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CONTENTS Nov - Dec 2011, Issue 89 ISSN 1918 -560x 89 Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
Artistic Directors weigh in on festival programming challenges. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 by joanne Layh
Late bloomers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 by Barb Bruederlin
BC Musician Magazine is published by Patanga Steamship Co. PO Box 1150 Peachland, BC V0H 1X0
High hopes and hula hoops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 by Leslie Alexander
Winter Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Festival Application Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 - 28 Winter Cometh: nesting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
by Janet Rogers
Americana? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
604.999.4141 www.bcmusicianmag.com info@bcmusicianmag.com
21
by Andrea Law
This Winding Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 by linda mcrae
No need to be blue this winter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 by jeanie keogh
Making tracks that click. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 by mike southworth
Publisher, Editor Leanne Nash lvnash@bcmusicianmag.com Community Partnerships Meaghan Cursons meg@bcmusicianmag.com Associate Publisher, Editor Paul Crawford paul@bcmusicianmag.com Marketing, Sales, Distribution Joanne Layh jlayh@bcmusicianmag.com
Subscribe Today for a mere $30 a year! Help us help spread the love of the BC music scene Easy PayPal link at: www.bcmusicianmag.com
A note about our printing. We print with International WebExpress, Coquitlam, BC. They are committed to supporting environmentally responsible and sustainable forestry, and are the only FSC certified newspaper printer in BC. They’d love to talk to you about printing festival guides, programmes, newspapers, and more. 604-526-8557
The opinions expressed within these pages are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect BC Musician Magazine or its affiliates. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.
Marketing, Promotions, Gogetter Christina Zaenker zippy@bcmusicianmag.com Design Shawn Wernig Cover Design Richard Chapman
No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Canada Post Agreement 41440066
ISSN 1918-560X
CONTRIBUTORS Barbara Bruederlin is a freelance
writer in Calgary. She is trying to singlehandedly save the arts community in Canada by promoting struggling musicians and theatre troupes. Her reviews are regularly linked on the press pages of the Calgary Folk Music Festival and Sage Theatre. Barbara also maintains an insanely popular blog, Bad Tempered Zombie. Her writing has been published in Prairie Fire Magazine, Swerve Magazine, Kitschykoo! Subcultural Magazine, and Alberta Views Magazine.
Jeanie Keogh is a Vancouver-based freelance writer and a regular contributor to the Deep Cove Crier, the Jewish Independent, TenthMil, Side Street Review, Shalom Life and Impowerage. She is a graduate from the journalism program at Langara College and creative writing graduate from Humber College.
Mike Southworth
is a Producer, Musician, Director and Jack-ofAll-Trades who lives in Vancouver with his wife, Hilary Grist. Check out Mike’s blog at www. collideentertainment. com
Linda McRae spent 8 years touring the world with Platinum recording artists Spirit of the West. She has since released 3 critically acclaimed solo recordings and in 2007 was awarded a Canada Council Study Grant to work with Grammy winner Jon Vezner in Nashville, TN and clawhammer banjo aficionado Brad Leftwich in Bloomington, IN. Linda was married in a bail bonds office in Jackson, TN to James Whitmire, a retired donkey rancher-turned poet. They are working on a new CD of their own songs and a one-act play about how they met. lindamcrae.com
Sallying forth as an apostle of culture, Andrea Law plied her trade for many years as the quintessential quirky librarian. She devoted many years to the service of education and intellectual freedom, firm in the belief that “knowledge is power”. She recently abandoned that axiom to explore the darker side of philosophy, ergo “ignorance is bliss, and so is chocolate”. Andrea plays double bass for the Vancouver indieroots band Willy Blizzard.
4 BC Musician | November - December 2011
“Wonderfully evocative… the simplicity and directness of these songs make for a superb listen,” said Americana-UK about music from Canadian singer-songwriter
Leslie Alexander, whose independent recordings have garnered international airplay and honorable mentions from the ISC and Billboard song competitions. Along with duo partner Jenny Allen, Leslie is currently touring clean across on Canada on her “Dirty Laundry CD Release Tour “ in support of her new release “Nobody’s Baby.” Janet Rogers Janet is a Mohawk/Tuscarora writer from the Six Nations band in southern Ontario. She was born in Vancouver, BC and has been living on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people (Victoria, British Columbia) since 1994. Janet works in the genres of poetry, short fiction, science fiction, play writing, spoken word performance poetry, video poetry and recorded poems with music. Janet hosts Vancouver Island’s only native radio program on CFUV 101.9fm in Victoria called “Native Waves Radio” and is host of a native music column, Tribal Clefs on CBC Radio One’s program, All Points West in BC every Tuesday.
Richard Chapman has worked with
a wide variety of great Canadian artists for nearly three decades - from the Rheostatics and Herald Nix to Moose Records and The Pointed Sticks. Currently he conducts the Northern Electric collective www. northern-electric.ca.
and now a few words from... Island Musicians! Here’s an opportunity not to miss! The producers of the Vancouver Island Music Awards are putting a call out to Island musicians (Vancouver Island, Gulf and Discovery) for music they’ve released in 2010 or 2011, to be considered for nomination in the 2012 Vancouver Island Music Awards, which will be held April 21 in beautiful Victoria. This will be the eighth installment of the event. Musicians can find all details on what and how to submit at www.islandmusicawards.com. The deadline is December 31st, 2011. The 2011 gala event was held at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay with Helen Austin being named the 2011 Artist of the Year, and The Irish Rovers were honored with the “Island Classic Award” to recognize their 46-year (and counting) run in the music industry - the past 20 of which as Vancouver Island-based artists. The goal of the Vancouver Island Music Awards is to (1) Celebrate the Vancouver Island music scene, (2) Build Awareness of this scene among the general public on the island and across Canada, (3) Provide a networking opportunity between artists and music industry representatives, (4) Acknowledge & Reward excellence in the artistry and work ethic of Island artists, (5) Empower and Encourage Island Artists to pursue their musical dreams, and (6) Set a positive and professional example for Youth (and the young at heart!) who are pursuing a career in music.
Adam PW Smith: Photographer, Writer, Publisher, Videographer! First seen here, September 2009: http:// bcmusicianmag.com/?p=142, Adam has published the evidence of touring with The Dreadnoughts in the UK for one week in 2009. This Place Is Awesome is “Packed with comical stories, insightful reflections, and a selection of his highly-regarded photographs.” Plus: “[It] brings new perspective and a splash of cold reality to the rock bio/ tour diary genre.” Support Adam! Buy the book! photo@ adampwsmith.com or visit your local independent record store. Also highly recommended: Adam’s first video: youtube.com/user/taktaktakfilms
When Steve Rice took a few minutes to write to us, the sun came out, the tears dried up, and we all felt a little more clear-headed about why we’re publishing this magazine Often we get caught up in our busy lives forgetting to pause for even a moment to soak up the sunshine… smell the pine tree… wade the refreshing river… eat a fresh picked peach. We enjoy all these wonderful offerings in Spences Bridge… many communities have a uniqueness all their own… take the time to stop and smell the roses… who knows what tomorrow brings. Often we also don’t take the time to pause and say I miss you… I love you… or thank you. As we travel the road of life we cross paths with the good, the bad and yes… the ugly. The good deserves an occasional pat on the back or job well done. Our team at the Packing House (this includes Maya) would like to extend a HUGE thank you, job well done, to the incredibly talented and dedicated folks at BC Musician magazine. Not only have they offered guidance on our journey into the wide world of live music at The Packing House they have helped design ads, been diligent with follow ups to meet deadlines… even thrown in a smoking deal or two for being good customers. They also frequent our establishment whenever possible, loading up on sandwiches and drinks to go along with a little music madness brainstorming or tales of summer farm follies from Secret Gardens. Last but certainly not least… Desert Daze. As our 1st Annual Desert Daze Music Festival approached Mavourneen and myself (co-organizers) may have been a tad bit stressed but for the most part felt we had things under control. Great music line up, stage all set, vendors, volunteers, venue…all in place. Into the Packing House walks BC Musician’s Christina Zaenker and brigade. We share our excitement and very innocently THE INQUIRY comes…Who is your sound man and stage manager? Yikes — twilight zone music fills my head… the festival is just around the corner. Who are these people, do we really need them, I am in charge of the music… have I missed something? Yikes — twilight zone music gets louder. My meek and mild voice, “Well, we don’t really have a sound man or a stage manager.” (more twilight zone music) do we really need them?” The most diplomatic of responses follows from Christina: “It might help, but you could possibly handle the stage managing yourself, along with your MC duties, but I would strongly suggest you get a good sound man.” DOUBLE YIKES. I have never even MC’d a music festival, had stage manager… I have just entered into the twilight zone. Where the hell do you get a sound man at this late date? A voice from heaven breaks the silence of my frightening thought pattern. “I know a couple of folks that might be able to help.” HOLY… Bail us out, Batman…music to my ears. To make a long story not too much longer…we were able to secure the services of Lisa Marie Strauss and Aaron Goodwin who have been absolutely wonderful. Year two saw our Desert Daze team return in full force while adding Maya Chang in the role of Festival director/coordinator, a role she has agreed to continue into year three, joining Aaron, Lisa Marie and the rest of the team, which most certainly includes BC Musician magazine and the awesome team they have assembled. Your input has been invaluable…and we haven’t even had to ask… you just seem to be there when we need you…you rock…thank you, thank you, thank you! One last thank you to all the passionate, talented musicians who have played the Packing House, Kumsheen Rafting Resort, Desert Daze Music Fest… you are the road warriors, the tireless soldiers who travel far and wide to put smiles on our faces by giving us the gift of music…you are our heroes! Steven Rice The PACKING HOUSE and DESERT DAZE FESTIVAL
BC Musician |
November - December 2011 5
BC Musician made it to the mess hall at Music on the Mountain. We’re pretty sure that’s shayne avec i grec digesting, and Scott Cook, Vicky Murphy, and Mark McGowan reading while masticating
Kamloops This Week is pleased to support winter events in the Thompson Valley Kamloops This Week | 1365B Dalhousie Dr. | Kamloops, B.C. | V2C 5P6 Christmas at the Square November 18-19 Friday 11 am – 7 pm and Saturday 10 – 4 pm
Christmas at the Square is one of the best fine arts and craft show Kamloops has to offer. Set in the beautiful heritage site of St. Andrews on the Square, this intimate show is designed to host only the finest in vendors arts, crafts and food goods. Here customers are able to escape the season’s hustle and bustle, enjoy live music, sip complimentary cider while at the same time relax and work down their shopping list! Lights in the Night Christmas Party Downtown Kamloops November 25 4 pm – 8 pm
There will be hay wagon rides, the annual Christmas tree lighting at St. Andrew’s on the Square, hot chocolate and activities for the kids and fireworks! Christmas at the Courthouse November 26 - 27
This annual event showcases many quality items for sale by artists and artisans in the beautiful venue of the Old Courthouse building. The Annual Santa Claus Parade November 26
Wake Up Santa in Kamloops Square at 10:30 am The parade starts at 11 am
Come and celebrate the kick off to the Christmas season in Downtown Kamloops. Many merchants will be throwing customer appreciations, holiday parties and tastings.
