Back to the Index ... Next month and beyond
Attention all music lovers.... All weeknight concerts will begin early from now on. Be there early! From this point on... if you see a show posted on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... the doors will open at 8:00pm. Bands will play at 9:00pm, 10:00pm and 11:00pm... Weekday concerts will be finished at midnight. The earlier you come out... the earlier we get things going and then the earlier you get home to bed in order to still make it to work and school the next morning.
All Weekday Acoustic and Solo shows will move ahead to 9:30pm soundcheck - music from 10:00pm to 1:00am.
. Weekend shows will stay with the doors at 10:00pm and music from 11:00pm to 2:00am.
Thursday, January 31st - Saint Alvia Cartel w/ The Reason, Wax Mannequin - $7.00 at the door
The Saint Alvia Cartel is Burlington Ontario’s latest contribution to [good] music…. And these guys are no strangers to the music scene as they have all enjoyed success with former and current projects including: Boys Night Out, Jersey, The Video Dead, and hardcore legends Grade. ‘Nuff said. Having ended his relationship with Boys Night Out, Rob Pasalic swore off booze, drugs, and mainly music. After getting word of the demise of punk rock legends Jersey, Greg Taylor (Jersey/Grade) bumped into Pasalic and revealed a brand spanking new vision: The Saint Alvia Cartel. “It’s funny really, some abusive addictions you just can’t kick…” Pasalic comments on the inception of the band that is named after Ernest Alvia “Smokey” Smith (Was Canada's last living recipient of the Victoria Cross for valor in WWII). With their roots firmly planted in punk-rock, the band also draws inspiration from almost every genre out there: roots, rock and roll, blues, soul, dancehall reggae, country, new wave and hip hop.
The Saint Alvia Cartel gave the world a taste of their eclectic and infectious melodies after recording and releasing a couple demo tracks via MySpace in 2006. It was enough for Montreal’s noted STOMP RECORDS who released their self-titled debut in May. The lead single "Don't Wanna Wait Forever" took the airwaves by storm and has quickly become THE summertime song of '07.
The Reason.
Drawn together in early 2003 by their love of music and the impetus to forge
their own musical path, Adam White (vocals), James Nelan (guitar), Jeremy Widerman
(guitar) Ronson, (bass) and Cam Bordignon (drums), hit the ground running, securing
a loyal fanbase by rocking as many sweaty all-ages venues as possible across
Ontario with their aggressive, killer live-show. In 2004, the band released
debut album Ravenna, establishing themselves as a pop/punk leaning hardcore
troupe to be reckoned with, and catching the attention of audiences and music
critics across Canada. Coming off the release of Ravenna, the band managed to
steer clear of being pigeon-holed into the screamo genre flavour of the day,
staying focused on the goal of crafting memorable songs with incredibly hooky
guitar lines, while maintaining the aggressive charisma of their live performance.
Leaving power-scream vocals behind, White’s lyrical stylings and the band’s
undeniable growing songwriting prowess led them down a seemingly new musical
path brimming with a more multi-dimensional sound. The band holed-up in a small
cottage near their hometown to write songs for the follow-up to Ravenna.
In 2006, the band began recording their sophomore album Things Couldn’t Be Better with Juno-award winning producer Gavin Brown (Billy Talent), who jumped on the project after hearing early demos and seeing the band perform at the Molson Amphitheatre with Billy Talent and Alexisonfire. Discouragingly however, in the midst of the recording session drummer Bordignon, who’s powerful driving rhythms were integral to the band’s sound, broke his hand putting off recording the 2nd half of the album by three months. Despite feeling defeated, in true Reason-like spirit the band continued to do acoustic shows in their hometown. Working out acoustic versions of their material, the band tapped into a well of creativity resulting in many songs planned for the recording being scrapped and replaced by a prolific set of new songs. With a renewed sense of conviction, the band returned to the studio where Brown helped them hone their focus and explore a more simplified approach to integrating counterpoint guitar lines, catchy keyboard musings, driving backbeats with heaps of vocal pop melody. Heralded as “an album of undeniably captivating songs” upon its release in March 2007, the resulting body of work truly reflected the diverse musical influences each member brought to the table, and the uncompromising dedication to create enduring, heartfelt music.
Wax Mannequin has been here for something like one hundred centuries, but right now, Wax Mannequin is the only knife-face. He is the fighter. He is roses out of his skin that bleed him as he pulls. But most important, he is music of the biggest fight style. It's where you punch and slice your own dying stuff into fresh, ripe meats for selling and sharing. It's where you give everything you had for an instant in his arms. Because he can seriously change the way you feel inside.
Do you know the painting that you see on some greeting cards where all of the animals are sitting together, stoic and proud in the forest, and there in the background, rising in the sky, it's the earth? You have to ask “Why aren't the animals trying to fight and eat each other? They are fucking enemies!” and “why is the earth rising into the sky? If the earth is in the sky, then where the fuck are we?” That shit is Wax Mannequin. Kind of lame... but so important and gripping.
Wax Mannequin is on his fourth record. The first two were quiet bedroom recordings featuring eerie computer melodies and other noises. With his third -- the Price -- Wax brought powerful rock abilities into the studio. It's a record of extreme catchiness, and ridiculous aggression. It is performed with great focus and sincerity. The songs sound like jokes at first, but they are serious. It's kind of an extreme form of joke that pushes through funny and becomes serious all over again -- but serious in a loud, dizzy, brand new way. The dizziness and sincerity capture and communicate the complexities of being a human in interesting times -- the insecurity, the doubt, the triumph and the wisdom gained through experience.
