Quiet Parade - Interview - May 13/12

I was able to chat with Anthony Phillips, bassist of Halifax-based band Quiet Parade who will be performing at Baba’s Lounge on Thursday, May 17th.  Check it out!

1. Tell me a bit about the band.
- Quiet Parade is a 5-piece band consisting of Trevor Murphy (guitar, vocals), Jay Methot (guitar), Josh Pothier (drums), myself Anthony Phillips (bass) and Julia Weir (keyboards, vocals).

2. What is your sound and influence?
- If I had to describe the sound, the best I could describe it would be Alt Pop/Folk.  The band’s influences are Brian Borcherdt ,Retribution Gospel Choir ,Phil Spector ,and The Ronnettes.

3. If you could open for any musician or band, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
- The band members are all fans of Bon Jovi, and though he’s not really an influence to the band’s sound, we’d love to open for him for personal reasons

4. What is your biggest musical accomplishment as a band?
- Just recently the band was voted “Best Band to Listen to Quietly” for the second year in a row, for Halifax's The Coast Magazine. There is so much great music coming out of the area that it’s really nice to be on the shortlist for something like that let alone being voted 2 years straight. Putting out an album on vinyl in 2011 called Please Come Home (We Hate It Here Without You) was also a big thing for me personally.

5. What is the worst part about touring?
- I really like going on tour so it’s hard to say a bad thing about it.  If I had to choose it would be being crammed into a small car with the gear, but you get used to it.

6. What is the best part about being in a band?
- The best part about being in a band for me is the community.  We played the Shivering Songs Festival in Fredericton, New Brunswick and you got a really good sense of everyone being there to just enjoy the music.  It really felt like everyone was looking out for one another.

7. What do you have planned for the near future?
- I’m really looking forward to Quiet Parade's future; we are writing songs in kind of a new way lately.  Before, Trevor would just come to us with a song and that was the song, but now he comes to us with the lyrics and a progression then allows the rest of us to flesh it out.  It’s exciting!  Also, Julia is brand new to the band and it’s really exciting to be working with her.  The band was a 4-piece for a long time and the first practice with Julia on keyboards just completed the sound. She’s also a great vocalist!

8. Final thoughts?
- We’re looking forward to the next step the band is going to take and hopefully we will have a new record out soon for the people that want to hear it.

Natalie Toombs - Interview - Apr 16/12

I go to my share amount of local live shows, and Natalie Toombs is always present at most of the ones I attend with a camera in her hand.  She is a passionate photographer and I was lucky to be able to ask her some questions about her career so far on Prince Edward Island.

1. Tell me a bit about yourself.

- I am a 21 year old female photographer, animal lover, and music junkie who was raised on Prince Edward Island.

2.  When did you start getting into photography?

- It was in December 2010, when I received a Canon Rebel XSI from a friend of mine.  It honestly changed my life in the most positive ways.  I always thought I was going to be a nobody while growing up, now I have so much confidence and motivation to achieve my new dream of becoming a professional photographer.  It’s all about passion.

3. What is your favourite subject to photograph?

- My favourite subject to photograph would have to be capturing my friends when they are not expecting it; candid photos are my favourite.

4. What is the best part about being a photographer?

- Being able to capture moments and sharing them with others.

5. What is something people don’t know about you?

- When I was 6 years old the ball in my hip disintegrated.  I had to wear hip braces for 12 months of my life: 6 months for 24 hours a day and 6 months for 12 hours a day (I could take them off at night).  The disease is called “Legg-Calve’-Perthes” but thankfully the bone grew back properly and I haven’t had any problems in years!

6. What type of equipment do you use?

- I am a Canon lover, I use a Canon 7D.

7. Who or what inspires you?

- Love and support from my friends and family.

8.  Final thoughts?

I want to give a big thanks to The Scene Magazine for interviewing me, xo!

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What a wonderful lady, indeed!  Check out Natalie’s work and be sure to follow her on Twitter on @nhdtphotography

The Trews - ECMA Interview - Apr 15/12

After Sunday’s free concert in the Market Square in Moncton during the ECMAs, I was completely blown away by The Trews and was very excited when I was able to talk with guitarist John Angus MacDonald and get some insight into The Trews and their incredibly successful career.

1. How has the response been so far with Hope and Ruin?

- Very good I think.  It’s a changing industry as you know, so it’s getting harder to gauge the success of a record but as far as resonating with our fans, it has been more profound than any other record we released.  We just did a great tour through Canada that was maybe one of our best headlining runs ever and it’s also helped to bust down some doors internationally.  We’ve done better tours in the UK, Australia, and America.  All around we’re pretty happy about what’s going on.

2. What is the best part about being a musician in today’s industry?

- Doing interviews, haha.  I would say the best part is probably playing because that’s basically what we do as a full-time job.  We make records every couple of years but really what we’re doing all the time is playing, so that’s the part of the job we get to hone in on and really focus on.  I feel like it’s developed so much over the years that we’re at a place where we’re just proud of how we play live.

3. How do you feel about getting Rock Recording of the Year this year?

- We’re happy about it, but as musicians I can’t say it’s ever actually swayed our band one way or the other to win or lose.  Ultimately we’ve lost more than we’ve ever won, so I’m glad it doesn’t sway us because at the end of the day it’s about the work.  It’s about making your songs, recording your records, and playing your shows.  The awards are like a nice little side show that comes and goes.

 4. How does it feel being a band from the East Coast and getting so much international exposure?

- It feels really, really good actually.  We’ve worked our whole lives for this.  I mean I’m only 30 but I’ve been playing since I was 15 so it’s like half of a lifetime towards the goal of being able to have fans everywhere and just having people turned on by what you’re coming up with.  It means a lot you know so when we sit in our bedrooms or our livingrooms coming up with these songs and work them up at rehearsal spaces and studios, it’s funny to think that it goes through cyberspace or through records or CDs, it’s goes into someone else’s livingroom and then they come and see it live.  It’s a pretty magical little process when you slow down and think about it, and it’s something we’re grateful to be a part of.

