February 2014
Guelph’s FREE Monthly Music Newspaper
HILLSIDE INSIDE
Also coming up this month: Let’s Just Be Friends New Country Rehab Whisky Sinners Texas King
The City Boys Paul MacLeod Must Stash Hat and more
Featuring: Whitehorse The Strumbellas A Tribe Called Red Timbre Timbre July Talk and more! Also featured this month: The Balconies • Fitness Club Fiasco • Craig Cardiff • Old Man Luedecke Wax Mannequin • Broken Caliber • Arrows Into Oceans MUSIC LIVES IS DEDICATED TO FEATURING LIVE MUSIC EVENTS IN GUELPH, ONTARIO
PAGE OF CONTENTS
ON THIS PAGE Toronto band The Balconies celebrate their new album Fast Motions at the eBar on Feb 13th. Read more on page 5.
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The Balconies Old Man Luedecke What to do on Valentine’s Day Music Monday February Events Calendar A Look At Hillside Inside Fitness Club Fiasco Craig Cardiff Wax Mannequin February Album Reviews Venue Listing
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Music Lives - Februray 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
MUSIC LIVEs - Your Local Source For Live Music Happy February! This month’s event calendar is jam packed with amazing shows. If you’re looking for something on Valentine’s day, check out Aaron’s article on page 6, but if you’re like me and can’t make it out on the 14th, there are a number of shows during the whole week ranging from acoustic to rock to harcore punk (for the truly romantic!)
February also marks Hillside Inside 2014 which has events running from the 7th to the 9th. Make sure to check out our preview on page 10.
You’d think Valentine’s Day and Hillside Inside would take over the bulk of the month, but you’d be wrong. Check out the full calendar on page 8, and don’t forget to check the website for last minute shows and more event details.
We really excited about the number of bands that we’ve been able to connect with this month as well. We have your whole month covered! Fitness Club Fiasco plays on February 1st, Craig Cardiff is here on the 12th, The Balconies come to town on February 13th (stay tuned to our Facebook page for a chance to win some tickets!), and Old Man Luedecke visits Guelph on the 20th. We got in touch with all these amazing musicians to share some insight on how they each like to make music, play live, and connect with fans.
As always, a big shout out to our sponsors for the support they give us. Doogie’s and JamSpots have been invaluable to keeping Music Lives off the ground, and we are grateful for the support from Wellington Brewery and the Downtown Guelph Business Association. If you’d like to show your support for live music, we have big plans for 2014 and would love to have you or your organization involved! Cheers, Kelly
The Music Lives Team Creative/Content Lead - Kelly Baker Community Manager - Aaron Dale Editor - Katy Butters Writer - Teresa Allaire Writer - Braden Phelan
Interested in joining our team? Looking to advertise? Want to just say hi? Get in touch at info@musiclives.ca
Music Lives - January 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
The Balconies By Kelly Baker Toronto based band The Balconies have had a wild ride over the last few years. The debut album Kill Count was a huge success and they released their new album Fast Motions at the end of January. We caught up with Stephen Neville, the band’s bassist to ask him about the new album. Music Lives: I’ve heard that The Balconies originally formed while all of you were going to university in Ottawa. How did that happen?
Stephen Neville: Jacquie and I both grew up in Ottawa and studied classical music at the University of Ottawa. Jacquie studied viola and music education, I studied double-bass. Liam was born and raised in Toronto, but moved to Ottawa to pursue a Bachelor’s and afterwards, a Master’s in classical guitar performance.
In retrospect, it seems inevitable that we would cross paths. There weren’t many people in the music faculty who were
interested, or even open minded about non-classical music. It certainly was a strange setting to meet like-minded rock musicians. We started writing songs together and played our first show as the Balconies, 2-3 weeks later.
ML: Kill Count was toted as one of the best albums of the year. Was that hard to follow up with your new album Fast Motions? SN: It probably seems like a case of stage fright on our part, due to the long gap between our releases. But in fact, it was the opposite. Kill Count was the first recording we ever made that we felt had captured a semblance of our live sound. Also, during the process of recording we had a difficult time choosing which songs to record because we only had a budget for an EP. We had another 15 songs which didn’t get recorded for this project, many of which now appear on Fast Motions. We were extremely eager to begin tackling this LP. We had new ideas for how we wanted the band to sound and a great producer to help us execute them. We’ve done A LOT of touring in the two years since our Kill Count release, so we feel like we’re a brand new band now.
ML: What was your approach to writing and recording for Fast Motions? Were you trying to break new ground or focus more on what you accomplished with Kill Count? SN: The writing process was an arduous one. Some of the songs were written two years earlier, some as recently as a few days earlier when we were going in for our first studio session. All the songs changed drastically throughout the process. For example, if you see an old live video of the band playing any of the songs (mostly under different titles), you can catch parts that made it past the ‘second cut’ of the writing process.
To summarize it: we had a lot of songs kicking around, some of which had been performed live, some of which were being heard for the first time in the studio. We treated the songs in their current state as demos and approached the album by fine-tuning every element in each song with Arnold Lanni;
picking and choosing the strongest moments, and discarding anything not up to par. The end result is Fast Motions.