Friday, February 1st - Stacheride - $5.00 at the door
Another ride on the Moustache Rock Rollercoaster... I don't know what to say about these mysterious moustachioed men... but you can bet that everyone loves... the cougars, the cubs, the horndogs, the rockers, Mr. Straight and Narrow, the hippies, geeks, jocks... everyone wants a ride on the stache. Check out these video clips and tell me that if you could get a band to combine all of this... that we wouldn't have the girls fainting. T.Rex - 20th Century Boy, AC/DC, Motorhead,
Saturday, Feb 2nd - The Perpetrators - $5.00 at the door
The Perpetrators are a rock and roll / blues band formed in Winnipeg in the late 1990s. Their current line-up is J "Howik" Nowicki on guitar and vocals, Ryan "ODL" Menard on bass and Chris "MAMA" Bauer on drums. Their best known songs include "Six Pack" and "She Lets Me Know." Past members include Scotty Hills, Chris Carmichael and Chris Saywell (D.Rangers).
They have played back up for Hubert Sumlin, Louisiana Red, Paul "Wine" Jones, Downchild Blues Band, "Wild Child" Butler, Jim Byrnes, Kenny Brown and Cedric Burnside, as well as recording with Juno winners Sue Foley and Big Dave McLean. 2006 Western Canadian Music Award winners for Outstanding Blues Album, The Perps have also been nominated for a Juno and for Electric Act of the Year at the Toronto Blues Society's Ninth Annual Maple Blues Awards.
Thursday, Feb 7th - The Saltcoats - $4.00 at the door
This band has trimmed down a bit but get tighter each time we see them... Three months into their life as a band, these musicians have really started to blend well. Of course, there is history here. With the Saltcoats... there is more history being made. One afternoon, back in the Fall of 2007 Will Gillespie had a vision. A vision of a band. He shared this vision with friend and musical comerade Antoine Tremblay, and over the next weeks realised the vision as the SALTCOATS. Bringing in old musical partners Andre Chretien and Eric Hoop, who he'd met and played with years earlier at a folk festival, Will now had the finest, most tasteful and dynamic rhythm section Sudbury had ever seen. But something was missing: fine musicians as these men were, they did not sing and play at the same time. Also brought to the table was the effortless charm and natural talent of Julie Houle, a talented and versatile performer in her own right, part of the Houle dynasty, one of the most gifted musical families around. Once the five of them played together a light came on. This was the sound Will Gillespie had been trying to make for years. Part Folk, Jazz, Blues, Country, Soul and all Saltcoats.
Friday, February 8th - The Spades, The Havocs - $5.00 at the door
A great night of rock and roll without borders... The Spades take on Crazy Horse and The Heartbreakers energies and mix it up with Peterborough, modern living and hanging out at a Townehouse style joint down there called The MoHo... and just as Crazy Horse would be the crazy Canadian cousin of The MC5... we're all pretty sure that the pairing of The Spades and Sudbury's garage trio, The Havocs will have much the same effect. Both bands strive on being bent and having a freight train full of energy. Here's the Spades in their own words... The Spades are a rock’n’roll band based on craft not gimmick. They live and breathe the music that they play. Their sound could be described as a bit of a throw back to 70’s rock and roll, however theirs is an original sound. As a three piece they are a force to be reckoned with. In their early twenties, The Spades have their energy in all the right places. Singer/guitarist, James McKenty, released the critically acclaimed solo album “Restless Soul” in 2001. Garnering much CBC/Campus radio airplay across Ontario. With The Spades his presence has been called pure electric, blasting frantic guitar solos and singing with passion. James combined with Winchester Street (Drums) and Chachi Robichaud (Bass) create The Spades. Winchester has been honing his drumming chops by playing professionally in bars from an early age. His is a raw bombastic sound. Chachi’s playful nature on stage guarantees a good time had by all. Based out of Peterborough the band frequently tours across Ontario.
Both of the Spades albums are out of print, however they have printed up a special, from the stage only, pressing of the two albums together... they are also currently back in the studio to record their third album.
Saturday, February 9th - Kill the Lights, An Offhand Rebellion - $5.00 at the door
Kill The Lights used to be four men and one woman. Kill The Lights is now four men and no woman. The remaining members have screwed up their lives in one way or another by continuing to play music.Alex told Yann, “I feel something gnawing, and the police are giving me a hard time here in Quebec.” Yann replied, “Let us repair to Toronto, there are buildings and things and different people there.” The 401 was a razor of boredom, but percussion and melody were secured in the new metropolis. Lower octaves were required. John, barely visible in profile, emerged from somewhere in the G of the GTA to comply. Joe and Steph added tiers to the construct, in the form of keys, strings and tambourines. People whispered, “Chimaera!”
