Kirby
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Kirby

Burlington, Ontario, Canada | INDIE

Burlington, Ontario, Canada | INDIE
Band Pop Singer/Songwriter

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Promter Review"

By performing at our venue many times, and in many formats, Kirby has proven always to deliver a breath-taking show. For such a modest, soft-spoken person, he delivers heart-felt stories and experiences through a sweet melodic explosion which few can argue will keep them captivated and wanting more. Truely a fine example of what good song writing is all about! - Ken Corke- Promoter, Legendary Red Rooster, Burlington, ON


"Promter Review"

By performing at our venue many times, and in many formats, Kirby has proven always to deliver a breath-taking show. For such a modest, soft-spoken person, he delivers heart-felt stories and experiences through a sweet melodic explosion which few can argue will keep them captivated and wanting more. Truely a fine example of what good song writing is all about! - Ken Corke- Promoter, Legendary Red Rooster, Burlington, ON


"MIX MASTER"


When his band, First Time Fallen, decided to take a break last January, lead singer and guitarist John Kirby wanted to explore what life was like outside of the band construct. The results are a burgeoning solo career and a new label he’s begun with his roommate Jon Clement.
“We wanted to start a label of sorts,” explains Kirby. “It’s more of a collective and a functioning entity to put my music behind, network with other bands and build our own community and help those in others.
“I’m as broke as the next musician,” he adds. “But I felt I have taken a lot from the community and never really sown any seeds myself. The label is more or less trying to build community amongst the people we work with. We honestly don't think we even know what the big goal is behind the label right now other than to help bands, network, help promote music we like and provide another faucet for new music to flow from in the area. Careen and Barrage Records has already released one collection of artists on their debut compilation, Mix Tape Volume 1, and this weekend Kirby and company offer up a growing company, with new promotions person Ashley Babics, and the second installment compilation.
“We are in an era of sharing though I guess we've always been,” ruminates Kirby. “When MP3s first came out, people would burn mixes for their friends to share new stuff they'd discovered. I thought calling the comp a Mix Tape... well, it’s instantly identifiable as being a collection of material you’ve probably not heard, or the best of something you’ve never heard.
“When you'd make mix tapes or CDs for your friends, you always wanted to put on what you thought were your favorite tracks and that's all we've done here. Mix Tape Vol. 2 is the first with a theme though; we wanted to go all acoustic-ish with it, partially because with my own material I'm meeting more and more acoustic acts and there’s a ton of great music in that genre.”
Clement and Babics headed up compiling Mix Tape Vol. 2 including tracks this time out from Trevor Howard, Robyn Dell’Unto, The Subterraneans and more with a plan to have the compilation also available online at www.candberecords.com for download.
Kirby’s own CDEPs, The Good Fight and Within These Walls, are available on C&B and with the help of Joey Balducchi’s Spherical Productions, Kirby is going out west twice this summer with Ashley Sloggett and then again with Blind Mule. “We'll be playing across the country and it is hands down the coolest thing I have yet to do,” smiles Kirby. “I've always wanted to tour and it's the only way to make any sort of impact as a musical artist. Get your butt in a van and hit the road. Now we get to put C&B Records to work learning about how to promote a tour and help our artists, even if it is me on the road.
“I'm learning a lot not just about music and the industry the more I take on, whether it be shows or label things,” he adds. “The compilations are helping to build some credibility for C&B, help us be known in the community as a collective or entity that can put out some good tunes, provide good times and just go from there I guess. The main goal is to just help us be known as a supportive community label that likes to put out cool new music.”

- View MAgazine - Ric Taylor


"MIX MASTER"


