Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Best In Vancouver


We conducted a number of interviews with as many of the bands for this year's Best In Vancouver competition as we could get a hold of! Below are the show dates with which bands are playing that night. We have linked all the bands with interviews so you can click and see what they had to say!

October 2nd:
Redford Drive Best In Vancouver: Rexford Drive
Kownterpoint Best In Vancouver: Kownterpoint
Rocket To Venus
The Fall Of Day Best In Vancouver: The Fall Of Day

October 3rd:
Carousel Scene Best In Vancouver: Carousel Scene
Rune Best In Vancouver: Rune
Kazhmere
Ampletude

October 9th:
My Mother The Carjacker Best In Vancouver: My Mother The Carjacker
Octobers Best In Vancouver: Octobers
Whiplash Escalade Best In Vancouver: Whiplash Escalade
Kristina Lao Best In Vancouver: Kristina Lao

October 10th:
Kaslo Best In Vancouver: Kaslo
Travis James Best In Vancouver: Travis James Band
The Echos Best In Vancouver: The Echos
She Dreams In Colour Best In Vancouver: She Dreams In Colour

October 16th:
Modern Day Poets Best In Vancouver: Modern Day Poets
Michael Averill Best In Vancouver: Michael Averill
Flub The Duck

October 17th:
Chilled Clarity Best In Vancouver: Chilled Clarity
The Dramatic Finish Best In Vancouver: The Dramatic Finish
Downtown Riot
Caustic Sodapop

October 23rd:
Bone State Rebellion Best In Vancouver: Bone State Rebellion
Gabe & The Oh Yeah's Best In Vancouver: Gabe & The Oh Yeah's
Julien Amar Best In Vancouver: Julien Amar
On The Run

October 24th:
Nine O'Clock Gun Best In Vancouver: Nine O'Clock Gun
Mistral Storm
Switched To Black Best In Vancouver: Switch To Black
One Left Alive

Check out more about Studio Records click HERE.
To find out more about the competition go HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Carousel Scene


Rising from the ashes of Shadow, Carousel Scene spreads its music around and around! I had a great chat with Khalvin about the bands upcoming performance for the Best In Vancouver competition.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Carousel SceneI found out about BIV through my best mates from Gigaheartz. The GHZ boys won the contest last year, so we're looking to do the same.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
CSWe have a singer that is virtually unbeatable in a game of soccer and a drummer whose shirt is virtually nonexistent when playing. Additionally, we really like our semi-hollow guitars and Vox amps.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
CSWe may or may not be debuting our new bass player that night, you'll have to come out and see for yourself! Originally, we wanted to do GWAR-inspired stage theatrics, but I don't think Kevin would approve of that.

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

CS: It definitely varies - I think most of the artists here generally share the same opinion. There are plenty of pay to play competitions that promise bands that there will be "important industry people" to showcase their talents to, when in reality, their focus is on making a quick buck through the artists' ticket sales and nothing pans out in the end.
With Rednyne and Live Agency, they have Best In Vancouver, where the bands actually meet with the judges even before the competition! These judges also happen to be important contributors to the local scene and the entire Canadian music scene as a whole. It is more focused on actually helping the local scene and developing the artists that go through the competition.

Check out more from Carousel Scene HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Modern Day Poets


Modern Day Poets, fresh off their Music Video release, are setting their sights at Studio Records for the Best In Vancouver competition. We exchanged haikus with each other to find out their plan for their performance!

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Modern Day PoetsWe discovered “Best In Vancouver” through social media. We are #hashtag nuts!

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
MDPWe have a dynamic, high-energy sound that people dig. And we have a kick-ass front-woman that demands audience participation.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
MDPWe have special guests! The Steadies! WOOOOHOO!!!

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

MDPBattles are a great promotional tool and an opportunity to network in the scene. Bands get up in front of other bands, meet & greet, make friends... sometimes enemies... and hopefully get laid. Kidding!

Check out more from the Modern Day Poets HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Nine O'Clock Gun


3 years after their formation, Nine O'Clock Gun are gunning for gold in the Best In Vancouver competition. Hammer Records had a chat with the band about their plan of attack!

