June 2009 Archives

Austin, Texas born roots-pop singer-songwriter Rhett Miller is about to embark on an endless trail of promotion to support his excellent new self-titled record which hit stores on June 9.

In addition to being a solo artist, Miller is also the vocalist-guitarist for the Old 97's, a group which has earned cult-status fame among Americana music fans. His solo work stands apart from the 97's if only due to the poppy edge brought to many of these songs. And while his new record maintains that pop edge, there are some gloomy undertones and lyrics to be found among the dozen tracks on the record.

When Miller set sail to make his new record, he had envisioned it as being a stripped down, acoustic record. But in the first 20 seconds of the record's first track Nobody Says I Love You Anymore, it is clear that the all-acoustic vision which preceded the record didn't end up becoming a reality.

"I'll be the first to admit that my finished product is rarely anything like I imagine it being in my head," Miller laughs from his home in New York. "The move from this record being an acoustic record into the one it became wasn't a conscious thing at all; as the record progressed, it just grew into the record it became.

"The real turning point when the record became what it is, is when John Dufilho from Apples in Stereo got behind his drums. He's a monster but he is not a muscle drummer by any means," Miller explains. "John came into the studio, listened to the songs and ultimately helped dictate how the songs ended up."

Miller goes on to say that some of the songs he expected to be album tracks (or the non-singles) ended up being some of the strongest and his favorite songs on the record once Dufilho added his touch to them.

"Take a song like Nobody Says I Love You Anymore and you've got a song that is a waltz but is set to these John Bonham-sized drums. To watch things like that happen while making this record was incredible."

The darker tones to Miller's new record partly stem from the death of his grandmother as well as that of his hero, author David Foster Wallace. Wallace committed suicide in September 2008 and though the two had never met, his influence on Miller was deep:

"I read all of his works, with the exception of Infinite Jest; it was just way too much for me to digest," he says. "And it is funny as over the years, I had often considered reaching out to him to see if he would be interested in somehow collaborating and maybe do a video together or something like that ... Obviously, I'll never have the chance now."

In addition to having a new record ready to promote, Miller is getting set to launch a unique tour with his pals the Old 97's. The tour set-up is unique in that both Miller and Old 97 band mate Murry Hammond are opening the show with individual acoustic sets before the whole band unites on stage to play a full-on set of Old 97's material.

The tour dates with the 97's runs through to the start of August after which time Miller is going to be heading out with his band for a headlining tour.

Miller also spoke of a potential couple of big tours that are in the works for him.

""¦But I can't say who the tours are with," he says, his smile palpable through the phone. "I definitely don't want to jeopardize anything by saying anything more than that."

With a record as strong as his latest in his arsenal, we have a feeling that Miller isn't bound to remain an opening act much longer.

Rhett Miller's new record is in stores now as well as through the usual online music e-tailers like iTunes and Amazon.

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Long-running Canadian roots-rock band Blue Rodeo is returning to New Brunswick with a one-off show in Miramichi on Friday June 26.

Blue Rodeo singer/guitarist Greg Keelor recently checked in from his management's offices in Toronto and had much to say about the band's March 2008 trip to Afghanistan: "It was an eye-opener to be there. Once we arrived, it felt like a much bigger war than what news outlets ever let on that it was. It was amazing to go and play for the troops and be good will ambassadors."

Keelor says that the jobs which the soldiers are tasked with are not necessarily easy nor differ a whole lot from day to day. According to Keelor, this ended up giving everyone who went on the trip an even greater appreciation for the work being done by our Canadian troops.

"Most of the people at the base in Kandahar are support staff covering fields like communication and transportation. Those soldiers and personnel go to work and do the same thing, seven days a week which I'm sure has to be monotonous, so it was a real pleasure to be able to give them a little something different to look forward to."

While the band was overseas, they teamed up with some NHL Old Timer Hockey Players to take part in a ball hockey game against the Canadian Forces Soldiers. The ball hockey game proved to be extremely popular with the soldiers stationed there, with over 200 soldiers having signed up hoping to make the final cut of the Forces team.

As for what the group is up to nowadays, Keelor reports that Blue Rodeo is currently in the studio, recording their twelfth studio record. For their newest record, the band is working with Producer Darryl Neudorf who has worked on records by Neko Case, Sarah McLachlan and Justin Rutledge to name a few.

"All of the songs are written," Keelor divulges, "and we are half-way through recording. We are splitting our time recording between my farm and our studio in the city."

Keelor says that the band has a date of October 2009 penciled in for the record's release with the inevitable Canadian winter tour to follow soon after.

Fans of Blue Rodeo will definitely want to check out what will most likely be their only provincial appearance this year on Friday June 26 at the Miramichi Culture Fest, taking place at the MiramichiAgricultural Exhibition Association located at 24 Church Street. For information on the show and support acts, visit www.miramichifest.com.

