BC Musician Magazine by BC Musician Magazine

ISSN 1918-560X

BC Musician

April 2009

This month’s cover: Richard Chapman was born in the land of the Ogopogo, schooled in the Garden City, laboured in Terminal City and the Big Smoke, and currently resides in the Royal City. He’s also a proud father and has a one-eyed cat named Lucky.

april 2009, Issue 75 ISSN 1918–560x 75 We welcome your letters and comments; we might even print them!

4 & 5 Festivals: early bird info … ……………………………………………………… 7 Poetry… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Contributors… …………………………………………………………………

by rodney decroo

merchandise, and stalin……………………………………………………………… by graham tracey

Do it yourself, indie style……………………………………………………… by barbara bruederlin

a busker’s guide to flirting… ………………………………… 12 by neil burnett

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& 13

rock stock & 2 smoking barrels……………………………………… by Aaron chapman

15 & 16 behind the board… ……………………………………………………………………… 17 peer reviews… ………………………………………………………………… by radar

Jenny ritter cartoon………………………………………………………………… Making friends with the media…………………………………………… by grant lawrence

record store day!… …………………………………………………………………… by Kevin kane

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20 the vinyl word… …………………………………………………………………………… 21 ditch records & lyle’s place … ………………………………………… by kevin kane

open mic: are you on the list?………………………………………… by don alder

playing for the drinkers… ………………………………………………… by dr. joey only

playing for a cause: eastside… ………………………………………… by michelle richard

playing for a cause: grand forks… ……………………………… by nik green

venues………………………………………………………………………………

250-762-0729 www.bcmusicianmag.com info@bcmusicianmag.com

this winding road…………………………………………………………………………… by linda mcrae

BC Musician Magazine 200 - 1111 St. Paul St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2C6

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Publisher Leanne V. Nash Editor Meghan Clarkston Advertising & Marketing Representative, Lower Mainland & Interior Christina Zaenker ads@bcmusicianmag.com Advertising & Marketing Representative, Lower Mainland Nancy Fowler nancy@bcmusicianmag.com Designer Kristen Baker Editorial Board: Meghan Clarkston, Paul Crawford, Joshua Estabrooks, Julie Fowler, Leanne V. Nash

25 & 26

BC Musician | April 2009 | 3

c o n tr i b u to r s Don Alder is one of the top acoustic

guitarists in the world. In 2007 he won the prestigious International Fingerstyle championships held in the USA. His performances are jaw dropping and he has influenced guitar players around the world. Don has major endorsement deals with companies like Yamaha and has performed a number of prestigious events including Muriel Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night at the Rymann Theatre in Nashville. Don has also been featured on the cover of Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Don works at the Rick Hansen Foundation and has been lifelong friends with Canada’s National Hero Rick Hansen. donalder.com

shayne avec i grec

disappeared from the Victoria area toward the end of January 2009, headed for a new life on the Sunshine Coast. Few sightings of shayne have been made since then, and rumors are abound that he’s disappeared into the woods and started a cult based around beards, hugs and puns. We at BC Musician have been unable to confirm or deny these rumors... After numerous international tours, festival appearances, airplay on national radio in 7 countries, and slots on tour with artists such as Billy Bragg, Kaizers Orchestra, Balkan Beat Box and the Be Good Tanyas (who covered his song “Light Enough to Travel,” selling over 100,000 copies),

Geoff Berner has garnered critical acclaim and a cult following for his sharp songwriting and cabaret performance style. “I want to make original klezmer music that’s drunk, dirty, political and passionate.”

BC Musician

Barbara Bruederlin is a freelance writer

in Calgary. She is trying to single-handedly save the arts community in Canada by promoting struggling musicians and theatre troupes. Her reviews are regularly linked on the press pages of the Calgary Folk Music Festival and Sage Theatre. Barbara also maintains an insanely popular blog, Bad Tempered Zombie. Her writing has been published in Prairie Fire Magazine, Swerve Magazine, Kitschykoo! Subcultural Magazine, and Alberta Views Magazine.

Neil Burnett has been playing his beloved celtic harp on the streets and in the halls of Vancouver and beyond for over two decades. But there’s more: Neil plays tin whistle, Irish flute, organ, banjo, and a host of whimsical instruments produced by Henry Marx. He was a Juno-nominated member of The Paperboys and The Widdershins; has recorded with the Brothers Creeggan, Doug Cox, and Will Millar; and has composed for film, television, art installation, and webcast. Some may have fond memories of his ensemble, Omnisquid.

Aaron Chapman was one of the original

founding members of the infamous Scottish celtic punk rock band, the Real McKenzies and spent five years of his misspent youth playing and touring with the band across the United States and Canada several times where he collected a number of wounds and dirty stories and an innate ability to deal with audience hecklers. Now with The Town Pants he plays Tin Whistle, Mandolin, Musical Saw, and makes astonishing guttural noises. Aaron has also written and directed two films, worked as a soundman, an exterminator, and contributes to CBC Radio.

April 2009

Rodney DeCroo is a transplanted steel-

town hoodlum turned poet-rocker who has released 4 acclaimed albums as well as published a book of poetry. He is constantly on the road — hitting the Wild west this month with surf’n’turf kings, The Modelos.

Nik Green has been creating and running

small businesses since high school. Starting with a lawn and garden company, then a graphic design company that also produced a weekly publication. After that, he designed, built and ran a full service coffee house for 2 years before selling it. Nik recently graduated from the Vancouver Film School and is currently pursuing his goals of becoming an effective and entertaining independent filmmaker and photographer.

Patrick Jacobson

is a Vancouver-based singer/songwriter and musician. He records, performs, and tours with the critically acclaimed bands The Luna Riot, The Capitals, and The Top Drawers. Patrick is currently touring in support of The Luna Riot’s new long player “Night Steals The Light” and working on his first solo album. He recently founded Raincity Management myspace.com/raincitymanagement where he manages Joel Battle and books Canadian shows and tours for artists from all across Canada and the US.

Kevin Kane is a professional musician

and has worn many hats over the years: songwriter, recording artist and touring musician (both solo and  as vocalist/guitarist with Capitol/EMI’s platinum-selling The Grapes Of Wrath), record producer, session musician, lecturer, educator and has even built guitars and amplifiers. His latest album, How To Build A Lighthouse, was recently short-listed for a Grammy award in the Best Pop Vocal Album category.

Grant Lawrence

Smugglers guitarist and born again radio dj for CBC Radio 3, Grant Lawrence has been living and breathing Canadian indie Music for decades. His knowledge of life on the road as a touring musician fused with an interviewer’s flare has tossed him into the ranks of cult favourite for the modern day Canadian music lover, and then some.

From her childhood on a dairy farm in Sicamous, Carolyn Mark has travelled thousands of miles entertaining crowds of 4 to 4000... touring Canada, the United States, the UK, Norway and Italy. She has shared the stage with such talented musicians as Jenny Whitely, Hank & Lily, Luther Wright, Sarah Harmer, Kelly Hogan, Lederhosen Lucil, Geoff Berner, Joel Plaskett, The Handsome Family, Neil Hamburger, JT and The Clouds, The Shiftless Rounders, NQ Arbuckle, Wanda Jackson, The Waco Brothers, The Sadies and Blue Rodeo.

Michelle Richard Acadian vocalist/ Lyndell Montgomery, aka:

Captain Dirt, is a multiinstrumentalist and a touring machine. She’s toured and recorded with heaps of artists around the globe from India to Australia to Northern BC! She’s also a co-author of the acclaimed book Boys Like Her, Transfictions. Aside from music, writing and live performance, it is gardening and sustainable living practices that consume her.

Joey Only is busy. In shortened February

he visited 3 provinces, played 9 concerts, produced 2 episodes of Sound Resistance Radio, worked seven 12-hours Downtown Eastside nightshifts, flew to punk legend Warren “Spider” Hastings’ funeral in Ontario, rolled twice in a van loaded with instruments 820 km from home, went to hospital and was released. His outrageous Outlaw Band played Geoff Berner’s CD release party, he promoted Hank Bobbit—Hillbilly ButchDyke from Hell (Germany)—on St. Patrick’s Day, and is this April touring eastern Canada with Anne Feeney, Liquorbox, and the Creepshow.

Linda McRae spent 8 years touring

the world with Platinum recording artists Spirit of the West. She has since released 3 critically acclaimed solo recordings and in 2007 was awarded a Canada Council Study Grant to work with Grammy winner Jon Vezner in Nashville, TN and clawhammer banjo aficionado Brad Leftwich in Bloomington, IN. She is managed by 42 Artist Management, Nashville, TN. Linda was married in a bail bonds office in Jackson, TN to James Whitmire, a retired donkey rancher-turned poet. They are working on a new CD of their own songs and a oneact play about how they met. lindamcrae.com

RadaR has worked mixing live shows for

six years. After moving to BC in 2007, she now works in clubs all across the city of Vancouver. Her main home is at the Railway Club downtown. Her articles are music reviews from the point of view of a sound technician, giving insight into live performances and local music trends. She lives on Commercial Drive with her husband and two cats.

Rae Spoon isn’t in this month’s issue,

but we are very sorry that his bio was accidentally omitted from the March issue. Rae will be back.

actor Michelle Richard is strongly influenced by her roots, which date back to her first Acadian ancestor in 1657 in Port Royal, Nova Scotia. Performing a range of bilingual vocal stylings including jazz, blues, R&B, and traditional Acadian songs over 400 years old, Richard’s music provides an eclectic selection that has captivated audiences throughout Western Canada. Last November, her music was promoted by Music BC in Asia on their 2008 Japan Trade Mission. Michelle also won the award for Best Performance at this year’s Pacific En Chanson.

When Jenny

Ritter was very young,

her dad was a tenor in the opera, while Ma Ritter ran a ballet school. She sat under the piano during rehearsals, and presumably soaked it all in because... well, look where she is now! After years of torturous Conservatory piano lessons, she was given a guitar for her fifteenth birthday, and took to it like a fish to water. In 2000 Jenny joined Phaedra (and ex-fiddler, Heather Cunliffe) to create Billy Goats Gruff. The rest is band history.... Jenny resides in a wee house near the ocean in Victoria, BC. She freelances on Irish guitar with renowned fiddler, Daniel Lapp, a Victoria staple for folk music. She’s also the main organizer of Roof Rabbit, a hip and contemporary Irish instrumental quartet.

Adam P W Smith is Vancouver-

based photographer who specialises shooting live events using available light. He’s been involved in the Canadian independent music scene for over thirty years. He can be found lurking the shadows of small venues, waiting patiently for the right moment. Some of his best work is exhibited on his photoblog - www.adampwsmith.com/photoblog. He likes gin.