Kill The Lights first piqued Torontonian and Montrealer curiosity in the year of our Lord, 2005. Kill The Lights have a combined age of over one hundred and twenty. Kill The Lights believe there is an order to the universe but can’t quite figure out what it is. This confusion expresses itself in abstract musical forms – generous helpings of moody melody, stabby guitar licks, feverish drums, literate and imagistic lyrics, yelps, croons, keyboard burbles, equal dollops of joy and angst. There is more earnestness than irony to Kill The Lights. There is an embrace of pop song conventions but also a desire to flee from them. There are flirtations with experimentalism, shoegaze monotonies, and many feedback squalls. Underlying it all, there is a sense that music should be an artistic venture that combines passion, musical chops, friendship, and self-challenge. Kill The Lights has slain crowds at Pop Montreal, North by Northeast and CMJ in New York. Kill The Lights can be found drinking at Blizzarts in Montreal on Monday nights, or at the Queen’s Head Pub in Toronto. Kill The Lights keeps its manager in a state of perpetual anxiety. Kill The Lights likes late brunches on the Plateau Mont-Royal, autumn, Brit-Pop, first snowfalls, foulards worn unpretentiously, Talking Heads, spastic energy, Newfoundland, Mitch Hedberg, Greek mythology, scuffling with macho bouncers, and the perfect espresso.
Kill The Lights, c’est quatre gars et une fille qui produisent
des bruits recherchés, selon certains rythmes, à l’aide d’instruments
amplifiés. Un jour, Alex a dit à Yann : «Je sens que ça
stagne, et la police me fait la vie dure au Québec».: «On
retourne à Toronto, a répondu Yann. Là-bas, il y a du béton
pis des gros patron en veston». La 401 a été d’une
platitude sans fin. Néanmoins, les sections rythmiques et mélodiques
se sont établies dans la métropole, où la nécessité
d’atteindre des octaves plus bas s’est vite faite sentir. John, qui
n’hausse jamais le ton, a émergé d’un trou quelque part
dans le G de la RGT. Joe et Steph ont relevé le niveau, en incorporant
claviers, cordes et tambourins à la formation. Les langues sales ont
murmuré : «Chimère!»
C’est en 2005 que Kill The Lights ont commencé à piquer la
curiosité des Torontois et des Montréalais. L’âge cumulatif
de Kill The Lights est de plus de cent vingt ans. Kill the Lights croient que
l’univers a un sens, mais ne l’ont pas encore trouvé. Cette
confusion s’exprime dans des formes musicales abstraites – de généreuses
portions de mélodies sombres, des guitares percutantes, des rythmes fiévreux,
des paroles littéraires et imagées, une voix qui alterne entre
le cri et le crooner, des claviers en ébullition, un heureux mélange
de joie et de spleen. On dénote un certain flirt avec l’expérimentalisme,
des ambiances shoegaze et des bourrasques de feedback. L’idée directrice,
c’est que la musique est une entreprise artistique qui doit allier la passion,
l’amitié, le défi personnel et certaines habiletés
musicales. Kill The Lights songe parfois à épeler son nom Killthelights!
– en se disant que ça dénoterait une pensée évoluée
et moderne – mais n’arrive pas à établir un véritable
consensus. Kill The Lights ont attiré des foules au Pop Montreal, au
North by Northeast et au CMJ à New York.
Kill The Lights maintiennent leur gérant dans un état perpétuel
d’anxiété. Vous trouverez Kill The Lights en train de boire
de la bière au Blizzarts à Montreal les lundis soirs, ou au Queen’s
Head Pub à Toronto. Kill The Lights aiment les brunchs tardifs sur le
Plateau Mont-Royal, l’automne, la pop britannique, les premières
tempêtes de neige, les foulards portés sans prétention,
Talking Heads, Terre-Neuve, Mitch Hedberg, la mythologie grecque, une énergie
spasmodique et un espresso parfait. En passant, Kill The Lights sont: 
Kill The Lights keeps its manager in a state of perpetual anxiety. Kill The
Lights likes late brunches on the Plateau Mont-Royal, autumn, Brit-Pop, first
snowfalls, foulards worn unpretentiously, Talking Heads, spastic energy, Newfoundland,
Mitch Hedberg, Greek mythology, scuffling with macho bouncers, and the perfect
espresso.
An Offhand Rebellion... "They've been dubbed "Frenetic Pop", compared to Immaculate Machine, and said to be reminiscent of the Arcade Fire, but with beautiful melodies, complex compositions, and a dash of punk rock spirit, they probably sound most like Tori Amos meeting Babyshambles in the middle of a snow storm." This Blind River trio returns for a winter run and hopefully nice driving as I'm told they have no heat in the van... We shall welcome them with hot chocolate and will all work the warmth back into the cold fingers and toes with a solid night of rock and roll. On one side of the stage, Marie handles Guitar and Piano along with sharing the vocals with Bassist Naomi. So you can well imagine that there are very distinct sides to this band. All put together, the ambition pays off and you realize that an hour just went by and you were damn happy at the end of it. Get in on the ground floor!
Thursday, February 14th - Bob Snider and Bob Wiseman - 8:00pm show - tickets $10.00 advance $15.00 at the door
An incredible double bill here with two iconic, genius Canadian performers... A perfect Valentines Day date since Bob Snider has written some of the finest songs on love that have been written. You'll laugh, you'll cry.
Singer-songwriter Bob Snider has played on the street and in the concert hall. He's been called a "national treasure", a "living legend" and "author of some of the best Canadian songs of the decade". He recently released a new album of songs - A Maze In Greys on Borealis Records as well as a new book - Bob Snider 'On Performance'...His first book 'On Songwriting' is a manifesto of the street performer which contains such nuggets of wisdom as... "When you write just about anything you will reveal a level of taste and intelligence. You may choose on occasion to sublimate one or both. For the record, songwriting is one field where you can enjoy great success without ever revealing any taste or intelligence." Wise words from Bob Snider - On Songwriting, Gaspereau Press, 2005.