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Nine O'Clock GunWe found out through rednyne productions social media.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
NOGI'd imagine you might want to hear something cliche like "Our electrifying stage show!" Or "our lyrics are compiled excerpts from noam chompsky speeches converted into politically conscious poetry" but really,
We're just a bunch of good ol' hard working canadian kids who just love to write, play and perform rock and roll. Talk is cheap and we prefer to set ourselves apart by our actions instead of our words.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
NOGDo we?! We just added two amazing musicians to our lineup, Bassist Clark Buchanan (Mellowmanic, The Stone Pines) and lead guitarist William John (The Coalition)
Our band now has veteran musicians from four vancouver bands.

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

NOGIt occurs to us that battle of the band competitions can be a huge hand up for the bands involved. it's a great opportunity to discover and learn from other groups out there.
That being said, they can also be used as a money making gimic which can ruin it for the good guys who are trying to honestly do good things for the music scene. (Ie: its not very respectful to your supporters to try to bring out your full draw for a 15 min set. that just sours the expirence of these battles for everyone.)

Check out more from Nine O'Clock Gun HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Bridges To Royal - Walls


As soon as that guitar feedback hits your ear, you know your in for a rock and roll tune. Bridges To Royal's new track Walls is just perfect for those days you want to hype yourself up for a run up Grouse mountain, or driving with your windows down along the Sea-To-Sky Highway.

Big guitar riffs, thumping bass and trashy drums all blend together to create a bed for some awesome vocal hooks. A nice space filled verse allows great dynamics between the chorus and the rest of the song. The bridge sounds like something you would hear in a Velvet Revolver song or a Wolfmother song. Which leads into a beautiful guitar solo rounding off the entire song.

I wish the mixing engineer had brought out the bass a bit more, I find that the mix is just missing the thick bass. You can clearly hear the guitar track, but the bass is a bit thin to really add the full "crank your stereo to 11" sound. The vocals are nice sounding but I think a bit of overdrive would have added that gritty 90's sound that I think of when I hear this song.

The track is well written, well performed and I can't wait to hear it live! Be sure to check it out and support the band by grabbing yourself a copy of this track on iTunes HERE. Check out the band's Facebook page HERE.

Has Your Shoe Exploded Before?



The Vidos are an awesome bunch of dudes. Great performers, awesome song writers and just overall fantastic people! Their new single "ShoeBomb" just takes their music to a whole new level. Reminding me of Velvet Revolver with Scott's vocals on it. This song really proves the marketability this band can bring to the table.

Be to watch out for them and catch them playing live!
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Rexford Drive


From Chilliwack, Rexford Drive is bringing their Alt rock here to Vancouver. Their marketable sound has a great chance of exploding on the scene here in Vancouver. We had a conversation about their plans for this years Best In Vancouver competition.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Rexford DriveWe had a show with The Vidos in Studio Records, it being our first gig in this area, Kevin met up with us and told us we should sing up for Best in the Vancouver since we had a pretty good crowd. We signed up, and sure enough we are here ! Opening the whole thing up on Oct 2 !

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
Rexford DriveThat is really up to you to decide, to us it is what we play, and how we play it that separates us from others. As we don’t focus on a specific genre. We play our hearts out, and put in everything for the music to describe us the best it can, as it is the music that you get to know us through. We smash the hell out our instruments, so that you can feel same portion of adrenaline that we do. If you don’t try to act like someone else, and let your creativity go free-fall you will always be original and somehow different from others. Honesty is the key, and we have few of those.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
Rexford DriveIf you feel that our music is somehow special to you which I hope since it is special to us, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing this, then that is one. As for the other, we may have a drum solo thrown somewhere in there. So watch out !

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

Rexford DriveI feel like any type of competition that gets bands a chance to play in front of people is a great opportunity. Thanks so many different bands playing, even if not winning, it is a great opportunity for people to discover new talents. For band mates to trade contacts, and book more shows. As music is not a competition. Music is and always was a way to get people together, and that’s what this event is to us.

Check out more from Rexford Drive HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Best In Vancouver: Bone State Rebellion


After being finalists in the Landmark Showcase event earlier this year, Bone State Rebellion is going to try and take the title in Best In Vancouver. I had a awesome conversation with the band about their plan on taking home the gold!

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Bone State Rebellion:  We were invited to apply for BIV from Kevin Schalle, we've had the pleasure of working with him a few times, and Studio Records is one of our favourite venues, so it was a no brainer for us!