Tom McCabe contributed a fantastic photo of Motherspace in the February and we didn’t give him well-deserved credit. Drop him a line to see his other photos: t.mccabe@hotmail.com

BC Musician | April 2009 | 5

navigator.pdf 23/10/2008 12:30:52 PM

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604-807-6519 heartlinemusic@shaw.ca 6

BC Musician

April 2009

e a r ly b i r d F E STI VA L S : G e ts th e w o r m

ust when we were all starting to think that flowers were myths of ancient folklore, and this apparel of “shorts” and something called a “tank top” were products of a crazy man’s fantasy, Spring shows up to prove our misconceptions wrong. And with burst of budding blossoms, college kids scampering about campus in high fashion wear, and motorcycles churning with chaotic blasts through the streets of our cities, we find ourselves one step closer to the music festivals of the summer. Early bird tickets are starting to be sold for several, and if you’re familiar with the summer music festival lifestyle, one tip off the bat is: buy your tickets early. Nothing worse than packing up your old beater car with the essentials for a good time, only to roll up to the venue and be told to turn around, sold out, so go home. If that won’t get your blood boiling, then you harbour the patience of a Saint. Merritt, the land of country folk and hot weather. Also the home to Mountainfest formerly the Merritt Mountain Music Festival. This is the hot ticket in the BC Intertior runs July 9 - 12. People from all over BC, Canada for that matter, travel to the small community of Merritt to become country bumpkins for four days. Who wouldn’t, with performers Paul Brandt, Emerson Drive, The Steve Miller Band, Kenny Chesney, George Canyon and Pam Tillis taking the stage. And that’s just a sample of the country music legends who will be on hand for the event. Tickets always sell out fast, and if you’re looking to camp, Early Bird tickets are your safest chance to nab a prime spot while you can, $244.25 until June 30. mountainfest.com. The 18th Annual Kaslo Jazz Summer Music Festival will take place from July 31 - August 2. Nestled near Nelson and Nakusp, Kaslo is a small town with a big punch of musical flair in the summer. Some of the performers include Brad Turner, Ridley Bent, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, John Lee Sanders, Five Alarm Funk, and Richie Havens. But not only will the small village boast talent, the festival will also host a series of workshops. Tickets are affordable and will fit anyone’s budget, $50 for Early Birds. kaslojazzfest.com. The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festi-

val kicks off on August 14th, and with the Pemberton Music Festival getting the axe for 2009, many big names will be heading to the Roots and Blues Festival. Bedouin Soundclash, Veda Hille, Lee Harvey Osmond, Sam Roberts Band, Serena Ryder, Souljah Fyah, and Blind God are just some of the performers who will be on stage for the three day event. Early Bird tickets are on sale now until June 26 and are just $105, wait until August and the price will be a stiff $148 bones. Tickets and information can be found at rootsandblues.ca. The ArtsWells Festival in cozy Wells, BC has announced that Early Bird tickets are on sale now through mid-June. Adult weekend pass is $60 (and this, my friend, is a shockingly good deal). Youth pass just $25 and kids under 12 are free! After the 15th of June you’re looking at (still an incredible price) $80/$35/free. Each adult weekend pass comes with a coupon to be redeemed for a CD of your choice at the festival merchandise booth. There will be over 150 artists working in music, performance, spoken word, visual arts, and whole bunch of stuff in between. Complete list of performers will be on their website this month. And the whole list is long. artswellsfestival.com or join their Facebook and MySpace groups.

Musical workshops 18th Annual Georgia Strait Guitar Workshop, 5-7 June 2009: An unforgettable weekend of

Photo credit: Guy Smith

formal musical instruction and music making at Crescent Beach near White Rock B.C. Please check it out at www.gsgw.ca. Also check out our Spring and Fall jams (lots of music, no formal instruction) each year at the same place. 604-327-7811

4th Annual Vancouver Island Music Workshop, 11-13 Sept. 2009. Another unforgettable weekend of formal musical instruction and music making. This time near Parksville B.C. Check it out at www.vancouverislandmusicworkshop.com Also check out our May Musical Retreat (lots of music, no formal instruction), 22-24 May 2009 at the same place. 250-890-0499

9th Annual British Columbia Swing Camp, 16-22 August, 2009, in Sorrento, BC. Enjoy a wonderful week of expert instruction in many aspects of swing, including western swing, jazz standards, bossas, and jazz/blues - for vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers.Please check us out at www.bcswingcamp.ca 604-734-5571

Don’t forget about the ArtsWells/BC Musician songwriting contest! See page 23. More amazing music can be heard at the Robson Valley Music Festival in the jewel of the Robson Valley, Dunster. August 21 - 23, scenic camping, really nice people, and lots of dancing to the likes of Rachelle Van Zanten, Coco Love Alcorn, Sarah Noni Metzner, Los Gringos Salvajes, and of course, festival hosts, Mamaguroove. A completely good time for just $50 through June, $70 at the gate. robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com This is just a tiny glimpse of what this glorious province has to offer this summer. Next month’s issue of BC Musician Magazine will have a complete festival guide, all wrapped in a collectible cover designed by legendary poster designer, Bob Masse. Summer is fast approaching, and unless you enjoy being that lonely soul drinking lemonade on your front porch wondering where are the people have gone, you may want to jump on the summer music festival bandwagon now.

BC Musician | April 2009 | 7

Two Poems

by Rodney Decroo The Lightning Catcher On a Friday evening in deep summer my father has come home from the tavern, and sits in the kitchen in his work clothes. Cigarette burning in one dirt hardened hand, with the other he grabs me by the arm, laughs as the coal dust makes me sneeze, says, "You can catch lightning in your hands if you're quick enough," pushes me away and reaches back for his beer. The flicker of fireflies in the air dims and the alley is dark except for the weak street-lamp light outside Cooper's Tire Garage. I let a mayonnaise jar drop from my hand, it shatters against concrete, my captive dying fireflies crawl out over the glass. I hear beginnings of thunder and climb the fire escape that hangs down from the side of our apartment building, go to the tar roof. The Allegheny River curves dark green below me, car headlights move along Pittsburgh Street, beneath rail-yard lights the train tracks run black through the glare of white gravel, and the steel bridges more numerous than I had ever imagined connect up darkness with darkness as I stand on that roof scabby-kneed surveying what is suddenly my kingdom. Beyond the hills across the river, jungles explode with trip lines, fighter jets roar and tear apart the sky and earth until it is all a tunnel in which napalm glows out of sightless eyes surrounded by black clouds and smoke that slide behind my father's words, his silence and his eyes. My streets and car headlights blur. They are my fireflies. Thunder pounds like detonating shells, stripping the air. When the lightning hits, it blinds me. I could be crawling in darkness over the tar, sharp rain falling around me or standing in darkness above the house, shaking. Someone calls. I know the smell of tobacco, sweat, beer, and coal dust. It is a long time before he speaks.

BC Musician

April 2009

Behind The Gasworks On Railroad Avenue Where white storage tanks sit in gravel and tar, my brother and I push our bicycles into a vacant lot of dust and far apart trees that throw skinny shade against a white one storey brick and concrete building that was once a factory. We lay our bicycles on the ground and sit with our backs against the coolness of the brick wall. Our legs thrust out before us in the dust. It doesn't matter that we're wearing cut off jeans and our legs will be stained with the dust and our sweat. We're too young to separate ourselves from the day with its load of sunlight and dirt. We're tired and don't talk, we turn the dirt through our fingers and my brother says look and holds his hand out to me. Two pieces of pig iron in his dirt smeared palm. They're as black as crow feathers I say. He puts them in his pockets. Says quietly, crow feathers, boy that's a good one. We sit a while longer. I notice our breath rising and falling and how effortless it seems. This is the summer day that comes back to me when my brother I haven't heard from in a year or two calls tonight to say he's living in Jacksonville in a treatment center and no liquor has passed his lips for three weeks. His ex-wife, who won't speak his name, will let him see his son if he stays sober for a year. He still has the two pieces of pig iron wrapped in cloth in a drawer. He says they help him to stay sober and do I remember that day and how I said crow feathers. I see the white storage tanks, barbed wire, gravel, and tar. Yes, I say, and set the phone softly down.

Rodney Decrooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest album is Mockingbird Bible on Northern Electric. He is on tour throughout Western Canada with The Modelos throughout the month of April.

merchandise: stalin showed that mistakes are natural

By Geoff Berner

n tour, merchandise pays for breakfast. Don’t sell it for too little. People are buying your merchandise because they’ve decided that they believe in what you’re doing and they want to help you keep going. So let the people help you, for God’s sake. Five dollar CDs are silly. But don’t be too precious about it. If some 15 yearold kid steals your T-shirt and dashes out, well, be grateful that somebody out there wants your stuff bad enough to steal it, and let it go. I’d also like to share with you the notion that your merchandise, should you choose to sell some, is always best if it reflects something interesting about who you are, and what you do. For instance: Corb Lund, the Western Canadian Swag Roping Champion for the last 10 years running, writes a lot about drinking whiskey and playing cards. He sells shot glasses and playing cards. The majority-female group Sluttarded, the greatest band to ever emerge from Toronto, sold blood-stained panties with their logo on it. I got one as a present for my girlfriend. It’s a family heirloom now. And there’s an entire town in Switzerland whose sole economic activity is the production of Mansinthe, Marilyn Manson’s signature brand of absinthe. Me, I always got asked a lot of questions about accordions, especially on the first few tours. As the accordion slowly lost its odd stigma, and became accepted as a singer/songwriter instrument, the questions went from “Why the hell are you playing that?” to “Gee, that’s interesting,” to “Tell me how I can be an accordion player!” So, I wrote a book about it. A booklet, really. It’s called “How to Be An Accordion Player,” published by the Kolakovsky Press, of Canada. Just over 2000 copies have sold so far, they tell me. What’s it like? Well, to give you an idea, allow me to share a letter of complaint from a misguided purchaser of the book. The letter is from Kingston, Ontario, a place well-known in Canada for being quite conservative and, apparently, humourously humourless. “Dear North Electric Store, This is the most ridiculous and deceiving book I have ever seen. What does ‘Stalin’ (Pg. 24) and a Hyena (Pg. 41) have to do with “How” to play an accordion? I don’t know how you can try and sell such crap, in all honesty. No one in their right mind would ever learn how to

play an accordion by reading such crap as this.

trifle messy at times. No surprise there.

I guess you can tell by now that I am very irritated. Please, do the right thing and REFUND MY MONEY.

And as with any messy desk, papers are wont to get a bit mixed up sometimes. So it was that one day, as the happy event drew nearer, the list of wedding guests was mixed up with the daily list of enemies of the State to be rounded up and shot.

Thank you, (Name Withheld), Kingston Ontario. I like to think that this correspondent was a prison guard (or “screw”) at Kingston Penitentiary, but that’s just me day-dreaming. The book really does have a picture of Stalin in it. It’s in the centre-fold. Below, please find that chapter reprinted, with the permission of the publisher.

Chapter 13: Mistakes Are Natural Now that you’re over your fear of the buttons, you should be trying to play music on your new accordion. And you should be making a lot of mistakes. Don’t be so discouraged by your mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing, if you’re going to be a proper accordion player, is to learn to cover up your mistakes, or simply keep going along, as if nothing’s happened, and hope that no one has noticed, or better yet, act as if whatever terrible sound you made was completely on purpose. And if some people don’t understand how great it is, then they are very stupid. It’s important, above all, not to take life too seriously. Laughter is the best medicine, as Josef Stalin knew well… In the halcyon, omelettemaking days of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic, good old “Uncle Joe” Stalin was at the helm of the ship of state, and a happy family occasion boded. Uncle Joe’s daughter was getting married, and all the top soviet socialist socialites vied to be on the list of invited guests. The wedding guest list was eventually handed to Stalin, who put it on his desk.