6 BC Musician | November - December 2011
Toy and Train Show and Sale December 3 9 am - 4 pm
The North Shore Community Centre is pleased to present the Annual Toy and Train Show and Sale. The event will take place from. Admission is $4 at the door. Children under 12 free! 14th Annual Wildlights Festival at The BC Wildlife Park December 9, 2011 – January 2, 2012 4th Annual Christmas Market at Sun Peaks Resort December 16-17 2 pm - 7 pm
This is the perfect opportunity to pick up an assortment of unique gifts for special people on your gift giving list! Local vendors will be on-site selling a large variety of handmade gifts, house wares, organic meats, seafood, produce and more!
artistic directors of festivals large & small juggling is just one of their collective skills By Joanne Layh
As a festival-goer, you probably buy your tickets, go to the festival, have a good time, and don’t think too much about how the whole thing came together. But when you pack up your tent and go home, a tiny group of extremely passionate music lovers stay behind and spend the next three hundred and sixty odd days planning next year’s festival. All that time and effort appear invisible to festival-goers because most organizers do a very good job of making it look effortless. Behind the scenes, though, a small group of very dedicated people spend months dealing with the business end of making a festival happen, while at the same time carefully creating the conditions for a special community to meet for just a few days in the year. Most festivals get their funding from ticket sales, local or corporate sponsorship, grants or some combination of the three. Several years of economic uncertainty have meant that many festival organizers have had to plan around funding that is unstable at best. Yet, there are more festivals than ever taking place around the province and they’re all competing for audiences and funding. We asked the artistic directors of a number of music festivals about how they manage to put a festival together year after year despite all the challenges they face. One of the biggest challenges festival organizers have faced over the past few years is the increasing difficulty in finding public funding. “It’s much more difficult to find funding for arts events,” Music on the Mountain’s Lionel Conant told us. “‘Public funding’ seems to go to bailouts and pipelines these days. It’s difficult to understand why
people do not understand the value of the arts in culture, education and the economy of our future.” “We’ve increased our funding over the years as the festival has grown and three levels of government recognize our impact in the community,” Calgary Folk Festival artistic director, Kerry Clarke, says. “But we’ve reached a bit of a ceiling. And on the provincial level, we are stuck in a festival category but should be getting twice as much in the big ‘10’ group, as we’ve reached that level, but they haven’t adjusted the categories yet. It involves cutting some to increase others; never an easy fix.” Doug Cox of the Vancouver Island MusicFest says that these days there are more events going after the same, or less, money. And even for festivals that are successful in accessing public funds, there is still the challenge of planning around funding that is unstable from one year to the next. “It’s such a rollercoaster,” Julie Fowler, the artistic director of ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art says. “Funding seems to vary drastically from one year to the next, which makes it extremely hard to plan. We get a mix of federal and provincial funding but nothing is on an operational basis, so we apply year to year for project based grants. What I have found, in general, is that it is easier to get funding for our festival than some of the other programs Island Mountain Arts runs, like our Public Gallery and School of the Arts.” While the general consensus is that public funding is becoming more difficult for everyone to access, festival organizers seem to have had a more varied experience with finding corporate and private sponsorships over the past few years. “It has definitely become more difficult in that regard,” Julie Fowler told us. “Though I’ve only dealt with a handful of
corporate sponsors, it does seem like they have less to give than four or five years ago.” For various reasons, some organizers choose not to finance their festival with corporate funds, which means they’re much more dependent on ticket sales and community support. For many, corporate sponsorship goes against the spirit of what they are trying to achieve with their festival. For instance, the South Country Fair doesn’t have any corporate funding because it does not match their approach to human and land stewardship. They’re not the only festival with concerns about the implications of benefiting from corporate sponsorships. “We [Music on the Mountain] have tried to avoid corporate sponsorships as they often come with something that makes one want to wash one’s hands,” Lionel Conant told us. “Still, support for the fest from local businesses has increased and our community has shown increased understanding.” Most of the festivals we heard from would agree that the most reliable sponsorship support comes from within their own local community. However, in these economic times, even local support has been scaled back in some communities. “Things are tight for everyone and we do not live in a community that is large enough to host the offices or interest of major corporate sponsors,” Doug Cox told us. Edge of the World Festival’s Janet Rigg has found that adapting their approach to sponsorship has lead to more interest. “We expanded and simplified our rewards program, offering businesses free passes, merchandise coupons, website and festival program advertising space in exchange for
BC Musician |
Continued on page 8
November - December 2011 7
artistic directors of festivals large & small Continued from page 7 monetary donations or in kind donaOperating with a bigger budget South Country Fair has remained suc- isn’t always easier. “The challenges tions. This seemed to result in more businesses being interested in contributare immense. It’s easier to make poor cessful by staying niche. “If you keep ing.” decisions on a large budget than on a We also asked festival organizers small,” Lionel Conant told us. your patrons, musicians and volunwhat steps they are taking to keep their He says that for small or relatively teers as your utmost importance you festival sustainable and what advice new festivals, operating with a budget they had to offer those facing difficulwill build a niche/community that will of under $25,000 is the most holistic ties. and the most creative. “We are sick “First, I would say keep the faith!” continue to support the event . . . find and tired of people saying, ‘who’s the Lionel Conant offered. “We can get headliner?’ A marquee performer may your own kind and they will come. smaller if need be. It’s really easy to go or may not help your fest, but at what something like, ‘man, if I bring in Fred sacrifice to emerging artists? Isn’t that Keep it real.” Eaglesmith everyone will come.’ Sadly, what we’re all trying to do, is to prothat’s not always the case. Reduce costs mote independent art? Personally, we wherever possible, avoid commercial sales, merchandise and alcohol sales, prefer going to a fest where we don’t radio and use awesome services like CBC plus fundraising efforts and individual know or haven’t heard of the performer Radio and other public broadcasters. Use donations,” Julie Fowler says. “We still that has the ‘marquee’ spot.” social media as much as possible. Social need grants and corporate sponsors, but Shara Gustafson of the Robson Valley media takes a real time commitment, but we are agile and diverse enough with our Music Festival agrees. “I think this kind costs nothing. Find other groups in your revenues to cope with cuts if they happen. of budget keeps you on the search for community who are like-minded and Last year when we were facing bigger cuts up and coming talent that will wow the engage them in the project. If you have that we anticipated we appealed to our crowd, but won’t cost the major mulno money at all, but can cook and have community and people came forth to help lah to bring in. I think it makes us more a warm place to stay, you can spread the fundraise - this was an amazing expericreative in our choices . . . bringing in a good word amongst the community by ence because it showed me that I’m not marquee act is not necessary, especially holding house concerts throughout the winalone. When the festival needed help, it once you have begun to gather the trust ter season. Remember the donation jar!” got it. Never underestimate the power of of an audience. They are expensive, and The folks at Robson Valley Music community!” usually a pain in the ass! Your crowd will Festival says it is important to live within Probably the biggest decision festival trust you to put on a good lineup, even your means; starting out with, and conorganizers have to make is deciding how if they have heard of nobody you have tinuing to work within a reasonable and to spend their performer budgets. Some booked,” she says. realistic budget is the key to succeeding. festivals, particularly the larger ones, find it Gillian Moranz says the pro to operatThe same approach goes for the Filberg important to feature a marquee performer, ing with a smaller budget is the creativFestival, who say they are moving ahead while others have different objectives ity that comes with booking a lineup of slowly and are very careful not to overexwhen it comes to making creative choices. outstanding music that is not as broadly tend themselves. “ArtsWells doesn’t feature ‘headliners’ known and forget about the headliner South Country Fair has remained sucthat’s not to say that we don’t have some mentality. “I’ve never had the budget to cessful by staying niche. “If you keep amazing young and veteran performers, explore this [a big headliner] but can’t say your patrons, musicians and volunteers but most are not represented in the comI miss it. I see all the performers I book as as your utmost importance you will build mercial world so they don’t necessarily ‘marquee’,” Moranz says. a niche/community that will continue to have the audience draw of a Corb Lund “Our budget is right on the edge [of support the event . . . find your own kind or Great Big Sea,” Julie Fowler told us. being in the $50,000 range]. I have to and they will come. Keep it real,” South “This really works for our festival because program four days of music on two stages Country Fair’s Gillian Moranz told us. it sets a nice community feel by giving plus the kids area and my budget has to Janet Rigg says Edge of the World Feseveryone the same billing. It also has include everything - sound, backline, tival is keeping it fresh by changing their allowed our festival to grow really slowly accommodation, extra equipment, riders, website and updating the entire look and and keep our numbers small - this is imetc. as well as performer fees. I barely feel of the festival. portant, as we can’t get much bigger than make it through each year with a couple For ArtsWells, the main way they 2,000 people. It would totally disrupt the of hundred dollars left over for emergenensure their sustainability is by growing flow of the festival to have one ‘big’ name cies,” the Filberg Festival’s Bobbie Blue their own revenues. “This includes ticket that draws a huge crowd.” told us.
8 BC Musician | November - December 2011
l For Blue, having a marquee performer is important. “I think it is very important to have at least one performer each day that will draw a big crowd - we don’t really have the budget for a major headliner but we do our best and depend on the kindness of performers who understand what we are trying to do here.” Doug Cox has worked with budgets of all sizes so he takes a pragmatic approach to the choice of whether or not to book a marquee performer. “I think this depends on each individual community and festival. It really depends on the goal of the event and the community who puts it on,” he says. Larger festivals generally choose a few marquee artists along with numerous lesser known acts to appeal to a more diverse audience. Since their budgets are larger, they also have more on the line. “Although our audience loves the event, the location, the diversity of artists, they also like to see names they know, so we hire a couple of marquee artists (which I define as selling at least 1,000 ticket on their own in Calgary) in a variety of genres to ensure we sell all our tickets,” Kerry Clarke told us. However, most of the artists playing festivals are not what you would call headliners. If you’re an unknown musician, sending an application to festivals can be well worth the effort. Even larger festivals, such as the Calgary Folk Festival, often accept one or two performers based solely on their application package. Others, such as ArtsWells and Robson Valley Music Festival book about half of their acts from artist who submitted application
packages. “There are acts that are unsolicited, but which we’ve heard of, or which played at fests we like. They may be around 30 per cent,” Lionel Conant says. “Beyond that, we try to include at least one act that is otherwise completely unknown. That’s the most fun! Then we can call up other promoters and say, ‘you gotta check these guys out!’” John Taves of the Envision Twilight Concert Series and Bobbie Blue of the Filberg Festival also hire about 30 per cent of artists from applications. “I spend a fair amount of time researching for performers who will fit with our festival . . . I also think the application process is important - it is then a deliberate mix and match between the two,” Blue says. “The longer I do this job the more unsolicited acts I book, but that only makes sense,” Moranz says. “There is so much coming at you from so many different directions. I can’t stress enough however how important it is to listen to music that has been submitted. There are gems in there.” We left the artistic directors by asking what they saw as the greatest challenge ahead and how they plan to stay fresh and relevant. “Our biggest challenge is getting the volunteer crew together to pull this off, as well as securing our operating funds through grants and sponsorship,” Janet Rigg says. For Vancouver Island MusicFest, the challenge is remaining financially viable. Moranz says keeping up with all the rules and bylaws that seem to be increasing presents a big challenge for festivals. Bobbie Blue says the Filberg Festival
faces the difficult task of trying to make the money go further. “It costs more money to put the festival on each year with the economy the way it is, charging more for tickets isn’t really an option and the budget isn’t going to get any bigger.” Blue also says it’s important to change things up each year. “I try and book half new performers and half familiar performers each year and our demographic really seems to like that, a little bit of new and a little bit of old familiar is comforting.” For Lionel Conant, the greatest challenge is local support and keeping the excitement going. “We need to continue to keep the faith amongst the converted. We can tell already that if we let off, it will go away.” For Julie Fowler, the greatest challenge is knowing when to stop. “All festivals have a life cycle and I never want to be so attached to ArtsWells that I can’t see when its time to give it a break. For so many years we fought just to get known and attract an audience. We were always the underdog, and now we are gaining momentum, recognition and support. So once we rise to the top, there is only one way to go...back down. For me it is essential to be relevant and if the festival gets to a point where it is growing for the sake of growing, but without a goal in mind, or the awareness to know when it has lost its original spirit, then it needs to reevaluate its purpose. What motivates me to keep with it is all the positive feedback and connections that continue to grow – i.e. the community that has been built through the festival. When that community is lost, so will be ArtsWells.”
DESERT DAZE2011 2012
music festival
Spences Bridge August 17-19, 2012 SPENCES BRIDGE BC AUGUST 19-21
Styles from country, folk, blues, rock, and everything in between. In the heart of Cow Bay, Prince Rupert, where we make everything from scratch. Check out our famous postcards! Now Licensed!
Enjoy music, crafts, displays, games and local produce.
MUSICIANS/ENTERTAINERS WANTED! Contact us at 250.627.1395
www.desertdaze.ca
BC Musician |
November - December 2011 9
ea rly starters, late bloomers By Barbara Bruederlin on my knees scrubbing the kitchen floor and feeling quite sorry for my poor Cinderella Like flowers in a perennial garden, per- self,” she explains, “and I started singing a formers come into bloom at widely diver- blues song in rhythm to the scrubbing mogent times of life, some bursting forth with tion.” the first warm rays, others holding back till I’ve Got the Waiting for the Morning Blues the flush of summer has faded. The purple was the first of many songs that Carolyn aster is one of the last flowers to bloom in the penned over the years, as she taught herself fall, a colourful reminder that there is ample guitar, established songwriters’ groups and life and beauty in the waning of the year. began the foray into performing her original Carolyn Harley proudly calls herself a pur- songs. The night she attended her first open ple aster. Although a songwriter for almost mic, armed with three songs she had writforty years, she considers herself a musical ten, was a musical awakening. “I had a sense late bloomer. “I am only now,” she admits, of myself as a musician/performer from that “at the age of 62, releasing a professionally first time,” she maintains. produced CD.” If Carolyn Harley is a purple aster, Hannah Although singalongs around the piano Smart is a snow crocus who barely waits for were an important part of the social fabric the spring melt before pushing forth green on the Air Force bases where she grew up, it sprouts. A seasoned veteran at the grizzled wasn’t until Carolyn was in her early twen- age of 17, Hannah has always found her ties, a young mother with a small child, that passion in performing, making her public she felt driven to write her first song. “I was singing debut belting out O Canada at Calgary’s Race City Speedway when she was seven. “They let me sing it up in the tower,” she recalls. “Back then I was terrified Box 880, 36083 - 97th St. Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0 250.498.3711 of the crowds.” Is pleased to support winter events in the South Okanagan Now a performer with The Young Canadians of December 11 South November 18-19 Arts the Calgary Stampede Okanagan Sportsmens’ & Craft show at the and a student at the orgaAssociation 63rd annual Community Hall. This is a nization’s performing arts big event featuring loads black powder shoot. Call school, Hannah was very of local crafts and artisans 250-498-3205. comfortable headlining call 250-498-6649. last summer’s grandstand December 26 & 27 show. She attributes her Vaseux Lake annual November 26 Rotary ability to perform beClub hosts their annual Christmas bird count. fore nightly audiences of call 250-495-6164. Scotch Tasting event. thousands to her menCall 250-498-0700. tors and to the showbiz December 31 Okanagan drive she has always felt. November 27 the Legion Portugese New Year’s “I would always dance dance. Call for ticket hosts a Grey Cup party around my house singinfo 250-498-4985. in the lounge. Call 250ing songs I learned at 498-3868. pre-school and I would December 31 Mount put on little shows for my December 2 - 4 Baldy ski hill New Year’s parents,” Hannah recalls. dance on the hill. Visit Christmas on the “It has always just felt like www.skibaldy.com for Golden Mile winter at the the most natural thing to details. wineries. Call 250-498do.” The Travelling Mabels, 3743.
