Data Romance & Dent (Doors at 10 p.m.)
Wednesday, June 19
$7 (AA/Lic)
Data Romance (Vancouver, BC)
Ajay Bhattacharyya and Amy Kirkpatrick, both 25, first came together two years ago in their hometown of Victoria on Canada’s Vancouver Island. Kirkpatrick had moved to Vancouver proper, where she started using her training to do lights for the city’s biggest clubs. Bhattacharyya, meanwhile, had come to the city to study sound design for film.
From the circuit-bending tonalities mirroring Nine Inch Nails to the feminine aspect evoking the mystical eroticism of Lykke Li, Data Romance provides an evocative, haunting, groove-filled soundscape.
Dent (Guelph)
I suppose it’s not uncommon for a band to be a product of their environment, but for this band the constant surroundings of old noisy electronic devices, high piles of recording equipment, and the drive to conquer the world of Lo-Fi Electro-Rock has made their objective inescapable. Think fat keyboards intertwined with fuzzy 8-bit bass and driving back beats that sound like they’ve been dragged through a ditch. Top that off with infectious vocal melodies sung in harmony and you have Dent.
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Northcote, The Matinee, The Treasures
Thursday, June 13 (Doors at 10 p.m.)
$12/10 w/ a food item
AA/Lic
Northcote (Victoria, BC)
Matt Goud (aka Northcote) may take you by surprise when he steps up to the mic. Though the soft-spoken Goud is known by friends and family as a gentle giant, he infuses his original songs with a uniquely powerful and confident voice.
Born and raised in small-town Saskatchewan, his early exposure to music was a mix of traditional country on AM radio and the hymns he learned at his childhood church. However, it wasn't until he discovered punk and hardcore music that he realized music’s healing and therapeutic power.
Over the past eight years, few young musicians in Canada have put on as many miles as Goud, who toured for years as a member of a post-hardcore band and has more recently transitioned into life on the road as a singer/songwriter with accompaniment by an ever-rotating slew of guests and friend musicians.
The Matinee (Vancouver, BC)
Shoot out the lights, and stone the roses—there’s some strong autobiography going on between the lines of The Matinée’s debut full-length album, We Swore We’d See the Sunrise. Taking its title from a line in “L’Absinthe”— the true story of a night of madness and delirium experienced while on tour in Quebec told between bouts of sparkling down-country guitar work from Matt Rose—what we hear is a band whose five members have known each other since high school, throwing everything they have into a record they’re treating like a milestone.
And the work was hard. Emboldened by their third place win in the 2011 Peak Performance Project and the subsequent record deal that followed, The Matinée ducked in and out of different studios, experimented, and generally strove—because they could— to be as great as possible for the year or so they spent working on this much- anticipated release.
The Treasures (Toronto, ON)
Toronto roots rockers the Treasures have honed their back-to-basics sound the old-fashioned way: through the boot camp of constant gigging. Specifically, the kinds of bar residencies where you're expected to play multiple sets a night for an audience who are often there more for the beer than the band. If you can succeed in that kind of challenging setting, you know you can take your act anywhere.
Formed in 2009, they've built up a dedicated following over the past few years, winning over audiences with their sweet harmonies, nostalgic melodies, and warm classic twang. Instead of a single frontman, they share vocal duties and all help out with writing the tunes. After all, some music is more about the song than the video, and for the Treasures, the song is always supreme (even if that means that the guy who wrote it might not be the one singing the lead in the end)
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Ann Vriend
Tuesday, June 4 (no cover)
Part of Birds on a Wire
Ann Vriend has headlined at festivals as far away from her hometown of Edmonton as Berlin and Australia and sold over 13,000 albums off the stage, independently. “Easily one of Canada’s greatest unannounced singers.... Her strengths as a pianist and lyricist mean Vriend is the complete package” (A n E Vibe Magazine).
First, the voice: “Soulful, inspiring, brave and bluesy” (Rip It Up, Adelaide) with a “vocal range from vulnerable delicacy to blasts of soulful power” (Halifax Chronicle), Vriend's vocal sound has been described as an enchanting cross between Dolly Parton and a young Aretha Franklin and as “almost confronting” by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Besides this, Vriend's songs possess a natural knack for melody, garnering her hits on both independent and commercial radio stations--including Gold rotation for her tune “Feelin' Fine”--and have charted on college stations as far away as Germany and the Netherlands. Vriend has been commissioned to write songs for organizations such as the Canadian Tourism Corporation and the Commonwealth Games, and her music has been featured in a U.S. DVD release of Party of Five.
