Septembryo

"A pro blend of pop and rock"
-Mike Bell (Calgary Herald)

"Totally tubular"
-Buzzfeed.com

"(Septembryo) is so good at blending different genres"
-Matt Berry (X92.9FM)

"Like a musical version of The X-Files"
-Rich Ward (11islouderthan10.com)

"Now here's a nice rendition, mixed with more rock but keeping the feel of the song"
-Elvis Prusic (Muchmusic.com)

"His best work yet"
-Trevor Morelli (Beatroute) - Calgary Herald, X92.9FM, Buzfeed, MuchMusic, Beatroute

Ever since season 2 of Stranger Things came out we just can't get enough. Luckily Michael 8 of Septembryo made this "totally tubular" 80s pop version of the Stranger Things theme song complete with lyrics inspired by the show. Which you can watch HERE. Obviously a huge fan, Michael says he actually wasn't always familiar. According to him he didn't begin to watch until a ton of friends and fans told him how much it reminded them of Septembryo. "There were quite a few coincidences that blew my mind a little. It was like the show was made for me. It was kind of spooky." Just how much are Stranger Things and Septembryo alike? We got you covered. Here are 11 Things Septembryo and Stranger Things Have In Common?

1. Stranger Things is a series that is a mix of scifi and supernatural goodness. Septembryo is a band/comic book that is a mix of scifi and supernatural goodness.

2. Season 1 takes place in 1983. The first track on the full length Septembryo album is called 1983. This is also the year Michael 8 was born.
Check Out Septembryo's album on Bandcamp HERE
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Check Out Septembryo's album on Bandcamp HERE

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3. The Stranger Things soundtrack is synth based. Septembryo's music is also synth based.
Brzzzz Zap Zap WeeeeeooooooOOOO! (That's how synths sound)
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Brzzzz Zap Zap WeeeeeooooooOOOO! (That's how synths sound)

4. Stranger Things is loosely based on "actual events" (Google The Montauk Project) The Septembryo comic is also inspired by "true accounts" of people who claim to have the ability to leave their body and the things they experience while outside.
Conspiracy Theorists all have beards.
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Conspiracy Theorists all have beards.

5. One of Stranger Things' main female characters (Eleven) has psychic powers. One of the Septembryo comic's main female characters (Lynda) also has psychic powers.
But who is the Demogorgon in Michael 8's world? and Barb?!
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But who is the Demogorgon in Michael 8's world? and Barb?!

6. In Stranger Things there is a parallel world that is a mirror version of our own called the upside down. In Septembryo, it is called the astral realm.
Ohh, Michael 8 is the Demogorgon
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Ohh, Michael 8 is the Demogorgon

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7. Beginning at issue 3 (which was published in June 2017 and written years previously) the main villain of the Septembryo comic is revealed to be a shadow monster. "Guess how shocked I was when they introduced the main villain in season 2" as, that's right, a shadow monster!
Creepy.
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Creepy.

8. The number 8 is central to Septembryo. The S logo resembles an 8. Michael was born on the 8th and his stage name is of course Michael 8. "When season 2 premiered numerous people rushed to tell me about a new character named 8! Of course there is also a character named Michael but I meet so many Mikes that I barely notice anymore. Now if in season 3 Mike and 8 meet and become best friends and everyone starts taking about Michael/8 I might just die."
these Things certainly do get Stranger...
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these Things certainly do get Stranger...

9. The colours! When you think of Stranger Things and The Upside Down you think varying shades of blues. One of the things that has been central to Septembryo's branding has been it's very specific colour scheme. If you want to make a definitive comparison, hope over to his Instagram feed @septembryo and chances are you'll feel like you just entered The Upside Down.
The colours, children!

10. *SEPTEMBRYO SPOILER* In season 1 Eleven is trained at a special facility to harness abilities like "remote viewing" in order to gather information and report it to Dr. Benson. In the upcoming Septembryo comic #4, Michael 8 is trained at a similar facility to harness similar abilities for similar purposes.
"Hmm, but which Comic-book has things in common with Riverdale?"
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"Hmm, but which Comic-book has things in common with Riverdale?"

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11. And lastly, Eleven is a favourite character in the show. While Septembryo actually has a song called ElevenEleven that is 11 minutes and 11 seconds long and according to Michael, is a fan favourite. "This was probably the most common element of the show people were most excited to tell me about" says Michael "Combined with everything else it felt like something special was happening. After the massive success of the show it was like the universe was saying 'the world is ready for Septembryo'"
Check out the full SEPTEMBRYO Album on Bandcamp
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Check out the full SEPTEMBRYO Album on Bandcamp

You can download/stream Septembryo's Stranger Things inspired single "Friends Don't Lie" on iTunes, Apple Music, GooglePlay and everywhere you buy music. Preview the comic at http://Septembryo.com/Comic
Septembryo Comic art by RAD Pencils

Are there any other similarities you noticed? (We purposefully only wanted to find 11) - BUZZFEED

The marriage of music and comics will take centre stage on a couple of fronts, thanks to a pair of regional rock bands who are getting a little more graphic with their album releases.

Calgary’s Septembryo, the electro-rock project of Michael Hill, is using this year’s Expo as an opportunity to launch a new album and accompanying online graphic novel — both starring his musical and drawn alter ego Michael 8.

For Hill, the pairing of the two worlds was a natural thing, considering the subject matter of much of his music and his own interests in the world of weird.

“I’ve always been interested in the supernatural,” he says, explaining it’s something he’s experienced first-hand. “So the idea for the book itself came up separately from the music, it wasn’t always going to be tied into the music. And the character in the book wasn’t always going to be me, either.”

It all came about just over a year ago, when he was approached by Roberto Duque (of RAD Pencils) to do a comic based on Septembryo. It was, however, a somewhat different concept, with the artist wanting to put the local act in an interstellar battle of the bands.

When Hill related his idea, that of a “modern super hero story,” one where the main character has a near-death experience, and is then able to astral travel while fully conscious — having adventures as he does — Duque became excited and came on board with his talents.

“And it became our book,” Hill says.

Both artist and musician will be at Calgary Comic Expo, where they’ll officially launch the graphic novel, which will be released five pages a week, online and for free over the course of the next few months at septembryo.com/comics. Once it’s complete, they’re hoping to print it up in physical form.

The album will also be available at Calgary Comic Expo exclusively, with a wider launch/performance April 25 at Dickens.

Hill’s relationship with the Expo goes back to 2012, when Septembryo played a show during the event — one of the first musical acts to do so, he says.

His own love of the comic form, though, actually grew out of his young son’s interest in the medium. From there, he got more into it, and now appears on community radio station CJSW discussing the art form, when he’s not appearing on local stations via the music of Septembryo.

And as for the pairing of rock and comic, again, thematically it just made sense and has come together quite easily and quickly.

“It all just fell together and it felt really natural, it just worked,” Hill says. - Calgary Herald - Mike Bell

Now this is a sweet rendition of Bedouin Soundclash’s When The Night Feels My Song – mixed with more rock, but keeping the feel of the song by Michael Hill: - muchmusic.com

By Trevor Morelli


Tribulations lead to good vibrations
Photo by Lisette Ferreira
CALGARY – It’s been a long time coming, but Septembryo is finally ready to unleash Nightmares, the electro-rock sophomore release from local musician Michael 8. Recorded at Audiohouse Recording Studio in Calgary with producer Grant Howarth, Michael 8 has been working on and off the alluring Nightmares for nearly three years and believes the trials and tribulations of the journey made the record that much better.

