| Calgary has lost a live music venue. Merlot (on 14th St. S.W.) has new ownership and will no longer be promoting live music. The small bar was the regular spot for such acts as Tom Phillips and the Men Of Constant Sorrow and Steve Pineo. Oh Merlot, those of us who hath been through thy hallowed walls (alas I hath not), will mourn thy passing as a live musiquarium. Or something. You can probably still get wine there, though.
Caveat (Calgary’s answer to Faith No More) are set to enter Sundae Sound Studios at the end of April to record their new album. The recording is to be released by Winnipeg-based multimedia production company and label Absurd Machine. Caveat were scouted by Absurd Machine employees (who were also ex-Calgarians and members of Guerilla Funk Monster). "We’re friends with the Guerilla Funk Monster guys," explains Caveat’s Greg Musgrave. "They came to one of our shows when they were in town, were blown away and wanted to sign us." The combination of the label and band makes sense. Caveat are all over the place, too. "We like to keep the audience on their toes, you never know what to expect," says Musgrave. "One minute we’ll have a bowed stand-up bass and the next we’ll have metal vocals." Translation: One minute they’ll have crazy pills, the next they’ll have crazy-crazy pills! Man, I’ve been writing about metal a lot lately. This albertametal.net thing has really started a "scene" (as the kids call it).
After years and years of being the sidemen for acts like Jenny Allen, Dave McCann and Ian MacDonald, Mel Smith and Dave Bauer are making a break from their supporting roles and releasing a CD of their own under the name Deep Field South. Here’s their game plan: Have a CD release party at Dickens Pub (formerly Buckinghams Pub) on April 16, mail the CD out to various radio stations and finally play shows and festivals to promote it. I don’t know. That may work for P. Diddy, but for their particular brand of folk, I think they should develop a line of men’s clothing first and then they can worry about the music. First things first, guys.
Chronikalz are the latest hip-hop act to throw down their material on CD with a release party planned for Thursday, April 7 at The Cherry Lounge (or as some call it, "The Testicle Lounge"). The show will feature both live drums and harmonica (that should be a genre) and live hip-hop, the latter being something that is happening at more Calgary venues lately. ChroniKalz’s MC Shepherd attributes that to lyrical diversity. "Hip-hop isn’t just about the streets anymore," he says. "There are more people rapping about consciousness, so more people can relate to it."
That may be, but I think that hip-hop fans just want to go to venues that have giant swollen balls hanging over the front door.
If you have any information for The 411, e-mail us at info@ffwd.greatwest.ca. |
Copyright ©2005 FFWD. All rights reserved.