Music
Press
October 11, 2007
Graham Rockingham
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 11, 2007)
Showtime
What: The C+C Music Festival, featuring 20 local acts at four different clubs in downtown Hamilton, presented by C101.5 and 93.3 CFMU
When: Saturday, doors open at 9 p.m.
The Casbah, (306 King St. W.): The Orphans, The Lovebolt, The Rest, Prologic, The Racket
The Casbah Lounge, (306 King St. W.): Matthew Paxton, Michelle Titian, Drew Smith, Queen Cee, Crown A' Thornz
Club Absinthe (233 King St. E.): In Silent Code, The Mississippi Kings, Holiday, Neighbourhood Noise, Tell The Drivers
Pepper Jack Cafe, (38 King William St.): Circuit Breaker, The Feels, Dan Griffin, Charlemagne, Chris Briscoe
Admission: $5 at the door of each club, first 100 will also receive the double CD, Everybody Dance Now, Songs From Hamilton, Vol. 2
Six months ago, Brian Melo was just another denizen of Hamilton's club scene.
You may have seen his band, Stoked, in the listings under places like The Casbah and The Pepper Jack Cafe, but chances are you didn't.
Now Melo is big news, Canadian Idol. The city has even designated tomorrow Brian Melo Day. Mayor Fred Eisenberger will be honouring him at a free event tomorrow at 5:45 p.m. on the Jackson Square Rooftop Plaza. And there'll be people lining up to get his autograph at noon at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel.
But wouldn't it have been a lot cooler to have been able to say you knew him in the clubs way before everyone else discovered him on national TV?
Well, it's too late for that. On Saturday, however, you can get a start on finding the next big thing to come out of the Hamilton club scene.
Lucky for you, the program directors of Hamilton's two campus radio stations are making it easy for you. For the second year in a row Jamie Tennant of 93.3 CFMU FM (McMaster) and Jamie "Gunner" Smith of C101.5 FM have teamed up to present the C + C Music Festival.
The two have brought together more than 20 of their favourite local acts -- ranging from rock to folk to soul and hip-hop -- in their three favourite Hamilton clubs (four if you count the Casbah Lounge, connected to the Casbah) Saturday for one night of fine music.
"We're working together to help promote Hamilton music," says Smith.
"We've always wanted a good reason to work together with CFMU. Both radio stations are allies rather than competitors and it makes sense to become partners for a great cause."
Last year, about 800 music fans enjoyed the first ever C + C Music Festival. This year they're expecting more. There's no wristband policy. Just show up at the venue of your choice -- The Casbah, Club Absinthe and the Pepper Jack Cafe -- and pay $5 at the door.
The Casbah features a strong pop-rock lineup that includes The Racket and The Rest, two bands with songs that are hard to resist.
If you want a more intimate setting, cross next door into the Casbah Lounge where songwriters like Matt Paxton, Michelle Titian, Drew Smith and Queen Cee will be performing.
Club Absinthe has a harder edge to its lineup which includes Silent Code, The Mississippi Kings and Holiday.
You can also scoot over to the The Pepper Jack for the catchy rhythms of Charlemagne, a band that had its start in the halls of McMaster University. Also on the bill is a band called The Feels, who just happened to be one of Brian Melo's local favourites (they're also performing as the warm-up act tomorrow at the Melo ceremonies on the Jackson Square rooftop plaza).
The two radio stations have also put together for the second-year in a row a two-disc compilation CD, called Everybody Dance Now, Songs From Hamilton, Vol. 2, featuring 41 songs from 41 very diverse acts.
The disc is a remarkable document and a tribute to the vast wealth of talent in this city. It's the sort of CD you could play all night at a party without getting anyone too upset.
Everybody Dance is an extremely limited edition and will be handed out free to the first hundred or so guests who arrive at the C + C Festival.
- The Hamilton Spectator
Discography
Iron Lion Mixtape (promotional CD released Summer 'o6)
Iron Lion Mixtape Version 2.0 (extended promotional CD released Fall 'o6)
Natty Ride Out (Single released Fall 'o6 - over a hundred commercial radio spins, extensive college radio play, featured in short film)
Think It Over (Follow-up single released Winter 'o6 -commerical and college radio spins)
Hell In A Handbasket (Single released Summer 'o7 - commercial and college radio spins, featured on several DJ-produced mixtapes)
Not Just Another (Single released Fall 'o7, received commercial and college radio spins across Canada, featured on C + C Music Festival compilation called 'Everybody Dance Now: Songs From Hamilton Vol. 1')
Got To Get It (single included on Everybody Dance Now: Songs From Hamilton Vol. 2 - Fall '08)
Children of the Thorn Mixed CD (Oct. 15, 2009)
Core A Nation album (February 9, 2010)
Photos
Bio
From the deep to the soul reality of a generation spawned by the era of the original b-boy comes Crown A Thornz; thought purveyors who create a brand of fly, grown-up hip-hop. They are tempered by roots & culture, forged by inner city life, and shaped by soul, injecting reality on all lyrical levels.
Crown A' Thornz is a creative collective featuring members, J Wyze, Eklipz, & Kolor Brown. Together they create music that inspires reflection and conversation while making heads nod. Their sound is unique to the experience of 'the first of the last generation'. The first generation of Caribbean parents who found their way to North America with dreams of a better life, and the last generation of the foundation Hip hop era.
Crown A' Thornz is consciousness music that addresses grown up issues about life, love, and trying to do better. It's hustle music that speaks to the difficulties of the urban black male. It's soul music to a generation that struggles for a better future. It's hip hop music that is needed as an alternative to the material driven, commercial mainstream.
The union of these storytellers is a result of lifelong relationships with music and the foresight of a man who recognized an untapped potential in three, talented, individual artists. DTS, the backbone of the longest running hip hop show in Canada, CIUT’s ‘The Master Plan’ (89.5 fm), and co-founder of 2004 Justos Mix Tape Award winner, the Soul Controllers sound crew, was the connecting point for Kolor Brown, Eklipz and J Wyze. The union of these artists, and DTS’ vision of a trio of emcees and musicians with the ability to blaze both live shows and the recording booth evolved into Crown A Thornz.
2006 saw the spring and summer releases of the well-received mixed CD series, Iron Lion vol. 1 and 2, featuring the singles ‘Natty Ride Out’ and ‘Think It Over’ (both of which garnered commercial and college radio spins across Ontario). ‘Natty Ride Out’ would also go on to be featured in ‘Unspoken Promise’, a short film by Lumanity Productions Inc. and Sad But True Productions. 2007 was just as productive with the release of ‘Hell In A Hand Basket’ (featured in Flow 93.5 fm’s popular ‘Northern Touch’ segment) and the addition of ‘Not Just Another’ to Everybody Dance Now: Songs From Hamilton Vol. 1 and regular rotation on Flow 93.5 and other urban commercial/college stations. In the meantime, Crown A Thornz has opened lived for EPMD, KRS-One, Jeru the Damaja, Kardinal Offishal Supernatural and Akrobatik. In August of 2009 they performed at The Urban Music Festival to rave reviews , unveiling their new single 'Standin' Tall' for those in attendance to hear.
They are currently putting the finishing touches on their debut independent album 'Core A Nation' featuring production by Kolor Brown and Spott Music Producers Tra Boogie & Stevie Talent. Core A Nation is scheduled for release on Feb. 9th, 2010.
For more info, pictures, music and merchandise check out our website: http://crownathornz.ca
Links