5. Final thoughts?

- I hope the ECMAs go strong for many more years because it’s a great way to shine a spotlight on a part of the country that is a little underexposed, so I’m proud to be a part of it.

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I was truly grateful to have been able to talk with John Angus, and I think that these guys will be around for many years to come.  Be sure to check out live performances whenever you can, as I can guarantee you from experience that the show continues to get better and better.  Don’t forget to pick up a copy of their latest album, Hope and Ruin while you’re at it!

Carmen Townsend - ECMA Interview - Apr 15/12

I had a chance to chat with the wonderful Carmen Townsend at this year’s ECMA.  With playing so many shows including touring with legends Heart, she has had one amazing year, so I wanted to get a glimpse into her life and what she is planning on doing in the future.

1. Tell me a bit about yourself.

- I’m from Cape Breton island, I’ve been performing since I was about 14 or 15, I’ve travelled all over Canada and decided to go solo after many years of being a backup singer with a bunch of guys.  I took the bull from the horns I guess and moved all over like to Toronto and Vancouver, then moved back to Cape Breton, found a band and debuted at the ECMAs in Sydney in 2005.  The rest is history!

2. How has ECMA been for you so far?

- Well, I’ve been here for the last 6 years and so far it’s been pretty great!  It’s always a great time to come here because you never get to see most of your friends who are musicians because they’re on the road all the time.  Now we’re all gathered at the same place and we can really enjoy eachother.

3. How do you feel being one of the few female rockers on the East Coast?

- There are a ton of female rockers.  For me, I don’t have to play rock music to rock in my world I guess, haha. I don’t know, it’s just been what I’ve always loved to do.  I was a teenager in the 90s: Nirvana came out and Pearl Jam, so my history was kind of written for me.  It feels good though, people seem to dig what I do and it’s different from a lot of things, so I’m going to hang on to that for a little while!

4. Do you have any future plans for 2012 so far?

- Yes, lots of co-writing actually which is kind of a new thing for me, travelling to New York and Nashville to do some co-writing sessions and work on a new record.

5. What is the best part about being a musician?

- The people that it has brought into my life.  When you follow your heart and your dreams, you’re rewarded so many times.  For me to come here and to be reminded of the people I’ve made connections with because I just sing my butt off is really awesome!

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It was truly an honour to be able to talk with Carmen.  She is not only a phenomenal musician but a genuine woman with a great outlook on life.  Be sure to check her out if ever you have the chance.  Her intoxicating voice and energetic performance will just blow you away!

Ben Caplan - ECMA Interview - Apr 15/12

If there was one man I had seen playing all over Moncton, it was definitely Ben Caplan.  If it wasn’t a solo acoustic performance, it was a full band show as Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers.  I’ve been a big fan of Ben since my days in Halifax, so I made it a point to sit down and talk with him about his experience at East Coast Music Festival.

1. How has your experience been at ECMA?

- It’s been great!  ECMA is a lot of fun.

2. Where did you play during the ECMA?

- We played a bunch of gigs, we played at the Members Lounge on the second floor of the hotel, we did the Gala, we played The Oxygen, that was a big one, and the response at all of them was tremendous.  We’re super happy about it!

3. You have a very different genre than what we’ve seen on the East Coast, have you noticed a good response to your type of music?

- Yeah for sure, people are a little bit surprised and shocked sometimes I think at what we’re doing, but people are excited about hearing something new.

4. What is the best part about being a musician?

- I guess that would be getting to play music all the time, and the ladies haha.

5. Final thoughts?

- It’s a thrill and an honour to be here at ECMA 2012!

Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers are most certainly a band not to miss!  If you didn’t manage to get to see them at ECMA, you can catch him at the legendary Evolve Festival that runs from July 20th to 22nd!  You do not want to miss this unreal performance!

The Town Heroes - ECMA Interview - Apr 14/12

 I had a chance to sit down with Mike Ryan from The Town Heroes to talk about ECMA and about the band in general.  They played a showcase at the Oxygen Complex on Thursday night and also played an acoustic set at the Spincount, Audio Blood, and Broken Chord showcase in the Member’s Lounge on Friday evening.

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

- My name is Mike, I play in a band called The Town Heroes, I’m from Cape Breton and I live in Halifax now.  We’ve been a band for just over two years we play as a two piece band with our other member, Bruce Gillis.

2. Tell me about your most recent album.

- The album feels a little old for us now; it’s been out for a little over a year so we’re getting to the point where we’re just finishing up a new album actually.  The first album, Birds and Fear, was recorded with a friend at his home studio.  We did 11 tracks there, and I did 2 tracks while I was in school for audio engineering at NSCC.  So far we had 3 singles off of it, one of them won the Radio Star Songwriting Competition last year for the East Coast; we went to Canadian Music Week and got to perform on the Tiki stage because of it.  We also got a couple of top 3 rankings on the East Coast Countdown from the album as well.  Our next album will be releasing in the early fall, so that’s our album status right now!

3. What’s the best part about being a musician?

- Probably the free sandwiches we get at stuff like this, haha. I mean as soon as we’re done this I’ll be heading down to the registration room and will stand there and eat for about 20 minutes straight; sandwiches, granola bars, pop, coffee, and everything I can handle!  I actually think the best part of it is meeting other bands, and you just swap albums with everyone you meet so you have a giant pile of albums you can listen to on road trips.  You get to meet so many cool people, get to hear everything they’re doing and learn from them as well.