Imagine the KGB’s embarrassment when they realized their mistake! But it was too late. No use crying over spilt milk. Except that someone had to tell Uncle Joe. The various underlings drew straws, and one unlucky functionary found himself with the difficult task of informing Stalin that they’d had all the wedding guests taken out and shot. That day, the poor little party apparatchik said goodbye to his wife and family, and went to do his duty. He informed Comrade Stalin in as forthright and clear a manner as he knew. Then he waited for his response, quivering, terrified to his very bones. But the corners of Old Joe’s mouth crinkled, and his eyes twinkled, and his jolly belly began to shake, as he laughed and laughed, as if this were the funniest jape he’d ever heard. That’s just the kind of guy he was.

The Packing House An original Apple Packing House brought back to its storied past. This historic landmark of Spences Bridge is a favorite Coffee House for locals and travelers alike. The Packing House is a friendly country establishment depicting the vast history of the famous Widow Smith apples and Spences Bridge, a small desert like community located where the Thompson and Nicola Rivers meet!

Now, we all know the saying, “A clean desk is a sign of a sterile mind,” and Mr. Stalin’s mind was far from sterile. So, naturally, his desk could be a

Located in downtown Spences Bridge just off the #8 and #1 Highways on Riverview Avenue Contact us to book your show!

3705 Riverview Ave, Spences Bridge, BC (250) 458-2256 steverice53@msn.com

BC Musician | April 2009 | 9

do it yourself... indie style “Let me be clear. Beer is good.” Ryan McMahon is unapologetic about the promotional support he is receiving from Big Rock Brewery. As an independent musician, he is all too familiar with the struggles of promoting his music without the backing of a label. So when Big Rock, who is fast becoming Canada’s Patron Saint of the Arts, chose his single “Road Signs” to appear on the second volume of their Untapped compilation CD, Ryan knew he had tapped into a sweet deal. Not only are 50,000 copies of the CD being distributed across Canada in cases of beer and at swank events like the Junos, but Ryan and the other artists receive marketing support from the brewery for one year. By being invited to play at various venues, they can expect to catch the ear of event sponsors and festival organizers. Add to that the secondary promotional tool of bigrockuntapped.com as a free-standing music-based site, and you can understand Ryan’s emphatic assertion that there is no downside to being associated with a corporate sponsor. “I don’t think any other musician in my spot would question these methods, especially if you’re taking into consideration the landscape of today’s music industry as a whole,” he tells me. “Indie artists already know that they won’t be making too much dough on physical sales.” Reggie Gill, vocalist with the band Elizabeth, agrees. Their track “Diminishing Returns” is also featured on the CD, and he acknowledges that it’s increasingly vital to latch onto this sort of opportunity. He concurs that even signed musicians like Elizabeth need a DIY attitude toward promotion. “You have to take every opportunity just to survive,” he explains. “We’re not marketers, just four guys in a rock n roll band.” For these four guys who “drink the stuff in boatloads

BC Musician

By Barbara Bruederlin

all the time anyway” linking up with a brewery is a natural.

licensing revenue gives her yet another marketing tool to add to her considerable repertoire.

Benevolent brewmeisters aren’t the only benefactors. Music BC, who has long provided networking and promotional opportunities to members, also hosts an annual competition for compilation CD placement, distributed at events like the Junos, SXSW, CMW, and MIDEM, as well as at several Canadian Consulates. Never underestimate the power of being big in Albania.

Prior to taking a hiatus to raise her family, Fara had managers handling the business side of her career, but upon returning to music, she made the commitment to do it all herself. Fara insists that having the freedom to balance family life alongside her career makes it worth the extra effort it takes to be a DIY artist. “The upside is I’m doing exactly what I want, when I want, and how I want,” she explains. “The downside is I sometimes have to fight fatigue or just plain laziness, get off my butt, and put the hours in. I have no one but myself to blame when great promotional opportunities are passing me by.” Motherhood remains the ultimate training ground for multi-tasking.

Every track on this compilation CD, plus some shortlisters, is promoted on Music BC’s streaming site, musicfrombc.com, for placement in tv, film, and video games. Licensing revenue is the fastest growing source of income for musicians and record companies, making up for the slump in record sales and royalties for air play on radio stations. As well, inspired placement can have the heady spin-off of skyrocketing an emerging musician from struggling artist to hot ticket. This is all good news for Ryan McMahon, who was understandably chuffed when a second song, “Comeback,” was chosen for inclusion in the Music BC compilation. “One day the phone rang, and it was good news,” he recounts. “A few days later it rang again, but it was the phone company telling me that my cell phone needed to be paid off. The day after that, it was good news again.” You don’t need mad math skills to figure out that having two different songs on two different compilations immediately doubles your exposure. For Fara Palmer, having Music BC’s backing allows her the freedom to manage her career to suit her hectic life. “Music BC is not only very supportive to BC artists, but they are connected to many events, networks, etc outside of my own,” she explains. Her single “Poor Me” was selected to be promoted for licensing options. This exposure to the potentially lucrative world of

April 2009

Fara’s engaging website, musicfarapalmer.com, reads like a sourcebook for DIY music promotion and gives her a direct link to the music industry and to her fan-base. Designing her own press kit and promotional releases allows her to control her own image. Fan sites, street teams, and free songs written specifically for them allow Fara to remain to accessible to her fans, while offering other gratis songs as promotional tools creates word of mouth buzz. The new reality within the music business relies more upon relationship-building and less upon unit sales. Fara explains, “I can advertise the free download, increase the number of visitors to my site, potentially make new fans.” All the musicians with whom I spoke use a multitude of promotional resources. Being nominated for awards is a crap-shoot at best. Collaborations with other artists can create a buzz, while college radio airplay is not only more achievable than Big Radio, it enhances that sexy indie cred. Whether you are nurturing a street team or holding a bottle of Big Rock everywhere you go, DIY promotion requires a creative mindset.

Merchandise: To promote a product by devel-

oping strategies for packaging, display, and publicity. Hmm, for any touring artist that’s a lot to think about. It can also mean the difference between going home with a little cash in your pocket and borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. There are lots of great things that are reasonably cheap to manufacture. Be creative. I know a band that buys cheap underwear and has them

thought out design will go along way. So will having something eye-catching that will stand out amongst all the other CD’s on the shelf. Your title will usually suggest something and again if you can design it yourself all the better. Look for a public-domain image or an image you may have taken yourself. Something that goes hand-in-hand with your title. Be careful about using images from the web though, there

THIS WINDING ROAD silk-screened with some crazy saying and their band name and they sell like hotcakes!

First things first, Design: What do you

want your stuff to look like? Something that suggests what you sound like is good thing as is a logo. Sometimes a logo can just be your name in an interesting font. If you are artistically inclined you can try designing one yourself. If you’re not so inclined, have a friend design one for you or find a reasonably priced professional. There are lots of companies out there just waiting to design something for you.

Recordings: If you are signed to a label, they

will sometimes foot the bill for the recording as well as the design, but if that’s not the case and you’ve put all that hard-earned cash into recording your first or your 10th CD for that matter, now what do you do for a design? A well-

them, food for thought! If you can get a decent live recording you might want to think about putting together a CD and manufacturing it yourself and then sell them at your shows and on-line. The H4 is an awesome new 4-track recording unit that costs about $200 and is highly recommended by a lot of folks I know including me. I just got one for Christmas and it’s been great. Depending upon

By Linda McRae

are strict copy-right issues that can get you into trouble if you don’t have the rights to use them. Again if you don’t you’re not so inclined, look for a good designer. One of my favourite covers is Carolyn Mark’s CD “Nothing is Free.” It’s absolutely brilliant! Go check it out for yourself and if you haven’t already, for shame! A really good thing to remember when putting together your design is to make sure your track listing AND YOUR NAME are on the CD itself!! If your CD and the packaging get separated…it’s happened to me…who the heck is this? It’s also a good thing to have the song length listed somewhere on the packaging as well…the back tray card is a great place. Radio programmers hate CDs that don’t have track listings on

your style of music and your budget, you might also want to check into pressing vinyl. There are still a lot of enthusiasts out there who still collect vinyl, especially the coloured stuff and those covers are great for artwork!

Free Stuff: It’s a good idea to have a few free

items if you can. Postcards or flyers are a great idea and you can include a bio, website info and your tour dates. It’s good advertising and a great way to promote your new CD…include a copy of cover on the front. Make sure to include your name and website information…a no-brainer but folks quite often forget. You want folks to know to find information about you.

Cheaper Items: Have a few inexpensive items

available at shows. People don’t always have enough money to buy a CD but if you have something that just costs a couple of dollars they are more likely to pick something up. Charge $2, $3, $5 and have things add up to $5, 10 and 20, that way you don’t have to make change and people may buy them if they add up to the bills they have in their pocket. Stickers, posters, buttons, etc. are good items and are easily transported. Be smart about choosing your items. A box of mugs with your mug on them may be tempting for those caffeine freaks and teatotalers out there, but they are heavy and they break.

T-Shirts:

Save money and buy in bulk. Sell for a reasonable price and watch them fly off the shelf! Make sure you have lots of womens shirts as well. Women’s t’s sell like hotcakes. Hoodies are more expensive and usually don’t sell as well unless you’re in a punk band for some reason, then they usually do well, especially if it’s winter! Hats can be good as well, especially if you have an effective logo. Well there’s my 2 cents worth. If you ever want to see some creative merchandising check out Fred Eaglesmith, No Means No, or Willie Nelson. They definitely have it figured out! Till next time, be good to yourself and have fun on this winding road!

BC Musician | April 2009 | 11

eat, drink, flirt... busk!

usking is an ancient way of life that can reward a performer in ways that go beyond collecting change in a hat. For those who succeed at it, busking is a rich source of companionship, adventure, romance, discovery, and real personal growth. This success depends on developing a diverse skill set ranging from the practical to the emotional and even spiritual. In this article, I’m going to offer some advice gleaned from the experience of myself and fellow veteran busker Ralph Shaw, King of the Ukulele. Street performers are described in classical literature and can be seen depicted in Roman mural and mosaic. The word “busker” comes from buscare, a Latin verb meaning to wander or seek. By the late Middle Ages there were a number of variations on this word across Europe, all with the same basic meanings. The word in Provencal, for example, is troubadour. There always have been and still are a lot of better ways to make money than by busking. There are no salaries, benefits, sick days or pensions. So what compels buskers to keep at it, sometimes for decades? Medieval minstrels sought after and spread novel religious ideas and political news, and found a good deal of romance, fame, and adventure along the way. These days many of the same motivations apply. One of them is simply living closer to the edge than most people and finding the experience exhilarating. “I tell people that busking is like gambling,” says Ralph. “You go out not knowing whether you’re going to hit the jackpot or come home empty handed. Unlike gambling, though, you never actually lose money doing it. Like gambling, along the way you get to experiment with your technique. Can you work out a system for yourself that seems to give better odds? But you really have to want to do it, because it’s a lot of hard work, and everyone needs to work out the details for themselves. For instance there are some performers on Granville Island who treat it like a real job: they show up rain or shine and play as long as they can, regardless of bad weather, mood, or response. I prefer to busk on pleasant days when I can really attract and interact with an audience.” The companionship of like-minded people is another one of these rewards. On my second busking trip to Britain, I trusted a gut feeling and hopped out of a van being used

