Library Voices - New Album Details & Tour Dates

Library Voices, an eight-piece pop collective from Regina, Saskatchewan released their EP, Hunting Ghosts (& Other Collected Shorts) on Young Soul Records in 2008. It landed them square in the crosshairs of SPIN’s music radar, who proclaimed Library Voices the “undiscovered band you NEED to hear now.” They have been featured in The New Yorker. They’ve received generous airplay on the CBC and BBC. They have won a CBC Radio 3 “Bucky” Award. They’ve been mugged twice and had their van robbed once.

Now Denim on Denim, the debut album from Library Voices will be released on April 13, 2010(Young Soul Records /EMI). Young Soul Records is the most recent label to join a decorated EMI Label Services roster alongside the likes of: Arts & Crafts, Hidden Pony, Secret City, Ultra Records, Century Media and Side One Dummy - all utilizing EMI Music Canada’s distribution and services reach.

Denim on Denim was (painstakingly) recorded in Regina in the back of a local dance studio. Staying true to their objective of documenting spacious and concise pop songs meant omitting dozens of ideas and tracks from the final mixes. Yet, the record is still teeming with instrumentation - guitars and keys, horns and synths, and (of course) the occasional feedback loop. Denim on Denim was produced by Library Voices and Orion Paradis and features guest appearances from co-prairie musicians and friends in Woodpigeon, Rah Rah, Sylvie, Northcote, as well as Andy Shauf. Right down to the die-cut album packaging - the exterior cut-away lightening bolt revealing the denim inner sleeve, demonstrates the attention to detail that extends to every corner of their work.

As with their previous EP, Denim On Denim is rich with cultural reference. Stan Getz and Fyodor Dostoevsky make cameos in songs about late night escapades. Similarly, Haruki Murakami, Charles Bukowski, Dennis Wilson, and Gram Parsons (among others) weave their way through tales of indulgence, promiscuity, modern living, and the forthcoming apocalypse. This is feel good music for an audience with a conscience (albeit likely, a guilty one). Lead single from Denim on Denim - Drinking Games is available at http://www.myspace.com/thelibraryvoices

The bands unabashed celebration of the term 'pop music' has at times, been met by confusion, leading some to expect bubble gum or auto-tuned FM shine. Although apologetic for the misunderstanding the band stands behind the term. They could have called it, “Post-Twee-Power-Folk-Nu-Beach-LoFi-Modern-Indie”- but they didn't. It's pop. Just pop. You know, like The Stranger, The Zombies, and Videodrome.

Library Voices will be playing live in B.C. over the Olympics and will be on correspondent duty for Regina local Radio 1 reporting on the Olympic experience. Olympic performance dates for Library Voices are outlined below. Subsequent details on their upcoming library and national venue tours in support of Denim on Denim will be announced soon.

LIBRARY VOICES – FEBRUARY 2010 – LIVE DATES – 

Feb 20 - Vancouver, B.C. - Saskatchewan Olympic Pavilion - 9PM
Feb 21 - Vancouver, B.C. - Saskatchewan Olympic Pavilion - 9PM
Feb 22 - Vancouver, B.C. - Saskatchewan Olympic Pavilion - 9PM
Feb 23 - Vancouver, B.C. - BC Place - Medal Ceremony
Feb 23 - Vancouver, B.C. - Show - TBA
Feb 25 - Kelowna, B.C. - Habitat                                                                                                        
Feb 26 - Calgary, A.B. - Gateway (SAIT)
Feb 27 - Edmonton, A.B. - The Pawn Shop

http://www.myspace.com/thelibraryvoices

Phog: Interviews w/ Library Voices, Rah Rah, Yukon Blonde and Live Video from TGTGG

Tom at the Phog Lounge has been going a little crazy with his iPhone but ultimately that's good for us. Here are his interviews with Library Voices, Rah Rah, Yukon Blonde and some live video of the Got to Get Got:

Yukon Blonde and Library Voices


Rah Rah


The Got to Get Got

Live Video: Library Voices cover Neil Young

NxEW favorites Library Voices played a couple of songs on the Backstage Pass in Calgary including acoustic version of Kundera on the Dance Floor and a cover of Neil Young's Unknown Legend.

Library Voices - Kundera on the Dance Floor (acoustic)



Library Voices - Unknown Legend (acoustic)

Guest Post: Adventures in my own Hometown: A Perspective on the Western Canadian Music Awards.

The following was submitted by Western Canadian Music Award volunteer and attendee Donna Lowe who isn't sure if she'll have more than the one to contribute and so isn't signing up yet.

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The 2009 version of the Western Canadian Music Awards happened recently in Brandon, MB. That's where I've lived for the last 20-odd years, so I was kind of excited at the prospect of an event like this happening in my adopted hometown. Great music all weekend long in multiple venues, musicians and industry people hobnobbing and offering insights about the workings of the music business? It seemed like a dream come true for this Canadian indie music fan. I felt I would be among my tribe, and I eagerly signed up to be a volunteer at the event. I wanted even a small jolt of the energy that would be in the air at an event like this, because these kind of things didn't happen everyday in the "rural metropolis" of Brandon, MB, better known for hockey games and horse shows.

And that's where my story begins: the collision of worlds that occurs when a music industry conference descends on a little city in the middle of the Canadian prairies. I was there, it was odd sometimes, and I want to tell you about it.

Part One: volunteer shifts

I was scheduled to work at the Registration Desk for the conference, which suited me fine. I thought I might get to at least see some of the musicians and industry people who were coming for the weekend, and at best maybe make some well-chosen witty banter with them while checking their names off a list and handing them a schwag bag. There were some heavy hitters in the industry coming, judging from the list I had scoped out online: the bookers for England's Glastonbury Festival and the SXSW music conference in Austin, TX, as well as stellar Canadian indie musicians like Dan Mangan, Volcanoless in Canada , Odario Williams and Library Voices . I was excited to have a potential brush with what passes for celebrity in the Canadian indie music scene, so I eagerly donned my volunteer T-shirt and lanyard and headed off for my shift, assuming that my Registration Desk partner would be equally as enthusiastic as I about our choice placement.

Once directed to the long tables in the hotel lobby that were serving as the so-called Registration Desk, I was introduced to my companion for the next four hours: Franz, a tall lean middle-aged man with a pronounced Austrian accent: Arnold Schwarzenegger if he were, say, a gymnast. He did not look familiar to me. Interesting, I thought. Brandon is a small city, relatively-speaking, and the music community in town is even smaller. Since I've lived here for awhile and been involved in the music scene a certain amount during that time, I had naively assumed that I would at least recognize anyone who might volunteer for a music-related event. That this man was a complete stranger to me came as a surprise, and it introduced me to what I later realized is a common phenomenon in my adopted city: volunteerism for its own sake. A noble idea, definitely, and the conference and festival could probably not have occurred without people who follow this practice, but for a music-obsessed artsy type like myself, the concept of people volunteering just because they "like to volunteer," without strong interest in (or, even, more than passing regard for) the events they are assisting, was, and still is, quite foreign to me. Behold, for example, my "getting-acquainted" small talk with Volunteer Partner Franz:

Me: "So, were you working here yesterday?"

(Today was Saturday, the conference having begun on Friday)

Franz: "Yes."

And nothing more. Great, I thought. It's gonna be a long four hours, if mono-syllables are all I can expect. Hoping for the best, though, I made another attempt.

Me: "Did you check out any of the music last night?"

I myself was still on a cloud from the previous night's music, which for me had kicked off with a great bluegrass/trad set by the Winnipeg four-piece all-female outfit Oh My Darling , followed by the neo-cabaret torch songs of BC's Adaline , and a roof-raising solo set by the stellar Vancouver songwriter Dan Mangan that had ended with everyone singing along to his ultra-hooky Robots, led by Mangan from the podium of a pub table-top. Sets by The Wheat Pool and Winnipeg's Quinzy had finished up my evening, and the fact that I had had the option to see that much music in one night in Brandon had pretty much left me reeling. I was anxious to share my excitement with someone, and I had assumed Franz, as my fellow volunteer, would be a likely cohort. Not quite so.

Franz (in response to my question): "No, I have lots of other better things to do."