“There’s been a lot of delays but there’s also been a lot of really interesting, cool things that happened that I think wouldn’t have happened, things you can’t plan for that have been beneficial to it.”

As the title suggests, Micahel 8 explains Nightmares is a concept album “about the dark side of the law of attraction,” adding that the process was one of the “biggest epiphanies” of his life. “It was written during one of my lowest points, at a time when I started looking at everything going wrong and realizing it was my own creation. When people think of the law of attraction they’re usually thinking about manifesting a new car, or lover or anything else they want. It never occurs to them they could be attracting all the stuff they don’t want.”

Of the new tracks, Michael 8 feels the first single, “Professor Pain,” is his strongest work yet with the song building up atmospheric soundscapes before breaking into a big, harmonic chorus. He adds, a video will soon follow.

“’Professor Pain’ is definitely one of my favorites. It’s the song that made it clear that this was going to be an album. It’s kind of about having bad experiences but recognizing the gift that those painful experiences have in that they change you and they teach you something.”

While the songs featured on Nightmares challenge the purely, positive narrative surrounding the law of attraction, Michael 8 emphasizes it’s not all doom and gloom either. He’s already working on a second part, Daydreams, which finds light at the end of the tunnel.

“Just having the realization that I had created my own lowest point gave me the power and focus that had directly lead to my highest point shortly after. Which is why there are two parts to this story — nightmares and daydreams.” - BEATROUTE

Now that The X-Files has returned for an 11th season (can you believe we made it this far?) everyone is mad about all things X-Files. The only problem? After binge watching seasons 1-9 on Netflix it can be quite the adjustment going back to waiting a week or more for new episodes to start. WHAT IS HAPPENING? WHY THE CLIFFHANGERS? HOW DID WE EVER LIVE LIKE THIS? Luckily for all you die hard X-Philes we found the top 10 best ways to get your Mulder & Scully fix while waiting ever so patiently for the next one to air.

...

9. THEME SONG WITH LYRICS - After paying tribute to Stranger Things, electro-rock artist Septembryo just surprised us with a new version of our favourite theme song complete with lyrics! Now before you go thinking this is another parody, the music video that was released the same day season 11 premiered, is an obvious labor of love made by a longtime fan. Frontman Michael 8 wrote the lyrics using famous X-Files tag lines like "The Truth Is Out There", "Trust No One" and of course "I Want To Believe". And the best part? The band even has their own comic book about (... wait for it...) the supernatural "based on real life experiences". This band, like the truth, is definitely out there. - BUZZFEED

Calgary electro rock act Septembryo, best known for their comic series of the same name, has covered the Stranger Things theme song. Rewritten as a 1980’s pop song, both the lyrics and accompanying music video include nods to the hit show many fans will recognize.

SeptembryoInspired by Netflix show’s themes and soundtrack, frontman Michael 8 says covering the song was something he couldn’t resist.

“Before I even watched the show I had multiple fans tell me I needed to see it because it reminded them so much of Septembryo” claims Michael. “From the synth heavy soundtrack and supernatural elements to a number of uncanny similarities, I could understand the comparisons. I was immediately hooked.No stranger to performing scifi themes (including Star Wars, X-Files, Terminator etc) Michael says the inspiration to take on this song hit hard and came together fast.

“I originally had the idea to do it while watching season 1 last year, but soon began working on a new album so nothing ever came of it. When I heard season 2 was about to premiere, I rushed to the studio to write and record the song. Within a matter of days we were shooting a music video in my basement!”

The music video can be viewed on the band’s youtube page (youtube.com/septembryo) and is available for streaming/download everywhere you buy music online. - PORTAL MAGAZINE

Event Description:

The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo will include Septembryo as part of this year's line up of guest list including Adam West, Stan Lee, Hayden Panettiere and the entire principle cast of Star Trek: TNG. "We're Excited to expand on the entertainment side of the Comic and Entertainment Expo" says Shayne Henklemen, assistant programming lead for the Expo. "Septembryo really bring these two elements together nicely."

Between broadening their live set with sci-fi/comic themed covers, hosting their own panel discussion and volunteering for various events within the expo, these self proclaimed "Dream Builders" have taken on a rather large role at this year's expo. "We don't identify as a sci-fi or comic themed band," says front man Michael 8. "But our music lends itself so easily to the Expo's themes. Our songs are very much about believing anything is possible, which really is the basis for all comic and sci-fi literature."

With all that in store, Septembryo's involvement doesn't end there. The trio has also scheduled an acoustic performance at Redd Skull Comics, where you can purchase your expo tickets, in celebration of the event. "We're counting down toward the 2012 Expo," says Kelly Dowd, Redd Skull owner and official sponsor for the Expo. The in-store performance will take place on April 21st at 2pm, one week before Septembryo open up the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo on April 27th at 1pm at the BMO Centre. - calgaryculture.com

CALGARY, March 16, 2012 /CNW/ - If you belong to an indie band you know there aren't many venues that take an interest in you past your time onstage, but helping bands market themselves is what the Blind Beggar's Original Music Showcase is all about.

The Original Music Showcase (OMS) is an exposure-based event where bands compete for an awesome prize pack. The top bands will receive free recording time at Off the T-Can Studios, a photoshoot from Brendan Nogue Photography, a spread in Portal Magazine, merchandise from Axe Music, an hour consultation with a management and bookings agency and additional prizes designed to help the bands increase awareness of their music. The top three bands take home prizes but all who participate receive valuable feedback from qualified judges on their stage presence, music appeal and originality.

Thirty bands are given 45 minutes to impress the audience and judges with their all-original (you got it, no covers) music. The bands are also coached on self-promotion helping them to stack the audience with adoring fans - as audience reaction is also an element on the judging scorecard. Participating bands receive their scorecards after their performance so they know areas to improve and where they already excel.

Adam Gawruluk, general manager of the Blind Beggar says, "It's what I love about working here. Through this competition we've met bands with so much talent who just need a boost to take to the next level." Last year's winner, DangerFloyd, have made huge strides with an album the OMS contest helped to fund. Local groups like punk band Downtown Prophets have received enough exposure through the contest to be open for larger bands like GOB and touring icons The Mudmen. Bands competing in OMS year include:

* Kingdom of Few
* The Nix Dicksons
* Open Air
* Flowshine
* Septembryo
* A War Within

The bands that are chosen to complete in the Original Music Showcase take it seriously. Curtis Butala from Kingdom of Few says, "We are so grateful to the Blind Beggar Pub for supporting original music the way they have. The OMS is a staple in the original music community in Calgary."

Whether you are in a band or just someone who appreciates great music, come out, hear the bands play and judge for yourself. Bands in the showcase play Sunday evenings starting at 7:30 pm until 10:30 pm. There is no cover to see talent battle for top spots - it's the best deal in town! The Original Music Showcase wraps up on May 6 with a Big Rock Awards Party featuring Calgary's biggest and best original bands.

More information on the Original Music Showcase bands, schedule and sponsors can be found at www.blindbeggarpub.com.

About Blind Beggar Pub

The Blind Beggar Pub is inspired by good food and great music talent. Through the Original Music Showcase and other events it is committed to growing the original music scene in Calgary. The Blind Beggar hosts indie band auditions on Thursday nights and offers live music through the week-end. Although music is a mainstay at the pub, it is not the only focus. The Blind Beggar offers homemade pub favourites in a traditional English pub setting.