ML: Do you prefer recording or touring? What’s the best and worst parts of both? SN: Each of us has our own preference. For example, Jacquie is quite obviously born to be on a stage, she’s a natural performer. Personally, I like the recording/ touring cycle; I love being in the studio, but towards the end I start getting anxious to get back on the road to show the world our finished product. Similarly with touring, I start to get tired of the dayin-day-out, performing the same material. And so I start looking forward to getting back into the writing process. Repeat as necessary... ML: Which is better - South by Southwest or North by Northeast? SN: This is a tough comparison to make because NXNE is an incredible platform to showcase Canadian talent.
The Balconies have been part of NXNE for many years for this reason, and I love that such a great festival is based in my stomping grounds. SXSW on the other hand, is in an incredible destination festival for the band to play. We love Austin, Texas so it’s a big treat to have played the festival for two consecutive years. SXSW is also much bigger and crazier. But, I can’t really decide which I prefer. ML: Fast Motions comes out soon! Where can people get the new album and learn more about The Balconies?
“We’ve done A LOT of touring in the two years since our Kill Count release, so we feel like we’re a brand new band now.”
SN: Yes, the album comes out on January 28th and will be available throughout Canada. If you’re from Guelph, we’ll be selling CDs and LPs at our gig at Ebar on February 13th. Hope to see you there! You can learn more about The Balconies and Fast Motions on their website at http://thebalconies.ca/ or check out the show details at http://musiclives.ca/ events/the-balconies/
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Music Lives - February 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
Old Man Luedecke By Kelly Baker On February 20th, Fortnight Music is presenting Old Man Leudecke at the eBar. This Juno winning musician will definitely be ready to put on a great show as he hits Guelph on his cross-Canada tour. We asked Chris (Old Man) Leudecke a few questions to learn some more about his style of songwriting, playing with other artists, and his favourite cities to play.
Music Lives: Tender Is The Night which was released in 2012 seems to have a number of tongue and cheek tracks that focus on storytelling. Is there an overall theme to the album? Chris Luedecke: I’m still not sure, I’d say it was a rootsier affair and I chose and wrote songs that I thought would be best served by recording in Nashville and with Tim O’Brien. But yeah I tended to go for narratives rather than abstraction. Tongue in Cheek humour I love because it’s difficult and very sad. ML: Congratulations on your recent win for the Music Nova Scotia Award for folk recording of the year! You’ve also got some Juno’s under your belt. How does it feel to be an “award winning” artist?
CL: Pretty good, it’s nice to be recognized. My wife says I can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Not much but booze seems to go to my head.
ML: A lot of your tracks feature collaborations with other musicians. Do you prefer working collaboratively?
Planning Your valentines day By Aaron Dale
CL: I perform solo a lot. It’s really nice to hear things in a different setting on albums for variety for me. Someday I’ll tour with a band and make solo records perhaps. I think I will get there. I have listened to a lot of music of just solo performers. That said I really find it thrilling to hear my music interpreted through other people as we’re playing it, especially on Tender Is The Night, when the musicians were insanely good and were heroes of mine. ML: Your stop in Guelph comes in the middle of a cross Canada tour. Do you have any favourite towns or cities for playing live music?
CL: I kinda like them all if they work out. I’ve had some wins and misses in a bunch of places now. Guelph has been an exciting place to play because it seems there’s a lot of really great people there. I love Hillside of course. Wakefield has never let me down. The tour is gonna take me up to Dawson City where I fell in love and met my wife in another century. Can’t wait to play up there again. I have a bunch of songs about it. You can learn more and buy tickets in advance from the Music Lives website at http://musiclives.ca/events/old-man-luedecke/
For some of us the most dreaded holiday of the year is almost upon us. No, not Family Day. Although for some it might be. The ‘us’ I’m referring to are the single people and the holiday of course, Valentine’s Day. I’ve learned a thing or two about being single for Valentine’s Day while living Downtown Guelph and am here to pass along a few pointers for the lonely hearted music lover. Done right, this will probably be the best date you’ll ever go on.
Go Buy Music Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like shopping? Especially when it’s for yourself! Hit up a local record store. For the vinyl collector like me, The Beat Goes On and The Bookshelf have a pile of new reissues. Music & Art, Guelph’s newest record store located at 7 Quebec Street have good quality used records and the biggest collection in the city. Going in solo can be great. You can take your time and really get into looking for treasures. Buy yourself something fun. Shopping for records with your partner can be equally as fun but one of you (in the past, always my partner) will be done shopping before the other. So if you’re the bigger music buff in the relationship, head for the Motown section first. Either way, get an early start, say three or four PM. Next, Go Eat If you’ve thought ahead and have a date and a reservation then you’re already set
but probably a little later in the evening. For the single person, you’ll want to get out there a little earlier so you don’t have to sit alone watching all the forced public displays of affection. Order whatever you want without shame!
A bottle of wine, a few craft beers or three desserts. It’s all deadly! Today is about making you feel good. You can do what YOU want. Indulge. Eat ALL the food. I recommend going to a place that has a bar you can sit at so as reservations come in you won’t feel like you’re in the way. A good bartender will not only be able to recommend anything you’re craving but also chat if they’re not busy. Pull out those CD’s or records you bought and start reading the liner notes while you wait for your order. You’ll be surprised at what you can learn and it’s also a great conversation stimulator with anyone else around. If you’re sensitive about your situation make sure you’re out of there by around 6 pm. Couples will start showing up and being all cute and shit.
