This Side of Town

An arts festival run by youth, for youth, Momentum has run many events related to the great performing arts community encompassing Greater Vancouver. One of the shows they organized was a concert featuring four local bands, each with a varying degree of genre and spectacle. I had seen three of the bands before, and it was quite interesting watching them under these circumstances.
The whole show was hosted by two teenagers who had helped organize many of the events. Although seeming understandably nervous, the two did a fine job of MC-ing and giving some information on the performers. They also informed us of other events being put on by Momentum in the future. Props to them.

Opening were local pop-punk legends This Side of Town. I’ve seen these guys multiple times and am used to seeing them in smaller venues with less of a stage – it was neat seeing them elevated in a theatre and what kind of performance they could make with that. They opened with a cool voice-over mocking an airplane landing at a destination of “this side of town” before launching into their first song. As always, TSOT put on a fantastic performance – their raw stage energy, powerful vocals and instruments, and ability to light up the area suggests they’ll be playing on more big stages in the future.

Next was Allüvium, a band I had never heard of before the show. I loved their set and music in my introduction to the wonderful sound that Allüvium is. I particularly liked the performance of a song about a “green island” – it was slower than the rest of their songs, but incredibly beautiful. Like This Side of Town, the band featured a female vocalist – something that usually goes well in any sort of pop-punk or rock sound, and Alluvium definitely has that. I’ve checked them out online since, and I look forward to seeing them at another concert for sure. Allüvium is definitely a local band to watch out for.

Third on the bill was Jordan Klassen. I’ve only seen them once, opening for We Are The City, and I have to say – they aren’t the greatest. Although they do what they do well, Jordan Klassen seems like a slightly overhyped folk-rock band that’s not uncommon, especially in the Vancouver area. They’re definitely successful and talented, but they don’t have any “Wow!” factor that I saw with the other three bands. It didn’t help that their musical genre was somewhat different from the previous two acts – things had slowed down a bit too much. Nevertheless, I enjoyed their performance, as did the rest of the crowd – they always put on a good show.

A side note here; bands, if you have friends in the audience, please don’t make it too obvious. We’re here to see you sing, not to watch your friends shout stupid things at you on stage. I can imagine many bands don’t like their friends showing off either. It’s a bit uncomfortable and awkward for everyone else (and possibly one of you). If you’re on stage or off stage and know someone on the other end – maybe just ask them to tone it down a little, huh?

Finally, we had one of the best bands in Vancouver perform – Good For Grapes. They’ve been somewhat under the radar for a few years, but gained massive popularity in the last year or two. This included a couple of tours, releasing a full-length album, and headlining the Vogue Theatre for said album’s release. Even more excitingly, at the time of the show they were in the Top 3 of The PEAK Performance Project – an intense showcase of Vancouver bands with the top prize being $102,700. In fact, this show was the last show before Good For Grapes became the winners of said project – and of course, there was little doubt of their victory. I’ve seen them perform many times and it seems they get better with each show. Their music constantly evolves, their stage presence becomes more dynamic, and they get the crowd moving with fast-paced folk melodies. They were like a final copy of Jordan Klassen’s rough draft – they had the “Wow!” factor. I’m proud to have seen them as many times as I have, and I know soon they’ll be up there with the likes of Said the Whale and Hey Ocean! as one of Vancouver’s most respected bands.

Written by: Cazzy Lewchuk - The Permanent Rain Press

It was a mega show. Three prominent local artists on their tour kickoff, one full band all the way from Calgary, and three equally prominent solo artists were the lineup at this concert. It took place at Astorinos, one of my favorite local venues – all-ages and very roomy (unlike some of the other all-ages venues left in Vancouver).
The theme of this show was a Superhero Party. I was pleasantly surprised by how many of the band and audience members participated in dressing up: Astorinos looked more like a comic convention than a typical pop-punk concert. It definitely contributed to an even more fun atmosphere than what was already in store for the night.

