Ottawa Tonite.com : Section Title
Subscribe for Free!
Music
The 5th Annual Amnesty International Ottawa Opry
News Release – April 11, 2012
ANNOUNCING THE 5TH ANNUAL AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL OTTAWA OPRY!!
The AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL OTTAWA OPRY is in it’s 5th year, and we are marking the occasion with another great line-up, and a new home at the Unitarian Congregation, 30 Cleary Ave in Ottawa’s West end (west of Westboro).
Joining Pat Moore and the Vinyl Frontier on stage are…(drum roll please….) Sneezy Waters, fresh from having just released a brand new CD; the amazing and versatile Keith Glass (Prairie Oyster’s lead guitar player and writer, and a great vocalist in his own right!); Ball and Chain, the zany and very talented duo who have captured Ottawa and Louisiana’s hearts; and Maple Hill, an award winning bluegrass band featuring Garry Greenland, a much sought after musician and teacher of all aspects of bluegrass… and again by popular demand Garry is back as our MC – keeping the show rolling.
The Amnesty International Ottawa Opry started in 2008, the idea of singer/songwriter Pat Moore, who was looking for a way to bring the old style entertainment package to the Ottawa audience, and at the same time raise some awareness and funds for Amnesty International.
Amnesty International is a global movement of over 3 million people committed to defending those who are denied justice or freedom. It’s very fitting that the 5th Annual Amnesty International Ottawa Opry will take place at the Unitarian Congregation on Cleary – as the congregation was instrumental in sowing the seeds for the creation of Amnesty International’s Canadian branch in 1974!
Many thanks to our Platinum Sponsor Tracy Arnett Realty Ltd, and to the Social Justice Committee at the First Unitarian Congregation!! Thanks also to Cedar Lane Studio, The Ottawa Folklore Centre, CKCU, Barbuzz, and Constant Sound Studio for their contributions.
Show time: Sat May 26, 8pm. Doors open at 7:30. Tickets are $20 in advance and $22 at the door. Advance tickets are available at the Ottawa Folklore Center, CD Warehouse locations, and online at www.patmoore.net.
For more info email Pat Moore at patmoore@patmoore.net,
or call 613-794-6301.
www.patmoore.net www.sneezywaters.com www.prairieoyster.com www.ballandchain.ca www.maplehillbluegrass.com
A Compact Preview: Metal Band Mastodon
Fans of Mastodon will be ecstatic that they are playing Bluesfest.
They are a thinking’s man metal band along the lines of Sabbath or Black Mountain. They will rock the park and those with even the slightest interest in hard rock should catch this act.
As one person said on Mastodon…..Good Call Bluesfest.
| River Stage: | Saturday, July 14th @ 9:00 PM |
A Compact Preview: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
The band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are playing Bluesfest. You should go and see this show whether you know her or not. This show will rock your socks off. High energy power pop from a fast rising rocker.
Her two cds present great song writing, powerful lyrics and true originality.
An unknown gem who will surprise everyone who takes the time to discover this act. I hope you are there.
| Electro Stage: | Wednesday, July 4, 8:30 PM |
A Compact Preview: Thievery Corporation Plays RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest 2012
Attend Bluesfest for Thievery Corporation. Those that know this band will be jacked to see the show.
They have been high on the card at every major festival in the world and now it’s our turn. They have already made my top ten for concerts of the year and they haven’t performed yet. Hope to see you there for this show.
Thievery Corporation – Main Stage
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 9:30 PM
Ross Neilsen Changes Things Up and Moves Forward
New Bassist, Mini Series And Massive Spring Tour
Ross Neilsen Changes Things Up and Moves Forward Into An Already Banner Year
Ross Neilsen has had a busy year. Semi- finalist in The International Blues Challenge, a solo album recorded in Clarksdale MS, performances in Mexico and a solo tour are just a few things Ross has been keeping busy with. Now, Ross Neilsen and his band are hitting the road for more than nine weeks over the spring months, taking them from coastal New Brunswick to British Columbia, and all points in between.
While its business as usual for Neilsen, fans of the rocking, blues power trio will notice something different this tour. Neilsen has dropped the moniker Sufferin’ Bastards and has a brand new bass player. Neilsen says it was not an easy decision to let long time collaborator and friend, Shawn Worden, go last December.