10 BC Musician | November - December 2011
meanwhile, are a mixed bouquet of threepart harmony wrought by Lana Floen and the mother-daughter team of Eva and Suzanne Levesque. In a band comprised of three generations of women, each member brings a unique sensibility. “Because of the generational difference, we all have different outlooks on life,” explains Lana, “and are influenced by different styles of music that have shaped our own style.” Despite those differences, it was clear from the first time they sang together that the Travelling Mabels were destined to blossom. At the 2008 CCMAs, where Suzanne had been nominated for bass player of the year, the three women found themselves at a Royalty Records party, where they were invited to sing together at the open mic. “By the time we came down from the stage we had three cards from industry people,” they laugh. “We all knew at that point that we had something special.” All three women recall strong musical influences early in their lives. “While all the other kids were out playing and running around, when the music started in the living room, I immediately was drawn to go in, sit and listen,” Lana reminisces. Too shy to sing alone until the age of 26, she was always mesmerized by harmony. “I sang with close friends and was always trying to get them to sing the lead line while I would try to harmonize.” “I grew up with a very musical father,” Eva adds. She would accompany her father on guitar while he played fiddle. She then became a strong musical influence for her own daughter, forming the Levesque family band. Although Suzanne began performing with the family band at 12, she admits that she may not have become a musician at all without family influence. “I remember imagining being a singer,” she says, “but playing the bass was sort of a necessity. Everyone in the family played an instrument and we had a bass at the time, so I became the bass player.” Some are born to perform, others overcome shyness, step in to fill a void, or simply take the long leisurely route to finding their voice. Once bit, though, the performance bug lasts forever. Says Carolyn Harley, “when I hit 70, I should be in full stride.”
1773 South Lyon St. Prince George, BC V2N 1T3
250-564-0005 www.pgfreepress.com
The Prince George Free Press is pleased to support community events Heritage Community Carolfest December 8, 7:00 pm A fun free family event where you can come and sing Christmas carols with your family, friends, and neighbours. Goodies and refreshments will follow. A non-perishable donation would be greatly appreciated. St. Georges Ukrainian Catholic Church Christmas Bazaar December 10, 10:00 am - 1 pm On corner of Vanier and Massey Dr. Come down for the finest perogies in town, as well as cabbage rolls, sausage, fresh bread and mouth watering baking goods. Handy Dandy Craft Fair November 12 10 am - 4 pm Drop by the Handy Circle for crafts, baked goods, refreshments, and door prizes. Wolves Of The Yukon Wednesday, November 17, 7 pm Bob Harkins Branch of the Prince George Public Library. Bob Hayes has been Yukon’s wolf biologist for 20 years. He’s been up close and personal with hundreds of wolves, fitting them with radio collars so he could research how they kill moose and Dall’s sheep. Join us as Hayes talks about his newest book, written from the perspective of one of the North’s most beautiful predators. Everyone is welcome. Teen Jam Session November 14, 4:30 - 5:30 pm Grab your instrument and head to the Bob Harkins Branch of the Prince George Public Library for an informal jam session with other teen musicians. Free for students in Grades 8 - 12 only. No need to register, just drop in with your instrument and your talent!
9909 100th Ave Fort St. John, BC V1J 1Y4 1.877.787.7030 info@northeastnews.ca
1220B - 103 Avenue Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2G9 250.782.7060 www.northeastnews.ca
The Northeast News is pleased to support community events throughout the Northeast of British Columbia Egan’s Open Mic is the longest running Open Mic/Jam in Fort St. John. From it’s humble beginnings 6 years ago to the weekly Wednesday night social institution it is today, there is something for everyone. Whether you play or sing, or just enjoy watching great music performed by people you share the city with, I guarantee you won’t have experienced anything like it. Come down and join us at Egan’s Pub on Wednesdays at 8pm!
Contact: Retro Relics 250-787-8822 Visit Retro Relics to find out more about Marianne Girard or any of the other upcoming performers!
“You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” by Stage North Thursday, Dec 29, 2011 - Saturday, Dec 31, 2011 Stage North Presents, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, December 29th, 30th & 31st with a New Year’s Eve Party on December 31st at 7:30 pm. Based on the iconic cartoon character by Charles M. Shultz, the peanut characters come to life with their The fine folks at Patch Java are proud to present Fort St. John’s best innocent and poignant observations on life. This heartwarming production All-Ages Open Mic event. Truly a is a great event for the whole family. family-friendly night out, anyone is welcome to show up and support the You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown artists sharing their special talents. Or will be on stage at the North Peace Cultural Centre. Tickets are available if you have a special talent that you from the Cultural Centre box office, by want to share, anyone can be part of the night’s show. If you sing, write phone at 250-785-1992 and online. Dec 29th, 30th - Adults $25, Students poetry or stories, tell jokes, or play an instrument, we want you! We even & Seniors $20, and Children $15. Dec 31st Performance and family friendly take people with superb whistling skills. Happening the third Thursday New Year’s Party - Adults of every month at 6 pm, Patch Java $40, Students & Seniors $35, Children $30. hosts a talent-filled, fun time. Bring your family and friends to our AllFashion and Form in Film Sunday, Ages Open Mic Night - you will be amazed by the skills shared! Located February 26, 2012 Why not give your creative side a at 10430 100th St, Fort Saint John, go? This contest showacases the you can call 250-261-6648 for more talent of those who wish to create information or follow PatchJava on new fashions and art forms out of Twitter. reused movie film. $1000 in CASH PRIZES!!!!!!!! Registration Fee: $25.00 Home Routes House Concert Movie film is supplied Registration - Marianne Girard Sunday, Nov Deadline: February 6, 2012 Design 27, 2011 7:00 PM Organized by Submission Delivery Deadline: the founders of the Winnipeg Folk February 22, 2012. Festival, the Home Routes house All of the fabulous creations will be concerts is a monthly series of on display Feb 26th 2012 @ On the concerts throughout the winter that Rocks Nightclub during their Oscar will bring great performers from Night On the Big Screen event. This across Canada to Fort St John. event is for ages 19+ Get up close and personal with Contact: (250) 785-6214 amazing performers in the comfort www.stagenorth.ca of a living room. A chance to see musicians in an unmatched setting!
BC Musician |
November - December 2011 11
high hopes & hula hoops The mystical secret to fest success By Leslie Alexander
When autumn leaves begin to fall, the days gone by are of gumboot helicopters whirling colorfully to the sound of music festivals everywhere. But as the last falafel is eaten, the last lantern dimmed, and the last note sounded, sending friends reeling deliriously home with their arms around each other singing, musicians everywhere are already wondering what kind of hoops they need to jump through to get on the stage next year. They’re thinking stuff like, • I wish I coulda had a festival show. My band is almost as good as some of those guys. Maybe I should try applying next year. • Or, I wish I coulda had a better timeslot. I really wanted to play in front of the So-and-So’s on the mainstage. Maybe I should put together a band for next year’s application. • Or, I love playing these tiny festivals but it was a four-hour drive from the airport, the trip is taking four days for one show, and when I deduct band costs I’m making 300$. Next year I should apply as a solo. • Or, What a great summer. I played every major festival across the country and sold thousands of CDs. Next year I should be doing the same thing all over the world. Most of us don’t fall in the latter category. But no matter if you once played on a workshop stage in Dunster or headlined last week at Winnipeg Folk, you always want more festivals on your schedule. Who wouldn’t? The first time I played a fest I looked around and said to myself, I want to be doing this every weekend for the rest of my life. I want to live at a music festival. A gathering of souls for the purpose of music, beauty, and celebration – what better company to keep? What better place to be? The chance encounters. The hula hoops. The henna tattoos. The food line-up and the loo line-up. The throat singers, the drum circles, the mad fiddlers and visiting celebrities. The way the sun goes down at just the perfect time to make the music complete. Oh, the legendary jams backstage, the ones where bands get formed, songs get written, and somebody is still playing at dawn. At a music festival, you are in the present. You’re carried along by the knowledge that you are a citizen of a temporary country of like minds. So by the time the jack-o-lanterns are grinning, we’re all wondering who we should dress up as this year, the better to impress. It’s time to get festival applications in. After recovering from their summer labours, programming committees are back on the job, trying to figure out who is going to make their next festival amazing. I know my costume has to look good and sound good. I may not always be the best judge of what’s going to work. But all I really want to do is go as myself.
After a summer of music and sun, it takes fortitude to focus and hit the books – that is, the booking. It’s getting cold out, so might as well dust off the old EPK (I use both Reverbnation and Sonicbids), smarten it up with a new live video, recording, or blog, take a fresh look at my press kit and ask myself seriously: What are my chances of playing the fests I want to next year, and how can I maximize those chances? I know I need to buckle down and spend a little time on it every day, even though I’d rather be picking apples. Last year I went through BC Musician’s festival list, which they handily posted online, and culled it for all the major festivals (you never know), all the smaller ones where I have a foot in the door, and those in places I just really want to go to, like the North or Haida Gwaii. I made a list and I better check it twice, or I’ll get a lump of coal for sure when fest organizers start to get serious in January. And I’d better be very, very good. How much money and effort do I put into it? Well, everything I can. I put out a new record. I’ve got a band and I’ve been touring. I hit up newspapers on the road, and hope programmers see the stories. I send my music to radio stations and hope somebody hears a song and wants to book me (it’s happened!). They say somebody has to hear about something seven times before it really registers – that means I can’t expect my application form and promo material to do all the work. I put as much energy into my music as I can, and I’ll still feel like I don’t do enough. But you gotta get your music out there, even if you have to play crummy rooms and sleep on floors to do it. I tend to keep my expectations low, because then I can be pleasantly surprised. And I have been. Sometimes somebody sees you playing somewhere and says something to somebody on a committee who just got passed your You Tube clip by somebody else who loves it. Bingo. But you can’t win if you don’t play. I’ve played a few festivals since the day I decided I wanted to live at one, and my dream only comes true for brief shining moments from summer to summer. But I got one of my life’s great lessons at a music fest to the sound of Krishna drumming, from a little girl named Jasmine who was trying to teach me to hula-hoop. She could twirl it on her neck, on her arms, and up and down her body without missing a beat. I couldn’t get it for the longest time, while she twirled away merrily in her gumboots giving me instruction. Finally the rhythm kicked in and I got it – I was doing it! It didn’t matter that I was awkward and clumsy in comparison to my eight-year old coach – I was doing it in my own way. I could get better if I kept trying. “I’m doing it, I’m doing it!” I yelled in triumph. Instantly the hoop fell to the ground around my ankles. She rolled her eyes, still twirling, and said, “You don’t SAY you’re doing it, you just do it.” As I stare at my list of festival applications, her words are ringing in my ears.
12 BC Musician | November - December 2011
winter festivals 2012 Deep Freeze Festival Edmonton, AB January 7 - 8 Electronic: Christy Morin, deepfreezeprogram@gmail.com, artsontheave.org/festivals/ deep-freeze Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival ushers in the Olde New Year in style on Alberta Ave, one of Edmonton’s most historic neighbourhoods, by celebrating winter’s best outdoor activities – skating, curling, snow carving, street hockey and even an outdoor mummers’ play – and the best indoor ones as well in the form of great eating, music and an arts market.
Coldsnap Prince George, BC, January 20 - 28 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: End of June Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: Sue Judge, info@coldsnapfestival. com, coldsnapfestival.com/artists Coldsnap is one of Canada’s premiere winter music festivals. It’s aim is to bring a variety of musical acts to the city of Prince George, British Columbia in the dead of winter. Since it’s beginnings in the early 2000s, it has made its mark on the cultural map, featuring everything from blues to jazz to hip-hop to indie rock, and everything in between. At it’s core is a belief that music comes first, regardless of genre.
Tongue on the Post Folk Festival Medecine Hat, AB January 23 - 28 Donna Robinson & Darla Sawatsk, Chairperson@mhfolkmusic.com, Bookings@mhfolkmusic.com, Artist Submission: www.mhfolkmusic.com/contact.html An annual winter festival presented by the Medecine Hat Folk Music Club.