Starting us off was Joel Stibbs: one of the musically talented Stibbs brothers, known for his entirely solo and simple music as well as his great sense of humour. He played five or so of his original compositions and warmed the crowd up. In fact, most of us sat down on the floor quietly and listened to just him and his guitar, as if he was a hired entertainer for a children’s birthday party. This is just the type of great guy and performer Joel is.

Next up was Kyle Stibbs, younger brother of Joel and formerly the singer of the now-defunct band Alexander France. I haven’t seen Kyle on his own before, and I was amazed at how much his look and voice has grown in his solo endeavours. As previously performed on YouTube, Kyle did a couple duets with Gabriela “Gabby” Geneva, also a growing solo artist and ex-singer of also-defunct Greentree.

Kyle played some solo tunes and invited Gabby on stage to perform. This was followed by Gabby playing some solo tunes and inviting Kyle up on stage to perform. With guitar accompaniment in parts by Cezar White (also ex-Greentree), the crowd was by now thoroughly warmed up by the three solo acts, and the night was only getting started.

Then came the first full band of the evening, Open Sails. They had just released their self-titled debut album earlier in the month and were on a tour of their own. Hailing from Calgary, AB, I had never seen them before but had listened to their album and was really looking forward to seeing their opening act. They participated in the superhero theme and had five members all together, including female vocalist Joy Lynn - always a great bonus for pop-punk bands. Open Sails ended up wowing all of us that night. About halfway through, they performed a cover of “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” by Fall Out Boy, which may very well have been the best and most memorable part of the night. It was absolutely amazing and a flawless cover.

Well into the night was This Side of Town. They play a lot of shows and I’ve seen them many times, but they never fail to entertain. This tour is their first full one, and they seemed more than ready. Especially noteworthy is the fact they had played a show the night before and did another acoustic one in Abbotsford the next day. They also participated in the superhero theme – in fact, their costumes matched in a “Justice League” DC comics theme. The audience was revved up and very energized by the end of their set a few hours in.

The penultimate act was hard-rockers Within Rust. Featured in the radio station 99.3 The Fox Seeds contest and regular features at Joe’s Apartment, these guys play their own loud melodies along with various rock covers – an absolute favorite of mine, as such. This time the feature was “Stockholm Syndrome” by Muse, which was definitely a good fit for the band’s sound. The lead singer Nolen Scott has a lot of energy and vocal range, which contributes to a great stage presence. It’s noteworthy that the band had to do twice as much work at this show and during the rest of the tour, because they were also the backing band for the final act, Kieran Strange.

Kieran Strange is perhaps as well-known for her place in geek culture and cosplay as she is for her music, which often incorporates elements of video games or other nerdy things. It was genuinely very nice to see her perform again, as she acknowledged on stage she’s felt absent from the local scene lately. It’s equally nice to see her doing another tour, and she will be releasing a new EP very soon. Kieran’s stage presence is as great as ever. She performed a longer set than usual and debuted some new songs – I particularly love “Girl Crush,” which I haven’t heard since last time I saw here in concert almost a year ago.

The night concluded with This Side of Town getting on stage with Kieran and Within Rust and covering “Ain’t It Fun” by Paramore – a true crowd-engaging way to end the long night. If any of the tour shows are half as great as the kickoff was, I know the USA won’t know won’t hit them. Ain’t It Fun? Oh, it was.

Written by: Cazzy Lewchuk - The Permanent Rain Press

Olympia Pizza is a small, easily accessible venue located right by the Surrey Central Skytrain station. I’ve raved in past reviews about its intimacy, convenience, and enjoyability for bands and audiences alike. I won’t drone on about it once again, but just to reiterate, it’s one of my favorite venues.
Entering the place, I found it somewhat empty, considering the usual amount of people who show up for these sort of shows. However, I knew there were five bands on that night, and I knew more people would show up as the night went on. Many new faces were in the crowd, compared to some of the other shows I’ve seen at this venue. This was probably due to the more diverse mix of bands playing.