BC Musician

by my friends in Mad Pudding. I was supposed to be tagging along with them, an invitation I’d accepted gladly, but it hadn’t been working very well. I was broke. It was a sudden decision to get out in Bath. I really didn’t know what was going to happen, but by the end of the day I felt my decision had been a lucky one, mostly because of a wonderful man named Ken Ritchie. Ken, it turned out, was the centre of gravity among the buskers in Bath. He’d worked out an agreement with the local council that allowed buskers to perform at the best pitches provided they joined a buskers’ guild and agreed to a simple set of very civilized rules. The whole busking culture was in fact eminently civilized — a long way from the cunning, fight-prone situation my well-meaning English relatives had tried to warn me about. Within half an hour of playing my first set on the square, Ken had taken me under his wing and given me a warm welcome and orientation. Buskers met at 9 AM to allocate time slots. If two or more parties wanted the same spot, a coin toss decided. There were never any arguments. Once the day had been apportioned out, everyone gathered in a nearby cafe for toast and coffee. I spent the summer there and fell in love with the place, mostly because of Ken. When I returned three years later with my brand new $6000 harp, Ken let me and an Irish saw player named Henry stay for free in his flat. And when I dropped that harp on the paving stones and watched it shatter into shards, Ken fed me and took three days off work to patiently rebuild it. I’m still overcome with warm gratitude when I think about it. He literally saved me. The summer that I stayed with Ken was also full of some fantastically romantic adventures. I had two Spanish women who were often present when I played. One dropped a gold heart on a chain into my hat before she went home. Another, a beautiful singer from Asturias named Estephania, dropped a menu in my hat. “THE SPANISH TAPAS PARTY,” it read. “To start: jerez and jamon, with olives and bread....” Believe it or not, I was a little ambivalent about going, partly because I was trying to decide whether I’d ask someone back in Canada to marry me. Eventually I persuaded Ken to accompany me, and we set out in search of the address.

April 2009

It took us a long time to find the place — a drag, because I was hauling my harp with me by request. When we finally found the street, we both stopped and looked at each other. The sidewalk was lined with tea lights.

Neil Burnett. photos: Ahmad Kavousian

By Neil Burnett

They led to the front door of a huge Georgian mansion, which, it turned out, had been used as a location for a recent BBC production of a Jane Austen novel. There was a blazing sea of candles there in front of the door. We knocked and the three women who lived there — two nurses, including Estephania and a rather melancholy sort from Prague, along with an English student — answered the door in a clump and whisked us inside. We were quickly given wine, olives, bread, olive oil, and ham. After a few minutes a jar of pickles was put on the table. Suddenly Estephania and Jane (the English girl) disappeared. The mute Czech offered no explanation. After ten minutes they returned. “Okay, it’s all ready, please bring your harp upstairs.” We followed them into a ballroom. It was pretty stunning: a huge empty chamber with an ornate Georgian fireplace on one side. The only contents of the room were a single chair, surrounded by an almost frightening number of tea lights, all blazing away. In front of this was a large oriental rug and a pile of cushions. My hosts stretched themselves out on these and looked at me with slight smiles and lazy eyes. I couldn’t believe it. I felt like

Busk for a while and you’ll never be short on stories. The next summer, in Edinburgh, a woman from California adopted me and brought me to a party, where she said there would be some good music. It turned into one of the most memorable musical experiences of my life. Good music was a gross understatement; these people came from many of Edinburgh’s best traditional bands. We went through crates of wine and played and sang for hours. Ralph and I agree, though, that what keeps busking really compelling are the times that people are cheered, consoled, and given inspiration and peace of heart by your performance. To see crowds of distracted people gradually settle into your music and then leave slowly, like people leaving a church service, with gentle smiles and soft eyes, is confirmation of the highest order that you’re doing something worthwhile. It is deeply satisfying. Fortunately, these are not easy things to achieve. Why fortunately? Speaking for myself, I can say confidently that I was forced to confront and overcome inner demons (an ongoing battle, natch) and develop virtues to make all these busking adventures possible.

Ralph shaw, king of the ukelele

Orpheus, and played really, really well.

Sensitivity to people and a keen intuition also tend to develop out of necessity. Self-reliance grows, along with a humble willingness to accept help from others. Practically speaking, some guidelines would have to include:

Look good and make contact.

People have a total experience of you as a person; you’re not just an animated CD player.

Have a kit.

Most buskers fail because they get disheartened. It’s easy to do. If over a thousand people can pass Joshua Bell playing his violin in complete indifference, you can bet you’re going to feel underappreciated at times too. Even Sting only made 42 pounds during a stint on Leicester Square. Discouragement has always tripped me up. I have learned though that by staying put precisely when you most want to escape what seems a hopeless situation, you can prove to yourself that these feelings have no empirical validity. They really are just a sick old recording playing in your head, a manifestation of cowardice. So often I’ve had the experience of playing with no response for 45 minutes only to find myself surrounded by a crowd, sometimes eager to buy recordings.

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Keep extra strings, a nail clipper, tuners, and anything else you might need to keep going in a pinch.

Play from your heart.

A lack of authenticity is especially obnoxious in a busker, for it gives the impression of grasping for money. It should always feel generous. You’ll never feel burned out or resentful if you play generously and truly, and people will respond authentically in return. Don’t be afraid to try it: good buskers who give their best enrich the lives of the people who encounter them. They are encouraging signs from the universe, like flowers growing through cracks in concrete. And with persistence, playfulness, and discipline, you might find that you’ve enriched yourself with a good deal more than money.

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adam pw smith: rock stock and two smoking f-stops

Concert photography may be the most difficult situation in which to be a photographer. While many concert photographers are looking to capture the performers’ attention to the lens for that fleeting moment, the Ottawa-born Vancouver resident Smith has a distinctly different philosophy in his photography. “I don’t want the performer to know I’m there,” he relates, “I want the performer to connect to the audience and capture that.” From small clubs to large venues, Smith’s eye gets as close to the action as possible without interrupting the momentum of a band’s live show, camoflaged in this warzone. In much of Smith’s work it’s as if the camera had floated invisibly in between the two. It’s not an easy trick for the conspicuous Smith. “It continually amazes me that being a six foot tall middle-aged white guy with dreadlocks goes unnoticed!” he smirks. Photographing bands in notoriously dark clubs, and starkly lit halls, Smith’s use of available light would make Johannes Vermeer proud. He doesn’t use any flash photography in his shots, and considers the flicker of the flash bulb that draws attention to it akin to being impolite. “You’re interrupting other people’s enjoyment of the show as if you’d be in the audience talking loudly.” Indeed, some of Smith’s most likeable photos are of the audience themselves who are frequently captured in whole or in part in his work. The fact that Smith is photographing groups in the local Vancouver scene seems also crucial to the images captured in his shots. “Mick Jagger doesn’t have to do anything. He just has to stand there.” Smith says. “For a local band that many people may not know, there’s got to be something about the photograph that makes people pay attention. So it’s a lot more challenging.” Amusingly enough, Smith began taking live concert photos as a coping strategy. “Around large crowds I’m awful.” He relates candidly. “I suppose I’m not the most socially graceful person.

BC Musician

I’d love going to shows. But between sets I was sort of nervous waiting for the next band to start. I started out helping roadies just to give me something to do and went from there. Taking photographs became a way to deal with anxiety.” And adds, “My uncle was an aerial photographer who feared flying. Taking the photos while he flew calmed him down. So maybe it runs in the family.”

From the smaller clubs in the city like Media Club to larger halls like Commodore Ballroom, Smith goes to a lot of shows — and he takes a lot of photographs. On a given night he takes between 900 and 1200 photos of each band he shoots. “After the show when I go through them all, there are always two or three hundred I immediately trash because they were irretrievably out of focus or somebody stepped out of the shot or something. Then I go from there. I eventually tend to narrow it down to 20 or 30 of the best shots to show the band at the end of it.” By Smith’s estimation he shot over 165,000 shots last year. There is no history. Only historians. And if someone in the future were to write a book about the last few years of Vancouver’s live music scene. Surely Adam PW Smith’s name would feature heavily in the photo credits. If it wasn’t for the exceptional and striking photographs alone, the sheer volume of them he’s managed to capture, of bands of all different genres is impressive. And the sense of archive is not lost on Smith who speaks passionately about the work. “That’s absolutely one of my motivations. Being able to contribute to this ongoing history of rock and roll music. You never know if you’re going to be there at the beginning of something. Being able to capture that.” View Adam PW Smith’s photoblog: www.adampwsmith.com

April 2009

ninjaspy at Pub 340, February 2009 Adam PW SMith

magine you are a combat photographer. Like a good battlefield photographer you hide from the bombs and bullets and do your best to stay hidden out of the way. But the wars you photograph only happen at night — in poor light. Now imagine the combatants are mostly anonymous, transient and without rank. Each night it’s a completely different platoon using different weapons in a completely different war — but you still find a way to tell a story to show the outside world. This is the job of live concert photographer Adam PW Smith.

scatterheart cd release, ANza club, march 2009

By Aaron Chapman

Peer ReVIEWs

Jody Glenham Focus Pull by Patrick Jacobson

The best surprises always seem to come from the most unlikely places. I met Jody through mutual friends. She sold me a fantastic pair of boots. Naturally, I had no idea there was a brilliant songwriter hiding under her quirky, unassuming, wonderful sense of being. That’s what makes Jody so cool. While so many other musicians brag about how amazing they think they are, Jody simply lets her art (and her heart) speak for itself. When I first asked her about her music, she sent me a link to her MySpace page. I was sitting down at a coffee shop with my laptop (like all Vancouverites love to do — hey, look at me! I’m important! I’m typing stuff!) and I went to the website to give her music a listen. I must admit, and maybe this is a terrible shortfall in my personality, or perhaps simply the result of hearing the promises of so many “great” records that end up being merely average at best, I was largely unprepared for what I was about to hear. Yes, the best surprises do indeed seem to come from the most unlikely places. Jody is legit! She has talent! She has a beautiful voice, she writes fabulous songs, and she’s easy on the eyes: The complete package. At that time, the songs I was hearing were from her debut album, “Brave New World.” “Focus Pull” takes a giant leap from that solid first effort seemingly giving Glenham all the potential in the world. Let me just take a moment and reveal to BC Musician readers that Jody Glenham is brilliant. If Tori Amos starting writing songs for Aimee Mann to sing, I imagine the resulting album

releases

wouldn’t sound unlike “Focus Pull.” Occasionally, I hear echoes of David Bowie’s “Hunky Dory” from time to time as the album frolics along with its sparse piano focused arrangement. Jesse Gander has beautifully produced the album with a ‘big-open-spaces’ approach and a host of Vancouver indie musicians (Mikey Manville, Louise Burns, Al Boyle, Jon Lovell, Andy Torr, Edo Van Breeman and Jesse Gander) lend their musicianship when and where it’s needed proving the catch phrase inside the CD cover, “gems are found in clusters,” accurate in more ways than one. The same phrase could just as easily be used to describe the ten songs on “Focus Pull.” From the west-coast culture inspired “Coffee Soaked” to the 70’s-esque Fleetwood Mac-tinged rock of “Whisky (So Cold)” to the playful charm of “Lime,” “Focus Pull” has an endearing, magnetic quality to it that beckons to be listened to while staring out the window on a rainy day and yet hints that maybe it would be alright to dance around your living room while doing so. Visit Jody Glenham at www.myspace.com/ jodyglenham to find out when she’s playing your town next and pick up your own copy of “Focus Pull” at http://cdbaby.com/cd/glenham2.