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Halifax indie rockers Dog Day are wrapping up their Canadian tour with a show in Moncton on Friday June 26. The group has been on the road in support of their newest record Concentration (their second full-length) which hit stores in April.

 

Dog Day began in 2005 as a recording project for Seth Smith's folk-oriented songs following the demise of his former band, The Burdocks. Soon after, he was joined by Nancy Urich (also of The Burdocks) and KC Spidle & Crystal Thili of hardcore act The Hold. This line-up led Smith's songs down a more punk-influenced path of power-chords and one-note leads.

Their debut LP Night Group earned the band accolades from Billboard and Spin Magazine while the group toured relentlessly through Canada, the US and Europe. Their extensive tour schedule ended up playing a significant part in shaping their newest record.

"Touring definitely had an influence on this record. I remember we wrote 'Rome' in Italy after a wild euro-dance party the night before," says front man Seth Smith. "You're exposed to a lot of different music on the road that you may not normally hear. I think it helped us have a fresh perspective going into the recording."

The bulk of Dog Day's new record was recorded in the fall of 2008 in their own studio in Halifax. Once the group completed the basic tracking for Concentration, they decamped to Water Music Recorders in Hoboken, New Jersey to finish the record with producer John Agnello who has worked on records by artists such as Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth and Redd Kross.

"John had an open window of two weeks and liked the material so off we went. Everything he did was great; he's got great taste and is a total pro. The band had spent a lot of time with these songs and I think it helped to have him take things over with a fresh ear. He had a knack of finding the charm of a song and expanding on it. We had a pretty clear vision of what sounds we were looking for going in and he really helped us nail it."

Each of Concentration's 11 songs are draped in shadow and melody, ranging from driving hooks of "Wait it Out" to the melancholic calm of "Rome." Concentration sees the band weave together a sound perfect for dancing with the skeletons in the closet.

Dog Day's upcoming Moncton show brings their Canadian tour to a close. While on the road across the country, the band had the pleasure of playing seven dates with Moncton's own Julie Doiron.

"We love touring with Julie and company; I really feel like we're family now. Julie and her band sounded really good this tour, a really rocking band. The crowds were very enthusiastic and we had the chance to meet a lot of interesting people. It was rad."

The band has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Doiron and her cohorts in Moncton band Eric's Trip. The two bands toured together in the summer of 2008 and revisited the relationship this March when they recorded a four song EP with Rick White, including a song that White had written specifically for the band. These new songs will see release this summer on 7" vinyl by Divorce Records and digitally by Outside Music.

So could Dog Day one day ascent to be the indie rock kings and queens of the Maritimes? I suspect that the band would be too humble to accept such a title but they just might find themselves saddled with it none the less.

Dog Day will be performing at the Manhattan Bar & Grill in Moncton on Friday June 26. Also performing will be their special guests Thee Requiems and Purple Knight, the latter of whom is celebrating their 35th anniversary together! Admission to the show is $8 and is restricted to those 19 years of age and older.

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Rhett Miller is quietly building a powerful arsenal of solo work outside of the already excellent material he crafts with his band Old 97's. Although his newest record was made with the shadows of having lost his hero and grandmother lurking in the background, the twelve tracks here retain a certain amount of low-key optimism despite these circumstances: Opening tracks Nobody Says I Love You Anymore and Like Love start things off on the right foot with Miller exhibiting his usual clever blend of pop and roots music. The record is decidedly low key on a few occasions, most notably on Sometimes, Another Girlfriend and Bonfire, but given the circumstances around the record, these songs or the feelings behind them don't necessarily come as a surprise. 

This is a truly outstanding record; I highly recommend Rhett Miller as essential listening this summer.

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It's taken a long five years for Green Day to follow up their wildly successful American Idiot CD, which gave their career a renewed lease on life. All of these new tracks are undeniably Green Day. Many of them hold a similar spirit to those found on American Idiot and though there is nothing technically wrong with any of these songs, the record struck me as being a tad over ambitious and over thought at times.

Though the record ain't a full-fledged home run, 21st Century Breakdown definitely has its good moments to take note of. You just need to listen for those moments amongst some filler.

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The Beach Boys catalogue has been plundered countless times for compilations like Summer Love Songs. The compilation features six new stereo mixes of older songs and even though the collection falls back on standards like the fabulous Wouldn't It Be Nice, Surfer Girl, Help Me Rhonda and God Only Knows, there are a few additional tracks that help add weight to the collection as a whole: 

Our Sweet Love is a welcome addition; I always felt as though the track was one of the strongest on 1970's Sunflower. There is a Dennis Wilson track (the lushly orchestrated Fallin' In Love) which was previously unreleased while 1965's Good To My Baby highlights the awe-inspiring harmonies that the group was capable of.

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This coming weekend, the City of Fredericton officially throws its hat into the summer music festival ring with the inaugural FredRock festival.