Up first was Joel Stibbs, a solo singer-songwriter who plays country and rock. Joel comes from a very musical family. Many of his siblings also sing and play instruments, most notably his brother Kyle, singer for Alexander France. Joel is one of my favorite artists to see playing: he puts a lot of energy into every one of his upbeat, catchy songs. He’s also very interactive with the audience before, during, and after the show, with lots of stage banter and talk. Most notable were his many jokes told on stage as part of “Stupid Joke Saturday,” a tradition he keeps up on his Facebook and Twitter accounts every week. Joel is one of the best and nicest guys I know in the local scene, which is also the opinion of many others: he was definitely a crowd favorite. Several declarations of love were shouted at him, some more jokingly than others, including possibly one from yours truly.

Up next was Alexander France, or as I like to call them “that band Joel Stibbs’ brother is in.” Of course, Alexander France have many merits of their own. It was a significant performance for them, as they recorded it for the first time, and have only recently started playing regular shows again after a brief unofficial hiatus. AF are definitely a rising band, and it’s clear 2014 is the year we can see more good things from them. Their actual performance was definitely memorable and catchy, and they had much of the audience singing along during their biggest hit “Disco, Disco.” It was refreshing to see them play again.

Third was by far the show stealers and highlight of the night. Within Rust is a rising group out of Surrey who have never headlined a show, which to me boggles the mind. They don’t have a determined genre, but they play a solid mix of hard and progressive rock. Within Rust is one of my favorite local bands to listen to, but I had never gotten the chance to see them live until that night. They exceeded all my expectations. Their final song of the night was a cover of Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” which rocked the house and left me in awe. It was an amazing performance: true to the original cover and sounding completely solid, which is hard to do with that complex a song on stage. Also of note is lead singer Nolen singing both sets of vocals for the cover solo. Within Rust blew my mind and I can’t wait for their next live performance – 2014 should be a big year for them, too. They’ve even started receiving radio airplay on 99.3 The Fox.

Trace the Sky took the stage next. This concert was their sixth and final EP release concert. Hailing from Nanaimo, it’s impressive to see these guys put in the time and energy to organize all these shows. Despite their clear merit, and the amount of fans who seemed to be in the room, Trace the Sky just isn’t my cup of tea. They’re quite screamo in their genre and vocals, which was a bit of a contrast from the earlier bands. They certainly have a solid stage presence, but their music is too loud for me to truly appreciate.

The last band of the night were the crowd pleasing This Side of Town. Playing one of their first shows since their EP release party at the end of 2013, this pop-rock group brought down the house as always. Although each member adds their own merit, and it’s hard to think of the group without any of its members, special attention must be given to the lead singer Mel. She has wonderful stage presence and charm, dancing solidly around the whole place, interacting just enough with the audience, and she has a close to pitch perfect singing voice. From their cover of Tonight Alive’s cover of Mumford and Son’s “Little Lion Man” to their iconic original “How Many Times,” the entire room rocked out to an impressive finale.

It was a pretty good night.

Written by: Cazzy Lewchuk - The Permanent Rain Press

We had the opportunity to interview local pop rock band This Side of Town earlier this month. Stay tuned to hear the group talk about their band origins, debut EP “#TheStreets,” and favourite part of the Vancouver music scene. - The Permanent Rain Press

Boy, were we in for a treat on a good-weathered Saturday evening. Local label Dangerous Pastry Records was hosting an acoustic evening with some of their roster, along with other favourite local acts. It was our first time hearing any of the artists on the ‘menu,’ and the intimate gathering definitely impressed our palates.

This Side of Town was up first. On lead vocals was Melanie Ast, who greatly impressed us with her pipes. Her pitch was always spot-on, and at one point, she demonstrated she could sing a little country as well. They sang “How Many Times,” their original which is available for free download off their Bandcamp account. It’s extremely catchy, and I liked the lyric exchange between her and bassist Connor (who demonstrated his multiple instrumental talents on violin and keyboard). They also performed a couple of covers including “Rumor Mill” by We Are the In Crowd and “We’ll Be A Dream/Skyway Avenue” by We The Kings. The band’s debut EP will be released this summer, so we’re really stoked for what they have in store!

