End of August Events
Yes, Edmonton, summer is winding down. But, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of great stuff going on to lift your spirits. (And pretty good weather recently too.)
On the festival circuit this weekend, there’s DEDfest, In/stall/ed, East Meets West, and Open Sky.
DEDfest is Edmonton’s annual horror film fest. In/stall/ed is is a unique performance and visual art display, happening in the McCauley neighbourhoods in parking spaces. Yeah, public art baby! Latitude 53 is running this, and there will be 17 performances and installations on Saturday. East Meets West continues up in Little Italy and the McCauley neighbourhood, and there’s Mercury Opera performing Madame Butterfly in Giovanni Caboto Park. The Open Sky Music Festival is packing Hawrelak Park with bands and bands and musicians and more musicians.
If you’re into walking, the Highlands neighbourhood is kicking off their walking map this weekend. These maps are great ways to get to know an Edmonton neighbourhood.
I haven’t heard a whole lot about MEAET but it sounds like a cool idea. A bunch of people get together, have some food, enjoy themselves, then vote on who to give some money to for a project.
You can also Show What You Grow, at Fort Edmonton Park.
In music, there’s the earlier mentioned Open Sky Music Festival, with plenty of bands and artists down in Hawrelak Park…Wunderbar’s got Fire Next Time tonight and The Joe and Doug Hoyer triumphantly returning to Edmonton (after a national tour) on Saturday night. Also on Saturday, Hale Hale, Southroot, and Zero Something play the Starlite Room. Back to Friday night, Warped Tourers Inner City Elegance are at Expressionz Cafe. Now back to Saturday (surely I should have done this in chronological order) there’s live music at Ricky’s in Mill Woods (with Consilience and Tyson Skakun).
Oh, and if you walk by CKUA on Jasper Avenue tonight and it seems like something cool is going on it’s because they’re celebrating their amazing record library and have a live performance from 100 Mile House.
Down in the river valley, the Edmonton Capitals host the Calgary Vipers through the weekend.
And over at Clarke Stadium (beside Commonwealth) the Edmonton Huskies are home to Saskatoon Hilltops in Prairie Football.
Live Music Weekend
It looks like a dandy weekend for live music in Edmonton, so let’s start there.
Tonight you’ve got a Christan Hansen & The Autistics all ages show at The ARTery with Paperplanes and Dragonboats, so that’ll be good. The Blame-Its, The Afterbeat, and Wildrose Orchestra, are at New City Legion…Over at Wunderbar you can hear Teen Daze with Oh No Yoko and Sugarglider…Craig Cardiff is at the Haven Social Club with David Blair and Erica Viegas… The Open Sky Music Festival isn’t until the end of August, but Souljah Fyah and Jeff Morris are getting things going this weekend
Saturday night is no less good, with The Weber Brothers, Chris Carmichael, and Lyra Brown at the Haven Social Club…Xplosionation, The Party Martyrs, and All The King’s Men, at Brixx… The Weekend Kids, Old Wives, and Freshman Years at Wunderbar…and The Consonance, Noisy Colours, whiskey wagon, all over at New City Legion.
Sunday (yeah, we’re still going on just music) there’s the Whyte Avenue Street Sale (which means the street will be closed to traffic between 105 and 103 Streets) and SOS Fest playing music on two stages all day long…Sunday night ends the weekend with a giant kick to the face of awesome with The Joe and Doug Hoyer kicking off their national tour at Wunderbar, with Mikey Maybe.
Whew.
We also have a bunch of festivals and the such.
Down in Hawrelak Park you can catch two of Shakespeare’s finest plays during the Freewill Shakespeare Festival. Heading into the Indy we’ve got Race Week Edmonton (which lasts longer than a week). The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival is on at Churchill Square. The Edmonton & Northern Alberta Historic Festival also begins this weekend (which can get you into some cool old buildings).
For the dogs, and dog lovers, you can head up to 118 Avenue on Sunday for Avenue Goes to the Dogs, put on by the Eastwood Community League.
If all of that great Edmonton music and festivals isn’t enough…
Cirque du Soleil’s “Dralion” is at Rexall Place. There’s a Campus Community Garden Open House, Saturday 11-2, at the U of A’s campus community garden. The Edmonton Eskimos will fight, fight, fight on at home to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Oh, and if you’re not doing anything at about 9pm on Sunday you can watch the last episode of our ShawTV series, the edmontonian presents, on Shaw cable channel 10. (It’ll be on YoutTube, Livestream, and iTunes shortly after.)
Food-Filled Events
It's gonna be like this, times 100.
Today you can eat some BBQ and chat with local producers and farmers at Wild Earth Foods’ Open Air Market, 2-8pm. You can also get some street food at What the Truck?!, 4-8pm. I hope to see you at one, or both, of these.