While the City of Fredericton has built an incredible international reputation with the annual Harvest Blues and Jazz Festival, branching out to more mainstream acts was somewhat inevitable. The festival is offering music fans in Atlantic Canada to see veteran acts like The Black Crowes and Live alongside a healthy dose of Canadiana rock bands like Matt Mays, Fredericton's Age of Daze, The Respectables and Die Mannequin.

According to the festival website at www.fredrockfestival.com, the weekend should look something like this:

The festival gets underway with an indoor show at the Capitol Exhibition Centre on Friday June 19 with a slate of DJ's including DJ Noematus and Skratch Bastid spinning tunes. Doors at the exhibition centre open at 9 p.m. Friday evening.

Saturday June 20 is when the bigger names start rolling in to perform. Doors open at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon with She Roars slated to take the stage at 3:45 p.m. They are scheduled to be followed by Fall and Divide at 4:30 p.m. and Ross Neilsen and the Sufferin Bastards at 5:30 p.m. Quebec band The Respectables, currently invading radio stations everywhere with their Gordie Johnson-produced hit "Sugar" are slated to hit the stage at 6:30 p.m.; Halifax's Matt Mays takes the stage at 7:45 p.m., followed by Atlanta band The Black Crowes at 9:30 p.m..

The final day of the FredRock festival should play out as such: Doors open at 2 p.m. with The Nancies on stage at 3:15 p.m. Futures Past is up at 4 p.m. with BM Linx at 4:45 p.m. Toronto band Die Mannequin, who have shared the stage with both Guns N Roses and Sum 41 in the past, take the stage at 5:45 p.m. Fredericton's own Age of Daze hit the stage at 6:45 p.m. while Pennsylvania rock band Live will close the weekend off, starting at 8:30 p.m. Sunday evening.

Saturday night's performance by The Black Crowes will be the first time they are performing in New Brunswick in almost two decades since they stormed charts worldwide with their gritty, southern rock n roll. The band's most recent studio record Warpaint was released last year after a seven year absence from the studio. The even more recently release Warpaint Live features the band performing their newest record in its entirety along with some carefully selected cover songs before a thrilled Los Angeles crowd.

Since rising to fame in the mid 1990s with their sophomore record Throwing Copper, Live have continued making and releasing records. Their newest record is also a live effort, "Live - At The Paradiso Amsterdam"; a CD/DVD set which also features two new songs from the group.

Fredericton band Age of Daze will take the stage just prior to Live on Sunday evening, much to the delight of their hometown fans. FredRock Festival organizer Mike Babineau says that the organizers were flooded with e-mails from fans asking if the band would be performing at the festival.

"We weren't able to confirm Age of Daze appearance at the festival until just a couple of weeks ago. Their schedule is pretty packed and we are very happy that we were able to add them into the lineup of the festival."

After Age of Daze appearance at the FredRock festival, the band has shows scheduled with bands such as Theory Of A Deadman, Billy Talent, Collective Soul and Hinder in their sights.

But with concerts from AC/DC, Paul McCartney and Kiss are all slated for Atlantic Canada music fans over the next two months; it is a stark reality that consumers only have so much disposable income to go around; some are worried the even bigger names being featured elsewhere later in the summer could affect the final attendance count at FredRock.

However according to Babineau, things are right on track for meeting their expectations:

"We are pretty happy with the way things have been going in terms of ticket sales," Babineau says. "We feel that there is a good buzz around the Maritimes leading up to the show. We have gotten a lot of e-mails from people planning on traveling to Fredericton who are looking for places to stay.

"We are close to where we want to be in terms of sales and are optimistic for a large walk up crowd once the weekend arrives."

The Exhibition Centre isn't going to be the only place to catch bands over the course of the weekend though. Venues throughout Fredericton like Crumbs Café, Nicky Zee's, The Capital Bar and Sweetwaters are playing host to bands and artists like 16th Avenue, Awake By Sunday and Ashley George.

Even with such a great lineup of talent scheduled to play over the course of the weekend, 2009 will prove to be a testing ground of sorts for the FredRock Festival. Babineau acknowledges that the show's promoters are anxious to see how this year's festival goes before deciding how to proceed in the future.

"We will sure see how this year turns out. After the weekend is over and the dust has settled, we will then look at next year. We would like to make the FredRock festival an annual event; we truly feel that Fredericton should and can support this type of festival going forward."

With Moncton and Halifax both established concert centers in the sense of playing host to large scale draws and names, does Babineau believe that the population of the Maritimes can support the addition of new cities into the concert scene?

"Ultimately, we want to give Fredericton its own place within the rock concert scene in the Maritimes. We would love to keep the younger demographic here in the city to invest their money in local businesses," Babineau states matter-of-factly. "We've seen the positive impacts that the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival has brought to the city and we are keen to help contribute to the city's success."

The FredRock Festival runs from June 19 through 21. Complete details including ticket prices can be found on their website at www.fredrockfestival.com.