For more information contact Blind Beggar Pub management:

Adam Gawruluk
General Manager
403.212.1180
info@blindbeggarpub.com

Patrick Ballard
Owner
403-512-8755
- http://www.newswire.ca/

Calgary electro rock act Septembryo has just released a video for “Friends Don’t Lie”, a song based on the theme song to the tremendously popular Netflix show Stranger Things.

Front man Michael 8 says he absolutely loves the show and couldn’t resist re-imagining the tune as an ’80’s pop song.

“I originally had the idea to do it while watching season 1 last year, but soon began working on a new album so nothing ever came of it,” he explains in a press release.

“When I heard season 2 was about to premiere, I rushed to the studio to write and record the song. Within a matter of days we were shooting a music video in my basement!”

Septembryo’s next show is Dec. 1 at The Rec Room in Calgary. In the meantime, check out the brand new video here: https://youtu.be/-LbCkfduAuE - Ride The Tempo

http://www.11islouderthan10.com/2015/04/album-review-septembryo-septembryo.html



Album review: Septembryo – Septembryo



Septembryo
It’s certainly not every day a press release lands in your inbox about a new album and comic book based on “real supernatural experiences”. Welcome to the extraordinary world of Septembryo.

The one-man project of Canadian Michael 8, Septembryo fuses alt-rock, metal, pop punk and electronica to create a sound that’s mainstream yet quirky – which is entirely appropriate I suppose.

His influences are clear, varied and scattered throughout this eponymous 11-track effort.

‘The New Me’ riffs off Finnish rockers HIM, while the synthesised vocals of ‘The Alarm Clock Theme’ are distinctly Daft Punk mixed with a bouncy J-rock flavour à la Janne Da Arc. There’s even an acoustic pop ballad in the form of ‘January Waits’ with fellow Calgarian Lisette Xavier, who we featured in November 2013.

The whole thing finishes with an experimental 11 minute 11-second electronic indulgence called ‘ElevenEleven’, which recalls the vocal stylings of ex-Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes.

Numbers are of huge significance to Michael 8, who chose his own name based on his date of birth and the “completion” the number eight signifies. ‘ElevenEleven’ explores not only coincidences around these important digits, but dreams, premonitions, paranormal phenomena and UFOs – like a musical version of The X Files.

It’s a fitting finale to an album that nods to pop, yet defies convention, with an illustrated accompaniment to boot.

‘Septembryo’ is out now.

11 is louder than 10 verdict

11 – Sonic boom
10 – Planet rock
9 – Headbanging
8 – Turn it up
7 – Rocking
6 – Foot tapping
5 – Worth a listen
4 – Background music
3 – Turn it down
2 – Earache
1 – Turn it off
0 – Ear bleeding - 11islouderthan10.com

As I commenced my journey through Septembryo’s full album stream on Youtube, I got drawn into the electronic elements: synthesizers laid over a step sequencer provided a provocative groove, which then dissipated into a kind of pop-meets-rock sound reminiscent of a more outlandish Head Automatica. In the first two tracks, I wanted more of a hook to draw my interest closer. Thankfully that was delivered on track three of the album, “The Alarm Clock Theme.” This track has riffs that pull you in, almost like being lead to a dark corner by the finest beauty of the evening. If flesh and appearance is the only element you use to define beauty, then Septembryo’s sound will be for you.

The music uses a basic level of poetry and rhyming scheme to tell stories about ladies and your standard summertime romance themes. At least, I can only assume it does; without looking at the lyrics, this band could be hard to sing along to…which leads me to another Daryl Palumbo reference, because I really feel his spirit in everything Septembryo singer Michael 8 is trying to portray. Sometimes you listen to Glassjaw or Head Automatica and you get so lost in Daryl’s over-exaggerations in pronunciation that you miss what he is trying to say, but you can tell he’s got soul by the sound of his timbre; a momentary loss of control that is compensated by a soulful timbre. I feel like Mr. 8 is missing just a touch of this in his vocal execution. As I write this, track six “January Waits“ featuring Lisette Xavier came on, and it was a nice break in the album. But I found myself once again wanting just a bit more passion. I almost didn’t realize we were this far into the album. The execution is so straightforward, and more importantly excellently produced. The levels are clear, and if the pop radio circuit is the destination Septembryo is aiming for, I feel they are just missing some more originality to help them to stand out. I do applaud Michael 8 for his blend of industrial and EDM-esque sounds, alongside his lust for intrigue, displayed well in the closing track of the album titled “ElevenEleven.”

I was never really drawn into the album, and it is not due to lack of execution on the recording. I love feeling music: the raw emotion, the passion. Like making love, or for those who aren’t into that kind of thing, kind of like fucking. You want to feel everything, the lust of the moment heightening your senses until you both reach a climax. Unfortunately in this bedroom I wasn’t able to get to that point, with all the curves displayed on the bed I was still left unsatisfied, but I am sure most of those with musical palettes seasoned by digesting music closer to the pop-rock genre will clammer at a chance to join Septembryo’s orgy.

Keep on pushing the envelope Michael 8, I know this will not be the last we hear of you! I give Septembryo a 6/10 for their pretty clear production value, but still having space to grow into the unstoppable force I know they are capable of being. - Bucket List Music Reviews

Septembryo - Septembryo ReviewIt isn’t every day that a band or artist name reflects exactly the type of music they play (or, at the very least, the type of music it evokes in your mind).
Ethereal keyboard sounds. Distorted guitars. Effected vocals. Mysterious melodies. Electronic grooves.
The new self-titled Septembryo album contains all of that and a lot more.
And, perhaps that’s merely what I conjure up when I hear the name Septembryo, but to me the branding feels spot-on with the overall musical direction.
When I first heard this album, I told Michael 8 that it was “a monster”, and I still hold to that. As I’ve become all the more familiar with this work, my favorites have emerged, and my personal biases have solidified, but my initial impression still holds true.
Here are my thoughts on Septembryo.



