Scene and Heard is all over local music news, concert announcements, record releases and festivals like a cheap rug. Contact scene@thecoast.ca to send hot scoops and band gossip.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Festivals 5 Questions With Ann Denny
classical voice training and a pinch of awkwardness
Posted by Alison Lang on Thu, Sep 2, 2010 at 9:05 AM
- rescue me
Delightful local musician/comedienne Ann Denny/Anna Danova makes the leap to the Plutonium Playhouse starting tomorrow with her band, the Rescuers, in the Fringe show Emotional Condom. The show features Danova's original music (including the title song.)
We asked her a bunch of questions about it, and she graciously replied between rehearsals via email.
What inspired you to do a Fringe show?
I feel that my zany on-stage character is fully at home in the open/experimental Fringe atmosphere. Also, my Mom writes Jane Austen adaptations for the stage that have won Best of Fringe in London, Ontario, so you could say it runs in my blood.
If you could choose any musical that defines your essence, what would it be?
Well, I'm gonna throw this out to some of the Rescuers:
Jarrett says: Camp Candy.
Ryan: Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors.
Matt: The Muppets.
Noel: Hair the Musical.
Ann: Anne of Green Gables. My youngest memories include singing along to that Anne of Green Gables record. I felt a very great affinity to her, quickly forgiving her different taste in name spelling.
However, this Emotional Condom show is not strictly speaking a capital-M “musical”. It's more ‘music-that-happens-in-the-context-of-a-theatre-show-with-some-dialogue-in-between-and-snippets-of-plotline’. I know that sounds a lot like a musical, but it is somehow different. It's more of a collection of strong characters, driving a partly-improvised environment, sprinkled with songs that would stand-alone as multi-genre pop songs in a music concert. Think more "Flight of the Conchords" or "Jem and the Holograms".
My dad always used to say "in every joke there's a nugget of truth" and while your songs are very funny, there's definitely a lot of truth in them - I am thinking of "Conditions of Love" for example. How much "truth" can one hear in an average Anna Danova song?
I am probably the most sincerely ironic person that you could meet. I learned long ago that just being honest about my impressions of life is quite absurd enough.
But Matt suggested that I write up the recipe. So, here are the ingredients:
- 10+ years of classical voice training & jazz singing
- 2 years of Anthropology Masters Degree studies
- 5 years of Toronto indie pop bands
- A pinch of awkwardness
- A sprinkle of extreme high-sensitivity to one's surroundings
Mix these things together and allow to simmer for several years in a bowl of rich artistic and musical context out here on the East Coast- et voila!
And, if singing about serious things like stalking in a classical voice whilst making faces can help to start a dialogue about what is frankly a sign of overall social malaise, then so much the better!
The last time you spoke to us at the Coast, you said it was hard to find people to collaborate with. How did you come across these gentlemen in the Rescuers? Do you love them?
Well, the plaintive seed in that last Coast interview has born bounteous fruit, and I thank daily the fertile shores of Cape Breton for spawning three of my troupe! (Noel Taussig, Matthew Mcnamara and Jarrett Sampson). Ryan Veltmeyer is an out-and-out Haligonian, so he gives us the hometown cred. I met him through his brother Nick Veltmeyer (an amazing piano/organ player you will soon be hearing about.) Also, big shout-out to Gerry’s Comedy Lounge at Gus' Pub. Those Mondays nights are a solid networking scene.
And yes, I love them all.. platonically.
When/if you become a touring rock goddess, what will you have in your rider?
I already get gently razzed by friends for regularly traveling with my own water filtration device, and my own bed linens washed in eco-detergents.
But I don't think I’ll need a completely white room like J-Lo. I'm more into pink.
Emotional Condom runs from Friday September 3 to Sunday September 12 at the Plutonium Playhouse. You can view all dates at the show's Facebook page View Youtube videos of Ann's past performances here.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Concert Announcement Finally, A Joan Jett Tribute Night
put another dime in the jukebox bay-beh!