Scatterheart The Masterplan by Patrick Jacobson

proves to be a difficult task. The band’s vocalist, Jesse Enright, is a yoga instructor who wears multi-coloured feathered wings and a tight vest with no shirt and he challenges his audiences to dance competitions. His voice is somewhere between Perry Farrell’s and Geddy Lee’s and his handstands have become staples at Scatterheart’s concerts. The band is drenched in pinstripes, flashes of colour, tight pants and bleached blonde hair. They make no attempt to hide their 80’s influences and after hearing “The Masterplan,” you may feel inspired to feather your hair, buy some checkered sneakers and practice the skank before attending a Scatterheart concert. Getting the picture yet? It becomes apparent during the first listen of this album that the goal is FUN. Even the booklet that comes with the album depicts the band members’ lighthearted sense of humour. Enright is perched like a gargoyle in one image while bassist Wes DeBoer appears to be turning into the Incredible Hulk in every photo. Once the fun begins, it’s also obvious that the band has done their homework and that they have summoned past greats to inspire their art. “My Love” dances alongside David Bowie’s “Modern Love” and “Shut Up” borrows from The Police’s “Message In A Bottle.” However, the album does well to stand on its own two legs and it’s obvious that the band has worked hard to master their instruments and to define their image. Scatterheart is leading the charge for the Love Rock Revolution and they are determined to introduce the next generation of music fans to glam rock and power ballads. “The Masterplan” is a party album. Like the ceti eels in Wrath of Khan, Scatterheart’s songs burrow through their victims’ ear canals to their brains, leaving them in a highly suggestive state. This album begs to be cranked up LOUD. After one viewing of the video for the first single, “Beautiful,” you’ll be nodding and smiling. You’ll understand. Sometimes it’s best not to re-invent the wheel. It’s already round. It already works the way it’s supposed to. Perhaps it’s better to just have fun with it and let others enjoy it too. www.scatterheart.ca

Finding a way to describe Scatterheart to someone who is unfamiliar with the band

BC Musician | April 2009 | 15

Peer ReVIEWs

PO Girl

Deer in the Night

by Lyndell Montgomery Consisting of three core members and an entire tribe of additional sideshow players, the Po’ Girl crew have graciously sedated their nomadic tendencies long enough to artfully craft their new album, Deer in the Night. The first and title track, Deer in the Night, has the right bells and whistles, the right balance of musical tension and the right amalgamation of invitation and intrigue to entice me into their carnival of bemusement. The clarinet, accordion and open snare on Gandy Dancer create a boding feeling, hinting at the notion that something subversively ominous is about to be revealed. Before the mystery is fully unveiled, however, the next track, Grace, begins. A banjo lounges with the assured conviction of relentless pleasure and it’s all blue skies up ahead. No more mysterious chords skulking about, trying to add a dash of impish cadence to the cook pot. Awna Teixeira’s voice can be tough and gritty in a “been there, done that and it’s all true except for the parts she made up” sort of way. Couple Awna’s rawness with the opulent and smooth stylings of Allison Russell’s clarinet and voice and the result is double your pleasure. Then add in the musicianship and vigor of multi-instrumentalist and the third core band member, Benny Sidelinger, and you’ve got yourself a full-on triple threat. This album took me from the subdued stoop of a Saskatchewan farmhouse plunked at the end of a dusty unnamed road, right to the heart of a fire spitting, swords flying, chords tumbling musical circus sideshow.

BC Musician

releases & live

Headwater

Raghu Lokanathan

Lay You Down

Blue Girl

by shayne avec i grec

The haunting strings that open Headwater’s second album provide a perfect soundtrack to wandering thru the pre-dawn hours, waiting for a bus that never comes. In fact “Lay You Down” holds an undertone of loneliness so deep it could only be conveyed in collectivity, and these boys come together to the task quite nicely. With half the band having collaborated together since grade school, it’s no surprise that there is a great tightness between them.

Were it possible to have a theme album, rather than a mere theme song, Blue Girl would most assuredly do the job well for Raghu Lokanathan! Having spent the better part of a decade honing his craft of songwriting (featuring casts of off-beat characters), and mastering many an instrument (guitar, banjo, accordion, and more...), he has taken the many lessons he’s learned, mixed with a handful of the friends he’s made along the way, and crafted a wonderfully layered folk album.

For a while now, the Headwater gang have been working hard at wowing west coast crowds with their tractor jazz and tireless desire to play as much as possible — which has paid off in the form of “Lay You Down.” The album brims with sharply written songs that settle their way smoothly into the timelessness of great folk music, blending bluegrass and country influences together with mild rock overtones. Throughout these eleven new tunes, the boys allow each other, and the overall, a great deal of spaciousness, never permitting their strings clamber over one another, and letting the afterglow of notes resonate softly into the lonely ether.

Taking advantage of his relocation from Prince George to Victoria, Raghu teamed up with neo-folk veteran Corwin Fox to record and produce Blue Girl, which abandons the solo singer-songwriter model for something far more suited to the quirk and nuance of his songs. “First, they murdered the teacher...” and then, they recorded “Sick Boy” and eleven other songs with guests like Daniel Lapp (on fiddle, trumpet and scatting), Christina “Zippy” Zaenker (on cello), and more. The result is a clever collection of songs that has helped usher Raghu back out onto the road.

From the gentility of “Pleasure and the Rhyme” (featuring some lovely Leah Abramson vocals), thru the vivid atmosphere of “Death of Me,” to the boot stompin’ version of Fred Eaglesmith’s “Freight Train,” a well-seasoned Headwater consistently finds harmony through their dynamic range of voice, and prove they can string together a solid set of sophisticated tunes!

April 2009

Whether you’re living in small town misery crying “God help me, I think I wanna kill somebody” (“Theme Song”), an old school folkie seeking something new, or somewhere (or nowhere) in between, Raghu’s warm welcoming voice and whip smart turns-of-phrase are sure to draw you into the world he’s created that is far more colourful than the surface level blue.

B e h i n d t h e b o a r d Blubblub Photo: Allan Ashton

covers: Bjorks’ “Unravel,” and Radiohead’s “Motion Picture Soundtrack” (which I like more with fiddle and banjo). I have worked with this band as a duo on several occasions, and to see them fleshed out with a bass player (Baxter Hall), wiry and emotive drummer (Ben Kelly), and impressive electric and acoustic work (Ryan Boeur) was fantastic. I

They have been featured in the magazine before as Fish and Bird. Band member Adam Iredale-Gray has been an articulate article submitter. He and bandmate Taylor Ashton are gearing up for a May-June tour across Canada, leaving me the opportunity to review this Victoria born rocking string ensemble.

& Squawk

By RadaR

would suggest that perhaps they make it a permanent expansion into School and Flock. But then I like full bands. Not that Taylor and Adam can’t hold it down on their own. Swapping between banjo and guitar, Taylors’ vocals soar. With Adam manning what is possibly my favorite fiddle sound and style, the originals are impressively scored, and excellently delivered. But this would not be a review without a small critique. It is small: I felt at some points that I wanted to be hearing something a touch more danceable. While the band did have everyone up and stomping to an MGMT cover for their encore, I found the band did fall a little too hard into ballad-land during their set. They write incredible ballads, but I feel the pacing of the night might have been slightly improved by a couple more up-tempo tunes. I’m certain they can and will write great ones. www.fishandbird.ca

It was a full PA set up, though our gear had its limitations. For instance, (for gear nerds out there) we were running a Mackie “12 channel” board, in quotations as it only had 4 channels xlr out, and 4 stereo channels without a pre-amps. YAAARRAGARAGAh ... is my reaction. However, we ran those last 4 through a couple studio pre amps and an ART tube mp. Not my favorite, but it worked just fine, in fact using the nicer studio gear on the banjo and fiddle made it quite palatable. Kind of like using really nice Brie on KD macaroni noodles. Then ran the mains and Monitors through DBX graphs and into a decent set of Yorkville-passive 12’s (220 watts, through my mildly sketchy old Yamaha Amp) and finally into a bigger 15 ‘inch yorkville elite for the low-end. Small room, concrete floor, 2ft raised stage, no curtain behind the drum kit... When I say live sound I mean LIVE SOUND! I feel the true test of a band is whether or not they can thrive in any circumstance. This band could have planted a garden and harvested the tomatoes before the end of their set. A mixture of originals and well-chosen

Jenny Ritter

The show took place at Little Mountain Studios, an easily-filled multipurpose space and a great room just off Main on 26th in Vancouver.

BC Musician | April 2009 | 17

making friends with the media: interview wow! By Grant Lawrence

ey folks! Last month I talked about making sure your “foundation of information” is in place. That’s your fully up-to-date on line presence and your completed one-sheet and bio, telling your story. You’ve interested the media with your music, you’ve hooked them with your story, and now… Here are three steps to giving a perfect interview:

Preparing For The Interview Always choose the band member most suitable for the interview. It’s best to usually go with the most gregarious talker, but if it’s a woman’s magazine, send the female member with the opinions! If it’s television, send the energized members! If it’s CBC Radio, send the thoughtful talkers! This may all sound painfully obvious, but the lack of communication between media and artists can be frightening. Find out what the focus of the interview is. This will help you choose which member should be interviewed. If the focus is about songwriting and guitar playing, don’t send the drummer. If it’s about growing up in Toronto, don’t send the member from Montreal. Most interviewers will happily provide the focus of the interview in advance, which will also allow you to wrap your head around the subject matter. Asking for the focus is fine; asking for the actual questions in advance is not. Once you know who is interviewing you, think about that media source and what they likely want to hear. Vice Magazine will want the sordid, a CBC radio show will want the wholesome… it’s very important to prepare yourself to bring the right TONE into the interview. If you hit that tone, chances are, they’ll remember you and want you back. Come into the interview

with positive energy. If the interview is over the phone, always try to do it on a land-line. “Lay Down Your Arms” A fantastic interviewing expert named Paul McLaughlin once gave me the best advice I’ve ever received regarding interviews for both the media and the artist: “Lay Down Your Arms.” The metaphoric concept of “laying down your arms” is literally and physically just that. Picture speaking to someone who sits with their arms crossed: their body language tells you they’re uncomfortable and holding something back. Opening up your arms is akin to opening up your communication, which will allow a much better conversation. Be on your best behaviour before, during, and after the interview. Be patient; don’t set up boundaries (unless it’s a polite and reasonable time restraint). Strong opinions are fine and welcomed in almost every interviewing situation, but try not to show too much “tude.”

Story-Telling Last month I expressed the importance of making sure your press materials you’re sending out to the media tells your story. Story-telling is the very core of all entertainment, including the article or interview with your band. Whether they act like it or not, the interviewer is looking for your story, your HOOK and you should not withhold it whether asked directly or not, even if you feel you have told it a hundred million times already… has Moosejaw heard it? Has San Francisco heard it? Don’t be self-righteous. Tell the story again, with gusto. It’s a great idea to keep an arsenal of your favourite stories that you know “work”… a story

www.bstage.ca/greatness

BC Musician

April 2009

from the road, a story about making the album, a songwriting story, or a growing-up-in-yourhometown story.