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
BSRWhat sets BSR apart from other bands is we really try to put on a great show for people. We pride ourselves on giving our all on stage, every time we get out there. We're all best friends too, so I think that really shines through in our performances. When you're on stage with great dudes who trust in each other's musicianship it makes it easy to relax and give it your all.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
BSRWe may have a secret special something, depending on if we can get all the puppets made up in time

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

BSRBOTB competitions are great for exposing your fans to other bands they may not get the opportunity to check out. For us in the band, we look at it as a great opportunity to network with a lot of awesome people and meet new acts we might not normally get to. This competition is stacked, every night, top to bottom. It'll be tough for anyone to move to the next step, but for us, the ability to go out there and support everyone is a huge deal. It really shows how diverse and vibrant the Vancouver music scene actually is!

Check out more from Bone State Rebellion HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

This City (Modern Day Poets)

It just gives me such pride to see a great band make a fantastic video! People don't put as much thought or effort into music videos now a days as they used too and it really hurts musicians. A music video is a window into not only a bands music but into what they look like, style, and overall personality. You can hear a death metal band but have no idea that they dress up like penguins at their shows unless a music video shows you! 

Modern Day Poets have a great track here with some awesome production work. The video is self is fantastic. From the hanging mannequin, to the creepy masks, this video has a vibe from start to finish. The editing keeps you on your toes and you feel as if your watching a video from the 90's. 

Whose Your Opponent?


This is a beautiful video filmed in Langely. Jean's music is the perfect soundtrack for this artistic emotional journey. Be sure to check out his Facebook page HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Kristina Lao


Originally from Hong Kong, Kristina Lao brings her brand of Indie Folk-Pop to the Best In Vancouver competition. I had a fantastic exchanging of words between the talented singer/songwriter about her hitting the Studio Records stage.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
KristinaI saw it on a friend’s facebook page and followed it down the rabbit hole. Now I’m hanging out here. With you. Hello.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
KristinaWell, I’ve listened to songs from about half of the bands in BIV so far, and I can categorically say that what sets me apart is my dismal failure in the rockstar arena. I’m thinking of recording myself smashing a chair and putting that on instagram to prove my rock-ness, but a) I don’t know how to selfie- record myself smashing a chair, b) I’m scared of splinters, and c) I don’t have a spare chair. Or five. Because we all know I’m not just going to do it the once and be happy with it.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
KristinaYes. A pyrotechnic show. Do you have a lighter I can borrow?

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

KristinaI surmise that any initiative that encourages acts to a) play a set in an ACE venue, b) includes an industry-hosted Q&A session, c) meet other local acts to listen to and engage with, is only going to have a positive influence. I’ve discovered new music to listen to, gigs to attend, and people to share HILARIOUS youtube videos with (which I’d happily share with you, too, but I fear we’re running out of time). I am grateful to Rednyne and the competition sponsors, who are championing emerging artists. It is equally up to us to determine how the competition influences the scene, and I feel very honoured to be a part of that.

Check out more from Kristina Lao HERE.
Check out more about the Best in Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Rune


Alternative/Prog Rock will be represented by Rune at this years Best In Vancouver competition. I had a nice chat with the band about their upcoming performance.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
RuneWe first heart about BIV when we saw that the Jins was playing in the last one, a band we met at Finger Crossed Studios in the summer. The next time we met up with Kevin (our promoter at Rednyne) we told him how much we’d like to be a part of the next one. Who hasn’t wanted to be in a “battle of the bands” - from what we’ve seen in School of Rock it should be pretty sweet, right?

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
RuneEvery band is unique in how they relate to each other musically. We focus on that dynamic by creating juxtaposing but harmonizing melodies with our guitar and piano, vocals that correspond to either of those instruments or the drums in turn, and beats that deviate from the normal 4/4. We’re also dedicated to putting as much passion, meaning, and emotion into our songs as possible. Brayden, Carson, and Dan all have an ability to communicate intense feeling through their instruments and Pearl’s practically incapable of writing anything other than loaded verse. Even though we’re all very different as people, we are able to touch on something unchanging about the human experience every time we create a song.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
RuneWe’ll be playing a new song we’ve recently created together that we’ve never played for anyone before, which is always really exciting. We’re also going to be giving away a prize in the middle of the set, which is something we’ve never done before but BIV seems like the place to do it!

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

RuneOne of the best things about being a performing musician is connecting with other people who are doing the same thing. It allows you to discover new music as well as make friends you can play with in the future. Battle of the bands competitions are a good way of doing just that, and we look forwards to the music and people we’ll be experiencing when we play October 3rd!