“It was a horrible decision to make. On one hand this was my musical partner in crime and best friend of thirteen years and on the other hand things were just spiraling to a bad place. Definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Shawn was a fan favourite and a great musician. He will be missed. We’re looking at this as a door opening though, not closing.” – Ross Neilsen
The new bassist will join the line up for The Ross Neilsen Band’s tour schedule which begins April 26.
They’ve been busy bringing Pacey up to speed and have chronicled his joining the band in their on-line spoof mini series “The Great Bass Player Search” found on Neilsen’s website, www.rossneilsen.com.
“We’re getting our new bassist, Young Will Pacey, up to speed with this tour then we’re going to be writing for a new record. Will’s a great guy and a great player. We know folks expect a lot from our live show so we’re working hard to make sure we deliver when we hit the Canadian highway. We did this mini series so we could introduce him in a very comical way. We take our music very seriously but we try not to take OURSELVES too serious. We thought this would be a fun way to say introduce Will to Canada.” - Ross Neilsen
Neilsen recently journied to Memphis, TN, to compete in the International Blues Challenge where he finished a semi-finalist. Long time influence and hero, Ray Bonneville, moved on from Neilsen’s room to win the Challenge. Directly after the competition Neilsen traveled to the home of the delta blues,ClarksdaleMS, to record a solo album withMemphisengineer, Kevin Houston. The album is slated to be released this September and features Neilsen on resonator guitar, stomp box and vocals. Never one to rest, Neilsen boarded a plane, to perform in Mexico, in February before his annual solo tour of Ontario, Quebecand the Maritimes.
“Memphis was amazing as always. Ate lots of BBQ, met lots of great players and got to see Ray Bonneville perform three days in a row. Very educational! Recording with Kevin Houston in Clarksdale was easy and fun. Hard to believe we were working just down the highway from the fabled crossroads of highways 49 and 61 where Robert Johnson is rumoured to have sold his soul to the devil. As if that wasn’t enough I got to play blues on a beach in Mexico watching the Pacific roll in under palm trees. Very surreal start to my year!” -Ross Neilsen
See the trio live:
April 27, 2012
9.30 pm
Irene’s Pub
Spotlight: Novaspire
So I’ve always been an alt rock music girl at heart and so my radar for the electronica music in the nation’s capital hasn’t been that far reaching.
But recently I’ve jumped in to that music scene and I’m continually amazed at the amazing electronic artists we have here in Ottawa.
And Novaspire is no exception to that rule.
Novaspire describes himself as an “Audio Visual Artist. Expanding creativity, imagination and consciousness is the prime motivation. I am only limited by the medium I choose.”
I’ve been listening to Novaspire ‘Holographic’ 11-track album for little over a week and I’m totally hooked. It’s a mix of beats and hooks and ambient sound waves that will have you all trance like after the first listen. That or wishing you were at a sweaty dance club with the strobe lights and crazy disco balls hanging from the ceiling. Seriously I’m good and ready to take a weekend trip to Ibiza.
Three stand out tracks that are a must to check out from Novaspire are Higher (Than Before) [very Daft Punkish....so loved it x 1000], Roll ‘N Rocka and Groupies.
You can download all 11 tracks for free here from BandCamp
Spotlight: Papermaps
Formerly EX~PO, the band renamed themselves Papermaps in the autumn of 2010. Their music blends elements of indie rock, art rock, experimental, shoegaze and electronica while maintaining strong pop sensibilities. The band is often compared to acts like the Shins, Spoon, Radiohead and MGMT.
Papermaps rehearses, writes and records out of Dean’s studio, Chemical Sound, which is known for its warm and spacious atmosphere as well as a massive collection of vintage gear. Dean has played host to bands such as the Black Keys, Sharon Jones and the Dapkings, Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians, Sweet Thing, C’mon and many more.
The debut full-length album, “Papermaps” was released in 2011 (Sparks/EMI). On October 19th 2011, Papermaps performed in New York as part of the annual Canadian Blast! Showcase at the CMJ Music Marathon. The band then travelled to Halifax to perform as part of the 2011 Halifax Pop Explosion.
The sound is that 80s throwback vibe that I love…and I instantly got hooked on their track ‘Complicate Things’ (the follow-up to Papermap’s first single and band-made video “Reunion”)
March 24th | Toronto, ON | Hard Luck – CMW
March 30th | Ottawa, ON | Zaphod’s
Spotlight: Marc Robert Nelson
Marc Robert Nelson is one of those folksy mellow singer/songwriters who hails from Gatineau.
He used to be the guy who did TV installs for Rogers TV.
