I HEART HAMILTON TOUR Presents: The Playlist 1.0 (A Fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton)
The I Heart Hamilton Tour began in May 2011 with the concept of being a tourist in your own city. We’re all about getting to know our hometown better, challenging ourselves with new experiences, and encouraging others to do the same, wherever you are.
To mark our first anniversary, we made it our goal to set up a fundraiser concert to benefit a local organization. We have had the chance to really experience the sense of community in Hamilton throughout our Tour and we have a philosophy of making a difference in our community and giving back.
Music is integral to our Tour and through it, we have had the opportunity to meet local musicians who we feel really embody the sense of community in the City. We have teamed up with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hamilton, having been inspired by the work they do for both the children and their families, and by the sense of community in the organization’s mission. We believe the organization aligns with our values and is something that we would love to support.
Please join us for our first-ever live Playlist!
I Heart Hamilton Tour Presents: The Playlist 1.0 (A Fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton)
Saturday, July 28th, 2012
LIVE PERFORMANCES BY: Canadian Winter New Hands The Ascot Royals The Dinner Belles with guest DJ sets by John Smith of Young Rival
Follow along with our official Twitter hashtag: #IHHTplaylist Mark your attendance on our official Facebook event page (coming soon) Watch our trailer on YouTube (coming soon)
Allosaurus – “Emma-Jane” [Listen] Cause when I’m lying in bed at night
You’re on the inside of my mind
And I just can’t shake the feeling that everything about this is right
Avi and I were introduced to this fun electro-pop duo in April when they played alongside fellow Hamilton band and new friends of ours, New Hands. We couldn’t get over their light-up blazers and pants; we love any kind of flair like that. Depicting the excitement of a new love interest, this track was a standout for me during their super-fun set. Sweet moves too, fellas! I’m bringing glow sticks next time!
Matt Paxton – “Harbour Town” [Listen] I’ll try and I’ll try and I hope to someday escape
These ghosts that remind me of those moves you once made
‘Cause all I really wish to do
Is be happy when I’m thinking of you
This is Matt Paxton’s second appearance on one of my Playlists, and rightfully so! I had been listening to How the Land Lies, which features this song, but it wasn’t until recently that the song just hit me. The power of songwriting is an amazing thing, when we’re able to relate to a song that began with whatever prompted the songwriter to create it. I got to meet and see Matt play at the beginning of the month and look forward to future shows of his. He is a special talent on the Hamilton music scene that more people need to know about.
Lindsey Pavao – “Skinny Love” (Bon Iver cover) [Listen] And I told you to be patient
And I told you to be fine
And I told you to be balanced
And I told you to be kind
Say what you want about reality singing competitions, but The Voice wipes the floor with all of them. In its second season, the talent was undeniable. I loved the diversity of the contestants, the coaches, and, of course, Cee Lo’s cat is reason enough to watch. Really. On Team Christina, Lindsey Pavao was one of my favourites, and this Bon Iver cover was her last performance on the show before being eliminated in the semi-final rounds. I’m fairly new to Bon Iver (I giggle every time, saying Bonny Bear in my head) and I did not know this song before the show. It grabbed me immediately and I absolutely love Lindsey’s voice on it. The track has been on repeat for quite some time!
The Carps – “Bo Jackson” [Listen] I’m the best thing you ever had
If only I had this blog when I first discovered The Carps back in 2007 – I would have championed them to even greater heights than I did! Having the privilege of seeing them live a bunch of times and getting to know they guys, they are truly something special and still remain one of my favourite bands I’ve come across in recent years. On an indefinite break right now as members Jahmal and Neil have jet-setted to different parts of the globe – this track is one of their most recent releases when they put out a few singles last year. This song does it for me every time! Jahmal’s vocals just cut right through to you. Shout outs to J and Neil!
Wildlife – “Stand in the Water” [Listen] I can be a good friend
And I can be a good lover
I can be a good lover
But I can’t do both of them
No I can’t do both
Another band I was happy to be introduced to on our Tour, Avi and I caught Wildlife in April, on what was already a stacked bill. The Toronto band tore up the stage – I was impressed! They have a hard-hitting sound but also very melodic, which always grabs me. The band name suits them perfectly – simple, yet totally sums them up and their sound. They are a party!
Christian Hansen – “Jessica” [Listen] I’m feeling guilty ’cause I’m pretty sure I ruined your life
Carly had introduced me to this band (formerly Christian Hansen and the Autistics) and this song was on constant play when I first checked them out. Carly kept tabs on the latest from them, but I had sort of forgotten about them. This month, Avi and I went to see Illitry play at Homegrown Hamilton, and who happened to be opening? Christian Hansen! I was pleasantly surprised to hear they were on the bill and so happy to have heard this top-tapper of a jam live. They were so much fun to watch. Oooh bop bop, bop bop!
Glee Cast – “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (Whitney Houston cover) [Listen] So when the night falls
My lonely heart calls
Oh, Brittana. How I love you. With Glee finishing up its third season this month, perhaps I’ll ease up on the Glee in future Playlists. Maybe. Don’t count on it. In an 80s-style video, inspired by the actual video, this number was a fun one during Glee’s Whitney Houston tribute episode. Heather Morris and Naya Rivera are always so much fun to watch and are two of my favourites on the show. But who are we kidding; I love them all!
