| >>THE 411
Much Music has decided to mess with their usual format of celebrity gossip and decorating things to air a show dedicated to music. But not just music – new music! Obscure music! Calgary music! I hope that they don’t lose too many advertisers over this.
The Much Music program Going Coastal will be taping an episode entitled "Much Does Calgary," interviewing this year’s hottest local talent (I totally hear that it was, like, voted for by a panel of celebrities). There will also be a live performance at The Den with the bands featured, to be hosted by Matt Masters. Performing will be The Pants Situation (or as I like to call them, The Pantcitation), Chad Van Gaalen (Seevan-jee), Strada (Stratta!), Vailhalen (Vailhaggar) and Smalltown DJs (Dance-y-pants).
One of the slickest sounding bands of the night will be Strada. Last summer, the band invested in some serious high-end gear for their live show, a step that most Calgary independent bands don’t tend to take.
"Some bands are so charismatic that (lower-end equipment) doesn’t matter," explains Strada’s Chad Thomas. "If you see a band and vocally they suck, it’s a real let-down. These days you can’t afford to put on a mediocre show."
Another ace up Strada’s sleeve is guitarist Dan Huscroft, who spent some years living in the States playing guitar and co-writing with Grammy-nominated (for best rock/gospel album) Sarah Kelly. Huscroft is all rock now, though, joining Strada back when they were still known as Tourist.
Despite the rumours, Strada is not a Christian rock band per se. Thomas explains that although the individual members met through church, that their music is a completely separate thing.
Even more wholesome than Strada is The Pants Situation. Although they are one of Calgary’s newest and youngest bands, their first album, The Ugly Man, is definitely a favourite among us local music enthusiasts.
But we can’t keep them to ourselves forever, and the band is already generating some nationwide interest – they’re charting as high as Number 5 on CJSR (Edmonton) charts, and a number of indie labels are trying to "git wid ’em." An introduction to Much Music may be fortuitous for the band. This spring, they plan to finish a video that they’re filming with local director Kevin Mitchell.
Another point of interest for the show is the inclusion of the Smalltown DJs: Emes & Grimes, who apparently feel perfectly at home sharing a bill with a bunch of rock bands.
"We have a rock ’n’ roll mentality when it comes to DJing anyway," claims Pete Emes. "I dance the same at a good rock show as I do at a DJ night - poorly." (wanh-wah!)
"Also, we're working on a CD right now called College Radio, it blends new electronic music with college rock and other fun stuff."
The show is Saturday, February 25th, at The Den in Mac Hall, U of C. |
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