I find the production on this album to be pristine. The vocals, the instrumentation, the mix… it’s all at a professional level.
In the studio, the goal is generally to capture the best performance possible. Some might take that to mean “perfect”, but perfection is generally a bad goal to aim for, simply because it might hold up production, end up costing more, and prevent a producer from using otherwise great takes.
Septembryo is a very polished album, but there are some minor inconsistencies and pitchy vocal parts. To the average listener, however, they will prove imperceptible. Furthermore, they tend not to take away from the overall experience of the album.
And the experience is really the most important consideration when it comes to producing a great record. Michael 8 clearly had some decisions to make in terms of performance, and the fact that he paid more attention to the listening experience rather than the individual takes – though I’m sure he didn’t overlook individual takes – shows considerable maturity.
No matter how you cut it, recording and producing an album is a massive undertaking, and to end up with something of this quality should make Michael proud.
The Music
The album kicks off with the atmospheric “1983”, which quickly segues into “Septembryo”. This song features a heavy, in-your-face rock groove, but don’t be deceived; there are layers of keyboards and acoustic guitars that bring incredible depth to the song. I marvel at Michael’s arranging and songwriting on this number.
From there, we move onto one of the most upbeat and catchy songs of the album, “The Alarm Clock Theme”. For a lack of a better way of describing it, the song has a very J-Pop feel, from the repeating keyboard motif to the varied dynamics and even the melody. I won’t hold back; this is my favorite track on the album. Again, the arrangement is pure ecstasy. Interestingly enough, the song also features the voice of known radio personality, Gerry Forbes.
The subsequent “Ghosts of 1408E” is where the album settles into a bit of a pocket. After hearing the first couple of tracks, you’ve been exposed to Septembryo sound, and you get to see some of its other layers and dimensions on display.
“-55 ft Jason Rempel” is one of the fastest and heaviest tracks on the album. Michael’s voice and musical style seems to have found a match with minor progressions, and there are several songs on this album that follow the formula.
The album takes a bit of a break with the well-placed “January Waits”, a ballad featuring the voice of Lisette Xavier. The organ/keyboard solo is a very nice touch.
“The New Me” brings us back to the sound this album will be remembered for. Dark. Edgy. Minor. The melody on this song is extremely memorable, and is reinforced throughout both by Michael’s voice and the instrumentation.
The album then sets the stage for the latter half of the album with “iBelieve”, parts one, two and three. “iBelieve (ii)” could very well be my second favorite song on the album, though it’s a pretty close call. It has a great keyboard riff, catchy melodies, and more of a major sound compared to other tracks too.
Then comes the grand finale, the 11-minute epic “ElevenEleven”. The album is somewhat conceptual in nature, but you can’t help but feel that this is what it was all culminating to. It’s difficult to comment on the music here, because the subject matter is more at the forefront.
I have to admit; I am fairly well-studied, but I was thrown for a bit of a loop with “ElevenEleven”. However, I went and did a bit of research, and that’s when I came across some information pertaining to repetitive number synchronicities. There are a lot of different theories out there, but I think the excerpts towards the end of this song sum it up nicely.
The Lyrics
There are some obvious lyrical themes throughout this album, many of them connected to repetitive number synchronicities, and in general the significance of particular numbers.
As with the Septembryo music video, I think there is some room for interpretation, but that’s the great thing about a release like this; you get to attach your own feelings and thoughts to the music.
There may be a time and place for homogenized pop music and easily repeatable lyrics, but I like when you can involve both your heart and your mind in a piece of music. The more immersive it is, the more your appreciation for it increases.
From a lyrical standpoint, Septembryo is neither overly cliché, nor is it an example of through-and-through originality. It’s really somewhere in between; a nice balance of thought-provoking and immediately accessible.
Final Thoughts
I’ve done a few reviews for folk albums as of late, but I have to say that Septembryo is a little more in my wheelhouse in terms of style and genre. I’m definitely more comfortable talking about rock compared to singer/songwriter fare, though I haven’t shied away from either.
If you’re looking for a recommendation, you’ve found one. I am a believer in supporting good independent music, and this is a prime example of that. I would encourage you to pick up a copy of this album, because though it will surely be a stepping stone onto greater things for Michael 8, it is, unto itself, a great achievement. - MusicEntrepenuerHQ.com

With a growing music community and the ability to network and connect to virtually anywhere in the world, it’s easy to get locked into the digital communication world. Social media and video conferencing are great tools when used properly, but nothing measures up to a good old face-to-face conversation, especially when it comes to networking in the music industry.

Events such as: North By… and South By… festivals, Canadian Music Week, and Indie Week, allow for musicians to not only travel and learn from industry professionals, but they also provide the opportunity to showcase their music to a large audience of industry professionals, other musicians, and most importantly, to music lovers. With most of the events lasting a few days, and others lasting up to a week, musicians should always take in as much as they can when attending these festivals and conferences.
septembryo_cmw4

©Michael Valenzuela 2013 @Mickey_Valenz

Indie403 caught up with 2 musicians and a magazine editor, all based in Calgary, who attended the 2013 Canadian Music Week in Toronto.

Curtis Butala – Vocalist for Kingdom of Few

Michael Valenzuela – Drummer for Septembryo

Shannon Ambrose – Chief Managing Editor and Founder of The Portal Magazine

Here are some comments from the musicians side of attending Canadian Music Week:

Curtis: “This trip marked the 2nd time Kingdom of Few has made the trip to Toronto, the first time being for Toronto Indie Week. The connections that we made [during] our first trip lent well to our experience at CMW, allowing us to book more shows and network more effectively…and drink for free!

What you see right away at CMW is that a vibrant and passionate music community resides in Toronto, with all styles of music well represented. Original music venues litter Queen Street, with line ups of passionate music fans out the door. Bands support one another, bouncing from showcase to showcase. You get the feeling Toronto is the mecca for independent artists. The Marriot was packed daily with people from all walks of the music and entertainment business, with eager bands and artists trying to make their mark on the scene.”

Michael: “Septembryo‘s trip to Toronto was very worthwhile and insightful. [CMW] is a massive event in which musicians and industry professionals all gather in Toronto to perform, learn, network and enlighten. We were invited to showcase and perform a set at one of the many venues that were delegated for the event. We got the gig by applying through Sonicbids.com which was followed up by many emails and a detailed registration process. Septembryo got to reach a new crowd and get our music and circle of influence spreading out to a new city.

I know the trip might not seem like a worthwhile thing from an outside perspective, but it was very worthwhile for us. It was an educational experience and the more my band and I are present at events like this, the more we can have a relevant impact on the important people in the industry.”

“The summit [portion of the festival] was based on vital information sessions going on all week with industry professionals. One of the perks of getting invited to showcase at CMW is that you get to attend the summit for free. To put things into perspective, the summit costs around $600-$900 to attend if you don’t have a free pass. We were able to sit in on these summit sessions and absorb advice and experienced outlooks on various elements regarding the music industry. We were also occasionally able to talk and network with these important people who were all gathered at the Marriot Hotel.
septembryo_cmw2

©Michael Valenzuela 2013 @Mickey_Valenz

Some of the summit sessions we attended included: Keynote with Arthur Fogel, Chairman, Global Music and CEO, Global Touring, Live Nation, Celebrity Interview - A Conversation with METRIC, Featured Speaker Tom Jackson, Live Music Producer, OnstageSuccess.com, USA, Panel Discussion on Licensing Issues Worldwide: Where Do We Stand?, Music For The Screen - Putting Your Music In Film & TV, and Presentation - The Elements of a Hit Song.”

And here are some comments from the industry side of attending Canadian Music Week:

Shannon: ”This being my third time to Canadian Music Week, I went prepared for what I was about to experience, or so I thought.

The fact that its five long days and very late nights hadn’t changed but there were some other obvious changes. First off, the hub of all things CMW moved from the Royal York as host hotel, to the Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre and that wasn’t the only change this year.

Another major change this year was moving two of the four award shows from afternoon luncheons to evening events, as well as the dates they were held on. The Indies (Independent Music Awards) moved from Saturday night to Friday, the Canadian Radio Music Awards, formally a Friday afternoon luncheon, was now held on Wednesday evening, and the Canadian Music and Broad - www.indie403.com

The first part of our coverage of the Cosplay and Booths at the 2012 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.

A few links

EZ-Robots
http://www.ez-robot.com

Septembryo
http://www.myspace.com/septembryo
http://www.facebook.com/septembryo
http://www.youtube.com/user/Septembryo

Movie Prop Services
http://www.moviepropservices.com/

CCEE
http://www.calgaryexpo.com

Dori411
http://www.dori411.com
http://www.facebook.com/gophenwick

http://www.freesfx.co.uk/

All clips and pictures are used under fair use rights for reasons of education and social commentary.

http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright...