Young Rival – “Black Is Good” Don’t know what to do
Still in love with you
Another one of our collective local favourites, we’re so excited for a new release from Young Rival this fall. This month I had the chance to visit their label, Sonic Unyon, and sit down for a chat with co-owner Tim Potocic to learn more about the label and everything they do. Tim is also behind the incredible Supercrawl, and I came away from our meeting being even more excited for the event (coming this September) than I already was! Tim was nice enough to give me a sampler of some tunes from the label, and this Young Rival exclusive had to be included on my Playlist. I remember hearing this one live when we saw them last. It has such a fun, I want to say 50s-inspired, rock’n’roll sound, and I can’t sit still when I listen to it! I can’t wait to hear more.
New Hands – “Tulips” [Listen] Shake your head and hold my hand, say I’m still important
What better song for one of my spring Playlists than one titled “Tulips”! This is New Hands’ second feature on one of my Playlists, and I had a feeling Avi wouldn’t be able to resist including the tune, too! Definitely one of our favourite new local bands, I’m super excited for everything that is to come from these guys. I love the feel of this song – how it steadily moves along and then kicks into that chorus. It required an immediate second (and third, and fourth…) listen when I first heard it, just to take it all in; there is so much going on. Can’t get enough!
Bruce Peninsula – “In Your Light” [Listen] What am I if not just dust, just dust?
A Canadian band that I’m so happy to have been properly introduced to – I delved into all of Bruce Peninsula’s material when I had the opportunity to interview Neil Haverty for our second Rendezvous. Avi and I then checked out their show this month and absolutely loved their live show. They have such a unique, authentic sound; I love the collective of musicians and what everyone brings to the band, including the blend of Neil’s gruff vocals and Misha’s delicate yet rich vocals interchanging throughout the track.
In our search for the best breakfast foods in the City, we would be terribly remiss if we left out Harbour Diner. The James Street North staple has been on our list since the very beginning of the Tour, but we hadn’t yet managed to get to it as a group. Avishka had been before and really enjoyed it and knew that the rest of us would too, telling me about the homey feel of it, from the wallpaper to the nautical décor. The nautical theme has been following us throughout the Tour, and with summer coming up, I know it will work its way into our tour stops again.
Joining me for my inaugural Harbour Diner experience was the producer of CBC Hamilton, Conrad Collaco, making him an official Honourary Tour Member! We Tourists were excited to learn of Hamilton getting its own CBC station and that the digital station is the first of its kind. The week before, I got to sit down for a chat with executive producer Roger Gillespie and find out more about it. I was so happy to get to share with the CBC team all about our Tour and what we’ve been working so hard on and have been so excited about for the past year. We’ve spoken before about how we can feel something so special happening right now in Hamilton, and that we are really on the verge of a shift that is happening in the City. We’re thrilled to be part of that, and the addition of CBC Hamilton seems to be hitting at just the right time.
The Harbour
Belgian Waffles
Arriving early, not long after Harbour Diner’s 8 am open (hands down the earliest tour stop to date!) I was greeted by a friendly server and was offered a favourite spot of Harbour Diner patrons, on a raised platform by the front window. It was the perfect seat to look outside at the sunny morning on James North and also to turn around and overlook the cozy diner. I sipped on some coffee while perusing the menu, even though I was already pretty set on what I would order. (We tend to come prepared by looking at menus online before heading out to eat, even though that usually doesn’t curb our indecisiveness at all.) I decided to continue my current waffle kick and get the Belgian Waffles. I did not expect them to arrive so artfully presented, and for them to be waffles fingers, as I referred to them, rather than the traditional circle or square waffles. They were topped off with some powdered sugar and slices of kiwi, pineapple, and orange were on the side, for a little tropical panache. Of course, lots of syrup was added!
Conrad chose the combo The Harbour, which came with two eggs, bacon (or your choice of sausage or ham), home fries, and toast and jam, along with the same sprinkling of those tropical fruits on the side. The whole breakfast menu sounds delicious; it will take many trips to try everything. The Eggs Benedict in particular comes highly recommended by people we’ve spoken to. And that’s just breakfast – their lunch and dinner options also sound amazing. Poutine? Nachos? Crab & Lobster mac & cheese? Oh, yes, we will be back.
Thanks to Conrad Collaco for the photo
Back to the CBC! It was great to chat with Conrad about Hamilton and share with him many of the things we’ve discovered over the course of our Tour. We noted that overwhelmingly, the music scene is a favourite aspect of the City, which Conrad got to see firsthand by a survey he took for CBC Hamilton’s blog. We couldn’t agree more, as music becomes a bigger part of our blog all the time. I would love for Hamilton’s artists to be showcased on an even bigger stage. The music here is world-class, and CBC’s exposure of this music would be an incredible thing.
We talked about the James North area, specifically, but I also noted how we have made an effort to explore all areas of the City. From Locke Street to Westdale, Ancaster, Dundas, and Stoney Creek, there is so much to see and do. Although CBC Hamilton is located in the downtown core, it would be amazing to see all of Hamilton invested and wanting to share their stories.
We Tourists look forward to sharing more of what we’ve discovered about our hometown with CBC Hamilton – that’s an aspect of the digital station that I’m encouraged by, is that citizens will get to contribute and help direct the content of the station, and CBC Hamilton is open and ready to listen.
We’ve said before how incredible and supportive Hamilton’s online community is, and this event is another example of that. Founder of the non-for-profit organization High Fives 2 Help Lives, Steve Gillon, reached out to us over Twitter to let us know about a fundraiser party he was hosting to benefit Skate4Cancer and Wellspring. I had never met Steve before but had heard of his t-shirt business with Noel Villenueve, Try This on for Size and had seen High Fives on Twitter. The event was held in the hip Augusta neighbourhood, at Pheasant Plucker, and I was happy to check it out and support the cause.
