The Frolics
Album Review. Devils Convent. Jim Nowhere.
With this in mind I threw “Devil’s Convent” into my car’s CD player and drove off to pick up my band mates. Being a hyperactive punk drummer, the first thing I noticed about the overall tone of the album was the slower tempos, but the slower nature of the album does nothing to detract from its overall quality and it in fact serves to make the lyrics and the mood of the album all the more poignant. This is not to say that the whole album is slow though. There are many upbeat tracks and bring about a more upbeat sound while still retaining the dark and seething qualities of the lyrics. One of the best examples of this is the final track on the album, “Alberta Advantage”. “Alberta Advantage” puts forth all the intensity and aggression of a punk song and couples that energy with the thought provoking and intelligent lyrics normally found in folk music. I could use bigger, fancier words to describe it further, but I’ll just say it’s really fucking great and move on.
Overall, Jim Nowhere’s album is far from pretty and that is what makes it one of the best local albums I’ve ever come across. It attacks important issues head on and makes no apologies for not having a ton of happy, upbeat songs. At the end of the day, I believe in music because it has the power to force people to think. Sadly, not a lot of music does that anymore, but Jim Nowhere’s “Devil’s Convent” sure as hell does.
Listen to “Devil’s Convent” on Bandcamp by clicking HERE
Bert McClure for barsnbands.com
Barsnbands.com - Supporting Edmonton’s live music scene. One Band at a time.
The Shakedowns , A hard hitting indie rock band from Alberta, will be playing at the Alberta’s Own Music Festival Vol 11. which kicks into gear August 24th.
We’ve got you covered.
Get your free band profile on barsnbands.com and get noticed.
If you are part of a band, solo musician, singer/songwriter, duo or quartet, submit your profile and upcoming events to our site and make new fans. -Start with the profile- you can submit unlimited bio, pictures, video and links.
Its like having your very own custom website where it will be seen by thousands of Edmonton music fans. Here’s an example. Once your mumbo jumbo is up, you can add your upcoming shows. It’s real easy and best of all, it’s free. We’ll take your upcoming shows and feature them all over our site in the listings section, under band profiles and on the venues calendars. To get started click here or check out the Shakedowns profile to see what it looks like.
BBB: The Give ‘Em Hell Boys
I usually hate country music. There, I said it. To be more specific and less crass, I normally have a great disdain for the culture surrounding the majority of country music and I’m usually just apathetic towards the music. There is always an exception to the rule however and on a local scale, that exception is The Give ‘Em Hell Boys.
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Scott Cook: a storyteller to bring you back home
If Albertans were superheroes, our power would be the ability to drive really long distances. Really. Talk to someone from the United Kingdom, and they’ll tell you driving somewhere more than a mile away is “really far.” Albertans, on the other hand, won’t even be fazed by a quick round-trip from Edmonton to Calgary, or a jaunt to Vancouver to see a band that doesn’t feel like crossing the Rocky Mountains.
On these long drives, soundtracks are as vital as caffeine and gasoline. Music not only keeps you awake, but adds something to the drive that makes it mean more than just a journey from point A to B.
Fellow Albertans, or anyone else that has this power to drive really, really, far: you know when you’ve been on the road for what seems like ever and you’re finally on the last few miles until you’re back home? The sun is starting to set, the other passengers are asleep, and you know you’re just about there?
That’s what Scott Cook’s music sounds like
Scott knows all about going on journeys. He recently returned from spending three months in Taiwan, where he was also a kindergarden teacher for six years. Playing in bands while he inspired the Taiwanese leaders of tomorrow, he decided to focus on music full-time in 2007. Musing on the value leaving home can have, Scott related: “it can really blow some fresh air into your mind to leave this behind for a while.” For him, music and travelling are deeply connected:
Obviously, every place you’ve ever been and every person you’ve ever met inform your art somehow. Spending time in vastly different places allows you to see your own place with new eyes, and speaking a different language lets you see your own differently. Getting to know people of very different cultures also brings home just how much we humans all have in common; the struggles, loves, hopes and fears, the stuff great art is about.