Check out more from Rune HERE.
Check out about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Julien Amar


Julien Amar has always been surrounded by music. Creating his own albums by playing ALL the instruments, Julien has always been able to focus his creativity into the production he wanted. His live band himself will be performing in the Best In Vancouver competition. I had a great interview with Julien about the show.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
JulienI found about BIV through the rednyne Facebook page, as we've played a couple shows with them before.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
Julien All of us listen to very different music, and I think when lots of seperate influences come together it makes the music more interesting. I would say our set is unique because of all these seemingly disconnected pieces forming a cohesive whole. We like to hop around genres a lot!

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
JulienLet's just say, bring your nostalgia glasses because we might bring back a few childhood memories.

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

JulienI have mixed feelings on battles of the bands. Local ones where the band's get to keep some of the ticket sales like this one are great - but I worry about the larger scale American Idol culture which can be really destructive because they devalue the efforts of a lot of great performers.

Check out more from Julien HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: My Mother The Carjacker


What does your mom get up to? Well, Dan's Mom, Liam's Mom and Allan's mom all have one thing in common... they all raised amazing musicians! These three boys have not only created a band, but have created a genre that defies definition. I had a conversation through a rotary telephone with the crew and discussed their attack on Studio Records.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
My Mother The CarjackerWe found out about BIV last year when we attended a few of the shows

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
MMCWhat sets us apart is our genre twisting style of songwriting mixed with our high energy and zany stage performance. With a few jabs at each other's intellect and physical appearances thrown in

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
MMCFor our live show we are going to do what we always do and play our hearts out and love every second.

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

MMCWe think that battle of the bands competitions are a great way to gather the music community. It gets bands mingling with each other as well as gets audience members being opened up to other bands and music they may otherwise not be exposed to. And with knowing there will be a winner, people are more enticed to see every band so they know what performance was deemed best

Check out more from My Mother The Carjacker HERE.
Check out about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Kaslo


These four individuals are so full of talent that it is refreshing to see. Working together their music is filled with moving content, harmonies and just all around well written. I had a few words with the band about their stance on the Best In Vancouver competition.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
KasloWe first played BIV last year, and came in 5th place. That's right, we were the top-judged band to miss out on the final 4 showcase. So this year we're determined to make it at least that far.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
KasloAttention to detail. Yeah, that's probably not the most 'rockstar' thing you're going to read today, but the fact is we are obsessive about the writing, arranging, and performance of these songs. We know that our work is going to translate into an epic set for BIV.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
KasloYes!

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

Kaslo: At first, we were a little thrown off at the idea of competitive art. But after being a part of last year's contest, and getting to meet the other bands and like-minded people, it definitely promotes a sense of community in our exploding music scene.

Check out more about Kaslo HERE.
Check out about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Travis James Band


Travis James, singer song writer from Surrey is coming to Studio Records to share his tunes! I snagged a few words with the talented fellow about his upcoming performance.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Travis JamesI found out about Best in Vancouver through Kevin Shallie who helps us book our shows through Rednyne Productions.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
Travis JamesI think what sets us apart is that we are very serious about musicality! As someone who studied guitar at a university level I have really come to appreciate how much time and practice it takes to perform at a high standard.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
Travis JamesI think what will be special about us is our fun energy, for me songwriting has always been something that I do to inspire others and to relate with people. I think people will appreciate that relatability when they hear our music.

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

Travis JamesI think battle of the bands is an awesome way for bands to see where they stack up against other local competition. I also think its pushes everyone to be at their best when they perform.

Check out from Travis James HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Mordekaiser Cosplay


Check out our make up artist Rose doing some make up for RudeMcRude's Mordekaiser cosplay.
Find RudeMcRude's Facebook page HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Octobers


All the way from Kelowna, the Octobers, playing in October, will be at Studio Records for the Best In Vancouver. I spoke with Joel about their upcoming venture to the big city.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Octoberswe found out about BIV after attempting to book a show at studio records. We were told that the date we had requested was taken, however the Best in Vancouver series was taking place that night and we for fires we'd give it a go!

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
OctobersI think what can set us apart, in our live show specifically, is a sense of "light heartedness". While trying to be as professional as possible, we don't take ourselves too serious and its shows in the fun we have and the way we interact with each other and the audience.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
Octoberscan't give all our secrets away prematurely

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

OctobersBattle of the band competitions are a good way to become introduced to a local scene I think. Especially for a new band or new to town band. It gives bands an opportunity to get in front of other bands and their fans and hopefully some body will be into their music them that mighty never of seen them otherwise. Also, battle competitions are a good way to hone your skills and build your chops as a performer. When your playing alongside all these other super talented people it really pushes you and makes you want to be your best and strive higher in what you do!