Set To Stun was the second band to perform. The pop-rock band sang some originals, including “Ain’t Love,” “Live Forever,” and “Circles.” Audrey has a sweet, yet powerful voice with a great vocal range. I didn’t know what to expect from a band that is used to playing great shows on stage (so we’ve heard), but they all did a great job with the acoustic setting. I also enjoyed their covers of “Love Story” and “When I Was Your Man,” featuring Melanie, Kyle (of Alexander France) and Gabriela (of GreenTree). The band recently created a Facebook page, so ‘like’ it for updates on their upcoming concerts and music – they have a bright future!

Kieran Strange performed third. We heard she had been ill earlier in the day, so major props to her for rocking out despite the migraines. She opened with “Hit A Nerve,” which has a very catchy chorus. Her rocker vibe came through with “Rock N Roleplay Baby,” and her vocal chops shined with “Adamantine Hearts,” which was my personal favourite. Kieran pleased the audience with a new single to be released soon, titled “Girl Crush.” Her brother (and birthday boy), Adamm from Fighting For Ithaca, accompanied her on guitar. It was a nice moment when she encouraged everyone to sing happy birthday to him.

DPR’s “baby-boy baby band” Alexander France was next on the menu. I was hugely impressed with their set. The indie-band, who describes their style as “fun,” opened with one of their newer songs, “Back and Forth.” Kyle Stibbs slowed things down with his song, “Useless,” which can he heard on his YouTube channel – it’s pretty rad. The band joined him for their other originals, “Disco Disco” “Empty Handed,” and “Battle The Tide.” All of their songs had beats that had me tapping my toes (as cheesy as that sounds). Many of their tracks can be found for free on their Bandcamp, so I definitely recommend checking them out!

Rounding off the evening was GreenTree. The “harmonized pop-punk act,” featured Gabriela and Glenn on lead vocals. Their harmonies were great, and I really enjoyed listening to the band’s music. They sang originals including “The Night” and “Who I Am.” Gabriela’s soft, spot-on vocals and Glenn’s (at times) raw vocals work really well together. My favourite song of theirs was “Change,” which had a nice piano segment, and a great message of embracing yourself. They also performed a cover of “The One That Got Away” by The Civil Wars. Like the previous acts, they are working on new music – so stay tuned!

The night ended with all of the acts (including local musician Miranda English, Curtis, and Adamm from Fighting For Ithaca) joining GreenTree in a energetic cover of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” It was a great evening and great local music. “The Kitchen” didn’t disappoint. We’d like to give a huge thanks to Kit, the DPR team, and all of the acts for a memorable evening. Can’t wait to see all of the acts in the future!

Written by: Chloe Hoy - The Permanent Rain Press

This Side of Town is an alternative pop/rock outfit working hard and having fun gracing the local Vancouver music scene with their powerful female-led vocals and driving guitars. I chatted with the band to discuss their sound, thoughts on the local music scene, and future musical endeavors. Get to know This Side of Town a little bit better and check out the interview down below.

1. Introduce your band to us; how did you all come together as This Side of Town?

We are a female-fronted five piece pop/rock band from the Vancouver area. In December 2010, Chris, Jen, and Mel met at Bully’s Rehearsal Studios in New Westminister through an ad on craigslist. After writing and performing for a while they added Kevin into the mix and soon decided to record a demo. Connor was taking courses and offered to record us as a project for school. At the time we didn’t have a bass player, so Connor picked up a bass and joined our band.

2. What kind of musical background does each band members have? What does each member contribute in terms of personal sound or style?

Jen: Took piano lessons as a child; Self-taught guitarist for 6 years. Jen contributes a lot to the groundwork of the songs by providing catchy guitar melodies and song structure. Usually she will create a song and pass it over to Mel to write lyrics and melodies.

Chris: Picked up guitar in his teens and started playing drums and found it more enjoyable and natural. Chris has been playing for 4/5 years. Chris likes to add dynamics to the drums by having a stop and go element to them with driving choruses. I grew up listening to alot of pop music through the 90’s and as I grew up my friend introduced me to led zeppelin, queens of the stone age, and the beatles, and started paying more attention to what the musicians were playing.