I am going to eat so much today…
Sticking with food…Saturday is market day! There’s the City Market (downtown), Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market (Whyte Avenue area), and St. Albert Farmers’ Market. On Sunday it’s the Callingwood Farmers’ Market (southwest Edmonton).
More food!!
To the festivals! Opera Nuova’s Vocal Arts Festival wraps up this weekend. Alberta Dance Alliance’s feats Festival of Dance has begun! The Works is on, in Churchill Square and around downtown Edmonton. The Edmonton International Jazz Festival is also on now. Improvaganza is still making with the funny. June isn’t done yet, so Bike Month continues too.
Holy cow we have a lot of festivals!
Fans of the TV show Firefly (and the movie Serenity, I presume) are fundraising at Can’t Stop the Serenity.
Perhaps a movie is in order this weekend? I hear there are plenty of great sci-fi options.
For the family…the John Janzen Nature Centre is open again. I guess this could also be for nature-lovers. Saturday, you can head on down to Rundle Park for Paddlefest.
It’s a great music weekend in Edmonton. The Works is packing Churchill Square with fantastic acts like Doug Hoyer, The Fight, and The Joe. The Edmonton Jazz Festival is, of course, all about music, from homegrown talent like Krystle Dos Santos to International artists like Trombone Shorty (Troy Andrews). The Apresnos are at Haven Social Club tonight…
(Totally forgot to try and embed an Apresnos song, so check them out completely here.)
Saturday’s Hair of the Dog (at The Black Dog) features Jessica Jalbert. Get on board with Jessica Jalbert now, Edmonton. Edmonton music blogger New Music Michael is having a birthday party with with One Way State, kickupafuss, and Honheehonhee, at New City.
Sunday, The Sadies and The Sheepdogs play the Pawn Shop.
It’s a good sports weekend in Edmonton too. The Edmonton Eskimos are home to the Calgary Stampeders in pre-season action. FC Edmonton hosts the Montreal Impact. The Edmonton Capitals are home to the Yuma Scoropians. And the Edmonton Energy have the Albany Legends in town. That’s a lot of guys giving 110% and leaving it all out on the floor/field/diamond.
Rapz
If you only see one Edmonton hip-hop or rap show this month, make it tonight at Wunderbar.
The Old Ugly Recording Co.’s The Joe, Mikey Maybe, Mitchmatic, and Teddy Holtby are going to play the same bill. All of them! I predict a busier than usual Wednesday night at Edmonton’s premiere beer location.
Old Ugly rap has been one of my gateways to the hip-hop world. I wasn’t a fan of the genre a couple of years ago (mostly through a lack of listening), but through this website I’ve been exposed to a lot (A LOT) of new music and Old Ugly rappers like The Joe have been blowing my mind grapes since.
I’m not kidding. Get there. Be there.
Are you there yet?
Rhythm for Research
This Saturday there’s a cancer research fundraiser at Original Joe’s Varsity. Now, what sets this apart is the fact the organizer, Erin Land, has gathered together one of the most formidable Edmonton music lineups I’ve yet to see.
And this is just to raise money on her way to running a half marathon in May. Talk about dedication to eradicating blood cancers!
“The cause is close to my heart for several reasons,” Erin writes in an e-mail.
“I’ve lost two family members, and very close friends of mine lost their daughter at the tiny age of 6. Finding a cure is important to me, and I’ll do what I can to help!”
So, Erin gathered her team from the #yegmusicclub (a local collection of music lovers) and they got to planning. In order for her to participate in the run, she needs to raise $3250 in donations for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.
For a mere $15 here’s what you could be listening to on Saturday. (more…)
Family Day Weekend
We’ll kick things off for this holiday weekend with a look at some live music in Edmonton.
Tonight the Uptown Folk Club kicks off Winterfest 2011, which means a busy weekend for folkies…There’s the Rogers Media Battle of the Bands at NAIT. I fear N.N. may destroy The Nest with rock…The Joe (THE JOE!) is holding an all-ages show for his newest release, Float or Flail. He’s gonna have a lot of performing friends along for the evening (Speaking of all-ages, the Jubilee is hosting Art Music Play tonight.)…Cygnets is at the new New City…KeysNKrates at the Pawn Shop…The Haven Social Club is hosting another Friday The Sound of Edmonton…
When’s the last time you put on your skinny jeans and hung out at the Hydeaway? This Saturday Xplosionation is there, releasing their new EP, and they’ve been kind enough to give us a track for your listening pleasure. Says bassist Nathan Woodward: “This EP is the culmination of 4 years of jamming and writing from three guys who love to have fun and rock out. It is our second release, but our first set of professional, sellable music.” Doors at 7, tickets 8$, EP can be purchased on iTunes. Also, there’s even more Xplosionation over at @mikeatqazam‘s excellent blog, New-Music-Michael.com .
We are Xplosionation – Xplosionation
If that’s not enough for your Saturday, The James T Kirks and Manraygun should blow it up real good. Boogie Patrol’s at Blues on Whyte too.