Now, Get Ready There is something about the haircut, shave and long shower combo that is good for the soul. It’s right up there with the retail therapy you should have done earlier. Now put on those records you bought. Turn them up. Sing in the shower. Dance like no one is watching. You’re going out for a special night. So special in fact that I plan on putting some product in CONTINUED
Music Lives - February 2014 Valentine’s Day - Continued my hair. If you look good you’re going to do good. Or something like that.
Where Do We Go Now? I’ve been waiting for my Blink 182 moment for twelve years. If you too are waiting to “fall in love with a girl (or whomever) at a rock show,” you need to know where to go on February 14th. There are a few options depending on what you’re into. Like a good theme party? Doogie’s has got a 60’s themed “Love In” with Guelph band the Test Icicles. They’ll be playing the best party love songs from generations past. Dress up in your favourite retro garb and get ready to hit the dance floor. If you’re meeting up with your single friends Doogie’s would be a good place to meet up.
So this “Anti-Valentine’s Day” show is an option for those that like heavy music. KronikNoise have brought a solid line-up of local and visiting metal bands to the Red Papaya including Seducing Medusa. The Guelph metal community is a tight one and there is always love in the air at Unkle Rick’s shows. It’s just not METAL to say you’re actually going to a Valentine’s Day show. If you’re looking for experiencing something new music wise, I’ll suggest going to The eBar to see The Treble. They’ll be making their Guelph debut along side local Jamie Gia. It looks like these boys from Winnipeg always have a great time on stage. Check out The Treble’s Youtube channel to find out more. 2013 was a big year for these boys from Winnipeg and they deserve a listen. They’ll be playing alongside The Medicine Hat, a Guelph favourite.
This was written with the intent to help people fight the single blues but now that I’m finished I think this article is more of a guide on “How To Successfully Date Music”. Have a safe, happy and music filled Valentine’s Day everybody. DO NOT listen to The Cure!!!
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
Music Monday: Banks & Exposure By Teresa Allaire In the days before Twitter, People magazine and the other mediums of our constant consumption of celebrity culture, there were very few ways to find out about an musicians life. You could be a huge fan of someone and know very little about their personal life. I think my least favorite thing about the advancement of social media is the entitlement people now feel they have to know the intimate details about someones life, they want to interact with their favorite artist on such a personal level. My childhood subscription to Bop magazine let me know that Andrew Keegans favorite color was blue and he had a lizard named Blizzard (so clever), but beyond that I didn’t know and didn’t care where he did his grocery shopping or whether his father got a DUI. I’m usually hard pressed to find a new rising artist that isn’t totally over-exposed. I’ll hear a great song, type their name into google and within 15 minutes I can tell you where they are in the world and what they had for breakfast. The actual ‘music’ tab of their website is hidden between the links to their various social media press kit. It’s so revealing that I often find myself turned off by this over-sharing. Just like a girl showing all her skin can over saturate your eyes, I still like when people keep a little something for themselves and do things in their life just for their own enjoyment, not just for the facebook photo. So it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to someone today who is dare I say, underexposed. Jillian Banks, who goes by the plain moniker BANKS is a twenty something from LA that has been gaining some great momentum this past year . She’s managed to make all recent ‘ones to watch this year’ lists, toured as the opener for The Weeknd and had her music featured in several commercials without showing us 30 photos of herself lounging on a beach. I went searching for her bio online, I laughed out loud to find her actual phone number listed with a message stating she’s not into social media, so give her a call or text if you want to chat. All of her songs are filled with tense, haunting vocals over almost
industrial sounding beats. Her lyrics are sung with incredible sexiness, whenever I listen to her songs I feel like she’s slinking across the room to me.
It’s probably in poor form to start you off with a cover, but whatever, I do what I want. Her cover of ‘In your eyes’ by Peter Gabriel is wonderful and sultry; she makes it totally her own. ‘Before I Met You’ and ‘Change’ are my favorite new breakup songs, she perfectly captures the back and forth of a relationship you’re fighting for even though you know you should go your separate ways. ‘Warm Water’ is sung sensually over the simplest tiny beat that lets her voice really shine through. My boyfriend is in San Francisco right now and I can’t wait for him to get home so we can dance in the kitchen together to this one. ‘Waiting game’ is a visceral experience for anyone that has ever dated someone who tours
for a living. When she croons ‘I never even see you cause we’re both on a stage, don’t tell me to listen to your song, cause it isn’t the same’, I can remember the exact frustration of a long-distance relationship on the road.
I set out to write about 2 or 3 of her songs today, but I of course didn’t heed my own advice and have probably over saturated you. I’m not going to be sorry about that though, because if there’s anyone out there right now that deserves a little extra exposure of the right kind, it’s her. Enjoy.
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February Events Calendar
Wellington Brewery is Canada’s oldest independently owned microbrewery. Visit our brewery in Guelph, Ontario to sample some delicious craft beers and learn about what goes into making our award-winning beers. And don’t forget our brewery retail store is open 7 days a week in case you just want to pick up a case! Visit http://www.wellingtonbrewery.ca for more information.
@WellingtonBrew
This month’s events are brough to you by Wellington Brewery who is proud to support local live music! Visit the brewery every Saturday between 1pm and 4pm for a free guided tasting!
www.facebook.com/wellingtonbrewery
Saturday February 1st
Wednesday February 5th
Saturday February 8th - continued
Wednesday February 12th
Saturday February 15th
Thursday February 20th
Sunday February 23rd
Thursday February 27th
2nd Annual Farmer Hootenanny at A.N.A.F. Club 344 $5 - $15. All ages and licensed. Doors at 7pm.