Mel: Has been singing her whole life; Started writing songs at the age of 8; Has been performing at various fairs, festivals, and competitions since the age of 13; Participated in school musicals, concert choir, and jazz choir in high school; Joined her first band around 16; Plays some guitar and keyboard (enough to write songs); Enters in a lot of karaoke competitions.

Kevin: Started playing drums and guitar in grade 6. Throughout high school, took as many music courses as he could get into, and was a member of my high school’s concert wind ensemble, jazz band, concert choir, and jazz choir. I try and write catchy melodies that compliment what the rythmn guitar plays.

Connor: Took violin lessons between the ages of 3 and 18; Played in the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra as a violinist from 8 until 17. At 12 he started learning guitar. He played in a band from 14 to 18, then took a small break from music and went to the Art Institute of Vancouver to learn recording arts. Picked up the bass earlier this year.

3. There’s a lot of pop rock, pop punk, and alternative influences in your sound. Is this a musical direction the band feels most comfortable and intuitive writing and performing in?

Definitely. We don’t really try to sound a certain way or classify ourselves in a specific genre, but I think as a starting point, most of our music would fit into those categories. We’re open to experimenting with other genres and sounds as we evolve as musicians and songwriters.

4. What are some of the major influences contributing to the band’s writing style?

Jimmy Eat World, The Dangerous Summer, Switchfoot, Yellowcard, Foo Fighters, Tonight Alive., Versaemerge, Hey Monday, States, The Veronicas, etc.

5. This Side of Town has been playing shows all around Vancouver. Do you guys have any interesting gig stories and what’s the band’s favorite venue to perform at?

We were playing Joe’s Battle of the Bands and our whole set there was this drunk girl dancing on the stage with us. We just laughed it off and tried to include her in the show a little bit. She even tried to make out with Chris.

6. In your guys’ opinion, what’s the best thing about the Vancouver music scene and alternatively, what’s not the greatest?

I think the best thing is that it’s a tight knit community and everyone we’ve met who plays in a band has been an instant friend to us. Everyone helps each other out to further all of our careers. It’s sort of unfortunate that most of the indie nights at music clubs are Thursdays.

7. What is the band currently working on in terms of writing, recording, or touring?

We recently finished a mini-tour and are about to record our first ep. We will be playing some local shows in the near future.

8. Are there any local acts you guys are really into at the moment?

Young Sparrows, Emberfield, Greentree, Alexander France, Halfway To Hollywood, A New Divide, Ruby Rain,

9. What are some acts the band would love to go on tour with and where would you guys like to tour?

It would be a dream come true to play on Warped Tour one summer.

10. Where do you guys hope to see yourselves in the near future with regards to the project?

We hope to complete our EP very soon, play as many shows as we possibly can, and keep on writing whenever we can.

11. Where can we find your music?

Well, to get the full TSOT experience ideally you should come see us live but if you can’t make it, or we don’t have a show soon enough, check out our purevolume or youtube for some live videos and updates.

Pure Volume: http://www.purevolume.com/thissideoftown

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/TSOTband

12. What are some upcoming shows you guys have planned?

We’re playing the Chilliwack Fair for sure, and a few others that will be confirmed shortly. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for all our upcoming events.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisSideofTown



Band photo from Chris Lee Photography - Y57 Media

Led by the classic crunch distortion of dueling guitars, backed by a driving bass and the constant rocking of drums, all topped off with powerful female vocals, This Side of Town delivers an energetic and infectious pop/rock sound. Consisting of Melanie Ast (vocals), Jennifer Lai (guitar), Chris Kavanagh (drums), Kevin Paniccia (guitar, backing vocals), and Connor Krawelitzki (bass, backing vocals), this five-piece band has been hard at work for the past two years, constantly gigging and establishing themselves here in the Lower Mainland.