On Scott’s 2011 album Moonlit Rambles, there’s a song called “Goin’ up to the Country,” inspired by the annual festival the North Country Fair. Like wandering, Scott believes festivals like the North Country Fair to be enriching - community is stressed over spectacle, and people are there to participate rather than worship a guitar solo:
There’s something I really love about the smaller festivals that you just can’t get in a place with bigger names on the bill, like seeing familiar people throughout the weekend, getting to know them, camping out in the woods, jamming around fires, not having to pack a bag for the long trek to main stage, and the blessed absence of lineups, ads, and little corrals to drink your beer in. All that, and the charm of partying with a crazy assortment of characters in a field by some tiny town no one’s heard of while the last golden rays of day slip away and the mist moves in; the whisper of what life might have been like before we turned it all over to strip malls and call centers and fine print; the feeling of something righteous, rootsy, and real.
When Scott lived in Taiwan, he often played a festival called Spring Scream. Obviously, being in Alberta should limit his ability to perform there these days…but it’s 2012, and we might not have hoverboards yet, but we do have skype:
…they set up a giant projection screen, where artists from around the world could call in on Skype and play for the folks at the festival. I called from Calgary, the morning after a house concert, and got to talk to friends of mine over there… it was around noon for us and 2 or 3 in the morning over there. I took them for a tour of the house we were staying at, showed them the breakfast we were about to eat… one of the roommates juggled eggs, and we sang a few songs. They came up to the camera to say hellos, cracked beers to cheers us, and even turned the camera around so I could see myself projected on this enormous screen. It was totally surreal.
Scott doesn’t only find community at festivals, he finds it in Edmonton too. “The level of talent, he says, “just at open stages in this city is mind-boggling. Not much word seems to get out beyond Edmonton, but there might be a plus side to how pathetically unknown and under-rated our scene is: with no discernible music industry pie to fight for a piece of, we don’t have the kind of competitiveness you might encounter in larger centres.”
Scott recognizes connections, and the positive role music plays in people’s lives. With songs like “The Lord Giveth (and the Landlord Taketh Away),” it’s clear he’s also keenly aware of the potential music has for political expression. While written before the Occupy Movement arose, the song makes it clear that Scott is concerned with some of the same issues as these protesters. Quite astutely, and in contrast to many snide know-it-alls on twitter, he says he wouldn’t “presume to say what the Occupy movement is all about.” What’s clear, however, is that Occupy “has succeeded so far in bringing some issues to the fore; the corrupting influence of money on our government and media, the vast inequalities in our system, and the as-yet-unprosecuted criminal fraud at all levels of the financial sector.” Scott doesn’t know in what direction the movement will go from here, but, he says, he was excited to see that “spark of possibility” it has offered. Looking at the role of music in the bigger picture, Scott relates that “even when they’re working on a strictly personal level, real artists have always been trying to change the world. Like the Polish writer Wislawa Szymborska said, ‘Whatever you say reverberates, whatever you don’t say speaks for itself. So either way you’re talking politics.’”
A natural storyteller, Scott tells tales of rambling, community, and the potential of the human spirit. If you’re going to the Edmonton Music Awards tomorrow, you might see him there - he’s nominated for the “Male Artist of the Year.” If you want to catch him at a festival, he’s on the bill at Edmonton’s Open Sky Music Festival in June with other great local acts. And if you want him to join you on a roadtrip, head on over to his website and order one of his albums.
Who Made Who.
courtesy Who Made Who.
Edmonton’s Rock n Roll Society throws another successful event in the Hangar at Fort Edmonton Park Saturday night which included the likes of The Mary Thomas Band, Cold Feet and headlined by Who Made Who - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience.
The night started with the Mary Thomas Band led by powerhouse singer Mary Thomas who could easily be compared to Janis Joplin for her intense style of Rock n Roll / blues coupled with virtuoso guitarist, Brian Petch. Following that was Cold Feet. This band has several decades of experience and it truly showed as they continued on from Mary Thomas to keep everyone up on their feet and the dance floor filled. There tight and polished sound definately energized the large crowd and brought the tempature up for the main event.
Who Made Who hit the stage hard and never looked back with their polished rendition of AC/DC hits one after another after another. I don’t think anyone left the dance floor as they kept the hits coming. All in all it was a very successful evening of non stop hard hitting Rock.