Blizzard Mountain Music Festival Rossland, BC January 27 - 29 Electronic: Gabriel Gaudet, thetuques@ yahoo.com The 4th Annual Blizzard Mountain Music
Festival has invited some of Canada’s best live acts to come perform during Rossland’s famous Winter Carnival. Local rock band and Blizzard organizers The Tuques have hand picked over twelve acts to help cool down the alpine city over three days of winter carnival festivities and musical freeze. The Blizzard’s mandate is to promote original Canadian music ranging in styles and instrumentation while providing the audience with an authentic live concert setting. Two stages and multiple acts each night complemented by professional sound and lights provided by one of BC‘s top production company, Hairy Productions.
Chutzpah! Festival Vancouver, BC February 11 - March 11 Mary-Louise Albert ml@jccgv.bc.ca chutzpahfestival.com The Chutzpah! Festival is a dynamic multi-disciplinary performing arts festival featuring both established and emerging professional artists from across Canada and around the world. Chutzpah! nurtures interaction and dialogue amongst different artistic disciplines and between artists, both nationally and internationally. It also brings together diverse groups and different generations within the Lower Mainland in a shared and accessible celebration of the performing arts.
Frostbite Music Festival Yukon, NWT February 17 - 19 Preferred Submission: EPK, Mail accepted Application Deadline: October15 Accepting Applications: Closed for 2012 ad@frostbitefest.ca www.frostbitefest.ca/S/artistsubmissions.aspx For the past 33 years, Frostbite Music Society has been creating a unique festival experience for Yukon artists and audiences, bringing performers from across the country to Whitehorse for an unforgettable weekend in the heart of Yukon winter.
BC Musician |
Calgary Mid-Winter Festival February 20 - 25 Preferred Submission: EPK, Mail accepted Application Deadline: December 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Maurice Ginzer, Festival Producer, Calgary Blues Music Association, 417- 808 Royal Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 0L3 Electronic: artists@calgarybluesfest.com, www.calgarybluesfest.com Smoking Blues in the Heart of the New West.
Kamloops Cowboy Festival March 8 - 11 Mark McMillan, Hugh McLennan and Red Allan, cowboys@bcchs.com www.bcchs.com/festival.html This is the largest Cowboy Festival in Canada, and one of the largest in North America. It is a celebration of western heritage in Kamloops and showcases the best in cowboy poetry and western music, as well as cowboy artists and artisans.
Brandon Jazz Festival March 15 - 17 Brent Campbell, info@brandonjazzfestival. com www.brandonjazzfestival.com Originating in 1983, the Brandon Jazz Festival is an annual non-competitive event held in March of every year on the campus of Brandon University. It is an educational forum where young musicians come to perform for adjudicators and receive written, taped and verbal feedback on their playing and singing. Our adjudicators are top of the line professional musicians as well as educators from across Canada and the United States. Participants in the festival include both school based (junior high, high school and university age) as well as community organized groups from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, and the United States. They are usually large jazz ensembles, small combos, or vocal jazz groups.
November - December 2011 13
festival application guide Our 2nd Annual Festival Application Guide is here. This is a tough one: Hundreds of festivals, too many for us to possibly contact and compile for this issue (we save that enormous task for our Annual Summer Festival Guide in May). Therefore, the following pages represent a smattering of awesome festivals to get excited about. Where possible, we’ve also included some Early Bird Ticket information which might just be the perfect gift for the music lover on your Christmas list. We’ll be making this list longer and continually updating our festival listings online at www.bcmusicianmag.com
Calgary Spoken Word Festival Calgary April 16 - 22, Banff April 1 - 15 Preferred Submission: Mail, EPK Application Deadline: November 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: sheridwilson@ciswf.com Featuring the Spoken Word Workbook: inspiration from poets who teach – the 1st ever Spoken Word book and connected interactive website for Spoken Word enthusiasts to play and learn more, featuring well-known artists from across North America. www.spokenwordworkbook.com
East Coulee SpringFest May 12 Preferred Submission: Email Application Deadline: February 1 Accepting Applications: Yes www.ecmuseum.ca East Coulee is 15 minutes east of Drumheller, Alberta. East Coulee SpringFest features 500 fans, 100 musicians, 3 stages, 12 hours, eclectic fans
Kootenanny Music Festival May 18 - 21 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes (but most of the musicians are handpicked from travels and friends) Mail: 621 Devon Rd, Creston, BC V0B 1G7 with CD Electronic: brewmanproductions@hotmail. com or www.brewmanproductions.com Early Bird March 15 $50
Serenity Music Summer Concert Series May 26, June 16, July 14, Aug 18, Sept 8 Preferred Submission: Mail* Application Deadline: December 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Serenity Performing Arts Centre, Attention: Shirley de Vooght, PO Box 601, Clearwater, BC, V0E 1N0 Electronic: naturalvisions@mercuryspeed. com, www.serenitymusic.ca * Old fashioned phone conversation is wonderful as well! Family-oriented, free camping by the river.
Rotary Okanagan Children’s Festival May 24-26 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: Fall 2011 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Conrad Burek, Executive Director, 202 – 69 Nanaimo Ave. E, Penticton BC V2A 1M1 Electronic:info@okchildrenfest.org, www.okchildrensfest.org The Rotary Okanagan International Children’s Festival features the world’s finest musicians, actors, acrobats, comedians and storytellers! This international celebration of the arts stimulates global awareness and an appreciation of cultural diversity. It is an opportunity to delight in the world of imagination and open the door to creative possibilities for your children.
Ashcroft Music in the Park 2nd & 4th Weds, June - August Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: April 2012 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: Nadine Davenport (250) 453-9100 E-mail: windingriverarts@gmail.com and admin@windingriversarts.ca Winding Rivers Arts & Performance Society presents ‘MUSIC IN THE PARK’ Concert Series in Ashcroft, BC. The popular evening Concerts at the Gazebo in Heritage Place Park on Railway Street are held throughout the Summer from June through to August. The Series runs every 2nd & 4th Wednesday night from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Pass-that-Hat donations encouraged. Bring a chair, a blanket, a picnic dinner or buy snacks at our concession. Come early - the park fills fast!
Powell River Blues Festival Early June Preferred Submission: Email Application Deadline: N/A Accepting Applications: No Electronic: s.kozak.prblues@gmail.com
14 BC Musician | November - December 2011
Envision Twilight Concert Series Wed & Fri, June, July, August, 7-8 pm Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: February 28 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: John Taves C-30 2403 Donkersley Road, RR#1, Powell River, BC V8A 4Z2 All profits support the work of the Mission Heritage Association in maintaining and improving the Fraser River Heritage Park in Mission, BC.
In the House Festival June 1 - 3 Preferred Submission: Mail, EPK Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes, Pref Lower Mainland Mail: Myriam Steinberg, 2256 Parker St., Vancouver, BC V5L 2L9 Electronic: info@inthehousefestival.com, inthehousefestival.com In the House Festival aims to create intimate, interesting and unique venues where artists can freely explore their genre, perform to an attentive audience, and promote their talents. Within the intimacy of these venues, the general pulic is given the opportunity to widen their scope of cultural experience.
Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival June 8 - 10 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: February Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival, 4638 Sunshine Coast Hwy, Sechelt BC V0N 3A2 Electronic: info@coastjazz.com or barlin@dccnet.com, www.coastjazz.com The Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival is a volunteer run community festival presented by the Sunshine Coast Jazz and Entertainment Society. The Festival weekend is preceeded by ‘Jazz Week,’ a full week of live music in local restaurants and other venues to promote the talented musicians on the Sunshine Coast and create interest in the Jazz Festival Weekend.
Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Fest Worldbeat Stage June 15 - 17 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: N/A Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: info@dragonboatbc.ca www.dragonboatbc.ca Our Festival was created to showcase Vancouver’s cultural diversity and to promote racial harmony among Canadians. At the heart of our Festival is dragon boating – the fastest-growing team sport in North America and a sport that’s fun to do and fun to watch. Visitors to our Festival will see dragon boat races, experience spectacular food, entertainment, and arts and children’s programming that reflect Vancouver’s cultural diversity.
festival application guide Entheos Summer Solstice Festival June 21 - 25 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: March 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: www.entheosgathering.com, info@ entheosgathering.com Happening in the Nathatlatch Valley near North Bend BC. We are booking trance, techno, progressive, midtempo, and downtempo musical acts.
The Works Art and Design Festival June 21 - July 3 Preferred Submission: Sonicbids Application Deadline: February 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: www.sonicbids.com/Opportunity/ OpportunityView.aspx?c=5499 theworks.ab.ca Celebrating 27 years as the largest free outdoor Art & Design Festival in North America. The Works will continue to provide a wide variety of music to over 300,000 festival patrons.
TD Victoria International JazzFest June 22 - July 1 Preferred Submission: Mail Application Deadline: Canada Council October 22 - Locals February 15 - All others Canadian and Foreign- January 31 Accepting Applications: Yes; MUST follow process explained on website Mail: Victoria Jazz Society 1031 Vancouver St. Victoria, BC V8V 4T6 Electronic: www.jazzvictoria.ca The Victoria Jazz Society’s primary activity is to produce two major multi-day music festivals in the summer, TD Victoria International JazzFest and the Vancouver Island Blues Bash, as well as a series of concerts from September to May.
Edmonton Jazz Festival June 22 - July 1 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: October 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Kent Sangster #302 10526 Jasper Ave, Edmonton T5J 1Z7 Electronic: Sonicbids Line-up: May 2012
TD Vancouver International JazzFest June 22 - July 1 Preferred Submission: Mail Application Deadline: December 3 for Metro Vancouver & BC artists Accepting Applications: Yes, Pref Lower Mainland Mail: Artist Submissions, Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, 2nd Floor, 295 West 7th AVe Vancouver V5Y 1L9 Electronic: submissions@coastaljazz.ca, www.coastaljazz.ca/artist_submissions
Saskatchewan Jazz Festival June 22 - July 1 Preferred Submission: Mail, EPK Application Deadline: December 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: #701- 601 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7K 3G8 Electronic: www.saskjazz.com/perform For ten days each summer, the city of Saskatoon bursts into song as the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival plays host to hundreds of world class artists. Over 70,000 hungry music fans devour the sounds of jazz, blues, funk, pop, and world music each year, with a program that spans as many genres as it does continents.
The Local is pleased to supports events on the Sunshine Coast The Local | Box 494, 5758 Cowrie Street | Sechelt, B.C. | V0N 3A0
Early Bird Craft Sale November 13 1 - 3 pm St. Hilda’s Early Bird Craft Sale from in the Church Hall. There will be free coffee and cake. Elders Fall Craft Fair November 19 10 am - 3 pm at Sechelt Indian Band Hall Don’t miss the Elders Fall Craft Fair. There will be refreshments, raffles, and a 50/50 draw. Roberts Creek Community Association Christmas Craft Fair November 25 - 27 Friday 6 - 9 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10 am - 4 pm
Join the Roberts Creek Community Association for the 42nd Annual Christmas Craft Fair at Roberts Creek Hall and Masonic Hall with local artisans and expert crafters. There will be beautiful local art, crafts and artisanal foods, raffle prizes, yummy treats, and holiday cheer. A Winter Celebration December 6 Beginning at 1 pm Come and enjoy an afternoon of card making, winter caroling, decoration making, stories and winter treats at Gibsons and District Library.
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ROBSON VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL DUNSTER, B.C.
AUGUST 17-19 2012 www.robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com AUGUST 1AUGUST 187 BC Musician |
November - December 2011 15
festival application guide Sled Island June 20 - 23 Preferred Submission: Sonicbids Application Deadline: March Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: www.sonicbids.com Sled Island is a 4 day music and arts (film and comedy too) festival which features over 250 artists in over 30 venues throughout downtown Calgary. Early Bird tix by April, $199.99 for 4-day pass
Penticton Sunshine Cabaret Summer Music Series Throughout July & August Night in Gyro Park ~ Friday and Saturdays 7 – 9 pm @ Gyro Park Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes Contact: 250-493-8540 E-mail: Barb Haynes, Executive Director: barb@downtownpenticton.org www.downtownpenticton.org/oldsite/httpdocs/cabaret.html Sunshine Cabaret is designed to promote local and aspiring artists while providing free
public entertainment throughout the months of July and August. Funding comes from the City of Penticton and is administered by the Downtown Penticton Association. Friday and Saturday evenings remain a feature “night in Gyro Park,” while “Live @ Lunch” continues to run Tuesdays thru Fridays in Nanaimo Square, the “Art in Action” is a unique pairing of music and visual art, taking place Saturday mornings at the Downtown Community Market. The performances at Skaha Beach are a family oriented 3-day event held over the August Long Weekend”.
Adstock
July 1 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: January - May Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Festivals Kelowna, Suite 204-591 Bernard Aveneu Kelowna, BC V0Y 6N9 Electronic: Rmills@festivalsKelowna.com, www.festivalsKelowna.com Canada Day is a free and family friendly event that appeals to a broad range of tastes and interests.
Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
First week in July Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: May 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: burning_ray@hotmail.com Adstock is a free, non-profit, all-day, outdoor, alternative music festival. The event aims to both serve youth interests in bringing in the best bands in the alternative genres and also featuring youth bands from the Pitt Meadows/ Maple Ridge area. The event usually takes place in the first week of July.
