The 5000 tickets for people permitted on the island are, in recent years, sold out, well before the line up of artists is fully announced. Many Hillsiders are seasoned veterans and they just trust Sam Bajal, Artistic Director and the rest of Team-Hillside to deliver a high-quality weekend of events and music. There is camping, there are workshops, family activities, 1000 volunteers,
|
HILLSIDE PHOTO GALLERIES
Random Gallery I including Broken Social Scene, Spiral Beach, Sun Stage workshops, Bell Orchestre and more
Random Gallery II, people watching, back stage, fans, exhibitors, artists and IndieCan folks being goofy
Friday Night as seen by Gayle, Hawksley Workman, The Abrams Brothers, The Cowboy Junkies, Drums, drums, drums
Saturday as seen by Gayle, Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Spiral Beach, Po Girls, The Sadies and more...
Sunday as seen by Gayle, The Acorn, Kids doing Kids Stuff, Chocolate, Hayden and more...
Main Stage as seen by Wendy, Elliott Brood, The Sadies, Sue Foley, Hayden and more...
Lake Stage as seen by Wendy, Mr. Something Something, The Akron Family, Rae Spoon, Justin Rutledge, Jenn Grant + +
Island Stage as seen by Wendy, The Acorn, Plants and Animals, Mandibles, Spiral Beach, The Sunday Gospel Hour and more...
|
Four stages going constantly for most of the day. Several of this years' performers were last years volunteers. Airick Woodhead of Spiral Beach has "been going to music festivals since he was 2 weeks old but Hillside is special. Rolf Klausener of The Acorn said to the packed Island Stage audience that he has many time been out there dreaming of being on that stage. He also said to his Hillside volunteer friends that he'll see them again next year at the late night drum circle in volunteer village.
Broken Social Scene who closed the show took the time to say that they travel to festivals all over the world and there is nothing just like Hillside anywhere. Artists are rarely spending their entire weekend camped out in the hotel or sitting back stage, schmoozing with industry. They are in the audience, being music fans for a good part of the weekend and chatting with the patrons, fan to fan.
Workshops are one of the idiosyncrasies of Hillside where artists for different acts are put on a stage together with little direction other than to entertain the audience. Fans are treated to once-in-a-life time musical experience, not likely to be repeated. On the Sun Stage Saturday, David Woodhead, Danny Michel, blues artist Sue Foley and Land of Talk's Lizzy Powell were cast on to the stage together and fans were the first to hear the latest on Sue Foley's book on women and guitar, they got to see Danny Michel, covering Peter Gabriel and improvised Pong and Asteroid sounds to David's bass playing - all part of an impromptu 80's music debate, while Liz and Sue traded guitar leads. Good Brothers, Roxanne Potvin and Jason Colett Sunday morning, followed by Bell Orchestre (Arcade Fire and friends),
Plants and Animals, Culture Rejects, The Acorn, Mandibles and more on the Island Stage. While on the Lake Stage, The Akron Family, Burning Hell and an unplanned IndieCan Joe on percussion and back ground vocals, Jenn Grant and unbilled friends (hear Jenn and Kinley on Episode 95 of IndieCan Radio), Justin
|
KIDS KORNER
IndieCan's Little Drummer Girl, Jazmine Hurmuses reports on Hillside from her own vantage point of the Rainbow Stage and the rest of the kids area, kite flying, music, swimming and more fun than grown ups could know. Full Youth Reporter report, pictures and such RIGHT HERE |
Rutledge. who finished his set by dismissing his band and climbing up onto a picnic table in the middle of the audience and shouting out the words for the audience to sing along - which they did with great enthusiasm and it all ended on the Lake Stage with The Sadies and Po' Girl doing originals and Johnny Cash Sunday night.
