More local Victoria music for you. Victoria’s Johnny Galactic have a new record out on November 26th called “Keep Off The Grass.” Fricken hippies man.
Johnny Galactic lay down folky acoustic ballads….slow jams. They have more than a couple that I like, but I think my favourite is “San Francisco Babe.” Band features long time homeboy Adam Puritch (Armchair Cynics).
Simple, pretty music.
Go with yourself.
Posted in Capital Rock City, music | Tagged Armchair Cynics, Johnny Galactic | Leave a Comment »
Well ain’t this a pip…. from By A Thread‘s principle John Franco’s Facebook….
On January 4 2013, my old band By A Thread will be reuniting and sharing the stage with Gorilla Biscuits and Shelter at The House Of Blues in Chicago . This show is part of the Revelation Records 25th Anniversary shows. We are stoked to say the least. Kelly, Joe, Sean and I. The Last Of The Daydreams line up. That’s the news !
What?
The original By A Thread line-up rides again… to Chicago. God damn…getting to Chicago on January 4th would be so amazing but pretty much impossible. I wonder if I should start like a kick-starter? “Aging hipster Dad too irresponsible broke to pay his own way wants you to pay for his rock & roll holiday.” I can already feel people hitting the “pay now” on Paypal.
Sometimes one show begets more shows… a Vancouver one I’d do my best to sort out…dare to dream, they take the ferry to Victoria for a show.
By A Thread released one amazing record in 1999 (and one before that?). Then one more good one in 2011. And that’s that kids. From the 2011 s/t.
Now I wanna dig out my old Carpenter records….
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged By A Thread | Leave a Comment »
One of my favourite ways a band can cut through some bullshit and earn some positive hype is to get involved with a charity. I know at the Peak Performance Project in Vancouver, one thing they have the bands do in Bootcamp is to align your band brand with a charity that fits for your vision and community. The Peak rolls 20 bands through bootcamp every year and only one wins the prize… BUT 20 charities get a brand ambassador and in many cases, that relationship lasts longer than the PPP.
This fall… Victoria band Handsome Distraction are growing mustaches (awesome) but more importantly, raising money for Movember.
We’ll see you Thursday, November 22nd at Lucky Bar. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.
3 bands… Warbuck, Citizen Joy and headliners Handsome Distraction. I’ll DJ after the music for those party people taking it to 2AM.
And hey… if you are feeling giving today… homeboy Pol Plastino is raising money too.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Handsome Distraction, Lucky Bar, Movember, Pol Plastino | 1 Comment »
Some EDM outfits from Montreal are Adventure Club with their 200,000 + “likes” and some are more modest, like Baers. The production team sent a simple email basically saying, “hey check it, you might like it.” And a link.
My first spin of their “chillstep” cover of Bon Iver‘s “Skinny Love” was a little meh for me. I made a weird face and thought I didn’t like it. But I gave it a couple plays and it really ear wormed its way in to my head. Very chill…. beat cuts through the bustle of the office to propel the song. Female vocals and a trumpet also bring a high sheen to the song. This song will be making the lounge playlist at the Veneto.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Baers, Bon Iver, chillstep, Montreal, Skinny Love | Leave a Comment »
I like Outkast… and I’ve always loved “Ms. Jackson.” Had to do a double take trolling Hype Machine today… Outkast is trending? Better hit play on this.
Jean Tonique from Paris tagged it as “Funky Ballad.” Awesome. I’ll be adding this song to my lounge set for sure… or heck, the slow dance needs to make a comback to the nightclub. MORE SLOW JAMS!
I hit play on this song and got back to my work, and the next song up after “Ms. Jackson” really fit the set. The Ghost DJ in the Machine was getting it right today… and Adventure Club? Massive.
awwwww EMOTIONS!
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Adventure Club, Jean Tonique, Lullabies, Outkast, Yuna | 1 Comment »
A sunny holiday jingle from Canada? Here’s Hey Rosetta!
I am down with the Christmas purists who think the season starts too early every year. I get that. Personally I fall into the soft launch after Remembrance Day then the tree goes up on the 1st. My wife likes to get going on November 25th…so I guess I like to now get going on the 25th too.
Hey Rosetta! are laying down a holiday ep on November 19th called A Cup of Kindness Yet. The song “Carry Me Home” is about being away from home on the holidays. What I like about this song is that it is both a Christmas song but could stand up as a pretty indie rock song.