That shut me up for a few moments while I tried to process what I had just heard. Better things to do...? This idea was a mystery to me. Who was this Franz guy, anyway? I decided to try another tactic.

Me: "So do you do a lot of volunteering?"
Franz: "Oh yes, at all kinds of things."

He then proceeded to recite a lengthy list of sports-related events, to show the diversity of his volunteer experience.

"Except curling," he made sure to add at the end. "I don't like the curling so much."

Brandon is a huge curling town, so this confession, I'll admit, came as somewhat of a surprise given Franz's apparent proclivities. I had, though, discovered a little more about the character and interests of my compadre. Somehow his lack of enthusiasm about the musical proceedings of the weekend was beginning to make more sense to me, but the fact that he had volunteered anyway was still intriguing. I decided to see if I could determine more information through observation than I had through interrogation. And by the end of our four hours together I had come to some conclusions, after watching Franz engage in the following behaviours repeatedly:

a) overhearing and commenting on conversations that took place between musicians and/or industry people - post-registration, but still within our earshot.

A certain amount of this was inevitable; since we were stationed at the registrants' first point of contact with each other and with "networking" always a goal at these kinds of events, conversations were bound to be struck, but my tactic was to appear occupied with paper-shuffling at these points, so as to at least not appear to be eavesdropping. Although it was fascinating to hear talk of gigs, collaborations, agents and recording plans, I had nothing to contribute to these conversations, so I opted to appear invisible. Discretion did not appear to be the better part of Franz's valour, however. He would "participate" in any conversation, regardless of its content, usually with some tidbit about events taking place in the other rooms of the sprawling Keystone Centre complex in which we sat (some kind of horse-related activity, apparently, and a boxing competition), the weather, or some information about Brandon in general. Based on my initial semi-conversation with him, it was surprising to hear Franz being so chatty, but I realized he was determined to interact with these strangers and to tell them things about his city. Invariably, though, his unsolicited interjections were met with polite confusion, and the initial conversation would begin again in earnest once the original parties had moved a few steps away from the table. At this point, Franz would mutter under his breath something like "they think they're so much better than us. They don't realize we are just as good as they are."

I did not know how to respond to this. I was not getting this impression from the conference registrants - everyone had been unfailingly pleasant and grateful to us, it had seemed to me - and Franz's negative reaction surprised me. It did, however, give me an insight into his reasons for volunteering: he was there to promote BRANDON, and was going to use every opportunity to do so, non sequiters be damned. Such civic pride was admirable, but the juxtaposition of that passion with Franz's bitterness at a less-than-enthusiastic response was unsettling, and his reaction probably didn't help to advance his agenda. "Timing is everything" would have been my advice, had it been called for. I was also disappointed to hear him brand the recipients of his pro-Brandon assaults as arrogant when they did not immediately share his enthusiasm. As much as Franz did, I wanted Brandon to appear the gracious host of this event, but I also wanted the music types to come off well, too. I just hoped we could all get along, at least until my shift was over.

Franz's other favourite pastime:

b) blatant flirtation with any middle-aged woman who was part of the conference.

This may also have been an example of his "advance Brandon" agenda, but it seemed more likely that it was merely the way to best advance the cause of Franz. He showed no hesitation in this regard: complimenting, gratuitously touching, and encouraging any woman he found attractive to leave her card, CD, or anything else at the table with us. I sat uncomfortably beside and tried to appear unconcerned and uninvolved. Apparently interaction with "the ladies" was another of Franz's reasons for volunteering. He appeared to be especially enamoured of a petite Latina vocalist from Vancouver, and Loreena McKennitt , who was appearing as the closing keynote speaker at the conference. I was unclear whether Franz's interest was piqued by Ms. McKennit's undoubtedly striking appearance, or if he was just piggy-backing on the excitement of the transportation crew members (also, incidently, comprised largely of middle-aged men), who, after having deposited Loreena at conference headquarters, scurried around in an autograph-seeking frenzy. Never an autograph hound myself, I watched these proceedings with bemusement. Did these mostly overweight, farmer-hat-wearing beer-drinkers actually listen to Loreena McKennit's Celtic/Eastern-inspired musical odysseys? Or were they using any passing familiarity with their wives' CD collections as an aid to gaining face-time with a woman they would never otherwise have had the cojones to approach? Was this excitement based at all on Ms. McKennit's admitted talent as a musician, or was it merely because of her billing as the VIP? This view was a cynical one, I knew, but the sudden interest by Franz and his cohorts in someone musical - where there had been none before - struck me as nothing more than celebrity worship, and it was not really my style.

At any rate, I thought, I had discovered a few reasons for Franz's presence at this event, and had perhaps discovered some of the community-minded and personal impulses that prompted the average Brandonite to volunteer for something like this. It had been a revelation, but now I was ready to be among the people I thought would truly share my reasons for being involved: the audiences for the nightly musical showcases. My volunteer shift over, I said goodbye to Franz (who gave me a surprisingly friendly punch on the arm - I guess we had become pals at some point that afternoon) and hurried to change and meet friends for supper before we headed out for a second night of music.

Part Two: Music Showcases

My companions for the weekend's musical adventures were three friends I had met through CBC Radio 3's online community. Much more than the radio stereotype of DJs playing tunes with completely impassive listeners, CBC Radio 3 and its unique brand of social networking actually made it possible to befriend people through a blog and Facebook page. Mackenzie and Pat had made the trip to Brandon from Winnipeg to share the weekend's festivities with locals Cody and myself, and we'd already enjoyed one night of Radio 3-flavoured banter and inside jokes, cued to a great soundtrack. Tonight looked like it was shaping up to be just as good.

The music we'd wanted to hear the previous evening had mostly taken place at a couple of pubs in downtown Brandon. Clancy's and the Double Decker were also, as luck would have it, my local "watering holes" of choice, so it had felt pretty normal for me to hang out at either place the previous evening - just with more music and more people than usual. Tonight, however, the four of us were venturing into foreign territory for all of us, regardless of our home addresses. To hear the music we wanted to hear on the second evening of the WCMAs, we'd have to enter into the foreign and disparate worlds of The Roadhouse and The City Centre. Here's how it went:

a) The Roadhouse

The CanadInn hotel chain came to Brandon a few years ago, attaching its 10-story, 3.5-star hotel to the previously existing Keystone Centre convention complex, and along with the deal came a bar called the Roadhouse. I'd say it was new, but the building that housed it was actually an adapted cattle barn left over from the Centre's most recent renovations - proving its name somewhat apt, I suppose. If you knew of its origins, the Roadhouse had kind of a leftover cattle barn feel to it, too, although "Western in style and theme" was how the official marketing jargon put it. Aged wooden panelling lined all the walls of the large open room, corral poles surrounded the seating areas, and the tiny door and hallway leading into the place made those entering feel as if they were being herded through a cattle chute. And at approximately 9:50 pm on Saturday evening, Pat, McKenzie, Cody and I stood in that cattle chute, heading into the barn to witness the fantastic world-fusion spectacle of Vancouver's Delhi 2 Dublin and Regina's chamber-rock collective Library Voices.

In front of us, a couple of the Roadhouse's more typical clientele were about to walk through the metal detectors and past the bouncer who waited on its other side. They were girls in their early-to-mid 20s, with the artificially-straightened hair, skimpy tops and huge handbags that define their tribe. Contrary to what one might expect from the above description, the Roadhouse catered to the young and semi-fabulous in Brandon, and, if you were the type that cared about those things, this bar was the place to go if you wanted to "be seen."

Our friends appeared to be regulars. When they approached the bouncer, they both pulled out business-card-sized pieces of paper that (I discerned by discretely peeking over a shoulder) were stamped with the CanadInn logo. It was apparent that the cards normally possessed some kind of cover-charge-erasing mojo, because when both girls waved them in the face of the bouncer, they were slightly shocked to be held back from instant access. The following conversation ensued:

Bouncer: "Those don't work tonight."

Girls (slightly inebriated): "Why the hell not? Brad gave them to us yesterday and said they were good any weekend."

Bouncer: "Well, Brad's an idiot."

(Girls giggle and pretend to be slightly shocked at this candid admission)

Bouncer: "No, OK, I'm kidding. Brad's a nice guy. But there's these awards or some shit going on this weekend. You gotta pay cover tonight: 10 bucks and then you get, like, a wristband and you can go anywhere else in town."

