Music Lives December 2013 by Kelly Baker

December 2013

THE CREEPSHOW

Ontario’s favourite psychobilly band hits Guelph to promote their album Life After Death PLUS:

MUSIC LIVES IS DEDICATED TO FEATURING LIVE MUSIC EVENTS IN GUELPH, ONTARIO

Lindi Ortega Kronik Noise Rival Boys The Good for Naughts and more

PAGE OF CONTENTS 5 The Rival Boys Q&A 6 November In Review 8 Lindi Ortega Returns to Guelph 9 An Interview with Unkle Rick 10 Decemberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Event Calendar 13 From the Blog 14 The Creepshow Come to Town 16 The Stanfields Show Review 17 Foy Vance 18 December Music Reviews 19 Venue Listing

ON THIS PAGE Toronto band Rival Boys talk about touring, recording, making music, and their plans for the future. Read the Q&A on page 5.

MUSIC LIVES The Music Lives Team

Creative Lead - Kelly Baker Content Lead - Aaron Dale Editor - Katy Butters Contributing Writer - Charlene LeBlanc Contributing Writer - Teresa Allaire Contributing Writer - Braden Phelan On the Cover The Creepshow hits Guelph to promote their new album, Life After Death. Friends and Supporters Music Lives would not be possible without the help and support of the fans and friends we have made. Thanks so much for all your help! Interested in joining our team? Looking to advertise? Want to just say hi?

Get in touch at info@musiclives.ca

Welcome to December’s edition of Music Lives. November was a pretty crazy month for us at Music Lives! We ran out first contest featuring Danielle Todd at 39 Carden Street, connected with more members of the Guelph music and arts scene, and (the biggest news!) got ourselves an office. We will be calling 82 Wyndam Street in the Walkway home for the next six months or more and we couldn’t be happier. Be sure to stop by and say hi while you check out all the awesome events that are going on in town. We will open our doors on December 1st and will have good coffee and great tunes. A big thank you once again to our sponsors, JamSpots and Doogie’s for all their love, support, and general awesomeness. If you’re interested in showing us some love, there are a number of ways to help out! Just get in touch with us at info@musiclives.ca Cheers, Kelly, Aaron, and the Music Lives Team. ABOUT MUSIC LIVES Music Lives is dedicated to making sure that as many people as possible know that music will never die. The co-dependent relationship between music fans and performers thrives on communication. As music fans, we need to know WHERE live events are happening and WHO will be playing. Music Lives makes sure that happens.

RIVAL BOYS: Q&A By Kelly On November 28th, Toronto band Rival Boys visited Guelph to play at Van Gogh’s Ear. The three piece band featuring sister and brother Lee and Graeme Rose with Sam Sholdice on drums has had a busy year. They toured extensively during the summer and spent some time working on their new album Animal Instincts due out early 2014. We got in touch with the band to get their thoughts on the new album, the Toronto music scene, and touring. Music Lives: The summer looks like it was really busy for Rival Boys. Congrats on recording the new album! Are you happy with the results? What can people expect from this album compared to the music that you’ve previously released? Rival Boys: Thanks! We’re absolutely thrilled with how the record turned out. We were extremely lucky to be able to record at Revolution Recording here in Toronto, which is an absolutely amazing new studio. We really did our best to push ourselves in terms of our own performance, and made sure that at every step we took the time to make things sound their absolute best. Above all, we wanted to make a record that hits really hard – where not a second feels wasted on anything extraneous, and where every song is immediately accessible and exciting.

ML: What’s it like being a band that has really grown up in the Toronto music scene? How have things changed over the last five years? RB: Being a band in Toronto has been pretty great. There are so many places to play, and so many great bands in the city these days. It’s great to see local bands getting recognition outside the city, as well. So much feels like it’s constantly changing, but on the other hand, everything stays the same. One of the small shifts (but that is really noticeable if you’ve been playing for a while) is that more shows seem to run on time these days than they did five years ago.

“We wanted to make a record that hits really hard – where not a second feels wasted on anything extraneous, and where every song is immediately accessible and exciting.” ML: Some bands love touring and other love recording. What’s your favourite part about making music?

RB: We love both – for different reasons and in different ways. However, my favourite part of being in a band is probably just playing in our practice space. I feel like if you can’t have fun standing in front of your amp, or behind your drum kit, or whatever, just playing for yourselves, you’re lost. It’s the playing that is the most rewarding. ML: Any plans for the new year? What can we expect to see from Rival Boys in the future? RB: We plan to release our new record Animal Instincts sometime in the early 2014. The first single from that record – our cover of the Wolf Parade song “I’ll Believe in Anything” is coming out Nov. 12 (free download at www.rivalboys.com). We’ve got some music video plans for the near future. Hopefully, 2014 will see us touring around a fair bit. We’d love to come back to Hillside in the summer! To learn more about Rival Boys, you can check out their website at http://rivalboys. com or listen to their music at http://rivalboys.bandcamp.com.