I had never been to the upper level of Scottish pub Pheasant Plucker; the space is available to be rented for gatherings and events. I really liked the cozy feel to it; the colours were subdued - grey and green tones, with stone and brick walls, and, of course, plenty of plaid.
With Steve Gillon, founder of High Fives 2 Help Lives
Steve, a self-proclaimed Pro High-Fiver and Ph.D (Pretty Helpful Dude) began to host benefit events a few years ago, with this event being his 7th fundraiser to date. High Fives 2 Help Lives hosts fundraisers to benefit a variety of causes, including Movember Canada, Hamilton Health Sciences, and for this event, Skake4 Cancer’s Dream.Love.Cure initiative. Inspired by family members that he lost to illnesses, Steve wanted to make a difference and do his part to make a change. Since February 2011, High Fives has raised over five thousand dollars, and Steve is just getting started!
For this event, Steve and Noel used their TTOFS t-shirt business to design a limited run of t-shirts, using Skake4Cancer’s Dream.Love.Cure slogan, adding, of course, “High Five” to the list of positive declarations. Something as simple as a high five is a symbol of positivity, enthusiasm, and support, and fits well with Skate4Cancer’s project. At High Fives events, t-shirts are available for purchase, with $5 from each shirt sold going toward that specific charity.
The Howlers
Entertainment for the night was local musical duo The Howlers. They played a set of eclectic cover songs, and I thought of Avishka and how we always try to guess songs as they begin, whether it’s a cover band or a DJ. Songs that jumped out to me were The Beatles’ “Falling,” some Oasis (and who doesn’t still think of someone in particular when you hear the classic “Wonderwall”?), some Queens of the Stone Age, a thoughtful Levon Helm tribute, and Steve himself even got in on the action, joining the band on “My Hero” by Foo Fighters. The guys were a fun score to the party, which had a fantastic turnout, raising $720 for the cause and selling out the limited run of t-shirts.
We’re always inspired by people who are making positive changes in the City and beyond, and Steve is definitely one of those people. Keep a lookout for more High Fives events!
We’re on a roll lately with the fantastic shows happening in Hamilton! This lineup was amazing – Allosaurus, New Hands, Hands & Teeth, and Wildlife. I rolled into Casbah a little early, just in time for one of their craft beer tastings in the Lounge. Casbah’s owner, William “Brodie” Schwendiman has done a terrific job at stocking Casbah full of local, independent, craft beers, and while I’m not yet a beer connoisseur, I can certainly appreciate all of the varieties and what must go into crafting just the right brew. Be sure to check out Casbah’s first “Brews N Bands” Craft Beer Festival on June 2nd. I chatted with Aron D’Alesio, singer of Young Rival, who was bartending, and joked about my inability to distinguish between beers, much less critique one’s flavour, while swishing the brew around in my cup, trying to look like I fit in at a tasting. Avishka met up with me shortly after I sampled my beer, and then it was time to head upstairs for the show.
Allosaurus
Allosaurus kicked off the night, and right away, Avishka and I looked at each other, and knew we were fans of the Hamilton band. Seeing the familiar set up of an electronic-pop music duo, which we’ve seen before (we’re realizing how awesome Hamilton’s dance/electro music scene is!), we were curious what their live show would be like. As soon as their matching blazers and pants lit up, (yes, lit up!) we were on board. We loved Brad Melle and Evan MacAlpine’s playful onstage presentation; they danced about with no inhibitions, making their set so much fun to watch. A highlight for me was their song “Emma-Lee,” which was recently featured on an episode of Degrassi. Ah, young love. Their closing track, “Hello St. Louis” was also a banger, and they pulled out all the stops for that one, dancing up a storm! Again, I always regret not having glow sticks with me. We really must remember that when checking out these electro acts!
New Hands
Avishka and I were particularly excited to meet New Hands and see them play, after hearing so much about the Hamilton band. We have heard great things about them from major music figures in the City – their producer Michael Keire (and we recently visited his studio where the band has been working away), Lou Molinario of This Ain’t Hollywood, and Mark of Dr. Disc. And now they have the official I Heart Hamilton Tour endorsement (if I may be so bold as to put ourselves in that category), as we are quite smitten with the group!
They have a unique sound that boasts a variety of influences. There are some 80s synth sounds in there (as I noted in my April Playlist, which features “This I’ve Heard”), and they have a more danceable sound than we were expecting, but they also have a darker sound to their music, too. I still can’t get over Spence Newell’s vocals; it’s like he’s channelling it from somewhere else. He even gave us a personal shout out from the stage, which meant a lot! The guys have such a fun chemistry onstage and off; you can tell how much fun they’re having and that energy is infectious. “Whichever Way You’ll Have It” was promptly stuck in my head after the show – love the breakdown in that song. Drummer Gord Bond is also a talented visual artist, having his art featured at McMaster’s Wise Up (the annual School of the Arts exhibition) and winning an award. They are currently working on their debut full length album and I can’t wait to see and hear more from these guys.