Twenty five years of Hillside represents an entire generation and this year we celebrated two-generation families as did organizers. Margaret and Bruce Good (The Good Brothers) gave birth to two of The Sadies (pictured below) and throughout the weekend these two acts performed separately and together. Hey Gayle, thanks for introducing me to Margaret, what a celebrated career she has had and it looks like she has left a noble legacy. IndieCan will talk to Margaret Good about her musical life for a show coming to you soon. David Woodhead not only has he given Canada and the world his contribution to 150 records as a performer, engineer and producer, he is father to one half of Spiral Beach, brothers Airick and Daniel. David not only performed solo and a la workshop, he was Hillsiding as a fan right to the end, delighting in sharing his artsy photos of Broken Social Scene that he was taking from back stage.
Another Gayle Hurmuses introduction, Derek Andrews, Executive Director or The Guelph Jazz Festival, talked to us about a new World Music conference that will kick off in the fall of 2009 in Toronto. We'll be sharing that interview with you on an upcoming IndieCan Radio show.
IndieCan Radio will be featuring some Hillside on Episode 94 and 95 and more commentary will be coming soon. Listen to 94 now if you like. Jenn Grant will be live at IndieCan for 95 along with artist and organizer interviews. Radio page for more....
|
|
BLUES FEST OTTAWA 2008
July 3rd to 13th is the real Nations Capital Marathon for music fans. BluesfestOttawa brings 300,000 music fans and about $22 Mil which may make this music festival only second to Government spending as a stimulant to the City of Ottawa. This is one of North America's biggest music festivals and don't let the name "Blues" fool you. The true-blue were here to play like Johnny Winter, but welcome Snoop Dog and Don Maclean to the main stage as well. For this assignment, IndieCan goes with a veteran and goes commando - no greasing palms or all-access gala life, Jenn Martin greace the elbows and intertwined with her wrist-band peers to bring the 'real' fan's perspective:
The 2008 Ottawa Bluesfest just wrapped up from a whirlwind eleven days jam packed with stellar music for every interest, tasty eats, gorgeous weather (mostly), and an overall great vibe.
This year marked the 15th anniversary of the festival and the line up of acts kept me stage hopping constantly. So much to see, hear and experience I wanted to split myself in seven pieces - one for each stage, and one for food and socializing. I did my best to take in as much as humanly possible, by careful co-ordination of the start times for each performer and some fancy manoeuvring, I even found time to grab some good grub before having to run again. I love the variety of food options Bluesfest always offers and try as much as possible, but have a hard time not having the same meal a few times once I've found my favourites - hence the case with the Pad Thai and Indian butter chicken with rice. For quick cheap munchies, there were samosas, Jamaican patties, pizza and the like, but the doughnuts and caramel corn were sinful treats as well as the ice cream that was always so convenient along the pathways. There were plenty of choices to keep my stamina up for sure.
When all was said and done I managed to catch 113 acts at the festival that I was able to listen to and photograph, and another ten or so I only got there in enough time to catch the end of their last song. Other than some futile crowd surfing attempts that were quickly thwarted by security, every crowd I was a part of was polite, controlled and very accommodating in my pursuit of great photos from the front of the stage, no matter what time during the set I was squeezing in. The few less than pleasant responses surprisingly came from people in an older age bracket, which was contrary to what I was expecting. Akon's set was outstandingly intense with the younger audience crammed in tighter than sardines, jumping, bouncing and swaying to his beats as a unified crowd, but was assisted on my journey to the front with nothing but smiles and a few followers who figured they'd tag along behind me because they knew where I was headed with my camera in hand...