NOVEMBEr IN review By Aaron November had us posting a record number of events in Guelph. Here’s a recap of what you saw and loved or missed and should never miss again. October Sky started November off with a bang! They had the Jimmy Jazz crowd dancing away to their unique electronic/indie hybrid. Think somewhere between Wintersleep and Prodigy. They brought an amazing light show to accompany the music, which really made this band from Montreal stand out to any crowd. On November 7 Vancouver band The Matinee began their month long residency at Van Gogh’s Ear. A great live band, brought to Guelph courtesy of Pinball Sessions, The Matinee have been able to share the stage with a lot of great local talent. Their songwriting and vocal harmonies will have you either captivated or dancing. Don’t miss them next time they come around. On the same night, Guelph bands Bowjia, Dent and Beverly played The eBar. The night got off to a great start with scene veterans Beverly. Dent kept the flow going and Bowjia took the stage. Several “drops” later the crowd was cheering for more. If time were infinite the band would have played all night and the crowd would have stayed to enjoy every last second.

Dent broke out the lightshow for fans at eBar opening for Bowjia on the 7th.

November 8 was a busy night for live music fans. First, Jimmy Jazz welcomed rockabilly sweetheart Ginger St. James back for a whole night of music. Ginger has come around a few times but this was the first with her whole band in tow. Keyboard, upright bass, lead guitar and drums add a lot to fill out her swinging Rock & Roll/Country sound.

Second, Sara G made her Guelph debut at Red Papaya and played a mixed set of originals and covers for at least two hours. This girl has some pipes and her voice stayed strong, flexible and limitless throughout the night while covering everything from pop to hard rock. Keep an eye out for this girl! The last stop on this very busy Friday was Doogie’s for The Hot Karls. They had the Doogie’s side at capacity by 11pm and with good reason. Take all of your favourite songs, apply a generous helping of Blink 182’s pop/ punk and shake, don’t stir. If you’re tempted to check the Hot Karls out, get there early and wear shoes comfortable for dancing and bouncing all night.

The Hot Karls play to a packed house at Doogie’s on the 8th.

On the 9th, local boys The Good For Naughts had their album release party at Club Vinyl with other Guelph bands Cardboard Nationals and Lowlands. Badlands Music and all three bands showed a great combined affection and respect for each other and the crowd got behind every single one of them. Right after that show, Jimmy Jazz featured another CD release for another Guelph artist. Tyson & His Gameboy and some other local talent had the venue held at capacity from 10 PM onward. It’s always great to see Guelph support their own. Baker Street Station also had an event this night with Mark Linskey making his biennial trip to town from New Jersey.

Maximum RnR rock hard at Vinyl opening for Cunter on the 15th.

The local D.O.W. And friends came out in droves to sing-a-long to their favourite songs including acoustic versions or from Bruce Springsteen and Social Distortion. The 9th concluded on the heavy side with GAIN Music’s metal show. Quiet Lakes blew the crowd away with their originality. They have a way of controlling sound in ways you’ve never heard before. Guelph boys Wakeless kill it every time and this night was no different. Maximum RNR, Cunter, The Nasties and Kill Sid got the 15th off to a loud and early start. Watch out for these early Badlands Music shows at Club Vinyl. They are usually all ages and start around 7pm. Next up at Red Papaya Ian Andrews and The Smoking Scoundrels had everyone swinging and dancing around. It’s really cool to see such a young band put their own spin on swing and blues. A very impressive Guelph debut. The night ended at a SOLD OUT The Medicine Hat show at Van Gogh’s Ear. One of Guelph’s favourite bands never fails to bring everybody out for a good time. If you haven’t seen The Medicine Hat before, DO IT!

Courage My Love returned to town the following Wednesday and had a great turnout for a weeknight. They came into town early and were eager to meet, chat and sign autographs with all those that came out to see them. Guelph’s Danielle Todd also started her Wednesday night residency on the 20th at 39 Carden Street. Check out her YouTube channel or better yet come down to one of Guelph’s finest new restaurants to see her and grab some great food and a glass of wine.

Danielle Todd plays her residency at 39 Carden Street.

Crow Town, which is kind of a newer Guelph band gaining momentum, opened to a packed eBar on the 21st for Fortnight presents The Strumbellas. Crow Town get better every time I see them, and they had a great turnout and an attentive crowd all night. There was a last minute show added to Jimmy Jazz the same night with Bloodshot Bill making his first appearance in Guelph in what seems like forever. This one man rockabilly band had a few less people out than expected but everyone in the building was dancing up a storm.

Crow Town gets this started at the eBar opening for The Strumbellas.

There are still ten days worth of shows to go in November, including Mandroid Echostar’s EP release, Pinball Sessions presents Little Miss Higgins & The Winnipeg Five, Fortnight presents Dan Griffin with Donovan Woods and Romeo Sex Fighter’s Doogie’s debut, just to name a few. If you’d like to get involved and review any of the great shows happening in Guelph, just let us know. We’re always looking for contributors who love live music as much as we do!