When his band, First Time Fallen, decided to take a break last January, lead singer and guitarist John Kirby wanted to explore what life was like outside of the band construct. The results are a burgeoning solo career and a new label he’s begun with his roommate Jon Clement.
“We wanted to start a label of sorts,” explains Kirby. “It’s more of a collective and a functioning entity to put my music behind, network with other bands and build our own community and help those in others.
“I’m as broke as the next musician,” he adds. “But I felt I have taken a lot from the community and never really sown any seeds myself. The label is more or less trying to build community amongst the people we work with. We honestly don't think we even know what the big goal is behind the label right now other than to help bands, network, help promote music we like and provide another faucet for new music to flow from in the area. Careen and Barrage Records has already released one collection of artists on their debut compilation, Mix Tape Volume 1, and this weekend Kirby and company offer up a growing company, with new promotions person Ashley Babics, and the second installment compilation.
“We are in an era of sharing though I guess we've always been,” ruminates Kirby. “When MP3s first came out, people would burn mixes for their friends to share new stuff they'd discovered. I thought calling the comp a Mix Tape... well, it’s instantly identifiable as being a collection of material you’ve probably not heard, or the best of something you’ve never heard.
“When you'd make mix tapes or CDs for your friends, you always wanted to put on what you thought were your favorite tracks and that's all we've done here. Mix Tape Vol. 2 is the first with a theme though; we wanted to go all acoustic-ish with it, partially because with my own material I'm meeting more and more acoustic acts and there’s a ton of great music in that genre.”
Clement and Babics headed up compiling Mix Tape Vol. 2 including tracks this time out from Trevor Howard, Robyn Dell’Unto, The Subterraneans and more with a plan to have the compilation also available online at www.candberecords.com for download.
Kirby’s own CDEPs, The Good Fight and Within These Walls, are available on C&B and with the help of Joey Balducchi’s Spherical Productions, Kirby is going out west twice this summer with Ashley Sloggett and then again with Blind Mule. “We'll be playing across the country and it is hands down the coolest thing I have yet to do,” smiles Kirby. “I've always wanted to tour and it's the only way to make any sort of impact as a musical artist. Get your butt in a van and hit the road. Now we get to put C&B Records to work learning about how to promote a tour and help our artists, even if it is me on the road.
“I'm learning a lot not just about music and the industry the more I take on, whether it be shows or label things,” he adds. “The compilations are helping to build some credibility for C&B, help us be known in the community as a collective or entity that can put out some good tunes, provide good times and just go from there I guess. The main goal is to just help us be known as a supportive community label that likes to put out cool new music.”

- View MAgazine - Ric Taylor


"HAMILTON MUSIC NOTES"

IT’S JOHN KIRBY

While he’s currently on tour across Canada in support of his
second CDEP, The Good Fight, the record company John Kirby
began is gearing up for a big show that hopes to add to the
events going on with the Burlington Sound of Music Festival this
weekend.
While the festival has developed a reputation for not only
supporting Canadian but also a wealth of Burlington and Hamilton
based bands (this year like Tomi Swick and Silverstein), Kirby and
his partner Jon Clément thought that C&B Records could add to
the musical mix. “The tour is going great,” exclaims Kirby on the
phone from Medicine Hat, Alberta in the midst of his tour with
Ashley Sloggett. “It’s been a lot of driving and we’ve met some of
the nicest people in the entire country. It’s kind of like getting my
first tattoo, I knew it was going to hurt but it’d be cool in the end.
But I’m coming back just in time for the unofficial main stage my
record company is putting on.
“I applied to Sound of Music and just happened to not get in
— which is completely cool,” he adds on the impetus for the idea.
“I played it last year and the year before with my band First Time
Fallen and for whatever reason didn’t make it this year. But I
figured we had enough room outside of our apartment downtown
and we’re right by the festival. We cleared it with our landlord of
the C&B Records offices — which is also our apartment — and we
figured why not? We just gathered a bunch of acts that didn’t get
in and the response was great. We just wanted to do something
fun and kind of help out some people.”
The C&B Stage will feature 17 local acts performing
acoustically over two days with a charity barbecue simultaneously
raising money for the Autism Society of Canada. With the two
days of fun Kirby will also perform at the newly opened Blue
Lounge in the basement of Burlington’s La Luna Friday night at 10:00 pm for a homecoming of The Good Fight Tour. Clearly, C&B
has got their own kind of festival to compete for attention. “We’re
not trying to compete with them because we’re not an official part
of their festival, reasons Kirby. “We’re just offering a different
thing for people to check out. There are a lot of bands that want
to be a part of this festival so there’s clearly a need for this kind
of thing.
“It’s an eclectic mix of folk to straight up punk but all
acoustic,” adds Kirby. “If you’re down for the Sound of Music
Festival and you want to check it out we’re right at the corner of
Lakeshore and Maple. It’s all free with some band merch and C&B
merch for sale and the charity barbecue for Autism Canada. It’s a
fundraiser–slash–cool acoustic event going on and I get home just
in time to unpack and help set up the stage.” - View Magazine - Ric Taylor


"HAMILTON MUSIC NOTES"