Red Brick Sessions hosts the February Live Music Series with Brynn at Red Brick Cafe Free event. All ages and licensed. Music after 8pm.
Hillside Inside hosts July Talk with special guests The Darcys at St. George’s Church $22. All ages. 9:30pm.
Red Brick Sessions hosts The February Live Music Series with Timeless Void at Red Brick Cafe Free event. All ages and licensed. Music after 8pm.
Rock Wood at Q-Ball Billiards & Bar Free event. 19+. Music after 9:30pm.
Mike Something at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
ronan (nilan perera & ted phillips) at silence $10 or PWYC. All ages. 8pm.
Mike Something at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
The Point at Q-Ball Billiards & Bar Free event. 19+. Music after 9:30pm. The City Boys at Doogie’s Guelph 19+. Music after 10pm.
Dust ‘n’ Bones at Squirrel Tooth Alice’s Free event. 19+. Music at 9pm.
GAIN Music hosts Fitness Club Fiasco, Kennedy Cult, Goodnight Sunrise & the Zilis at Van Gogh’s Ear $8 at doors. All ages and licensed. Music after 9pm.
Sunday February 2nd
Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm. Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music at 11 pm.
Monday February 3rd
Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid Tune in to 93.3 FM at 6pm.
Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Tuesday February 4th
Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Ababe Music hosts The Vaudevillians with Alysha Brilla and The Royal Streets at Doogie’s Guelph 19+. Music after 10pm. Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. First round at 11pm.
GAIN Music hosts Jordan Raycroft & Dominque Fricot at 39 Carden Street Free event. All ages and licesned. Music at 8pm
Thursday February 6th
Mike Something at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm. Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Free event. 19+. Music after 8pm.
Friday February 7th
GAIN Music hosts (U) the Band CD Release at eBar $10. 19+. Music after 9pm. The Hot Karls at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 11pm.
Hillside Inside hosts A Tribe Called Red with special guest Lido Pimienta at St. George’s Church $22. All ages. 10pm. Hillside Inside hosts Fab 5 Cabaret at River Run Centre $25. All ages. 7:30pm.
Saturday February 8th
Rodium at Q-Ball Billiards & Bar Free event. 19+. Music after 9:30pm.
Country Night with Ty Baynton at Doogie’s Guelph Check the site for details.
Hillside Inside hosts Timber Timbre with special guest Tanya Tagaq at St. George’s Church $28. All ages. 2pm. sweet talk at silence $10 or PWYC. All ages. 8pm.
GAIN Music hosts Let’s Just Be Friends, Patrick McCauley & the Wandering Bones, Oxford Blue & Clara Engel at Van Gogh’s Ear $5 - $8. All ages and licensed. Music after 9:30pm.
Sunday February 9th
Hillside Inside hosts Sunday Gospel Session featuring Whitehorse & The Strumbellas at St. George’s Church $25. All ages. 3pm.
Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm. Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music at 11 pm.
Monday February 10th
Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid Tune in to 93.3 FM at 6pm.
Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Tuesday February 11th
Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Patrick Artists hosts Craig Cardiff Live at The Albion Hotel $15. 19+. Music at 8pm. Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. First round at 11pm.
GAIN Music hosts Patrick Ballantyne & Donna Creighton at 39 Carden Street Free event. All ages and licensed. Music at 8pm
Thursday February 13th
Mike Something at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Kaleidoscope hosts New Country Rehab with Joy Kills Sorrow at Van Gogh’s Ear $10. All ages and licensed. Doors at 9pm.
GAIN Music and Fortnight Music hosts The Balconies, Say Yes, Growing Irons & Highs at eBar $10 ($18 with CD). 19+. Music after 9:30pm. eschaton at silence $10 or PWYC. All ages. Music after 8pm. Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Free event. 19+. Music after 8pm.
Friday February 14th
KronikNoise Promotions hosts An “Anti-Valentine” show at Red Papaya Guelph $8. All ages and licensed. Music after 9:30pm.
The City Boys at Doogie’s Guelph 19+. Music after 10pm.
Still Native, BoomEcho, Texas King & More! at Van Gogh’s Ear $5. All ages and licensed. Music after 9:30pm.
The Nasties and The Skullians at Jimmy Jazz Free show. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Free event. 19+. Music after 8pm.
Fortnight Music hosts Old Man Luedecke with Jordie Lane at eBar $15. All ages and licensed. Doors at 9:30pm. Buy tickets from Music Lives!
Sunday February 16th
Friday February 21st
Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
North of Seven at Van Gogh’s Ear Check the site for details.
Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music at 11 pm.
Monday February 17th
Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid Tune in to 93.3 FM at 6pm.
Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Tuesday February 18th
Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Wednesday February 19th
Valentines Day 60’s “Love In” with the Test Icicles at Doogie’s Guelph Check the site for details.
Red Brick Sessions hosts The February Live Music Series with Oceanship at Red Brick Cafe Free event. All ages and licensed. Music after 8pm.
Ambre McLean at Manhattans Check the site for details.