1012 Commercial Drive P.O. Box 688, Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0
Canada Day Festival Kelowna
July 4 - 8 Preferred Submission: EPK, Sonicbids Application Deadline: February 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Waterfront Blues Festival, PO Box 25542, Portland, OR 97225 Electronic: www.sonicbids.com This event is the major annual fund-raiser for the Oregon Food Bank, a non-profit hunger relief organization serving Oregon and Southwest Washington. The admission — a suggested daily donation of $10 and two cans of food — goes entirely to the Food Bank.
www.thevalleysentinel.com 1-800-226-2129
The Valley Sentinel is pleased to support winter events in the Robson Valley Songbirds Travelling Music School Thursday, November 15 -17, 2011 Dunster School Fine Arts School Workshops will be offered for all levels and ages at flexible times with enough interest over the 3 days. Songbirds are a wandering music school that focuses on inspiring the human spirit through creative and musical skill sharing. Contact Shara at 250 968 4411 “Dunster Schoolhouse Concert Series” presents “Song Birds” Thursday, November 17, 2011 – 7:30 p.m Dunster Fine Arts School $15 at the door, $5 of ticket price will go to the School. There will also be goodies for sale with all proceeds going to the School. Joanna Chapman-Smith (Voice), Mat Martin (ClawHammer Banjo, Guitar) and Katheryn Petersen (Accordion). Joanna Chapman-Smith is an award-winning SingerSongwriter who has travelled the world over performing her songs. She has played numerous folk festivals around BC, released two solo CD’s to date, and has studied/ practiced vocal technique for many years. Joanna has a lot
of experience and knowledge to share, and is interested in creating a focused and fun atmosphere to do it. Mat Martin is first and foremost a professional musician. This is his trade and he is a master of the form. What differentiates Mat from many other musicians and teachers is his holistic approach to teaching and his philosophy of learning an instrument. He teaches from the person out, rather than the more external technicalities of an instrument. As a professional accordionist, Katheryn Petersen has developed fluency with the instrument, particularly with jazz harmonics and soloing that is unique. She enjoys teaching a range of students and is an active board member of the Accordion Noir Society of Vancouver. Canadian Country Christmas Tour Thursday, December the 8th The Best Western Valemount is set to host the Canadian Country Christmas Tour. The tour will feature Canadian Country artists Duane Steele, Samantha King, Jake Mathews and the Pear Band. Tickets go on sale soon. These performers are looking for a local to open the show. If you are interested in performing, please contact Christine Latimer at the Best Western Valemount at 250-566-4152.
16 BC Musician | November - December 2011
w inter cometh Nesting: preparing for the long winter ahead By Janet Rogers
Nesting: to put one thing inside another, or group things together into a single unit such as items in a reference book into a single entry or under a main heading: cosy up, cuddle up, huddle, nuzzle, settle, burrow, snuggle. The furniture sales person told me today that sales have never been better. “Nesting” I concluded. Given the time of year and the turn of climate, with no hope of an extended or (Indian) summer on the horizon, we commit to “nesting” and making preparations for the long winter months ahead. October, November and December is the three month threshold into the actual winter season. This is a time for food gathering, hunting, canning, collecting firewood, replacing sleeveless shirts with woolly tops in the closet etc. My Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) calendar refers to December as the “Re-telling Our Stories” month. This month hosts the Birch Moon. The silver of the birch bark resembles the silver light of the moon and the sap beneath the birch tree skin cures to make a type of wine. Our New Year is celebrated in late February and is mostly centred around hopes for a good growing season. There used to be sacrifices of albino dogs too, but not so much anymore. As winter lures us to spend more time indoors, we needn’t spend this season without purpose. As the month of December implies, this season is an opportunity to re-tell our stories and create new ones. I am a poet. I use a contemporary performance method to present my poems called “spoken word.” Since the coining of this phrase or genre of poetry, I have come to see just how closely other performance artists can “nest” into the spoken word category. Take comedians for example or politicians. The Haudenosaunee have a long rich history as great orators. Grand speeches delivered with gestures and smartly chosen words to inspire the people. This is spoken word, and this too is a form of storytelling. I thought I would share my spoken word definition and performance pointers with those who wish to hone their stories during the winter season. Like other writers, I believe in my words. And so it is perhaps for this reason, above all others, which became the catalyst for bringing my words into the spoken word genre. I wanted my words to be heard AND experienced. I wanted them to have attention, not me. They wanted to live off of the page. I was not an eager performer of them. But I trusted where they would take me. Too, there is value in defining things by what they are not, or in this case, what I didn’t intend to do, and that was I didn’t want to
bore audiences with just another droned on poetry reading. I, like many of us, have survived readings like that and feel poetry presented in this style, or rather lack of style, is committing crimes against poetry and there should be Heather Haley punishment. At least as much punishment as the poet commits upon their audiences. So if the spoken word lives off of the page, where does it exist? It is delivered from the body, not the page. It lives in the memory of the poet, then as a remembered experience of the listener and if done well, passed on as an informal review. Yes, the page is part parent of the spoken word poem. It is birthed there. It is taught protocols and dressed up for public consumption from the page. So when we witness the spoken word poet deliver, for the first time their oratory of verse, we witness the literary umbilical chord being severed. There, the poem lives as it was meant to live, freely, taking on a slightly different personality with each presentation. Let’s look at some of the characteristics of the spoken word poem; Energy: spoken word is poetry on steroids. Energy matters. This along with the message in the poem and the handsome order in which the words are strung together are the offerings to the audiBAND .COM ence at a spoken word event. Issues: no good can come from poetry Website for all bands that is not rooted in individual truth and & musicians & the we all know truth ain’t ONE website for always pretty. The spothose looking to hire. ken word poet can be
CONNECT
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festival application guide Elkford Wildcat Days
Vancouver Island Music Festival
June 29 - July 2 Preferred Submission: n/a Application Deadline: n/a Accepting Applications: no
Music in the Park Riverside Park Kamloops, BC Nightly July 1 - August 31 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes Contact: Henry Small: henry@smallworldstudios.com From 7 - 8:30 pm each evening during the summer months, come to the Rotary Bandshell at Riverside Park for FREE musical entertainment by local, national and international musicians, weather permitting.
Parks Alive! Kelowna July 3- August 31 Preferred Submission: EPK* Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Attn: Performer bookings, Suite 204 – 591 Bernard Ave, Kelowna BC V1Y 5J9 Electronic: RMills@festivalskelowna.com or MCleveland@festivalskelowna.com, www. festivalsKelowna.com, www.parksalive.com * Email best with link to website with bio and audio samples; “Interested performer application” on web sites Parks Alive! features over 20 different themes each summer, so we’re looking for artists from all genres, from jazz, to blues, rock, country, funk, world, and classical. We book artists of all ages and experience levels, as well as performance disciplines. We’re looking for solo vocalists, to full size bands, dancers, actors, comedians, acrobats, you name it!
Kimberley Oldtime Accordion Championships July 4-9 Preferred Submission: Mail Application Deadline: May 31 Accepting Applications: Yes, must be accordion oriented. Mail: KIOTAC, 823-307th Ave, Kimberley BC, V1A 3J2 Electronic: www.kiotac.ca Accordion love through and through.
July 6 - 8 Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes Contact: Doug Cox: 1-866-898-8499 dougcox@shaw.ca www.islandmusicfest.com/contact/ www.islandmusicfest.com A quintessential “West Coast fest” featuring roots and world music performers from across Canada and around the globe! 3 days and 6 stages FULL of music, interactive workshops, roving performers, funky crafts and delicious food, on site camping, major eco-initiatives, participatory art projects and more. Held each July on the banks fo the Tsolum River in the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. An amazing weekend of celebration, cultural exchange, storytelling, dancing, merrymaking, and world class music from across genres and around the globe.
Calgary Stampede July 6 - 15 Preferred Submission: EPK preferred Application Deadline: Year round Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Calgary Stampede Programming and Entertainment, 1410 Olympic Way SE, Calgary AB T2G 2W1 Electronic: entertainment@calgarystampede. com 2012 is the centennial of the Calgary Stampede No Early bird tix: $36 - $389.25; evening shows $52 - $389.25
Atlin Arts & Music Festival July 6-8 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: December 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Kim Winnicky PO Box 168, Atlin, BC V0W 1A0 or Electronic: kimmer1427@gmail.com, www. atlinfestival.ca Family-friendly, and over 2,200 people attend to enjoy a diverse collection of music, visual art and film. Intereactive artistic and musical workshops are also offered, as are a number of children’s workshops. Atlin, BC is a a beautiful community of 400 that is nestled on the shore of Atlin Lake, BC’s largest natural lake and is within paddling distance of the majestic Juneau icefield and the Llewelyn Glacier.
Beatmerchant Record Store Steveston Village, Richmond 604 204 0044 www.beatmerchant.com
18 BC Musician | November - December 2011
Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival July 14 - 15 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: May 30 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: Deddy Geese info@caribbeanfest. ca Free family festival.
Folk on the Rocks July 19 - 22 Preferred Submission: Sonicbids Application Deadline: March 4 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Selections Committee , Folk on the Rocks, Box 326, Yellowknife NT, X1A 2N3 Electronic: www.sonicbids.com & www. folkontherocks.com Folk on the Rocks, now in its 31st year, promotes a diverse blend of northern and southern talent, providing a uniquely Canadian sound. Performer submissions are juried by a selections committee of five people including our Artistic Director. We are committed to promoting arts in Northern Canada. If you haven’t experienced th north, this may be your opportunity to do so!
Ness Creek Music Festival 3rd weekend in July Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: March 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Attn: Entertainment Committee, 604 Dufferin Ave, Saskatoon, SK S7H 2B8 Electronic: www.sonicbids.com, www.nesscreek.com/involved.php Ness Creek is a 4-day camping festival in the beautiful boreal forest of northern Saskatchewan, 2.5 hours north of Saskatoon. We work hard to present a variety of original music — we like rock, blues, world, folk, jazz, spoken word. The days are hot and the nights are cool, and it wouldn’t be a camping festival without at least one downpour!
Dawson City Music Festival July 20 - 22 Preferred Submission: EPK or Email inquiry Application Deadline: December 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: Artistic Director, info@dcmf.com The Dawson City Music Festival is a multidisciplinary, multi-venue music festival, taking place in the Yukon each July. Famously named Canada’s “tiny, perfect music festival” by Vancouver’s Georgia Straight, the Dawson City Music Festival presents three days of wildly diverse music in six venues around the tiny town of Dawson City, Yukon, in Canada’s far North. Small but mighty, the festival has developed a reputation for unparalleled intimacy, uniqueness, production quality, and hospitality.
w inte r cometh Continued from page 17 described as a politically aware person, using their talents to relay passionate messages based on observations of social injustice, cultural prejudice, environmental exploitation just to name a few. At times, the spoken word poet has been known to sing praises and raise their voice in celebration as well…there’s no hard and fast rules here. Recitation: spoken word is not for the absent minded. Use memory mind tricks, word associations, anything to remember your poems. This is the fundamental difference between a poetry reading and a spoken word performance, so memorize your stuff. One of the wonderful things about being a spoken word poet is you are good to go at any given time, in any place and situation. We live with the poems in our memories, so like songs, we are able to offer them up as gifts, and you don’t need your reading glasses. Performance: embrace the theatrical. Allow your poems to have personality. Audiences listen with their eyes as well as their ears. Be interesting. Your body is telling your story as much as the message in the words, so move. Be aware, if you are introducing props to your spoken word performance you are also cranking up the “something could go wrong” factor ten fold. Keep it simple. Be aware of your personal dictionary of gestures and use the movements which are true to yourself. You’ll know them once you try. Hooks: you need a hook to catch a fish. Repetition, pregnant pauses, asking questions, rhymes and rhythms, all these tactics are good hooks to catch the ear of the audience. A good spoken word performer knows how to use them, and how not to over-use them. Originality: stay true to yourself, stay true to yourself, stay true to yourself. Maybe you have seen some Youtube footage of a Def Poetry Jam presentation and are inspired to emulate the Def style of spoken word. Well let me recommend you watch those video clips for an hour and you’ll quickly tire of the “same-ness” in delivery. To be clear, this is an honest observation, not a criticism of one presentation style. It is important, for the integrity of the genre alone, we continue to discover, invent and be open to new styles of spoken word presentation. Again, there are no hard and fast rules in the world of spoken word. This baby is still growing and to my pleasure, at this time, defying limiting boundaries of definition.
