| December has now reared its wonderful head and with that comes the celebration (for columnists) of year-in-review coverage. With the satisfaction of saving myself some work this month, I asked 10 local artists to share their best and worst musical memories of 2006. Happy Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanzaa/Solstice/whatever!
Mark Hamilton of Woodpigeon/SpreeparkBest: "Next to our CD release show at the Engineered Air Theatre, it has definitely been working with Laura Leif – in particular the "Get Your Night Beast On" show she put together at EMMedia. Her shows are amazing, and her imagination is boundless. And connecting with Jane Vain. Her songwriting’s so good it scares me."
Worst: "Our shameful attempt at playing hair metal covers as part of CJSW’s funding drive. I forgot the chords to "Pour Some Sugar On Me," so I just kept playing G. I have to put the blame on us, because I can't think of anything else I’ve seen this year that was actually that bad."
Les Izmoore of the Cripple Creek FairiesBest: "Getting to help represent Calgary’s music scene at Pop Montreal with Forbidden Dimension, SIDS and Pressure Kill Common Style. We represented so hard that our guitar player got mono." Worst: "For one of our guitar players it’d be getting mono from representing so hard and for the other guitar player, getting cavity searched at the airport after trying to get a backpack full of electronics and disguises through the X-ray machine."Chris Vail, man of a million musical projectsBest: "Dolly Stiletto and I performing as Snailhouse’s backup band for some Western Canada shows. Oh, and seeing Azeda Booth, Beija Floor, Gaye Rage and Jay Crocker solo for the first time."Worst: "Vailhalen with These Hands, with Dolly and I as his backing band, playing for only 18 paying customers – both bands getting paid $0.00 by the venue! The next time that These Hands (a.k.a. Michael Hanson) plays, I really hope that more Calgarians make it. He’s what you'd call a rising star." Ricca RazorsharpBest: "Personally, releasing my CD on the same night as Planit and the co-operation between Audible Intelligence and his crew Olive Hour Records for the show. Some other faves – System of a Down, Cadence Weapon, DisOriental on Saturdays and Abbamania (goodbye street cred)."
Worst: "Some people from the hip hop, punk and indie rock scenes continuing to believe that their exact lifestyle and musical preference is the exclusive definition of legitimacy. Also my Ipod breaking and buying fake Madonna tickets from a scalper in New York City."Axis Of Conversation
Best: "Finding out Reverie Sound Revue are recording a new album, seeing Wilco at MacEwan Hall and wearing a robot mask and dancing onstage with SIDS at Broken City."
Worst: "Practically every open-mic night at Karma Local Arts House (R.I.P), but particularly the times when a guy we called ‘Scary Al’ would play. He was this greasy-ass old dude who didn’t actually sing when he took the stage, opting instead to recite horrible spoken word and tell unfunny jokes that made all the women uncomfortable. Once, he even pulled a dead mouse out of a beer can onstage. Mmm. Oh, and Franz Ferdinand at the Stampede Corral was pretty shitty, too. Tinny sound."
The OstrichBest: "Gaye Rage at the Bamboo in August. That show was a textbook example of how the right research (strictly 1966, yuh unnerstand) mixed up with some seriously wild abandon will drive an audience nuts in almost any testing environment. The night was all poppin’ eyes and flashin’ feet as the guys slipped Bamboo in their pouch and blasted off into the ether."
Worst: "Too many ho hum indie rock shows. It could just be that milk and cookies aren’t really our idea of a party."Rimmer, Natureboy and Thunderheart of Azeda Booth
Best: "Seeing the followin’ fellows (or fellow-esas) – Sea of Is, The Consonant C, Kessler Tidal, Chad VanGaalen, Bank Of Canada and The Cape May."
Worst: "When Sea of Is moved to Vancouver and then the Crocodile Hunter died."Jesse J. Powell of The Pine TartsBest: "Every single show Ghostkeeper and the Children of the Great Northern Muskeg played. I know of no wild rock ’n’ roll band as sweet. Sweet and wild like a handful of hastily picked berries, full of leaves and twigs."
Worst: "The show we opened for Ghostkeeper at Woody’s Pub in Kananaskis. Right in front of our favourite band, our bass guitar broke down and refused to work. It poisoned our spirits and beshitted our grace. But the Muskeg Kids were great."Steve Moore of Inner SurgeBest: "We enjoyed shooting our video and recording the new album with Casey Lewis at Echo Base studios. Both were great experiences and we'll be working with Casey again. As for live shows, we enjoyed the Southern Alberta Metal and Hardcore Festival and Warped Tour appearances. Playing with bands we respect is always a good thing."
Worst: "Playing shows to 10 people! It happens every once in a while and they usually end up being our best shows musically, strange as that is." Matt Lightstone of Secret BroadcastBest: "Forming this band and playing together for the first few times is very memorable. We had instant chemistry and immediately starting writing songs as a cohesive unit rather than as separate musicians, which allowed us to create some pretty unique sounds. The Calgary music scene is becoming incredible, which was really apparent this year as we were fortunate enough to play alongside some amazing acts."
Worst: "The three of us plus Jager plus karaoke bar equalling excessive robot dancing."If you’re a local artist doing something interesting and want to have it written about, drop me a line at either alvy411@hotmail.com or myspace.com/alvy411. Oy vey. |
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