Bob Snider has written some of my favourite songs and it is always an honour to present him in concert... he is mesmerizing to watch in performance as well as genuine and cordial in person. On the flip side of Bob Snider we have Bob Wiseman... producer, virtuoso player, songwriter... a musical master in so many ways. Bob Wiseman has carved out a niche as an oddball of the Canadian music industry... from the dazzling musicianship he brought to the first four Blue Rodeo albums to his many solo recordings and multi-media projects. Bob has worked steadily for 20 odd years on film and television soundtracks, avant-garde prepared piano recordings, as a studio musician and producer for artists such as Bob Snider, The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Final Fantasy, The Barenaked Ladies, Ron Sexsmith and many more. One project that has recently received so many great reviews is Bob Wiseman's multimedia project involving films and 100 instruments... where Bob provides the soundtrack to the film live as it plays... it's really just something you have to see.
Thursday, February 14th - 11:00pm - The Blame-its - $5.00 at the door
The town of Hinton is normally known for its scenic view of the Rockies and noxious smelling air from its pulp mill. But now it¹s time to fess up to its greatest accomplishment of all: the spawning ground of the Blame-its. Since grade school twin brothers Tye (singer/bassist) and Trav (singer/guitarist) along with drummer Chrispy have been honing their sound into the tight melodic fury they call "soda pop punk." Although the spunky young trio moved to Edmonton in 2003, for six years they cut their teeth playing and organizing punk shows in their hometown. From playing tiny hall shows with their friends to putting together an annual outdoor punk festival and packing them in down at the Olympia Tavern, the Blame-its helped put Hinton on punk rocks musical map. Now they've landed in the big city with the determination to take things much farther. The Blame-its went to Vancouver in January 2003 to seek the help of engineer Jesse Gander (d.b.s,Operation Makeout,Black Rice)to record their debut disk "Freeze My Brain" . Thirteen tracks of adrenaline fueled madness; "Freeze My Brain" shows just how good a band can become growing up in a town with nothing better to do than rock. Since moving to Edmonton the Blame-its have been gigging and touring furiously, playing shows in a number of local venues as well as supporting their independent release with a few provincial tours and a cross Canada trip helping the Blame-its sell 380 of the first 500 pressed in a year from the release in August 2004. The Blame-Its found themselves quickly crashing on the Hive Studio floor in spring of / 05 to once again work with engineer Jesse Gander recording their offering "Shoot the Shit".The 8-song e.p, that surly captures the amount of punk rock potential these three dudes have to offer.Their hard work has proven worth wile, finding consistent airplay on local CJSR. Fall of /05 the band toured with friends Blacklisted to support their independently recorded and released single split c.d. The Blame-its looked to Hamilton Ontario's AMP Records for the release and distribution for ''Shoot The Shit". Road To Ruin distribution placing their first pressing in stores in March of 2006. In January of 2007 The Blame-its celebrated a decade of playing together. Shortly after deciding to refresh their line up with Marco West ( Blacklisted) as their new drummer, and Chrispy stepping up to fill out their sound on rhythm guitar. They have come a long way playing and partying for nearly a decade. they're ready to hit the road and shake shit up in a town or city near you. So the secret is out--the Blame-its are here. Don't be forced to blame yourself for missing out on these wild cats.
Friday, February 15th - Edwin, Low Level Flight - $20.00 in advance
Tickets on sale at Records on Wheels and The Townehouse Tavern. $20.00/ $25.00 at the door (subject to availability)
Doors open at 10:00pm.
Yes... Edwin... Platinum selling Edwin... co-founder of I Mother Earth, Edwin... this is part of a few special club shows that Edwin and Low Level Flight are playing before they go out and hit theatres all over... so if you are an Edwin fan, you had better buy your tickets as soon as you read this.
Edwins third
solo album, Better Days, is a positive, reflective album written while the platinum-selling
singer-songwriter took a retreat from the spotlight - for almost four years,
without recording or performing live. The time had an effect as Edwin emerged
rejuvenated, and inspired to produce an album that is without a doubt the best
work of his career. "I thought 'Better Days' was a good title because I
have gone through a pretty challenging series of events that hit home on every
level", says Edwin.
Edwin put his heart and soul into this album, produced in Toronto by Jeff Dalziel and engineered by Denis Tougas, both of whom worked with the singer on his last album, 2002s Edwin And The Pressure. The two actually co-wrote with Edwin the songs "Eyes of a Child" and Better Days, which was the last lyric Edwin wrote for the album. I wanted to keep it positive. Theres so much negativity around all the time and I dont need to contribute to it, Edwin says.
Better Days includes the requisite love or love-lost songs. The first single, an acoustic and piano-based Right Here, which is essentially about a boy and girl in different worlds; girl doesnt know boy exists, Edwin says succinctly. Another, Thats A Lie, reflects almost every relationship hes been in, particularly the last. You told me you were leaving and I said I didnt mind/Thats a lie is the key line. That sums it up, says Edwin. You play tough, but after shes gone you feel a large part of yourself is missing.
Two songs on Better Days both stunning in their own way are more specific and have the potential to make an enormous impact. Never Over, the lead track, is a unique, percussive, jangly rocker that was inspired by a childhood friend who left this world too early when he was just 21. Edwin has long had closure, but wanted to write a thank you or a gift to that person, with whom he shared his first passion for music. Eyes on the other hand, is a beautiful, stirring piano-based ballad, sparse, angelic and mournful, that will touch any person who has lost a loved one.