Formed late in 2010 through mutual friendships and Craigslist encounters, this group has been non-stop at pursuing their musical careers. Constantly writing material and performing despite juggling their personal lives and being students, This Side of Town is without a doubt a dedicated group of talent. Their catchy melodies and guitar riffs paired with the captivating vocals of singer Melanie have caught the attention of local music enthusiasts, and since coming together the band has developed a dedicated fan base. Already, they’ve graced the stages of some of Vancouver’s premier venues such as The Roxy and Joe’s Apartment and have played shows with some of the bigger contenders in the city’s pop-punk scene including the likes of GreenTree and Halfway to Hollywood. This past summer, the five also completed their successful “Weekenders” mini-tour, sharing their sound with locals in North Vancouver, Kelowna, and Kamloops. With the effort and passion that these guys are putting into their project, This Side of Town is a band to be reckoned with.

As of recent, the band has been putting together their debut EP hoping to have it released by January 2013. After chatting with us on-air this past Tuesday, it looks like the upcoming album is coming along well for the members’ first time in studio and recording together as This Side of Town. They also revealed that fans can expect a 7-song effort as well as a track release before the end of the year.

This Side of Town will be closing off the year with a huge all-ages show at Tom Lee Music Hall with Halfway to Hollywood, ByStarlight, Alexander France, and a Perfect Punchline so be sure to make it out to that one! - Y57 Media

By: Jordyn Meade-Baxter

This Side of Town is a pop rock band from Vancouver. Their band consists of Melanie Ast, Jennifer Lai, Chris Kavanagh, Ryan Fournier, and Connor Krawelitzki. They have released an EP called “#TheStreets” on iTunes as well as free songs and single on their Bandcamp and Soundcloud accounts.

I bet you’re excited to find out more about This Side Of Town, and today is your lucky day, as I conducted an email interview with the band, and you’re about to find out what they had to say!

When did you decide to be a band?

TSOT: The band was originally formed back in late 2010/early 2011 but as a whole we’ve been together less than a year.

Are you all the original members?

TSOT: Connor joined in early 2012 and Ryan in the summer of 2013.

What are some of your inspirations for your music you write?

TSOT: Basically life in general. Every song is based on something we’ve experienced in one way or another: friendships, relationships, etc.

Where did the name come from for the band?

TSOT: It was sort of a random name. We were tossing around a few similar ideas through Wikipedia searches and song titles and decided it fit after changing a few words around. When we started out we were all from different cities so it was sort of ironic. Later on we realized that “this side of town” was a line in a Paramore song, one of our favourite bands collectively, so that was the cherry on top for us.

Why did you decide to release some music for free?

TSOT: I think as an artist there are times when you just want to get your music out there and have it heard. We had been playing “How Many Times” for a very long time when we recorded it and as a thank you to everyone for supporting us, we felt like it was necessary to give back a bit. The covers we record are fun little projects for us that we hope our fans enjoy in between shows and new music so it only makes sense that they would be free to download.

What is one thing you want to accomplish by the end of 2014?

TSOT: By the end of 2014, we hope to release a few new singles, go on a tour of some sort, release more cover videos for YouTube (and maybe an original video or two), and of course play many more local shows!! Fingers crossed we can accomplish this entire list!

You had a sold out EP Release show. What was that feeling like knowing that you could sell out a venue?

TSOT: The feeling at our EP Release show was unreal! That was probably one of the larger crowds we’ve played for and knowing that it was our own show was amazing! Being able to share the stage with some of our friends that have helped us along the way tops it all off though.

What can you say about your EP“#TheStreets” for people who haven’t heard it?

TSOT: It’s great work out music. Definitely goes great with punching things!

What can fans expect when seeing you on tour?

TSOT: We’ve been putting a lot of work into our set and revamped everything a little bit. We also have some exciting new stuff coming their way ;)

Where in Canada have you not toured but wished you could?

TSOT: Basically everywhere! We’ve really only been on mini-tours to other areas of B.C. but we’d like to see the rest of Canada some day soon.

Your Facebook page says you have been “sought after to play various events with other rising acts in the scene”. What other bands have you played with?

TSOT: We’ve played with a lot of local bands in Vancouver within both the all ages scene and 19+ scene. To name a few: Kieran Strange, Halfway to Hollywood, The Faceplants, Fighting for Ithaca, Within Rust, 7 Years Luck, Emberfield, and The Deadset.