Tim Baker from Hey Rosetta! says of the song, “I don’t think I’m done with the challenge of writing a song about Christmas without it being all fake plastic cheesy yule log happiness or for that matter all angry anti-establishment protest, but something in the middle, like the real thing, like sitting by the tree, mildly hungover, staring at a pile of gift-wrapped overconsumption, and feeling overfilled, with dinner and love and mythic joy.”
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | 2 Comments »
Last night was a fun night at Lucky Bar. Can’t Stop the Awesome was a classic party rocker throw down.
The party started right when doors opened at 10PM and people streamed in. My set was short and sweet and by the end people had the boogie on the dance floor.
Victoria’s blues rock band Aegis Fang turned the screws some more. What an amazing set. Aegis Fang does a lot right when the focus of the party is dancing and having fun. They do a great job of mixing originals and covers. Their covers fit their sound and they communicate with the audience letting us know what’s up.
Halfway through the set… Mike moves out from behind the kit and trades with Nate… party continues. I have a couple favourite Aegis Fang songs. “Ghetto Man” might be their most popular in Victoria as we played it on the radio for a bit.
I have always enjoyed “Foot Down.”
These guys remind me of a dirtier, rougher Current Swell. The subjects of the songs and the Island boogie are very Current Swell.
The party continued with Unky Murge. Murge channeled his rovcker vibe for a set heavy on hits and good vibes. At one point, he stops down and brings vocalist Georgia Murray on stage to lay down a couple songs with Murge on the turntables laying down the beats.
Ran into lots of friends. Thank you to everyone that made the party what it was.
TONIGHT! I am DJing a special fundraiser at Veneto Lounge. 9PM-midnight. Murray Aid Victoria
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Aegis Fang, Blue Violets, DJ Murge, Georgia Murray | Leave a Comment »
Wake Owl create a beautiful style of indie folk. The Vancouver band’s ep is on my list for favourites for the year and a dark horse for my top 10. I had a chance to meet the boys and see them at Rifflandia V. Truthful moment… the live show at the Vic Event Center did not impress me. I think they suffered from my high expectations and maybe playing a “bigger” show than their skill set at the time. I was listening to their ep Wild Country HEAVY leading up to the show. I am not letting one good, but not great, show spoil the fun…. Wake Owl return to Victoria on December 14th for the Jon & Roy Holiday Special… this time at the beautiful Alix Goolden.
Wake Owl has also generated two spoonfuls of buzz after their song “Gold” was featured on last week’s Grey’s Anatomy.
“Gold” is a wonderous song….like the whole ep. If this is your first chance checking out Wake Owl or you have heard/ read some buzz and like what you hear, it gets better on the ep. Check out “Wild Country” or “Seaside.”
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TONIGHT!
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged DJ set, Grey's Anatomy, Jon & Roy, Jon and Roy, Victoria, Wake Owl | Leave a Comment »
Canadian indie rockers, Metric, are in Victoria for a show at the Save On Foods Memorial Center with Stars. Before the show, Metric hopped on the radio to lay down a couple songs from their album Synthetica.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music, radio, The Zone @ 91-3 | Tagged acoustic, Live, Metric, radio | Leave a Comment »
Hazy Californian Foster the People-esque indie pop AND more palm trees. The band is called The Neighbourhood…they use the Canadian spelling of Neighbourhood, wise. I am new to the young band that has already cycled through the blogs and that’s cool because you can’t follow every trend. The band is starting to hit a critical mass…as in a record label in Canada is repping them to the radio stations, they’re touring with Paul Banks of Interpol fame (after wrapping a tour with the Temper Trap, hmmm someone likes these guys)…. I punched up their song “Sweater Weather” and it sounds groovy.
A wintery chill day on the beach in California. Very pretty lyrics pitter-pattering quickly, painting a romantic story over beats and jangly indie rock guitar.
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How about this track…. Victoria’s Jon & Roy at a house concert a couple years ago. Last song of the set is a cover of Lead Belly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” (made famous for our generation by Nirvana). Lead Belly’s legend and lore is worth your time and its on wikipedia. And now Jon & Roy’s take on a classic.
The annual Jon & Roy holiday special goes down in Victoria on December 14th at the Alix Goolden Hall. In Vancouver on the 21st at The Vogue and the 22nd in Kelowna at Habit.
American friends… look out! Jon & Roy head south for a West Coast tour in the new year.
Go with yourself.
Posted in music | Tagged Interpol, Jon & Roy, Jon and Roy, Lead Belly, Nirvana, Paul Banks, The Neighbourhood, The Temper Trap | 5 Comments »
The Morning After 