Posted by Alison Lang on Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 10:22 AM
- a-guh guh guh guh guh guh
The Coast's favorite rock heroine with a bad reputation will get her due at Reflections this Saturday. Craig Hamlin, Matt Grace, Ben Manuel and Myles Deck form The Blackhearts while the sultry-voiced Chantal Caissie (of Audrey and the Agents) will don Joan's leather pants. "I've always really liked what Joan Jett represented and what she did for women in rock - she basically just embodies the cool, sexy, rock n roll chick," Caissie says. Hell yes! She says the band will be doing a 6-song set of all the hits, plus a Runaways song. Reincarnations of The Dead Boys and The Damned (fronted by Stephen Cooke!) will be opening. There's a $5 cover and the show runs from 9-11pm, so get in there early, you dirty little weasel.
Bonus:Joan and Mike Tyson = '80s buddy comedy of the century?
- JAM
Monday, August 30, 2010
New Music Part of the Weekend Never Dies
go forth and live it again ya dummy!
Posted by Alison Lang on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 12:02 PM
- party cat wants to have it all
How great was this past weekend? You probably still have salt in your skin from the beach, or maybe your shirt still stinks like coal and hot dogs from camping, or maybe you're still cross-eyed and sloshy in the guts from all the beer you drank. But hey, it's still summer in Halifax goddamit, the sky is blue, the water is high, and tonight is pretty f'kin busy for a Monday. Here are some things you could do, if you were so inclined towards doing things:
Construction and Destruction, Dance Movie, Tanya Davis and former Haligonian Stacy Rickler play as part of the first-ever Halifax Urban Folk Festival (HUFF) at the Carleton this evening. Fun fact: Dance Movie just had a song on Degrassi this past week over an EXTENDED MONTAGE! Tanya Davis and Roger Ebert are BFFs! LOCAL CELEBRITIES RIGHT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD. Plus lovely music. And warm, inviting atmospheres. Stare into the amber glow of your Pilsner, let the pretty music wash over you, and think about life.
For those of you who would rather greet Tuesday morn with a blistering headache and the fun-runs, the Baketones are just fresh off a whirlwind six-city tour (their first one ever) and are on the way back to Halifax as we speak. The city's most audacious band will be hitting Gus' Pub tonight after the comedy ends at 10pm. They also have three cover albums that you can listen to/acquire for free here.
And tonight the Friendly Dimension is the house band at Rockin' 4 Dollars. Tonight is also the last night Adrian Bruhm is fun before he goes back to school, so go and buy him beer until he chunders mightily! This is really a fun night right now and all this aside, you really ought to go. It's $3! Learn more at their spiffy Tumblr: http://rockin4dollars.tumblr.com/
Thursday, August 26, 2010
New Music Mary Stewart's Daily Song
Posted by Alison Lang on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:50 PM
For Mary Stewart, blogging was the ideal way to call her own bluff. The Halifax singer-songwriter was wrapped up in interviews for her self-titled EP last year when she found herself telling people she practiced up to five hours a day. “I told people I write a song a day anyway—-and then I wondered if I actually did,” she says. That’s when her “A Song A Day” blog came into being.
Stewart, who works in customer service at the airport, started rising even earlier than usual and got into a daily routine of recording a short song before heading to work in the pre-dawn hours. That was last April. As of this writing, she’s now at song 318.
Stewart is also as spontaneous as she is prolific; each song is recorded on video in a single take. “I had to give myself the one-take rule in the beginning,” she says. “I’m a little OCD. I knew if I didn’t set the rule, I wouldn’t leave my house for a year.”
The blog has impressed fellow bloggers and musicians—-Stewart gets emails with suggestions and praise—-and she says it’s all had a considerable impact on her songwriting process. She’s hoping to re-work some of the pieces for a future album.
“Songwriting is really emotional, but it’s also really mechanical,” she says. “I also wanted people who don’t write songs themselves to hear how songs start. The goal is to start re-working the songs so people hear them as they grow.”