Well, that was incorrect, for starters. 20 bucks got you a wristband, and a $10 cover charge was payable at any of the individual showcase venues over the weekend, but points to our bouncer friend for at least trying to explain the system. Not that it mattered to these girls, anyway.

Girls: "Oh, well we just want to stay here."

Hardly surprising. Once inside, we four indie-music geeks found ourselves in a crowd of girls identical to these two, accompanied by their male counterparts and served by equally identical blonde and buxom bartenders. I had never seen so much of the same hairstyle and halter top, complemented by the masculine uniform of intentionally-tousled hair and Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. Thankfully for us some other decidedly non-trendy musicians and industry types showed up - and the music was great - but the sense of two worlds colliding persisted. Used as I was to seeing a band's audience comprised of skinny hipsters clad in obscure-logo-ed T-shirts and Converse Hi-Tops (just as much a uniform as the other clothes I was seeing, I'll admit), heads bobbing as they stood intently stage-side and sang along to all the songs, it was a bit jarring to see this crowd's non-response to the music. Right in front of the stage, during the band's set, gratuitous displays of affection between generically beautiful people repeatedly progressed to histrionics and slapping, followed by a flurries of texting - sometimes during the course of one song, to which all parties seemed virtually oblivious. Once in awhile someone (usually a guy whose appearance I would - completely subjectively - describe as "Prairie frat-boy") would lift a shot of Jager or glass of rye and Coke in the general direction of the stage and let out an impressively loud "WOOOOOO! FUCK YA!!" but otherwise the music appeared to be a backdrop to the drama of these peoples' lives.

I felt like I was observing a foreign culture, in its natural habitat. These people were obviously comfortable in this place, and behaved the way they always behaved here, regardless of what else was happening in the periphery of their vision. Conversely, I was comfortable with the music and with the people who were there for the express purpose of listening to it, yet I was the one who felt out of place. I suspected I wasn't alone. Was it because we were in the minority? The Roadhouse was a big place, and it was hard to outnumber the regular clientele, even though the entertainment was provided and dictated by the music types. Perhaps a smaller venue would be a more natural place to interact with the locals. Onward to the City Centre.

b) The City Centre

This bar was about the polar opposite of the Roadhouse, in both demeanour and personnel. My friend Pat, upon hearing a description of the place, visualized it as "Brandon's version of the Albert," and if you live in Winnipeg you know what that means. Located on the northern edge of downtown Brandon, one block from the railroad tracks, the City Centre was tacked onto the side of a 'rent-by-the-month' hotel, and the low ceilings and worn-out carpet of the hotel's tiny lobby made you think twice about even entering the building, despite the desperate enticement of a flickering sign outside that promised you would "MEET YOUR NEW FRIENCS HERE."

My three old friends and I passed the hotel's front desk, behind which a dour-looking woman sat encased in some kind of protective cage, and entered through a door-less portal into the world of the City Centre. We found ourselves in a dim narrow room with a bar along one wall and a small stage at the back. There were a few shabbily-upholstered booths along the edges of the room, and some mismatched chairs and tables scattered around its centre. The usual beer-themed fluorescent lights hung on the walls, some only half-lit. A pool table with ripped green felt and only four striped balls sat forlornly in one corner.

Saskatoon's Volcanoless in Canada was ripping it up onstage. It was VERY LOUD. The four of us were automatically drawn towards the music, assuming to take our regular places as close to the band as we could manage, but after a few steps I had to concede defeat and back away if I hoped to retain any of my hearing. Making a mental note once again to invest in earplugs, I took a seat in a sonically-manageable end of the bar and proceeded to people-watch.

Between my chair and the stage an assortment of presumably aurally-protected conference-types and musicians appreciated the music and shouted the language of schmooze into each others' ears. Directly in front of me a middle-aged man sat alone at a table, drinkless and staring expressionlessly at the wall perpendicular to the band. Along one side, a couple of women sat in a booth also staring at nothing, but with drinks in hand. They all looked like they were silently waiting out this disturbance in their regular atmosphere, and hoping they could soon get back to their normal weekend. On the other side of the room, a few sullen regulars sat at the bar, also not appearing to enjoy themselves.

One character, however, was enjoying himself enough for the entire room. A mid-60ish, skinny, bespectacled man clad in shorts and a blue T-shirt with the slogan "Your Boyfriend Thinks I'm Hot" was dancing up a storm beside the bar. He wasn't really dancing to the music, but he was definitely affected by it. Arms flailing, legs kicking, he was unstoppable. Everyone close by was largely oblivious to these antics, even when our hero was moved to climb up onto the bar itself to continue his routine. When I saw the bartender calmly move some empties out of Dancing Man's way, I realized that this bar-top act was probably a relatively common occurrence, and not prompted by Volcanoless in Canada's high-energy punk-folk madness, as I had hoped. Oh well, he was responding to the music, anyway, and in actually a more direct way than had a lot of people at the Roadhouse.So, I mused as I sat and observed, here was a different kind of reaction to live music than we had encountered on our first stop of the night. These people were also experiencing a disruption of their regular Saturday evening's entertainment, but they appeared to have put their own personal parties on hold until the interlopers had vacated their space. Dancing Man aside, they mostly just sat back biding their time, acquiescent to these strangers, and expectant that this would all be over soon. They weren't necessarily in favour of the music (again, Dancing Man aside, they were pretty much ignoring it) but they were tolerant, and they weren't getting in the way of the people who did like it.

I didn't want to pass judgment on either response. From an artist perspective a bar full of drunk partiers might be more fun to play for than a bunch of people who just sat and (maybe) listened - it was not for me to say. What I was interested in was the idea of community, and how that concept wasn't rooted necessarily in geography, but in common interests. Here we all were, jammed together in the community of Brandon, Manitoba for the weekend, but in some ways we couldn't have been farther apart, even when we were shoulder-to-shoulder. Our groups bumped up against each other literally and metaphorically - the indie musicians, the beautiful bar crowd, the regular folks who volunteered and then just wanted to go out for beers afterward, the CBC 3 fans who met over the internet - but, when it came down to it, we didn't really interact that much. At best we just became aware of our various strangenesses, observed them for awhile, and then continued on, hopefully more aware than before. The fact that I had been able conduct a little social experiment like this in my own city was enlightening to me, however, and was making me realize that something called "community" can be an incredibly complex organism.

So thank-you, Western Canadian Music Awards. Not only did you fill my city with great music for two nights, you immersed me in parts of it I only previously only pretended to know. You still might not see me at the Roadhouse or the City Centre on a Saturday night, or volunteering at some non-curling event with Franz, but at least now I know what that might be like. And so would you, if by chance you rolled into town some weekend to Meet Your New Friends Here.

Rifflandia Recap: The weekend that was, wasn't, then was again

As you probably already know last weekend was the Rifflandia Music Festival. I had the pleasure of attending that festival along with my fellow bloggers Brenda Lee and AlexofAnders (who were much more punctual with their posts). But don't give up on me yet internet world as I still have a story to tell.

I started the festival on thursday night at element nightclub just in time to catch Said the Whale. They put on a fantastic show to a capacity crowd and played a whole bunch of new songs. From the sound of them their new album is gonna be an ear pleaser, and I can't wait till it comes out. After an encore filled with more new goodies the band left us with the timeless advice of "Now go see Shad!" I quickly heeded that advice and made for Market Square to catch Shad's set. As you may have heard from Alexofanders Shad did not disappoint either. I was especially happy to hear Rock to It and I Get Down; gotta love the hip-hop with the acoustic guitar in hand. After Shad Champion took the stage and I gotta say I've never seen a crowd so alive. With his G-Strings backing him up including Pilou Côté doing an amazing, amazing job on vocals the crowd was a writhing, sweaty, collective of very satisfied people.