Lindi Ortega Returns to Guelph By Kelly Lindi Ortega isn’t your usual country singer. The Toronto-born artist has been compared to a myriad of female singers ranging from Dolly Parton to Janis Joplin to k.d. lang. In fact, Lindi isn’t your usual country singer. Her music often feels more like rock with a country edge than vice versa. Her latest album, Tin Star, has been incredibly well received across Canada and in the US. Tin Star is Lindi’s third release and by far her most accomplished. Exclaim Magazine says, “Ortega’s natural appeal to both punk and country fans stems from an undeniably powerful voice and the rough-edged, old school twang in her songs.” While appealing to two very different styles of music like country and punk may seem near impossible, Tin Star does just that by bringing a gothic and macabre style to the slow songs, and a rockabilly twang to the upbeat tracks. The diversity of the album means that there’s something for everyone to enjoy. In 2011, Lindi Ortega moved to Nashville, Tennessee leaving her hometown of Toronto and her well-known reputation as a hard working indie artist. Since the move, Lindi has been hard at work, releasing two albums and touring extensively. She is currently on tour to support her new album and has a stop lined up at Van Gogh’s Ear on December 5 to play with Devin Cuddy. After that she’s off to the U.K. for the month of January. Lindi isn’t new to international tours: she supported The Killer’s in 2010 and 2011 as a backup singer for Brandon Flowers. Adding to her fame, Lindi was also a nominee for two Juno Awards in 2012 for her album Little Red Boots. The album was also featured on the Polaris Music Prize Long List, as was her next album Cigarettes and Truckstops. Lindi promoted that album by touring with well known punk band Social Distortion, opening for them in 2012. That in itself proves Lindi’s versatility across genres. Whether you’re a fan of country, rock, indie, or punk, I highly recommend you go check out Lindi Ortega at Van Gogh’s on December 5. It’s almost guaranteed to be a great night. For more details about this event, you can visit http://musiclives.ca/events/lindi-ortega-devin-cuddy-band/

Lindi Ortega plays Guelph on December 5th at Van Gogh’s Ear with Devin Cuddy.

An Interview with KronikNoise Promotions by Chuck Anyone involved in Guelph’s heavy music scene will no doubt already know or have already heard of “Unkle Rick.” That familiar face we see running shows and banging his head in the pit along with the other fans is Rick Hall, owner of KronikNoise Promotions. Rick’s intense passion for metal and enthusiasm for live music is channelled into bringing us many of the great metal events we’ve come to enjoy in Guelph. “Unkle Rick” always seems more than happy to chat about Southern Ontario’s music scene, so we sat down with him to get to know the man a little better. Don’t miss the upcoming “Kronik Kristmas” event in Guelph on Saturday, December 14 at Red Papaya, featuring Skynet, American Hell, Islands & Empires, and Great Lakes. Music Lives: How did the nickname “Unkle Rick” come to be? Rick Hall: “Unkle Rick” was affectionately given to me by members of Guelph’s The Karma Cure (early inception of Mandroid Echostar). I guess it’s because I am like the “cooler, older uncle” who is down to support and doesn’t judge. ML: Can you tell us a bit about KronikNoise Promotions’ history? RH: I started over six years ago. Having teens myself, I saw the need for something constructive but cool for kids to do, and live music shows for under-agers was born – eventually I spread out to include all ages and 19+. ML: What was your favourite band 20 years ago? What is your favourite band now? RH: My tastes have ebbed & flowed over the years of course as I have seen many genre changes, but if the music is passionate and evokes emotion, I’m always a fan. I started loving Rush, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, then 20 years ago Metallica and Slayer. And today, I love Mandroid Echostar, The Contortionist, and Intervals to name but a few.

KronikNoise is “Unkle Rick” who you can usually findout at shows supporting the local scene. Photo courtesy of Katie Maz.

ML: What would be the most surprising artist we’d find playing on your stereo/iPod?

ML: What do you wish bands you work with would do more (or less) of?

RH: I definitely love more than just metal, so you might find anything from Portishead, Sneaker Pimps (low-fi), to Deep Forest (new age), to DMX and Wu Tang (rap) – depends on my mood.

RH: If anything, I wish all members of each band worked on promoting the band equally – their upcoming shows, their videos and songs, and reaching out to friends and potential fans. It’s usually just one or two members doing promotions/hype.

ML: What excites you about the metal scene in southern Ontario right now?

ML: KronikNoise hosts a lot of Guelph shows RH: Probably that because the bar has been alongside GAIN Music. What’s the biggest risen in the talent department, bands know they advantage of working together? must go hard and try to be a bit more unique if they wish to stand out. RH: That’s easy – two heads are better than one. We can coordinate our dates and bands ML: What’s the most challenging part of easier, and it’s nicer to work in a friendly enviputting a show together? ronment, as opposed to working against each other. RH: Parlaying the value of each band I book to the average show-goer is the hardest. I can ML: What’s in store for the future of Kronipost song and video links to people, and hype kNoise? a band until I’m blue in the face, but if people don’t know the band, it’s tough. All else is easy RH: Bigger shows, bigger name bands, and conenough, once you’ve done it hundreds of times! tinuing to bring the best of both to the Guelph music scene. ML: How do you judge a show’s success? What is a good show to you? ML: If money/time/commitments were not an issue, what would be Unkle Rick’s RH: When I look out across a packed venue of dream? partying people, and see a pit in a frenzy, and the band feeding off the energy of the crowd, I RH: I had always thought radio DJ, but honalways get a huge smile on my face, and that’s estly, I would love to own a record label – to the best! scout new talent, and set up wicked tours, while recording and supporting rising stars. Yep, that would rule!