|
Top: Elliott Brood, Guitar Shorty, Fergie Bottom: Great Big Sea, Don MacLean, Stars |
|
...With so much seen (with as wide musical interests as myself), it's hard to pick just one favourite, or even ten for that matter. I thoroughly enjoyed everything I saw from the local indie acts right up to the big name performers, with the exception of Brian Wilson only for the fact that he appeared little more than comatose. There are so many that stood out in each genre, where to begin? I'm a blues girl at heart so I'll start there…I took in some amazing blues greats with Keb' Mo', The Blind Boys of Alabama, Boz Scaggs, Bernard Allison, and Taj Mahal. Guitar Shorty and Otis Taylor got up close and personal with their audience involvement by disappearing off stage and re-appearing in the thick of the crowds. The Wailers stole the show the first Sunday drawing a larger crowd than I think any of the planners were expecting, and while Johnny Winter is a fraction of his former self, laid down some licks on axe like only he could, and managed to give The Wailers some fierce competition. Despite the humidity, I got covered by goose bumps from the power of Shakura S'Aida's voice; and Lucinda Williams, Shelby Lynne, Bettye Lavette, Kathleen Edwards, Becky Abbott, Amanda Reahume, Jully Black, Feist, Fergie, Joan Armatrading, and Donna Summer all owned the stage adding some dynamic, estrogen fuelled performances. There were so many entertaining acts - I rawked out with The Plain White T's, Wintersleep, Weatherthans, Tokyo Police Club, Metric, Primus, Three Days Grace, Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Matthew Good, Sam Roberts, The Tragically Hip, Zappa Plays Zappa, and The Black Crowes. I danced my heart out to Elliot Brood, United Steel Workers of Montreal, Balkan Beat Box, Mr Something Something, Eli Paperboy Reed, and JJ Grey & Mofro - where my friend and I claimed a space for bustin' some moves. I got my fix of harmonica for the next little while; it appeared randomly in some sets, but I needed more, so made sure to see Jason Ricci and Steve Marriner, which although different styles, I'm mesmerized by the sound of harp. Michael Franti put on a great performance and had the whole audience feeling fellowship and love while singing along with Hey World and Say Hey. Great Big Sea definitely had tremendous sized kitchen party and satisfied my taste for down home Celtic music. What else? There was Steely Dan, Don MacLean, Stars, Widespread Panic, James Taylor, The Cooper Brothers, Canned Heat, Wyclef Jean, Snoop Dogg - the list goes on and on, something for every taste, even some gospel shows on the second last day to make up for hedonistic Bluesfest living leading up to that point.
Then, if a full day or evening at the very least wasn't enough music to experience, there were the after parties held at Ottawa's Legendary Rainbow Bistro, which featured some of the Bluesfest artists - but for a longer performance to enjoy. This was my time to put the camera down and tear up the dance floor! I had to catch Jason Ricci again, and grooved to MonkeyJunk, Lil' Dave Thompson, and The Bluesrunners although some of my die hard friends made it there every night.
All in all, a terrific Bluesfest experience which I like many others are going through withdrawal from now, and the only regret is that I didn't pitch a tent down by the river to be able to see absolutely everything and still get some sleep. Ah well, it's an idea for next year.
See What Jenn Martin saw: FIRST 117 PICS
|
PRIDE TORONTO 2008
|
|
|
|
|
The Toronto Pride Stage was host To Hunter Valentine, Jully Black and Shitt Hottt from T.Dot, Saskatchewan's Jeffery Straker and Montreal's Mad June to name a few. Hear from Pride artist's as part of Episode 91 of INDIECAN Radio | |
Toronto Pride Fans Welcome Melanie C (no relation to our own Joe C despite the name sake). Melanie C was finishing up her Canadian tour . Soon we'll have more artists and Jenn and Wendy's "photo-journalism" of what over 1 Million flocked down town to see; the 2008 Toronto PRIDE Parade unabashed and in all it's glory.
Jenn's musical coverage includes Mad June, Jeffery Straker and more HERE
Wendy's musical coverage includes Shitt Hottt, Jully Black and more HERE
Pride Parade Part I HERE Pride Parade Part II HERE
North By North East, June 2008 in Toronto
|
Hearing all about NXNE on IndieCan Radio:
Episode 91, Vancouver's THE PAINTED BIRDS live at IndieCan
Episode 90 God Made Me Funky, Public, Hello Beautiful, The Pack AD
Episode 89 Dan Mangan "live at IndieCan" Said The Whale, Rebekah Higgs, The Blood Lines, Carole Pope,
Episode 86, Julie Doiron, Ember Swift, Tin Bangs, Mad Staring Eyes |
North by Northeast 14 struck Toronto June 12-15, 2008. For four days 100,000 frolicked in the humidity and rain to be entertained by some of the worlds best emerging artists and some legends in music. Five hundred&nbs |
.png.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
