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"Jon's CMW trip"

"Entry 3"

by Jon Bruhm

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Monday, March 07, 2005
Entry Number Eight (The Last One)
Throughout Canadian Music Week 2005, I took in 36 performances at 12 venues. Some were amazing, and others were...not so amazing. Here are my picks for the Top 10 bands/artists of CMW 2005:

10) The Arsoncityscape (London, ON) @ Reverb - These guys are so young, and have so much potential. Keep an eye out for them.
9) Fruit (Adelaide, Australia) @ Holy Joe's - A clear-cut reason why you shouldn't judge a band based on one song. An acoustic trio with more in its aresenal than plain old folk tunes.
8) Mardeen (Cape Breton) @ The Rivoli - These guys could be huge. They have good songs, they're fun, and one of them looks like Jimmy Kimmel. What's not to like?
7) Ben Lee (Sydney, Australia) @ Reverb - He and Claire Danes probably split up because he's so socially awkward, but he's a great musician and a gifted songwriter.
6) The Mark Inside (Whitby, Ontario) @ The Horseshoe Tavern - Ian Blurton, Aaron Brophy and Chris Corless all guaranteed me that I'd like these guys, and they were all correct. All over the musical map, they already have a pretty steady fanbase, and are on the verge of something big.
5) Limblifter (Vancouver, British Columbia) @ The 360 - It's not 1996 anymore, but don't bother telling Ryan Dahle, because he'll show you otherwise. While their latest album isn't as good as their first two, and the band has had more lineup changes than Spinal Tap, they're still a great act.
4) The Sourkeys (Waterloo, ON) @ Club Rockit - The sound for this particular show was pretty bad, especially the vocals, but the show was still great. This band should be huge.
3) Ryan Luchuck (Toronto, ON) @ The Drake Hotel - The fast and furious pianoman sings songs that you'll instantly relate to, no matter which background you come from. His live show is also well-oiled, and fun to watch.
2) C'Mon (Toronto, ON) @ The Horseshoe Tavern/Bovine Sex Club - You can't deny that Ian Blurton is Canada's rock n' roll wizard. Everything he touches is magic, and slapping him in an ensemble with Katie-Lynn Campbell (ex-Nashville Pussy) and Randy Curnew (ex-Blurtonia) will kick your ass every time. C'Mon's the only band that I saw more than once at CMW 2005, and for good reason!
1) The Waking Eyes (Winnipeg, MB) @ The Horseshoe Tavern - There's no denying this one. Hands down, the best performance of this year's festival. The songs that sound so good on record ("Beginning," "Watch Your Money," "On A Train") are even better live, and they pump 'em out straight from the gut.

And there you have it - that's it for The Coast's coverage of CMW 2005. Thanks for reading about my misadventures. I'd also like to thank Aaron Brophy, Cam Carpenter, Kerry Goulding, Sean MacGillivray, MIANS, Anne Oakley, Kyle Shaw, Tara Thorne for all of their help, and the Li family for the hospitality, and for putting up with my irregular hours.

Stay tuned to The Coast for our next blogerrific adventure...
posted by jonbruhm at 12:41 PM 2 comments

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Entry Number Seven
Seeing as I went a little overboard this weekend with the showgoing, I decided to spend Sunday in a pretty relaxed capacity. I headed out to lunch with Simon, then back to Sonic Boom to check out the rest of the store. I had to skim the selection, as I didn't have a lot of time, but managed to find The Waking Eyes' first album and Eddie Spaghetti's solo album. I was curious, however, to discover that bands like Bucket Truck, Contrived and Crush were all located in the "local" section.

After a brief lesson in getting lost at Honest Ed's gynormous dollar store, I headed back to the Li household to finish packing my stuff and hauled ass down to the airport shuttle at the Royal York. Upon arriving at the airport, I was informed that my flight was delayed, but not by too much.

I took that time to meander around the airport and saw a couple of music-types (John Mullane, Anna Zee, one of the LeDrew brothers from Brothers In Stereo), and bumped into an old classmate, Jennifer McCann, who ended up being one of my flight attendants.

The flight was pretty smooth, and flew by because I was totally absorbed by the complimentary copy of Rolling Stone that was in my endless bag of crap. I landed, bumped into Steven Bowers and Jill Barber at the airport while waiting for my luggage, then darted home, to bed.