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Halifax rocker Matt Mays will be on stage in Fredericton this coming weekend as a part of the FredRock festival. Mays is performing alongside The Black Crowes and The Respectables and others on Saturday June 20 at the Capital Exhibit Centre and Raceway.

The band's most recent record Terminal Romance hit stores last July and in typical Matt Mays fashion, he and his backing group have toured Canada relentlessly.

According to Mays, the group has been building their following in the US as well.

"The Northeast US is particularly good to us. We do well in centers like New York and Philadelphia but for Terminal Romance, we haven't done too much in the way of touring the US to date," he says. "Terminal Romance was released in the States last winter and given the fact that it's not really the most ideal time to tour, we did tour there a little bit but decided to give touring a bit of a break."

It was on this short American tour that their touring festivities ground to an abrupt halt when a death in one of the band member's families caused them to retreat home to the Maritimes for some downtime. But according to Mays, the unfortunate circumstances actually proved to be a blessing of sorts, even in such negative circumstances.

"We had a quick meeting to determine where to go from there and I had decided it was probably best for us to take a break. And in retrospect, it was the best thing that we could have done," Mays says confidently.

"I can't quite pinpoint the reason why but I just had a gut feeling that we should end that tour then and there. The time off gave us time to reassess what everyone in the band does which is valuable. We're all such good friends in the band; I just want everyone to be happy with their role."

Mays speaks highly of those he plays and has played with but understands the lure of the road can become less appealing, especially as some band finds new responsibilities entering their lives:

Long-time Mays drummer Tim Jim Baker stepped away from the band just prior to the end of 2008 to spend more quality time with his child (and has another child on the way soon, Mays said). Another band member just simply wanted to get off the road.

These are the trials and tribulations a musician gets to deal with. It's not all bad news though:

The vacancies left behind by the departing band members have allowed a couple of Mays cohorts from his days with The Guthries to step up and fill those positions, something Mays is thrilled about. But with only a scattering of dates between now and the end of the summer, what can fans expect from Mays and company in the fall and beyond?

"I've been working on a really great set list for these upcoming shows we've got scheduled," he confirms. "I'm also constantly working on new songs."

"I fully expect we will attack the US some more come the fall. I'd love to have another record out fairly soon but at the same token, I don't want to get ahead of myself. I feel that Terminal Romance has some life left in it still."

Matt Mays is appearing on Saturday June 20 at the Fredrock Festival as one of the opening acts for The Black Crowes. Complete show and festival details are available at www.fredrockfestival.com.

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Melodic rock band Live are headed to New Brunswick this weekend to close out Fredericton's FredRock Festival this coming Sunday night.

Since vaulting to stardom in the mid-1990s, the group has captured people's hearts with hits like "I Alone", "Overcome" and "Lightning Crashes". With worldwide record sales of over 20 million, they have often been compared to heavyweights such as U2 and Sting while also earning the respect of current generations of musicians like hard rocker Daughtry.

The group's Fredericton show is their only Atlantic Canadian appearance and only one of four Canadian dates the group is slated to play before wrapping up their current tour towards the end of July.

When Live front man Ed Kowalczyk recently checked in with [here] Magazine from his home in California, he said that Live are looking forward to their upcoming New Brunswick show.

"I am looking forward to getting out there. Live has been going out on small tours with dates here and there but we haven't undertaken any widespread touring this year."

Among the dates currently on schedule are a handful of solo shows for Kowalczyk which are spread between the US and Europe. Those solo shows are merely the tip of the iceberg, however.

"It has been a creative year for me personally," he says. "I've been busy writing material for my solo record and am just really taking it month to month and day to day."

Kowalczyk then confirms that he is at the half-way point of writing a still untitled solo record with a still undetermined release date.

"All the songs I write start on the acoustic guitar," he explains. "I've always done acoustic style shows for promotional purposes with Live but this year, I decided to start to do full solo shows and really explore those smaller venues and connect with the audience on a more intimate level. I've been having a great time doing it, even with the venues slowly getting larger and larger."

Live's most recent release is the live CD/DVD combo "Live At The Paradiso "" Amsterdam" and was released via independent label Vanguard. Kowalczyk said that the live record was a one-off deal with the label and is excited about the prospects of looking at options to release his solo record.

"I am really enjoying the freedom of going project to project with no real deadlines to meet. I've been associated with major labels for the bulk of my career and love the openness I have available to me now," he admits. "There are so many possibilities and options out there now that weren't available to artists as recent as 10 years ago. I am really looking forward to how I can use the web and get music to the fans without having to worry about meeting a deadline that was set for me by somebody else."

Those looking to stay updated with Kowalczyk as he performs and ramps up work on his solo album can stay current with him at www.eddieklive.com. A quick browse of the website shows a batch of video blogs, written blogs in addition to offering visitors a free MP3 download of one of his songs. He also promises that audio "bootlegs" of his solo shows will be made available on the site.