GAIN Music hosts James Murray at 39 Carden Street Free event. All ages licensed. Music at 8pm
GAIN Music and Fortnight Music hosts Valentine’s Day Showcase with The Medicine Hat and The Treble at eBar $10. All ages and licensed. Music after 9pm.
Kazoo! hosts Kazoo! #177: Coach Longlegs and Blimp Rock at Jimmy Jazz Check the site for details.
Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. First round at 11pm.
The Hot Karls at Doogie’s Guelph 19+. Music at 11pm.
Badlands Music hosts Casey McBoozerson’s Birthday Bash With Whisky Sinners and Steam Whistle Harry at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Saturday February 22nd
Must Stash Hat at Van Gogh’s Ear Check the site for details.
Chasing Zero at Q-Ball Billiards & Bar Free event. 19+. Music after 9:30pm. The Test Icicles at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm. birth of troubling forms at silence $10 or PWYC. All ages. 8pm.
Mute Union and Within the Wreckage at Red Papaya Guelph. Check the site for details.
Nathan Coles hosts Open Stage at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm. Double D Sundays with Dee & Dave at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music at 11 pm.
Monday February 24th
Paul MacLeod at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
CFRU 93.3 hosts Underplayed & Underpaid Tune in to 93.3 FM at 6pm.
Open Stage with Dave Huber at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Tuesday February 25th
Matty P at Doogie’s Guelph Free event. 19+. Music after 10pm.
Wednesday February 26th
Red Brick Sessions hosts The February Live Music Series with Nick Johnston at Red Brick Cafe Free event. All ages and licensed. Music after 8pm. Music Lives hosts Name That Tune at Jimmy Jazz Free event. 19+. First round at 11pm. GAIN Music hosts Ben Turcotte at 39 Carden Street Free event. All ages and licensed. 8pm
Open Mic at A.N.A.F. Club 344 Free event. 19+. Music after 8pm.
Friday February 28th
The Adverteyes Blackout Party at Van Gogh’s Ear $8. All ages and licensed. Music after 9:30pm.
But wait, there’s more!
New events are listed every week! Make sure you check the website to get up-to-date information about the events listed here, and see more awesome events that are htting Guelph this month!
Want to stay in touch? Here’s a few ways to make sure you don’t miss a thing! 1. Visit the website. The calendar is absolutely packed. Today’s events are right on the homepage. http://www.musiclives.ca 2. Like us on Facebook (and make sure you subscribe) and/or follow us on Twitter. We send out each day’s events every day. https://www.facebook.com/musiclivesca https://twitter.com/musiclivesca 3. Subscribe to the newsletter on our homepage. We send out a weekly list of upcoming events every Monday.
10 Music Lives - February 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
Music Lives - February 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
Hillside Inside 2014 : February 7th to 9th By Kelly Baker Hillside Inside is set and ready to launch it’s 7th year this February 7th to 9th. The 2014 edition of this amazing annual event will feature 5 main shows across Guelph. If you’re a music fan, the whole city will be your playground. The downtown core will have a number of events taking place at a number of different venues so make sure to get downtown to enjoy the music! Here’s a look at the main events that will be taking place over the weekend. Friday, February 7th
Fab 5 Cabaret Hillside knows how to get things started! Hillside Inside 2014 launches with a collaboration with some of the other festivals that take place every year in Guelph: the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, the Guelph Jazz Festival, and the Festival of Moving Media. With the help of grant funding, the “Fab 5” have had to opportunity to develop a live performance by each contributing one piece to the show. Audience members will be able to get a feel for each different festival through the individual performances. Tony Dekker of the Great Lake Swimmers represents Hillside Festival, Portal Dance Project represent the Contemporary Dance Festival, Maestro Fresh Wes represents the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, GUH represents the Guelph Jazz Festival and will be providing the score to the Festival of
Moving Media’s screening of Conquest of the Pole (À la Conquête du Pôle), the 1912 film from Georges Méliès.
This event starts at 7:30 p.m. and will take place in the Cooperators’ Hall at the River Run Centre.
A Tribe Called Red with special guest Lido Pimienta If you haven’t heard of the Ottawa based First-Nations group A Tribe Called Red, you are in for a treat. The band has a unique blend of traditional and contemporary music that has got them two nominations for the Polaris prize. The group is made up of two-time Canadian DMC Champion DJ Shub, DJ NDN and DJ Bear Witness and has quickly “become the face of an urban Native youth renaissance, championing their heritage and speaking out on aboriginal issues, while being on top of popular music, fashion and art” (from http://atribecalledred.com). Their performance promises to be an awesome visual and audio party. Along with A Tribe Called Red, Columbian-born Toronto-based artist Lido Pimienta will open this night with her special blend of electronic music and traditional Columbian chanting. Lido’s strong stage presence and unique sound will be a great way to get the night started. This event starts at 10:00 p.m. and will take place in Mitchell Hall at St. George’s Church.