Tip: Newspapers and magazines love

stories about the town the publication is from. If you have one, tell it. It’s almost guaranteed to be printed.

If you feel like you are suffering through a brutal interview by someone that hasn’t done any research or doesn’t know anything about your music, rise above. You can take control of the interview. You can manipulate the interview process to your own purpose and devise the best story that you want to get told. Example 1: when asked a benign, boring question like “so how is the tour going?” don’t you dare answer “fine.” As poor a question as that is, it’s totally open-ended so… run with it! “It’s been going pretty well, but unfortunately last night our guitarist freaked out on mushrooms, and grabbed the promoter’s glasses off his face and ran, then spent the night wedged behind a Coke machine in the lobby of the hotel.” Example 2: “It’s going really well… last night we played a club in France and this morning we were woken up by a procession of bagpipes and soldiers slowly marching by the place we were staying. They all gathered a block from the hotel and laid wreaths down, raising the French and Canadian flags, and then we realized it was Remembrance Day.” Follow those three steps and the media will adore you. Next month: The Little Things. Media Do’s and Don’ts.

Record Store Day!

By Kevin Kane

ast weekend a friend of mine remarked, “Now that there aren’t any more record stores it’s like there’s nowhere to hang out on Saturday afternoons.” I knew exactly what he was talking about: that place for connecting socially (often awkwardly) for (often-awkward) music enthusiasts who are not otherwise that well connected socially. Back in the days before the web (said in Abe Simpson/old man voice, obviously), if you didn’t find it through a cool friend/relative/ read about it in one of the British weeklies, indie record stores were where one often heard the best, most life-changing music. This is because indie record store clerks often had the best, most life-changing taste in music, which I can attest to having myself been an indie record store clerk. If I were to add together all the hours of my life I’ve spent hanging out in record shops, browsing, talking or just listening to music, it would probably total up into months. Maybe even years. But such pursuits seem almost antiquated now — you can find practically any song ever recorded via bittorrent or on youtube without even getting up from your chair. You kids and your damn internets. So when BC Musician asked me to write a piece about Record Store Day, I didn’t actually know what happened on this particular occasion but knew that any day so named was surely a winner. So mark April 18 on your calendars: Record Store Day 2009! According to the website www.recordstoreday. com, it was founded in 2007 “…as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally.” The web site goes on to say that “…this is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on…Record Store Day is now celebrated the second Saturday every April.” Yes, I, too, picked up on the fact that the 18th is actually the third Saturday of the month.

Record Store Day is far from simply being another retail-driven “event” cynically foisted upon the public by large corporate interests in an effort to unload their obsolete formats from the last century. Rather, it is a celebration organized by and for the independent retailers around the

world who do what they do out of the same passion for music that they share with their customers. And, encouragingly, more than one told me how, as chain stores such as A&B and HMV have been vanishing, customers are rallying around their local independents, knowing that if they don’t show them some love now they may lose the chance forever. On the Record Store Day website they have a list of stores who are officially participating, including several in British Columbia, so I decided to call them all up and see what “unique culture” they had in the works for this April 18th (Fireworks? Pig races?). As I spoke to each of them, I was struck by how psyched they all seemed to be both for April 18th and for the growing support for indie record stores in general. Several stated that business has never been better and Lasse at Red Cat told me that now “Weekends can get so packed in here that you can barely move.” Nice to know there are still a few places left for music fans to while away a Saturday afternoon:

and feature local CDs. We’re not a very big store but we’re happy to be a part of it.”

Scratch Records (Vancouver): Keith Perry - “Matador records promotions, storewide sale, own label stuff marked down. Basically it’s a way of showing appreciation to those who still buy records and a celebration of the fact that we’re still around.”

Spinners Sound Centre (Kamloops): Phil - “Storewide sale of all formats. Hopefully we’ll have some of the exclusive 7” singles by people like Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan.”

Make it your event... make it the Minstrel

Audiopile (Vancouver): Geoff Barton - “Any-

one who comes in and wants a free budget album or CD gets one, and for each $10 spent they can grab another one. We’ll also be getting in as many of the exclusive offers as we can, such as the Jesus Lizard 7” box set.”

Ditch Records & CDs (Victoria): Chris

Long - “Lots of special ‘record store day’-only limited edition releases such as a Bonnie Prince Billy 10 inch, stuff from My Morning Jacket, Sonic Youth, etc, some give-aways. Check our Facebook group for updates and developments: we’re totally stoked on this.”

Neptoon Records (Vancouver): Ben Frith

- “Haven’t really figured it out yet, but a sale and a couple of performers in the store, and we’ll be bringing in some of the exclusive releases from various labels.”

Red Cat Records (Vancouver): Lasse -

“Last year we had a whole bunch of live music all day, special exclusive 7 and 10 inch records. It turned into a real party and was lots of fun should be more of the same for this year.”

Salt Spring Sound (Salt Spring Island): Bill Matthews - “Probably some local performers

April - Live Music 1

BOP ENSEMBLE featuring the dynamic Bill Bourne, Jasmine Ohlhauser and Wyckham Porteous

EMMA-LEE Destined for big things, with comparisons to K.D. Lang and Madeline Peyroux

10 LESLIE ALEXANDER AND JOHN ELLIS Stellar roots/ folk performers with a twang, who regularly tour with Barney Bentall's Grand Caribou Oprey 11 THE FAB FOUREVER Vancouver's Premier Beatles Tribute Band 13 BRASSTRONAUT a collective sonic tapestry...truly mesmerizing 15 SEAN ASHBY award winning Internationally acclaimed guitarist for Sarah Mclachlin and Delerium 28 MATT ANDERSON sprawling blues, roots and rock musical hybrid with a sorrowing and soulful vocal prowess 30 KEVIN KANE of the Grapes of Wrath...solo acoustic

Entertainment charge and advance tickets may apply 4638 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna 250.764.2301 www.minstrelcafe.com Voted best place to eat and hear live music in the central Okanagan in Okanagan Life.

BC Musician | April 2009 | 19

e was different from the rest of us sitting on the bus, bopping his head from side to side with the gusto of a man who’d just been laid by some magnificent creature, swimming in the essence of her beauty and aura. His ear-buds jiggled as he tossed without care,

There are two places in Victoria where every music lover can find safe passage, aisles of old friends tucked away in their jewel cased hideouts, and new ones waiting to be invited into your stereo. And if you find yourself a newly transplanted resident of the BC Capital, just take a breath and repeat these titles over and

One of the most popular albums to be flying off the shelves at Lyle’s, not surprisingly, is the latest edition to the U2 collection Songs Of Ascent. “It’s a hit, and so are the latest albums from Jon and Roy — Another Noon — and John Morrison.”

v i cto r i a r e c o r d s h o p s

to beats of electro-fused rhythms of the Crystal Method’s ‘Comin’ Back.’ It was easy to recognize the tune, the volume made the seats on the bus go boom, boom, boom, and we all just seemed to take pleasure watching our maestro conduct harmonic tunes for our traveling pleasure. And as he vacated the good ol’ Number 28, an impulse to dash to the nearest record store was gurgling in the pit of my stomach. With a jolt of adrenaline, I rushed through the sliding doors and bolted down Douglas Street in Victoria, on a mission. I knew where my feet would take me, I knew the corners to round, where the dangerous potholes lay, where sidewalks ended and a cacophony of automobile aggression lingered.

over until your daily routine bids you a stop at the shops.

Lyle’s Place,

located at 770 Yates Street, is not your typical music warehouse of the latest Top 40’s and pop baby boomer sensations. The mom’n’pop shop has been around for 30 years, starting out as a bookshop in the quaint area of James Bay. Owner and music lover, Janice Lyle, said the transition to music just evolved, and now at their current resident in the downtown core, they cater to everything music — vinyl, CDs, tapes — posters, even selling some movies and being a venue for small event tickets as well. Having been the owner of one of the best record stores in Victoria, Janice admits she is still surprised by some of the shoppers who come in, and what they are buying. “You know, we are coming to see people from their 30s to 50s coming into the shop and buying their old vinyl collections on CD. And it’s the younger kids and college students who are coming in to buy the vinyl. They like to have the retro vibe and vintage feel.” Her staff won’t disappoint you either — her manager has been there for 20 years, her cashier for 15 — and with a combined total of over 65 years of music experience and knowledge between them all, it’s possible no question will go unanswered at Lyle’s Place. “We do our best to help out our customers with questions, and if we don’t have what they are looking for, then we go out and try to special order it in.”

BC Musician

April 2009

By Meghan Clarkston

For many of us though, just having one source for musical inspiration can be a risky take. So we collect a selection of venues to satiate our rhythmic hunger, and thankfully, Victoria is known for having not only Lyle’s Place, but Ditch Records & CDs as well.

Ditch Records & CDs,

located at 635 Johnson Street, isn’t for the faint of heart. When you walk through the doors, you’re suddenly rubbing shoulders with the music elite. Everything from remembering the days of Sonny and Cher, to popping your indie-emo cherry with Elephant Island, Ditch has your back and will guide you through the darkness of your musical uncertainty. With friendly staff that not only let their knowledge free flow like a soda fountain exploding at your friendly 7-11, they won’t let you leave without obtaining your special fix for the day. If you’ve never been to Ditch, April would be the month to check them out. Hosting Record Store Day on April 18, Ditch will be bursting with show in store specials, live entertainment, and helping to spread the word about Record Store Day. But if you’re not sure what you’re interested in music wise, and are a little nervous to hit up the staff and ask for information and recommendations, you’re in good hands. Internet hands, that is. Ditch’s website (ditchrecords.com) has a comprehensive run down of all the newest albums set to drop in 2009. It’s beyond epic. You can actually start to gather your Christmas Wish List now with this information. They even tell you if the albums are being released as CDs, box sets, DVDs, or LPs. Yes, they are just that good.

What else is popular on vinyl at Lyle’s? Fleetwood Mac “Rumours,” The Cure “Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me,” The Beatles “White Album,” Leonard Cohen “Songs of Love & Hate.”

ome readers of last month’s “Back To Mono!” column might be asking “what is this guy’s obsession with music coming out of only one speaker when these days you can listen to it from 5.1? Does he really think that mono sounds better? What an old luddite! Storm the castle!” Etc.

Without the benefits of being able to place them across the left/right plane, mixing instruments for mono requires a different kind of finesse in EQing and balancing. If two guitars don’t seem to be getting along sonically you can’t just send them to their respective corners; you have to work with the tones so that they can co-exist and complement

“Our Love Was, Is” off of “The Who Sell Out” features a country-inspired guitar solo that takes the song in a whole other direction from the ragadelic work out featured in the stereo mix. Better? A matter of taste. Different? Indeed! When the mono version was reissued a few years ago by some snooty boutique label on the finest 200 gram virgin vinyl,

T HE VINYL WORD: MONO MONO MONO! By Kevin Kane

First off, no, of course I don’t think that mono sounds better than stereo. But stereo mixes (and especially — shudder — mono mixes that have been “electronically rechanneled for stereo”) from the mid to late 60s very often don’t sound as good as their mono counterparts. Up until the late 60s — and especially in Britain — more time and effort was put into the mono mix of a song than the stereo as this was going to be the version heard on the radio by the consumer, who would likely also own a less expensive monaural record player. These mixes had a certain polish and punch to them due to the extra time and care they received in the studio, while the stereo mixes — sometimes only done as an afterthought — could sound ragged and unfocused by comparison. There are a few reasons for this:

Audio engineers were still trying to wrap their heads around this newfangled beast with its two crazy speakers. Also, as most studios of the time were still running 4-track machines, drums were always recorded onto one track, often along with other instruments, and any overdubs were limited to the remaining three. With so little to work with at the mix down stage and not a lot of experience with the medium, engineers might throw the drums and guitars all the way over to one side while the vocals, bass, and tambourine played on obliviously in their own little world way over on the other, etc. (On the plus side this can be great for sampling).