4. How has playing in a two-piece band been, since you don’t see too many two-pieces around?

- Myself and Bruce played in multiple bands before we put this together.  We lived together and were always playing music.  I had a bunch of songs written and we were rehearsing them together just the two of us.  We actually did originally try out a few musicians for a bass player, but they just didn’t really fit our dynamic so we just decided to try it as a two piece band.  We had to rearrange a lot of our songs to try and make them fit for a two piece to be able to play live.  The songwriting changes quite drastically when you want to be able to have a full sound as two people on stage.  Travelling is pretty easy since we can fit the two of us and our gear into a mid-sized car, and when we traveled to Germany it was just two flights instead of say five flights.  It’s just a lot of convenience for sure.  There are lots of pros to it but obviously there are some cons because we can’t sound as full as a six piece band, but I don’t think anyone expects us to go up and sound like that.  I really like playing as a two piece band; it’s a lot of fun.  You just pray that you don’t break a string because that never ends well!

5. How has ECMA been so far for you?

- It’s wonderful!  We played at the Oxygen Complex and had a great showcase there.  Everyone in Moncton is incredibly friendly just like everyone on the East Coast and I got to see a lot of our friends play.  There are also bands I’ve never seen before that really impressed me.  I’ve met a lot of new people, I’m having a lot of fun, and it’s been a great time all around.  You can never complain about anything happening music-wise on the East Coast; it’s always a blast!

Bad Habits - Interview - Apr 7/12

I had the chance to sit down and talk with Bad Habits Blues Band after their sound check before the Action Against Hunger Fundraising Gala at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.  Getting geared up for a new album and with all kinds of things happening for them in the near future, we had plenty to talk about!

1. How has the Indiegogo experience been for you guys?

Liam: I think it’s safe to say that we’re all really humbled by the amount of contributions that were made.

Matt: We’ve seen a lot more than we’ve initially expected, that’s for sure.

Jason: It’s great to see how much the community has come out to support local artists

Dale: I think the thing that shocked me the most was that we were expecting the $10 or $30 contributions that were going to be the ones that we would see most of because you would be getting that much in return.  What we’ve seen is $100, $250, even $1000 contributions which far exceeded what we were expecting.

2. You’re heading into the studio very soon for the recording of your new album.  What can we expect to see from it?

Matt: Bad Habits.  Through and through, Bad Habits.

Jason: Seriously, if you’ve been to one of our live shows, you would have heard every single song that will be on the album and about two hours of other material as well!

Liam: Capturing the energy of the show, that’s going to be the trick.

Dale: The album is going to be 100% original; there will be no cover tunes on there at all. It’s all our songs; it’s just a matter of narrowing it down to the 12 or 13 songs that are going to be on there.

Amanda: And it’s going to sound a lot like our live shows. What you hear is what you get at a live show.

Jason:  It’s going to be as live as possible and spontaneous.

3. You have the Gala fundraiser tonight for Action Against Hunger (April 7) and I know you’re involved in performing for charity frequently.  Tell me a bit about the shows you’ve done or shows you’re planning to do.

Matt: Toys for Tots has always been one we’ve done.

Jason: We were a couple of months old and Dale and I were like “we’ve gotta do something to support some local charity around Christmas time”.  It was actually Liam who came up with Toys for Tots to be a great idea.  We decided to make it the 1st Annual Bad Habits Blues Bash so that we could headline it and be guaranteed to come back next year, haha!

Dale: We were trying to find a way to market ourselves and still do good at the same time.

Liam: The first time we met Amanda was actually that first annual show.

Amanda: I opened for these guys!

Liam: We’ve raised over $5000 in toys and cash, it’s been really good!

Amanda: Other than Toys for Tots we’re also doing Relay For Life this year.

Liam: We’ve also got the Canadian Cancer Society that we’ve done the last few years and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Haiti Relief… we’ve done a lot!

Jason: As far as charities go, as long as we can fit it into our calendar we’ll definitely be saying “yes”.

Dale: Well the community’s been really great to us.  We’ve had one lucky break after another as far as that goes so to be able to give back and just do it by playing music, which we love to do anyway is really great.

4. I hear you’ve got a big year planned in terms of shows.  What do you have planned?

Dale:  The best ones we can’t even tell you about yet!  It’s going to be our first off-island gig and it’s going to be huge!  It’s going to be REALLY off-island.  We’ve got some big things happening this summer.  If all of it comes through including something very local that we’ve got planned that is another charity type of thing, it’s going to be a really cool summer!   Some other shows we have are the Smokin’ Blues Fest in Nova Scotia, the Red Island Blues Festival which is local.

Liam: We also got invited back to the Beef and Blues which is in Summerside and part of the Fall Flavours Festival, which was actually our first show with Amanda.

5. What’s the best part about being in a band?

Liam: I would say that it’s that I love playing music so that’s always great.

Matt:  It’s not just the music; we’re also just so comfortable with each other.  We’re like a family.  It’s just so much fun on stage and off.

Amanda: And I can handle it, I grew up with a bunch of boys, haha.  Our dynamic is working for sure.  We’ve all got wives, husbands, kids, day jobs, but we’re all on the same page and we all really want this and that’s why it’s working.

6. Any final thoughts?

Liam: I’m definitely looking forward to getting the album out.  Being able to have a product out to go with the excitement of the ECMAs and the Maple Blues Awards and stuff is going to be really great.

Dale: One final thought for me came from a person that came out to the show that told us that they didn’t think they liked blues before they saw us.  So if you haven’t heard us, come on out and maybe you’re going to find that you like blues too!

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You’ll be pleased to know that due to the amazing support of their fans, Bad Habits were able to surpass their goal of $5922.00 on their Indiegogo campaign and have raised over $8400 in contributions online and offline!  That’s such great news, and this band is well worth every cent that was put forward.  Make sure to check them out at Churchill Arms this Saturday, April 14th, you won’t want to miss it!

Stone Mary @ Hunter's - Live Review - Apr 5/12

I couldn’t contain my excitement for the Stone Mary show at Hunter’s Ale House on Thursday night.  I have enjoyed attending their shows for years in Halifax, and this is the first time I was finally able to come out and support them in Charlottetown.