With New Hands (Thanks to Evan Bond for the photo)
From one “hands” band to another, Toronto’s Hands & Teeth also put on a great show. Avi and I had only heard of them through Carly, who sent her recommendation. Being a fantastic music-recommender, I always take a listen to everything Carly sends me. With her being away on a Detour in Kingston, music has been a way to keep in touch, with our constant messaging over our newest finds. Avi and I liked Hands & Teeth’s set up and particularly liked how much the band switched up their roles, taking on different instruments by trading them off amongst each other and by divvying up the vocal duties. It made for an interesting set to watch and offered something different from other bands. I couldn’t help but notice they have a song titled “Sound of Hamilton,” off their latest album, Hunting Season. How apropos!
Hands & Teeth
Another Toronto band, Wildlife, headlined the show. I had heard of them, but hadn’t given them a proper listen. I listened to some tracks before attending the show and really liked what I heard. Seeing a band live is always a different experience, for better or for worse, and Wildlife’s rip-roaring set was completely for the better! It made me like them even more; they played an amazing set. To continue with our love of theatrics, they had a fog machine, and, although that was not the most fun to breathe in, as we were pressed right up to the front of the stage, it worked; it added a certain mystique. I absolutely couldn’t get over drummer Dwayne Christie, who hammered it out back there like I’ve never seen. I laughed, later on, when I read New Hands’ Tweet: “Spence watching @wildlifeband’s drummer ‘He’s moving so fast I feel like I’m watching a claymation video!’ #swag”.
It was such a wicked lineup - we were very impressed!
For our second-ever Rendezvous, I was definitely not expecting to get to interview someone from such an amazing and highly acclaimed Canadian band, so this was really exciting. I had the opportunity to chat with Neil Haverty, a core member of the band of Bruce Peninsula (on vocals, guitar, and metallophone duties) over the phone.
I admittedly did not know very much at all about Bruce Peninsula (only having heard “In Your Light” in regular rotation on CBC Radio 3) and I’m so glad to have had this opportunity to delve into their music and learn more about the band. I really dig their sound and know that my fellow Tourists would as well, given our love of big, percussive sounds, folk roots, stomping rhythms, and, of course, being proud of our Canadian talent and hometown connections. Channeling my inner James Lipton, I went in-depth for this one, cue cards and all. During my research of the band, I even went as far as to look up information on the actual Bruce Peninsula, to be fully prepared!
Bruce Peninsula are playing at the Molson Canadian Studio in Hamilton Place this Friday, May 25th, the first show in a series of concerts called Folk’d Up Fridays. I’m very excited to see them live and to check out the venue. Asking Neil about the show, he noted, “I’ve never seen shows there myself, but you hear about people coming through, like I’m pretty sure I remember a Leonard Cohen show there and a couple of things like that, so it feels like a bit of an honour to be playing there.”
I began our Rendezvous by asking Neil about Hamilton.
You and Steve [McKay, drummer] are from Hamilton originally, before joining Bruce Peninsula?
Steve and I went to high school together, and then I moved here [Toronto] and eventually joined Bruce Peninsula, and then when Steve moved back from Kingston, I coaxed him into playing in the band also. Steve is a really good drummer that I always knew I had in my back pocket and just was waiting for him to live in the same town again.
What were your early experiences as a musician on the Hamilton music scene?
We had a high school band, that was crappy and I’d rather not mention the name of. I very early on started running shows at a place called Transit Union Hall, which is on Wilson Street, and we started at like 15, running shows, and we would play every Friday and Saturday night.
As for more recent Hamilton shows, I know you guys played Supercrawl in September. I attended Supercrawl but unfortunately did not catch their set in Christ’s Church Cathedral.
Supercrawl was kind of insane, actually. We also played the previous year on the main stage. That whole James Street thing is confounding to me because Hamilton wasn’t like that when I was living there. It’s been amazing to see it grow.
[Christ’s Church Cathedral] was by far the biggest church we’ve ever played in, and so the acoustics were huge, and it was really great, and the turnout, because Supercrawl was way beyond what we expected. It was a really good time.
Are you hoping to do more Hamilton shows in the future?
Oh, we’ll come whenever we’re asked; for Steve and I, especially, Hamilton is obviously important, so anytime anybody asks us to come, we’ll come.
Another Hamilton connection I wanted to ask about was your Southern Souls collaboration.
Bruce Peninsula members filmed solo performances for a series of videos for the website.
I actually didn’t know Mitch [Fillion] when we were in Hamilton, but obviously Southern Souls does some really great video work. We came up with that idea while we were sort of on hiatus while I was sick, and it just seemed like a no-brainer to get Mitch involved, and I think it turned out really well.
And was it important to showcase individual members of the band, because there are so many of you, and your different talents?
Yeah, that had always been sort of on our minds, that there was probably ten solo acts within the band, and so it seemed like a good way to introduce that. I think you’re going to see that more and more with our band; we’ve been doing some shows, actually, where we each play a solo song and then play a Bruce Peninsula song, and go back and forth like that, in a kind of revue style. We’re really enjoying doing that.
Neil Haverty on Southern Souls
From there, I moved on from Hamilton (took a Detour, if you will, to ask about what touring is like for the band. Being a type of Tour ourselves, I’m always interested in what touring is like for musicians. Bruce Peninsula has played major tours across Canada and the U.S., along with major North American festivals.
Is touring an aspect of being a musician that you enjoy?
Oh, absolutely. We’re lucky; we get to go to places that otherwise we wouldn’t be going to. All these places where, if we didn’t have the excuse of playing a show, we might not end up there, but we’re lucky for it.
Do you get much time, when you’re in each place, to get out there and explore?