This past May, Stewart’s mother Emma Lee was told she had metastatic breast cancer. Stewart’s blog has now also become a way to publicize events to raise funds for her mom’s alternative treatments. The blog has become equally integral in helping Stewart cope. The July 7th entry is a particularly important song for Stewart and her mother. In a soft dark room, she sings, “You make all your plans, and I’ll do my best to make sure they happen.”
“I’ve spent more time thinking about my life and what I want out of my life, and trying to make the best of everything,” she says. “I’m trying to put my energy in the best places to help my mom through this. And she notices that, too.”
The next fundraiser for Emma Lee Stewart is happening at the Wooden Monkey on September 13. You can follow Stewart’s songwriting progress at http://cupcakerecord-asongaday.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
On Tour Sarah Harmer Comes for a Visit
bringing a little fire to Halifax
Posted by Alison Lang on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 2:16 PM
Sarah Harmer will be here on October 29 at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium as part of her fall Maritime tour. She is supporting the first album she's released in five years! It's called oh little fire. The press release tells me she recorded some of the album on Wolfe Island, which is one of my favorite places.
- Peterborough Examiner
Tickets are $32.50 in advance and $37.50 day of show (including tax) PLUS service charge and go on sale this Friday, Aug. 27.
Halifax tickets go on sale at 12noon and will be available at Dalhousie Arts Centre box office (6101 University Ave.), by phone at 494-3820 (1-800-874-1669) and online.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Halifax Pop Explosion Halifax Pop Explosion FULL LINE-UP!!!!!!!
so heavy, so local, so much magic in your loins
Posted by Alison Lang on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 1:24 PM
- halifax brain explosion (sorry, gross)
This year's lineup for Pop Explosion has confirmed what everyone already knows anyway: Music in and around Halifax is really really great right now. Pretty much every local band you love is on this list, rounding out the earlier announcements of heavy-hitters like the Hold Steady, New Pornos and Sloan doing "Twice Removed." Someone has been paying attention! It is also one of the most diverse line-ups we've seen in awhile. You want dirt rock? There's C'mon for you, jerk! Metal? Shitloads. From Black Moor to Martyr. Do you like dancing and drinking? There's Tupperware Remix Party and Isis from Thunderheist, and the Silly Kissers, and The Golden Dogs who haven't been to Halifax in billions of years, and oh my Gah I have to calm down or something's gonna rupture. And do I really need to sell you on Cursed Arrows or Teenanger at this point? Really?
Would it be brash to say this is my favorite Pop Explosion lineup ever? It's my favorite one. Ever. Also, it bears mentioning that you can see nearly everything below for FIFTY GODDAMN DOLLARS! Fifty dollars. That's the cost of two weekends' worth of booze. Or two weeks of smokes. Or food for like, a day. You should look at that lineup again and really think on that.
edit: sorry, all our links stopped working. please google the bands we mentioned above. Google all of 'em!