“The Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton is proud to bring musicians and fans together to celebrate some of the best music of our time. This passion continues with our work in the community though the Centre for Arts & Music. Thanks to the support of local musicians and volunteers, we’re witnessing firsthand how the power of music can influence and heal youth at risk, while promoting tolerance, acceptance and understanding. It’s rewarding to be a part of we honour everyone involved.”
The second Annual Edmonton Rock Music Festival
The Rock n Roll Society is putting the finishing touches on the second annual Rock Music Festival which hits Hawrelack Park on August 17th and 18th 2012. This year should be a doozy with the likes of Blue Oyster Cult, April Wine, Trooper, Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts, Kenny Shields & Streetheart & Prism to name just a few of who will be rocking the Heritage Amphitheatre this summer’s event For the complete details check out the listing at here.
Your guide to Edmonton’s live music scene.
Cam Shaft - barsnbands.com
I have a dirty secret.
I’m one of THOSE people. We, the zealous music fanatics who take musical appreciation beyond the borders of a hobby and express it more like lifestyle choice. We’re pretty easy to spot, most often because:
1. There’s uncontrollable self-inclusion into any conversation within ear shot vaguely related to an artist’s solo career, music venue, or a guitar.
2. We are principal knowers of ridiculously random musical minutiae that make you question exactly why or how the hell we’d possibly even like to know that. Same goes for that seemingly secret show next weekend at that tiny club you didn’t know existed.
3. Our promotion of an album may seem more like indoctrination into a cult if you don’t listen to it the instant we recommend you do. Because at that very moment it could change or save your life. It’s happened to at least twice before. So trust us and play the damn thing.
You know people like me too. A friend, co-worker, or maybe your spouse (you’ll know precisely what I mean all too well then, lucky duck). We are that quietly smiling, content guy you keep seeing whose earbuds seem part of the evolution of his body.
Our reputation is of course a completely self-inflated notion that serves a belief that the music that we appreciate and love has REAL substance. It is deeply meaningful, possibly connected to a larger concept of massive social change (evident in my awe of the U2 360 Tour stop in Edmonton last summer, but that’s a story for another time) and most likely is better than YOUR music. But this is no secret.
The whole concept of the modern music critic started in the 1960’s, with the emergence of the Beatles. Until then, ‘art music journalists’ didn’t take serious notice of rock and ‘pop’ (popular) music. It was unstructured, inartistic, and was regarded as a fleeting social phenomenon. As it gained in popularity, critical opinion quickly swayed with the increasing demand, and the modern music critic was born. Today, about 1.6 billion hits appear if you search ‘music reviews’ on Google. Compulsions to categorize, compare, rate, berate, and remember music is just as popular as the pop music itself. Interesting. Awesome. And ironic.
Secret Revealed
Blessed by a friend with a big heart and an extra ticket, I got a killer seat to the …………………………. (please pause while I muster the courage to admit)………….Coldplay show this past Tuesday at Rexall Place. The style is described by Chris Martin himself as ‘limestone rock’, which I (in all my infinite bratty wisdom) translate to mean easily digestible, engineered palatability designed to feed the masses. The only tracks I’ve heard are a result of endless radio overplay. Ick. But my friend’s generosity and the fact that the invitation didn’t actually include slowly ripping my fingernails out knocked my indie ego down a few notches and I simply said thank you.
Edmonton was the band’s first stop on the tour, promoting the release of their 5th album Mylo Xyloto. At the entrance we were all given wristbands which had Coldplay’s twitter page included on them. Yet ANOTHER mass marketing gimmick. Ick. But they were free, and looked a lot more impressive than your typical wristband. I played along. Rexall was packed to the rafters with fans. The energy was excited but calm, and not one person I saw was ass-clown drunk (thank you Coldplay fans for resetting the bar back to classy for me. I’ve seen some crazy shit). As the lights fell and Coldplay took the stage, I could feel my disdainful judgement fall away too. First my wristband lit up, along with the thousands and thousands of others. Canons fired and exploded colorful confetti that filled the sky, and oversized brightly coloured ‘beach’ balls surfed the crowd. The piano on stage was tagged in colorful neon graffiti art and the stage backdrop stage glowed in the same style. Chris Martin f*cked up a few lyrics, laughed, apologized and carried on. Yes, they write and play swoony love songs and sad lamenting ones about heartbreak and yes, they’ve gained international superstardom by doing this. But by the end of it all, I didn’t give a shit. It was incredible. I left in in awe and wonderment of the music and the entire performance. They are human, artistic and as real as any of us.