2. Psychedelic drugs “inspired” bands to ex-

periment with sound placement. Conclusion: it would probably be groovy to have instruments and voices come at the listener from every which way because it would be like being high, but it’s music, man.

3. The average home entertainment system in the

late 60s/early 70s was usually one of those coffinlike pieces of furniture with speakers on either end that looked like a cross between a buffet and a boombox. Records mixed in this extreme stereo style didn’t sound as bizarre and baffling when the speakers were only three or so feet apart from one another and across the room from the listener.

one another. I noticed when comparing my mono and stereo mixes of “The Velvet Underground & Nico” that the guitars on the mono version were more upfront and edgy when forced to share a speaker. With The Byrds, the way the vocals and 12 string Rickenbacker rub against each other sonically creates that distinctively thick wall of harmonies and overtones; in stereo they have a bit more elbow room but the effect isn’t the same. In other cases, the mono version is in fact simply a reduction mix, whereby the left and right channels of the stereo mix have been summoned to the centre. I own mono and stereo pressings of the Rolling Stones’ “Beggars Banquet” and swore that I preferred the mono for its “more focused bass sound,” then I found out that it was in fact a reduction (except for “Sympathy For The Devil,” which is indeed a separate mono mix). Hmmm. I still think that the bass sounds more focused on the mono but will concede that they are also pretty much the same thing (even the 2 different mixes of “Sympathy For The Devil” aren’t really that different), but I’m feeling too lazy to go conduct some sort of comparison test and render a verdict right now. I think hanging on to the mono is more a case of its collectability, novelty, and how much that appeals to my rock snob elitist tendencies.

it retailed for $40. “That’s a lot of coin for basically just a guitar solo,” was how I talked myself out of buying it the one time I had it in my hands. I just saw one on Ebay for $156. Oops. The trainspotterish thrill of a separate mono version clearly thrives in the mind of Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corrigan: he issued their “Adore” album on vinyl thusly while the CD came out in stereo (duh, I suppose). How different the two sound from one another I couldn’t say, as I don’t own the CD to compare them. Nor would I call myself a fan of the man’s music, though I have quite enjoyed youtubing some of his more bizarre onstage rants. I guess I have it still pretty much because I feel compelled to show props to someone who would make such a pretentiously vinyl-geeky gesture. And because, if I could, I would do the exact same thing.

Waiting for your call…

OK, I couldn’t help myself: I compared them and the mono does have a tiny bit more clarity to the bass. At least I think it does. Anyway, moving along… Sometimes an instrument track might feature on one mix but not the other, such as the harmonium overdub on “4th Time Around” which is only to be found on the stereo version of Bob Dylan’s “Blonde On Blonde.” The best is when the two versions contain a completely different performance:

Advertise today! 250.762.0729 email: info@bcmusicianmag.com the link for performers and venues in every nook and cranny of this province.

BC Musician | April 2009 | 21

open mic: are you on the list? By Don Alder

The open mic sign-up process. Good or bad ‑ you decide.

tion, some slots may be saved for folks that are no shows, leaving the host(ess) to decide who goes on.

ou’re off to a new open mic venue. Upon arrival you head over to the signup list. The host(ess) informs you the list is full. So, you go back the following week only to find it’s full again. You go back a week later but get there early this time. You sit and patiently wait. The host(ess)arrives and puts out the list. You pick up the pen to sign and discover that once again the list is FULL! But wait, you notice one slot left. Yup, it’s the last slot of the evening when all the buses have stopped running. I’m lucky, I have a car to get around. I’m not saying this happens at all open mics but if you do run into this scenario then here’s what’s going down.

The process hardly seems fair depending on which side of the fence you’re on. If you really want to play then you have to be proactive. Start by letting the host(ess) know that you’ve tried to get on the list over the past few weeks without success. If they have a conscience you’ll get to play. If they don’t you could complain to the manager. Many of the open mic venues have worked hard to build a strong community of players and supporters. This is great but makes it tough for the newcomers to get some play time.

First off, each open mic has its own host(ess) and method for signup. An evening consists of approximately 10 to 15 slots (3 songs or 15 minutes). The host(ess) is only human so it’s safe to say they’ve reserved 5 to 7 slots for friends and favourites, and a few for late incoming “put me on the list” cellphone calls. This leaves about 5 slots that the early birds compete for. In addi-

Persistence will eventually get you on stage. From that point on it may be easier to get on the list. If not, then find another open mic. Self-evaluation is also important. Did you play longer than 15 minutes? Were you constantly tuning? This will often put you on the waiting list. You can also be an opportunist and find a venue to start your own open mic. Then you can build

Bone Rattle

a community and vibe where you call the shots. If you do, remember this: Respect people for the time, cost and effort they invest to go to an open mic. Open mic is for everyone that’s why it’s called “open mic.” If this topic survives another month we can look at some of the open mics around Vancouver. Let me know your open mic experience good or bad at don@donalder.com Some open mic nights:

The Purple Crab, Wednesdays at 9. 3916 Main St. Vancouver. 604-484-2436 Logan’s Pub, Mondays, 1821 Cook St. Victoria. 250-360-2711 Under the Willow, last Saturdays, 901b 103 Ave. Dawson Creek. 250-782-8811 Firehall Centre for the Arts, last Fridays, 11489 84 Ave. Delta. 604-596-1025

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BC Musician

April 2009

w h at i s y o u r a ct w o rth ? By Dr. Joey Only

ractically speaking, an independent musician’s worth is primarily gauged by how many beers they sell, especially on a weekend. If you can fill tables and sell beer then promoters and bar managers might like you. Therefore a high percentage of your target audience is in the bars and hotels of the Canadian tour circuit and they are alcoholics. More often than not, from Thursday to Saturday, you’ll want to make your audience drink hard, laugh, dance and want to fuck whomever is willing.

ought to drink heavy during rehearsal, you must practice being drunk on stage. Beer is free for musicians, or ought to be.

Slow broken heart ballads about intelligent things do more to make alcoholics want to sober up, so you may want to take 5 or 6 of those out of your show. In their place you can submit several numbers that are over 100 beats per minute. This is how you sell beer to Canadians in these mundane times of human depravity, the aspiring independent musician must deeply consider this.

The only grant I ever got was a crisis grant from the BC Ministry of Human Resources. I suggest that every aspiring indie musician consider learning the welfare ropes. In BC you’ll need a doctor’s note to get around the 3-week wait for your first cheque, so claim depression to your doctor. You are a tormented artist whose only way to fight depression is to delve deep into art. The funny thing is it’s probably true!

Ultimately the best way to win over an audience is with technical brilliance. Play all the time and rehearse your show relentlessly. Occasionally you

In order to practice your technical musicianship relentlessly and drunk as often as possible you ought to retire from working. Unless you can write grants or get sponsored you need a source of money. I don’t know much about grant writing. I admit it. I’ve never actually tried.

This will ultimately help you qualify for ‘Persons With Persistent Multiple Barriers to Employment.’

This use to be called Disability Level 2 before Gordon Campbell’s era of newspeak and it will allow you to make money as a musician while receiving your $750+ a month. Now you can practice 6 hours a day, spend 6 more hours on Myspace, write songs, drink and search for better band-mates. You must also relentlessly self promote yourself and your shows! Now your band is ready to rock. If it’s Saturday night and there’s a LOT of people drinking a LOT of beer, you and your players are in a position to claim your fair share. Each player ought to make $50-100 minimum, plus beer, food and lodging as often as possible. The promoter also ought to cover your travel cost at a minimum of $20/hour of driving as well providing soundgear. If it’s Sunday or Monday though I’ll settle for beer, food and a bed wherever we can get a gig. Play every day when you tour, settle for less if you must. By the way, did I mention that I have a rockin’ band for hire.

Spend 4 days in the historic Cariboo town of Wells, BC, learning the art of songwriting with 3-time Juno winner, David Francey. Who Can Enter

• This contest is open to all aspiring or proficient songwriters — self-published or unpublished — who are looking for a chance to improve their songwriting skills and further hone their craft.

How to Enter

• Send a CD with a minimum of 1 song up to a maximum of 3 songs, along with a typed lyric sheet, your name, address and telephone number to: Song Writing Contest Island Mountain Arts PO Box 65 Wells, BC, V0K 2R0

Deadline for Entries

• You can also enter by e-mail by sending the above information and an MP3 to: media@imarts.com • The song must be original and not published or distributed prior to competition.

2009 Songwriting Prize Package: All entries must reach Island Mountain Arts no later than 5:00pm on April 30th, 2009. • Full tuition (value $500) paid to attend the four-day intensive songwriting workshop in Wells, BC featuring David Francey and Craig Werth. • A one song demo recorded in Wells at the conclusion of the workshop by the award-winning producer Corwin Fox. • A feature interview with Sheryl MacKay and airplay on CBC Radio’s North by Northwest. • A feature article in BC Musician Magazine. • A coveted performance spot at the 2009 ArtsWells Festival (www.artswells.com), which begins on the last day of the workshop (Friday, July 31st) and runs until Monday, August 3, 2009.

For more information

about the contest or any of the programs offered, visit the Island Mountain Arts School of the Arts website at www.imarts.com, call 1-800-442-2787, or email info@imarts.com.

BC Musician | April 2009 | 23

P LAYING FOR A CAUSE: d owntown ea stsi d e

By Michelle Richard

he press is fascinated with reporting on the “down” side of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. However, the neighborhood has a vibrant, multicultural community, with a long history of settlement, activism and innovation. Helping to plan events in the community has introduced me to some local movers and shakers, who were happy to talk about how they break new ground through their art… Over her 40-year career, singer/songwriter/ producer Dalannah Gail Bowen has opened and worked with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Martha Reeves, among others. She was recently nominated for Best Song by the Eight Independent Music Awards, for “Mama’s Got the Blues” from her same-titled album released in 2008. By producing music events like the Yale Pub’s “Blues for Christmas” and “Women of the Blues,” and her own musical, “The Returning Journey,” she has created work and exposure for herself and others while benefiting different charities. Says Dalannah: “I began producing shows as fundraisers in the mid-eighties. I had participated in a show called ‘Ladies In Lights’ which was a benefit for the Variety Club. I realized that musical benefits were a good way to contribute. The other factor was that I wanted to sing more and this was a way to do that.” Over the years, Dalannah has seen the idea of fundraising events catch on. “What is encouraging, is that people are much more aware of the need, and are more forthcoming. This is in relation to grassroots organizations, which have to some degree been left

behind. The bigger charities such as the Cancer Society, etc. have always had a large support system (in relative terms).” A current project is her Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts, scheduled to open in May, 2009. With a fundraising target of $200,000.00, the programming will be for the Downtown Eastside community. It will include outreach to isolated populations, and collaboration with other community organizations. To aspiring producers, Dalannah says: “Be thorough in your planning; that means everything from when you schedule your event to being prepared for the “what if factor.” With over 3000 performances, to half a million plus spectators worldwide, under their belt, Vancouver Moving Theatre’s Terry Hunter and Savannah Walling know their planning well. Since 1983, they have produced and collaborated on numerous multidisciplinary events that include live music, and other elements such as film, theatre, art, dance, workshops, historical tours, puppetry, literature and storytelling. They are the producers of the annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival (October/ November). Says Savannah: “We’ve always been multidisciplinary specialists. One of the things that’s unique about most of our theatrical productions is the way we’ve worked with music performed live, creating music scores simultaneously with scripts (kind of like film), with some fine, fine composers/soundscape artists from Joseph Pepe Danza to Ron Samworth, to Wyckham Porteous and Ya-Wen V. Wang.”