Edwin knows the impact music can have and the solace it can provide. It has done that for him, but he loves hearing how his songs have affected his fans. From his first solo album, 1999s Another Spin Around The Sun, the song Alive, the single that really pushed sales beyond 150,000 copies in Canada and was played over the highlights of the closing Olympic ceremony on CBC Television yielded a couple of oh-wow stories. I got so many emails from fans with stories of how the song helped them deal with everything from the pain of losing friends or relatives to deciding not to take their own life and it was also played by many couples as their wedding song, says Edwin. I was blown away when I read that I played a part in giving people strength to work through something with my music. It actually gave me the shivers. It made me think, Wow music can be so powerful.
Edwin has devoted his whole life to making music, with the exception of his penchant for car racing and road trips. He was born in Toronto and started fronting rock bands when he was still in high school, belting out the likes of Queen, Led Zeppelin, U2, and Boston songs. He could even pull off Steve Perry in a Journey tribute. 'On a good day,' he laughs. He was one of many locals to do time in many cover bands also, but soon realized that original music was the way to go. "I packed up my bags and moved to Beverly Hills", he says. All my friends did a collection and gave me money to survive down there. Was there for six months. Auditioned for 6000 bands. Or at least it seemed that many. He got a lot of offers, but realized the Sunset Strip vibe was more chicks and partying and he felt it should be "music first, and then we party," so he returned to Toronto to form his own band.
He ran through his mental Rolodex and decided to call the Tanna brothers who would form the core of I Mother Earth with him. Just as the band was starting to attract label interest from the U.S., Edwin was shot in the leg at a restaurant. That really upgraded the image of the band, he laughs. The whole career spring-boarded right there. The band signed a major U.S. deal after playing little more than a dozen shows.
For much of the nineties, he enjoyed multi-platinum success with the percussive-heavy hard rock act, releasing two albums, 1993s Dig and 1996s Scenery & Fish. At the height of the bands success, he left to pursue a solo career in 1997. The great thing about that time was that we had the chance to experience huge crowds, touring many countries and making albums, for the first time together, Edwin reflects. Internal differences caused a parting of ways. As a solo artist, he doesn't have those problems anymore. He's able to guide the ship, write his own material, with the help of trusted friends and musicians such as Jeff Dalziel and Dennis Tougas, who he ran into at his former record label Sony BMG Music Canada after he had just signed a new record deal with Toronto independent Linus Entertainment, distributed by Universal Music Canada.
Low Level Flight - Just about everyone will have an opinion about Low Level Flight, which often happens when a well-known front man re-emerges as part of something more developed, more personal and simply more credible. Singer-guitarist Ryan Malcolm’s new driving pop-rock band, Low Level Flight, is the project he’s always wanted to make, self-financed and self-released on his own label, I Heart Records. "After having been with a major (Sony BMG), I realized that success is not just in the numbers,” says Ryan. “It's about being happy with your artistic contributions. Something I really wanted was to have a feeling of control over the music, the direction of the band, and my career." The band — comprised of Ryan, Shaun Noronha (bass) and James Rooke (rhythm guitarist/keyboardist) with touring members Dave Carter (guitar) and Brandon Merenick (drums) — all share the same brand of dark humour. At one point, the guys in Low Level Flight were considering an album cover for Urgency that showed the band in a macabre ambulance scene. James says, “we thought it would look pretty ridiculous”, but Shaun explains “then we said ‘screw it, it’s probably too expensive!’”.
Born in Kingston, Ryan started singing in a band at age 11, alongside his older brother and dad, who opened a fine dining restaurant that had entertainment three nights a week. “My dad taught me everything,” says Ryan, revealing that his father was once in a band with the original members of April Wine. At 16, Ryan started writing songs and produced his first demo at 17 in Sarah Harmer’s studio, although he admits, “They were not very good. I’m not going to lie.” With no foreseeable connection to the Canadian music industry hub of Toronto, he enrolled in college for policing, but continued playing nightclubs in Kingston and honing his songwriting in his spare time. In 2003, he learned of the inaugural Canadian Idol auditions and tried out. To his surprise, he was accepted and decided to go have fun in Toronto for the summer performing on the television talent search. Little did he know he would win. His debut full-length, Home, an album he made only a little contribution to as a writer because of the rush job to get it out and the nature of the show, went platinum (100,000) in Canada, was nominated for a Juno (pop album of the year) and spawned the number one single “Something More,” but Ryan was not artistically satisfied. When the hoopla died down and contractual obligations were met, Ryan retreated and got to work on what he really wanted to do — start a band of his own.
Saturday, February 16th - Jadah Reggae Band - $5.00 at the door
Returning to the Townehouse after a great show in January... The first set of easy going roots Reggae had the dancers going and then the second set featured Ainsley moving over to the Bass Guitar and an Ottawa based Dancehall singer really put the moves on the whole crowd. It's a pleasure to bring this group back...
Born in Eastern Jamaica and currently residing in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). Ainsley has a magnetic presence on stage. As a boy, he learned to play the guitar and sang in the church choir. In the early part of his career, he experienced working as a DJ at CHUO Radio. Throughout the seventies, be entered several music festivals, winning first place at the festival of Jamaica. He began his career early recording at Dynamics and Treasure Isles Studio in Central Kingston. He also recorded with The Slickers who has the famous song, Johnny Too Bad.