Friday night for me was supposed to start with In Flight Safety but because of some delays, I ended up catching the Library Voices instead. Its a good thing I had my extra beer and missed that bus because the Library Voices were something awesome. Their high energy show had the whole everyone going, no small feat to the mostly sober 9:30 crowd. The lead singer was everywhere, standing on the barrier on the stage, jumping into the crowd, climbing the speakers, and all while still singing. The base player was no slouch either, enjoying himself just as much and giving the crowd a great show. The whole band blew me away and I picked up their EP and a t-shirt to thank them for such a great performance. After that show I'd been hoping to catch the Dudes and Mother Mother in Market Square but upon arriving a line-up half a block in length greeted me. Somewhat disappointed but not overtly so as I'd seen both bands before I headed back to Sugar nightclub for Zeus and the Most Serene Republic. Zeus put on a great show and I was glad I did get to catch this much hyped band(hype well earned as it turns out) but it seemed as though by the time MSR started the sound guy had fallen asleep as there was nary a lyric to be heard over whatever noise the speakers were spitting out. Most Serene Republic did not let this deter them however and still put on an excellent show. I hope they're able to track down their gear in Vancouver.


Saturday night was the night I was most looking forward to. I was really looking forward to seeing Jon and Roy, Jets Overhead, Hey Rosetta!, and Buck 65, and really really looking forward to Hey Rosetta! I made the effort to get downtown early that night as they were all playing in Market Square and I wanted to avoid the line up. No luck. My heart sank when I saw the massive line up confronting me. My girlfriend and I waited for a bit but as the security guards wandered up and down the block shouting that the venue was at capacity and no one could get in until someone got out I realized it was a lost cause. I knew what bands were playing and I knew no one would be crazy enough to miss out on them. So after much ranting and moaning about why they shouldn't have put all their headliners in one venue, and how there was only two all age venues open that night with Market Square being the most popular, we made our way over to Sugar once more in the hopes that the sound guy had woken up. As it turned out the sound guy was awake; he would have been hard pressed to sleep through the head bangin Pack A.D. set we saw. Man those two rocked and Maya Miller even kept us entertained between songs with her witty banter and insistance that it was Friday. Once the Pack finished up we decided we'd head over to Rooftop to catch the Holy Fuck DJ set. It was one of the shows that had been added to make up for the Market Square line up the previous night, and, I assume to relieve pressure on Market Square that night. I'd missed out on Holy Fuck's show earlier in the night and I figured this would kinda make up for it. Alas my hopes were once again dashed when no member of Holy Fuck was to be found at the Rooftop. A bartender confirmed our fears when she said that the bar was closing in 15 minutes. Needless to say Saturday night was quite disappointing and I voiced my concerns on the Rifflandia facebook group.


Sunday came with some renewed optimism. Brendan Canning was supposed to do a DJ set that night and I thought I might as well catch one more act. And then I got a facebook message from the Rifflandia group alerting me to two Mother Mother shows for those who missed out on friday. With hopes buoyed once more I made my way downtown for the earlier all ages show. A friend of mine had even picked up passes at the Rifflandia HQ that guaranteed us entry, and enter we did. Mother Mother played an excellent show and the crowd ate it up. You could tell every person there was there just to see Mother Mother as in between songs you could hear a pin drop. I was impressed that Mother Mother was able to make it back and do two more shows on such short notice, and the fans didn't seem to mind either. After that show I was too rocked out to catch Mr. Canning's DJ set so I headed on home.


So over all Rifflandia was a pretty rockin time. Yes there were some disappointments, but for a festival only in its second year I would say they did pretty good. The organizers made a solid effort to make up for missed shows with last minute additions. Admittedly this didn't always work out (the Holy Fuck DJ set for example) they didn't give up, and voila they somehow pulled two Mother Mother shows out of their hat. I even got a personal facebook message from one the festival people saying that one of those guaranteed entry tickets would be held for me. Despite my earlier reservations I was impressed with how much the organizers wanted to satisfy the fans, and this is one fan they did satisfy. I'll be back next year Rifflandia!

Rifflandia 2009 – Day Two

After a dinner involving raw oysters (maybe not best thought out pre-concert dining choice), we headed over to the Alix Goolden hall as I already saw line forming before 5pm and Aidan Knight didn't even go on till 7:30p. We got there just as Aidan was in the midst of his first song. Luckily there were some seats left at the front to the side of the stage, well, only somewhat luckily, as my view was blocked a bit by a speaker although I could still see Aidan and he was playing solo. Aidan's songs are a nice, mellow singer-songwriter style but with some really fun and quirky lyrics. His personality really comes through in his songs as is easy to tell from the banter with the crowd in between songs. They may have come for Tegan & Sara but they were definitely charmed by the “Old Heartbreaker” to quote Aidan. His Michael Cera-esque mannerisms were hilarious in that slightly awkward way but he was very self-assured and that was really present in his playing. I'm sure Aidan gained a fair number of fans last night even if they were disappointed to hear that he's already taken (sorry ladies).
After he finished his set, we were greeted by a friend and fellow music lover by the name of Michelle Edwards whom we knew from commenting on the CBC Radio 3 blog. An Horse then took the stage and the crowd couldn't be happier. I'd never heard the Brisbane duo before but they seemed like a perfect match for a bill with Tegan and Sara. They had an awesome rock/folk styling a little in the same vein but not really, they have their own thing going on. We lucked out even more as Michelle texted us into the first song that she had room for us up in the front row on the balcony and as I couldn't even see the drummer, Damon, this was a welcome upgrade. There was a lot of banter with the crowd who was just buzzing with excitement and love for the performers. At one point a girl shouted out “Jesus loves you” and Kate yelled back “I'm sure he loves you too”. These guys had a great time playing and you could tell it, I thoroughly enjoyed their type of rock/pop/folk but how could one not for as their MySpace says, they sound like true love. I think both bands just fed off the massive energy in the room, which just made for a magnificent showcase even before Tegan or Sara took the stage. We could even see them watching An Horse's set from the sidelines and were really getting into it.
Finally came the moment everyone was waiting for, Tegan and Sara were about to take the stage. The stereo started blaring (Your love keeps lifting me) Higher and Higher which makes me think Ghostbusters II and then the lights went out and the crowd lost it, the screams and cheers were deafening, you could tell this crowd was dying to see Tegan & Sara. When the lights came back on there was some endearing banter with the crowd and some sibling rivalry before they tore into hit after hit such as the Con and Walking with the Ghost. Later in the set they asked if it was alright to play some new stuff as they always like to try new stuff in Victoria first, roars of approval from the crowd gave them their answer and they started up Hell. I really liked this new song, it was a heavier rock than a lot of their older stuff. They played a few more new songs like I'm Directing and Red Belt. Red Belt was little lighter and felt like a love ballad and rightfully so. Tegan had explained that it was a long song for the neighbourhood she lives in. Vancouver's eight blocks of hell as the The Province calls it but to us it's just the downtown East Side, an area that definitely needs a little love. From these new songs I can tell that the new album is going to be big. This is the first time I've gotten to see Tegan & Sara and not only was it a fantastic mix of new songs coupled with the ones I know and love but the banter is the part that really makes it a show. It's at times hilarious, cute and even a little bearing. Tegan says that Sara's only nice on stage but I find that somewhat hard to believe. These guys and their backing band really are doing something great and you should make sure you take part if you're given the opportunity. I will admit though, I ducked out near the end because I wanted to make sure I didn't miss music worthy of the gods, Zeus!