With a stack of rave reviews now under her belt, and an increasing confidence as a writer and performer, Vriend is making fans in each town she plays. “Wherever Vriend takes her music next it will be in the right direction,” states The Daily Telegram. And Drum Media gently urges: “If she makes another visit soon, you'd do well to go along.” Stated more forcefully by Toronto Star: “Don't miss her.”
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Captain Dirt and the Skirt
Tuesday, May 21 (No cover)
Part of Birds on a Wire
Captain Dirt & The Skirt is the new musical collaboration
between singer-songwriter-guitarist Kristin Sweetland and
bassist-violinist Lyndell Montgomery. Coming from their own independently successful music careers,
Sweetland and Montgomery are seasoned road-warriors, having toured
extensively nationally and internationally for more than a decade. Now
they have joined forces with all their experience to create unique and
original music together. Their songs are exceptionally diverse in style, drawing from genres such
as traditional folk, Eastern-European folk, bluegrass, hymnal, Parisian
café music, gypsy-jazz, and pop-rock. All this, united through the
unparalleled prowess of their signature style, which combines the
precision of classical music with the edge of rock ‘n’ roll, and the
romantic flair of French cabaret.
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Sarah Hiltz
Tuesday, May 7 (No cover)
Part of Birds on a Wire
"There is no doubt that Hiltz is a star on the rise."--Nicole Fricot, Culture Factory
Sarah Hiltz is emerging as a singularly talented Canadian songwriter with a voice all her own. Echoes of Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell and Feist ring out faintly through the structure of Sarah’s artistry in a modern blend of folk and jazz she’s been perfecting over the last 10+ years of performing.
Living up to a long tradition of folk music, Sarah has been praised for her ability to tell a story through song. It is with this ability that she bridges the gap between folk and jazz, telling stories not just with her lyrics but also through wordless sound. Staying true to the improvisational spirit of jazz, Sarah works to make each live performance a unique and memorable experience for her audiences, delving ever deeper into that magic-something that makes live music matter.
DJ Czech, Edwin the Cat, The ShiKing
Friday, April 19 (10 p.m. - 2 a.m.)
$8. Free downtown parking! (19+ LLBO)
Presented by Open House Music
As we continue to cultivate our "Legends Series", The eBar and Open House Music are tickled to bring yet another DJ/ producer/ Underground guru to the Royal City, for you, the good people of the Royal City!
It's been a busy year of amazing events with amazing support from all of YOU! As we continue to grow and promote events that are just outside the box we stay true to the deep, funky, heavy, soulful, bass-driven music.
To those of you who have been stomping tile on the dance floors of the tri-city club scene, this man will be no stranger to you, as he is a local son returning home (well, almost home) for a show that is certain to touch on the old-school break beat as well as new-school bangers. Without further ado...
DJ Czech
Vancouver/Prague, Czech Republic
Hi Karate, Futuristic Funk
It’s a standard formula for world domination and DJ Czech is sticking to it well.
First, control you own neighborhood: Czech’s initial step into the Canadian underground scene was introducing “Soul Kitchen” to Whistler, British Columbia, Canada’s top ski and snowboard destination. That was 1989; Whistler has grown into one of the top sports destinations in the world and Soul Kitchen is still cooking up beats, making it the longest-running club night in Western Canada.
Next, Czech infiltrated the thriving new music scene in Vancouver BC, and his unique flavour of breaks, turntablism, and comic personality earned him legendary residencies at all of the city’s hottest nightclubs, and helped establish VanCity’s reputation for up-front electronic music. Meanwhile Czech had ensured himself household-name status on the West Coast, particularly among breaks lovers.
Third step, the world. Somehow balancing his residencies with a ridiculous touring schedule, Czech has been turning out at prestigious clubs and massive raves every single weekend for the last fifteen years. He’s carted his records throughout Europe, North America and Asia, and headlined alongside premier acts such as The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, Parliament, Orbital, Crystal Method, De La Soul, Rabbit in the Moon, Porno for Pyros, and countless world-renowned DJs.
And to round it off, Czech has been writing and producing his own tracks for over two decades, continuously building his studio and releasing music on Futuristic Funk Records, which he co-owns and uses to proudly showcase other Canadian talent as well as his own material.
These days Czech primarily spins Break Beats with touch of Electro, but he has been known to drop all old-school 45 funk sets out of the blue and pepper them with some down-home mid-tempo breaks, just to make sure you’re paying attention.