Timbre Timbre
The Darcys
A Tribe Called Red
Whitehorse Saturday, February 8 Youth Music Showcase JamSchool students will be getting together to present some local talent and up and coming young musicians downtown at Planet Bean Cafe. We at Music Lives loves JamSchool’s performance based approach to teaching music and can attest to the quality of music and songwriting that comes out of the programs from the local music school. Be sure to visit Planet Bean’s downtown location starting at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Timber Timbre with special guest Tanya Tagaq Playing together in the Sanctuary of St. George’s Church, Timbre Timbre and Tanya Tagaq will perform their own unique
Youth Music Showcase
July Talk
blend of blue and “Inuit throat” singing. In 2005, Tanya Tagaq from Nunavut won the Best Female Artist award at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and a year later was nominated for a Juno for Best Aboriginal Recording. She has often been compared to Björk who she has collaborated with on a number of occasions. Timbre Timbre is an Ontario based folk band made up of Taylor Kirk, Simon Trottier and Mika Posen. The trio creates a cinematic and spooky sound that will the perfect backing for Tanya to create an altogether out-of-this-world performance.
This event starts at 2:00 p.m. and will take place in the Sanctuary at St. George’s Church. CONTINUED
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 July Talk with special guests The Darcys Later in the evening, Hillside Inside turns to indie rock with Toronto band, July Talk and The Darcys. July Talk has spent that last two years touring with some major acts including Billy Talent, Matt Mays, Arkells, and Sam Roberts to name a few. Their upbeat and fun tracks are rooted with inventive songwriting and thoughtful lyrics. July Talk is joined by The Darcys who have been toted as “the next big thing” by some of music’s best reviewers. Frontman Jason Couse provides impressive vocals and Wes Marskell, David Hurlow, and Michael le Riche fill out the band’s sound which has been described
as “lush keyboards, nimble, complex rhythms, intricately-arranged guitars set to chime and squall” (from http://www. chromewaves.net). This event starts at 9:30 p.m. and will take place in Mitchell Hall at St. George’s Church. Sunday, February 9
Gadfly House Dance Workshop If you’re looking for other events during Hillside Inside, be sure to check out this workshop from the urban dancers of Gadfly Dance Company. They’ll be teaching an introduction to house, hip-hop, and b-boy dance styles. The event is free and open to people of all ages. You don’t need to be a
good dancer to enjoy this workshop as it’s designed for people of all skill levels. Just make sure to bring your energy and some clothes that allow you to move around comfortably. This workshop starts at 11:00 a.m. and will take place at the River Run Centre.
Singing Workshop with the Guelph Community Singers Another workshop being offered during the Hillside Inside weekend is being hosted by the Guelph Community Singers. This choir is non-professional, open, and above all, fun! The singers are made up a passionate group of Guelphites of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. They will be teaching the basics of call and
reponse, rounds, chants, and even give you the chance to try “warbling”. This workshop starts at 1:00 p.m. and will take place at the River Run Centre.
Sunday Gospel Session with The Strumbellas and Whitehorse Closing off the Hillside Inside 2014 weekend is Toronto band The Strumbellas and Hamilton based husband and wife duo, Whitehorse. I’ve been lucky enough to see both of these talented Canadian acts in the last year and am beyond excited for them to be leading the Sunday Gospel Session. This exclusive event will feature both bands performing their own version of “good news” songs, hymns, and ballads. Joining the bands will be local folk performer Tannis Slimmon. This event is new to Hillside Inside and promises to be a one-of-a-kind show for all to enjoy! This event starts at 3:00 p.m. and will take place in the Sanctuary at St. George’s Church.
If you are looking to buy tickets for any of the Hillside Events, you can head over to the event website at http://www.hillsidefestival.ca/pages/how-to-buy-tickets to see a complete list of events with links to Ticketbreak. The weekend pass is $78 dollars - a great value for all these amazing performances! Whether you’re planning on attending all the amazing events lined up for Hillside Inside this year, or just hitting up one or two, you’re definitely in for a treat! Happy Hillside!
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12 Music Lives - January 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
Music Lives - January 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
Fitness Club Fiasco
Craig Cardiff
By Aaron Dale
By Kelly Baker
Guelph band Fitness Club Fiasco perform at Van Gogh’s Ear on February 1st with Kennedy Cult, Goodnight Sunrise & the Zilis. We had a few questions for them about their upcoming full length album, the recording process and favourite venues.
Craig Cardiff is one of Ontario’s amazing folk musicians and he is coming to the Albion Hotel on February 12th to promote his double (yes double!) album release, Love Is Louder. The album is inspired by what Craig calls “The Book of Truths”, an empty notebook that gets passed around at his shows where fans are asked to share stories, confessions, hopes, and secrets. The book has allowed Craig to form a closer connection with his fans, and inspired the songs from his new album.
Music Lives: Fitness Club Fiasco’s new single “Goldmine” was released last year with a loose release date for a full length album. What’s Fitness Club Fiasco’s writing process like? Is there any news on the album’s progress? Fitness Club Fiasco: Most of the songs on the album have been written initially by me (Mike) on my computer or at the piano or guitar. I program different sounds and beats and then we practice them as a band and add and tweak things. Then when we take the tracks to the studio
we really invest our time in adding production to them and finalizing the songs. Sometimes the changes that happen in the studio are considerable which should make for many surprises on the album even if you’ve heard our songs live up to this point. We’ve been working at the
Live Music Every Saturday classic rock, blues, and more!
Feb 1st THE POINT
High Energy Retro 70s, 80s & 90s
Feb 8th RODIUM
Great Classic Rock
Feb 15th ROCKWOOD
Fitness Club Fiasco play Van Gogh’s Ear on February 1st with Kennedy Cult, Goodnight Sunrise & the Zilis.
album consistently over the past 6 months or so. The recording process should be complete in the late winter/early spring and the album should be released this summer! ML: Where are you doing your recording?