There was already a good crowd in the bar come the time that first opening band, Old Blood, made it to the stage.  Their show was loud and in your face however not too overpowering, which was great to hear.  They had me up dancing from the beginning of their set right to the end.  Next up was Shelter with Thieves, who were clearly a crowd favourite.   Their music was intense and full of energy, which most certainly brought over a crowd.  I think it was the first time I actually witnessed everyone standing to the back of the dance floor while a group of people formed a mosh pit.  It was honestly awesome to see, as it has been so long since I’ve attended a hard rock show that I missed watching the energy and love that the crowd had for the bands.

Last on stage was Halifax band Stone Mary, whose band members were mostly from Prince Edward Island originally, which I came to learn that night.  The dynamic that the band has is unbelievable; it’s very obvious that these guys have been playing together for a while and are like a family.  The crowd was incredibly receptive to the hard rock n roll music that was belted out and by Christine Campbell’s incredibly strong powerhouse vocals.  She definitely rocks harder than any woman I have ever met on the East Coast, which I completely love!  The reaction from the people I had taken with me that night was fantastic as well; every last one of them were completely blown away by the band, from the vocals, to the song choice, to the solos!

“You know, sometimes I get so frustrated because chicks aren't pursuing certain rock aspects of music and I know chicks are capable of anything,” Christine points out about being one of not very many East Coast female rockers.  “At the same time it’s kind of fun too because it helps me build a name for myself.  It’s frustrating and cool at the same time because it helps me be an individual but at the same time helps more chicks not give in so much to the intimidation from the male-dominated genre and pursue things like rock and roll!”

As for what she thought about the night? “Hunter’s is always awesome,” she says.  “I love PEI so much because I’m from here and all my friends are hardcore rockers, so every time I come home they all come out and cheer me on, it’s wicked!”

I definitely hope to see Stone Mary back to our red rock soon!  Until then, if you’re in Moncton be sure to check them out at the Molson Late Night Stage on Friday, April 13th alongside Dominique Dupris, Three Sheet, Slowcoaster, Carmen Townsend, and Death Valley Driver.  Guaranteed you will not be disappointed with this showcase event!

Coyote - Interview - Apr 6/12

Island-based band Coyote has certainly had a great run so far since 2011.  They have been playing countless shows on PEI, have recorded and released a brand new EP, and just got back from a recent EP release tour.  To top it all off, they are also showcasing at this year’s East Coast Music Awards Week in Moncton.  Not one, but three separate showcase times: April 12th (Thursday) at 2am at Plan B Lounge, April 13th (Friday) at midnight at Plan B Lounge, and finally April 15th (Saturday) at 7pm at Empress Theatre.  I had a chance to ask Coyote’s front man, Josh Carter, some questions about his journey so far with the band:

1. Are you excited for your showcases in Moncton for ECMA Week?

- I can speak for all of us by saying that we are both excited and grateful to have the opportunity to play.  We were a part of the ECMAs last year, but we were also barely a band.  I think this year it will feel more like the real deal; we’re anxious to perform!

2. Tell me a bit about your new EP, Tracks.

- Tracks is a collection of seven songs that we recorded with Jon Matthews of Big Grey Sound.  We all love pop music and wanted to make a pop record.  I think the seven songs on the record give listeners an idea of what we’re all about.  It’s a bit pop-y, a bit rock-y, but it ultimately has something that I think any music listener can attach themselves to.  Tracks can be found at Back Alley Discs and online on our website ( HYPERLINK “http://www.wearecoyote.bandcamp.com” www.wearecoyote.bandcamp.com).

3. Any plans for 2012 as a band?

- Ultimately we want to expand our range beyond the Atlantic provinces and get to work on a full-length release.

4. Other than your current bandmates, if you could get any musicians, dead or alive, to form a band with you, who would they be and why?

- Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, because when I was about 13 I was absolutely obsessed with everything he has ever done.  Now that I’m older, I’m kind of sad about everything he has ever done, but I still can’t deny the impact he had on me as a kid.  Aside from that, I don’t know, maybe Ted Nugent because he’d be hilarious to party with and I would get all the free steaks I wanted!

5. What is the best part about being in a band?

- The 60 minutes you’re on stage.

7. What’s on your playlist right now?

- Wild Domestic, Golden Death Music, Local Natives, Friendly Fires… the list goes on.

8. Final words?

- Thanks for reading!  Our next Coyote show on PEI is Saturday, May 26th at Hunter’s Ale House.

There you have it, folks!  If you don’t get a chance to make it to one of their showcase times at the ECMAs, you’ve got another shot to check out these guys at Hunter’s next month, and I’d recommend being there if you love to dance and have a great time.  See you in Moncton, gentlemen!

Death Valley Driver - Interview - Apr 5/12

Death Valley Driver, a metal band from PEI, has had a lot of successes these past few years.  With a new album in the works and plenty of touring under their belt as well as showcases coming up, they’ve got a great few months ahead of them.  Dan Hodgson, lead singer of the band, was gracious enough to meet with me and talk about everything that has been happening with the band.

1. You recently won a Music PEI award and now you’re going to ECMA to play as well.  How has this year been for you as a band?

- Well, the last calendar year has just been great since we put out the album but it really seems to be since last summer that things started really picking up when we got the Metallica show in Halifax.  We’ve had so many show offers since then and we’ve done some tours.  Winning the Music PEI award this year and being able to play the gala as well has just made it a great year for us.  The ECMAs is just a nice cap-off to the whole thing!

2. How long have you guys been playing?

- Since late 2008.  We started playing shows about 4 months in and there was a similar battle of the bands for the Metallica show but it was for Kiss at the time and we actually won for the province, and then went to the finals, but we didn’t win.  We were just a baby band back then so it was great to just play it.