So, nary a minutes to spare before Zeus' 10:15p start we left the Alix Goolden Hall to get down the street to Sugar Nightclub. We got in without any hassle and could hear music filling the stairs to the second story so I assumed we had just missed the start of Zeus but when we got to the stage Library Voices were still playing. Looking at the crowd and the band who was especially drenched in sweat, we'd been missing on hell of an energetic and dance inducing performance. I wouldn't expect any less from theses guys and I was glad to catch the last two songs. The crowd hadn't gotten too big yet as I'm sure there was going to be lots of people pouring out of Tegan & Sara and funneling either to the already packed Market Square or Sugar. Myself, I was where I wanted to be and danced away to Library Voices. Once as they finished I got to take in the venue a little better and I will say that after two nights of starting in the Alix Goolden Hall, it was nice to have a beer when out at a show again. It seemed that the sets and the breaks in between were made longer to compensate for Cuff the Duke moving to the Market Square. As much as I would have loved to see Cuff the Duke, the elongated sets were fine with me especially after Zeus took the stage.
Zeus is a band that'd I'd been hearing a lot of buzz about, especially after their tour with Jason Collett. I heard something that they even did the backing playing for him too, but maybe that's just an un-instantiated rumour. I can easily see why people have been talking, their style of pop and roll must only come from living off the manna of the gods. If the above picture of guitar pile-drive tells you anything, it's that this band knows how to put on an awesome show and they just blasted into their set. They were constantly switching up instruments for songs, the poor Wurlitzer keyboard was balancing on the other keyboard. It only had the one tumble to the floor near the start but it's still kicking. The raw energy coming off the stage just electrified the crowd and got their asses moving, mine included. I was already familiar with a few Zeus songs like How Does It Feel and Marching Through Your Head but it was amazing to hear them live with a crowd that was just as excited as I was. Zeus built on that excitement with every song, they were unstoppable up there. Being the merch fiend that I am, I got a shirt immediately after the set, an awesome design of the god himself, Zeus. I hope when Zeus comes to your town, you're there to witness it because someday they'll be filling up huge venues and you might not be able to get in. By the time Zeus ended Sugar was getting really full and the crowd seemed to be descending into their alcoholism. I think there were a lot of people who got turned away from Mother Mother & The Dudes at the Market Square so they piled in here to drink away their dreams of beautifully harmonized vocals and graduating from Dudeversity. Still, if they made it for Zeus I'm sure those dreams were forgotten quickly in the waves of godly music.
After Zeus, The Most Serene Republic took the stage. These Milton based rockers came out to a sweaty crowd that was ready to party. The crowd was really getting into what TMSR was dishing out. They played some familiar songs, which were good, but it seemed that someone had decided that the drunks couldn't hear so they pumped up the volume, which was a shame. I saw instruments go up on stage such as the banjo and violin that I just couldn't make out in the distortion, even when I tried moving farther from the speakers. Still, this didn't deter the crowd at all as they started throwing their arms up and Adrian Jewett threatened to crowd surf even if it meant breaking his spine on the barricade. Don't worry, no Adrian's were actually hurt. They let loose a lot of energy, which is just what the crowd wanted, so much so that they even managed to call TMSR back for an encore. If I knew we could get encores at the festival still, I would have loved to try and get Zeus back up there.

Now that we're all up to speed on Friday night, lets look forward and onwards to tonight! Seems to me there are two really big acts vying over the late night spot, Buck 65 and Pink Mountaintops. Seeing Buck 65 do his thing would be pretty cool but I think I'm going to try and catch Pink Mountaintops. Buck 65 is playing the Market Square, playing before him are Hey Rosetta!, Jets Overhead, Jordan Klassen, Jon and Roy, Penderecki Quartet and Caracol. I'm not that familiar with anyone but Hey Rosetta! who are amazing and if you haven't seen them then this might be the spot for you, but be warned, I think the Market Square is going to fill up again tonight. Especially since the only other all ages venue is the Metro Theatre and it's probably going to be done around 10:30pm. Pink Mountaintops have a more familiar line-up to me with Vancouver rockers The Pack A.D. and local Victorians Hank & Lily. Colourbook and Mexican Power Authority are also on the bill, these guys are some other new ones for me.

Over at Element Nightclub playing at the same time as Hank & Lily (8:30p) is the electronic dance dynamos Holy Fuck. I've never had the pleasure of seeing Holy Fuck so I'm thinking I'll check this show out then head over to Sugar, sadly to miss Hank & Lily who are really amazing. I hope you guys go catch their show, I'm really sad to miss it but I don't think I can pass up Holy Fuck. Something that really caught my eye was the Metro theatre's bands for the night, we've got Laura Smith at 8pm then Char2D2 at 8:45pm and finally at 9:45pm there's Jon-Rae and THE RIVER!? I thought they haven't played together for ages, am I behind the times? I'm inclined to think the guy writing up the printed festival schedules made an error as the site says Jon-Rae Fletcher (although, here's the link: http://www.rifflandia.com/#/line-up/post/103/jon-rae-and-the-river) and same goes Jon-Rae's MySpace. Still, It'd like to see him again and Metro is practically a block from Sugar so we'll see if I can do all the running around to make I happen.

Anyways, those are my thoughts on Saturday night. I'm curious also as to what Brendan Canning's DJ set will be like but it's way out at UVic, I salute those who make the journey for it.

Having a great time here on the Island, hope you are too where ever you are!
- AlexOfAnders

PS. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @AlexOfAnders, ask if you want pictures or anything. I'll do my best to provide. Speaking of providing, here for your entertainment is R3-TV's Dudeversity

In Depth with In Flight Safety

Since they're starting a tour co-headlined with Library Voices, I was pretty stoked to talk to Atlantic homeboys In Flight Safety about what they've been up to. The answer to that question is incredibly far-ranging. Having created their own label, Night Danger, this year, they've also been featured in National Post's top 10 Canadian acts and named Halifax's The Coast's favorite local act. They rounded it all off by making, advertising, and promoting their own album. On top of that, they seem like incredibly cool guys.

And so, the interview:

NxEW: Let's talk about Night Danger for a second. What is Night Danger? Who's on it? What prompted you to start your own label, and what do you look for for bands that you're going to sign?

John Mullane: hmmm... Night Danger is an imaginary beast from which danger is born... just kidding. Actually, Night Danger is a label we started amongst ourselves and with our friends. It's going to be a place from which we can organically build a musical and artistic family. It's very much in its infancy at this point. Milks [and Rectangles, from Charlottetown PEI] and In-Flight are officially on it. Unofficially we have Daniel's solo stuff... and my future autotune/electronica ventures coming in fall 2012.

We decided to start our own label out of necessity. Before starting Night Danger, I believe we sent our newest record to Arts n Crafts and Paperbag in the early stages of planning. They both very graciously passed, and then it was like ... um... I have no idea where we fit in this musical landscape. We've always bonded with bands like The Acorn, Oh Bijou, Young Galaxy, Stars, Dog Day, The Most Serene Republic . . . but we are all scattered in different labels and different parts of the country.... so we had to call a spade a spade are start building up our little label on the east coast. There are some interesting labels out east already (Forward Music, Just Friends, Noyes, and Collagen) but we don't fit on those. We needed to fill the synth pop/rock/not-afraid-to-do-touch on the darker side of pop kind of thing. So we look to the black sheep bands that don't fit on those other labels. Milks are a perfect example of this. We'll basically only be signing friends of people we meet in our travels. I don't see us being a label that signs someone who wants to send in a demo tape - although we won't rule that out.

NxEW: On the topic of labels, what prompted you to leave Emm Gryner's label, Dead Daisy Records?

Mullane: I think we grew as much as we could on Emm's label. She took us from the sapling stage right to the point where we are at now. In this weird spiritual way we knew the only way to progress was to mix things up for ourselves. Not too mention we can do things now and not worry about how it fits in with the image Emm has built for herself. I think it was as much for her as for us that we moved on to a new pasture. Not necessarily a greener one - but if feels new and exciting.

NxEW: You've been a band for awhile now. Do you think there are any significant differences between starting a band now versus then?

Mullane: We started as a bona fide band sometime around 2003/2004.I feel for some reason that it IS totally different now than it was. I think the main difference now is that there is way more competition than when we started.... with the advent of downloading/blogs/internet music searches and such... there is so much more for your average fan to digest. That climate also demands a higher artistic standard which is good for everyone. Also, when we started it seemed like local bands were celebrated a bit more.I feel bad for young bands because it seems like the time has passed for bands to become celebrated locally. It's like fans are overwhelmed with new bands and are very leery to jump on a "new" band wagon in the local scene. So, yeah, that feels different too.
Dan Ledwell: Definitely. Seems like every fool with a computer and a guitar is “putting out a record”. Hilariously, I am one of those fools. I think the music listening audience has become overwhelmed and disenchanted with bands. It seems hard to get anyone's attention these days.

NxEW: What's it like to be a musician from Atlantic Canada? What impact has being from this region had on your music? Professionally, would there be much advantage to live in Ontario or Quebec?

Ledwell: Having never lived anywhere else it is hard to say, but I think being a part of a small music community where everyone is friends is great. That I like. If you aren't willing to get in a van and drive for 22 hours to perform for 20 minutes, then I would say no.