MUSIC LIVES EVENT CALENDAR: December 2013 SUN

MON

TUES

3 WED

4 THURS

Music Cares ~ Benefit Concert For Relief Fund For The Philippines at Dance Theatre David Earle Doors at 7:00 p.m. Adults $25/Students $10. All ages. Mo Kauffey’s Once Upon A Blues Sunday at The Woolwich Arms Check the site for details. Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music at 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ New FWEST 003: Odonis Odonis // Teenager // The Soupcans // Dutch Toko at New FWEST 15$ or 20$. More details on the site.

THURS

FRI

Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Music around 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid 6:00 p.m. Tune into CRFU 93.3 Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

SAT

Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

KYEO hosts Stay Out of the Mall XII: Dusted + Marine Dreams + Esther Grey at eBar Doors at 9:00 p.m. $10 with non-perishable item for the Guelph Food Bank, $12 without. All ages and licensed. The Nailheads 2013 tour with QUAID at Red Papaya Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. $5.00 at the door. All ages and licensed. Kaleidoscope Promotions hosts Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few with Jessy Bell Smith at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Mike Something at Doogie’s Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

SUN

MON

GAIN Music hosts Lindi Ortega with Devin Cuddy Band at Van Gogh’s Ear Doors at 9:30 pm. $15 advanced / $20 at doors. 19+ Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Doors at 8:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ roarshaq at Manhattans Check the site for details. KYEO hosts Stay Out of the Mall XII: Sarah Harmer, Bry Webb, and Grey Kingdom at eBar Doors at 9:00 p.m. $18 with non-perishable item for the Guelph Food Bank, $20 without. All ages and licensed. NORTHUMBRIA / THISQUIETARMY / GATES at silence Doors at 8:00pm $10 or PWYC. All ages. GAIN Music hosts BATTLE OF THE BANDS! at Van Gogh’s Ear Doors at 9:00 p.m. $7 advanced & at doors. All ages and licensed. Johnny Cash & the Queens of Country Tribute at River Run Centre 8:00 p.m. $25.00. All ages. Rocky Mountain Ceasefire at The Woolwich Arms Doors at 9:30 p.m. Free event. All ages and licensed. GAIN Music hosts Delhi, Lambs Become Lions (farewell show), Heavy Hearts, Goodnight Sunrise & Andy Ferguson at Van Gogh’s Ear Doors at 9:30 p.m. $10 at doors. All ages and licensed. anna webber quintet at silence Doors at 8:00 p.m. PWYC. All ages. Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music at 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ the chocolate hot pockets at Manhattans Check the site for details. CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid 6:00 p.m. Tune into CRFU 93.3 Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Music around 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

VISIT www.musiclives.ca for more event details TUES

10 WED

11 THURS

FRI

SAT

SUN

Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ jokela & vogan – wintersday cd release at Manhattans Check the site for details. Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Doors at 8:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Fortnight Music hosts The Creepshow w/ The Vanishers & The PheRamones! at eBar Doors at 10:00 p.m. BUY TICKETS FROM MUSIC LIVES $10. All ages and licensed. UC Programming hosts Serena Ryder at River Run Centre 8:00 p.m. $46.50 A seats/$41.50 B seats. All ages. Mike Something at Doogie’s Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ GAIN Music hosts BATTLE OF THE BANDS! at Van Gogh’s Ear Doors at 9:00 p.m. $7 advanced & at doors. All ages and licensed. Kaleidoscope hosts Danny Michel at Dublin St United Church $20 in advance. Visit the site for details. rob cardy trio at Manhattans Check the site for details. Jordan Faye & The Grey Owls at The Woolwich Arms Music at 9:30 p.m. Free event. All ages and licensed. KronikNoise Promotions hosts Kronik Kristmas in Guelph at Red Papaya Guelph Doors at 9:00 p.m. $10. All ages and licensed. dan mckinnon – blues trio at Manhattans Check the site for details. Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music at 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ dave o’neill + meredith nelson at Manhattans Check the site for details.

MON

TUES

17 WED

18 THURS

19 FRI

20 SAT

21 SUN

CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid 6:00 p.m. Tune into CRFU 93.3 Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Music around 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Doors at 8:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Mike Something at Doogie’s Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ GAIN Music hosts BATTLE OF THE BANDS! at Van Gogh’s Ear Doors at 9:00 p.m. $7 advanced & at doors. All ages and licensed. carmen spada trio at Manhattans Check the site for details. The Christmas Shin Dig to END ALL CHRISTMAS SHIN DIGS! at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Doors at 9:00 p.m. PWYC with a food donation. 19+ Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music at 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >>>

MUSIC LIVES EVENT CALENDAR: october 2013 continued MON

TUES

24 WED

25 THURS

Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

Mike Something at Doogie’s Guelph Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Doors at 8:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

FRI

27 SAT

28 SUN

MON

TUES

conor gains band at Manhattans Check the site for details.

melissa lauren trio at Manhattans Check the site for details.

Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Music at 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music at 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ hammerton/ wagler/ o’neill at Manhattans Check the site for details. Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Music around 11:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+ CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid 6:00 p.m. Tune into CRFU 93.3 Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Doors at 8:00 p.m. Music after 10:00 p.m. Free event. 19+

CHECK THE SITE TO SEE WHAT iS HAPPENINg ON NEW YEArS EVE!

FROM THE BLOG: Bits & Pieces FROM THE MONTH Lullabies for Insomniacs

The Good For Naughts Interview

When I was a kid I used to stuff books in between my mattress and boxspring. Thin books that I could read by the glow of my virgin mary nightlight (hello catholic upbringing) after I was tucked in, because even as a child I could never seem to get to sleep at a structured bedtime. It just didn’t feel natural to go to bed that early. As I got older I began to hate morning classes and early shifts, never feeling quite like I was supposed to be alert at that hour. Eventually I just accepted that I was a natural night owl. I took jobs that allowed me to sleep in and if I somehow got stuck with an early shift I would just stay up all night and go to it, it seemed to work better for me that way. I do my best work in the middle of the night, when most of word is asleep is when my favorite writing usually happens. Somewhere between 2 and 4 am there is that magical witching hour that I love.

Music Lives: Your new album No Great War has it’s release show coming up on November 9th. How excited are you to finally release it and what was the process like?

Posted November 18, 2013 by Teresa

Read more online at http://musiclives.ca/music-monday-november-18th-lullabies/

Posted November 7, 2013 by Aaron

James Murray: I am beyond excited for this release! So much time and hard work has gone into making this record and I can’t wait to finally see it all come to fruition. We recorded this record at Brixton Music in Kitchener. Our guitar player, Nick, runs a studio there. We went about the process very differently this time around. This time, guitar, bass and drums were done live off the floor. Not a lot of fixing and fidgeting. We took the same approach to recording this album as we take toward sex. Grip ‘er and rip ‘er. Kidding…sort of. Our philosophy with this record was that our rhythm section (Mike and Tim) was more than solid enough to pull everything off live. And if

things get loose here or there, then that’s great! The push and pull between the players in a band is part of what makes music interesting. There’s just not enough of that these days. The process of recording took about 6 months in total but that was really a scheduling thing. Because we went live off the floor, the bed tracks for guitar, bass, and drums really only took two weekends. With that said, these songs were written two years ago and we have been road testing them for at least a year, so the entire process has been a long one. That makes us even more stoked to finally see a finished product at the album release. Read more online at http://musiclives.ca/thegood-for-naughts-interview/

The creepshow come to town By Kelly You’d be hard-pressed to find a music fan in southern Ontario that hasn’t heard of The Creepshow. If you listen to metal, punk, rockabilly, rock, swing, or any related genre, you’ve no doubt heard of the band from Hamilton, Ontario. Their sound and history make them a well-established band both in Ontario and internationally. After seven years and a few lineup changes, The Creepshow have released their fourth full-length album Life After Death and are on the road to help promote the latest release. The band plays the eBar on December 12 with Hamilton punk band The Vanishers and the pheRamones, an all-female Ramones cover band. The night promises to be a high filled fun time for all.

We got the chance to chat with Kenda, the lead vocalist and newest member of The Creepshow, and Sean McNab, who rocks a mean stand up bass. Music Lives: The Creepshow are kind of known for amazing live shows. What do you think makes you different from other bands out there when you perform? Kenda: We really love what we do and hope that it shows in our performance. Everyone in the band has such high energy and gives their all when we hit the stage. It’s a place for us to release everything we’ve got. It’s where we feel free. I love to climb everything and anything I can, and the stage gives me an opportunity to do that without getting in trouble.

We don’t think about being different from other bands, we just do what feels good for us. One thing we love is getting the crowd involved, whether it be getting off the stage and dancing around with them or having them sing a verse with or without us. We love seeing them as pumped up as we are. ML: The Creepshow spends a lot of time on the road. What’s the best and worst part about being on tour so much? Kenda: The best part of tour is being able to meet so many new people and seeing the different countries and cities. Making new friends is an absolute bonus. Being able to experience the different cultures, seeing the beautiful sights and history to each place is amazing.

We have so much appreciation for every place we go, so it makes it exciting to be there. Aside from missing our family and friends, there aren’t many downfalls to touring. Sure we get tired sometimes and can get cranky. But compared to all the awesome things we get to experience, we really have nothing to complain about. ML: Life After Death is the first album featuring Kenda on vocals. Was recording the album a new experience or similar to your other two albums with the line up change? Sean: It was similar, yet different! We have recorded all four albums with Steve Rizun at Drive Studios, so we felt very at home. The one major difference was that our lead guitar player Daniel lives in Germany, so he recorded all of his guitar tracks over there, then emailed them to us. It’s fascinating what you can do with recording technology these days. ML: Life After Death is listed as self produced on the Interpunk website. You don’t see that very often anymore. What was behind the decision to produce the album on your own? Sean: We have pretty much always produced our own albums. Steve Rizun is an amazing engineer, and makes us sound fantastic. We are not opposed to working with a producer, but it’s very important and hard to find the right one. But we are very excited how this album turned out. ML: You have one heck of a run lined up for this tour! How do you keep energized night after night? Kenda: We’re barely alive during the day. The long drives allow some of us to sleep. Naps are usually a must. But as soon as we see everyone and hit the stage we’re up and ready to go. We definitely feed off of the crowd’s energy. But at the same time, we’re excited to be playing shows so that gives us our second or third wind. Make sure to check out Music Lives for details on the upcoming show, and you can pre-purchase your tickets directly from Music Lives at http://musiclives.ca/events/the-creepshow.