A Sight for Sewn Eyes Acres & Acres Air/Fire Amos the Transparent Andrew Watt And The Glory Glory Baby Eagle Bad Vibrations Basia Bulat Bike Rodeo Bird World Black Moor Bloodhouse Boats Boxer the Horse BROKEN OHMS Burning Love Burnt Church C'mon Chanteuse Cold Warps Construction & Destruction Contagium COP SHADES Cousins Crosss Cuff the Duke Cursed Arrows d'Eon Dance Movie Daniel Romano Dilly Dally DJ James Reid Dog Day DOIN' DAMAGE DUZHEKNEW Elephant Stone English Words Erin Costelo Famous Players Fistfight Forest City Lovers Freelove Fenner Fuck Montreal Ghettosocks Ghostkeeper Glory Glory Man United Gramercy Riffs Great Bloomers Great Lake Swimmers Grimes GWAR Handsome Furs High On Fire Holy Cobras Hot Panda Huron Imaginary Cities In-Flight Safety Infernaeon Iron Giant Isis from THUNDERHEIST IT KILLS Jason Collett Jon McKiel Kylesa Language-Arts Last Call Chernobyl Laura Merrimen Long Long Long Martyr Meat Curtains Mess Folk Milks & Rectangles Mobile Deathcamp Modern Superstitions Monogrenade My Brightest Diamond Myles Deck and the Fuzz North End Metal All-Stars North of America Old Man Luedecke Orchid's Curse Panic! Pat Lepoidevin Play Guitar Pop Winds Quaker Parents Quivers Racoon Bandit Radio Radio Random Recipe RatTail Rebekah Higgs Rockets Red Glare Secret Guest Shotgun Jimmie Silly Kissers Silver Dapple Sloan So Cow Soaking Up Jagged STYROFOAM ONES Tasseomancy Teenanger Ten Kens The Casualties THE DARCYS The Extremities The Famines The First Aid Kit The Friendly Dimension The Gertrudes The Golden Dogs The Grass The Hoa Hoa's The Hold Steady THE MODERN MEN The Mountains & The Trees The New Pornographers The Pack A.D. The Pink Noise The Superfantastics the WHITE WIRES The Wilderness of Manitoba The.Daisy.Anthesis Three Sheet Tokyo Police Club Torche Tupper Ware Remix Party Twin Peaks Ty Segall Vilipend We Are Action Windom Earle Wolf & Cub Wordburglar Young Rival
Friday, August 20, 2010
Festivals Get the Folk Out
The Carleton spearheads sweet folk in the city
Posted by Alison Lang on Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 7:48 PM
- Michael Weston King
The Carleton is the latest local establishment to become a music festival hub. Co-owner Mike Campbell writes on the bar’s website that he was growing weary of “heading into the hinterlands” to enjoy great folk music at outdoor festivals, and thus the Halifax Urban Folk Festival was born. Essentially, it’s set to bring the caliber of artists one might see at StanFest or Orillia, Ontario’s Mariposa —- but in the comfortable confines of the city. Campbell says the fest is still in its infancy, with its larger incarnation set to debut in 2011. In the meantime, he’s putting on a mini-festival featuring (among others) the Lowest of the Low’s Ron Hawkins on September 3rd, British songwriter Michael Weston King on September 4th and Willie Nile on September 5th. All shows will be held at the Carleton. Learn more at their website.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
On Tour Hip Hop From Away
straight outta taiwan
Posted by Alison Lang on Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 2:50 PM
- kou cho ching
Last week it was announced that a wide array of hip-hop artists and musicians —- including Pete Rock, Classified and Halifax’s favorite Beatnut, JuJu —- would both be performing at the rather cool-sounding Hopscotch Arts Festival (Sept 4 to 11.)
While it gives us an undeniable thrill to be staring down the barrel of a week-long Halifax event that celebrates everything good about hip hop, spoken word and graffiti, there’s also another important cultural event taking place a few days beforehand that warrants a mention; next week, Taiwan-based rap group Kou Cho Ching will head on their first-ever tour of North America, with Canadian stops in Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver. (They hit the Seahorse on August 31.)
The group is profiled in an article in this month’s Exclaim!, where they discuss fusing elements of traditional Taiwanese lyrical storytelling, the inspiration of Public Enemy and Bob Dylan and how they wrestle with cultural censorship and absorb these restrictions into their storytelling. It’s fascinating stuff, and this tour marks a rare chance to see hip-hop music and conscious lyricism distilled through a unique, unfamiliar lens. They’ll be joined by the post-rock group Aphasia (who sound a little bit like a Taiwanese Mogwai) among others.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
On Tour Christina Martin Can Too
Posted by Alison Lang on Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 9:38 AM
After nearly a decade, Christina Martin is ready to break. Her third album, I Can Too, is set for release for September 7, and Martin is preparing for a national tour with Cuff the Duke on some dates (lap steel player Dale Murray co-produced I Can Too with Martin and is also Martin's fiancee. Aww.) The album features Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor and Cuff frontman Wayne Petti. She'll be playing the Seahorse on Friday, September 10 and the title song from the album is available for download if you sign up for Martin's mailing list at www.christinamartin.net.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Concert Announcement Your Youth is Returning to Haunt You
whither edwin?