Mullane: Being a musician from Atlantic Canada is amazing. But also carries a weird stigma. I think the generalization is... people either want you to reflect the 90s Halifax pop thing OR they expect that you will have Celtic or folk influences deep down and that can be a downer. However, with all the new bands carrying new torches... it's been pretty exciting to be a new band from Atlantic Canada. The musical demographic is changing and there is a renewed excitement about being a band from the East Coast.

NxEW: Dan, you've semi-recently put out your own (awesome) solo album. What effect, if any, has this had on the band?

Ledwell: I would say it had absolutely no effect on the day to day workings of the band. I hope that it it just continues to help spread the word about the band, the label, and the East Coast music community.

NxEW: Your recent album, We Are An Empire, My Dear, has done quite well. Are you happy with the reception it's received? How do you feel about getting out and promoting an album all by yourselves?
Mullane: Thank you. We are very happy with how it's been received. Specifically from music fans - they have been over the moon with the new album. The critics still feel the need to put us in the some kind of Brit pop wannabe category which we want nothing to do with. you'll find most of the reviews of Empire say VERY little about the music... but more about what box the critics so desperately want us to be filed away in - something that is frustrating to the band. but at the same time.... the critics that really "get" the band have offered some glowing reviews that mean a lot.

Ledwell: I think we feel great about all of this shenanigans. I know we are super excited to be touring the country this fall.

NxEW: What should we be listening to that we're not already (no cheating - the bands can't be on Night Danger)?

Mullane: We are on a huge Smiths kick these days, how about Julian Plenti, still loving Deerhunter's 'Microcastle', Nerd Army, the new Dog Day is mega, still looking for that next new band that will blow me away. Can you offer some suggestions??

Ledwell: Here is a random list of some favorites!

coeur de pirate - coeur de pirate
phoenix – wolfgang amedeus phenix
midlake - trials of vanoccupanther
laura viers - saltbreakers
kate bush – the hounds of love
donovan – mellow yellow
the mary onettes – the mary onettes
sandro perri – tiny mirrors

Check out In Flight Safety's video for their song Actors from We Are An Empire, My Dear, and then, when you love it, Buy We are An Empire, My Dear

Winnipeg's New Festival (and a free sampler)

Via Library Voices comes word that Winnipeg's Better Swimmers have kicked off a new festival in that city. Pop! Et Cetera will run Oct. 7th to the 18th and will feature performances by Shout Out Out Out Out, vitaminsforyou, Young Galaxy, Library Voices and Bend Sinister amoung others. For a full list of who is playing when and where see the here.

They've also posted a free sampler with a few of the acts who will be playing including Oldfolks Home, Not Animals, Library Voices, Oromocto Diamond, Get Famous!, vitaminsforyou and LeBeato.

You can grab a copy of that at http://planetshhh.com/?p=958

Milks, Rectangles target heart with Civic Virtues

Q. What do you get if you mix the quirky-historical lyrical ingenuity of They Might Be Giants with the crazy infectious melodies of Franz Ferdinand?

A. PEI(ish) band Milks and Rectangles.

Recently released, their six track album Civic Virtues is wrought with catchy, pop-tainted melodies with historic metaphors (You lost face! to the spanish tickler!). But really, what else could one expect from a band that takes its name from the lyrics of The Avalaches' Frontier Psychiatrist? Though upbeat, there's a depth and crunchiness to the music that makes it a little bit mysterious and a whole lot re-listenable. They sing of love, of hope, of being at sea. We can only assume the last subject is at least a little autobiographical, given that one of the band members, bassist Brandon Williams, is indeed away at sea. Given that stipulation, as well as further troubles getting these four guys in the same location, this album is a long time coming.

So are some tour dates.
Milks and Rectangles is joining the Atlantic portion of Library Voices' transcanada tour. They will be opening along with labelmates In Flight Safety

Standout tracks: Armchair General, Heart's a Target

(photo by Patrick Callbeck)

Win This: Library Voices, In Flight Safety, Julie Fader and Exclaim have a contest

It's a prize pack so good that it's not even one of NxEW's contests and I'm going to plug it anyway. Up for grabs in a contest presented by Exlaim!, Library Voices, In-Flight Safety and Julie Fader. The winner gets, for starters, a Gibson Les Paul Studio electric guitar plus copies of new CDs by all three bands and "a one-of-a-kind collaborative painting by the bands" and to top it all off you'll get postcards from the bands while they are out on tour.

To enter go check this page http://www.exclaim.ca/contests/ContestEntry.aspx?fid2=516!

In Flight Safety, Library Voices and Julie Fader all have some tour dates up, some overlap, some don't ... but as close as I can figure it it looks like this:

Library Voices:

*w/ In Flight Safety
# w/ Julie Fader
Aug 21 – Steep Rock, MB. - Chris & Rae’s wedding
Sept 4 – Regina, SK – The Exchange w/ VIC & Lazy MKs
Sept 11 – Regina, SK – U of R Welcome Week (acoustic)
Sept 12 – Saskatoon, SK – Louie’s w/ Volcanoless In Canada
Sept 17 – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 18 – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 19- – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 20 – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 25 – Victoria, BC – @ Sugar ( Rifflandia Fest ) w/ Zeus & Cuff The Duke
Sept 26 – Roberts Creek, BC – The Legion w/ Matt Goud
Sept 27 – Vancouver, BC – The Media Club *#
Sept 28 – Kelowna, BC – Habitat *#
Sept 30 – Canmore, BC – Communitea Cafe *#
Oct 2 – Edmonton, AB – Flow Lounge & Grill *#
Oct 3 – Calgary, AB – Legion #1 w/ Two Hours Traffic & Spiral Beach *#
Oct 4 – Lethbridge, AB – Henotic *
Oct 6 – Regina, SK – The Exchange *
Oct 7 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos *
Oct 9 – Winnipeg, MB – Lo Pub *
Oct 10 – Thunder Bay, ON – Jacks *
Oct 11 – Sault Ste Marie, ON – LopLops *
Oct 14 – Charlottetown, PEI – Hunters Ale House * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 15 – Fredericton, NB – Capital Bar * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 16 – Moncton, NB – Paramount Lounge * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 17 – Halifax, NS – The Seahorse Tavern * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 20 – Montreal, QUE – Le Petit Campus *#
Oct 21 – Kingston, ON - The Living Room *#
Oct 22 – TBA
Oct 23 - TBA
Oct 24 – TBA
Oct 25 – Windsor, ON - Phog Lounge
Oct 26 – TBA
Oct 27 - Hamilton, ON – The Casbah - *#
Oct 28 – Guelph, ON – The E Bar *#
Oct 29 – Toronto, ON – El Mocambo *#
Oct 30 – Ottawa, ON – The Live Lounge *#

In Flight Safety:

all dates w/ Library Voices
* w/ Julie Fader
+ w/ Milks & Rectangles

September 25 Victoria, BC Element
September 27 Vancouver, BC Media Club*
September 28 Kelowna, BC Habitat*
September 30 Canmore, AB Communitea*
October 02 Edmonton, AB Flow*
October 03 Calgary, AB The Legion
October 04 Lethbridge, AB Henotic
October 06 Regina, SK Exchange
October 07 Saskatoon, SK Amigo's
October 09 Winnipeg, MB The Lo Pub
October 10 Thunder Bay, ON Jack's
October 11 Sault Ste Marie, ON Loplops
October 14 Charlottetown, PE Hunter's+
October 15 Fredericton, NB The Capitol+
October 16 Moncton, NB Paramount+
October 17 Halifax, NS The Seahorse+
October 20 Montreal, PQ Le Petit Campus*
October 21 Kingston, ON Mansion*
October 27 Hamilton, ON The Casbah*
October 28 Guelph, ON E-Bar*
October 29 Toronto, ON El Mocambo*
October 30 Ottawa, ON The Live Lounge*

Julie Fader:

4 Sep 2009 20:00
Shelter Valley Festival - (playing in Great Lake Swimmers) GRAFTON
9 Sep 2009 20:00
DAKOTA TAVERN - JULIE FADER - Early Show!!! TORONTO
17 Sep 2009 21:00
The Drake - JULIE FADER - Hand Drawn Dracula showcase TORONTO
19 Sep 2009 20:00
Church of the Redeemer (playing in Chad VanGaalen band) TORONTO
21 Sep 2009 20:00
POLARIS AWARDS! TORONTO
27 Sep 2009 20:00
Media Club - SOLO - tour w/Library Voices & In-Flight Safety VANCOUVER
28 Sep 2009 20:00
Habitat -SOLO - tour w/ Library Voices & In-Flight Safety KELOWNA
30 Sep 2009 20:00
Communitea Cafe -SOLO - tour w/Library Voices & In-Flight Safety CANMORE
1 Oct 2009 20:00
O Patro Vys - JULIE FADER - POP MONTREAL - Hand Drawn Dracula showcase MONTREAL
2 Oct 2009 20:00
Flow - SOLO - tour w/ Library Voices & In-Flight Safety EDMONTON
8 Oct 2009 20:00
The Exchange (playing in the Chad VanGaalen band) REGINA
9 Oct 2009 20:00
Park Theatre (playing in the Chad VanGaalen band) WINNIPEG
10 Oct 2009 20:00
Broadway Theatre (playing in the Chad VanGaalen band) SASKATOON
14 Oct 2009 20:00
Alix Goolden Theatre (playing in the Chad VanGaalen band) VICTORIA
15 Oct 2009 20:00
The Rio Theatre (playing in the Chad VanGaalen band) VANCOUVER
16 Oct 2009 20:00
The Habitat (playing in the Chad VanGaalen band) KELOWNA
18 Oct 2009 20:00
Myer Horowitz Theatre (playing in the Chad VanGaalen band) EDMONTON
20 Oct 2009 20:00
Petit Campus - SOLO - tour w/ Library Voices & In-Flight Safety MONTREAL
21 Oct 2009 20:00
Living room - SOLO - tour w/ Library Voices & In-Flight Safety KINGSTON
22 Oct 2009 20:00
Seahorse Tavern - JULIE FADER - Halifax POP EXPLOSION HALIFAX
27 Oct 2009 20:00
Casbah - tour w/Library Voices & In-Flight Safety HAMILTON
28 Oct 2009 20:00
E Bar - tour w/Library Voices & In-Flight Safety GUELPH
29 Oct 2009 20:00
El Mocambo -w/Library Voices & In-Flight Safety TORONTO
30 Oct 2009 20:00
Live Lounge w/ Library Voices & In-Flight Safety OTTAWA

Library Voices Tour w/ In Fight Safety & Julie Fader

Library Voices are getting ready to hit the road this fall with In Fight Safety and Julie Fader (remember the name if you haven't heard it before, she has worked and played and toured with Sarah Harmer, the Great Lake Swimmers, Chad Van Gaalen, Holy Fuck, Attack in Black and others - her first solo album is out Sept. 8). Dates are below. Go see them!




*w/ In Flight Safety
# w/ Julie Fader
Aug 21 – Steep Rock, MB. - Chris & Rae’s wedding
Sept 4 – Regina, SK – The Exchange w/ VIC & Lazy MKs
Sept 11 – Regina, SK – U of R Welcome Week (acoustic)
Sept 12 – Saskatoon, SK – Louie’s w/ Volcanoless In Canada
Sept 17 – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 18 – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 19- – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 20 – Brandon, MB – Western Canadian Music Awards
Sept 25 – Victoria, BC – Elements ( Rifflandia Fest ) *
Sept 26 – Roberts Creek, BC – The Legion w/ Matt Goud
Sept 27 – Vancouver, BC – The Media Club *#
Sept 28 – Kelowna, BC – Habitat *#
Sept 30 – Canmore, BC – Communitea Cafe *#
Oct 2 – Edmonton, AB – Flow Lounge & Grill *#
Oct 3 – Calgary, AB – Legion #1 w/ Two Hours Traffic & Spiral Beach *#
Oct 4 – Lethbridge, AB – Henotic *
Oct 6 – Regina, SK – The Exchange *
Oct 7 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos *
Oct 9 – Winnipeg, MB – Lo Pub *
Oct 10 – Thunder Bay, ON – Jacks *
Oct 11 – Sault Ste Marie, ON – LopLops *
Oct 14 – Charlottetown, PEI – Hunters Ale House * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 15 – Fredericton, NB – Capital Bar * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 16 – Moncton, NB – Paramount Lounge * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 17 – Halifax, NS – The Seahorse Tavern * w/ Milks & Rectangles
Oct 20 – Montreal, QUE – Le Petit Campus *#
Oct 21 – Kingston, ON - The Living Room *#
Oct 22 – TBA
Oct 23 - TBA
Oct 24 – TBA
Oct 25 – TBA
Oct 26 – TBA
Oct 27 - Hamilton, ON – The Casbah - *#
Oct 28 – Guelph, ON – The E Bar *#
Oct 29 – Toronto, ON – El Mocambo *#
Oct 30 – Ottawa, ON – The Live Lounge *#

The Future of Library Voices (Hillside '09)

Hey Rosetta being a tough act to follow, Library Voices brought the troops - all nine of 'em, including three females - and boy (and girl) did they fare well. So big were they, that the stage crew required a massive whiteboard diagram of the setup in order to assemble the stage. Fashion was a mishmash, including some lovely dresses and suits, though also some hipster fads. Regardless of dress, each of the members played their part well (as in their last Guelph show), showing passion in the form of a busted tambourine right off the top that was tossed and skittered across the stage in pieces.
Opening with a bunch of new songs from a forthcoming album (potentially dropping this fall) they worked up the masses assembled in the Island Tent before hitting us with numbers from the oh-too-short Hunting Ghosts EP such as Love In the Age of Absurdity with its rippin' guitar. Vonnegut's Grave had a couple of the females taking turns on the verses in the spirit of sharing. Though Kundera on the Dance Floor says 'don't go there' - they did - with members singing from the floor in the midst of the crowd. The final number was their breakout song Step Off the Map and Float that brought down the house as the sax was being tossed in the air and bashed off the stage, while the sweaty-wet (and tall!) bass player climbed onto the drumset.
A fantastic new tune with a fantastic new chorus sang "I saw the future escape from a crystal ball, it said the present is just an afterthought. Love is a forget-me-not, so I guess the past is all we've got." Well I've seen the future in this Regina group's crystal ball, and it promises success and longevity!

For more Hillside Festival reviews check out Vernacular (sandrush.blogspot.com)

Elsewhere in the Blogosphere

Chromewaves Frank Yang takes a break to deal with a personal lost. Condolences from everyone at NxEW.

Herohill reviews the new Dan Mangan.

the Singing Lamb talks to Amy Millan.

Vernacular hearts Library Voices

Now Magazine hearts Library Voices too. I think it's pretty unanimous really.

For the Records hearts Jenn Grant - but really how could you possibly not?

Elsewhere in the Blogosphere

Hour.ca loves Library Voices.

Chromewaves loves the Wooden Sky

Herohill has some funky stories from the Pack A.D.

Natalia Yanchak is thinking about books or the lack thereof.

Chart hearts Dan Mangan

CBC Radio 3 talks Bluesfest.

Library Voices Leave Message for Thieves

Hailing from Regina, Library Voices formed (all ten of them) in early 2008 and have already opened for some big names. Earlier this week in their hometown, they were the supporting act for Black Francis and tomorrow night, they’ll be warming up the crowd in Calgary before Hawksley Workman hits the stage at Flames Central. However, it’s this message they issued that intrigues us most...

READ THE REST ON OFF THE DIAL!

Elsewhere in the Blogosphere

Birds Too Tired to Fly has a two part interview with Olenka Krakus (Olenka and the Autumn Lovers) Part 1 - Part 2.

Library Voices has some notes from the Sled Island Festival.

Refrain Magazine has a review of Rock Plaza Central.

the Line of Best Fit is also looking at the new Rock Plaza Central.

the Singing Lamb talks to You Say Party! We Say Die!

I Heart the Music has an interview with DD/MM/YYYY

Herohill loves Julie Doiron (is there anyone who doesn't?) They also have a rare live track for download.

Chartattack gives the Danks 5 out of 5 stars.

Will McGuirk has some notes on Mariposa.

Win Library Voices Stuff (and Catch Them on Tour)

Regina's phenomenal Library Voices are taking to the road, they also have a new album wrapped up. A release date hasn't been set yet but you can win a copy (which you'll get as soon as they are ready.) Just drop an email to [email protected] between now and July 7 a winner will be selected at random and will receive an autographed copy of Library Voices new album and a Library Voices tshirt.