Heart and Melissa Etheridge are also in Edmonton this weekend.
Rexall Place will be bouncing with sportiness, as the Oil Kings, Oilers, and Rush all play at home. In other sports, the Oil City Derby Girls are hosing a rookie smackdown of Alberta proportions.
WinterLight don’t stop until, well, until spring is just about here. This weekend you get a double-dose with the Silver Skate Festival in Hawrelak Park and Family Day fun in Churchill Square. You can also Skate, Rattle & Roll Saturday at City Hall. To coincide with the holiday weekend and the NHL’s Heritage Classic, between Calgary and Montreal, the Glenora Community League’s got Family Fun Day and outdoor hockey at 10426-136 Street, 2-7pm.
Until the 26th Fringe Theatre Adventures and Edmonton Opera present The Barber of Barrhead. It’s the Barber of Seville in Barrhead, Alberta.
I totally forget to mention this (but am now including it by way of some Internet magic), but the Edmonton Symphony is getting all Bugs Bunny with great music from Warner Brothers and Hanna Barbera that subtly made us all listen to the classics.
And, my favourite, the World’s Hottest Commercials are back at the Empire City Centre Monday-Thursday, with a couple of lunchtime 45-minute runs for the downtown work crowd. It’s also a fundraiser for the Edmonton International Film Festival.
Oh, and watch out for LRT disruptions. Why they schedule this stuff for long weekends is beyond me. Except when you consider my conspiracy theory that the Edmonton Transit Service is actually run by the city’s top car dealers.
Got Friday Night Planz?
If you find yourself with tomorrow night wide open, you sad little wallflower, may we suggest checking out the opening night of Hip Hop on the Wall; a hip hop inspired art show that will be hosted in Latitude 53‘s community space from January 28 to February 11.
The opening night party starts at 8, features art (in case I hadn’t made THAT patently clear), specifically “hip hop-inspired huge graffiti panels and artist portraits” – a description that comes courtesy our friend Omar “A.O.K.” Mouallem. There’s going to be a lot of performance too; specifically, slam poetry from the Breath in Poetry Collective and music from DJ Weezl, reDef, Locution Revolution, DJ Budakron and one of our faves, The Joe.
The whole shindig benefits the Hip Hop in the Park Foundation, which describes itself as “a non-profit organization endorsing hip-hop expression in a non-violent and positive way.” (Read more about the group here).
The opening night revelry gets underway at 8 p.m., tickets are $10.
Frozen Events
Yeah, it’s stay-in-the-house-under-three-blankets-with-the-heat-cranked-cold. But there’s plenty of Edmonton to explore, even in the cold. You just have to bundle up and try not to spend too long outside when it’s dangerously cold.
Ice on Whyte began this week. While wind chills in the -30s aren’t the best atmosphere for checking out the ice sculptures, it won’t be this cold forever.
The Joe is releasing Float or Flail, an album five years in the making, at The Haven Social Club (now home to Pharos Pizza), with fellow Old Uglians Bike Month, Mitchmatic, and Racoon Suit along for the ride. The Haven is going to be nice and warm.
In other musical notes…Ingrid Gatin is playing at The Carrot, with Michael Reinhart, before hopping on a train to Winnipeg. Playing her all the way across the prairies…The Wheat Pool, Michael James Band, and audio/rocketry are at the Crown & Anchor Pub…Bluebird North is at the TransAlta Arts Barns…and The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is playing for the kids on Saturday. They’ll be playing behind a performance of Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood.
I’m hearing good things about the Spiral Dive trilogy at La Cite Francophone Theatre (all three run in a marathon on Sunday, January 23).
In movies…Charlie Chaplin is at Metro Cinema. His films anyway. The short film High Level Bridge is headed to Sundance. Help the film’s makers have a good time by throwing them a few bones. While having a heck of an evening at The ARTery. (They will be screening the short as well.) And there’s always regular movies too.
Meet the Edmonton Public Library’s Writer in Residence for 2011. To get in you need only bring a book for the swap. It all goes down Saturday afternoon at the Whitemud Crossing branch of the EPL.
Latitude 53 has two new shows this weekend.
And the Edmonton Motorcycle Show is this weekend up at Northlands’ Expo Centre. If you actually ride a motorcycle to the show in this weather you are indeed a brave soul.
Oh, and if you plan on using the LRT Sunday, it’s likely not your best option.
Did I miss something? If I did I’m blaming winter.
Floating for Five Years
Five years ago, when you and I were just young whippersnappers staring at the big, bright world, Joe Gurba was throwing down award-winning rhymes and becoming a name in the local hip-hop scene. The name he was putting out there was The Joe, and we still know it today. He not only continues to rap, he runs the Old Ugly Recording Co. label here in Edmonton.