Obviously not as much as we’d like, but we are pretty good at carving out time, and everyone’s into a little bit of tourism here and there. There is a lot of waiting around in bars, though, when you’re a band, so it’s not quite like I’m a tourist all the time.
Do you have a favourite place you’ve been to? Anything that sticks out?
There’s lots; obviously going to South by Southwest is an experience for a band; it’s pretty crazy. That whole trip was amazing and I’d like to do more touring in the U.S. We’re going to Dawson City in July, in the Yukon, so I’m really excited about that, and we’re going for the Dawson City Music Festival. We’re actually playing in Vancouver on the way up; we’ve only been there once. Yukon is a perfect example of a place that I may not go on my own, but music has afforded the opportunity.
When it comes to playing live, because your music is so intricate and layered, when you’re recording the material, do you think about how it’s going to translate into live performances? Or do you just focus on creating the material, and worry about that later?
To me, those things are sort of separate experiences. I don’t think that the live experience has to reflect the record. In fact, I think it’s more exciting when it’s a little bit different. So our live shows tend to be a little scrappier. The attention to detail is different, and it’s more about the experience and the energy, whereas in the studio we dwell on lots of little parts and sounds, and things like that. It’s more about the experience when we’re playing.
As noted, we Tourists love words and expanding our vocabularies, so I had to ask about the origin of the band name.
There is a lot of nature imagery associated with the band name, and this is also found in your lyrics and visuals. What does it signify for you?
The band name has to do with the fact that we’re all from Ontario and we’ve all spent time camping on the Bruce Peninsula and our families all took us there when we were younger. We all have positive associations with it, so it seemed like a good name.
And it also reflects Canada, being a Canadian band and representing Canadian music.
Yeah, what’s nice about it is for Canadians, there’s obviously an association; a lot of people know about the Bruce Peninsula. But outside of Canada, it’s sort of mysterious. It could be a dude’s name; it could be anything. So we like that it can go both ways.
What’s coming up next for Bruce Peninsula?
A few shows here and there, in Hamilton, St. Catharines, Toronto. Then going to Dawson City, and then who knows? It’s been a while since we’ve made any new music together, so we’re hoping to play again, more in the jam space, and get a little time to write some stuff. We’re taking it pretty easy; we’re going to have a pretty easy going summer, I think.
Of course, I ended the interview with our Rendezvous Rapid Fire!
Favourite place to eat in Hamilton: Che Burrito Favourite breakfast food: Eggs Benedict If you were an alcoholic beverage, what would you be? Straight Jameson on ice Go-to karaoke song: “I’m not a big karaoke guy… I have been known to sing ‘Bills, Bills, Bills’ by Destiny’s Child.” If you could speak flawlessly with any accent, what would it be? Australian Favourite word: Accompaniment Favourite concert/live performance you’ve seen: “I like anything where I feel like the artist really believes what they’re doing and is selling it to me in a way that I believe. Live music is an amazing place to be, an amazing thing that human beings do for one another, and so as long as I know that the person behind it is meaning what they’re doing, then I’m into it.” What is on your Playlist right now: The new records by Bry Webb and Beach House If you could Detour to anywhere in the world right now: Europe Favourite mode of transportation: Bicycle Check List – what’s one thing you want to do: Get my driver’s licence
My sincerest thanks to Neil Haverty for taking the time to speak with me, and to HECFI for the opportunity to reach the band for the interview.
For my second Playlist installment, I’m keeping it short. All are Canadian, all are amazing, and all are on a constant loop in my apartment. Let’s get this class in session, kids.
The Elwins and Luke Lalonde (of Born Ruffians) - “Countdown” (Beyonce cover) [Listen] Me and my boo and my boo lip-locking, all up in the back ‘cause the boys keep flockin’ Listening to the minute and a half of these boys warming up their voices and chords to cover Beyonce’s “Countdown” for Southern Souls, you are still not quite ready for the track that they are about to lay down. The harmonies, perfectly-timed pauses, and focused drum track carry their rendition incredibly well. What really makes it, though, is how much these boys are feeling Beyonce. And, surely, it’s contagious. Along with Library Voices and Coeur de Pirate, Beyonce’s 4 snuck in to my last CD shopping spree.
Cedar Park featuring Esthero - “Think So Now” [Listen] I’m gonna try to change your mind and if you don’t think so now, you’re gonna Cedar Park is Dylan White’s one-man band. With a bunch of vocalists helping out on the tracks of his new album Way Back Home, there is so much talented variation that it’s more accurately defined as a compilation. The collaborations on the album are simply inspired. A throw-back to mid-nineties No Doubt, Esthero’s Gwen-esque vocal inflections and White’s horn section gives this well-written song a great pop push. The CD release party’ll be in Toronto June 6 at The Piston, and it promises to be a great show that you should all go to. Ooo, an even better idea - everyone get together and show up as a Hamilton contingent.
No Sinner - “Boo Hoo Hoo” [Listen] Until then, then, then, what I’m gonna do, do, do, is just hang my head, head, head, and cry boo, hoo, hoo If you do not feel this song in your veins, you are a robot. If nothing else, I am convinced of that. The amount of soul that comes out of Colleen Rennison gets into your bones and breaks your heart. Repeatedly. The video is shot at the Waldorf Hotel, the scenes at the bar make me want to see them live, and the number of costume changes make me incredibly envious. It’s not all frontwoman, though. The entire band plays music that has rarely been heard in the past couple of decades. What’s more, few would expect it to come out of the West Coast. They are genius, though. Pure genius. And, pure soul.