This winter, support your local spoken word poets and the venues that “nest” these talents. Here is a quick list to get you started:
vancouverpoetryhouse.com inthehousefestival.com/spokenword.html The Pandora Collective, at the Prophouse Cafe, Vancouver + Twisted Poets Literary Salon, www.pandorascollective.com Visible Verse Festival 2011: International Video Poetry Festival featuring spoken word on film Nov. 4th 2011 Pacific Cinemateque, Vancouver. Zaccheus Jackson Nyce
Shane Koyczan
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N E W S PA P E R
#8, 1008-8th Avenue, PO Box 868, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 250.341.6299 www.columbiavalleypioneer.com
festivals... South Country Fair
The Columbia Valley Pioneer is pleased to support local winter events Remembrance Day Services November 11, 2011 Remembrance Day services in Invermere and Edgewater, with veterans, RCMP, scouts and dignitaries marching to the Invermere cenotaph at 10:30 a.m. and Edgewater cenotaph at 4 p.m. Exhibition at the Artym Gallery November 12-20 Andrew Kiss solo exhibition at the Artym Gallery in Invermere. Visit www.artymgallery.com. Jewelry exhibition at Effusion Art Gallery November 12, 2011 ‘Sparkle’ exhibition at Effusion Art Gallery in Invermere. A collaboration of Canadian Jewelry artists. Reception from 4 - 7 p.m. www.effusionartgallery.com. Light Up November 26, 2011 Christmas Kickoff in downtown Invermere. Santa Claus parade, Christmas Tree light-up, celebrations, shopping and visits with Santa Claus.
Super Sunday December 4, 2011 Shopping, entertainment and special visit from Santa in downtown Invermere. Christmas Eve torchlight parade December 24, 2011 Torchlight parade and fireworks display at Fairmont Hot Springs Family Ski area. Visit www.fairmonthotsprings.com. Hot Pools Charity Drive December 25, 2011 Christmas Day free hot pool charity drive at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Visit www.fairmonthotsprings.com. Celebration in Radium Hot Springs December 31, 2011 Radium Hot Springs Birthday Celebration. Birthday cake, refreshments and fireworks display. Fireworks at Panorama December 31, 2011 Fireworks display at Panorama Mountain Village. Visit panoramaresort.com.
July 20 - 22 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: May 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: PO Box 1205, Fort Macleod,AB T0L 0Z) Electronic: eaststagesubmissions@gmail.com, scfsubmissions@gmail.com, www.scfair.ab.ca South Country Fair is a rural, peace-oriented, camping, music and arts festival that manifests itself annually just outside Fort Macleod, Alberta. We like to think of ourselves as exciting but civilized - a bunch of “jolly escaped asses” as D.H. Lawrence might have described us, who observe a solitary rule of conduct: ’Eschew Obfuscation’ (in Englische: Avoid Confusion; sub-text - be harmless).
Merritt Mountain Music Festival July 19 - July 22 Preferred Submission: n/a Application Deadline: n/a Accepting Applications: n/a Mail: PO Box 1420, Stn. Main, Merritt, BC V1K 1B8 Electronic: info@merrittfest.com www.merrittfest.com Early Bird tix on sale until February 29, 2012
Rare Earth July 21-22 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: ongoing Accepting Applications: For 2012 Electronic: info@rarearthmusic.com or www.rarearthjazzandbluesfest. com/index.php/rarearth/performers/apply-to-perform-rarearth-2012 The festival is a two day, ‘green’ festival inviting all genres, and multiaward winning musicians from around the world. As well, the festival promotes and supports local artisans, food vendors, young and ‘seasoned’ artists, including young musicians from the Our Kids Have Talent competition who are featured on ‘Stage Right’ at the festival. The Rarearth Music Fest boasts impeccable sound, laser & LED lighting, highly knowledgeable and committed Sound Engineers & Stage Crew. Line up April 1; Early Bird tix until June 30
Towards Eden July 20-22 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: n/a Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: www.towardseden.com A truly green gathering completely powered on site by solar, wind, micro-hydro and other earth energy technologies. It will be full of free practical workshops to help us all truly live sustainably. Our musical lineup includes some of the best local, national and international, live and electronic musicians. Our vision is to gain momentum of being clean and clear. Really. Truly. Seriously. So please remember this event is a drug and alcohol free, family environment.
20 BC Musician | November - December 2011
Americana , what’s in a name? By Andrea Law
Have you ever wondered exactly what is meant by the term “Americana”? I sure have, despite a long listening and playing history. As a third generation musician, I still have a hard time keeping pace with the ever changing nomenclature around popular music. The question of “genre” rears its ugly head every time a band is called upon to describe its musical style. It usually involves pasting a check mark into an online submission form. The issue comes up with listeners both inside and outside the music industry, in a general sense and in a specific sense, and is frequently related to commerce. Why the name changes in popular music? Labels are a ubiquitous part of our consumer culture. Musical genres can be a form of branding to exploit format driven commercial radio, developments in recording and distribution, not to mention social change itself. Like other aspects of popular culture, niche radio marketing was developed to deliver audiences to advertisers. And that motive isn’t necessarily incompatible with good music. It’s just that product profile has to be reduced to the lowest common denominator for mass audiences who may not be attuned to the nuance of genre. Indeed, it’s no coincidence that the word genre itself spawns the term generic, meaning of a stock type. Take, for example, “folk” music. Simply hearing that word is vomit-inducing for many people who are still trying to suppress childhood memories of Kumbayah at Camp Flintstone. However, music historians attest to the profoundly important role of the kumbayah gathering motif in African oral culture, later incorporated into African-American gullah spirituals in the 1930’s. Cultural appropriation can lead to a changed and overdone commercial product, sort of like “Chinese” food or “Balsamic” vinegar. On food labels, are you dismayed to see the word “chicken” listed in quotation marks? Labels are frequently inaccurate descriptors drafted into simple marketing service. Like other social trends, sixties folk music was built on remakes and influences of older, traditional material such as the straight up country music of Hank Williams. And it truly was folk music, as in, music of the people. Everyone could relate to Hank at the time he was writing, and music didn’t have to fit into a category in order to be heard. Within ten short years, though, the folk movement took a shift in the later sixties and seventies to showcase brilliant original songwriting which brought the genre to a new level. The contemporary aspect came into it with a new category called singer-songwriter (e.g. James Taylor, Neil Young, Dylan, Mitchell, Lightfoot, Stan Rogers).
However, many of today’s audiences and players are unfamiliar with that legacy, which helps explain the need for updated terminology. Indeed one is astonished by the sheer number of contemporary artists who classify their material as “folk music”. Upon careful listening, it bears no resemblance to a traditional definition of that term. Are musicians confusing their instrumentation and appearance with a musical genre? The mere presence of a beard and a solo acoustic guitar does not make a folk-singer. (And this applies to the men, too.) The list of sub-genres in folk music alone bears witness to the difficulty of classification: zydeco, skiffle, jug band, old time music, hill country blues, alt-country, and no-depression are just a few. The Canada Council website alone lists over one hundred musical genres. Which brings up my original question: just what is Americana anyway? It’s music that encompasses a bit of a blend of styles and influences and reflects the nature of an evolving art form. Or, you might just dare to call it what it is: folk music.
Classic Guitars
& electric amps & pick-ups mandolin & violin strings, cables, cords lessons & tips acoustic
465 Main Street, Penticton, BC 250-492-5007
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festival application guide Islands Folk Festival July 20 - 22 Preferred Submission: EPK first Application Deadline: Dec 1- March 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Robert McCourty, Islands Folk Festival, PO Box 802 Duncan V9L 2Y1 Electronic: islandff@telus.net www.folkfest.bc.ca The Islands Folk Festival is held on the beautiful grounds of Providence Farm, near Duncan on Vancouver Island. In 2012 we will celebrate our 28th Annual Festival. The Islands Folk Festival has grown from meager beginnings to what is now considered by many to be a world-class Festival. It has been called “The Gem” of Canadian Music Festivals.
Discovery Coast Music Festival July 20 - 22 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: January 1, 2012 Accepting Applications: Yes Phone: Monica Tutt: 250-799-5811 250-799-5607 Electronic: info@bellacoolamusic.org http://www.bellacoolamusic.org/DCMFestival/VendorArtist_Application.html Web: www.bellacoolamusic.org The Discovery Coast Music Festival features a wide range of musical genres from rock to blues attracting music lovers and musicians from across Canada. As well as music, the Valley is alive with the sounds of merrymaking at this eclectic festival, which has children’s events, crafts, workshops and food.
Back to Back Blues Festival mid-July Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: n/a Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Gospel Blues Productions, 45820 Railway Avenue, Chilliwack BC V2P 1L3 Electronic: murray@back2blues.com Our Festival is dubbed “The Best Gospel Blues Festival West of Chicago.” We look for Big Name Blues artists eg: Glenn Kaiser, Darrell Mansfield, Larry Howard, Johnny Mannion, John Lee Sanders, Jim Byrnes to headline the Friday and Saturday night stages. We also look for local talent to fill the daytime stages. This is a family friendly event. There is a full concession on site as well as camping. There is also a presence of Christian Motorcylists.
Calgary Folk Music Festival July 26 - 29 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: Sept 1- Dec 15 Accepting Applications: Yes* Electronic: www.calgaryfolkfest.com/festival/ apply-to-be-an-artist/, www.calgaryfolkfest.com A village where indie singer-songwriters, roots and country veterans and blues masters rub sonic shoulders with global electronica divas, Latin rhythm masters, Ukrainian rock bands and Congolese hipsters. Where on-the-fly collaborations create once-in-a-lifetime magic. All in a verdant urban setting that grounds a laidback, loving, ecologically astute community-for-a-day. We’ve got cool wind power and a hot main stage, an interactive family area, an international craft market, global culinary delights, a record tent and beer garden. *Artists should know that the chance of being booked by sending an unsolicited submission is incredibly slim. We receive over 2000 submissions for only 68 spots. Line-up: April 26; Early Bird April 26
Kispiox Valley Music Festival July 27 - 29 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: Headliners January 31; Local/Regional April 30 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: KVMF Performers Committee C/O Kispiox Valley Music Festival P.O. Box 340 Hazelton, B.C. V0J 1Y0 Electronic: kispioxvalleymusicfestival@gmail. com A festival that captures the warm, close Kispiox Valley community spirit at a beautiful venue where a wide variety of music, art and other creative events provide entertainment, inspiration and education
Ukee Days July 27 - 29 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: May 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: KK Hodder, Recreation Programmer, PO Box 999 Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0 Electronic: khodder@ucluelet.ca www.ucluelet.ca Ukee Days in Ucluelet, B.C. is 72 hours of action-packed festivities for the entire family! Our normally sleepy(ish) seaside town explodes in a summery haze of Live Music, fun, entertainment, beer gardens, KidsZone and logger sports.
22 BC Musician | November - December 2011
Calgary International Blues Festival July 30-August 5 Preferred Submission: EPK is preferred Application Deadline: December 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Maurice Ginzer, Festival Producer, Calgary International Blues Festival, 417- 808 Royal Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 0L3 Electronic: maurice@calgarybluesfest.com, www.calgarybluesfest.com Smoking Blues in the Heart of the New West
Mount Baker R&B Festival August 3 - 5 Preferred Submission: Mailed Press Kit Application Deadline: November 30 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail:Free Spirit Productions, 4540 Pender Drive, Ferndale Washington 98248 Electronic: www.bakerblues.com Featuring a world-class line up each year, this is quickly becoming a must attend event. Allstar jams each night and gospel service Sunday morning.
Blueberry Bluegrass Festival August 3 - 5 Preferred Submission: N/A Application Deadline: no information Accepting Applications: no information Mail: Blueberry Bluegrass & Country Music Society Festival, PO Box 2271, Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1X7 Electronic: info@blueberrybluegrass.com, www.blueberrybluegrass.com A laid-back, comfortable, family friendly weekend festival just north of Edmonton. Blueberry Bluegrass is a perennial favourite for many, featuring the finest bluegrass and country musicians from Alberta and beyond.