Gurba began working on an album called Float or Flail in 2006 and we’re finally getting to hear it. Between then and now we’ve heard another album (Ut Oh) and mixtapes (like the fantastic Playfight) but not that earlier album.
“The significance of the title Float or Flail hinges on my inability to swim,” Gurba writes in an e-mail. But the title also relates to what he felt his circumstances were in 2006.
“It came to me that my life had been a desperate dichotomy between flailing and floating,” he says “Float or Flail became this phrase that invaded my thoughts very often, particularly when I was seeing myself as if from outside myself, schmoozing and remembering names, and wanting respect for something or other…All the while the true desire of my heart was to be alone with God and pursue deeper more elusive truths.”
The struggle to reconcile these parts of his personality left Joe depressed.
“I was at a major turning point… I was wondering if I was going to continue rapping at all,” he explains. (more…)
We heard your SOS
(Update: I’ve added a video story, and slightly altered the wording of this post from it’s first version Monday.)
We’re glad we did hear that SOS.
SOS Fest rocked Whyte Avenue this weekend. 150+ bands and musicians…20+ venues…wow.
We were talking about it for three days at a special “on assignment” blog.
I really enjoyed Dead Ghosts, out of Vancouver. They were probably my favourite band of the festival. The Joe tried to tear Wunderbar apart with his set, as part of an Old Ugly showcase. Cadence Weapon blew the roof off the Pawn Shop. And The Sherry-Lee Wisor trio kicked things off for me, setting the bar quite high.
I also uploaded a lot of my photos to my Flickr account, and added them to the edmontonian Flickr pool.
Plus, a few of my interviews from the weekend are now playing at our YouTube channel. (The story on the festival – embedded above – is also at our YouTube now.)
There are more photos, videos, links, reviews, and thoughts at our SOS Fest blog.
We’ll always take your own stories, experiences, photos and videos.
Check Twitter for more comments and updates from people who went to the shows, and played, this weekend.
That's Gregg Beever buying a CD from SOS performer Carrie Hryniw. At Funky Pickle, of all places.
Weekend 2.0
Welcome to weekend 2.0 Edmonton.
I really don’t know what that means, but everybody slaps 2.0 into their stuff and it just sounds so cool.
Sally mentioned The Joe’s big show, this Saturday at The Hydeaway, in her new feature “Welcome to the Beat Laboratory.” So, to reiterate, The Joe is playing a big show Saturday at The Hydeaway. With lots of other great rappers. At The Hydeaway. Saturday.
I hope they have bike-powered smoothies again.
Hey, this Saturday is Bikeology, and we’ve never missed a Bikeology festival yet, here at the edmontonian. Alright, we’ve only had one to cover. But I plan on being there tomorrow, so that will make us 2/2.
It’s happening in tandem with the City’s Park(ed) event on 102 Avenue. So, park the car, hop on the bicycle and take in our city at a slower, more enjoyable, pace. There’s also a rock show over at Churchill Square.
And they say our downtown is dead…
One event that Sally will be going on and on about is the release of Toy Story 3. Check with our resident sass-machine for other movies coming out.
Rent begins a run at La Cite, a theatre in Edmonton’s French district.
Improvaganza is still providing laughs. That’s two major festivals already mentioned today.
FC Edmonton is playing. While I initially thought it was something to do with a Coca-Cola sponsorship, it turns out they will be taking on one of Chile’s best soccer teams, Colo-Colo. This could be the cure for your World Cup fever.
Also in sporting news…the Edmonton Prospects are home (home being John Fry Park) to Swift Current and Okotoks this weekend.
The WhitSundays are playing the Pawn Shop tonight.
(I think this is the least amount of music I’ve ever mentioned for a weekend.)
National Aboriginal Day is Monday, but the events begin before that.
Our good friends at ShareEdmonton (and their friends at YegLive.ca) have some ideas of their own about this weekend. That makes it sound nefarious, but they’re actually just good ideas.
You know, it’s almost summer. The real summer. Which makes Summer Solstice sound like just the right kind of event.
At ShareEdmonton they always know when the Edmonton Energy are playing. The Energy are on the hardcourt this weekend, against the Yamhill Flyers. I did not make that up.
Luke and Tess Pretty are releasing a CD. If you don’t know who Luke and Tess Pretty are you haven’t spent a lot of time on Whyte Avenue in the summer.
Maybe you just want to watch Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog again? There’s an event for that.
Tim Allen is at the tent at River Cree.
Sunday is Father’s Day. Fort Edmonton Park has “Dad vs. Wild,” which disappoints me only because it’s nothing like Survivorman.
Welcome to the Beat Laboratory: Old Ugly Recording Company
[Remember a few weeks ago, when I told you guys about local band plainclothes? Well, I have some more excellent Edmonton music to tell you about. Samsonow and I have decided that any time I want to try to convince you guys to love something as much as I do, we're going to call it "Welcome to the Beat Laboratory." Thanks for the idea, B-rad!)