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
- Dori411.com

The first part of our coverage of the Cosplay and Booths at the 2012 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.

A few links

EZ-Robots
http://www.ez-robot.com

Septembryo
http://www.myspace.com/septembryo
http://www.facebook.com/septembryo
http://www.youtube.com/user/Septembryo

Movie Prop Services
http://www.moviepropservices.com/

CCEE
http://www.calgaryexpo.com

Dori411
http://www.dori411.com
http://www.facebook.com/gophenwick

http://www.freesfx.co.uk/

All clips and pictures are used under fair use rights for reasons of education and social commentary.

http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright...

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
- Dori411.com

Rae interviews Calgary band Septembryo - http://www.steveyrae.com/

Well, on with this week's show.

Good Enough (Cyndi Lauper cover)---The Acorn
Gun Shy---Slim Twig
Oh Katrina---Pear and the Awkward Orchestra
Lazy---Ocean Leaves
Casey's Song---Septembryo
Lucky (Stint Remix)---Said The Whale *
Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Don't---Stars *
Moon Palace---Ladytron
Out of Control---Little Creatures
Petroglyph---Ghost house
Stairway---Yukon Blonde *
Bomb---Band of Skulls
Exit---Papermaps
You Just Wanna Date A Blonde---Stephie Coplan and the Pedestrians (part of her write a song a week series)
Operation---King Khan and The BBQ Show
Paper Thin---Humble Wolf
Don't You Give Up On Me---Milo Greene *
It's Time---Imagine dragons
Anxiety (Angels and Airwaves cover)---chanceaarron

* cuts from a tour compilation - Carol B on CIUT

The 2012 Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo ended with a success this year. Though I only had time to go for one of the three days, I heard that the expo was literally a "stampede". Tickets were sold out long ago and people had to wait in line for hours to get in. I even heard some couldn't make it inside because the vast venue was completely full and over capacity. Good for YYC though, to have such an event that everyone felt excited about.

There was also local musicians as well. I am sure all my readers know that I am 100% supportive in terms of local talents and production. I met the SEPTEMBRYO guys selling their EP album: The Dreambuilder. The songs were more of a pop-rock vibe. Couple songs in the album reminded me of Japanese visual kei style of music. I bought two copies and gave one to one of my friends who's moving back to Asia. - Binzento Vincente

New Orleans comes to Calgary for the third year in a row with the annual Mardi Gras celebration at the Gateway.

Hosted by the Global Passport Group, Mardi Gras festivities will return to entertain the students and faculty of SAIT on Jan. 31.

Jose Landaverde, vice-president student life at SAITSA, said that proper preparations have been made this year to ensure an evening full of fun, frolic and entertainment, after an incident last year where the Gate ended up being double-booked. The two main acts slated to perform this year are Septembryo and Heigh River. There are also be a number of contests and performances that have been organized. According to Landaverde, 400 tickets have been printed and made available for students on campus.

“There are going to be people who wish to have a good time,” Landaverde said. “People who want to be out, enjoying themselves somewhere and not stuck in the middle of a cold, winter night.”

Paul Dudar, food and beverage manager at the Gateway, is expecting a turnout of 150 to 300 people. However, since it is being organized by an on-campus establishment, one can’t expect the usual rowdy crowds typical of a Mardi Gras fair to show up. Due to SAITSA’s strict rules and regulations, Dudar said the Gate’s staff expects the crowd to be tame and well-behaved.

“It’s going to be more like a house party, or rather a social gathering, except it is taking place at an on-campus bar,” he said.

While SAITSA rules and regulations will not condone any acts of nudity or violence during any events at the Gate, Landaverde expects to see the same type of energy as that of an actual Mardi Gras event. Despite a few limitations, including lesser invested funds and the indoor venue, SAITSA has managed to come up with a few fun ways to captivate their guests’ attention, such as feature drinks, a collecting beads contest, an acrobatic performance by a well-known aerialist and lots of other special surprises.

“You get to learn something from it, and also meet a whole bunch of other people who are looking to have a good time,” Landaverde said.

The Mardi Gras party will take place Jan. 31 at 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $15 for members of the Global Passport Club, and $20 for non-members.


HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MARDI GRAS?

• Mardi Gras, also known as “Fat Tuesday” or “Shrove Tuesday,” refers to the ritual of the last night of gorging on fatty foods before the fasting of the Lenten season begins.

• Popular Mardi Gras practices include wearing masks and costumes, collecting beads, overturning social conventions and dancing.

• While its practices vary from country to country, the main Christian tradition behind every celebration is associated with the religious requirement for confession before the beginning of Lent—the 40-day, pre-Easter period in which Christians fast and repent.

• Mardi Gras is usually celebrated with lots of pomp and gaiety in seven main countries, namely, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and the United States. - The Weal

Beads were flying on SAIT’s campus last night, as two great local bands and one very bendy group of dancers brought a little of that N’awlins party vibe to Calgary, organized by TVT Global Passport. Everyone in attendance got a free string of beads at the door, with more available for purchase – the beadiest person at the end of the night was the winner. Faces were painted, costumes judged, and funds raised for TVT students to take to Peru.

First up was Heigh River (yes, it sounds a bit like High River), a five-top of very energetic musicians who quickly got the crowd’s attention. The pace was fast, the songs were upbeat and technically impressive, and the joy that these guys brought to the stage was infectious. They bounced around, popping up on speakers like inquisitive housecats, loudly declaring their love for early 90's hip-hop, and generally just rocking out like it was the best night of their lives. With a sound like a West-coast Canadian band (minus any sort of celtic feel), Heigh River could be Calgary’s answer to Bend Sinister, with grins as big as the Barenaked Ladies. You can see more of Heigh River on their YouTube page.

The intermission featured the impressive and crowd-pleasing stunts of High Strung, who danced, writhed and did a tremendous number of splits to the good favour of the audience, who hooted to every new bend. The finale included some ladder work, and a conga line with hats extended for a bit more fund raising.

The night ended with a literal bang, as local powerhouse Septembryo took to the stage, and quickly filled the floor with adoring, dancing fans. Pounding, crisp beats backed songs that were refreshingly original but achingly familiar, creating instant nostalgia. A new Our Lady Peace with their own harder, distinct style, they wowed the crowd with new hits and even a fun rendition of “When The Night Feels My Song” by Bedouin Soundclash. You can catch them next at The Hub at Mount Royal, when they open for the King Dylan CD Release show. If you buy your tickets online, you can also snag a really sharp Septembryo t-shirt in the deal. You can hear more from the band on iTunes, where their Dreambuilder EP is available. - YYCMusic.com

Every young person's dream while growing up and sitting in class is (at one point or another) to become a rock-star. We all dream of our futures up on stage entertaining a crowd of our peers. For Mickey Valenz, Michael 8 and Nolan Kelly this is becoming more of a reality. A local Calgary band named Septembryo; Derived from the singer (Michael 8)'s birth month because of his belief that music is the reason he was born. Michael 8 believes Septembryo is part of his destiny, and is ready to follow it through!


With their sights set on headlining major festivals, performing major events, touring, supporting major acts and even having their music heard in cities around the world, Septembryo is excited to bring their performances to a new level. Septembryo brings some high energy, alternative rock rich with dance inducing beats, catchy hooks, hard hitting breakdowns and electro-pop textures to the stage. Sometimes they'll even incorporate video backdrops to go along with the music to enhance the show. Their goal as a band, isn't particularly the same as any other band you'll come across.