Alright, I've got a little left to say about CMW, so I'll start a new post for that one.
posted by jonbruhm at 11:45 AM 0 comments

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Sunday, March 06, 2005
Entry Number Six
Following an afternoon of lounging around, I was en route to the Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia (MIANS) party at the - The Coast- Jon Braum

"POPMATTER'S GAUGES THE HEAT @ NXNE 2005"

We Just Came for the Wristband
[23 June 2005]
David Marchese examines NXNE, the uneven blessings of talent and exposure, and the slippery notion of success.

by David Marchese
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Part One | Part Two

Junior Pantherz look for all the world like three milk-fed, rosy-cheeked prairie innocents. They come from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and their NXNE show was part of the eastern leg of their current tour. It was the third show they would be playing in Toronto in six days. I was not expecting to be blown away. But within 30 minutes—after careening guitar solos, crashing drums, and spacious melodies—the alternately ferocious and gentle music would have me thinking the same thing being yelled by the young women at the back of the club: one more song!

Earlier that night, I had seen two acts—Phattoe and Arsoncityscape—perform in a combination of timeslot and venue that could only be described as a dingy purgatory. Here was something different. Junior Pantherz was playing a showcase set at the chic Drake Hotel. Instead of a random smattering of family, friends, and loiterers, the room was filled with beautiful people.

Where earlier I had been able to easily suss out who in the club was the band and walk right up to them, this time the band was undistinguishable from the rest of the crowd. They seemed to appear out of nowhere when it was time to take to the stage.

I had read in one of the local weeklies that “most bands only dream about the kind of success the Junior Pantherz enjoy.” The band has released four albums and opened for the Pixies and Modest Mouse. After hearing the Junior Pantherz play, their skill and charisma proved that they’ve got something even more powerful than exposure for other bands to envy.

Bringing a fresh jolt of energy to the power trio format, they married drifting melodies to violent guitar jamming. Before the first song was over, it was clear these guys were a different order of musicians. Their charisma filled the room as every song had a sense of drama and dynamics and every note was played with purpose. The crowd loved it. Two or three times, in the midst of a heavy guitar jam, I can honestly say that the band’s spirit approached that hallowed place where Jimi and Zeppelin learned to live.

A festival like NXNE is not just about music. Music is a means to an end. NXNE is about success. The industry hopes for success to keep feeding itself, the artists hope for success so they can feed themselves better, and the critics hope to find the next great success so they can feed off the buzz of a hot discovery. Hearing music that brings a smile to your face or a tear to your eye is but a value-added benefit.

The logistics of the event don’t necessarily make the best music most accessible. Bands deemed worthy get showcase slots at trendy venues and carry the attendant buzz. Others find themselves playing ramshackle venues in timeslots unlikely to attract anyone other than the most curious and dedicated. It’s painfully obvious that these acts are nothing more than the undercard to the main events.

What, in this context, might success mean? An established band playing a rapturously packed show? A go-nowhere band able to get in a little more fun before the real world comes and takes it away? An obscure band making at least one more fan? A band of fifteen year-olds out late playing music on a school night? A free festival pass and a shot at a dream?

If you want to sell a festival featuring largely unknown acts, you’ve got to have volume. Realistically, how many acts is someone going to see? I was exhausted by the time Sunday came around and I had gone to perhaps 15 different performances. But try selling a wristband to someone on the basis of 15 unknown acts. It’s not going to work. Offer the consumer 400 acts and you’ve got something.

What you’ve got, aside from a better marketing plan, is a lot of filler.

Phattoe is a band Calgarians who were penciled into an eight o’clock timeslot at a club that appeals more through its wacky name (The Bovine Sex Club) than the strength of its bookings. The NXNE directory gave them a hopelessly ambitious and passe description: “a catchy style that fuses hard rock, punk, funk, ska, and hip hop.” I asked a pale, red-afro’d dude in the audience whether he had ever heard of Phattoe. He hadn’t. He was at the show because “It’s close to where I wanna be later.”

Was the band aware of its sacrificial status? While waiting to begin their set, I leaned over the partition at the side of the stage and asked the guitarist if he would mind answering a couple questions. Being Canadian, he didn’t.

The guitarist (named either Rob or Ron and a ringer for That 70s Show’s Danny Masterson), happily told me the band had been invited to play at NXNE and had decided to take their payment in the form of a festival pass rather than a $100 fee. This turned out t - David Marchese

"London well represented at NXNE"

London well-represented as NXNE takes it to Eleven
story by Tristan Staddon
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Its not every day youll find 410 bands crammed into one Canadian city. So when you do, and you learn that every one of them are prepared to sing, charm and rock your face off, you dont let anything get in your way. After all, this opportunity, the music and film conference better known as North By Northeast (NXNE), now in its eleventh year, gives you three days to absorb the blow.

So not even the stifling heat, last-minute venue changes or a throat infection [that would later require antibiotics and a week off work to remedy] could dampen our enthusiasm for opening night.

Fresh from an encounter with screamo superstars Alexisonfire at registration, our troupe shifted westward where we ran into hugely-hyped Miltonites, The Most Serene Republic, just before MuchMusic did. Finally arriving at the holy rock triad that houses the Kathedral, the Reverb and Holy Joes, just west of Torontos trendy fashion district, anticipation rose with the thermostat. For some, the excitement got downright primal. The guy beside me mustve been too absorbed in his cell phone conversation to notice the dog vigorously dry-humping his leg. It was time to get started.