One day he was installing a digital box in a young woman’s apartment. She was a recovering addict and who until very recently had been homeless.
On her wall she had written a poem on the wall an affirmation to be sure…and the title was Strong and Ready for Life.
Later that year Mark saw her on a street corner with very tall leather boots…and no he didn’t stop to say Hi.
That brief encounter was the inspiration for this track ‘Strong and Ready’.
I spent the entire afternoon listening to Marc’s musical offerings on his Soundcloud page and it was musical bliss.
His vibe reminds me of a cross between James Taylor meets David Gray meets John Mayer meets Marc Broussard…yet his vibe is uniquely his own.
I love his sound and all his songs were a treat to listen to. He’s one local artist that I look forward to seeing live.
http://soundcloud.com/marc-robert-nelson/sets/strong-and-ready-ep/
Connie Bernardi plays the role of radio announcer on Majic 100 in Ottawa, full time music blogger and seeker of new music. Latest and greatest bragging right…I totally pinched Donnie Wahlberg’s ass. Try and contain your seething jealousy.
Orpheus tells us it’s time to pay the RENT
Rent is Orpheus Musical Theatre’s latest high energy, all-singin’, all-dancin’ extravaganza. Based loosely on Puccini’s classic tragic opera, La Bohème, Rent tells the story of a group of poor artists living in New York City’s East Village in the early 1990s; they struggle with the threat of eviction, lack of recognition of their artistic endeavours, drug addiction, and AIDS (at least half of the characters are HIV positive).
Pretty grim stuff, you might say. After all, this is based on an opera, so you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that the show is not going to be a barrel of laughs. But on that count you would be wrong. With songs that soar, some nifty dance moves, and a truly talented cast, under the direction of Nicole Milne, Rent will draw you in, get you seat-dancing, laughing, and yes, OK, crying.
The story opens on Christmas Eve. It’s 9:00 PM, and aspiring film director and the show’s narrator, Mark (Brennan Richardson) is filming his roommate Roger (Derek Eyamie) for a new documentary. The two find out that their old friend, now their landlord, Benny (Stefan Keyes) is going back on his word and wants the rent for the past year. This leads to the show’s rousing title number where they vow not to pay, and opens up the debate about the artistic life versus the commercial.
This being a musical, it’s not long before love is in the air, with sometime philosophy professor, Tom Collins (Maxim David) being helped after a mugging by the appropriately named Angel (Jeremy Saunders), a street musician/drag queen with quite the wardrobe, including a sassy Mrs. Claus outfit. Roger, shattered by the suicide of his girlfriend and his HIV status, is tempted to try love again by the arrival of neighbour, Mimi, an exotic dancer (Andréa Black). As for Mark, he’s mourning the loss of his fiery performing artist girlfriend, Maureen (Devon O’Reilly) to lawyer Joanne (Rebecca Abbott). Let the wooing begin and the lessons about “Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.”
Derek Eyamie, Devon O’Reilly, and Rebecca Abbott are the vocal standouts, with stirring numbers, “One Song Glory”, “Over the Moon”, and “Take Me or Leave Me” showcasing their talent. Andréa Black displays an athletic litheness, as well as singing chops in “Out Tonight”, while Brennan Richardson and Rebecca Abbott mix humour and some sexy dance moves in “Tango Maureen”. “La Vie Bohème” performed by the entire company is an absolute showstopper, as is “Seasons of Love”, perhaps the best-known song from the production. They do not disappoint.
Act Two is decidedly darker than the first, and the cast makes the transition from the light-hearted cheekiness and sexiness of the first half to more sombre themes. Get your hankies out; you’re going to need them.
The innovative set, designed by Jennifer Donnelly, evokes the squalor of the Lower East Side, and is put to imaginative use by the cast.
One small quibble with the production is that at times, the band, which is terrific (conducted by James Caswell), sometimes drowns out the cast. Hopefully, this was just a glitch on opening night, and will be fixed in future performances.
Orpheus has outdone itself with Rent. Make sure you catch it.
Performance dates:
March 6-10 at 7:30; March 11 at 2:00 PM at Centrepointe Theatre
For tickets: 613-580-2700 or www.centrepointetheatre.ca
Spotlight: Ottawa’s Mike O.K.
‘Mike O.K.’ is an electronic musician living in Ottawa. He creates music that transports listeners and transforms experience.
He recently released the album ‘Music For The Post Modern Ninja’. It’s ambient. It’s deep. It’s abstract. It’s cinematic.