Don't miss what could be one of Live's last shows in quite some time when they play the FredRock Festival in the New Brunswick Capital City this weekend. Details including ticket prices can be found online at www.fredrockfestival.com.

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If you have been anywhere near a radio in the past few weeks, there is a very good chance you've already had a chance to hear Quebec band The Respectables ever-growing hit "Sugar". The song is spreading like wildfire, combining a distinct Black Crowes style of southern rock n roll with the swagger of the Rolling Stones which makes many think that bigger success might not be far off in the distance for the group.

That brings us around to Sweet Mama; their latest record and the band's first for Universal Music Canada. According to affable vocalist and rhythm guitarist Sebastien Plante, the new record feels like a rebirth in some ways even though the group is approaching 20 years together.

"Sweet Mama is our first truly produced effort as well as being our first record for Universal. To be completely honest with you, it is the record we have wanted to make for years. We're also very lucky that we're getting such a great response so far; it is such a great feeling at this point in our career. It is great to have another shot at success."

Helping the group work towards achieving their vision was producer Gordie Johnson, formerly of Big Sugar and current leader of Grady. Plante has nothing but the highest regard for Johnson:

"We have become really great friends with Gordie. He brought a lot of great ideas to the table while we were making the record and he also helped ensure that my lyrics were proper since English it is my second language," Plante says.

Sweet Mama was recorded partially in Montreal before the band relocated the proceedings to Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios in Texas. While in Texas, a very special guest stopped by the studio to lend his chops to the record.

And no, it wasn't Nelson himself who dropped in, although Plante admits that the band would have loved to have met the legend.

It turned out to be former Small Faces member Ian McLagan who added piano and organ to four of the tracks on Sweet Mama, including "Sugar". Plante's enthusiasm at the mere mention of McLagan's name has him buzzing down the phone line from Montreal.

"We were talking one day about who we could get to come in and play the keys on short notice. At one point, Gordie casually says 'Let me make a call' and a short time later Ian comes in. It was so amazing!"

Don't miss your chance to catch The Respectables at one of their two upcoming shows in the province. They will be performing at the newly opened Moncton Ale House at 841 Main Street, Moncton on Thursday June 18. They are also playing in Fredericton, taking the stage at the FredRock Festival at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday June 20.

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Halifax native Melanie Doane is hitting the road to continue promotion on her latest record, A Thousand Nights, with an amazing 10 shows scattered throughout the Maritimes over the next couple of weeks. Included among those dates are two New Brunswick shows: Doane is playing the Capitol Theatre in Moncton on Wednesday June 24 while she visits The Blue Olive in Saint John on Friday June 26.

Multi-instrumentalist Doane has had a fruitful career to date, releasing five studio records as well as one live record. Doane has been fortunate enough to experience life as both a major label artist as well as that of an independent artist. Her first album Harvest Train was self-released where for her next two records, she was on board with Sony Music Canada. Those records (Shakespearean Fish & Adam's Rib) help provide exposure to Doane on a national level, with the latter record achieving Gold sales status in Canada for over 50,000 units sold.

"I enjoyed my years with Sony very much," Doane says. "I got the benefit of a big company getting behind my music and it was all very exciting. For now though, I love being in control of every aspect of my music and using the various resources I have available to have a really fun time with it."

Aside from her own career, Doane keeps busy writing and performing with others. She counts herself as a member of actor Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band and has toured Canada both on her own as well as with Barney Bentall and the Bluebird North concert series. Doane has also had her songs featured on hit TV shows like "Flashpoint" and "Brothers and Sisters". Keeping Doane's calendar full doesn't seem to be an issue.

Among the many shows she is slated to play here in Atlantic Canada are a couple of dates at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso, Nova Scotia. Doane's upcoming appearances at the festival are fitting, as she shares familial ties with the late folk singer:

"Stan was my cousin. It was really great to grow up with a 'famous cousin' and know that it was possible to be a songwriter in this world. I recall him being at our house a few different times when I was a young kid. His Mom and Dad are who I know best and I mostly remember my big sister and parents coming home elated after his concerts."

With a seemingly constant full plate of activity and a rich musical heritage running in her blood, Melanie Doane could very well be destined for the same infamy which her cousin has found as time goes on. If you're interested in checking out Melanie's concert in either Moncton or Saint John, details are available online at Melanie's site at www.melaniedoane.com.

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One part Hanson, one part Cheap Trick, one part Smashing Pumpkins and one part Fountains of Wayne. Put 'em all together and you get Tinted Windows, a band that mines familiar pop and power-pop territory with expected sugary results.

Elvis Costello's previous record Momofuku as well as this newest effort were written, recorded and released in a rather quick fashion. Costello opts to wear his folk-roots-country hat this time around; the results aren't always up to snuff though.