What I like most about Czech is not his unrivalled history on the scene, his numerous key accomplishments, or his worldwide appeal. I like him because sometimes when you go visit him in the club, he’ll toss on a looped record of the Joker laughing--just laughter, no music--and light a cigarette and talk to you about whatever pops into his head until the dance floor starts throwing ice, glasses, and insults at him, demanding more beats. After a minute or two, usually when the audience is at near-frenzy levels and the cigarette is getting down, Czech will thank you for dropping in, order you a drink, and get back to work.
Edwin The Cat
Guelph, Ontario
Open House Music
Edwin’s first professional DJing gig was in the early 90’s opening for DJ Czech’s Famous “Soul Kitchen Sundays” in Whistler BC. Taking Influences from DJ Czech, Scott Arkwell aka DJ Vinyl Richie, and Tommy Africa’s resident DJ Scott Elliot, Edwin became a student of multi-genre DJing. From Whistler he moved back to southwestern Ontario to take up several residencies playing with DJ’s from the world famous “Industry Nightclub” in Toronto. During the mid 90s, “the Cat” moved to Halifax, where along with Harry Mathers, Mike Paine (aka Hoola Hoop), and Sara Spicer (aka Lioness), he helped open Vitamin Tribe Records on Hollis Street.
The Vitamin Tribe crew helped to pioneer the outdoor music festival scene in Halifax, throwing free full-moon parties at renegade locations by the Halifax airport. These underground events soon turned into the most famous parties of that era, such as “Go the Distance” and “Go Further.” If you attended these parties you will certainly remember Edwin’s epic sunrise sets, dropping timeless classics like “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” literally as the sun reached the horizon. In 2000 Edwin moved to the Caribbean with John Farrugia, aka Big Toe of Big Toe’s Hi-Fi, to explore and learn the grassroots of turntable culture. His DJing resume continues to grow as Edwin played both the 2009 and 2010 “Shambhala” (which is known as one of Canada’s premiere International music festivals) and the 2012 Evolve Festival, which was voted “Best Festival In Canada” in 2010 by the listeners of CBC Radio 3 Searchlight.
More recently, Edwin has been wearing various hats as he promotes and hosts events at the eBar in Guelph, Ontario. Responsible for delivering some of the best musical events on the Tri-City calendar in both 2012 and 2013, the eBar stage has been graced by such world-class and international acts as Roy Davis Jr (Chicago), Sticky Buds (Vancouver), JFB (Brighton UK), and Terrence Parker (Detroit), thanks to Edwin’s tenacious desire to provide the Royal City with next-level entertainment.
The ShiKing
Guelph, Ontario
Open House Music
The ShiKing is hosting, creating, manifesting, expanding, painting, sculpting, writing, and playing. Over the past ten years there have been weekly residencies at the Atmosphere Cafe (The Pressure Sessions), The Albion Hotel (OPEN hOUSE & Get the FUNK out), and most recently at NV Lounge (RELEASE/ CONNECTED Fridays). Many special events have brought Canadian icons Mitch Winthrop (Toronto), Gene King (Montreal), Andy Roberts (Toronto), Sticky Buds (Vancouver) and, of course, legendary international talent such as Roy Davis Jr (Chi-Town USA), JFB (Brighton, UK), and Terrence Parker (Detroit). The vibe hasn’t changed and the sounds are still soulful all these years later. Much respect and many thanks goes out to all the friends, family, promoters, influences, connections, and good peeps The ShiKing has met along the way. Keep believin’. Keep it real.
Corrina Rose and Norma MacDonald
Tuesday, April 16 (No cover)
Part of Birds on a Wire
Corrina Rose
Banjo wielding folk-rock troubadour Corinna Rose will make your heart flutter and use its beat to start a hoedown. Named after a traditional country-blues song, and her great-grandmother, Rose was raised on folk, but has always gravitated towards alt, pop, indie and prog rock. Rose crafts songs that simultaneously capture the warmth, joy and darkness of the folk tradition, yet unabashedly uses crooked rhythms, jazz chords and electric guitars. Her music is marked with heart-wrenching personal nuance, telling stories of nostalgia, loss, the countryside and breaking other people's hearts.
Norma MacDonald
Norma
MacDonald is a creature of dichotomy; joy/sadness, city/town,
past/future, art/science, dog/cat. Her music reflects the mixed feelings
of one who is in a constant state of flux along these spectrums and the
nostalgia felt for both extremes. An
extroverted introvert, MacDonald is known to be a versatile performer;
she slides easily from theatrical poise to talking sass with the
drinkers in the front row, usually in the same set. Her big vocals,
heartfelt delivery and sharp wit are hallmarks of her live performances.