First up, in the highest recesses of the building [also known as Holy Joes], rocked Grassy Knoll and the Magic Bullit. Even if the published band listings werent quite ready to acknowledge it. See, even though NXNE demands its applicants submit all of their paperwork early in the year, not every artist receives confirmation right away if at all.

Ours was confirmed eight days before the show, said Grassy Knoll frontman Noel Greaves, whose band was contacted after another band dropped off the bill. Subsequently, the Knoll was only featured in local art listings, not the theoretically all-encompassing NXNE media guide.

We really enjoyed our time, but it wouldve been nice to get what other bands did, Greaves explained. You can only do so much, so you talk about your music with new people and talk to other people about their music, but what did my $75 (submission fee) go to? A few magazines and a carrying bag?

Still, the opportunity to play before an impressive, and attentive, crowd, left Greaves pleased with his bands accomplishments.

Weve played Toronto before to mediocre crowds, he said. But this time it was good. When we arrived, there was a band playing on the street so we were getting a good vibe. I just think it could be less commercial.

Conversely, downstairs at the Kathedral, fellow NXNE first-timers The Arsoncityscape found the set-up quite to their liking. Despite attracting a sizable crowd for their slot, only a handful of the audience members seemed particularly engaged by the quintets emo-rock onslaught. But, as bassist Eric Richardson said, its who was watching that mattered most. Even if the timing couldve been better.

Our manager, Chuck Dailey from the Salads, made the trip and he was up front videotaping us, so that was pretty cool, said Richardson. I missed like two days [of school] just to play this show, which sucks because its not a good time to be missing school. But EMI was pretty impressed and theyre going to come out and see us in London some time soon.

Widely regarded as an industry festival, the band who are all still in high school and were easily the youngest band playing this years festival - still had to feel awfully flattered by the major label attention.

We were just excited to be there, said Richardson. It was our very first show with our new guitarist, Devon Abraham. Wed played a couple of high school shows to see how hed do, and he was very cool and comfortable.

Similarly subdued, but different in almost every other way, were London punk legends 63 Monroe, who spent their evening getting Punk and Disorderly at Sneaky Dees. Led by flamboyant frontman Steven R. Stunning (ne Scott Bentley), the band celebrated their silver anniversary in style. For those doing the math, 63 Monroe have been a band about 10 years longer than the Arsoncityscape have been alive.

Clad in a snazzy quilt and no less than three belts, Stunning also braved the heat and donned a pair of striking knee-high boots to honour festival guest David Johansen of the New York Dolls.

Those are my patent red leather boots, said Stunning, a supervisor at Sterling in St. Thomas under the guise of daylight. I wore em as my tribute to the Dolls. Theyre hot, but they look good.

On the heels of an apparent hiatus, so did his band. By the end of their set, Stunning had stripped off his dress shirt, tossed glitter and sparkles all over the stage and wound up rolling in the rest of them.

I thought it was great! he exclaimed. You dont know anyone there, be it the soundman or anybody with the venues, but I didnt pull - SCENE Magazine

Discography

The Arsoncityscape EP-2006

Upcomming full-length- 2008

Photos

Bio

Formed at the culmination of what was 90s rock, The Arsoncityscape have a fine tuned pop sensibility which they blend with a modern sophistication to create their own distinguished brand of rock.

While rising in the London, Ontario music scene, the band has been informed by a variety of influences, notably on an individual basis, which has driven their music in a variety of creative directions.

On guitar, Rory MacGregor and Devon Abraham primarily draw influence from the pop rock and alternative genres, providing both melodically and rhythmically driven guitar-work. Though subtle at times, the complexity of the guitars is essential to the unique mood of each song, and the layered, upbeat interactions between lead and rhythm.

Kaes Verweel provides the band with the persistent drive in their sound, by way of his lively and eclectic bass playing. Paired with the intricate rhythmic stylings of drummer Alex Caron, the two add unique and pivital texture to The Arsoncityscape’s sound.

Oriol never ceases to amaze the band, and despite taking what seems like an eternity to come up with a melody, it’s always worth the wait. With a defined history in acting and an even greater education in vocal training it’s no surprise that he is constantly striving to out do himself. Perfection is what he strives for, and a lasting impression is what he intends to leave on his audiences.

After securing some government funding from FACTOR, the band has recorded seven tracks with producer Dan Brodbeck and have independently released their first demo cd which is currently causing a buzz in the industry. The band has played hundreds of shows over the last five years and have shared the stage with the likes of Sparta, Anberlin and Midtown. The future of This young and talented group apears to be bright as they continue touring and are planning for the release of a full length album due in 2008.

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