Costello's last few records have been excellent through and through so I have no problem affording him some slack on this newest one. The not-so-great songs aren't all together awful  they just don't quite measure up to what fans might expect.

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Hailing from Minneapolis are the wonderful musical chameleons known as The Honeydogs. The band has a tendency to vary musical styles often within the same record, but the six-song Sunshine Committee EP is somewhat of an exception to this rule. 

Starting with the decidedly Exile-era Rolling Stones title track, the track is great as they haven't already over-done the straight-forward rock and roll bit. The same could be said for Balaclava and the funky Stash while the addition of organ and horns to Levers, Pulleys & Pumps end up being a great way to wrap the EP up.

My only complaint about Sunshine Committee is that it could be four or five songs longer. Another solid effort from this highly underrated band.

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I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Harper who was born on Tuesday June 2. She is the second child for my wife Tanya and I and we couldn't feel any more lucky!

This photo of Harper and her big brother Jack was taken when she was 6 days old.

Despite what economists are telling us, the 2009 summer concert season in the province of New Brunswick is gearing up for what could possibly be one of the busiest in the past decade.

Here is your guide to shows and festivals taking place throughout the province of New Brunswick this summer:

The fourth annual Maritime Countryfest gets underway in Fredericton, starting on June 11 and running through until June 14. Acts scheduled to appear include Moncton's The Divorcees, 1755, Neon Highway as well as comedian Jimmy Flynn. Details can be found online at www.maritimecountryfest.com.

The weekend of June 20 and 21 will be a busy one in the province's capital city with the Black Crowes and Live headlining the city's FredRock Festival. Also appearing through the course of the weekend are Matt Mays & El Torpedo, The Respectables and Die Mannequin. It is all going down at the Capital Exhibit Center and Raceway on Smythe Street. Tickets range in price from $45 for a single day pass to $69.99 to attend both days. Consult www.fredrockfestival.com for more information.

Moving to the Miramichi, Blue Rodeo will be making their inaugural visit here at the end of June. They will be playing at the Miramichi Exhibition Grounds on Friday June 26 with guests including Matt Minglewood, George Belliveau and McGinty. Doors for the show open at 2:00 pm and things get under way at 3:00. Tickets for the show can be bought for $73.45 each and are available online at www.ticketweb.ca

The very next day in Moncton, Bon Jovi are going to be holding court over the Magnetic Hill Music Festival Summer Kick Off. Tickets for the show are selling respectably well at $131.75 a piece and are available for purchase online at tickets.moncton.ca. Please note that all taxes and service charges are included in that ticket price. Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings of The Guess Who fame will be opening the show, as will Canuck rockers State of Shock.

Salty Jam is returning to rock, pop and roll its way through Saint John this summer, running July 9 through 11 at various venues through the city. Acts slated to appear include Newmarket's Tokyo Police Club, Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees as well as Montreal's Black Diamond Bay. Consult www.saltyjam.ca for complete details on what is certain to be a great festival.

Australian rockers AC/DC are bringing their Black Ice World Tour to Magnetic Hill in Moncton on Thursday August 6. Ticket sales have surpassed the 60,000 mark and by all estimates, this will probably be the first show since the Rolling Stones in 2005 to sell out the Hill. The Thursday show date is a bit of an oddity but when you can land a band of AC/DC's caliber, you take what you can get. By my estimates, there is going to be a lot of people calling in sick to work the day after the show.

John Prine is a legend in the folk-rock world and is headed to the province for shows in Fredericton (August 17) and Saint John (August 18). According to his website, the Fredericton date is already sold out so if you hope to catch him at the Imperial Theatre in Saint John, you'd best be advised to pick up your tickets soon!

It should go without saying that money doesn't grow on trees; at least not in my backyard. Picking and choosing which shows to attend while on a budget can be a tricky predicament so if your funds are limited, I would highly recommend prioritizing shows based on the likelihood of seeing the acts in question return.

After having seen them in concert ten times in the past 15 years, I can safely say that Blue Rodeo is a good bet and wise investment for fans and non-fans alike. The group has a deep selection of hits they run through in concert and are truly one of Canada's best live bands.

I have had the fortune (or misfortune, depending on your point of view) of seeing Bon Jovi live on two occasions and have to admit that they put on a great live show. According to Billboard Magazine, Bon Jovi had the highest grossing tour of the year ending 2008, grossing a hefty $210 million, playing to over two million people over 99 shows.

Reports and reviews from the AC/DC Black Ice tour shows to date have been nothing less than stellar. I can almost guarantee that AC/DC won't be touring around these parts again any time soon. Given the fact that the band tours infrequently as is and that their show in Moncton is one of only seven in all of Canada, I truly think this is a once in a lifetime chance to see these Aussie rockers in Atlantic Canada.

However you choose to spend your entertainment dollars this summer, be sure that you are prepared as to what is accepted and not accepted at the various shows and venues, especially the outdoor festivals.

