Hey Ocean were in Halifax last week, crowding the stage and playing energetic indie pop tunes that got the crowd dancing. The highlight of the night came during the encore when the band started playing a cover of Sprawl II by Arcade Fire. Hey Ocean were then joined by Aidan Knight and the rest of his band for an impressive cover including trumpets players coming through the windows behind stage.
Hey Ocean and Aidan Knight – Sprawl II (Arcade Fire cover)
Posted in Video
Tagged Aidan Knight, arcade fire, halifax, hey ocean, sprawl II, vancouver, Victoria
David Myles is a pretty lovable guy. During his live shows, he warms the hearts of crowds by telling stories with a nice blend of comedy and charm. On his Live at the Carlton album, he talks about the track “Turn Time Off” and how he was trying to get to the hot and steamy level of love songs.
In a further act of love and romance, he is offering an acoustic version of “I Will Love You” for free on his website until Friday. The track first appeared on his album Turn Time Off.
Posted in free stuff, new stuff
Tagged canadian music, david myles, free music, halifax, i will love you, new music, valentines day
Folk music lovers are gathering in north-end Halifax Jan. 25-28 for the annual In the Dead of Winter music festival.
The four-day event brings musicians from across North America to small cozy venues such as The Company House and The Bus Stop Theatre across the street on Gottingen. Headlining this year’s lineup is Shawn Colvin. The Austin, Texas singer has won three Grammy Awards including Record of the Year for her 1998 album Sunny Came Home.
In the Dead of Winter started in 2005. The first festival was organized by Heather Gibson and local musicians Jill Barber, Rose Cousins, Jenn Grant and Amelia Curran. Every year the festival is curated by a small group of event organizers and local musicians.
The festival gives young, up-and-coming Atlantic Canadian artists such as Willie Stratton, Mo Kenney and Breagh MacKinnon the chance to play alongside artists who have been playing music and touring for much longer.
One of these experienced musicians is Lunenburg’s Jon Mckiel, playing at the festival for the third time. “(In the Dead of Winter) gets people out of their hibernation,” he says.
Last October Mckiel released Tonka War Cloud, an album that came out two years later than planned.
He had 15 songs recorded but the Winnipeg label he was using to his work folded. To generate interest from another label, Mckiel put a few songs out through Halifax’s Youth Club Records in February 2011. It worked and he was able to release his full-length album through Calgary’s Saved By Vinyl.
Mckiel’s music is influenced by what he grew up listening to. This includes his favourite local rock ‘n’ roll bands Eric’s Trip and Thrush Hermit. He is also influenced by acoustic artists such as Hayden. “(It’s) why I have some louder songs and some more hushed, quiet, minimal songs.”
Mckiel is also influenced by run-ins with people in day to day life. The second song on Tonka War Cloud, Iceman, was inspired by somebody he met on tour. “He was this crazy cab driver doing donuts in the parking lot when he picked us up. He said, ‘Call me the Iceman.’”
Since the release of his 2008 album, The Nature of Things, Mckiel’s band has changed from a five-piece band with horns and extra guitars to a simpler three-piece band with a guitar, bass and drum set.
When playing live, most of the songs from his two earlier albums are left unplayed, since they don’t sound the same with the new band. “I think people understand that the band has gone in a different direction,” says Mckiel.
He says not to expect a rock ‘n’ roll set at the festival. Instead he will be playing quieter songs alongside Klarka Weinwurm. He’ll play at the 2053 Gottingen venue along with David Simard and These Hands. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $12.
This article originally appeared in the January 27th edition of the Halifax Commoner.
Posted in concert preview
Tagged company house, halifax, halifax music, in the dead of winter, jon mckiel
The four-day North End Halifax folk festival In the Dead of Winter kicked off Wednesday night with the big ticket show featuring Shawn Colvin. Thursday night the multi-venue fun kicks off. Some of Nova Scotia’s finest young musicians will be taking stage including Willie Stratton, Breagh MacKinnon and Mo Kenney. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. and range in price from $10-15. Tickets available at the door or online.
Mo Kenney – Eden
Jeff Torbert – Esbjörn
Willie Stratton – November
Posted in concert preview
Tagged breagh mackinnon, company house, halifax, in the dead of winter, mo kenney, music, willie stratton
Joel Plaskett Emergency is releasing a new track every week leading up to the release of Scrappy Happiness on March 27th. This week’s track is “Old Friends”. With a a title like that, it comes as no surprise that this song has a kind of reflective rock and roll feel to it. You can head over to CBC Radio 2 and give it a spin.
If you missed the previous two songs, check out “You’re Mine” and “Harbour Boys“.