Whale Tooth - “Why Do I” [Listen] Why-y-y-y, Do Do Do I? Kristin just sent me over the line-up for the Sound of Music Festival in Burlington. And, it promises to be a great one, because Whale Tooth’ll be on Sunday June 17th. I’ve gushed about Whale Tooth before. They are great, and I had an amazing weekend last year when I saw them two nights in a row. This tune was my favourite live. As a band that I was first introduced to on stage, you will be ever so sad if you miss the chance to check them out this summer - for free. Plan around it. They will not disappoint.
Joel Plaskett Emergency - “Tough Love” [Listen] While you wax your legs, I’ll wax poetic A couple of months ago, Plaskett propositioned CBC Music to sponsor a ten tracks in ten weeks album. It was a great project to follow, a sort of music-in-the-making type thing. I bought the album the week that it came out and haven’t looked back. I was initially skeptical of the blogosphere comparing “Tough Love” with ”Through & Through & Through.” But, the more that I listened to it, the more that the lyrics’ humour and cliches made it a sensible conclusion. He also rhymes oranges - which I had been taught was an impossible thing to do. Thus, Plaskett makes nothing impossible. He laughs in the face of impossibility. And you should, too. (Watch them in the studio, too; it is oh so totally worth it.)
That’s it. Class dismissed. And, if you know what’s good for you, check out Les Breastfeeders at This Ain’t Hollywood June 15th. I’ll be watching them a couple days before in Kingston. Amazing francophone beach party rock’n’roll with tambourine to spare.
While I didn’t actually get out and about during this year’s Record Store Day, I fittingly stopped by Dr. Disc the week of, as they were prepping for the big day. A classic Hamilton landmark in our rich music scene, it’s about time the record store became an official tour stop! Dr. Disc celebrated its 20th anniversary last July (check out The Spectator’s piece, chronicling the store’s history). At the time, this was only a couple of months into our Tour, and I remember Avishka, Jenny, and myself exploring James Street North on the hot summer night of July’s Art Crawl, and catching part of a rooftop concert at Dr. Disc, which was part of their anniversary celebrations. We stood in the warm evening sun, listening to the music, and then, sporting our summer Tour t-shirts, of course, we took a few shots posing by Dr. Disc’s graffiti-filled outside wall. Now here I am, almost a year later, visiting the store and getting to sit down for a chat with the Doc, himself, Mark Furukawa. I also later realized that The Spec’s piece on Dr. Disc hit stands just five days before our own front-page feature. How’s that for full circle?
Mark let me take a peak at Dr. Disc’s roof, which offers a fantastic panoramic view of James Street North below (and a clear shot of one of our favourites – Mex-I-Can!) We sat down to lunch (Mark being so handy in the kitchen, it made me realize my fellow Tourists and I need to have more cooking adventures!) and chatted about all things Hamilton. It’s an incredibly exciting time here – so many people I’ve been speaking with can feel it – and we were quick to share what we love about the City and compare notes, running through our favourite spots in Hamilton and memories of the City. Among those included our favourite restaurants. Mark considers himself a foodie, which made me think of Avishka, who is probably the biggest foodie out of the four of us Tourists, and I recounted how indecisive we are when it comes to menus. Luckily, no decisions had to be made on this day, as Mark whipped up quite the spread along with his famous paninis.
With 20+ years of experience at Dr. Disc, I had to ask Mark about his impressions of Hamilton’s music scene, and he expressed the same thought as we’ve found, which is that overwhelming sense of community that you encounter everywhere you go, in speaking with musicians and going to shows. Although we don’t have the music scenes of other cities to compare it to, you can just feel something so special here. The music community is so supportive of each other, and we’ve definitely witnessed that throughout our Tour, as music becomes more and more vital to the core of it.
Keeping with the theme of Hamilton’s sense of community, Mark and I also talked about the City’s passionate and enthusiastic online community. When we started our Tour, we Tourists had no idea that Hamilton has such an exciting and tight-knit online world, which we’ve found on Twitter, in particular. We have connected with so many people through the social media tool, many whom we’ve ended up meeting in person and now consider friends. The social media side of things (with emphasis on the social aspect) is something Mark has really delved into recently, through Dr. Disc’s Twitter page. Along with communicating with people in the City, answering their questions, retweeting up a storm, and chatting back and forth, Mark has set up useful hashtags to make it easy for people to find what they’re looking for. Search #DrDiscTICKETS to find out when concert tickets are being sold and #DrDiscLOCAL for the Doc’s daily local music feature.
Dr. Disc is making a move toward a stronger focus on vinyl – I could see there was a lot more out on display, in relation to CDs, than the last time I had dropped in, to buy some tickets to a show at Casbah. Although I’m not a vinyl collector, I’m thrilled that vinyl sales have gone up in recent years and to see that music lovers’ passion for compiling solid vinyl collections is alive and well. I didn’t leave the store empty-handed, however; I bought a copy of Dinner Belles’ CD West Simcoe County, a local band we’ll be checking out soon.
Another major aspect to the store is DJ equipment. Mark has a long history as a DJ, and along with the help from staff who are up-to-speed on all the latest technology in DJing, the back of the store is stocked with all kinds of equipment you need to get spinning. This made me think of our Check List – Avishka and I noted that learning how to DJ must be an item on our list!
It was a fun day - really inspiring to meet another local personality who is so passionate about what they do and about this city. Making these connections has been a very rewarding part of our Tour.