3. How do you find the response on the Island to the metal genre?

- The metal scene has always been there, but I think now it’s maybe getting a little more recognition.  The great thing about PEI metal bands is that none of them sound alike.  I think the audience was always there, they just needed the bands to start playing shows like bar shows.

4. Do you have any influences that make your type of metal genre?

- Basically I find that our music is like a love letter to all the bands we grew up listening to because we’re not trying to re-invent the wheel.  I find I like playing music that I like listening to, so it’s about just taking all of the bands I grew up listening to like Metallica, Black Sabbath, Pantera and just mash them all together and see what we come up with.

5. Tell me about the showcase you’re playing at ECMA.

- We’re playing the Delta Ballroom with Three Sheet, Carmen Townsend, Stone Mary, and Slowcoaster.  I was really pleased to not do a metal showcase per say because it’s just falling into a comfort zone.  I like playing shows where we’re kind of the odd band and people are a little bit more receptive to what’s completely different to anything they’ve ever seen or heard before.  I think there’s going to be a good crowd!

6. How was it playing in front of so many people at the Metallica show in Halifax?

- It was one of those things that took me a few days after it all happened to kind of sit back and take it all in.  We were just so full of adrenaline; there were no nerves at all.  It was easily one of the most amazing gigs we will ever play.

7. Where did your band name come from?

- It’s a name of a wrestling move!  Basically you put the guy on your head then drop him on his neck.  Our music maybe hurts necks a little bit, and we all love wrestling too.  I think it’s just a cool name, and it rolls off the tongue nicely.

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These guys are certainly a great band not to miss!  Catch them at ECMA in Moncton on Friday, April 13th for the Molson Late Night Stage and at Hunter’s Ale House on April 27th with The Motorleague and Armada Drive.

Ashley Condon - Interview - Apr 1/12

I was lucky enough to get the chance to ask Island-born singer/songwriter Ashley Condon a few questions about her latest show on the 8th of April at the Trailside Inn, as well as get a bit of insight on her life as a musician.  I was lucky enough to have seen Ashley play at the Company House with Ryan MacGrath last year, and I can still say that it was one of the most entertaining shows to date that I have seen!  Ashley has an amazing voice and knows her way with words and chords, not to mention is a genuinely wonderful person.  Check out the interview below:

1. Are you excited to play your show at the Trailside Inn?


- Absolutely! I have been wanting to check out the trailside since I moved back to PEI last year. I’m just thrilled that Pat and Meghann are keeping the legacy going strong. I’m also thrilled to play such a beautiful venue only 25 minutes from my house.

2. Tell me a little bit about how you started playing music?

- There are lots of great musicians in my family. My aunts and uncles used to play and sing at family gatherings when I was a little girl. My uncle showed me a few chords one night and a whole new world opened up. I took those chords and learned dozens of songs. It was really neat because last night I had my family together again playing and singing at my new home in PEI, around the fire, and I was playing along with that same uncle that showed me my first three chords. It was a really special night.

3. What is your favourite part about being a musician?

- I love connecting with people through music. There is nothing more satisfying than having someone tell me that one of my songs really helped them along a hard time and/or brought them relief or joy.

4. This year involved winning at the MPEI Awards, and now you’re playing at ECMA.  Do you have any other big happenings lined up for this year?

- Yeah, I’m getting ready to start working on a new album. I have lots of new songs that I’m really excited about. I look forward to a winter 2013 release. I’m also getting geared up for another summer as a featured artist in “Come All Ye”, a Charlottetown Festival production that plays at The Mack six nights a week all summer long. We have an incredible cast and I’m so lucky to get to celebrate Prince Edward Island through song and story.

5. What song would you describe as being the anthem of your life?

- I wrote a song just before I moved back to PEI last year called “Going To The Country” and I consider it the anthem to my life right now. It depicts, quite accurately, the ebbs and flows of my new life on PEI. My partner, Ken, and I definitely had a romanticized vision of country living and the last year has shown us that it’s a lot of work to run a home and stay connected to each other through it all. It’s been beautiful, though!

6. What is your favourite flavour of Jell-O?

- The kind with the vodka in it.

7. Final words?

- Be nice and support local artists!

I wholeheartedly hope that you can all get to the Trailside Inn to catch Ashley Condon’s set as well as Chas Guay’s.  Doors open at 7:30pm, so make sure to get there early!  You are truly in for some beautiful music!

Action Against Hunger: Team PEI - Interview - Apr 1/12

I had a chance to talk with Alisha Stephen and Jennifer Clark, the organizers of the Action Against Hunger Fundraising Gala that is being held at the Confederation Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 7th.  Not only were these ladies joys to talk to, their cause is most certainly a worthy one.  I was able to discuss the event with them and see what lies ahead:

1. First of all, tell me a bit about yourselves.

- A: We are both small business owners, and that’s actually how Jennifer and I met.

2. What got you involved in Action Against Hunger?

- A:  I was on the internet and there was a photo on Facebook with Steve Jobs that had the caption “One Dies. Million Cry” and next to it was a group of malnourished children that said “Million Die. No One Cries.”  I looked into it and discovered that it was an estimated 5 million children who die of malnutrition every year, and approximately 1 billion who are malnourished.  Action Against Hunger is a good organization, and that day I posted the photo and pledged to raise $10,000.  Immediately, Jennifer wanted to be on board.  She has been with me since day one.

3. Could you tell me a bit about the Gala that you’re holding on the 7th?

- J: After we decided that we’re going to raise the $10,000 we got together and tried to think of different avenues we can take.  Having a gala event was the first thing that we thought of.  We put our heads together, we gathered up people and companies from the community to get on board with the event, we rounded up a really great lineup of entertainment, as well as sponsors and donors and just put this whole event together!  We have great performances, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and oyster bar, we have a silent auction, prize table, 50/50, a chance to win a trip for two anywhere Westjet flies, as well as tons of other things.