Septembryo's main focus revolves around the community. Striving to reach out to the people who come to see them as an inspiration, to push themselves to reach each of their individual goals.


"We definitely want to be a band that helps young people to believe in, build, and achieve their own goals."


Septembryo will be holding a panel discussion at the Calgary Comic Expo, which will be directed towards reaching out to beginner bands, giving them advice on how to build their goals and achieve their dreams. They are also active supporters of the local Calgary Rock & Roll Club which is also geared towards achieving the same standards among new members of the band community. Their ultimate goal at the end of every day, every show, is not only to see their own success, but also to see that their musical influence has given others the strength to follow through with their dreams.

As with any other fan in the community, most of us enjoy free music. This has been an ongoing trend among most of the music industry, and Septembryo is no different. Every musician experiences a time in their lives when they've just produced an amazing piece that they'd love to be heard. Most musicians however, don't want to wait to release an entire new album simply to do this, so Septembryo has come up with their own solution for this. They offer what they call the "Free Downloads Club", which allows each subscriber to download a new Septembryo song every month.


"Our fans buy our CD's, they buy our merch, they pay to attend our shows. All the money we make from our music goes back into making more music. The Free Downloads Club is something we started to say thank you to our fans"


For all of the single ladies currently with their eye on one (or more) of the members of Septembryo, this might be a little bit of bad news. Michael 8 is already taken and very happy with his girlfriend, and son. Nolan and Mickey however, are still available. Nolan explained that he prefers quality over quantity when it comes to all of the ladies he has knocking at his door. Mickey's on the other hand is a hopeless romantic, however if anyone knows of any cute girls who might be interested, he says he'd be willing to meet them!


Join Septembryo's Free Downloads Club by emailing FreeDownloadsClub@septembryo.com with the subject line "Sign me up".


You can check out Septembryo online at : http://www.septembryo.com
On facebook at : http://www.facebook.com/septembryo


Or at the following events :

March 16 - All Ages show @ The New Black with Elevator Music, The Suppliers, GURL, and Ten Cent Pistol

March 21 @ 1PM- Live Acoustic set on X92.9

April 21 - Acoustic set at Redd Skull Comics

April 27 - Calgary Comic Expo performance + Merch booth

April 29 - Calgary Comic Expo Panel Discussion - Building Your Dreams in the Music Scene
- the-rooster.ca

http://issuu.com/theportal/docs/07_2012/34 - The PORTAL MAgazine

It's Thursday April 12th, a typical day that should welcome spring but the boys in Septembryo held a show at Broken City during a FREAK spring storm and proved that the weather doesn't matter to those boys. I've been hearing a lot about this local band in Calgary and I caught up with the band online and got to check them out live and get a killer interview from the local trio.

I have not been to Broken City in years and I was very excited to get back into that venue. The last time I set foot in those doors was when I had lunch with Billy Talent and it was broad daylight. I've been shooting bands for years and my style is very documentary so I never use a flash and I always pray to the music gods for fantastic lighting and Broken City had just that. My only complaint was that one huge pole on the right of the stage. I know it's part of the structure to hold up the roof but it made it very difficult to watch the opening act MARS+VENUS who are a 5 piece band that I thought were fantastic!.

So finally it's the boys in Septembryo's turn to hit the stage. I watch in anticipation as the roadies set up the stage and knew right away I would love this band after seeing the Slipknot gear the drummer had. So the trio came out blazing! Members from the previous band and local fans all gathered around the stage to enjoy the unique sound from Septembryo.They are dubbed as alternative pop indie in this city and they fit the title to a T. Vocalist Michael 8, bassist
Nolan Kelly and drummer Mickey Valenz create catchy tunes that get your feet moving and hips swaying. They were filled of pure entertainment with their live show. Cracking jokes and even doing an impromptu rap act as they asked a friend from the Audience to come up to the stage.

Thank you so much for letting me come along and watch you rock it live. You guys were super tight and count me in for getting an album when I see you later this month.

I have a couple of questions to ask you for the Hazz Mat Fans out there.

1) Your name "Septembryo" is very unique. Where did you come up with the name and what does it mean?

I believe that we are all born for a very specific purpose and I believe the reason I was born is to make music. I was born on September 8th so the name Septembryo represents that belief. You'll probably notice too that even our "S" logo looks like the number 8.

2) Your still pretty fresh and new in Calgary and just dropped your EP "Dreambuilder" last summer. Have you guys been friends for a while or did one of you just wake up one day and think "Today is the I want to make music and share it with the world?"

Yes and no haha. I have been writing music my whole life and I've always focused my energy on developing my songwriting rather than getting the songs out there. So its more like one day I woke up and decided "Today is the day I'm actually gonna share my music with the world". Which is why all the songs you hear us play are actually almost 10 years old now. We also all attended the same school back in the day and because of that we've always been aware of each other's strengths and goals. So when the time finally came to come together as a group it just felt right and we all knew we had something special going.

3) I was reading about your campaign "BELIEVE" and I was wondering if you can tell us Hazz Mat fans what it is all about and how we can help?

We have found that the more shows we play and the more artists we meet in our city, the more we are starting to believe that Calgary is about to blow up. With so much hidden talent its just becoming too clear to ignore anymore. So the goal of this campaign is to expose Calgarian's to the many talented artists we don't even realize live here, and make them believers too. Because once everyone is aware of it and believes in it, we can achieve what we've all been trying to for so long; to once and for all put Calgary on the map. The Believe campaign is still being developed at the moment, but - http://www.hazzardousmaterial.com

It's Thursday April 12th, a typical day that should welcome spring but the boys in Septembryo held a show at Broken City during a FREAK spring storm and proved that the weather doesn't matter to those boys. I've been hearing a lot about this local band in Calgary and I caught up with the band online and got to check them out live and get a killer interview from the local trio.

I have not been to Broken City in years and I was very excited to get back into that venue. The last time I set foot in those doors was when I had lunch with Billy Talent and it was broad daylight. I've been shooting bands for years and my style is very documentary so I never use a flash and I always pray to the music gods for fantastic lighting and Broken City had just that. My only complaint was that one huge pole on the right of the stage. I know it's part of the structure to hold up the roof but it made it very difficult to watch the opening act MARS+VENUS who are a 5 piece band that I thought were fantastic!.

So finally it's the boys in Septembryo's turn to hit the stage. I watch in anticipation as the roadies set up the stage and knew right away I would love this band after seeing the Slipknot gear the drummer had. So the trio came out blazing! Members from the previous band and local fans all gathered around the stage to enjoy the unique sound from Septembryo.They are dubbed as alternative pop indie in this city and they fit the title to a T. Vocalist Michael 8, bassist
Nolan Kelly and drummer Mickey Valenz create catchy tunes that get your feet moving and hips swaying. They were filled of pure entertainment with their live show. Cracking jokes and even doing an impromptu rap act as they asked a friend from the Audience to come up to the stage.

Thank you so much for letting me come along and watch you rock it live. You guys were super tight and count me in for getting an album when I see you later this month.

I have a couple of questions to ask you for the Hazz Mat Fans out there.

1) Your name "Septembryo" is very unique. Where did you come up with the name and what does it mean?

I believe that we are all born for a very specific purpose and I believe the reason I was born is to make music. I was born on September 8th so the name Septembryo represents that belief. You'll probably notice too that even our "S" logo looks like the number 8.