Check out more from the Octobers HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Kownterpoint


Two brothers and a vegetable out on a mission of rock! This trio will be bring their unique fusion of genres out to Studio Records. I had a great chat with them about the upcoming gig.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
KownterpointWe actually heard about it through Rednyne Productions. We had played a show put on by them and Kevin had mentioned we should consider entering...So we did

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
KownterpointWell we would have to say possibly our multi genre style. We love playing and writing anything from Reggae/ Jazz / Blues/ Rock to Punk /Metal/ Ska / Surf and Hip Hop. We try to bring a little of everything so different groups of people can blend together. Also we only play original material. Never any covers!

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
KownterpointWell we love to improvise, so random stuff can happen at any moment. And for those who have seen us before, they never get the same show twice!

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

KownterpointWell they help independent bands put in the extra effort needed. Since the music industry is such a competitive market after all! To learn the art of mastering your craft and becoming a entertaining performer as well. Joining these Battles.. helps bands get connected with other people in the local scene. There are many bands in this city so this gives chances to those in need of this type of opportunity!

Check out more about Kownterpoint go HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition go HERE.

Best In Vancouver: She Dreams In Colour


These girls are proving that punk isn't just for boys. She Dreams In Color is an all-girls punk/alternative band from Surrey. I had a quick word with them about the upcoming show.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
She Dreams In ColourWe were actually fortunate enough to participate last year! We knew at the time it would be difficult to place, considering all of us were underage/the youngest band competing. Because of that, we really focused on absorbing everything we could from the judges and organizers in order to improve. We’re definitely excited to be back showcasing how much we’ve progressed throughout this past year.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
She Dreams In ColourWe’re all girls, two of our members are still underage, we all have stupid hair…maybe our music too, you’ll have to come to the show to see for yourself!

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
She Dreams In ColourOf course. We look forward to really pushing ourselves and the crowd. That’s all we can really say!

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

She Dreams In ColourYou really have to be careful with who you associate yourself with. A lot of competitions can be the most unfair, money-grubbing wastes of time for a small, growing act, especially if they’re run on a pay-to-play system. With that being said, Rednyne Productions and Studio Records have been nothing but supportive to us and a lot of our friends – we very much appreciate the effort and attention that is put into their events, and we love that BIV is much more focused on the improvement and mentorship of the participating artists’ than other local events have been. It’s also nice to see a chunk of the local scene mixed into one event, giving you the opportunity to meet and perform with other people you might not have had otherwise. No matter what, your success as an artist should never be measured by placements in competitions…but a little competition never hurt anyone!

Check out more about She Dreams In Colour HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Gabe & The Oh Yeah's


This female fronted folk rock band will be spreading their tunes all over Studio Records for the Best In Vancouver competition. I had a quick chat with the band about the upcoming show.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Gabe & The Oh Yeah'sKevin from Rednyne has been helping us run-a-muck around Vancouver for the past 4 months now. After our second to last show Kevin asked if we were interested in joining Best In Vancouver, which of course we responded with a strong resounding, "Oh Yeah".

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
GATOYWhat sets us apart from other bands in this competition is going to be our style. Our music comes from different sources of inspiration for every song, making each one unique and keeps the pace of our live performance moving forward. We put a lot of thought in to the organization of our set list to make the show flow nicely and keep the audience engaged.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
GATOYPre-announcing anything special we plan to do during our set kind of makes it less special don't ya think? But to answer your question, YES... but maybe, NO as well...

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

GATOYThese events are a great way to network, learn from the judges and other musicians, and hone our skills as performers and entertainers. The thick layer of icing on the pumpkin spice scone, is an opportunity to win something that will benefit the band in a big way. Competition drives everyone to that next level, and we believe that this is essential for the local music scene here in Vancouver.

Check out more about Gabe & The Oh Yeah's HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Best In Vancouver: Switch To Black


This Surrey band will be bringing their brand of Desert Punk Rock to Vancouver's Studio Records. I had a chat with them about their thoughts on the Best In Vancouver competition.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
Switch To BlackA band we met last year, at the City of Surrey’s BandAid Workshop, put us in touch with Rednyne Productions. When we saw they were looking for a band to fill-in at the last minute, we jumped at the chance to be included.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
Switch To BlackI’m going to say it’s our sweet baby faces and youthful mix of hard rock, heavy metal and punk.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
Switch To BlackWe’ll be hitting the stage with a few new songs and enough wild and crazy energy to power the block!