4. How has the response been in the community?

- J: We had a really positive response from artists and we have so many donations.  People have been contacting us to donate items or their time so in that respect it has been really positive that way.

5. What song best describes your journey with Action Against Hunger?

- J: The first one that comes to mind is one by Johnny Reid “Today I’m Going To Try And Change The World.”

This is one fantastic cause to come out and support, and for only $40 a ticket you get an amazing lineup of performers (The Bad Habits, Todd MacLean and Justin Simard, Jordan Cameron, The Dysfunctional Dads, and Groove Company), a chance to win a trip for two anywhere in the world Westjet flies, free food, and the knowledge that your purchase has gone to help save the malnourished.  So get all dressed up, throw on your dancing shoes, and get ready for one amazing evening you will not forget!  Doors open at 7:30pm.

Bad Mountie w/ This Ship and Mindwaves @ Hunter's - Live Review - Mar 30/12

Friday night was a night I had been looking forward to for weeks.  Not only was Bad Mountie playing a show at Hunter’s Ale House after a long hiatus, my friends from Halifax, This Ship, were playing alongside them!  I made sure to get to the show early to catch all of the opening acts, the first of which was Mindwaves, who were playing acoustically that evening.  They had a pretty interesting sound to them: it was jazzy, a little bit haunting; I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it was unique to say the least.

Next up on the list was This Ship, who I had actually never seen play before; quite a few of the members were from other Halifax bands I listened to over the years: The Light Brights, Alice Stops Time, and Minus World to be exact!  They’re also all a part of Berserker Lion, a Halifax-based music collective.  For people who all came from different bands, they certainly had a chemistry not unlike that of an established band who had been together for many years!  The sound was unreal, it was a huge mixture of several genres like rock, jazz, indie, electronic, and others yet somehow it meshed perfectly into one.  People were up dancing, tambourines and clapping were in action, and it was an overall great vibe and great turnout for this off-island group.

Bad Mountie ended off the night, and ended it with a bang they did!  It had been months since their last show, and finally being able to hear another live set was an absolute joy.  Despite the hiatus, the second they started playing it was as if they never stopped!  The vocals were fantastic, the guitar was unbelievable, and the beat was bang on.  When it comes to the crowd as well, I was amazed at how many people were there to take it all in!  “For being out of the spotlight for 3 months it’s great to see how many people were excited for our return,” says Matt Steele, guitarist for Bad Mountie.  “I dont know how many people were there total, but I love the big crew at the front that was dancing!”  With songs like “Rising Star”, “I’m Still The Man”, and my favourite “Responsible Man”, I personally would be confused as to why people weren’t dancing!  Great to see Bad Mountie bad and I’m looking forward to getting the chance to hear them live again in the near future!

Hey Ocean! @ Hunter's - Live Review - Mar 22/12

I showed up to Hunter’s Ale House around 10:30pm to make sure that I was there before the crowd came.  Upon entry, the bar was already pretty full, which came as a surprise as I usually expect most to show up around the 11:30 or midnight mark.  I sat down at a table and waited patiently for Aidan Knight to start his opening set.  Honestly, I had no idea who Aidan Knight was; in fact, I was assuming that he was a one-man show.  I was sorely mistaken!  Aidan Knight had a full band with him, all of which were multi-instrumentalists.  One song I’d see a fiddle, two trumpets, and some percussion while the next song would have a tambourine, two people on drums, and some guitar.  Needless to say, within about 30 seconds of starting the show, I was in love with this Victoria, BC band!

Then, of course, it was time for Hey Ocean!  I had seen them once before at the Canada Day celebrations at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, NS, and I was so amazed at how well they worked together and how beautiful and unique they sounded that I knew I had to see them in Charlottetown.  Seeing them so up close and intimately in comparison to the large venue at Alderney was a serious treat.  They began their set with the first track off of their album Is (set to officially release on May 15th) “If I Were A Ship”, which I believe was the perfect introduction to their amazing talents.  From the beginning line shouting “HEY OCEAN!” to the sound of Ashleigh’s beautiful vocals along with her flute and calymba playing and of course the completely obvious chemistry the band has together made for one fantastic experience.  The crowd was definitely on their feet dancing, completely feeling the groove Hey Ocean! was bringing to the table.  All of their songs that they played, including “Jolene”, “Islands”, and “Big Blue Wave” brought the same feel-good energy as the one before.

I had a chance to sit down with Ashleigh Ball (vocals/flute) and Dave Beckingham (vocals/guitar) to ask them about how they enjoyed playing PEI and what’s in store for the future.  “We’ve never been to [Hunter’s] before.  We played The Wave twice, once with a band called Slowcoaster quite a few years ago and this is our third time [on the island].  We want to come more often for sure, it’s a great place with great people,” says Dave.  When it comes to their new album releasing officially, Ashleigh was very happy with the finished product: “We’re really excited about it, we haven’t put out an album in over 3 years.  It was definitely a very interesting and crazy process for sure; it actually took us over a year to record.  A lot of love and blood and sweat and tears went into the album.  It’s very different but it’s also really us, so we’re happy to be touring with it!”

I agree, the album has a very unique but amazing sound, and so far I have heard nothing but positive reactions to the music.  I wish Hey Ocean! the best of luck on their tour, and if you didn’t catch them at Hunter’s, you can always take a roadtrip out to Montreal in August to see them at Osheaga Music Festival alongside a ton of other extremely talented artists!

English Words w/ Two Hours Traffic @ Baba's - Live Review - Mar 17/12

It was shortly after the show began that I made it to Baba’s Lounge, and there was already a sea of green pouring out of the front entrance to catch the English Words St. Patrick’s Day performance.  We had all heard tell that there would be a very special guest joining English Words tonight, and you could tell that everyone was anxious to see who it was.  I finally made it into the bar and to my complete surprise and certainly to my excitement, the special guests were none other than PEI band Two Hours Traffic!