If you missed this caveat last time, the difference between this format and other music items we run is that you cannot solicit your way into the Beat Laboratory. I just pick things I think are really cool and tell you about them. As if I know what's cool. IDIOT! So stupid! Who the hell do I think I am anyway?!]
Old Ugly Recording Co.'s The Joe (Photo by Rico Moran)
So, you guys know that we know The Joe. Because we talk about him all the time.
He is, as you have likely gathered by now, a very nice fellow who has helped us out repeatedly over the first half of 2010; first, by tearing up the Artery as the headliner at the League of Extraordinary Media’s #YEG Swap in March, and then later on, by penning several great items about Edmonton’s music scene for us to run on these here INTERNETS.
But! Did you guys know that The Joe (known in his day-to-day life as 23 year old Joe Gurba) is a bit of a mogul? He’s the man behind Edmonton’s Old Ugly Recording Company – home to many of the best musical acts in the city.
The mild-mannered Gurba explains that the concept for Old Ugly was based in part on Olympia, Washington record label K Records.
“They don’t play the game,” he explains. “They just put out really good music. And then people find it.”
“Old Ugly is just me giving form to something that was already there. Old Ugly was already all of our friends who hung out all the time, who weren’t signed.”
And boy oh boy, you guys. Does Old Ugly ever have some great artists. Give these a listen:
The Idols They Will Make: The Joe from Joe’s upcoming release Playfight)
O Death: Caity Fisher from Caity’s upcoming release Only the Wind)
On and on: Mitchmatic from Mitchmatic’s upcoming release Two Weeks Off)
The modest little label, now freshly minted as one year old, is home to 19 musical acts, comprised of about 13 people (Joe’s estimate). Pretty impressive, and something Joe attributes to his interest in community.
“I wanted to combine all these people. Most of the people on the label are people I’ve lived with at some point, too… people that get together and have campfires and house parties and are just really good friends.”
“I know my friends are better musicians than I am, and they deserve more attention,” Joe laughs. “I just know how to get attention!”
If you dig what you hear, then, I HIGHLY suggest you head to the Hydeaway this Saturday for an Old Ugly release party, celebrating new tapes from Mitchmatic and The Joe, and featuring Mikey Maybe and Thesis Sahib.
OR! Visit the Old Ugly store to get your mitts on more of their music.
I hope you like to party
Edmonton, get your party pants on because you’re going to need them this weekend.
We’ve got the Pride Parade Saturday, which helps kicks off Pride Week, and that is followed by an all-day party. Saturday also just so happens to be the second Al Fresco Block Party on 104 Street, with a used book sale too. That’s two parties on the same day!
And, I see, the Pride fun start tonight with a dance-a-thon.
There’s lots of good stuff for Bike Month. The Bikeology team is joining the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters for a 24-hour bike repair-a-thon. Bring in your bike, donate your old bikes, but make sure you run it through me so I can get Strathcona Centre points in the big Edmonton Community Challenge. Let me know if you have a bike in need of a tune-up or a new home. That runs Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday there’s the Critical Lass ride around the southside of Edmonton. It ends with cupcakes. As all good bike rides should.
There’s still Nextfest to be had. As noted, this is your chance to see Edmonton’s next generation of artistic talent. For the kids, Sprouts is over at the Stanley A. Milner library this weekend.
Music? You want music? You got a great weekend of music ahead.
The Born Ruffians are playing tonight, ZZ Top and Wide Mouth Mason play the Jubilee, The Misfits rock the Starlite, An Horse and Hot Panda will blow apart Brixx tonight, The City Streets return home to Edmonton for a show Saturday, there’s a big 30th anniversary gala over at the University of Alberta’s Timms Centre and The Joe is having a crazy, big rap-fest Saturday night, with lots of artists, at The ARTery.
Saturday sees track and field athletes competing for cash money (and world rankings) at the 2010 Edmonton International Track Classic, over at Foote Field. Which is at the South Campus LRT stop.
And the National Portrait Gallery begins its run at Latitude 53. It’s not the “real” national gallery, since the federal government didn’t end up putting that anywhere.
The Edmonton Capitals play. Baseball. At Telus Field. You should go sometime.
Oh, and there’s this little soccer tournament going on. I think it’s called the World Cup?
You could also see a movie. I think this is the 80s weekend, with The Karate Kid and A-Team reborn!
And thanks for ShareEdmonton for reminding me about the Creative Age Festival (as Angela talked about earlier this week) and the ESO’s Landmarks Masters series, with Marc-Andre Hamelin playing Shostakovich.
Now get out there and party!
Maybe it’s Mikey
(Editor’s note: Here’s a preview of Mikey Maybe’s latest release, written by Joe Gurba. But wait, you might ask, Joe Gurba is THE Joe, and he’s running the label Mikey’s on. Yeah, but when The Joe says he’ll write for you, you say “Yes, sir.” And then put in an editor’s note to satisfy everyone’s bias radar.)