2) Your still pretty fresh and new in Calgary and just dropped your EP "Dreambuilder" last summer. Have you guys been friends for a while or did one of you just wake up one day and think "Today is the I want to make music and share it with the world?"

Yes and no haha. I have been writing music my whole life and I've always focused my energy on developing my songwriting rather than getting the songs out there. So its more like one day I woke up and decided "Today is the day I'm actually gonna share my music with the world". Which is why all the songs you hear us play are actually almost 10 years old now. We also all attended the same school back in the day and because of that we've always been aware of each other's strengths and goals. So when the time finally came to come together as a group it just felt right and we all knew we had something special going.

3) I was reading about your campaign "BELIEVE" and I was wondering if you can tell us Hazz Mat fans what it is all about and how we can help?

We have found that the more shows we play and the more artists we meet in our city, the more we are starting to believe that Calgary is about to blow up. With so much hidden talent its just becoming too clear to ignore anymore. So the goal of this campaign is to expose Calgarian's to the many talented artists we don't even realize live here, and make them believers too. Because once everyone is aware of it and believes in it, we can achieve what we've all been trying to for so long; to once and for all put Calgary on the map. The Believe campaign is still being developed at the moment, but - http://www.hazzardousmaterial.com

“If I hear that Paul McCartney Christmas song one more time, I’m going to scream.”



Gordie Johnson is no fan of the ex-Beatle’s perky 1979 holiday hit Wonderful Christmastime and, in fact, finds much of the contemporary Christmas music canon pretty dismal.

But the lead singer and guitarist for recently revived blues/rock/reggae band Big Sugar says he had no interest in adding his own holiday song to the mix.

That is until he heard a demo — sent to him by a Windsor, Ont., songwriter — which contained a dirty little ditty called If Santa Don’t Bring You No Funk.

“It was the funniest Christmas song I’d ever heard in my life,” says Johnson.

“It’s so dirty and so wrong and so funky. I passed it around to friends saying, ‘You have to hear this.’ ”

According to Johnson, the song has been going over exceedingly well each night on the band’s current cross-Canada tour, which comes to the Century Casino Showroom on Saturday night.

“People have been killing themselves laughing,” he says. Despite the positive response to Big Sugar’s first holiday offering, Johnson isn’t sure he wants to follow it up with full Christmas record.

“I don’t know if I have enough material to sustain an album of seasonal favourites,” he says, laughing.

Johnson has a lot on his plate anyway.

He’s been busy promoting Revolution Per Minute, Big Sugar’s first album in eight years, and is also playing bass with Saskatoon blues rockers Wide Mouth Mason.

He joined the band after its bass player quit halfway through recording its new album, No Bad Days, which Johnson produced.

“We had such a great time playing, so I decided to stay in the band,” he says.

WMM is opening for Big Sugar on this tour, meaning Johnson is pulling double duty each night.

That’s a lot of songs for Johnson to remember, but as he puts it, it’s “the least of my job. That’s easy because the songs all come from the heart,” he says. “The 21-, 22-hours of travel every day is what they pay me for.”

• • •

On Saturday, a dozen local bands will do their part to help the city’s homeless.

The inaugural Blank-Fest takes place at the Blind Beggar Pub, 5211 Macleod Tr. S.W., starting at 2 p.m.

The annual benefit concert was first held in New York in 1997 and has since grown to include events in Milwaukee, Richmond, Va., Ottawa, Montreal and Nottingham, England.

Calgary’s Blank-Fest will feature sets by All Else Fails, Dreams of Reason, Million Dollar Fix, Septembryo, Alkatine and more.

Admission to Blank-Fest is a blanket or gently used winter clothing, which will be donated to The Mustard Seed.

Cash donations will also be accepted.

For more information, check out Blank-Fest’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BlankFest.Calgary or go to www.blindbeggarpub.com - By Lisa Wilton ,Calgary Sun

“If I hear that Paul McCartney Christmas song one more time, I’m going to scream.”



Gordie Johnson is no fan of the ex-Beatle’s perky 1979 holiday hit Wonderful Christmastime and, in fact, finds much of the contemporary Christmas music canon pretty dismal.

But the lead singer and guitarist for recently revived blues/rock/reggae band Big Sugar says he had no interest in adding his own holiday song to the mix.

That is until he heard a demo — sent to him by a Windsor, Ont., songwriter — which contained a dirty little ditty called If Santa Don’t Bring You No Funk.

“It was the funniest Christmas song I’d ever heard in my life,” says Johnson.

“It’s so dirty and so wrong and so funky. I passed it around to friends saying, ‘You have to hear this.’ ”

According to Johnson, the song has been going over exceedingly well each night on the band’s current cross-Canada tour, which comes to the Century Casino Showroom on Saturday night.

“People have been killing themselves laughing,” he says. Despite the positive response to Big Sugar’s first holiday offering, Johnson isn’t sure he wants to follow it up with full Christmas record.

“I don’t know if I have enough material to sustain an album of seasonal favourites,” he says, laughing.

Johnson has a lot on his plate anyway.

He’s been busy promoting Revolution Per Minute, Big Sugar’s first album in eight years, and is also playing bass with Saskatoon blues rockers Wide Mouth Mason.

He joined the band after its bass player quit halfway through recording its new album, No Bad Days, which Johnson produced.

“We had such a great time playing, so I decided to stay in the band,” he says.

WMM is opening for Big Sugar on this tour, meaning Johnson is pulling double duty each night.

That’s a lot of songs for Johnson to remember, but as he puts it, it’s “the least of my job. That’s easy because the songs all come from the heart,” he says. “The 21-, 22-hours of travel every day is what they pay me for.”

• • •

On Saturday, a dozen local bands will do their part to help the city’s homeless.

The inaugural Blank-Fest takes place at the Blind Beggar Pub, 5211 Macleod Tr. S.W., starting at 2 p.m.

The annual benefit concert was first held in New York in 1997 and has since grown to include events in Milwaukee, Richmond, Va., Ottawa, Montreal and Nottingham, England.

Calgary’s Blank-Fest will feature sets by All Else Fails, Dreams of Reason, Million Dollar Fix, Septembryo, Alkatine and more.

Admission to Blank-Fest is a blanket or gently used winter clothing, which will be donated to The Mustard Seed.

Cash donations will also be accepted.

For more information, check out Blank-Fest’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BlankFest.Calgary or go to www.blindbeggarpub.com - By Lisa Wilton ,Calgary Sun

ndie403 is thrilled to present Septembryo as our Featured Artist of the Month!
Overview

With fate on their side and a passionate drive, Septembryo has found their niche in the Calgary music scene and is continuing to blow audiences away with their talent. Following their dreams and creating new ones along the way is what drives the heart and soul of this incredibly unique group. Combining other-worldly sounds with rocking beats gives them a twist that keeps their die-hard fans wanting more. Listening to Septembryo is an experience like no other, and they like to keep it that way. With new ideas brewing and a continuous list of goals to be reached, Septembryo’s fate is sure to be in good hands.
The Band

Whether it was written in the stars, or just sheer luck, Septembryo was created with a common passion: Music. The band, now consisting of Michael 8, Mickey Valenz, and Nolan Kelly, has always stayed true to creating good tunes. All three of the members knew each other from high school, but didn’t fully connect musically until after wards. Michael recalls one afternoon following a couple girls into the music room to hear Nolan play guitar. Hearing him play his version of Suicidal Dream that day instantly sparked a feeling in Michael that the two of them would one day create music together. They reconnected in 2004 and realized after a couple jam sessions that the musical relationship was meant to be. Now Michael states that he would never want anyone but Nolan as his bass player. They admit it is almost a little weird to have such a perfect musical connection between them.