After arriving in Canada, he formed a band named the Babylonian Cowboys, creating music with song titles such as Contemporary Hairdo, and I Believe In You. He worked with The Mighty Popo performing live at local venues in Ottawa, Canada’s capitol. He did workshops with Jojo Bennet, formerly of the Scatalites, not to mention opening for Burning Spears and the Wailers, with his band Roots Movements at Barrymore’s music hall.
He has a dynamical ability to play numerous instruments such as percussion, keyboard/piano, and guitar (both lead and bass). A motivated self-starter, he began playing the guitar by the age of 17 and took piano lessons at Domenic’s Academy of Music (Ottawa) years later. In the late 70’s Ainsley worked as a vocalist in Treasure Isle Studio, (Jamaica) with the international recording artist, Slickers (Johnny Too Bad song) and played with various musician while in Jamaica. He immigrated to Canada in 1976 bringing his musical talents with him. He started singing with Magic Circle, Heaven’s Radio, Garnet Challenger, and the Connection Band as well as a band called Lazo Unity, formerly of Ottawa. He performed with Ras Lee and Roots Movement in Toronto during 1987. In 1989, he traveled to Europe where he did one show in Switzerland in Chatelle.
For 23 years Ainsley has taught music to his family, passing the talent onto his children and others. He later went on to form a band with his family in the 1990’s called JADAH. Tonight Ainsley brings the full JADAH Reggae band to Sudbury so get ready for a full night of easy skanking 60's Jamaican style island vibes.
Thursday, February 21st - Life Blown Open - $5.00 at the door
A fundraiser for going in to the studio to record their second CD. Life Blown Open is outlining a 70 minute or so concept album to record the next week. Most of the songs have been heard before in live shows but there will still be some surprises... look for a CD Release in April or May from Life Blown Open and then all sorts of fun stuff to happen this summer. Tanner, Justin and Paul are joining the thousand bands on the road tour and getting out of Dodge.
Friday, February 22nd - Beyond Within, Sotreum, Stage 3-1 - $5.00 at the door
This band has been working relentlessly for the last five years sculpting and perfecting their unique sound, which could be somewhat described as European-influenced melodic death/thrash. Persistent practice has greatly improved the skills of each individual member, making the band's presence more intense and unified than ever.
Beyond Within has played over 100 live shows, sharing the stage with notable acts such as: Cryptopsy, Behemoth, Decapitated,Kataklysm, Skinless, All That Remains, 3 Inches of Blood, Krisiun, Belphegor, Ensiferum, Rotting Christ, Throwdown, Necronomicon, Neuraxis, Quo Vadis, Martyr, Beneath the Massacre, The End, Ion Dissonance, Winter Solstice, Misery Index, Despised Icon, Threat Signal ,Priestess and Anvil. The album, Eternal Pestilence is perhaps the best showcase of their abilities, but is simply a glimpse of what the future holds for Beyond Within. Beyond Within is working diligently on new material for their next full length release in 2008, be prepared!
Hailing from Sudbury, Sotreum brings a new, refreshing sound to the
hardcore/metal scene. Something you can sing along to, while at the same time,
tearing down the walls. With melodic choruses, heart pounding verses, pummeling
and dramatic breakdowns, Sotreum has perfected the formula.
Focusing on realistic goals, these 5 guys just want to play what feels right
and tear up every place that crosses their path.
Stage 3-1 is one of the original video game music cover bands to emerge in the last 5 years, finding early success on the reknown Newgrounds website. Unique in that that they solely cover music from the original NES console, they differ also from their video game cover band counterparts by incorporating original songs, as inspired by these very same NES games. Initially a studio effort, Stage 3-1 has assembled a live band due to popular request and a live Stage 3-1 act made its debut in the summer of 2007. Booking of future live performances is currently underway.
Saturday,
February 23rd - Akroid,
This Ship Will Burn, High
Deafinition - $5.00 at the door
Sudbury Alumni... most of these guys go back to the BigNickelHardCore shows that we used to put on in the early to mid 90's. They have been living for a few years down in the GTA, playing, working, playing. These guys are no strangers to the Toronto music scene. Between Ken (vocals, guitar), Jay (drums), Scott (bass) and Nathan (Guitar), we're talking a musical career that's stretched back over 20 years. The boys have brought a wealth of skill and knowledge to a genre that can sometimes be construed as a place we're little talent exists. (edit. That's a blogger writing a good chunk of this... I wouldn't ever say that these Math Rock bands have 'little talent'... these guys take their shit seriously and lay down a lot of thought into making heavy music.)Cross Canada tours, stops on the infamous Warped Tour, hundreds of shows, and dozens of albums under their belt with bands including Arkata, Katja, Oneshot, This Time of Year and more, Akroid brings a new flavour to an old idea. Drawing on punk rock and mid 1990 hardcore in the vein of Shotmaker and Four Hundred Years; Akroid updates the style with heavier sounds and a mathematical style. The results are awesome. The songs blend a more mature sound with a driving passion to make loud music with logic. They also elected to record and distribute their own material, rather than deal with the headaches of trying to go through someone else. Gorgeous Industries, manned by Ken, Jay and Scott, will see releases of Akroid's new album Run For Your Life by the end of the month.
This Ship Will Burn... Dom and Nick and crew return to the Townehouse to shave off another 2% of my hearing. Sanchy is coming along as drummer and we all look forward to hearing more from this band in the coming year. Look for their 7" record to be available.