The Creepshow’s Life After Death is a crazy ride through this benchmark album in the psychobilly genre. A little bit creepy, a little bit sexy, a little bit frightening, but a lot of fun, Life After Death stays true to the band’s previous albums in creating a feel and ambience of walking through a horror film. The opening track “See You In Hell” is the first release from the album. Kenda cuts her chops as The Creepshow’s new vocalist by providing a perfect amount of femininity and grit with growly vocals to match the rockabilly sound crossed with punk speed and influence. While the album still has a lot of rockabilly feel throughout, there are some downright punk tracks like “Born to Lose”, “Failing Grade”, and “Can’t Wait to See You Fail”. Other tracks fall more in the ska genre like “Last Call”. I love the unique blend that happens on “The Devil’s Son” and the title track “Life After Death”, where you can hear all the genres blended together to create the unique psychobilly sound that makes The Creepshow so much damn fun. You can purchase a CD or digital download from Union Label Group’s website, or just come on out to the eBar on December 12 where The Creepshow will be performing live to pick up a CD from the band.

SHOw Review: The StanfIelds

With The Town Heroes, Barretts Privates, and Pioneer Video By Braden My word. I had been told that The Stanfields put on a good show, but I never expected something like this. All I can say is that if the rest of the east coast is as much fun as these Halifax boys, then I need to catch the first plane to Nova Scotia! This five-man group blew minds and moved feet (with style) on Saturday the 16th, but they certainly didn’t do it alone. On tour were fellow Halifax natives The Town heroes, accompanied by Guelph’s own Barrett’s Privates, and Pioneer Video (Cape Breton/Antigonish, NS). Playing to a packed house, the east coast rhythms and melodies were truly electric. Pioneer Video (PV) hit the stage first to open the night. Combining complex jazz grooves with a rock bite, PV have a distinct and interesting sound. Right off the bat, it’s plain to see (or rather, hear) that the members of Pioneer Video are some talented and creative musicians. Taking edgy tones and marrying them with the intricacy of educated jazz, they managed to get this writer’s attention for sure. After their set, I got the opportunity to chat with the band, and ask them about their sound, playing style, and background. I learned that twins Keith (bass) and Kyle (drums) MacDonald have both received extensive jazz education, which in turn has had a huge influence on their sound. Many of the grooves and solos that the audience enjoyed witnessing on Saturday were actually improvised! As is the jazz tradition, this young band was incredibly tight, and seemed to communicate intuitively.

There’s beauty in simplicity, and that’s never been truer than when listening to this act. I’ve never witnessed a two-man band put out that kind of noise live. These guys know what they’re doing, and they certainly do it well. Aside from some effects pedals to beef up the bass in their sound, their stage setup was tastefully minimalistic, and really allowed for their sound to be heard and interpreted clearly. Rather than having a dense full band sound, The Town Heroes filled the spaces with just being really freakin’ good. The dynamic between both players was obviously a strong one, and it’s apparent that they had learned to make their less than common band size define their sound, rather than limit it. The Town Heroes are poised to make their own unique footprint on the Canadian (and, dare I say, global) music scene. Those who were there on the 16th should be proud to say that they saw these fellas before the band absolutely exploded onto the scene. But the good times were far from over after The Town Heroes left the stage.

I don’t think Sea Shanties have ever performed with that much aggression or volume. The descriptor “impressive” doesn’t do The Stanfields justice. Woah. Just woah. Putting on a stellar show comes easy to these Halifax boys, and they did so with fun, humour, and, of course, a fantastic live sound. It’s plain to see that The Stanfields are experienced performers and have “been there, done that” when it comes to playing shows and dealing with crowds. Catchy The locals were up next. Representing Guelph east-coast folk-based riffs combined with punk was Barrett’s Privates, with a high-energy clas- beats got the crowd onto their feet and moving sic rock sound. Reminiscent of Tom Petty & The in a matter of seconds, and they didn’t let up Heartbreakers, with a definite seafaring sound in for the entirety of their lengthy (but far from there (the word “pirate” was mentioned on more boring) set. Not a group for ballads or sensithan one occasion), they started picking up the tive emotional pieces, The Stanfields have an pace in anticipation of the acts to follow. With a addictive sound that brings all those in attenfocus on strong beats and repeatable melodies, dance together. Part of what made their show the Privates were certainly a crowd pleaser, and as fun as it was, was the stage banter between were well suited to the venue and atmosphere. both members of the band, and with the crowd itself. Frontman Jon Landry is at home on stage, Now the fun really started. The Town Heroes and has no trouble thinking on his feet when it worked their mojo in the only way they know comes to entertaining the crowd and filling gaps how. between tunes. This is a show I would gladly pay to see every week, no doubt about it.