Most importantly, get out there and have a good time!

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Moncton musician Mel Keith has been an integral part of the local music scene over the past decade and on June 9 her newest CD, Mel Keith and The Strombachs is hitting stores nationwide.

One of the first items to note about Keith is the change in her band name. Over the past few years, she has performed under her own name as well as that of The Strombachs. It was a cross-Canada tour she undertook solo which was billed as The Strombachs everywhere she went that prompted the name change.

 

"On many dates of that tour, I would show up to Venue X to play a show by myself and the promoters would more or less be looking for my band," she laughs. "And here in the Maritimes, I play a lot of solo shows, so adding my name in conjunction with that of The Strombachs made sense."

The last record Keith was involved in was in 2004 with songwriting partner Robin Anne Ettles. The duo named themselves The Ettles-Keith Project.

The CD Imitating Hercules was a collection of eclectic songs which were pitched to film and television with some pleasant success: One of the tracks off of that CD as well as one of the songs on the newest disc were placed in surf videos with a production company based out of Australia.

So here we are five years later and Keith is finally getting around to releasing her sophomore record. It's been a long journey for her though.

"I went into the studio and made my record but when we arrived at the mixing stage," she explains, "the engineer had determined that the tracks weren't usable.

"We spent a lot of time trying to make things work and get the situation resolved without having to spend a lot of money rerecording everything. But ultimately, it couldn't be resolved and we more or less ended up having to scrap that record."

Scrapping a record isn't something you hear of often, especially in the world of independent artists. To boot, the scrapped sessions had received grant funding from the Province of New Brunswick, making the situation that much more bitter to swallow.

To Keith's credit though, she doesn't seem bitter about the situation.

"I truly believe that everything happens for a reason," she explains, "and having the opportunity to make the record a second time was good in a few different respects.

"The most noticeable difference between the two recordings is that the first time around, the record had a pop-rock type of vibe to it. When it came time to record again though, it was more of an Americana vibe running through the songs."

Having been described as a meld of Sheryl Crow and Lucinda Williams, the Americana tag suits Keith well, especially since she is the first to admit that she is inclined to write pop-songs first and foremost.

"When we started making the record again, many of the songs had slightly morphed and evolved from the versions we made the first time around," she says. "Ultimately, it helped me find my own sound, so maybe it was all for the best."

"When I realized that the record was going to be delayed, there was a huge sense of panic," Keith admits, but as time progressed, I realized that I was the one making myself panic.

"Then I worried about the songs sounding dated by the time the record was going to eventually come out and again, I had to take a step back and just be confident that the songs would sound as good two years down the road as they did then."

Ettles produced the artist's new record, wrote one of the songs and co-wrote another track.

She was a most valuable contributor, says Keith, playing all the instruments on the record except for the drums, which were recorded by Al Bourgeois.

"Robin Anne did a stellar job with this record; her guitar solo on 'Don't Walk Away' is fantastic! And I can't say enough about her patience with this project given the delays we faced," Keith says.

Back in February of this year, Keith attended the East Coast Music Awards in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Although Keith admits the environment there is right for the musician who is simply looking to party it up all weekend, she had her battle plan drawn up prior to hitting The Rock.

"Once you decide what you want to get out of the ECMA weekend, it can be a very useful resource," she says.

"I had planned on doing a whole lot of networking and handshaking and that became a reality for me this past year.

"I made a lot of great contacts that I'm in touch with regularly; I also had the luck of being at the right place at the right time on more than one occasion which turned out to be a huge benefit."

Keith's schedule is about to pick up significantly with some touring around the Maritimes this summer and also has a major showcase opportunity coming up with Contact East this coming fall.

Contact East assembles talent buyers from all over Canada, the U.S. as well as the U.K.

Keith and the Strombachs were one of only 45 showcase applicants who had applied for a showcase who are actually receiving one. To be picked to showcase among 200 applications has as much to do with the strong material she brings to the table as it does luck.

This good fortune is not lost on Keith

"I'm thrilled for the opportunity!"

Promotional efforts for the record are starting to ramp up as well. Keith already has one video from the record completed; You Shine was shot and directed by Colleen Furlotte at Moncton's Capitol Theatre while plans are in the works to shoot a video for Don't Walk Away soon.

And as far as Keith is concerned, she has got all the time in the world to promote her new record.

"The record has been so long in the making," she says.

"I will be happy to have it out and grateful for every opportunity we have come our way. Long gone are the days of records having a limited shelf-life."

Limited shelf-life need not be a concern of Keith's. These songs will stand the test of time well and are bound to bring her success, whether it be one month after the record's release or one year.

After all, good things do come to those who wait.

The Mel Keith and The Strombachs CD is on Keith's own MerleSong Records, distributed by Fontana North/Universal Music Canada and is being launched by the band Thursday June 11 at the Empress Theatre, located behind the Capitol Theatre on Main Street in Moncton.