Posted by Alison Lang on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 9:50 AM
- this photo makes me think "ride the snake." and oils. lots of terrible, terrible oils.
The Paragon has just tweeted that some guy from Our Lady Peace, Edwin from I Mother Earth, and some guy from The Tea Party have created some kind of thing called Crash Karma and this ensemble will be playing a show in Halifax on August 25th.
I will not comment further. Instead I would like to show you a photo of what I looked like when I actually listened to the bands that form this particular ensemble.
- "Battle of the Books", 1995, Team James and the Giant Peach.
right side. in the middle. long hair. giant glasses. moustache.
The mid-90s were unkind to many of us.
LEAVE IT FOR DEAD, CRASH KARMA. LEAVE IT FOR DEAD.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Scotia Festival of Music Nova Scotia Music Week Showcasing Performers
Posted by Alison Lang on Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 5:56 PM
Announc'd!
Nova Scotia Music Week runs from November 4 - 7 in Yarmouth.
Acres and Acres
Alert the Medic
Andrew Hunter & The Gatherers
Anna Ludlow
Big Game Hunt
Black Moor
Brian Baker
Broken Ohms
Caledonia
Carleton Stone Drives the Big Wheel
Chelsea Nisbett
Chrissy Crowley
Christina Martin
Cyndi Cain
David Myles
Drumlin
Dwayne Cote & Duane Andrews
Dwight Deon
Fleur Mainville
Forever
Ghettosocks
Gianna Lauren
Glory Glory Man United
Gloryhound
Gypsophilia
Hawp
Ian Sherwood
Jason MacDonald
Jay Smith
Jenocide
John Campbelljohn
Jon Bryant
Jon McKiel
Kayo
Kelly Sloan
Kev Corbett
Kim Dunn
Kim Wempe
Last Call Chernobyl
Laura Merrimen
Marko Simmonds
Mike Trask
Molly Thomason
Myles Deck and The Fuzz
Norma MacDonald
Obsydian
Orchid's Curse
Rachel Davis
Radio Radio
Ria Mae
Rich Aucoin
Ruth Minnikin
Ryan MacGrath
Scott MacMillan
Shelter With Thieves
Something Good
Tanya Davis
The Colin Grant Band
The Hupman Brothers
The Jimmy Swift Band
The Modern Men
The Moonshine Ramblers
The Sleepless Nights
The Stanfields
The Town Heroes
Thom Swift
Three Sheet
Tom Fun Orchestra
Carmen Townsend
In-Flight Safety
Telfer
Young River
Halifax Pop Explosion GWAR's Quarter-Life Crisis
spewing blood and fluids since 1984
Posted by Alison Lang on Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 11:51 AM
- the handsome family
The rumors are correct - GWAR is returning to Halifax for the Pop Explosion. The "intergalatic snuff-rockers" are embarking on a "Bloody Tour of Horror" to promote their latest album, "Bloody Pit of Horror" - natch. Apparently their tour schedule is quite punishing, considering these dudes have been "on Earth" for about 25 years. But according to frontman/monster-thing Oderus Urungus, the band has only become, uh, riper with age. "Nothing less than the utmost display of blatant aggression will suffice to appease the lust of our fans, especially in this, our extra violent 25th Anniversary," he says in a press release. "It is patently unfair to compare our exploits with that of other bands...they are, after all, only human..." Oh yeah. They play Halifax October 20th at the New Palace, which is a prospect that makes me shudder gleefully with its awful, beautiful potential. They'll be joined by Casualties, Infernaeon and Mobile Deathcamp. Can't wait to see that first onstage autopsy. Tickets will go on sale Friday August 20th through Sonic Concerts.
Monday, August 9, 2010
It's CRASS DAY
monday morning anarchy
Posted by Alison Lang on Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 9:18 AM
Last year, Steph Johns posted about Crass Day. Because I am not cool and do not know things, I went, "Who or what is a Crass?" and as a result I ended up watching this documentary, where old CRASS members and gracefully aging Brit punks locate the context of the band's political and artistic significance and how much they pissed off the Tories etc. And they were feminists! If you have time you should watch.