Braden Phelan is a young local musician, writer, promoter, and waiter. With a varied set of influences and interests, he brings a unique mix to the table. Check out Braden’s music at bradenphelan.bandcamp.com.

Music Monday: Foy VANCE By Teresa Ernest Hemmingway said ‘Writing is easy. All you have to do is sit at a typewriter and bleed’. My creative process isn’t hard enough to invoke such heavy imagery, but there are days (like today) where I sit at a blank screen for an hour trying to figure out the best way to present a new artist to you. I always wished I could be one of those writers that seems to churn out a book every year, the ones sitting at coffee shops with their fingers flying over the keys with so many thoughts they barely have the time to get them all down. In hopes that it would stir up an introduction, I thought of a bunch of words that can describe Mr. Foy Vance and why you should check him out today, but I’ve already written this year about being a passionate performer, about sexy songs, about not having the words to describe someone and even about my love of the Irish.

So in an effort to keep it uncomplicated, I’d like to introduce you to someone that has keeping things simple in spades. Foy Vance is an incredible performer from Bangor, Ireland that I found last week. In a world where everyone seems to be bringing their most complex show pony game to the table, he’s still practising the gold standard of musicianship: Playing his instrument beautifully, real lyrics and passionate performing. I’m not kidding about that last part, the first time I heard him sing the line ‘That’s the way I held you’ around 2:12 in his song ‘Regarding your Lover’, so much emotion flooded the room I was in that I said ‘Jesus H Christ’ under my breath. It affected me so strongly because he sang that line in such a way that it makes you think of someone you’ve held. That’s what real music is about. You don’t have to play anything intricate, you don’t have to take off your clothes or try and be controversial. You just Then I realized that the reason I love writing need to write real lyrics about things that matter Music Monday for a company as great as Music to you and perform them vibrantly and intimateLives is because they let me write the exact ly. That’s what people connect to. same way I would talk to you in a bar. I’m never gonna say sh*t to you like ‘the syncopated fizz of the second verse really dramatically shifts the aesthetic of the chorus’. Ack, I hate that sort of music writing, the kind that makes me think someone just sat around with a thesaurus so they could write a snotty article where they call a band ‘somber’ in 7 different words, no less. When it comes to writing and music I have a real appreciation for people who just keep it simple. I always want my recommendations to you to feel like I just slipped a CD into your purse when you weren’t looking with a post-it on it that says ‘I think you’ll like this’ or a random YouTube video in your inbox in the middle of the night.

I’ve went over his entire discography in the past few days to pick out the best songs to show you his range today and found nothing to complain about (Okay, maybe one complaint today: I just discovered he’s playing in Toronto on Wednesday and it’s been sold out for weeks. Are you reading this, Mr. Vance? Release more tickets!). Through and through, every song is special, well-written and wonderfully performed. The first song you should check out is the aforementioned ‘Regarding your Lover’ and it’s raw and powerful. The second song is called ‘Feel for me’ and it’s tinged with a folk-soul sound like old Ray LaMontagne but with a sexy twist that has been making me wish for a slow dance all weekend. If you like what you hear (and I’m pretty sure you will), I recommend checking out ‘You and I’, ‘Janey’ and ‘Closed Hands, Full of Friends’ as well. So hit play, take a listen and let Mr. Vance show you why it’s always best to keep it real and keep it simple.

Teresa is a traveler, writer, and nutritionist. She is always on the road and has a passion for live music. She has her home base in Guelph and posts her thoughts on music every monday on the Music Lives blog. Read more Music Monday posts from Teresa at http://www.musiclives.ca/author/teresa/

DECEMBER MUSIC REVIEWS The Good for Naughts: No Great War

Moonfruits: Debut

Guelph band the Good For Naughts recently released their sophomore full-length album No Great War. I’ve been anticipating this album for a while since Good For Naughts previous releases (save for the G20land EP) have been sold out since they popped up on my radar just over a year ago. I’ve seen the band a few times and have been eager to hear if GFN energy and soul translates from their live show to headphones.

Moonfruits is an Ottawa based band made up of duo Alex Millaire and Kaitlin Milroy. In the summer of 2013 they spend time touring around western Europe but are back in Canada to help promote their first album appropriately titled Debut. Recorded earlier this year, Moonfruits refer to their sound as “toe-tapping, star-gazing folk-pop” and I find the description cute and fun, as well as accurate.

GFN style is rooted somewhere in the folk/alt-counrty/rock sphere. The songs on No Great War rage from toe tapping to full on foot stomping. Sometimes just because of the tempo of the song and other times because of the subject matter. For example the album begins with the title track, a somber song about personal struggle daring to ask what are you going to or willing to die for, with no great war? The album doesn’t stay that heavy in thought. “Microchips And Flying Cars” is an upbeat song about the future and how our generation will look back at these times as the good ole days. There are songs about love, politics, drinking and everything in between. No Great War is sometimes tender, sometimes thoughtful and sometimes pissed off!