You can check out a copy of the new Library Voices song 'Drinking Games' right now on their Myspace (check out an older live version of the song below), you can follow their trials on the road on a tour blog they are doing for Exclaim (I'm guessing you already follow their regular blog) and you can catch them live on the days and places listed at the bottom of this post.

The band also has a special message to pass on following last year's incident.

"Dear thieves,

It's with an air of bashfulness that we have to admit we were just a bunch of small town kids naive to the cruel realities of big city living. On our last tour you managed to rob us of $10000 worth of our beloved gear, making off with everything from guitars and saxophones to drums and amplifiers, but this time around we aren't going to make it so easy on you. Not only will be hauling ALL of our gear inside EVERY night, we will also be touring with a pack of angst ridden coyotes. The coyotes have agreed to sleep in the trailer at night and keep a watchful eye over our van. They also breath fire, spit venom, and can shoot swarms of bees from their paws. Just sayin'. "

Best,
Library Voices"

Library Voices at CIUT - Song 1 - "Drinking Games"



July 1 Ohanlon's, Regina, Sk
July 8 The Exchange, Regina, Sk w/ Black Francis (of The Pixies) *solo acoustic show
July 11 Flames Central, Calgary, Ab w/ Hawksley Workman
July 17 Ottawa Blues Fest, Ottawa On Subway Stage @ 7pm
July 18 Zoo Bizarre, Montreal, Que w/ Pattern Is Movement
July 19 TBA
July 21 Horseshoe Tavern,Toronto, On
July 22 TBA
July 23 Blind Dog, Windsor, On
July 24 TBA
July 25, 26 Hillside Festival, Guelph, On w/ Patrick Watson, Tokyo Police Club, etc
July 27
July 28 Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, On
July 29 Call The Office, London, On w/ Songs From A Room
July 30 TBA
July 31 The Apollo, Thunder Bay, On
Aug 1 Icelandic Festival, Gimli, Mb

Elsewhere in the Blogosphere

Herohill talks Polaris.

Forest City Lovers talk Polaris.

One Hundred Dollars is on the list. '

CBC Radio 3 talks to Ohbijou.

Pete Nema makes his NXNE picks.

From Blown Speakers sees Julie Doiron

Blocks! Shooting! Out! Of! Eyes! is still alive.

Library Voices have pictures!

Elsewhere in the Blogosphere:

Library Voices have a couple of posts on their blog with photos chronicling all of the excitement that happens in a touring van (see photo at left.)

On CBC Radio 3 outgoing intern Amanda Ash did a great mini-radio doc on women in independent music.

CBC Radio 3 Podcast #206 is up with Joel Plaskett, K-Os, Holy Fuck, the Got To Get Got and More.

Kevin Drew's first ever blog entry is up on the Broken Social Scene Myspace.

HistoryJen has a couple of tickets to give away to the 9th annual Bob Dylan Tribute Night at C'est What on May 24.

Herohill is having a contest, giving away Dog Day tix.

the Phog Blog has some live footage from the Brasstronaut show.

the Toronto Music Blog Collective has a review up of the CFL Sessions.

Edmonton: K-Os Storms W.E.M with Free Beats

Waiting in line from as early as 2 P.M. (as this cash-strapped student blogger did) for doors at 8, an opener at 9, and the headliner not until 10 can be a brutal experience. Lucky for all those in attendance at the Edmonton Event Center (Ed's, to locals) in West Edmonton Mall's "pay what you want" show last night, the wait was well worth it.

The schtick of Toronto rapper/rocker/crooner K-Os's entire Yes!Karma Tour is that the shows are not ticketed and entry is on a first come, first served basis. Everyone who made a donation to the David Suzuki Foundation was also thanked with a copy of the aptly titled It's Yours! CD, which includes fan-remixes off of his latest album Yes!.

Regina, Saskatchewan openers Library Voices certainly brought the party, but Edmonton crowds can be fickle, and the party remained onstage. All 9 members of the upbeat indie-rock collective looked to be having a fantastic time, but the crowd was largely unmoved by their loud attempts to get everyone rocking.

When K-Os finally hit the stage however, the crowd was 100% with him. Oldies like 'Crabbuckit' and 'Heaven Only Knows' had the older fans singing along to every word, while new tracks such as 'I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman', lifted from the Phantom Planet song, and O.C. theme song 'California' rocked the fans both new and old.

To catch K-Os in a city near you, check here for upcoming tour dates:

New Songs from the Library Voices

Straight after they get noticed by the New Yorker, the Library Voices send this message from Facebook

"Today at 9:59am

hello all,
we JUST posted a new song from our forthcoming LP.

www.myspace.com/thelibraryvoices

best,
lv                               "

Enjoy.

Library Voices Head to Alberta (with K-Os and Keys)

There is a new post on the Library Voices blog about two dates they have coming up in Alberta with K-OS:

"Dear Albertan friends,
We're coming to visit. It won't kill you put down your steak and wash the oil off your hands for one night...

May 3 - Edmonton, Ab - k-os Yes! Karma Tour
Edmonton Events Centre

May 4 - Calgary, Ab - k-os Yes! Karma Tour
MacEwan Hall"

Short and to the point - but the best part about it has to be this pic of the band. I don't know if they've recovered from the gear theft but they seem to have acquired some keyboards! = )

One More Bit on Library Voices

David wrote an excellent post about Library Voices just a few minutes ago. The band definitely must have some kind of buzz going on because at the time I saw the post I had been contemplating what I should put in a post about Library Voices. David covered it all very well but there is one more thing I would add.

This Friday in Saskatoon, Libary Voices is having a fundraiser along with Volcanoless in Canada, Andy Shauf
and Matt Goud they are trying to raise money to buy new gear after $10,000 worth of their stuff was stolen recently in Vancouver.

So, if you can go, go they are also looking for donations of gear that you're not using. See the Facebook event page for details. After I got wind of this I wrote to the band and offered to do a nationwide fundraiser - get 10,000 people to each send them $1 but they said no. They wouldn't feel right taking people's money without giving something back so...if you can't go to the official fundraiser consider clicking over to Zunior and buying their EP for $5.55 (you won't be sorry and the new album will no doubt come faster if they have some instruments to play.)

You should also check out Screaming Stone - The Stolen Music Instrument Recovery Project - remember people who steal gear and people who buy or sell stolen gear are not real musicians, they are not music fans, they are just thieves and they threaten to put real musicians out of business. If you know anything about anyone who steals gear or buys/sells stolen gear turn them in.

Who Else Can't Wait for the New Library Voices CD?

Without a doubt, one of the best shows I saw in 2008 was the Library Voices set at live music stalwart Zaphod's here in Ottawa. I had a heard a track on CBC Radio 2, and played a track on my own radio show on Ottawa's CKCU. But I was blown away by their fantastic, energetic set. Library Voices play intelligent pop rock, for sure. But the music belting from this collective (not another 10 or so piece Canadian band, say some who don't know better....) is awesome in the true meaning of the word: intricate, energetic, subtle but pure pop energy. Amazing.

I understand Library Voices are in the process of making a new record, which could be one of the best in Canada for 2009. Judging from their debut EP, Hunting Ghosts (& Other Collected Shorts), anything else from this Regina-based band should be incredible. "Step Off the Map and Float" starts with a slow burning cacophany of beats and horns, waiting fully a minute until the band kicks in with the true melody of the song, and the lyric "Oh my god, there's like a dozen things wrong with this....". Well, not quite. This tune smokes, with a chorus that will burn your memory with the lovely harmonies and energetic refrain of the title. The rest of the EP shares this intense energy, whether in the mellow, contemplative "Hunting Ghosts" or the anthemish bar tune "Kundera on the Dance Floor".

You can check out a host of Library Voices tunes on youtube, several of which were recorded at CIUT in Toronto. The gorgeous "Haunt This House" shows the band is well into crafting a great new record. I can't wait to see the new disc in reputable record stores, or better yet at a live show. Library Voices are touring lots this spring: check out their blog for dates from out west to Ontario.

"Step Off the Map and Float":




"Haunt This House":