IT’S JOHN KIRBY

While he’s currently on tour across Canada in support of his
second CDEP, The Good Fight, the record company John Kirby
began is gearing up for a big show that hopes to add to the
events going on with the Burlington Sound of Music Festival this
weekend.
While the festival has developed a reputation for not only
supporting Canadian but also a wealth of Burlington and Hamilton
based bands (this year like Tomi Swick and Silverstein), Kirby and
his partner Jon Clément thought that C&B Records could add to
the musical mix. “The tour is going great,” exclaims Kirby on the
phone from Medicine Hat, Alberta in the midst of his tour with
Ashley Sloggett. “It’s been a lot of driving and we’ve met some of
the nicest people in the entire country. It’s kind of like getting my
first tattoo, I knew it was going to hurt but it’d be cool in the end.
But I’m coming back just in time for the unofficial main stage my
record company is putting on.
“I applied to Sound of Music and just happened to not get in
— which is completely cool,” he adds on the impetus for the idea.
“I played it last year and the year before with my band First Time
Fallen and for whatever reason didn’t make it this year. But I
figured we had enough room outside of our apartment downtown
and we’re right by the festival. We cleared it with our landlord of
the C&B Records offices — which is also our apartment — and we
figured why not? We just gathered a bunch of acts that didn’t get
in and the response was great. We just wanted to do something
fun and kind of help out some people.”
The C&B Stage will feature 17 local acts performing
acoustically over two days with a charity barbecue simultaneously
raising money for the Autism Society of Canada. With the two
days of fun Kirby will also perform at the newly opened Blue
Lounge in the basement of Burlington’s La Luna Friday night at 10:00 pm for a homecoming of The Good Fight Tour. Clearly, C&B
has got their own kind of festival to compete for attention. “We’re
not trying to compete with them because we’re not an official part
of their festival, reasons Kirby. “We’re just offering a different
thing for people to check out. There are a lot of bands that want
to be a part of this festival so there’s clearly a need for this kind
of thing.
“It’s an eclectic mix of folk to straight up punk but all
acoustic,” adds Kirby. “If you’re down for the Sound of Music
Festival and you want to check it out we’re right at the corner of
Lakeshore and Maple. It’s all free with some band merch and C&B
merch for sale and the charity barbecue for Autism Canada. It’s a
fundraiser–slash–cool acoustic event going on and I get home just
in time to unpack and help set up the stage.” - View Magazine - Ric Taylor


"Whole Bag of Creepy"

Kirby joins Gunner and Tyler for a second visit to talk about his cross Canada tour with Blind Mule, deaf girl porn and a whole pile of other offensive stuff that probably has no place on a site about music. Kirby plays a couple tunes live in the studio and we also play a whole pile of music from some other artists, here are some links to music in this episode:

http://www.steelcitymusic.ca/node/875 - Steel City Music Podcast


"Whole Bag of Creepy"

Kirby joins Gunner and Tyler for a second visit to talk about his cross Canada tour with Blind Mule, deaf girl porn and a whole pile of other offensive stuff that probably has no place on a site about music. Kirby plays a couple tunes live in the studio and we also play a whole pile of music from some other artists, here are some links to music in this episode:

http://www.steelcitymusic.ca/node/875 - Steel City Music Podcast


Discography

Within These Walls EP- released February 1, 2007
The Good Fight EP- released March 19, 2008

Photos

Bio

The hooks are barbed. The lyrics bite hard enough to break the skin. And the soul of a resigned heart booms out in a powerful voice – far bigger than the stature of the man from which it comes. This is Kirby – and his emotionally, and spiritually captivating, new EP The Good Fight.

The former leader of a once powerful empire – now walks alone. The ghosts of melodies have been stripped from a maroon telecaster – and now inhabit a converted left hand acoustic guitar.

The Good Fight is a bold, and often frank, examination of a painful past that stabs in stereo. These melodies of catharsis – in a lilting, albeit somber elegance embody both resolution -- and hope for the path Kirby now walks.

There’s bitter-sweet remorse in the painting of each haunting scene pulled from the ether. It would be overwhelmingly morose – if it wasn’t so god damn honest.

Kirby takes The Good Fight to the people. With tours across Canada the empire is being rebuilt. And with dates in the U.S. and Europe in the works – the empire will soon stretch globally. And the voice will become all consuming.

The Good Fight Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5m_93ZVt--Y