The crowd was huge and the dance floor was packed full of dancing patrons.  As usual, Two Hours Traffic brought an incredibly energetic and fun show to the table, and I was very happy to have been able to catch it!

Next up was Charlottetown band English Words, the headliners of the evening.  The crowd jammed into the front of the bar and were waiting anxiously to start dancing and jumping around.  The set began without a hitch, the energy was intense and the band certainly got the patrons rocking out to their electronic and new wave sound.

The addition of Charlottetown native Thayne Campbell on the bass was a really nice touch, and he played as if he was a member for years.  I had seen Thayne perform several times both solo and with other bands like Beverly and Sister Jack, so I knew he had a great sound and was definitely not disappointed when I heard him with English Words.  The positive vibe and the music continued right until closing time, with the dance floor completely packed right up until the end.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I’d say the rest of the crowd did as well.

It was my first St. Patrick’s Day in Charlottetown, and it most certainly was the best one I’ve had yet thanks to Two Hours Traffic and English Words!

For more information on English Words, please visit their website at www.englishwordsband.com or follow them on Facebook or Twitter!  If you missed the chance to catch them at Baba’s or you just need more English Words in your life, make sure to head to Hunter’s Ale House on May 4th for another great performance.

Tim Chaisson and Ian Sherwood @ Marc's Studio - Double Interview - Mar 16/12

Tim Chaisson

1. How to you find Marc’s Studio in comparison to other venues on the island?

- Well I find Marc’s Studio is new and fresh and I think it’s a beautiful room, as anyone who has been here would know.  I found from tonight that everybody listening is huge and it’s got a really laid back atmosphere.  I think for a fella that’s going to sing a couple of songs, it’s the place to go.

2. How will the new album compare to Broken Hearted Beat?

- Well I think the new album is going to be a little bit less rock-oriented compared to the last one.  This is going to be more like a Tim Chaisson album so it’s going to be more acoustic-based with drums, bass, and guitar.  The songs are more from me as well.  They’re songs I’ve written over the past couple of years, so they’re a little more personal.

3. Do you have any big things planned for the near future?

- The biggest thing is just getting the record out and touring.  As for playing shows on the Island, it’s going to be a while, but I’m doing a house concert in April and I’m going back to Australia for the month of May.


Ian Sherwood

 1. Do you play in PEI often?

- I played PEI a couple of times a year.  Over the last couple years, there’s a house concert in Donaldson that hires me every summer which is great.  It’s a really nice family that gets me out there to do a show in the summertime and I find myself over usually one time during the fall or winter to do a show somewhere involved with something.  As much as I can come back I’ll try to come back.

2. How long have you been using the loop pedal?

- I started using it probably about five years ago. I bought it because I wanted to start getting the saxophone in the show and it was a hard thing to do.  It was especially with the solo shows when I wasn’t able to hire another musician but I wanted to still be able to play the saxophone. I had heard of the loop [pedal] and I had seen some people using it, so I bought it and just started figuring things out.  The show sort of evolved from there because people liked the stuff that I was doing, like bringing the horn into the show.  I just sort of developed that and worked on it until [the loop pedal] became a very important part of the show.

3. How did you find Marc’s Studio?

- I loved it, this room is amazing!  It’s got the intimacy of a house concert which is my favourite kind of show to do, so this far exceeded my expectations.  It’s a great sounding room.


4. Do you have any upcoming events or projects?

- I may possibly have some shows in PEI; they’re still sort of in the works, but maybe something in June.  I’m going to hopefully be in the studio this time next year as well.

Tim Chaisson and Ian Sherwood @ Marc's Studio - Live Review - Mar 16/12

I came into Marc’s Studio right before the show was supposed to start and the room was already full of people waiting to hear the musical stylings of Tim Chaisson and of Ian Sherwood.

Tim started out the show with his song “Would You Go So Far” from the Broken Hearted Beat album, followed by my favourite new song “Blast Your Way Out” and a combination of songs from his current album, songs that will be on his new album, and traditional Celtic songs that he played on the fiddle and on the mandolin.  The sound in the venue was phenomenal, and with the accompaniment of Koady Chaisson on guitar and Ian Sherwood on sax for a couple of songs, it really made for a fantastic first set!

When Ian Sherwood got up to play next, I knew it was going to be a quality show as I’ve heard performances from last year’s ECMA in Charlottetown.  He started the show out with the song “Jenny” that encompassed using his loop pedal to add vocals and other instruments.  Adding the complexity of the loops in combination with his infectious voice, it had the crowd excited to hear more!  He continued on with some more great songs including “What Am I Doing Here”, “Who’s Gonna Love Me Now”, and “Short End Of The Stick”.  Tim Chaisson was also there to accompany Ian on the fiddle for a couple of songs to really get the crowd dancing in their seats.

Overall with the “mouth jigging” from Tim and the scatting from Ian combined with witty banter, interesting stories, and quality music, this was certainly a show to remember!

Young At Heart Musical Theatre For Seniors Presents: Canada In Love @ The Guild - Interview - Mar 16/12

The Guild was filled up in anticipation for the performance of Canada In Love done by Young At Heart Musical Theatre For Seniors.  The show was a tribute to Canada’s love songs from all over the country.  It included traditional songs from the 1800s to songs by Gene MacLellan and The Rankins, to name a few.  Not only did the performance incorporate some amazing music, it also had a lot of humour attached to it, which was wonderful to be a part of!  This was their closing performance after five weeks of touring to various long term care facilities all over PEI, reaching over 1200 of the elderly in our communities.

After the show I was able to speak with the Artistic Director, Catherine O’Brien, about Young At Heart and her future plans for the organization.