The next few questions are fun ones to get to know you better.

What are your favourite pizza toppings?

Mel: Tropical Hawaiian
Jen: does cheese count?
Ryan: The Meateor, anything with spicy
Connor: pepperoni, bacon, mushrooms
Chris: Bacon and also bacon

Who are some of your biggest Canadian influences?

Mel: Billy Talent, Lillix, Avril Lavigne, Fefe Dobson

Jen: Avril Lavigne, Sum 41, Simple Plan
Ryan: Billy Talent, Our Lady Peace
Connor: Sum 41, Simple Plan, Hedley
Chris: Tegan and Sara, Billy Talent, the Dudes, Our Lady Peace

If you could hang out with any super hero for a day, who would it be?

Mel: All of the X-Men
Jen: The Powerpuff Girls
Ryan: Captain America
Connor: I think me and Tony Stark would get along famously
Chris: All of the X-Women

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Mel: Dancing alone in my room lipsyncing to pop songs. I secretly wish I was a popstar…

Jen: I can probably recite High School Musical word for word.

Ryan: Me and Connor secretly listen to Every Morning by Basshunter!

Connor: Yup Basshunter is my one true guilty pleasure love.

Chris: Singing Taylor Swift in the shower

What are your favourite things about touring?

TSOT: Playing shows for new crowds and meeting new people as well as experiencing the music from other bands we don’t normally get to play shows with, they make some unforgettable evenings!

What can we see you doing usually when you’re not making music?

Mel: Designing buildings, working out, watching Netflix, shopping, hanging out with friends, planning our next move.
Jen: YouTubing, tweeting, photoshopping, binge-watching TV shows/movie marathons, eating and going to concerts
Ryan: Working out, listening to music, going to parties, hanging with people and chatting up new people
Connor: Well when I’m not playing music I’m producing music…or playing video games. Mostly video games really.
Chris: Eating, sleeping, or sleating

Anything else you would like to say to your fans?

TSOT: Thank you SO much for supporting us and our music! We really appreciate the love and encouragement we’ve received in the past few years and we hope to continue making music that you all can enjoy. Keep your eyes and ears open in the new few months for some big plans we have in store ;) - Canadian Beats

Burnaby, BC band This Side of Town has released a revamped version of their song, “How Many Times” which will be on their EP being released this summer. The band is made up of Melanie Ast on vocals, Jennifer Lai on guitar, Chris Kavanagh on drums, Kevin Paniccia on guitar / backup vocals, and Connor Krawelitzki on bass / backup vocals!

You can get it for FREE on bandcamp:

http://thissideoftown.bandcamp.com/

I will admit I haven’t heard much from this band, but I will definitely listen for more. The song is great.

Melanie is on vocals and she has a very appealing and smooth voice, with Kevin and Connor on backing vocals, their voices all go together just right. And on top of that, each instrument involved brings the sound together perfectly.

If you like what you hear, let the band know by contacting them on twitter: ( @tsotband ) or facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisSideofTown

-Jenna Melanson- Canadian Beats - Canadian Beats

Hailing from the surrounding Vancouver, BC area, This Side Of Town is a five-man pop/rock band with dreams to make it big, just like any other band.

With Melanie Ast on lead vocals, Jennifer Lai on lead guitar, Chris Kavanagh on drums, Kevin Paniccia on guitar/backup vocals, and Connor Krawelitzki on bass/backup vocals, they create an interesting sound that is edgy and perfect to rock out to.

Currently TSOT is working on their debut EP set to be released sometime this year! In the meantime, check out a few of their songs here:

www.soundcloud.com/thissideoftown

They also have an upcoming show in Vancouver on June 22 with Kieran Strange, GreenTree, Set To Stun, and Alexander France. For a ticket to this show, contact any of the band members!

More information about this show is here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/602381816440116/

Look up This Side Of Town on their websites below and keep coming back for upcoming information on the band!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TSOTband

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisSideofTown

Tumblr: http://thissideoftownband.tumblr.com/

-Aurianna Brien- Canadian Beats - Canadian Beats