Along the way, Mickey had stayed involved in the music scene through other bands and projects he pursued out of high school. At first, Mickey was invited to help Michael and Nolan out with the occasional song, but it soon became clear that all the contributions he was making were gold. The addition of Mickey to the group seemed all too right and since joining forces, the three have never looked back.

The name Septembryo originated from Michael 8’s first version of the band when he was just out of high school. It stems from the month he was born because he is a firm believer in fate, and he believes he was born to create music. Even though the initial Septembryo didn’t work out, he decided to keep the name alive. Even when he was performing as a solo artist, the name followed him and now he feels that the true Septembryo has been formed.

From the moment the three members decided to go through with the band, they set solid goals for themselves and wasted no time getting to work. They began experimenting with their sounds together and eventually were able to create an incredibly unique mesh of alternative rock and electro-pop that is an un-worldly experience like no other.
Looking Forward

After the incredible success of their first EP titled Dreambuilder, Septembryo has set their sights on a few goals ahead of them. Initially aiming to launch a new album this spring, they have now decided to focus on a new way of releasing music to their fans. They realized that a lot of the time, people buy albums based on one song they’ve heard in the hopes that the rest of it would be as good. Now, what Septembryo has decided to do, is release single songs throughout each month to their fans, through online sources such as iTunes. At shows, they will have iTunes drop cards for purchasing, which will give people access to their whole library of songs, and allow them to pick and choose the songs they really want. This idea is a great alternative and creates a better connection between the band and their fans. It will also allow them to see what songs are popular and what the fans want to hear at each show.

That being said, Septembryo is still looking towards putting together a new album in the future. And for this next album, they have big plans. Continuously building their sound and creating new songs, they are now at a point where they really want to kick it up to the next level. They are firm believers in giving purpose to their music, whether it’s in their live performance or on their albums; and feel that they want to create a combination of tracks that flow with meaning and create an inspiring central theme for people to connect to.

On the horizon, Septembryo is gearing up for some kick-ass live performances. Amping up the energy and using new technology has added new sonic sounds and animation to their performances that they promise are going to hit the audience in the face (in a good way). They’ve delved into a new level of electro-sound that audiences will not only hear, but will feel in their chests.

If you’d like a piece of the action, they’ll be letting loose this April at a variety of locations including competing in this year’s Blind Beggar Original Music Showcase on April 15, and performing in one of their biggest events to date, the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo with a rare special unplugged performance at Exp - www.indie403.com

The first annual Blankfest Calgary – a benefit concert that raised blankets for homeless people – is being heralded as a huge success by organizers.

“I am overwhelmed at the success of our very first Blank-Fest Calgary. It is thanks to an incredible team that made this happen, so many people to thank, the list is very long,” said lead organizer and tour booker at SIN Agency Leanne Harrison.

“I am so proud of the Indie Music community and their fans in Calgary for bringing it out, rocking it out and giving to those that are going to have an extremely long winter.”

The 12 hour, 12 band concert was held November 5 at the Blind Beggar Pub in the city’s northeast, raising 200 blankets and close to $1,000 for The Mustard Seed. The hard rock, hip-hop. alternative and metal bands that took part in the concert included local talent and bands from Edmonton and B.C.

All proceeds from Blankfest Calgary were donated to the Mustard Seed, a non-profit organization that has been caring for the needs of the less fortunate since 1984, through its three centres across Alberta. The organization delivers basic services such as housing and employment programs to those in need and partners with the community to address the root causes of poverty.

“Blank-Fest was nothing short of amazing,” said Simone Brown of The Mustard Seed. “The support we received was tremendous. We are extremely grateful for community leaders like Leanne who see a need and step right up to address it.”

Preparations are underway for next year’s charity concert, Harrison says.

“The night was so much more than we expected for our first year and we are already making plans for the second annual event,” she said.

The lineup of bands included:

Grime House (Airdrie AB) – Hip Hop/ Metal
Stella (Vancouver BC) – Alternative/ Metalcore
All Else Fails (Edmonton AB) – Metalcore

Open Air – (Calgary, AB) – Hard Rock

Dreams of Reason (Calgary AB) – Alternative Rock
Alkatine (Calgary AB) – Hard Rock
King Dylan (Calgary AB) – Pop/ Hip Hop
Jung People (Calgary AB) – Progressive
Bloom (Calgary AB) – Reggae/ Dub/ Blues
Septembryo (Calgary AB) – Pop/ Alternative
Million Dollar Fix (Calgary AB) – Rock
Same Monkey (Calgary AB) – Alternative - Christopher Walsh

At a time of year known for stress, anxiety and unavoidable family quarrels, nothing is more welcome than a lighthearted and energy-filled escape from the real world. The Dreambuilder, the debut EP from Calgary super-band Septembryo, is exactly what we need right now. It’s catchy, mood-elevating and almost trancelike, making even the most bitter family events tolerable.

Released in September 2011, the album has only four tracks, but like most EPs it is a delicious taste test of the multi-course meal that will come on the future full-length album. Septembryo is a tricky band to describe, but it’s an interesting combination of electro-alt-rock-pop: think of a marriage between Head Automatica and 30 Seconds to Mars, adding the occasional love affairs with Daft Punk, Incubus and bands like Mariana’s Trench. An interesting collection, but somehow it works.

All these sounds combine to make something unique and actually enjoyable to listen to. The percussion, bass, guitar, synthetic sounds and vocals come together really well, floating between electronic pop and some darker ambience and offering a glimpse of some stellar musical talent. These are good songs for a movie soundtrack: they’re great on their own but even better as an accompaniment to some other action, whether in the bedroom (ahem) or just walking down the street.

The real impact of Septembryo is felt after a few listens. The album is great to listen to (you’ll dance, you’ll sing, you’ll bust out some air drums) but it’s a few hours later when you can’t stop humming “Affirmations” that you really begin to realise its impact. It’s as though the tracks cunningly work their way into your brain, only to appear when you least expect it. Like it or not, you’ve got to admit it’s a sign of good songwriting and a pretty meaningful accomplishment. These are good songs; they’re different, and once you fall in love with Septembryo’s sound, it’s a near-guarantee that they will become a regular fixture on your playlist and songs you will actually listen to.

Now is the time to buy the album! As a special Christmas treat, Septembryo is offering their EP for half price (only $5!) until December 26 – pick it up on iTunes or if you’re one of us audiophiles who love an actual disc, get one here! Go take a look at the band’s website, too, and spread the news around with some holiday cheer. After all, isn’t music a better gift than a pair of slippers? - indie403.com

"A pro blend of pop and rock"
-Mike Bell (Calgary Herald)

"(Septembryo) is so good at blending different genres"
Matt Berry (x92.9FM)

"Like a musical version of The X-Files"
-Rich Ward (11islouderthan10.com)

"Now here's a nice rendition, mixed with more rock but keeping the feel of the song"
-Elvis Prusic (Muchmusic.com)

"This band, like the truth, is out there!"
-Buzzfeed

"His Strongest Work yet"
-Trevor Morelli (Beatroute) - Various