They say you always remember your first. I think it’s only fitting that our inaugural Rendezvous was with Kirby. We met up with the Hamilton/Burlington singer-songwriter at one of our favourite spots, The Baltimore House, to have a chat before he played a show just down the street at Homegrown Hamilton. Kirby opened the show alongside Donovan Woods, leading up to the North American debut of British artist Benjamin Francis Leftwich. For more on what turned out to be a fantastic show, stay tuned for Avi’s entry.
First things first, Avi and I did a little research, prepped our questions, and listened to his EPs, in order to get in the mindset of all things Kirby. We even ran into him a few days before, at the grand opening of Threshold Studios, and it was great to catch up with him then. Avi and I scoped out Baltimore House for an ideal spot for our Rendezvous, choosing a lounge area at the back of the Maryland Room. Even above the tunes that Baltimore co-owner Jimmy Skembaris was spinning just beside us, we managed to have our chat and film some the interview.
I said to Kirby how fitting it was that he was our first Rendezvous because he was one of the first local musicians I met, about four years ago, when I really started getting out there on the scene. At the time, he went on tour with another local act, Blind Mule. Avi and I were drawn to the touring aspect of Kirby’s career, since we’re working with a Tour motif ourselves, with this blog. When we spoke with him, Kirby was just about to embark on his tenth tour, we were impressed to note, this time out East with C.A. Smith. While recapping some of his previous tours from coast-to-coast, with tour mates such as Trevor Howard, Max Wray, The Human Race, as well as solo tours, we asked him about his very first tour and what that experience was like for him.
“The first tour I went out on [in 2008], I had to borrow my parents’ car, ’cause I didn’t have a car, and I had just quit a job in Toronto and I was actually working at my parents’ company, and I had an opportunity to tour with Ashley Slogett, who’s an artist from Burlington.
“We had this tour planned, and Ashley and I were going to go, and then I had to ask my parents very nicely to borrow their car, and they let me take it all the way out West, and we almost crashed it a few times, but I didn’t tell them that…
“It was a good experience. It was the first tour I’d ever been on and I actually made some money off of it, so I thought all tours were supposed to work like that, until I had a couple that didn’t do so well, but that’s okay; it’s kind of part of being on the road and learning.”
I asked if touring was always the goal when he set out to pursue music as a career. Kirby noted, “Above everything else, I just like to travel,” and playing music goes “hand in hand” with that. While some musicians may tire of the road, for Kirby, he says it’s the best part, and the easiest. If fact, he tours more than he writes, at this point, always feeling moved to get back on the road. For our purposes here at the Tour, we can certainly relate to the feeling of wanting to get out there and keep moving forward, wherever that may be, and it’s through that travelling, however small or grand, that we learn about ourselves and take those experiences with us to the next challenge. Kirby also blogs from the road, which made us relate to him again since we too love to document our adventures and share them.
I also wondered, given the grueling pace of touring, how much downtime the musician has to explore each city he finds himself in. “I walk as much as I can,” Kirby noted; whether he’s on tour or not, tackling a new place on foot, he says, is the best way to explore.
With Kirby after his set at Homegrown Hamilton
Being big fans of his latest release, Into the Dark, we transitioned into talking about the EP. Avi and I wanted to know about the songwriting process and the inspiration behind it. Kirby explained that this particular EP is a collection of songs created over a dedicated writing period, beginning in 2009. As a result of this prolonged period, each song came into its own and can stand alone as a separate story or theme, which is something we noticed, that each song has its own special identity. The EP was recorded in several different locations and is the first Kirby made with a full band, obviously giving it a more textured sound. When I asked if this is the musical direction he’d like to stay in, Kirby revealed that his next release will likely be a mix of what he’s done previously – less production this time around and a bit more subtle, while still not being as stripped down as his earlier material, and possibly even aiming for a full length release.
Avi picked up on some imagery in Kirby’s music as representing his inner world, such as Within These Walls, the title of this first EP, and Into the Dark, as signalling Kirby letting his listeners get a glimpse into his world. We’re always in awe of the songwriting process – wondering how it feels to expose yourself in that way, and if there is ever a hesitation about sharing too much of yourself. Kirby described his songwriting process as therapeutic; it feels like it’s his subconscious explaining things to him and making sense of whatever he’s going through. It helps to illuminate and give perspective. When it comes to revealing too much, Kirby revealed that the only hesitation he has felt was with Within These Walls; being his first EP, he naturally felt worried at first about getting too personal and it took courage to be so candid. Having released a lot of material since then, Kirby has found it’s just about being “as honest as I can,” and through that, the audience connects and is more receptive.
From there, we strolled down to Homegrown, where, outside on the patio, we ended our interview the way we always will – with the Rendezvous Rapid Fire! A series of questions I came up with, all relating in some way to our Tour, it’s our quick Q&A. Check out our Rendezvous video blog below to hear Kirby’s answers.
We managed to cover a lot of ground and learn a lot about Kirby in our fairly short chat, which is a testament to how friendly and open he is. I meant it when I said he’s one of my favourites on the Hamilton music scene and he’s someone we’re always happy to see in our travels.
It was a lucky Friday the 13th – April offered one of our favourite James Street North Art Crawls to date. The weather was just warm enough to walk about comfortably in a spring jacket, or in the case of Avishka and I, a pin-striped velvet blazer and a leather jacket, respectively. We’re hip like that.