I loved the album…listened to it non-stop over the weekend. And with each track it was the same thought…”I can totally hear any of these tracks as the soundtrack action movies on the big screen”.
The story of Mike O.K as an electronic began like this. About 12 years ago, friends suggested that the music Mike O.K. was making was getting pretty interesting. But he Mike O.K. said no…he didn’t think it was time…the music just wasn’t good enough. A few years into the venture, ideas and patterns started to emerge and an identity as an electronic artist began to crystallize. Fast forward to February 2012 and the project is finally done. It’s an album that is nearly a decade in the making but so worth the wait. It’s a musical trip you’ll love listening to…
I had a chance to chat with Mike O.K. about his influences, his work and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
What’s your musical background?
As a kid I took piano lessons. I spent a lot of time in my teens messing with my Dad’s computer-based home studio, doing music for an animated short I made and background stuff for high school theatre. I have a music degree from Carleton, and also took their Diploma in Sonic Design, which was fantastic when they offered it. The last eight years I’ve been working full-time doing music and sound design for videogames. I can play keyboard, but I’m not a great performer. I love integrating music with other media, but also hope to make some more music for its own sake in the future.
What music do you listen to on your own time that inspires you?
I think my taste is pretty eclectic. I gravitate towards anything I think I could recreate in the studio, learning lessons from every symphonic or electronic piece I hear. But that extends into so many genres. I definitely soak up a lot of soundtracks from games I play and movies I watch. I used to buy every Danny Elfman soundtrack that was released and listened to Mike Oldfield stuff all the time. In recent years I love the direction of Hollywood blockbuster scores with their really rhythmic use of the orchestra and more and more electronic elements. I love surreal performance stuff like Cirque du Soleil and the Blue Man Group. Amon Tobin is probably my favourite electronic artist, with Daft Punk running a close second. Aphex Twin has done an incredible variety of electronic music. I also listen to a lot of pop, listen to some rock, and occasionally check out what’s going on with dubstep. And I try to get out to a few National Arts Centre Orchestra performances every year.
How would you describe your album ‘Music For the Postmodern Ninja’?
I have trouble summing up Music for the Postmodern Ninja succinctly. One of my guiding principles was “imagine if Michael Mann made an awesome movie about ninjas and make the soundtrack for that.” I find it’s really good for driving at night, or just having on while I’m trying to get (non-music) work done at the computer. While making it, I tried to do a variety of cool electronic things, and then kept remixing them and adding hints of ninja. So it’s a fusion of several types of electronica, some rock, and film soundtrack. And then it has traces of what a friend aptly labeled “techno-orientalism” to tie it all together and give it some personality. There’s really a lot in there, but my hope is that the end result is fairly cohesive and something people can listen to and enjoy.
Does the fact that you’re a sound designer and composer influence the music you make?
Unquestionably, yes. I started working on videogames doing sound design thinking “well, this might be a good stepping stone to writing music for games”, but found the creation of sound effects to be a very rewarding endeavour all on its own. I think the best sound effects have interesting rhythms, and sometimes even resemble little melodic fragments. Playing for hours on end with very short chunks of sound was a great experience in terms of developing an ear for timbre, and also the desire to generate really interesting musical textures. In terms of being a composer for media, it’s been an incredible blessing to be able to earn a living this way for so many years. I’m indebted to so many people I’ve collaborated with for expanding my musical taste and ability. This album is in many ways an extension of what I’ve been doing for other projects. It’s my own music, but it’s also a summary of what I’ve been making for other people all these years. In some ways this project filled the gaps in what I wanted to be working on, but wasn’t getting from my day job. But it’s completely based on the skills I developed working on other things.
And since we’re talking ninjas – did you have a favourite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle growing up? Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo or Raphael?
Michelangelo was my favourite, because he was the most fun and lighthearted, and because nunchucks are awesome. Donatello was a very close second though, because I loved the way he was always tinkering and making new things for the fight against evil. I also have a vehicle/location from that series which was my favourite thing in the universe when I was a kid… if I could live in anything, I think I would still choose the Technodrome. My house in the burbs is pretty sweet, but there’s some part of me that will never abandon the dream of owning an intergalactic, subterranean, mobile fortress.
Mike O.K.’s album is available for download at BandCamp.
Connie Bernardi plays the role of radio announcer on Majic 100 in Ottawa, full time music blogger and seeker of new music. Latest and greatest bragging right…I totally pinched Donnie Wahlberg’s ass. Try and contain your seething jealousy.