FCF: We are happy to say that we are doing our recording at the studio of Mark Underdown, a great friend of the band and an extremely talented producer and engineer. His studio is located in the booming metropolis of Moffat, Ontario. ML: I’ve been able to see you play at Club Vinyl with USS, and at Van Gogh’s Ear and the Guelph A.N.A.F. Is there a favourite local venue for you guys? Is there a show that really stands out in your mind as being special?
FCF: Our favourite venue in Guelph is probably The Albion, with Van Gogh’s Ear a close second. We’ve had a lot of shows that have been really fun, it’s hard to pin it down to just one. We played The Horseshoe this year which was a lot of fun, and we always seem to have a great time whenever we play at the Freeway Cafe in Hamilton. We’re looking forward to playing the Ebar sometime soon. When we were in the UK we once played a show with Memory Tapes in London which was a lot of fun. You can check out more about Fitness Club Fiasco on their website at http:// www.fitnessclubfiasco.com or get the details about their show on Febraury 1st at http://musiclives.ca/events/fitness-club-fiasco.
The Best of Rock n’ Roll
ML: How was is working with Ben Leggett and Andre Wahl?
CC: Amazing. Scary. Rewarding. Andre and Ben pushed me far outside my comfort zone. They said “you’re not allowed to record an album that sounds like anything you’ve previously done and here, you’re going to play with a band.” There’s a lot of shifts to tempo, arrangement on Part 1. Hire them if you’re lucky! ML: How do you think this album will translate to live performance?
CC: I think it translates elegantly. Live acoustic performance is the rawest and rarest way to experience a song, regardless of who the writer is. It tests the song’s strength to stand up without adornment and be seen. I approach songs, particularly the lyrics, as the skeleton. The melody and arrangement forms the body and completes it. ML: Arnprior, Ontario is your home base, but you’re not new to the area growing up in Waterloo. Any other bands from the area that we should keep our eyes on?
ML: Where can people learn more about you and your music?
90s Alt & Rock
Billiards and Much More!
Craig Cardiff: The songs were given to me from touring dates - the way I imagine birds make nests, slowly collecting what they find - bits of hair, ends of dresses, wrapping paper ribbons - each show always seemed to share a story that I couldn’t help but write down, and eventually they all grew into songs.
CC: It is the largest collection of songs I’ve released as a single recording. Part 1 is full band tuned together - we locked ourselves in a studio way out in the country, two hours from Toronto, and played out the songs from when the sun came up ‘till it went down. Part 2 is acoustic, intimate and stringier than other releases.
CC: Jojo Worthington. Mike Evin.
Feb 22nd CHASING ZERO
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Music Lives: You’ve been busy over the last decade! What made you want to release Love is Louder, a double album?
ML: How is Love is Louder different from your previous releases?
CC: From me! www.craigcardiff.com twitter: @cardiffcraig
“Sometimes the changes that happen in the studio are considerable which should make for many surprises on the album even if you’ve heard our songs live up to this point. “
You can check out details about Craig’s upcoming show at http://musiclives.ca/ events/craig-cardiff-live/ See you there!
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Wax Mannequin By Aaron Dale You may not recognize the name Chris Adeney. That’s alright. Most people wouldn’t. He was the musician playing The Cornerstone a couple weeks ago. A name you might recognize is Chris’ musical alter-ego, Wax Mannequin. A standing room only crowd had gathered and the room was warm and the atmosphere friendly. Some tables had obviously come to see the show and others were out for casual drinks with friends. Wax Mannequin sings songs in the vein of folk. Some songs tease you with a memory of your own childhood and others are really funny if you listen hard and get the joke. Wax Mannequin knows how to deliver every syllable and every note. He knows how to make you pay attention and how to make you smile or how to make you think. The songwriting and storytelling tap into those fundamental memories and feelings that make us all who we are.
About six songs into his set the crowd that had accidentally attended the show had now turned their chairs around to pay better attention and the chatter in the room was slowly diminishing as Wax played on. If you like your live music smart with a side of sense of humour and a cherry of antics on top, don’t miss Wax Mannequin next time he’s in town.
14 Music Lives - February 2014
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
February Album reviews Broken Caliber By Aaron Dale Broken Caliber is a band that has been on my radar since we launched V2.0 of our website. They were one of the first to utilize our Bands pages. (If you’re in a band and reading this, you can get one too. They are free.) So when asked to check out their new CD After the Ashes I jumped at the chance. Broken Caliber are heavy in 90’s influences and almost every song reminds you of a song you loved growing up in the 90s. Not to say their songs aren’t original or different, they just have or familiarity or nostalgia that makes you connect to them almost immediately.
“Bleed You” is a straight ahead rock song with fat sounding guitars and sing-a-long chorus. While “Bullet Girl” comes from more of a punk influence. Broken Caliber slow things down on the intro to “Long Road” without losing their thick sound and also has some of the best guitar work on the record. That’s one of the strong points about After The Ashes, at times it’s hard to believe it’s the same band responsible for writing all these songs and there is a tempo, influence, or vocal style for any child of the 90’s. Physical copies of After The Ashes can be purchased at Sunrise Records and Encore Records in Kitchener or Orange Monkey in Waterloo. Search for Broken Caliber on CDBaby.com and iTunes to download After The Ashes now. You can learn more about the band on their website at http:// www.brokencaliber.com/
“It’s hard to believe it’s the same band responsible for writing all these songs and there is a tempo, influence, or vocal style for any child of the 90’s.”