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

Switch To BlackI think these contests help bring attention to a wide range of local bands, helps us hone our skills, and make valuable connections with other musicians and mentors.
We’re excited to participate in Best in Vancouver for a second year.
To check out more from Switch To Black go HERE.To check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition go HERE.

Best In Vancouver: The Fall Of Day


The Fall Of Day have been very active in the scene, playing great shows and sharing their music anyway they can. I chatted with guitarist/vocalist Vic about what they have in store for Best in Vancouver.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?
The Fall Of Days: We heard about the BIV from Kevin at Rednyne Production. He invited us to play on October 2-kicking off the first night at BIV at Studio Records.We love playing there, it's the best room in Vancouver.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
TFODWhat sets us apart then most would be how our personalities come through on stage .we have a blast playing and it shows.therefore our audience has an amazing night as well.this is what we live for ....playing music and meeting lots of great people.

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
TFODWe have been known to change up our shows.we promote safe sex by handing out DUREX condoms to everyone.usually they are blown up and flying in the air.the 10 beach balls at our last sold out show was awesome. We are also the only band that has our own gimmick- TRAINGE TOM , and the fans love him.

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?

TFODWe think these band competitions are a great way to show your bands ability to write and perform.also to meet other great musicians and other people in the music industry.its always a pleasure to perform live .thank you James for the interview and hope to see you on October 2 to witness THE FALL OF DAY perform on opening night .

Check out more of TheFall Of Day HERE.
Check out more about the Best In Vancouver competition HERE.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Best In Vancouver: Michael Averill


Travelling from far and wide, Michael Averill, a Canadian Troubadour, will be visiting Vancouver in time to share his music on the stage on Studio Records. A new album on the horizon as well! I managed to discuss his plans regarding the upcoming competition.

James: How did you find out about "Best In Vancouver"?

MichaelI found out about BIV from Kevin Schallie, Entertainment Director for Rednyne Productions. I had just returned from an east coast Canadian solo tour in August, and saw on Facebook that Studio Records had an open mic. I went down, played, met Kevin, and he told me about the upcoming contest.

James: What sets you apart from other bands?
Michael I don't actually know any of the other bands, and am slowly listening to their stuff online, so I don't think I could directly tell you what separates us from them as of yet. What I can tell you is that we really focus on the audience experience, and will be bringing an epic blend of Roots, Blues, and Celtic inspired original tunes. We're silly, improvisational, and stoked to be playing in Studio Records!

James: Do you have anything special for your show planned?
MichaelSomething special for our show on October 16th? Of course we do! You'll have to come and see
smile emoticon. Hint....If you like rippin' lap slide guitar, you'll love it!.
A huge treat on the night we are performing is a special performance by founding member of Wide Mouth Mason, Earl Pereira and his band, The Steadies. Earl is one of the best live energy bass players out there, and I can't wait to meet him. I grew up listening to his music, and am very anxious to see his current project.
The Modern Day Poets are playing on our night as well. They are a band I met for the first time a couple weeks ago, and are about to release their first recordings in lieu of this contest, which is really exciting!

James: What do you think about battle of the bands competitions and how they influence the scene?


MichaelBattle of the Band contests are very interesting to me. I used to not like the idea of them, pitting bands against each other and such. But it's all in how you look at it. I really like the fact that I get to meet a whack load of new great musicians, which instantly builds on the music scene. Growing as a band requires teamwork, not just within your own band, but among other bands helping each other out. Contests like these put you in the room with dedicated artists who care about their careers, and those are great people to collaborate with beyond the contest.
Competitions are also great motivators for elevating your show and craft. When I see a wicked performance from another band, it makes me want to work harder at creating an amazing experience for the audience, and push my own limits of what I think is possible. This particular contest has already been well worthwhile with the education night that started it all off. We got to meet and hear stories from Tommy Mac of Hedley, Danny Craig of Default, Lyle Chausse of LCE Music, and Mike from Nimbus School of Recording. It was amazing!
BIV has a deep growth and development tone, and the music scene is better because of contests with this intention.

To find out more about Michael Averill go HERE.
To find out more about Best In Vancouver go HERE.