Waiting for your call…

Rigorous planning begins over a year in advance with fundraising for next year’s Festival, before the current year’s Festival is even launched. At this time, they also catalogue and listen to community and staff feedback, begin planning for the next year’s theme, program a few key artists and key events, and create a draft schedule. One of their most important practices is to never exceed their financing: “The funding is usually confirmed in stages — so we operate with plans A, B, and C, etc. — putting into motion each phase as funding is confirmed. Serious booking commences in spring, heats up in summer, and is finalized in early fall. It’s like building an onion, one layer after another.” “In the fall, publicity, payroll, the gargantuan educational souvenir program guide, and all the other planning tasks (technical needs, staff and volunteer schedules, legalities such as permits and insurance) — are in process.” They are a powerful artistic and community development force, researching themes thoroughly, and incorporating both professional and community artists in their programs. In 2008, Terry and Savannah received the British Columbia Community Achievement Award, while their company, Vancouver Moving Theatre, received the City of Vancouver Cultural Harmony Award. They show how artists can succeed by creating their own work, and how art is relevant and important to community. dalannahgailbowen.com decentreforthearts.com vancouvermovingtheatre.com heartofthecityfestival.com

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BC Musician

April 2009

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p lay i n g fo r a ca us e : p g : A rts pa c e i n g ra n d f o r k s By Nik Green

On a civic level, the town rallied around a well-known musician who has entertained the area for decades as he put on a benefit for his ill stepdaughter. On a more global scale, two young women planned, organized and executed a series of fundraisers at local coffee house Jogas Espresso to benefit a struggling orphanage in Guatemala. Gary Gilbert, the former front man for popular local band Dr. Fun and The Nightcrawlers returned to the area in an effort to help raise funds for his ailing stepdaughter, Rose. Gary and company were joined by various other musicians at the Lions Club in Grand Forks on January 10th with the goal of putting a dent in the costly surgery required to save Rose’s life. Rose has been battling a rare and devastating disease known as gastroparesis. The crippling condition is often misdiagnosed as an eating disorder which can lead to delayed or improper treatment as the patient suffers through tremendous weight loss and deterioration in health. At last count the benefit dance and performance helped raise over $4500 for the young girl’s operation giving her a much higher likelihood of success. Shelestynski and Heiberg’s cause, albeit farther reaching, was also wonderfully received with attendance increasing in each of the four weekly performances. Shelestynski sees this as the start of things to come in terms of being involved in situations and causes that are important to her. “It never felt right to ignore what’s going on, yet I feel like I’ve ignored what’s going on for my entire life. I mean, I’ve always been somewhat aware, but being aware and not doing anything about it is far worse, and I feel this more and more the older I get. I’m at a point where I need to experience these realities for myself to really understand. From there, I don’t doubt that I will better understand why and how I can help.” Local talents have been very receptive to the idea. “Everyone who’s been approached — musicians, local business people, those with access to electronic equipment, writers, etc. — have been very gracious and enthusiastic about pitching I,” said Tanya.

The shows were so well attended that the staff at Jogas have been discussing plans for more frequent music nights. With nightlife in Grand Forks being calm to say the least, the staff feels this is an affordable way to entertain as the town goes through the ups and downs of unemployment due to mill closures. Featured acts included Trillium, Sober Becky, pianist Johnny Popoff, Richard Seymour and Zak Eburne. Even the newly appointed Mayor of Grand Forks, Brian Taylor brought the noise as he and his band Buck Naked and The Saddle Tramps performed on the second to last night. Many of the evenings ended with impromptu performances by various musically gifted locals during the open mic segment. On one evening, miscommunication lead to one of the scheduled acts being without their frontman. After a lucky round of six degrees of separation, a local musician by the name of John Unruh was called as he sat down for dinner and he agreed to hit the stage with two musicians he had never met. Dusty Stewart borrowed a bass off of yours truly and Zak Eburne fired up his kit. The trio put on a spectacular show with zero practice and nothing more than a ten minute meeting to discuss what common songs they could perform. As it was, Unruh is a member of popular local band Trainwreck. In an unfortunate coincidence that could have been a negative force, the first of the coffee house evenings coincided with the Rose Benefit Dance. This led some of the volunteers at both events to wonder how the turnouts would be affected. In a heart warming show of support nearly all of the attendees at the slightly earlier scheduled café event watched the show and then happily strolled three blocks to catch the benefit dance along with some of the artists themselves. February kicked off with last month’s featured artist Jeff Andrew, Tobias Meis and Sober Becky.

n high school, our teachers told us that Victoria is the Capital of our Dogwood-escutcheoned Province. There was no debating the fact: Victoria was the one and only Capital of BC. It should be noted that those teachers ought to be thrown out of the classroom. Prince George has been known as the Northern Capital of our fine Province for possibly eons. One would assume this title dates back to the early fur trade extravaganza that helped pioneer the town back in 1915. So what keeps this community of 77,000 residents boasting the title of the Northern Capital of BC? Simple: Their music scene. Books & Co. was established by resident Jim Brinkman in 1999, and today it continues to be a mecca at which world class musicians and artists to perform. Located in the downtown corridor on the historic 3rd Avenue, Books & Co. is just one slice of an entertainment pie. Café Voltaire shares the main floor space with Books & Co. while upstairs we find the Artspace live entertainment venue and art gallery. Every Friday night at Café Voltaire is Open Mic Night. Rookies to the scene should walk in with the warning that anything goes at Open Mic, so you’re never too sure what to expect. At Artspace, the list of high class performers to grace the venue are impressive: Karen Plato, The Arrogant Worms, and was one of the hottest spots to catch performers for the 2009 Coldsnap Festival. In March, Artspace hosted DNA6. And on April 18th, 2009 Canadian Jazz Award winner for Guitarist of the Year, Bill Coon, and Oliver Gannon will be serenading the masses with their cool jazz stylings that will have souls shivering and spines tingling with their unique sound. For more information about Artspace, Books & Co., and Cafe Voltaire, visit booksandcompany.ca.

FIVE ALARM FUNK

he typically serene nightlife in Grand Forks was rocked out of its slumber over the course of January as a number of musical evenings pulled people from their houses with the intention of entertaining them for a cause.

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BC Musician | April 2009 | 25

Egan’s Pub: The place for music in Fort st. john

View from the venue

ByLindsay Pratt

alking into Egan’s Pub on a Wednesday, you may not expect much but beer and cheap wings. If you’re from Fort St. John, you may expect something else entirely. For the last four years a lot of committed individuals have been helping to promote our local music scene. Ryan Hennessey started Open Mic at Egan’s and, for the first while, was the only one on stage. Today the list is long for musicians on the Wednesday night line-up. The distinction between a large city and our community is that Fort St. John doesn’t have a jazz club, a blues club, or a rock club on every downtown street corner. Egan’s is one of the few venues where you can come and see a beat boxer perform with a bluegrass band, followed by a killer blues group, alongside a folk duo. One never knows what an Open Mic at Egan’s will bring.

is always room for a new musician in the fold and we’re excited to meet new artists and learn from them. Along with budding musicians Egan’s hosts a variety of acts from all over Canada. Russell Eggleston, local music promoter, sound engineer, and musician has been striving for excellence in our local music scene and helps to promote a vast number of musicians that are willing to visit our frozen chunk of British Columbia. It can feel a bit isolating at times when one visits one of the larger cities in BC and can pick and choose the band or musician they want to see that night, to realize that we in Northern British Columbia are hungry for musical acts to entertain our masses. Eggleston wants to make sure there is always something happening in Fort St. John’s music scene and works tirelessly to bring out our own local talent and that from across our great country.

Being a largely transient city due to the oil and gas industry, Fort St. John has talent from every part of the country available to us. From first time players to veterans, the stage is full for the duration of the evening with music lovers! The camaraderie shared between our local musicians is cliché but true, we are a family, and a polygamist one at that. There

Egan’s pub is a fantastic place to catch a live show no matter what your musical taste, the staff are an awesome bunch of individuals and will make sure you have a night to remember. If you find yourself in Fort St. John in the near future make sure to stop by Egan’s because there’s always something going on.

Cherry Pi cke d : some v enues, some shows Corwin Fox and Raghu Lokanthan will be playing at The Book Man on April 4th in Chilliwack. myspace.com/corwinfox. myspace.com/raghulokanathan. Check out The Book Man at bookman.ca. Island boys Kings Without will be playing at The Queens in Nanaimo on April 9th, and at The Cambie in Nanaimo on April 22. If you love The Band and Bob Marley, you’ll adore Kings Without. myspace.com/kingswithout. The Queens, thequeens.ca. Cambie Hostel, thecambie.com. Songstress Jess Hill will be performing at The Grandview in Vancouver on April 10th. Prepare to be stunned by her creamy, soulful voice and rhythm. myspace.com/jesshill. If you’re coming down from the highs of Juno extravaganza, there is still plenty to rock out to in Vancouver. Helcion will be storming The Bourbon in Vancouver on April 11th. myspace.com/helcionband. The Bourbon Pub, myspace.com/bourbonlive. Country/folk boys Headwater will be touring through BC throughout April. Catch them at Moby’s Pub on Salt Spring Island on April 18th. mobyspub.net. Hankering for a sound similar to Incubus? Check out Yesterday’s Forgotten at The Tradex in Abbotsford on April 25th. myspace.com/yfband. myspace.com/headwater. The Tradex, fvtradex.com. He might be a prairie boy, but he plays real, honest acoustic roots music that crosses every border. Plus he comes here often. With a sound reminiscent of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan, hear Scott Cook at Victoria’s Spiral Cafe on the 12th or in Kaslo at the Bluebelle Bistro on the 18th. AND if you subscribe to BC Musician Magazine we’ve got a signed copy of his latest CD, “long way to wander,” up for grabs in the April draw. Ari Neufeld, Music BC’s male performer of the year, graces the new Streaming Cafe in Kelowna with his stomping, rocking, and all around very cool sounds on April 4th. Then he’s at The Mule in Penticton on April 16th. A voice that won’t leave your head any time soon belongs to Jill Barber, and she’ll be at The Dream Cafe in Penticton on April 5th. In the Kootenays in April? Coco Love zAlcorn plays Nelson (4th & 10th), Winlaw (5th), Nakusp (8th), Kaslo (11th).

BC Musician

April 2009

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