By Joe Gurba
Michael Hamm is an exceptional individual. He is handsome, intelligent, charming, and soaks up skills with his mere presence, leaving him to exude an atmosphere of intimidating talent. His endeavors include, but are not limited to, Mikey Maybe, Racoon Suit, Rappers Are People, Rap Club, and The CBT.
As well as being a creative and professional writing student, Mikey Hamm has managed to give voice to his multi-dimensional inventiveness time and time again. But what is odd is that, despite the staggering output of these collected projects, the hundreds of shows over the last four years, and the hundreds of songs he has written, he has not yet released any official recordings. On Wednesday, April 28th, Mikey Maybe is finally presenting his loyal fans with something to take home.
In anticipation of a full length album appearing this summer, Mikey Maybe presents Chips and Pop, a tape cassette/digital download of 8-bit rap recordings.
I sat down with Mikey Maybe and managed to extract some juicy bits of truth concerning his new cassette, his rare recordings, and his nightmares, amongst other things.
Joe: Explain your obsession with 8-bit music
Mikey Maybe: I am fascinated by 8-bit music for the same reason that most of the scene is: nostalgia. I think most people have some sort of fascination with nostalgia. Maybe it’s because I had a good childhood that I am so nostalgic myself — and a big part of my childhood was video games. Those colours just stick in your mind. [He stares into the distance for a minute.] Those sounds just stick in your mind. [He regains his composure.] 8-bit music seems inspiring for some reason. Perhaps it’s playing on these points in your brain that were created in a time when you had the most imagination. It seems as though 8-bit is tapped right into the core of your imagination.
Probably more than 8-bits.
J: Alright, let’s do some music math. What do you think this new tape sounds like?
MM: The genre version of that equation would be Indie, you know, Indie, that’s the overarching [laughing] — you know, you just slap that on anything. So let’s say indie + 8-bit + hip hop/rap - not divided by, I know we’re doing a math thing here, just slash rap - + dub-step. There’s a lot of bass warble in there. That’s just the tip I’m on right now.
Going back to nostalgia, I somehow convinced Mikey to relate to me a childhood anecdote. He went on to describe a hunting trip when he was eight-years-old. After his uncle killed a beaver, Mikey asked for the teeth as a souvenir.
He was then subjected to the sight of a full grown man trying to hammer out a beaver’s teeth with a hatchet. But the teeth wouldn’t break free.
“Uncle Gary, please please, I don’t need them.”
He didn’t hear me. He just kept going.
“Uncle Gary. Uncle Gary!”
“Huh, what? What?”
“I don’t need the teeth.”
“Oh, good. I don’t think they’re coming out.”
[Awkward silence ensues.]
J: Who are your inspirations on this new record?
MM: Camp Lo, Ludacris, The Joe.
J: And what label is Chips and Pop coming out on?
MM: OLD UGLY, the blood when you brush. We are the litres and litres of blood that we have donated to the blood bank. OLD UGLY has donated more blood than any other Edmonton based charity [Old Ugly is not a charity]. 47 litres of blood and 37 litres of plasma last year alone. That’s like 23-and-a-half milk cartons full of blood. You go to pour milk? No. It’s blood. Just imagine all that plasma in ice cream buckets! Thick goopy plasma.
J: OK, that’s enough. Tell me about your nightmares.
MM: I am in bed and something is learing over me, something is above my head, and I am trying to yell, but the words won’t come out. I’m yelling ‘Jesus, help me!’ but the words won’t come out. One time, it was centipede. An obsidian black centipede with hundreds of squirming legs lurching over me. Demonic dreams.
[Awkward silence ensues.]
J: You think there’s any room for newcomers in the 16-bit genre?
MM: Yeah, my next album is a 16-bit minidisc!
J: Is that on-the-record?
MM: Yes, that’s sarcastically on the record.
When prodded, Mikey promised a full length album for 2010 and a long awaited Rappers Are People EP for the fall, legitimizing the group’s lengthy tenure and live performance infamy. (He went on to deflect blame for everything that has transpired to delay these recordings from appearing. He then wished his fans a good day.)
The Chips and Pop tape release is on Wednesday night at the Hydeaway, located at 10209 100 Avenue at 8pm, for $8, with fellow OLD UGLIANS The Joe, Mitchmatic, and Rappers Are People. The album will be available as a digital download as well from OLD UGLY Recording Co.
You can listen to Mikey Maybe’s Mazda, Mazda at mikeymaybe.bandcamp.com.
Edmonton Events
Yes, Edmonton, we’ve made it through that short week. Well, shorter for some. If this was a 5-day week for you, you’ve really earned a weekend.
So…here you go.
I don’t know if you know this, but Edmonton has a good sports team playing right now. I know, the Oilers still grab a lot of newspaper ink, but let’s forget about drafting 1st or 2nd for a minute and focus on the Edmonton Rush. They could be the best team in their conference, maybe the entire National Lacrosse League, when the season ends. They’re home to the Colorado Mammoth tonight. Boo-ya.