Posted in New Music
Tagged halifax, halifax music, joel plaskett, joel plaskett emergency, nova scotia, old friends, scrappy happiness
P.E.I. indie rock band The North Lakes was set to play a show at the Elephant & Castle bar on George St. last September when they received a phone call. “The venue had closed,” says drummer Mike Carver.
The band had to scramble to find another place to play. With the help of some friends, they moved the show to the Company House on Gottingen.
Last year was tough for the live music scene in Halifax. Elephant & Castle had to close. The Paragon Theatre (formally the Marquee Club) shut down in May. Coconut Grove Nightclub closed in June and is now a yoga studio. Tribeca closed Jan. 1.
This has made it difficult for bands trying to play shows in Halifax.
“You still have the same amount of bands, but … four or five less venues,” Carver said. “So everyone is competing for Friday or Saturday night. The bands have to be very competitive, have to play less, make it more of an event.”
People who book shows are under pressure too. Emails from new bands that aren’t established may get pushed aside in favour of established acts who can draw a bigger crowd. “We’ve been bumped a few times … because venue bookers will have the pick of the litter,” Carver said.
Michael’s Bar and Grill is breaking the trend of venue closures. Last November, on Young St. in the north end, four kilometres from downtown, Michael’s started featuring local music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Elephant & Castle had three nights of music booked for the Halifax Pop Explosion, an annual five-day fall music festival featuring 100 bands at various venues across the city. When the bar closed, festival organizers called places that could possibly work as music venues, including Michael’s.
“(The owners) saw how live music can be a success and there definitely is an audience for it,” says Ashley Moran, booker for shows at Michael’s. “Maybe it just wasn’t being nurtured in the right ways. It’s important for every neighbourhood to have something like this.”
Jill Grant, a professor at the school of planning at Dalhousie University, says a centrally located music scene is important for transportation and convenience. “It’s important for (musicians) to be able to walk to venues or take an inexpensive taxi ride or bus ride when they can’t get to venues.”
It’s also important for students, one of the main audiences of the Halifax music scene. “You don’t want your whole scene out far away from the concentration of producers and consumers of music are,” Grant said.
The Halifax music scene plays an important role in attracting people here to study, work and vacation. The city is known for having a lively bar scene that is connected with live music.
“It has become part of the culture that you can go out any night of the week and enjoy live music and it’s not expensive,” Grant said. “A lot of it is homegrown.”
Michael’s booker Moran thinks the Halifax music scene will be okay despite the difficulties of the past year. “I think Halifax is on the up for music. There will always be a place to play. We’ll make sure of that.”
This article originally appeared in the January 20th edition of the Halifax Commoner.
Posted in News
Tagged halifax, halifax music scene, halifax venues, the north lakes
Vancouver heart string pulling band Said the Whale will release Little Mountain on March 6. The 15 track album, the band’s third studio album, will be released on Hidden Pony/EMI. They band made videos for all 15 songs, so if you like Said the Whale, music, and music videos, you will be tinkled pink.
The band are embarking on a lengthy North America tour including stops in Charlottetown, Fredericton, Saint John, Cornerbrook, St. John’s and Halifax.
Looking to catch a show in Halifax tomorrow night? Here is a pair of shows that we think would be worth checking out.
We Need Secrets/S.S. Khandalla/Sea Glasses/Stelliform @ 1313 Hollis st. 7:00 FREE
This Ship, Sunsomen, Old Neck & Steady Hills @ Michael’s Bar & Grill. 10:00 $5
Posted in concert listings
Tagged halifax, live concert, this ship, we need secrets
Well it certainly has been an exciting week for the lads in In-Flight Safety. First Daniel Ledwell was on the David Letterman show playing alongside Kathleen Edwards.
Now they are going to take over Scranton, Pennsylvania…sort of.
Today they received word that two of their songs will be featured on the hit show, the Office on NBC. “Big White Elephant” and “Model Homes” will show up at some point on the January 19 show tonight. Based on In-Flight Safety’s posts on Facebook and Twitter, they are pretty excited.
In-Flight Safety – Model Homes
In-Flight Safety – Big White Elephant
Posted in News
Tagged big white elephant, halifax, In Flight Safety, model homes, nbc, the office, the office january 19
Joel Plaskett Emergency is releasing a new track every week leading up to the release of Scrappy Happiness on March 27th. This week’s track is “Harbour Boys”, a track that he has been playing at live shows for over a year and a half now.
You can hop over to CBC Radio 3 to give the track a spin or buy it on iTunes.
Next week he’ll be releasing single #3: Old Friends.
Here is a behind the scenes video looking at the making of the song.
Posted in joel plaskett, new release
Tagged cbc, halifax, harbour boys, joel plaskett emergency, scrappy happiness
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