1. Why did you get started with YAH?

- For one thing, I saw a need.    There’s the demographic on the island: there is an aging population and a lot of seniors living on the island independently with some assisted living or living in nursing homes, manors, and community care facilities.  A lot of them are out in remote areas and they don’t get a chance to get out and see theatre or any other cultural events.  Sometimes it’s just because of physical or financial constraints and I knew [Young At Heart] would be something of value that I wanted to bring here to PEI.  I knew it existed in Ontario and I worked with the company in Ontario as well.  I started YAH here with Hank Stinson; I can’t believe it’s been 7 years!

2. You had gone from 16 venues to 38 venues this year, how did that come to be?

-We started out calling around at first.  Once we started to tour and people started to get it and love the show, the word started to spread.  By the third year [organizations] were calling us and it started to build from there.  We’re still getting calls every year; I’d say we could be doing over 40 shows next time.



3. Are you planning on touring out of the province?

- We are, it’s certainly in the plans but right now it’s not in the budget so that’s the big thing.  It’s about finding funding and resources and finding the connections off-island.  I know [touring] would work beautifully and I don’t think there’s anything like this happening in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick, so we’d love to do it.

4. What is your favourite production that you’ve done so far?

- Each new show is my favourite and I think that we certainly strive to bring the most professional quality shows that we can.  If we’re also improving and getting stronger at that then that’s great too.  I’m always looking for new and exciting shows to do, or write shows myself that I think would be attractive to the seniors.

5 .Do you have anything in the works for next year?

- Right now our biggest goal is fundraising.  We’re really in dire need of some money and core funding so I really have to start working on that because ideally I’d like to grow.  We can only do so many shows on the island but what I need to do now is to be able to provide more than one show a season.  That’s something they’ve been asking us for, that we can come at least twice a year.

6. If you could use three words to describe Young At Heart Musical Theatre for Seniors, what would they be?

- Quality.  Accessible.  Entertainment.

For more information, visit www.yahtheatre.com

The Stanfields @ Hunter's - Live Review - Mar 9 & 10/12

Walking into Hunter’s Ale House on Friday night, there was no doubt about it: it was going to be an amazing night!  Anticipation was high in the already busy bar at 11:00pm for Halifax band The Stanfields, and I was no exception;  I had seen this group play at Nova Scotia Music Week and I knew exactly what kind of show they were about to offer.   To begin the night, Cape Breton native Carleton Stone took the stage.  With this intense vocals and his backing band, Carleton was certainly a pleasure to watch.  His set brought several people up front to dance and his fun and witty banter made the vibe very laid back and fun-loving.

At around 1am, The Stanfields took the stage.  By this point, it was nearly impossible to move inside Hunter’s and everybody was pushing to the front, waiting for the first chord to play.  The boys did not disappoint with their Irish-style drinking music, making each and every person in that bar jump around and raise their glass.  They played a slew of unbelievable songs involving the crowd favourite “Dirtiest Drunk in the History of Liquor” and a bunch of new material off of their upcoming album.  Some of those songs included “Jack of All Trades”, “Run on the Banks”, “Invisible Hands”, and “Dunvegan’s Drums”.  To add to the entertainment, the band even passed around a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey to quench the thirst of the packed crowd!  The Stanfields certainly know how to create a party atmosphere and made the Hunter’s crowd’s night an incredibly memorable one (or lack thereof).

Friday night’s show was so fantastic that there was just as much of a crowd, and many returning patrons, the following day for part two of Carleton Stone and The Stanfields’ show.  The energy from both groups was just as high as the night previous, and the crowd was just as rowdy as well.  What a weekend!

Jon Landry, lead singer of The Stanfields, had this to say about their weekend in Charlottetown, PEI: “Hunter’s Ale House is like a home away from home for us. The audience and the staff are second to none. We always get pretty excited to see a date on our calendar over there and we cannot wait to get back to do it again and again!”

Come back soon, gentlemen, we’ll be happy to have you!

Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys - Interview - Mar 8/12

Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys are a four-piece roots/traditional band from PEI that consists of Gordie MacKeeman (fiddle), Peter Cann (vocals, lead guitar), Thomas Webb (vocals, bass, banjo), and Mark Geddes (vocals, drums, bass).  With plans for a new album and a showcase at the Roots Room during ECMA, the band has an exciting year ahead.  I was able to talk with Gordie and Mark about the band and their upcoming St. Patrick’s Day show at Hunter’s Ale House.

1. Will the band be recording an album in the near future?

G: Probably within the next year for sure.

M: We just want to wait and do it right, have the right amount of money and the right amount of songs.

G: Exactly, we don’t want to rush it, we want to come up with a good album and put a lot of work into it.  We’re looking towards the fall, but we’ll see how we are.

2. Are you playing a lot of live shows?

G: Not a whole lot this time of year, mainly just gearing up for the summer.

M: We have a New England tour in May with the New England Celtic Arts.  Phil MacIntyre brings a lot of Canadian artists down like Tim Chaisson, Cynthia MacLeod, Ward MacDonald, and Richard Wood.

G: Then we’re going to the UK in late July, early August and then playing lots of festivals.

3. When did you decide music was your career?

 M: A couple of weeks ago, haha.  Realistically 5 years ago I started taking it seriously and knew I wanted it to be a career.

G:  We both started in our band with Nudie from Nudie and the Turks.  We both started playing with him and it got us into it more.

4. Are you excited for St. Patrick’s Day at Hunter’s?

 G: Yes, we’re playing all day long from 2pm to 2am.  We’re getting lots of guests to help us out.  The Wynnes, Mike Dickson, and Peter Webb are going to play with us.

M: Probably a few surprises too.  There’s that odd person you see in the crowd you know knows a song, so we grab them to come play. Especially on a Saturday at Hunter’s, it’s going to be a time.  It’s a good place to play.

5. Any final thoughts?

M: See you on Saturday at Hunter’s!