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Music Reviews | 1 Comment
Well first things first. The Penthouse. You don’t usually find a live music event in the heart of strip central, but I have to say, I was really impressed by how the night turned out. No there were no strippers, and no there was no pole in the middle of the stage. Instead, we had a great trio perform that left the crowd awestruck.
This night was organized by the Vancouver Artists Collective Association, or better known as VACA. This organization was created in June 2006 that brings together a local network of photographers, painters, writers, dancers, models, and, of course, musicians. The artistic talent that dwells in the heart of Vancouver undoubtedly values this mini-society and greatly appreciates the hard work and dedication they have in promoting the pool of talented individuals that resides in our city. They help organize events, such as the one I attended, and do a great job of promoting it as well. Every Sunday, they arrange an affair known as the Circle of Songwriters. This show features performances by three local musicians and the one I was lucky enough to attend, included the likes of Dan Mangan, Nat Jay, and James Lamb. And better yet, this entire night was recorded by CBC Radio 2, which has a section for “Concerts on Demand,” and you can listen for yourself and decide if this review is total crap or if it’s bang on. Read more »
Canada is a whirlpool of talent, but it is extremely hard to break into the music business without the right motivation and without enough passion. Lucky for us, James Murdoch possesses all of these qualities that will one day launch him all across the world.
You can describe him as a child prodigy who has matured into adulthood. Born and raised in beautiful Whitehorse, Yukon, James was essentially born to be a rockstar. His father and uncles were all established writers, while his mother was a concert producer. If his life was a book, all these elements foreshadow his future as an accomplished musician. So far the story is going as planned, as his first solo record “Polyphonic” was nominated in 2001 and 2002 for “Outstanding Pop Record” at The West Coast Music Awards and Prairie Music Week. In 2004, the success story continued with James being signed to Montreal based Indica Records. This would prove to be a great turning point for James, as he would now be exposed to a much wider audience and a bigger pool of talent to work off of. He followed up his first record with “Between the Lines” which garnered much radio and video play on the likes of Much More Music and MTV Canada. Read more »
Okay kids, I’m back with the final installment of what I experienced during the New Music West Festival this year. Keep in mind that I was only able to catch sixteen bands out of about two-hundred and fifty so yeah, NMW is a pretty big deal around these parts. Hopefully by this time next year there will be even more local music websites in Vancouver and between us all we can write about the vast majority of the good folks that come all the way to the Rain City just to play for us. On with the final two reviews! Read more »
Well, calamity struck yesterday and I didn’t get to attend ANY shows but don’t you worry kids because I’m making it up to you today! Are you ready? Here it is! The six-bands-in-one-night (May 17th) revue! Woo! Read more »
So I was originally supposed to review five bands again tonight, but I totally effed up the time and missed the seven o’clock show put on by The Fury at the Blarney Stone in Gastown. This is the second time since the festival started that I’ve missed a gig at that spot, so come hell or high-water I’m going to make it there sooner or later. The second band I missed was called Smoosh who were up from Seattle. By the time they were scheduled to hit the stage, I was honestly just too tired to see another show. I’m starting to see how classic rock writers like Lester Bangs and Nick Kent ended up in unholy relationships with amphetamines. Not that I would advocate those shenanigans. Anyway, onto tonight’s reviews! Read more »
Surrey locals Versus the Nothing are a really nice bunch of guys. In what would become a stark contrast to the opening remarks of Southern Death Threat, Versus the Nothing chose to open their set by modestly thanking everyone for coming to the less-than-ideal gig before rocking as hard as they could at 7pm to an empty room (I counted thirty people, including the bartender and waitress). The highlight of their set was the first single from their new album ‘Let It All Come Down’ , which goes juh-juh-juh-juh-juh, haha, you get the picture. It’s a tried and true formula for the lads, but they play with a lot of heart and while they’re not doing anything that hasn’t been done, they do give it their best and they’re entertaining as all hell. The members of the band formerly known as Elixir are capable musicians, their set was tight, and their lead singer is able to shred vocals with the best of them. Is this a band destined for greatness though? Probably not. However every city needs a couple of these solid alt-rock bands in order to maintain a base of decent live music. Read more »
There is something unnerving about witnessing true sincerity in a performer. And I don’t mean ‘unnerving’ in the bad way that makes you feel uncomfortable. I mean in a way that when it happens it catches you so offside that it takes you a couple of minutes to recuperate and find your bearings. Musically, I can’t remember the last time that happened to me, but it was probably the night Sarah Slean opened for Ron Sexsmith at the Commodore Ballroom back in 2004. Anyway kids, I’m here to tell you that I saw just such a show last night at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre when Royal Wood opened for Sarah Slean. Funny how that works out huh? So who is Royal Wood? That’s what I was wondering too! Based out of the Toronto musical wheelhouse, Wood is a singer/songwriter who first stepped onto the music scene in 2002 with The Milkweed EP, followed by his first full-length release Tall Tales in 2004. However it was not until the 2007 release A Good Enough Day that he began attracting recognition for his efforts, landing songs in the backgrounds of several Canadian television programs. Read more »
As much as I love going to shows, and listening to countless CDs, I can’t do it all on my own. As a result, I have enlisted some help from a very good friend of mine, Mace, who has an ear for music and a taste for live shows. I trust his judgment about bands more than I would anyone else, so here’s a treat for all of you loyal readers. He has gratefully accepted my invitation to review bands, and you’ll be hearing from him from time to time. Here’s his first article, and believe me, it’s quite the read. So enjoy! Read more »
If some of you recall, I did a show review for “David Ward Loose Change Trio” a while ago when they played at the Backstage Lounge. From what I remember, they were all really talented musicians and genuinely good people. During our first encounter, I had the opportunity to meet and have a chat with David Ward, guitar and vocals, and Greg Bevis, percussion extraordinaire. We talked about each of their respective background in music, with David coming from the theatre program at The University of Victoria, and with Greg coming from the L.A. Music Academy, as well as Capilano College. At the time, I only heard the material they had on their myspace page, which I was thoroughly impressed with, but I wasn’t ready for their live performance. They blew me away with their strong vocals and overall passion for what they were doing and they seemed at ease on stage, which portrayed them as seasoned musicians. Since our last meeting, David Ward has had an amazing, life changing adventure that took him all the way to Africa, in which you can read about in his Blog. His passion for music drew him away from Vancouver and to a whole new Continent, but once he got back to Canada, the same passion for creativity remained. One thing that did change is their band name. Although it’s not drastic, they are no longer using David’s name at the front, and are now simply called “Loose Change Trio.” But this change doesn’t affect the band in anyway, as they still make stunning and breathtaking music. Read more »
Many talented artists stay strong to their essence and can use their various skills to entertain and to perform. David Ward and his Loose Change Trio are perfect examples of how musicians are not just there to play music, but to entertain as well.
Formed in 2005, this three-piece band has delighted audiences from local cafes to summer festivals. David Ward, the lead vocalist, guitarist, and all-around great man (Sorry I had to slip that in; He was really nice when I met him), is a pleasure to watch on stage. He is influenced by such artists as Jeff Buckley, Ray Charles, and the Barenaked Ladies, to name a few, which can attribute to his wide musical range. But not only is he a talented musician, his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts background shines through on stage and shows he is a natural performer when he plays with the crowd. Read more »