There's a parking lot behind the Capitol and the Empress entrance is off adjoining Robinson Court. Admission is free! The celebration runs from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Visit www.capitol.nb.ca for more information.

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Vancouver rock songstress Bif Naked has been out of the spotlight for the past few years but they have been anything but normal downtime for the artist.

After spending an almost solid two years on the road promoting her last record Superbeautifulmonster, Ms. Naked (nee Beth Torbert) married sports writer Ian Walker in Vancouver in September 2007.

The happy couple's wedding vows were almost immediately put to a test when in January 2008, Naked was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The fact that Naked is the epitome of health, working out regularly and leading a vegan lifestyle left her fans stunned once her diagnosis was made public.

But with her strong personality and determination to kick cancer's ass, Naked not only underwent treatment to battle the disease, she also did the (almost) unthinkable by starting to make a new record during the course of her treatment.

"I am still going through treatments for my cancer," Naked confirms, "but I was not going to let it stop me from making a new record. It was like, come hell or high water, I was getting a record made."

So in the midst of 17 rounds of chemotherapy treatment and radiation treatment through the fall of 2008, she found the strength to make a new record (The Promise), which was released on May 5.

"Overall, recording was a great experience," Naked shares. "We had a studio set up just up the road from where I live so I'd shuffle there in my slippers and give it all I had.

"Some days were great; I'd last all day without any problems and other days, I'd barely last an hour before I would have to return home."

Although I am certain that Naked did not lack perspective on what is important in life, her battle with cancer certainly helped deepen that understanding of the world around her.

"When I was in my 20s, I went to India to see where I was born and got a real perspective of the Third World," she says. "THAT changed me forever. But really, everyone has their own bag of shit they carry; everybody does.

"I truly feel bad for the people who walk around the world unaware. I think they are really missing out on thoroughly enjoying life and simple things like sharing an organic apple with their kids."

If there is one thing that is certain, it is that Naked is still firmly in control of her career.

Although her label has changed distribution homes on occasion, her label has now shacked up with Fontana North whose parent company is Universal Music Canada.

"My label has evolved and morphed and has allowed me to sustain my career all these years," she explains.

"It has been and always will be an artist driven endeavor. We've been really lucky in terms of the labels we have worked with in the past and are excited to now be a part of the Fontana world."

Her label, Her Royal Majesty Records, has evolved indeed and now finds itself amid the International Arts Music label, which is also home to rapper DMX and Canadian country star Jaydee Bixby.

Even with such gargantuan challenges behind her, she sounds as though she hasn't skipped a beat on her new record. The piss and vinegar that has played such an integral role in her songs looms largely in many of her new songs as well.

The enthusiastic tone of Naked's voice takes a very cute turn when talk turns to married life.

"I was diagnosed just a few weeks after my honeymoon and I will tell you, there is no better crash course for getting to know your spouse than going through a challenge like what we endured.

"Ian and I are best friends and I think my battle served as an integral part of deepening our relationship. I am so very happy that we were able to successfully navigate an illness like this and emerge with an even deeper bond."

Ken Kelley is a music reporter for [here] magazine. In conversation with ... is an ongoing feature chatting with some of North America's most relevant artists.

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Steve Earle has always held the late Townes Van Zandt in the highest of regards so it seems only fitting that the roots-rocker would dedicate himself to making a record of 15 Van Zandt's songs to commemorate the memory of his mentor. Earle fans will find him mining familiar territory on Townes, each of the songs rest comfortably in the country-roots-bluegrass vein although he does take minor detours through some of these tracks.

Lungs is an example of the detours not working so well; the original song itself is fantastic (as is Lyle Lovett's version) however the record scratching and giving Earle's vocals the "transistor radio" treatment here doesn't do the song any benefit. Indeed, the bulk of these songs work best when Earle stands back and just plays. To Live Is To Fly and Poncho and Lefty are standout simplistic acoustic tracks while the bluegrass treatment given to White Freight Liner Blues is divine. Townes is a strong record for Earle. Even though the songs don't belong to him, they help pay homage to one of the 20th century's best songwriters. And that's good enough for me.

 

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Ronnie James Dio teams up with his former Black Sabbath band mates Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler for their first record together since 1992's Dehumanizer. While they are avoiding the Black Sabbath name for legal reasons, the band name choice is a wise warning to fans: rather than be saddled with the expectations that come along with the Sabbath name, the group can stake out new if not unfamiliar territory under the Heaven & Hell moniker. Instead of necessarily trying to go toe-to-toe to compete with today's modern metal bands, H&H achieve a level of heaviness without having to rely on speed, outlandish vocals or extreme lyrical content. Because of this, songs like Eating The Cannibals, Double The Pain, Neverwhere and Atom and Evil end up coming across as far heavier than what most other bands are able to accomplish by resorting to more extreme measures.

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