Our first stop was over to the funky shop Bodega at 220 King West to attend the launch of our friend Samille Janelle’s new artists’ zine, PAGED. Samille had let us know of her idea to start a print zine earlier this year, and wanted to feature work from all local talent, from painters, illustrators, graphic designers, photographers, poets, writers, and more. As she puts it, the zine is, “An interactive portrait of the minds thriving in the Hamilton artists’ community.” I was really excited to see it all come together and get my hands on a copy! Bursting with colour, the art jumps off the pages, and is just gorgeous to look through. Artists who contributed to the first edition include Ashley Ince, Melissa Mostacci, Petra Matar, Abena Asomaning, and Samille, herself. Samille’s work was also on display at Bodega for the launch, which Avishka and I really enjoyed getting to see. I love the bold, rich colours she uses, along with the motif of sparkly stars that seem to twinkle right before your eyes. Copies of PAGED are available for purchase at Bodega, Mixed Media, and Grey Room Studio. With a limited run each time, be sure to get yours fast! Avishka and I were pleased to pick up our copies of the debut edition. Keep it locked to PAGED – May’s edition is up next, and be sure to contact them if you would like to have your work featured in the zine.
Samille Janelle’s work inside Bodega
Inside Bodega with Samille Janelle and our copies of PAGED
From there, we met up with our dear friend and original Honourary Tour Member, Emily, to explore the Art Crawl. We immediately headed to the newly restored and historic Lister Block for its grand opening. The place was abuzz with people constantly coming in and out, not only to get a glimpse of the beautifully renovated Hamilton landmark, but to be there for the launch of Tourism Hamilton’s new headquarters. The grand opening had begun during the day and the festivities were still going strong, bringing in even more people during Art Crawl. Cake & Loaf had recreated the Lister Block in an absolutely stunning cake, a work of art, in itself. Although I didn’t get to see it in person, I couldn’t get over the photos of it that people were Tweeting.
When we first entered the Lister Block, we didn’t know where to look! Avishka took note of the activities and classic Hamilton spots listed on Tourism Hamilton’s sign, picking out which ones we’ve done already and have yet to do. Walking about inside, I didn’t make it very far because I was too busy staring at the floor! I’m sure I stopped the flow of traffic, attempting to get a photo of it. Just amazing! One of the photos I took was also a first foray into Instagram (that’s right – I’m on Instagram now! Follow me @ kristihaswings for pictures from the Tour.) We also wandered out into the hallways to take in more of the building. I can’t wait to have a proper look throughout the whole building – it really is something to see and is such a special part of Hamilton’s history.
Avishka and I even did a little impromptu interview! Friend to the Tour, Michael Canton of Valleytown Media, handed us a mic and asked us a few questions, on behalf of NewsClipTV, about our impression of the Lister Block, Tourism Hamilton’s move into the new space, and of the James North Art Crawl in general. We noted that it has almost been a year now since our very first Art Crawl (when we started the Tour in May), so to be here now at this time, and see how things have expanded even more, and the increased energy, is even more exciting. We also spoke of our hope that the restoration of the Lister Block sparks more initiative to preserve and restore other historic buildings and architecture in the City.
At the Lister Block’s grand opening and Tourism Hamilton’s launch
Avishka, Emily, and I continued on down the street on our crawl, making a stop at Hotel Hamilton to say hello to our friend Melissa Mostacci at Grey Room Studio. We love the bright orange studio and always like to see Melissa’s work, some of which was featured in the debut edition of PAGED, as noted. Just down the hall, Spark Society were having another jam session, and remembering how much fun that was to watch, Avishka and I told Emily about it and made sure to peek in the doorway to see them play.
After that, we made a quick pit stop to Makers’ Market, outside Christ’s Church Cathedral, to fuel up with some delicious snacks from Cake & Loaf (so good!). We also made stops in Hamilton Artists Inc., definitely a must on Art Crawl, or any time you’re in the James North area. There is always something exciting going on there. We popped in and out of as many galleries and shops that we could as we turned back around and headed back toward the direction of King William Street, on our way to a party at Baltimore House – the Sweet Ice Art Crawl After Party!
Sweet Ice Cones at Baltimore House
The girls of Sweet Ice Cones, Meg and Linds, were hosting a party to raise money to fix up their brand new trailer, so they can hit the streets this summer to deliver their delicious ice cones to all! Dubbing the event Operation Shasta, and being prepared to celebrate whether they reached their goal or not (but they did achieve it, and then some, thanks to all who supported the cause!) we knew we couldn’t miss it. We were happy to meet Meg and Linds and say hello, and finally try those snow cones. They offered their classic cones as well as a spiked snow cones, for that little extra kick. It was a party at the hot spot that is Baltimore House, after all! Avi and I hadn’t tried their snow cones back at kitestring’s Christmas Spectacular, with Carly, so we were ready to try them now. We had three choices: The Apple Jack (whiskey), The Daiquiri (rum), and The Margarita (tequila). There was no question, here; Avishka and I didn’t miss a beat and chose The Apple Jack. How could we not, it was called JACK! It was meant to be. They were very tasty, we must say. Cones in hand, we sat down on a nearby sofa to get our picture taken by the Sweet Ice team for their blog. We love a good photo opportunity! We’re thrilled that the party was such a success for the girls, and we’ll definitely be seeing them on the road this summer for a refreshing treat during our tour stops.
It was a fantastic Art Crawl - we can’t wait for what’s in store this summer!
With Kirby after his set at Homegrown Hamilton