Hey, some of our YegSwap music buddies are playing tonight. Lyra Brown is at a songwriter’s showcase over at The Hydeaway. The Joe is part of a big show happening at the Avenue Theatre.
Some new friends, The Party Martyrs, are playing DV8 Tavern over on 99 Street. They will punk you. Tonight.
Also tonight, Matthew Barber is at the Haven Social Club.
Sally’s already been over the Spring Fling. That’s happening Saturday.
Now…for the best part, I head over to ShareEdmonton and raid their events listings, because I am lazy. And not too proud to hide that.
It’s the Northlands Farm & Ranch Show. Which is not news to you if you’re connected to the farm and/or ranch scene. Northlands also has the Canadian National College Finals Rodeo. Yee-haw!
What about the Edmonton Mini World Cup. Maybe you’re into that?
Oh, and the Century Grill is turning 10-years-old. I bet they’ll celebrate with food.
Oh what a night!
This is the #YegSwap debrief and recap. So, if you were there (thanks for coming) let me know if I forget to mention something, please tell us your own thoughts about the night, and let me know if there are blog posts/photos/video out there I haven’t linked to. Also, tell us if you still love your new stuff or if you’ve already got swapper’s remorse.
Also, before I forget, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you to our volunteers (We love you!), our musicians, The ARTery (which we need to talk about more at a future date), and thanks from me to the other organizers.
I want it all! (Photo: Mack D. Male)
I’m going to say, even though it was said a bunch of times (including when Scott and Adam introduced our final act of the night, The Joe), that the 1st annual #YegSwap was a success.
This was an event put on by The League of Extraordinary Media, which (right now) includes this blog, the podcasts The Unknown Studio and User Created Content, and TrueBritl.com, a blog by iNews880′s Twitter star, Brittney Le Blanc. To quickly sum up what The League is all about: our blogs and podcasts have joined forces to take our Edmonton-related musings into the real world. Mayhaps there will be cross-posting of content too. Hey, we’ve got to compete with the “real” media, you know.
the edmontonian‘s co-founder, Sally, and Brittney thought a swap meet would be a good time. That this idea came about after an afternoon of home shopping channel viewing is somehow relevant.
I was, of course, on board right away. Not only could it be fun, it could be a way to join together some of Edmonton’s online “newsrooms.” And pay homage to a local community cable show so enjoyed by myself in my Toronto days.
We were fortunate enough to land some amazing musical talent for the night. I do not know where a lineup like this will be heard for a mere $2. (more…)
#Yeg Swap is on the air
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(Media box above should be streaming you all the #Yeg Swap fun. If not, try refreshing your browser.)
It’s too bad you haven’t made your way down to The ARTery for #Yeg Swap yet. We’re going until about 11 tonight.
We’ve got lots of swapping going on.
Not that kind of swapping.
And as you should be able to see above (it might just need a refresh of your browser) we’re showing you what you’re missing.
It’s also a chance for us to test live streaming. Because we never know when we might need it.
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#Yeg Swap
@ The ARTery (9535 Jasper Avenue)
7 – 11 pm
Bring your swappable items. Books, CDs, shoes, bomber jackets, Simon and Garfunkel albums, snowboards, whatever.
Music by Lyra Brown, The Mystery Ponies and The Joe.
Yeg Swap and other events
Here's how the swap meet portion of #Yeg Swap will go down. The music and fun will just happen naturally.
If you didn’t know what I was going to open this week’s events listing with, you just haven’t been paying attention.
March 20 means #YegSwap over at The ARTery. 7pm. Until the fun ends.
We’ve got you bringing some cool stuff, that for some reason you just don’t want anymore (don’t tell me who did what on top of it). You’ll be trading that with other people in our super-efficient swap dome* and all the while you will be entertained by amazing Edmonton musicians Lyra Brown, The Mystery Ponies and The Joe.
And all for $2.
We’re basically paying you to come and have a great Saturday night.
One other thing worth mentioning, those musical acts are from three different genres. You don’t see a lot of that, outside of your iPod, so that could be worth the price of admission right there.
Alright, self-promotion aside, I’ll head over to ShareEdmonton and see if there’s anything else going on. But it probably won’t be as good as #Yeg Swap.
A neat event happening Saturday night (See, I’m not so biased I won’t mention other Saturday events.) is also a fundraiser. Out of Sight: A Sensory Experience is a “dining in the dark” meal, where a mask or sunglasses will limit your vision during the meal.
The Bounce is having a birthday party, their 5th.
Tonight (Friday) there’s an “Eeeeeeee…” inducing event at Best Buy Edmonton South, it’s a Twilight New Moon Launch Party.
It’s Randy Couture night at the Edmonton Rush game.