Filberg Festival August 3 - 6 Preferred Submission: Mail preferred Application Deadline: November 30 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Bobbie Blue, Entertainment Director, 1560 19th Avenue, Campbell River, BC V9W 4M1 Electronic: www.filbergfestival.com As a well established juried arts and craft festival, the Filberg Festival also appreciates and respects the craft of the musician and has deliberately developed a stellar music program. The Filberg Festival has a roots music feel to it with a musical line up featuring musicians from all across Canada, as well as a few from further afield. Most of the performers will be presenting shows on both the Main Stage, and on the more intimate Garden Stage. But some performers are only featured on one stage, so you might want to check out your program carefully so you don’t miss your favourite musician.
thi s w i n ding r oad By Linda McRae
James and I have packed so much into the past few months it’s hard to know where to start. It’s definitely been an adventure. Thanksgiving has just passed and we have a lot to be thankful for. At this point in my life I think the most important thing of all is my freedom. James and I have just spent three days with the inmates at California’s maximum security prison in Folsom and I’ll write more about that in a future article. January was ours but once February rolled around we hit the ground running and headed for Memphis for Folk Alliance International. Folk Alliance can be overwhelming. There are about 3000 attendees made up of performers, presenters, folk festival representatives, label owners, publishers, managers, agents, instrumentmakers, radio programmers and print journalists. “Official” performance slots are held in conference rooms in the host hotel and are booked through a juried application process. There are also “Unofficial” or “guerilla” showcases that take place once the officials are over. These happen in the hotel rooms on the top two or three floors. For more information please visit www. folkalliance.org. There is also another great conference that takes place in Ontario each year in October called the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF). Visit their website at www.ocff.ca. Both FAI and OCFF provide valuable networking opportunities and hopefully future performance opportunities. It’s definitely an investment though and if you have the money and can afford it great. If not there are funding opportunities available through FACTOR and Canada Council. After Folk Alliance we headed to Austin for SXSW. We go to the not-SXSW though as the official conference is hard to get an audience unless you have a buzz happening. We go because it’s a chance to hang out with friends, network, perform and hear some great music in the process. We booked a few shows on the way to Austin and back home through the recommenda-
tions of friends and had some great shows. In April we headed to the UK and Ireland. This was our third time there and it’s become a viable touring option for us. Come to think of it a couple of the shows we played in London came about as a direct Linda at a gospel workshop, Maverick Festival, UK result of having attended Folk Alligorgeous old water wheel and stream. After ance two years ago. heading back to London a few days later I We had an agent for this tour but James performed at a Canada Day celebration at also booked a number of shows himself. It’s The Barbican. The next day I headed out to a good idea to have a work permit for your The Maverick Festival, in Easton Suffolk for shows in England. We know people that the final few days of the tour. didn’t have permits and were barred from In July/August James and I headed up to going there again. Ireland doesn’t require BC to visit family and to play a few festivals. paperwork and with the exception of This year’s Artswells festival was the best France neither do most European countries. yet! The bands we saw were outstanding. It’s a good idea to check and make sure One of the best singer/songwriters I’ve though. seen in a long time we heard there, Corin The Irish portion of the tour was booked Raymond. If you ever have the chance to through friends we met on Facebook! Doug see him, do, he’s incredible! There were Lang who has a great radio show on Vanso many great acts there that year it’s hard couver’s Co-op Radio called “Better Days” to single folks out but a couple of new put us in touch with a few of his friends discoveries were Jason and Pharis Romero there. Talk about hospitality! A wonderful from Horsefly and The Re-Mains from singer/songwriter from Limerick, Siobhan Australia. Both were unbelievably great O’Brien put us up and drove us around. and represented both ends of the proverbial She organized a show there and much to spectrum. our surprise it was packed! Another highAfter Artswells, we headed back home light was Tom Malone’s in Miltown Malbay. then headed out again on a trip up to WindAfter the show we went to a session where sor by way of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, VirLuka Bloom and some of his friends and ginia and Kentucky, we’ve been everywhere family were performing. Absolutely magical man…well almost. it was. Ireland was our last stop on this tour and after heading back home for a couple weeks I headed back to the UK for a couple of festivals and a few more shows. James wasn’t able to come with me on this trip and I really missed having him with me so I was happy to have my friend and accordion chanteuse Ana Bon Bon accompany me on my first leg of the tour… Selling Fair Trade Organic a festival in a little seaside town where Shade Grown Coffee pirates used to hide their spoils in the caves nearby (after paying the town council their Downtown Hope, BC blood money!!!). Ana and I had a funky www.bluemoosecafe.com suite at the local Crumpelhorn Inn. It had been built in the 1600’s complete with a
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festival application guide Grizfest Music Festival August 3 - 5 Preferred Submission: Mail* Application Deadline: July 5 or when line up confirmed Accepting Applications: Yes Tumbler Ridge Days Society, Grizfest Music Festival, box 98, Tumbler Ridge, BC V0C 2W0 Electronic: jmckay@dtr.ca www.grizfest.com * Mailed seem to have more success being selected by the committee Tumbler Ridge Days Society is dedicated to exposing local residents to Arts & Culture. Grizfest is Tumbler Ridge’s largest cultural event, and the largest single draw to our community. Grizfest is a chance to bring together a diversity of musicians, musical styles and an audience for three days of musical enjoyment and education. Typically our goal is to secure local and/or Canadian Artists who will offer a diverse program that supplies arts, cultural, visual and heritage presentation which we can offer to the public at subsidized prices. Early Bird June 30 $50 day or $90 weekend pass; add $10 at the gate.
ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art August 3-6 Preferred Submission: Either, mail preferred Application Deadline: January 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: ArtsWells Festival, 219 Douglas Ave, Penticton, BC V2A 2T9 Electronic: artswellsfestival@imarts.com, artswells.com The ArtsWells Festival Of All Things Art in Wells/ Barkerville, BC is a small festival that features a wide range of professional and emerging talent in music, visual, literary and performing arts. We welcome applications from artists across all disciplines. We also include lots of workshops, so if you have a workshop idea please fill out an application. Take a look at our website to see last year’s line up as that will give you a good idea of what we do. Lineup June; Early Bird until June 30
Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival August 3 - 5 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: N/A Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Kaslo Jazz Etc. Society, Attn: Music Committee, PO Box 1293, Kaslo BC V0G 1M0 Electronic: kaslojazz@netidea.com, www.kaslojazzfest.com Every August long weekend in Kaslo, BC stunning vistas, great acoustics and superb musicians combine to create the Kaslo Jazz Etc. Summer Music Festival. The unique floating stage rests just offshore of a little sandy beach on Kootenay Lake.
Sunfest Festival August 3 - 5 Preferred Submission: Mailed Press Kit Application Deadline: March 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Sunfest Concerts, 5877 Jaynes Road, Duncan, BC V9L 3B9 Electronic: www.sunfestconcerts.com This summer’s festival will be our 10th year. Sunfest delivers more than just great music. There’s plenty to see and do in between the shows too. You can immerse yourself in one of our sponsors’ exhibits, shop from one of our vendors, treat yourself to delicious food from one of the many options on site, enjoy a cold beverage in our beer garden or just hang out with new friends.
Edmonton Folk Music Festival August 9 - 12 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: January 31 Accepting Applications: Yes but primarily for established artists Mail: Terry Wickham, PO Box 3120, Edmonton AB, T6E 4T2 Electronic: twickham@efmf.ab.ca The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is one of Canada’s largest folk festivals featuring around 65 acts over four days that represent the best of folk music from around the world. One large main stage and seven side stages play host to performances and shared-stage type sessions with music ranging from Celtic, singer-songwriter, bluegrass, African, World, roots and many other traditional and (some non-traditional) variations on folk music
Arts on the Edge August 5 gala, Plein Air festival August 6 - 10, Arts on the Edge August 11 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: June 30 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Arts on the Edge Festival Coordinator c/o Kimberley Arts Council, 64 Deer Park Ave, Kimberley BC V1A 2J2 Electronic: kimberleyarts@telus.net No Early bird, $5 adults, $2 kids
Rockin’ River August 9 - 11 Preferred Submission: EPK only Application Deadline: March 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: kennyhess@shaw.ca www.rockinriver.com Mission Raceway Park, Dyke Road in Mission, BC. Headliners December 1; Early Bird December 14 / February 14
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Regina Folk Festival August 10 -12 Preferred Submission: EPK & Sonicbids Application Deadline: February 29 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: sonicbids.com www.reginafolkfestival.com, info@reginafolkfestival.com Regina Folk Festival is dedicated to providing the widest possible range of musical choices to Saskatchewan audiences. Artists are chosen not only for their musical ability but also for their ability to perform and to reach audiences - drawing them out of their individual isolation into the community that is created at both the festival and the concert series. RFF Inc. is the only organization of its kind in Saskatchewan whose constant support of musical integrity and the integrity of the artistic experience has not wavered in 40 years. The 2012 festival will be the 43rd.
Big Time Out mid-August Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: Vig Schulman info@cumberlandvillageworks.com http://thebigtimeout.com/ The Big Time Out happens the middle of August each year, weaving its intricate mix of music, magic and sunshine.
Edge of the World Music Festival August 10-12 Preferred Submission: EPK or mailed Application Deadline: February 2012 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: ERoeland Denooij Box 812 Village of Queen Charlotte, Haida Gwaii V0T 1S0
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Electronic: www.edgefestival.com It’s the most unique and rewarding festival in the North. The hospitality and splendor of Haida Gwaii is a once in a lifetime experience. Line up announced in March. Early Bird until one week prior to festival.
Elko’s Festival of Entertainers August 11-12 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: March 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Festival Committee, EPR Box 952, Elko BC V0B 1J0 Electronic: southcountry@xplornet.com www.sunfestconcerts.com Line up May 1No Early Bird; $50 for full event
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Copper and Fire Festival
Calgary Intnl Reggae Festival ( ReggaeFest)
August 11 evening concert, August 12 all day Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: April 20 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Britannia Mine Museum, PO Box 188, Britannia Beach, BC V0N 1J0 Electronic: general@bcmm.ca www.britanniaminemuseum.ca Our Copper & Fire Art Festival is having its 10th anniversary this year so we’re going to make it a big one. The event celebrates art and artists with a focus on art with a connection to mining – blacksmith, jewelry, glass, pottery, etc. etc. We also have live music playing throughout the day and an evening concert as well.
Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival August 11 Preferred Submission: n/z Application Deadline: n/a Accepting Applications: No Line up in March; Early bird tix to June 30
August 15 - 18 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: February 29 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: Julie Abbott crfinfo@ReggaeFest.ca or Sonicbids www.ReggaeFest.ca ReggaeFest takes place at Shaw Millennium Park in downtown Calgary and several indoor/ outdoor venues. The 2011 festival will feature 10 - 15 performers. Line up and Early bird in May.
Northern Lights Bluegrass Festival August 17 - 19 Preferred Submission: EPK, Mail, Sonicbids Application Deadline: Soft November Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Mona Goodwin, 309 11th Street East, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0E5
Desert Daze Festival August 17 - 19 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: March 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: EPK preferred to info@desertdaze. ca or mail to Maya Chang PO Box 193, Spences Bridge, BC V0K 2L0 This will be the 3rd annual all-genre music event in Spences Bridge, featuring performers from Lytton, Salmon Arm, Merritt and across the country including several First Nations artists. This festival also features a number of interactive workshops including the opportunity to learn how to can the bounty of your garden. This little festival celebrates community and rural BC with an incredible musical lineup, family-friendly activities, educational workshops, farm displays and often, hot weather.
Electronic: entertainment@northernlightsbluegrass.ca, www.northernlightsbluegrass.ca
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BC Musician magazine was at the Robson Valley Music Festival All photos on this page: Tiffany Smith
Get your own!
Subscribe to BC Musician Magazine so that you’ll be sure to get your hands on our Annual Summer Festival Guide which will be published in late April. It’s a comprehensive list of music festivals in BC, Alberta, and beyond for you to plan your year around! Handy paypal link at
www.bcmusicianmag.com
26 BC Musician | November - December 2011
festival application guide Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Fest August 17 - 19 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: Early March Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Hugo Rampen, Executive Director, PO Box 21 Salmon Arm BC V1E 4N2 Electronic: ad@rootsandblues.ca, www.rootsandblues.ca The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival is held at the Salmon Arm Fair Grounds–with Mount Ida and the Fly Hills providing a scenic background. The festival features 6 daytime stages and 2 evening stages, craft and food vendors, Artisan Market, Children’s Activities on Site (Children 12 and under admitted free with adults), beverage gardens, and camping.
Robson Valley Music Festival
Music on the Mountain
August 17- 19 Preferred Submission: Mail is preferred Application Deadline: February 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Shara Gustafson, Robson Valley Music Festival, General Delivery, Dunster BC V0J 1J0
August 24 - 26 Preferred Submission: Mail Application Deadline: March 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Lionel Conant., PO Box 689, Fort St. James, BC V0G 1P0
Electronic: shara_rocks@yahoo.ca, www.robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com Robson Valley Music Festival is a 3 day, grassroots family oriented festival on the banks of the Fraser River. It’s one of the coolest grass roots, multi-genre Music Festivals in BC! Held in the heart of the pristine and remote Robson Valley. Line-up: April 15; Early Bird tix April 15 - June 30 $65, July 1 - Aug 1 $85; after August 1 $100
Electronic: lionelconant@yahoo.ca We are a young fest, entering our third year and we continue to evolve. We are working on childrens education and activities, workshops, songwriting circles, visual arts, poetry, environmental awareness and education. We encourage people to send ideas and participate, including in our society meetings and events throughout the year. Our musical line-up has over thirty acts, including Ska, Reggae, Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, Rock, Folk, Funk, World, Country, Aboriginal, and more...always indie and always fresh, with performers from around the world, Canada and BC. Genre doesn’t matter, honest art does. We encourage original music, independent thinking and social consciousness. Line-up: April 15; Early Bird tix to July 31 $60; gate $80
Send us Festival photos!