“Portage” opens the album as a soft, eerie introduction of things to come, getting you ready for “Is You Is”, which certainly falls in the toe-tapping category. The slow build to the song leads into Alex and Kaitlin’s smooth vocals that are beautifully harmonized. It’s hard to imagine that these two have only been together in January 2013. For a band so young, the band sounds perfectly polished with enough complexity to their sound to keep me engaged, but with perfect execution. “Troid P’tits Chats” draws a bit more on the star-gazing aspect of the band’s sound, but that might just be the french lyrics, which go well with the traditional sound of this track. “Rotterdam” is a happy blend of star-gazing and toe-tapping, complete with beautiful vocal harmonies and accompanying guitar riffs. Next, “Amalfi” slows things right down - an introspective track with a whisper of a vocal track that makes you listen hard and pay attention to hear the lyrics before rising to a strong crescendo that shows off just what this singer-songwriter duo can do. “The Erie Canal” brings back the toe-tapping and high energy sound from Moonfruits. I always enjoy when an album follows up the slowest track with something more upbeat and “The Erie Canal” is a perfect follow up to “Amalfi”, upbeat and energetic. These two are definitely my favourite pair of songs from Debut. The album closes out with “Enjoy Yourself”, a song full of good advice from Moonfruits to you.

by Aaron

What’s great about No Great War is that it can be as smart or as fun as you want it to be. There’s a little twang, a little grit and a lot of rock. The Good For Naughts have put together an offering that spans genres and never commits to just one. Grab it online if you like some thinking man’s Rock & Roll. We had a chance to interview James Murray pre-release so look for that interview on our website at if you want a ‘behind the scenes’ take on the making of No Great War. You can read the interview at http://musiclives. ca/the-good-for-naughts-interview/ and learn more about the Good for Naughts on their website at http://www.thegoodfornaughts.com/

by Kelly

In 2014, Moonfruits will be touring in Quebec and the east coast, but you can catch them at the end of December promoting Debut. Check the events calendar for more details! You can learn more about Moonfruits on their website at http://moonfruitsmusic.ca/

Venue Listing 1. Albion Hotel 49 Norfolk Street (519) 821-7125, http://www.thealbionhotel.ca

13. NV Restaurant and Lounge 16 Wyndham Street North (519) 827-1064 http://nvlounge.ca/

17. The Sip Club 91 Wyndham Street North (519) 265-1964 http://www.sipclub.ca/

2. ANAF Club 344 32 Gordon Street (519) 822-0380 http://www.musiclives.ca/venues/a-n-a-fclub-344/

14. The Red Brick Cafe 8 Douglas Street (519) 836-1126 http://redbrickcafe.ca/

18. The Sleeman Centre 50 Woolwich Street (519) 822-4900 http://guelph.ca/venue/sleeman-centre/

15. The Red Papaya 55 Wyndham Street North (519) 230-3255 http://www.musiclives.ca/venues/red-papaya-guelph/

The Stampede Ranch 226 Woodlawn Road West (519) 822-1358 http://stampederanchguelph.ca/

3. The Arena 96 Gordon Street (519) 763-1821 http://www.thearenabarguelph.com/

Regal Road Studios 31 Regal Road (519) 760-2333

19. Van Gogh’s Ear 10 Wyndham Street North (519) 821-9864 http://www.vangoghsear.ca/

5. The Cornerstone 1 Wyndham Street North (519) 827-0145

16. River Run Centre 35 Woolwich Street (519) 763-3000 http://riverrun.ca/

20. Vinyl 52 Macdonell Street (519) 767-1694 http://www.vinyljimmyjazz.com/

6. Doogies and Pablos 37 Wyndham Street North (519) 823-9993 http://www.doogiesguelph.com/

Shakespeare Arms 35 Harvard Road (519) 767-6003 http://shakespearearms.ca/

Did we miss a live music venue? Let us know at info@musiclives.ca

7. The eBar 41 Quebec Street (519) 821-3311 http://www.bookshelf.ca/ebar.html

DOWNTOWN VENUE MAP

4. Bobby O’Briens 90 Macdonell Street (519) 763-0043 http://www.bobbyobriens.com/

8. Frank and Steins 12 Wyndham Street North (519) 763-8666 http://www.frankandsteins.ca/ 9. Guelph Concert Theatre 166 Wyndham Street North (519) 836-1531 http://guelphconcerttheatre.ca/ 10. Jimmy Jazz 52 Macdonell Street (519) 767-1694 http://www.vinyljimmyjazz.com/ 11. Magnolia Cafe 88 Yarmouth Street (519) 766-4663 http://www.magnoliacatering.ca/ Mahoney’s 259 Grange Road (519) 265-7997 Manhattan’s Pizza Bistro and Music Club 951 Gordon Street (519) 767-2440 http://manhattans.ca/ 12. McCabe’s 9 Wyndham Street North (519) 836-3400 http://www.mccabesirishpub.ca/Guelph/

HOURLY, WEEKLY, AND MONTHLY JAM ROOM RENTAL FULLY EQUIPPED ROOMS AVAILABLE CONTACT: JAM@JAMSPOTS.COM OR 519-831-1036 COMING IN FALL 2013 PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE ROOMS!