High Deaf... We all knew that there would be big things on the horizon for High Deafinition... we'll be seeing the result of all of their hardwork this year... but I'll let them tell you the good news. Formed in 2002, the 3 members that make up High Deafinition are: Drummer James Yorke Guitar/ Vocals Thomas Yorke Bass/ Vocals Gilles Beaulieu This young three piece band comprised of members whose ages are 15, 17 and 19 are not to be confused with other kids the same age, living on your block, playing music in their garage. This band has a serious work ethic, with serious music and some pretty serious local sales of their debut EP called Insert Title Here and their follow up The Motion Picture will be released in February 2006. Wasted youth is not a term you would use to describe these three extremely talented and dedicated individuals. High Deafinition has made so much noise since their inception that they were invited to play three Canadian dates on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour, and at the end of 2004, they placed in the top 6 in Ontario as part of the Solo Music Series/Alexisonfire Basement Band Contest. Recently they have just wrapped the recording of their second release The Motion Picture. This album shows a maturity that only all of the experiences of the last year and half can offer. Watching their favourite bands day in and day out on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour and opening for other bands such as Closet Monster, Moneen, The Black Maria, The Waking Eyes, Thornley, Oliver Black, etc. has made a dramatic impact on both their songwriting and musical outlook.
Wednesday, February 27th - Two
Hours Traffic - $5.00 at the door
One of my favourite bands of 2007... Two Hours Traffic doesn’t pull any punches with their second full-length, Little Jabs (Bumstead Records). Joel Plaskett returns to the producer’s chair on Little Jabs, which packs a wallop with eleven captivating tracks that blur the line between folk rock and powerful pop. The video for their seasonal anthem, “Stuck for the Summer,” is currently in rotation on MuchMusic and the band is hitting the Trans-Canada to bring their unparalleled pop sensibilities to the masses. Unabashedly catchy and sincere, Two Hours Traffic is deservedly at the fore of the Canadian Maritime pop revival and Little Jabs will only solidify that position.
Two Hours Traffic began in 2003 when former kindergarten colleagues Liam Corcoran and Alec O’Hanley recruited fellow University of PEI chemistry students Andrew MacDonald and Derek Ellis. After the better part of a year, the group released an EP entitled The April Storm (Independent). This record caught the ear of acclaimed Halifax guitar hero Joel Plaskett, who immediately offered to produce the group’s first full-length album. When not breaking Erlenmeyer flasks, the group managed to pen and record an anthemic eponymous full length album.
Recorded while the band was still in their teens, their second album Two Hours Traffic (Independent) recalls the eccentricity of The Cars and the immediacy of Big Star. People took to the songs without hesitation: Limelight fueled some hottub drama on The OC, Better Sorry Than Safe edged out indie-rock mainstays Broken Social Scene and The Constantines on CBC Radio 3's 2005 year-end list, and the album was nominated for Best Rock Recording at the 2006 East Coast Music Awards. While their debut full length album was a magnet for critical accolades, their peers began to take notice as well; Two Hours Traffic toured Canada extensively with the likes of Wintersleep, The Joel Plaskett Emergency and The Golden Dogs.
Thursday, February 28th - The Chucky Danger Band - $5.00 at the door
Chucky Danger (formerly the Chucky Danger Band) is a Canadian indie rock band, formed in Belfast, Prince Edward Island in 2004 by singer and guitarist John MacPhee, drummer David Cyrus MacDonald, guitarist Colin Buchanan and bass guitarist Rob MacPhee. John and Rob MacPhee are brothers, and Buchanan grew up next door to them.[1] The band is now based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Their debut full-length release is Colour, released in 2006. They won the 2006 East Coast Music Award for Pop Recording of the Year for their EP 6-pack. They received three nominations (but no wins) at the 2007 East Coast Music Awards: Group Recording of the Year, Single of the Year ("Marching Machine"), and Rock Recording of the Year.
Friday, February 29th - The Townehouse Hockey Team Exclaim Cup Fundraiser
Several members
of the musician community here are prepping to go back down to the Exclaim Cup
hockey tournament... Just in case you have missed Exclaim! Magazine... it has
been sitting under the TV in the back of the bar for six or seven years now.
This monthly news zine covers the charts, the happenings, the future for all
of Canada's underground music scene... they have review sections for Punk, Rock
and Pop, Electronica, Metal, Hip Hop and Re-Issues...
Anyhow, they hold this hockey tourney every year and a ton of musicians, mostly from Ontario, enter the tourney for bragging rights for a year. Our team will consist of an all-star line-up of Nathan Lawr (The Minotaurs, The Fembots), Mark Browning (OX), Ryan Bishops (Cindy Doire, Yetties, Ox), Dan Levecque (ace picker) and a few more. The musicians are going to whoop it up for the night and all proceeds go toward sending the Townehouse Taverneers down south to Toronto for a weekend to show all those other rock and roll bastards how to drink, er, I mean PLAY. Blue Rodeo is going down deeper than a diamond mine. The ex-Rheostatics are about to become ex-walking upright people... hack the bone guys... hack the bone.
With this collection of musicians we can be sure that we'll be hearing from
the likes of Cheap Trick, Led Zeppelin, The Band, The Beatles and tons more.
Just the four musicians mentioned above have probably written 500 songs together
in addition to probably knowing 5000 other songs. This will be a fun night,
and helps a goodcause.