Every band has its roots and humble beginnings. It doesn’t make anything less authentic or real because they’ve grown taller than most in the forest. The show was sincere and so was my lesson in being less of a bitchy know-it-all critic. Oh, and those wristbands (aka Xylobands) I assumed were some cleverly concocted marketing scheme were actually a fan’s idea. The band liked it and incorporated using them in their tour. Interesting. Awesome. And ironic.
Chantele Theroux for barsnbands.com
Edge of Attack
cam shaft - barsnbands.com
Based out of the frigid Northern lands of Alberta, Canada, Edge of Attack blends old-school metal with a modern edge, creating haunting vocals, shredding guitars, complex bass lines, and furious drumming.
The Band:
Roxanne Gordey : Vocals, Jurekk Whipple : Lead Guitar/Vocals, Trevor Swain on Drums and Denver Whipple on Bass
Just off releasing a couple singles from their new cd and video shoot, You can catch them at their Pre Cd Release party at BJ’s Q Club in Grand Prairie, May 18th, 2012. They have grabbed the attention of Barsnbands.com and are definitely worth checking out when they come to town on the upcoming Western Canada Tour.
Check out their band profile and links.
5 top reasons to get up, get down, and get some at O2’s Sunday Open Stage:
~Chantele Theroux for barsnbands.com
He brushed past me, his brow glistening with sweat, whispering softly how amazing it was. He had that look. The look of sublime satisfaction and sheer exhaustion. I’d seen this look more than a few times before and I knew there was nothing fake about it. He proudly clutched his guitar as he swaggered off the stage and he had loved every minute of it. For a short time, he’s not a husband or hairdresser, oil rigger, or father. He’s the essence of the songs he plays and is hailed a hero by his crowd cheering in the club.
Here are my 5 top reasons to get up, get down, and get some at O2’s Sunday Open Stage:
1 .The Crowd
Bikers and businessmen, moms, mechanics, cozy couples, and groups of friends fill the tables in the club. It’s one of the oddest and most awesome groups of different people you’ll ever see in one place together. But it doesn’t matter. Everyone has come together as fans of classic rock, roots, blues, and country, and most everyone is out to have a good time. No one seems inclined to party like there’s no tomorrow because let’s face it, tomorrow is Monday. And we work. The crowd stays classy, friendly, and fun.
2. The Musicians
With most things in life, things get complicated when money becomes involved. Music is no different. These fine men and women entertain and play for the love and fun of it and there’s nothing better than watching someone play with passion, not for profit. Jammers head down with their best and most beloved gear and provide one helluva show. Hidden gems of talent unearth and come from all over the city. They’re just as diverse as the crowd, and provide a full range of music to suit anyone’s taste.
3. The Vindicators
Hailing from the back yards of Edmonton and St. Albert, the Vindicators are some of Edmonton’s most talented and experienced musicians. They set the stage and rock it harder than most guys half their age. You won’t find a better group than this one. Period.
4. The Sound
It’s quality. There’s a great P.A. system, and there’s an obvious investment in making sure there’s a professional, polished sound for anyone taking the stage. Having heard less than optimal setups before, your ears will thank you.
5. The Room
It’s huge. There’s room for anyone who wants to come out and listen, and it’s spaced out well. Tucked away at the front entrance are the pool tables and there’s seating further back from the stage for those looking to enjoy conversation with their drinks. Brilliant. Tables of all sizes surround the stage and counter stools line the sides of the stage, for a more up close and personal experience. You get a perfect view from almost anywhere you sit. The fair size dance floor accommodates anyone looking to get their groove on.
O2’s Sunday Open Stage starts at 4pm, 13509-127 Street. Live it local, love it live and check it out.