Crass Day requires that you listen to 15 minutes of Crass, so after you finish the documentary, listen to this video too. Warning: swears.
Thanks for sharing, Steph Johns.
Friday, August 6, 2010
On Tour Help Construction and Destruction Go Vinyl
Posted by Alison Lang on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 3:45 PM
If you ask Construction and Destruction’s Colleen Collins to explain the title of her band’s fourth album, be warned; you may feel a little dumb afterwards. “Mutatis Mutandis is a term that’s used in law sometimes,” says the ever-sweet Collins in a lilting alto. “It sort of relates to all the necessary changes having been made.” She mentions other themes —- art, anthropomorphism —- and I wonder if I should keep postponing that master’s degree.
However, it doesn’t take much brainpower to figure out that the music is pretty damn beautiful. The duo—-consisting of Collins and her partner David Trenaman—-are seeking to release Mutatis Mutandis on vinyl, the way the kids like it these days, and are seeking the help of the public. You can talk to them about it at their Paragon show on Sunday, August 8th with the Lindbergh Line and Dance Movie (who will soon be gracing the soundtrack of a Degrassi: The Next Generation episode - NICE), or check out the Indie Gogo link on their Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/davidtrenaman.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Scotia Festival of Music Do the Busk-a-Busk
MNS artists get street tough
Posted by Alison Lang on Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 1:43 PM
- Shannon Webb-Campbell
- Ria Mae will charm you at Backpackers
Unless there are good sandwiches available, press conferences in general are pretty boring. Even when they involve fun, ostensibly joyful things, everyone seems bored and tense and most likely are wishing they could whip out double entendres and amusing prattle like the Beatles did in 1964.
Music Nova Scotia have chosen a different tack in announcing their 70 showcase artists for Nova Scotia Music Week this November in Yarmouth: they're getting a cluster of MNS artists to spread the news via song, on the streets. This Tuesday, from 11:30-1:30pm, they'll be performing on street corners and cafes all over the city. Well isn't that refreshing! The schedule and list of participating artists is below. Rain date is August 12.
Three Sheet - Queen and Spring Garden - 11:30 a.m.
Something Good - Queen and Spring Garden - 12:00 p.m.
Gypsophilia - Spring Garden Road Library - 11:40 a.m.
Ryan MacGrath - Spring Garden Road Library - 11:40 a.m.
The Town Heroes - Pizza Corner - 11:50 a.m.
Christina Martin Argyle and Sackville - 12:00 p.m.
Glory Glory Man United - Grand Parade (top of stairs) - 12:10 p.m.
Anna Ludlow - Old Triangle (Prince and Bedford Row) - 12:20 p.m.
Ria Mae - Halifax Backpackers (Gottingen) - 12:40 p.m.
Tanya Davis - Halifax Backpackers (Gottingen) - 1:00 p.m.
Recommended Events
-
The Hupman Brothers @ The Carleton
- Thu., Sept. 2, 10 p.m.
-
Daft Punk Tribute @ Halifax Forum
- Fri., Sept. 3, 11 p.m.
-
-
Mesrine, Burnt Church, Thy Flesh Consumed, Panic and War @ Club 1668
- Sat., Sept. 4
Top Commenters
| ||||||
|
Guides
- Home |
- Dating |
- Bitch |
- News |
- Music |
- Movies |
- Dining |
- Arts |
- Opinion |
-
Best Of
| - Halifax Free Classifieds |
- Smart Jobs |
- Housing |
- For Sale |
- Classes |
- Bulletin Board |
- Health, Beauty |
- Services |
- Real Estate |
- Wanted
- About Us |
- Our Staff |
- Contact Us |
- Advertise |
- Work With Us |
- Send us a Tip |
- Privacy Policy |
- Comments Policy |
-
RSS Feeds
|
- Archives