Saturday, March 1st - Allison Lickley - CD Release Party - doors at 7:30pm, show at 8:00pm. Tickets are $10.00 from the bar. This show will be over around 10:30pm... a second show will happen later for the rock and roll crowd.
Although Allison has lived in faraway cities for school qnd life... she always keeps a connection to her hometown of Sudbury. The Townehouse Tavern is honoured to present a CD Release party for Allison this year. Her music is regularly played on CBC Radio One, has repeatedly made the top 30 for CHMA Radio, and won her the Mount Allison University ASCAR for Singer-Songwriter of the Year in 2005. Allison grew up in Sudbury, where she spent her childhood playing music and romping around in the great Northern Ontario woods.
She released her independent 9-song debut album, 'Allison Lickley', in 2001. Allison took the next five years to study and play music in the Canadian Maritimes. Following her studies she moved to Montreal where she released her independent EP, 'Late September', in October 2006. Since then her music has appeared on numerous compilation albums, has been chosen for movie soundtracks, and has been arranged for and performed by a choir. She has opened for such Canadian talents as Ox, Courtney Wing, and Andrea Revel. Allison currently lives in Montreal, Quebec, where she finished her new album, You Might Find Me Here.
Wednesday, March 5th - Marc Charron - 9:00pm - pass the hat
I can sum it all up to friends, luck and hard work over the years. I have
spent the better part of the last 16 years traveling somewhere or returning
from somewhere. It seems to have flown by. In the early days , I could travel
very lightly and easily. Now it seems I need more than my 2 feet and a backpack.
I would hitch hike allover the country for one-off gigs and festival appearances.
I miss those days, but am so happy to have moved on. Mostly thankful to all
people who have offered a meal, couch, bed, shower and just a place to relax
during the long drives across Canada. I once toured Australia in a weird van
for a few months with an independent rock band called SEISMIC. Have toured Canada
so many times that I am scared to think of the number. Currently play in LURE
( 5 piece eclectic rock ) and The Cheap Seats ( 4 piece rock ). Also spend most
of my time doing a killer one man band cover show or original show - depends
on the club. I sell CD's from the stage, and make all my own decisions on venues,
tours, bookings, radio spots and publicity. I work as much or as little as I
want to. I have been approached by labels and booking agencies but continue
on in a very independent way. Long live the independent musician ( though some
help is very much in the future )
Most days, I can be found drinking fair trade organic coffee and checking out
concert listings, music interviews or weather patterns. In the winter, I enjoy
checking out snow accumulations at ski resorts and areas around the world and
dreaming of being there on the BIG days. Summertime brings me to music festivals
and to the beach for a good daily swim with the usual coffee. I love coffee
everyday and in the morning. I long ago gave up on a " normal job "
and " regular work schedule ". I don't know if this is a good thing
or a bad thing. In the end, we all make choices to how we want to live out our
lives, and this is the choice I make and continue to make everyday. I would
rather watch a movie than TV on any given day.
My days are not spent playing guitar or writing songs 24/7. I enjoy many other
of life's subtleties and look forward to learning something new tomorrow.
Thursday, March 6th - The Mudmen - 9:00pm doors - $8.00 at the door
Celtic overtones in a fusion of rock and punk? It's not for the timid. The
MUDMEN are beyond unique in their hard driving sound onslaught. Centered around
ripping bagpipes, the MUDMEN have created one of the most mesmerizing rock performances
anywhere. The band's powerfully intense live show has leveled audiences throughout
North America over the past six years with its fusion of melody and relentless
rock/punk power.
With their debut self-titled CD release (2001 EMI Music Canada) the MUDMEN made
quite an impression on the Canadian music scene. Winning over rockers, punks,
metal heads and Celtic warriors from coast-to-coast by unrelenting touring and
on the strength of their hit single/video "Saturday". Following tracks
from the album such as "5 O'clock" and "In My Head" soon
solidified the band's reputation both on air and on stage.
More recently you have been hearing The Mudmen's song 'Lost' on the NBC television show, The Black Donnelys. The Mudmen have played in Sudbury several times before but this is their first appearance at the Townehouse.
Friday, March 7th - Wil, The Labour Of - $5.00 at the door
Saturday, March 8th - The Gruff, Kent McAllister, The Burning Hell - $5.00 at the door
Sunday, March 9th - The Divorcees - $5.00 at the door.
Saturday, March 15th - B.A. Johnston, Brent Randall and his Pinecones - $5.00 at the door
Sunday, March 16th - Romi Mayes, Andrew Neville and the Poor Choices $at the door
Monday, March 17th - Billy John and the Tall Irish Band - $5.00 at the door
Thursday, March 20th - Mr. Plow, Blazing Guns and Yetiface - $5.00 at the door
Friday, March 21st - God Made Me Funky - $6.00 at the door
Tuesday, March 24th - Ladyhawk - $5.00 at the door.
Friday, March 28th - Konflit Dramatik - $6.00 at the door
Saturday, March 29th - Statues, Horses, Malcolm Bauld - $5.00 at the door
Tuesday, April 8th - C'mon, Starvin Hungry - $5.00 at the door
Friday, April 11th - Alun Piggins CD Release Party - $5.00 at the door
Saturday, April 12th - Mahogany Frog w/ Jimi Hendrix - $5.00 at the door
Friday, April 25th - Cuff The Duke w/ Pascal Picard - $8.00 at the door