Here’s an interesting one from the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues; Green Projects to Empower your Community. It comes with wine and cheese.
The Edmonton Boat & Sportsmen’s Show is a sign of spring, right?
There’s a rally for public services at the Alberta Legislature Saturday. After that, you should come to #YegSwap.
Naked on Jasper (it’s a cybercafe you pervs) is hosting the Busker’s Ball tonight. It’s got a great lineup of people you’ve probably seen at other venues and actually busking.
There’s some Postdata happening at Brixx Friday night.
The Pawn Shop has a great show Sunday, with Jay Malinowski of Bedouin Soundclash, Kinnie Starr and Michael Rault.
I mentioned the coming latin passion in my review of an Edmonton Symphony Orchestra show back here, but this weekend is “Musica Latina.” Which is sure to set your hips a-swaying.
Oh, and The Fashion Event is back, for your spring shopping needs, over at the Mayfield Inn & Suites.
And tickets are now on sale for St. Albert’s International Children’s Festival.
Whew!
p.s. #Yeg Swap is being put on by The League of Extraordinary Media, which is our new group of Edmonton super-hero bloggers and podcasters. In the battle between good and evil, choose local.
*There’s no swap dome. I only said that to increase your interest.
Weekend Fun
Rocket sleds eh?
Looks like WinterLight is going out with a bang. It’s been a fun way to embrace our long, dark season.
Actually, looking at this weekend there are quite a few fun things happening. And you know I’m turning to ShareEdmonton to load us up with the good stuff.
Ooh, there’s the Grilled Cheese Olympics! That’s happening Sunday.
If you’ve got kids you might be checking out the Mom, Pop & Tots Fair, over at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
The circus is in Edmonton.
Edmonton gets to shine on the TED stage this Saturday, with TEDxEdmonton. It’s happening over at the TransAlta Arts Barns. Tickets were highly sought-after and are likely out of your hands, but there is an after-party. Plus, you can watch all the TEDx action online.
The 2010 Edmonton Golf Show clearly has to mean it’s almost, really spring.
If you’ve got the spirit why not check out the Alberta Cheerleading Association’s Total Spirit Championship over at West Edmonton Mall.
That dog is a better painter than me.
Our friends over at Tailz passed along an interesting event; HART’s “Pawsitively Painted,” which is a dog art auction. That’s art BY the dogs. Really.
And you’d be helping out other dogs in need. Aww…
Over at our new favourite venue, The ARTery, you’ve got Kate Maki playing Sunday.
Gee…I wonder why The ARTery would be our new favourite…could it be because we’ll be part of #yegswap next weekend? Probably.
Actually, it’s shaping up to be quite a fun night.
You will bring some cool stuff that you just got bored with, or don’t have space for, and I will do the same. We will throw it all onto a giant table and pick up some new things. So, not only are you going to get some of your spring cleaning done, you’re going to get sweet new stuff to play with, and for almost free.
Oh, and next Saturday, while you’re hanging out with some of your favourite Edmonton bloggers and podcasters, you can listen to great local music from Lyra Brown, The Mystery Ponies and The Joe.
Have a great weekend.
See you next weekend. (Wow, I’m getting pushy.)
It’s the weekend so let your hair down
Oh, and I don't want to brag or anything, but you should probably put this little baby in your calendar right now. I'll see you there in 2 weeks.
Let your hair down? What?! Who event talks like that?
I’ll try and up my hipster-era lingo throughout the rest of this post.
You can haz events.
Actually there are a few cool things going down this weekend in the Y-E-G.
First things first, let’s dig into the ShareEdmonton goody bag and see what we pull out.
Ooh…an Oilers game. Do people still go to those? For fun?
ShareEdmonton’s got a lot of Edmonton Public Library events, and I keep seeing this one, about gaming for teens. It’s cool that the library isn’t just about books anymore, and kids have a place to go do something fun instead of joining a gang.
You don’t hve much time left to RSVP for the Open City Workshop, but it’s a neat idea bringing developers, city staff and other people together to talk about what kinds of government information should be open and available, and what could be done with it (like build an iPhone app, or write an in-depth news story).
MacEwan University is hosting an open house, Saturday. Just don’t ask them about the pool.
If you want to drive out to Elk Island National Park there’s a Star Party. Take in the night sky without all of the city’s light pollution.
Then, you’ve got Pre/Post, The Consonance and The Madhatters playing Saturday night at the Pawnshop.
A band you might have heard of is playing the Shaw Conference Centre Sunday.
Or perhaps you want to check out the Newfoundland Screech Comedy from the Rock Tour, at the Kingsway Ramada? Yeah, I thought you might.
Lotsa Edmonton
We got a note a few weeks back about a new video made for local rapper The Joe‘s “You’re Cool.”
Check it out and dig all that Edmonton in there.
Also, have a great weekend why don’t you.
The Joe's new album is Ut Oh.