Arrows Into Oceans By Braden Phelan Arrows into Oceans, a KW band, has recently released a self-titled 8-track record (available at reverbnation. com/arrowsintooceans/songs ). All veteran performers both as AIO, as well as in other musical outfits, the band brings a mature sound to their record. Bringing a distinctive range of influences to the table, the listener can immediately hear strong undertones of Barenaked Ladies, and the Tragically Hip. With catchy guitar parts and vocal rhythms, the group has a strong pop-rock sound. It’s not particularly edgy or hard to listen to, but it isn’t lame either. Arrows into Oceans strikes a delicate balance.
As far as composition goes, their writing seems to be mostly song oriented, and they work well as a group to produce well balanced tunes, that aren’t necessarily built around a wailing solo, Earth-shattering vocal note, or the like. One thing I particularly like to see in a pop-rock group is bassists making ventures into the land of lead, and really exploring their bass lines. Likewise, it’s always nice to see a drummer who can get a good groove going, consisting of more than a boring beat. AIO definitely has this in spades, with all
Music Lives - February 2014 1. Albion Hotel 49 Norfolk St (519) 821-7125, www.thealbionhotel.ca
the tracks having balanced levels for all instruments, particularly the bass.
While sitting and listening to this album, I keep half-expecting them to jump into the chorus from Jane, or some kind of similar cover. It’s obvious that these guys aren’t intending on being the next avant-garde group, and they’re comfortable with (and good at) what they do. They have a sound that I could easily picture my parents listening to, or that I might show to my 8 year old sister to introduce her to Rock n’ Roll (without scaring her). Arrows into Oceans is made up of men who have been playing music for a reasonably long time, and their target audience has respectably matured with them. You won’t hear anything crunchy or angsty coming from this band, they seem to be more about smooth melodies and harmonies (see Wrong Girl). What I would love to see from Arrows into Oceans, is a little more guts in their playing and vocals. Nothing insane, I’m not asking for Metallica! I’d just be curious to see how they’d respond to a little more distortion, or edge. When I listen to them now, I get the feeling that they have a good smooth sound, but I’d like to see some of that polish come off, and have them really own their tunes. Inject some soul into their playing, y’know? To use The Beatles, I’d like to see them go from If I Fell, to Helter Skelter or I want you (She’s So Heavy). Just some more guts is all I ask. Aside from this one critique, I can confidently say that Arrows into Oceans is an album that I find easy to listen to, and even easier to enjoy.
2. ANAF Club 344 32 Gordon St (519) 822-0380 www.musiclives.ca/venues/a-n-a-fclub-344
Downtown live music venues
3. Bobby O’Briens 90 Macdonell St (519) 763-0043 www.bobbyobriens.com
4. The Cornerstone 1 Wyndham St N (519) 827-0145
5. Doogies and Pablos 37 Wyndham St N (519) 823-9993 www.doogiesguelph.com 6. The eBar 41 Quebec St (519) 821-3311 www.bookshelf.ca/ebar.html
7. Frank and Steins 12 Wyndham St N (519) 763-8666 www.frankandsteins.ca
8. Guelph Concert Theatre 166 Wyndham St N (519) 836-1531 www.guelphconcerttheatre.ca 9. Jimmy Jazz 52 Macdonell St (519) 767-1694 www.vinyljimmyjazz.com 10. Magnolia Cafe 88 Yarmouth St (519) 766-4663 www.magnoliacatering.ca Mahoney’s 259 Grange Rd (519) 265-7997
Manhattan’s Pizza Bistro & Music Club 951 Gordon St (519) 767-2440 www.manhattans.ca
Brought to you by the Downtown Guelph Business Association
11. McCabe’s 9 Wyndham St N (519) 836-3400 www.mccabesirishpub.ca/Guelph
12. NV Restaurant and Lounge 16 Wyndham St N (519) 827-1064 www.nvlounge.ca
“Bringing a distinctive range of influences to the table, the listener can immediately hear strong undertones of Barenaked Ladies, and the Tragically Hip. “
Visit www.musiclives.ca for more.
13. The Red Brick Cafe 8 Douglas St (519) 836-1126 www.redbrickcafe.ca
14. The Red Papaya 55 Wyndham St N (519) 230-3255 www.musiclives.ca/venues/red-papaya-guelph
Regal Road Studios 31 Regal Rd (519) 760-2333
15. River Run Centre 35 Woolwich St (519) 763-3000 www.riverrun.ca Shakespeare Arms 35 Harvard Rd (519) 767-6003 www.shakespearearms.ca
silence 46 Essex St www.silencesounds.ca
The Stampede Ranch 226 Woodlawn Rd W (519) 822-1358 www.stampederanchguelph.ca
17. The Sleeman Centre 50 Woolwich St (519) 822-4900 guelph.ca/venue/sleeman-centre
20. Vinyl 52 Macdonell St (519) 767-1694 www.vinyljimmyjazz.com
16. The Sip Club 91 Wyndham St N (519) 265-1964 www.sipclub.ca
19. Van Gogh’s Ear 10 Wyndham St N (519) 821-9864 www.vangoghsear.ca
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