Show us what locations and into what hands BC Musician magazine lands! Send photo plus description to lvnash@bcmusicianmag.com The Peachland View is pleased to support winter events in the Okanagan The Peachland View | Box 1150 | Peachland, BC | V0H 1X0
Christkindl at the Gasthaus Pub Opens December 1
Every year, the Gasthaus Pub organizes a Christmas market offering many Christmas decorations imported from Germany. Christmas Light Up December 2
Visit the beautiful light show the District of Peachland has worked hard to create. Breakfast With Santa December 3
Peachland Community Centre. Sugar Plum Fair at Quail’s Gate November 13 11 am - 4 pm
Local artisans showcase an array of their work to satisfy some of your holiday shopping needs. Donations will go to
Ballet Kelowna and regional food banks. Treats for everyone! You will receive a 15% discount on any wine or sundry purchase, whether visiting the Wine Shop that day or placing an online order on November 13. Admission is free. Mini Film Fest December 12 7 pm, Streaming Café, Kelowna
Instead of having a live artist present their work we’ll be showing a collection of short films on leading artists, performers and designers living and working in BC. The presentation features Sarah McLachlan, Douglas Coupland, Dan Mangan, Fred Herzog, Ian Tracey, Shane Koyczan, Carl Newman of The New Pornographers and many more. Admission is free.
Open Everyday
Licensed Establishment
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The Packing House Fall / Winter Schedule:
Nov 25 & 26: The incredibly talented musician, funny man, and techno genius Tim Brecht Reservations required. Tickets $35 Dec 21 Christmas show featuring Dave Lang and the Black Squirrels - A six piece ensemble of country swing that showcases three horns...our little stage will be overflowing for this one. Reservations required. Tickets $30 Located in downtown Spences Bridge just off the #8 and #1 Highways on Riverview Avenue Monthly music dinner shows ◆ Contact us to book your show! 3705 Riverview Ave, Spences Bridge, BC (250) 458-2256 ◆ steverice53@msn.com
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festival application guide Lytton River Festival August 31 - Sept 2 Preferred Submission: Mail Application Deadline: May 15 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: Maya Chang c/o Lytton River Festival, PO Box 644, Lytton BC V0K 1Z0 Electronic: sheldon@firenwater.ca, www.firenwater.ca Sunday’s unique events include a Pow Wow and First Nations artisan displays. Creators of arrowheads, traditional drums, soapstone carvings, basketry, jewellery and more than a dozen skilled artists will be demonstrating and selling their creations on Sunday. The Lytton River Festival is a celebration of two great rivers – the Thompson and Fraser- and their historic and present role in the small community of Lytton. Free event
25th Annual Chilliwack Bluegrass August 31 - Sept 2 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: December 31 Accepting Applications: Yes Rod Hudson c/o Chilliwack Arts Council, 9201 Corbould St, Chilliwack, BC V2P 4A6 This is a Bluegrass Festival pure and simple, with some of the finest bluegrass bands available anywhere. Our free corn roast each evening is a big hit with all of our festival fans.
Sexy Sounds Festival September 14 - 16, pre-show September 13 Preferred Submission: EPK Application Deadline: June 1 Accepting Applications: Yes, Female DJs only Electronic: Experience BC Entertainment Expbc.com/?page_id=7 or email expbc.com@ gmail.com Line up May 20; Early Bird February 29, max 200 tix, VIP $100 (all access, camping, early entry); from $40 to December 31, $80 to June 1.
Shambhala Stay Tuned Preferred Submission: n/a Application Deadline: n/a Accepting Applications: No Shambhala is a labour of love. It is a familyowned and run business, supported by a core staff of friends who love what they do – which is putting on a world-class electronic music festival for our 10,000 friends. 2012 is nearly sold out.
Hornby Festival late July/early August Preferred Submission: Email preferred Application Deadline: Open Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: festivaldir@uniserve.com Marc Atkinson, Interim Artistic Director, Hornby Festival Society www.hornbyfestival.bc.ca This annual nine-day Festival presents twelve to sixteen concerts in late July/early August. The primary venues are the charming Community Hall and, for our outdoor performances, Olsen Farm, with its fabulous ocean and mountain backdrop. Beginning in 2006, the Hornby Festival began its widely successful “Art in Unusual Places”, with the mainstage artists performing short sets at unusual outdoor locations such as Sandpiper Bluffs, the Recycling Depot, or the beach at Big Tribune Bay. Hornby Island is located two islands east of Vancouver Island, north of Nanaimo. If ferry connections are made, the trip from Vancouver takes approximately five hours. The Festival is sustained by Festival Society memberships, donations, program advertisers, government and foundation funders, ticket sales, and fundraising events.
Olio Festival late September Preferred Submission: Sonicbids Application Deadline: March 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: www.oliofestival.com Our festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival featuring music, comedy, film and art. Our format is a neighborhood crawl providing maximum exposure for a variety of businesses in Vancouver’s most culturally exciting neighborhoods. Music, comedy, art, film, skate.
Send us Festival photos!
Show us what locations and into what hands BC Musician magazine lands! Send photo plus description to lvnash@bcmusicianmag.com
28 BC Musician | November - December 2011
Sweetwater 905 Labour Day Long Weekend Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: end of February 2012 Accepting Applications: Yes Electronic: Karl Mattson: karlbmattson@yahoo.ca www.sweetwater905.ca Set on the sprawling pastoral home of Emilie and Larry Mattson, located 1.5 miles west of Rolla, BC 15 miles straight north of Dawson Creek, Sweetwater 905 is a celebration of music, poetry, visual and performance art.
Kaleido Family Arts Festival September 7 - 9 Preferred Submission: Either Application Deadline: February 1 Accepting Applications: Yes Mail: : Kaleido Festival c/o The Carrot Coffeehouse 9351 – 118 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5G 0N3 Electronic: kaleidoprogam@gmail.com Our weekend festival celebrates visual arts, music, dance, theatre and streetscape performances spanning 4 blocks in an urban setting. We program 7 music venues both indoor and out, including a large Central Outdoor Festival Stage, street performances, 4 visual art galleries, a grand Theatre tent, children’s shows, interactive art labs and other workshops. Performances of all styles, genres and cultures will be considered. This is a free, pay–what-you-can festival, not a ticketed event. The backdrop is a revitalized area of Edmonton`s downtown core. Kaleido is a celebration of arts and culture featuring , 7 Live Performance venues and stages, including a large Outdoor Festival Stage, street performances, 4 visual art galleries, a grand Theatre tent and Children`s Dome as well as several blocks of Artisan tents, Food and Craft vendors and high quality street entertainment, including an annual parade.
no need for the winte r b lues By Jeanie Keogh
Summer festival season is over and the predictable slump has hit. The winter blues are coming and while you might like singing them, you don’t feel like living them. Here are some ideas to consider to get you through the doldrums. It might be a ripe time to head to warmer climes on a international tour. There are many places that peak in the winter when we Northerners are all but hibernating. If the summer season has left you financially in the cold, put the word out that you are always looking for winter house sitting opportunities. There are many affluent snow birds that are just waiting for their house to be inhabited by someone who might be famous one day. I salivate when I see some of the forest retreats that musicians hook themselves up with as a haven during the winter lull. Use the the dark months to furiously update and revamp websites. Become a social media hound, polish your image, schmooze at new events wearing an ironic tie and horrendous Christmas vest. If you haven’t already, try your hand at grant writing. There are plenty of grant writing workshops, including one headed by Canada Council. If the yuletide season assaults your pocketbook and offends your musical ability (a hip hop version of Dreaming of a White Christmas?...Really?!), take solace in the winter solstice and in the fact you will be making fat cash on New Year’s. Or, as shoppers inevitably become tired of overplayed carols in stores, they will gladly toss coin at buskers dressed up like Charles Dicken’s characters from A Christmas Carol. As a last resort, there is always hiring yourself out as an elf or Santa Claus. I hear it pays decently. House concerts are safe bets as some people seem more inclined to venture to someone else’s living room than a pub or bar. Case in point is the successful phenomenon that is Miriam Steinberg’s In The House Festival in Vancouver. And if you just need a good old-fash-
ioned break, take one. Give yourself the creative down time so that the muses can pour out so much inspiration you won’t even notice the rain or snow. Here are two musicians who have imparted input as to how the winter effects their artistic process and their business. Melissa Bandura, who performs her own work as well as with the Colorifics; Kent McAlister and the Iron Choir and Blackberry Wood had this to say: “I notice a major shift when going into the winter. I get really busy, start a bunch of projects and usually let half of them go by the spring. Winter is the time when I do most of my writing, recording and promotion. The best time to release an album as an indie artist is when no one else is doing it. Like in January. No joke!”
Voted best place to eat and hear live music Nov 11 Lester Quitzau and Billy Hicks Nov 15 The Beatdown Nov 23 The Geese
Coco’s Bistro Princeton, BC Proudly Serving Cowboy Coffee
Nov 29 Mark Irving Nov 30 Kate Reid
Open at 4:30 a.m. every day
Dec 6&7 Maura Shaftoe and Michael Lent Dec 13 Daniel Sky Dec 23
As for booking around Christmas, Bandura slots bands into parties or quartets into hotel gigs and subsidizes the rest of the winter with teaching music and yoga. C.R. Avery says winter months are actually better for him. “A lot of people go, ‘oh summer is the time to tour’ but no one goes to theatres and bars in the summer, it’s the worst time to tour. But it’s when school’s in and it’s yucky outside that people need the escapism. January is maybe the trickiest month because everyone is broke, but there have been enough festivals popping up in January. There’s a winter fest in Halifax that saved me the last few Januarys. Also, a lot of musicians are trying to get to Australia because that’s their summer festival season.”
Dave Lang & the Black Squirrels
Dec 31 New Year’s Eve 2012 with Poppa Dawg Blues Band entertainment charges may apply
4638 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna 250.764.2301 www.minstrelcafe.com
BC Musician |
OPEN STAGE SATURDAYS 2 p.m.-5 p.m. CITY BREWS - COUNTRY VIEWS We Bake our own Muffins, Cookies & Squares Freshly Made Healthy Sandwiches Outdoor Deck • Organic, Fair-Trade Coffee 255 Vermilion Ave., Princeton, BC (Hwy 3 & Vermilion, across from Chevron)
250 295 3431
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making tracks that click utilizing the metronome by Mike Southworth
Make Percussion Clicks Instead of the classic cowbell or clave click on 1/4 notes, try a tambourine, shaker or even congas in an 8th or 16th note pattern. Be careful not to use sound that’s too similar to the instrument you are recording - playing hi-hats along to a hi-hat click track can be very confusing for a drummer.
Use Loops Instead of Clicks Creating a groove loop can make a click track exciting and inspiring. Using found sounds or samples, build a loop that fits the vibe of the song. It doesn’t have to be quantized (exactly on the beat) but it does need to loop naturally within the tempo of the song. Experiment with
Shift The Tempo Sometimes a song feels great at one tempo in the verse but other sections drag. Even slight increase in tempo during the chorus, bridge or outro of a song can give the feeling of a natural live performance while maintaining the editability and consistency of playing to a click. Use this technique gently and sparingly though, make sure that the shifts feel natural.
If All Else Fails, Scrap It! After all of that I must say that some classic songs wouldn’t be half as good if they had been played to a metronome. Imagine ‘Stairway to Heaven’ without the adrenaline rush created by the constant tempo increase. Professional musicians can sound great whether they are playing with or without a metronome. Let the song dictate your choice but keep in mind the majority of modern music was created with that little tick/tock/tick/tock in the background. The click track is a silent player on millions of recordings, if only it could collect royalties!
Turn It Down Resist the temptation to crank the click track so loud that it vibrates your skull. Not only does this make it extremely difficult to have any natural dynamics in your playing but it greatly increases the chances of getting nasty ‘click track bleed’ from your headphones, ruining your take. Once you are comfortable with the click track you should be able to keep it in the background as a reference, not a jackhammer! If a song has problem sections get the engineer to turn up the click only in those spots.
Practice With A Metronome An obvious way to feel more comfortable playing with a click track is to practice with a click track. Too often I am faced with recording a band that has never even tried to practice their songs to a click track. Of course it’s going to be uncomfortable! If you are creating music in the popular realm (that includes Rock, Country, Folk, Pop etc.) you have to be able to play with a click track.
30 BC Musician | November - December 2011
photoillustration by Mike Southworth
Almost 200 years ago, Ludwig van Beethoven became the first notable composer to indicate metronome markings in his music. Since then metronomes have been a source of conflict in the music community - despised by composer greats like Wagner and Brahms and embraced by dance clubs and pop radio. Today it is rare for a popular music song to be recorded without a metronome, aka ‘click track’, keeping rigid time. The advantages are ease of editing and a steady rhythm that stays consistent throughout the song, but sometimes playing to a metronome can be a real drag, pun intended. Some musicians complain that playing with a metronome makes it hard to perform - too much of their attention is focused following the click track and not enough on creating a great part with natural vibe and energy. So, how do you make a metronome not so... metronomic? Here’s some tricks I’ve used to ease click track pain:
building different loops for each section of the song; simpler for the verse, more rhythmic and energetic in the chorus and bridge. This can be a great way to help musicians build energy throughout the song. Once in a while the loop works so well that it’s left in the final mix!
photoillustration by Mike Southworth
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Issues of BC Musician go fast, so know where to find yours! Folsom State Prison, however, might not be the primary go-to location for copies. James K. Whitmire was on the outside for a while, but joined his wife, Linda McRae, on the inside when she performed for the inmates. More about that in the next issue of BC Musician.
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