Alabama Shakes

~ Boys and Girl ~Alabama Shakes combine myriad genres in their gritty, soulful rock

Originating in Athens, Alabama in 2009, Alabama Shakes was initially conceived by high school classmates singer-guitarist Brittany Howard and bassist Zac Cockrell. Soon the two joined forces with drummer Steve Johnson, guitarist Heath Fogg and keyboardist Ben Tanner, and earnestly began crafting their unique brand of gospel and blues-tinged garage rock.

“I don’t pay attention to what is popular at the moment, but I do think there is a yearning for something real after years of more processed music,” says Howard. “Our sound is influenced by so many different artists as we all listen to such a wide array of music it would probably shock you. I think that is what I like best about our band. But there is a common ground of bands with real energy and soul that have helped us sculpt our sound. You know, bands [and] artists like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Otis Redding, Drive-By Truckers, Charles Bradley, Tina Turner, and many, many others.”

Hurtling from relative obscurity to being nominated for three Grammy Awards for their 2013 debut full-length release Boys & Girls has been both rewarding and disruptive for the tight-knit quintet. Not surprisingly the comfort and support they receive from their hometown crowd still grounds Alabama Shakes and keeps them connected to their roots.

“My favourite venue is a place called Egans in Tuscaloosa, Alabama,” says Howard. “It’s a hole in the wall bar, but it’s the best because everyone there just wants to have a good time. It’s tiny, sweaty, and dark, and one of the first places we ever played. Unfortunately, we don’t get to play places like that anymore, but last November we did a secret show at Egans under a different name! It was so fun... we may have to do that again.”

For Howard and company, wistful memories of days gone by are counter-balanced by the anticipation of adventures yet to come. Acutely aware of the dangers inherent in acquiring fame and fortune in rapid succession, Alabama Shakes is in no rush when it comes to pushing out their next album. Instead, the band that merges Janis Joplin’s crashing urgency with Otis Redding’s easy wisdom is prepared to shake up this summer’s festival circuit and give folk music fans a reason to hang loose.

“We just try and have fun, we give it our all, and when the audience gives it back to us then things really get going and can create this whole circular energy vibe. “We are a rock ’n’ roll band, but are honoured to be embraced in any scene that appreciates what we are doing. We tend to bring a lot emotion and electricity to the live show. If you give us some love we will return it and we promise a good time where you can forget about your worries for a short while.”

by Christine Leonard


Originally published July 25, 2013 in Fast Forward Magazine

Video: Alabama Shakes - Always Alright (Live on SNL)

Carpenter nails it!

The rural advantage 

Carpenter harvest punk-infused rock anthems

Published July 4, 2013 by Christine Leonard


Despite making waves in the Vancouver post-punk sensation All State Champion for over 15 years, Ontario-born singer and guitarist Dan Sioui admits that he’s never considered himself to be a true West Coaster. Secretly fostering a special place in his heart for the grit of blue-collared bards like Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mellencamp for decades, the talented singer and guitarist decided the timing was right for a reunion with his musical upbringing.

Eschewing his former hardcore haunts, Sioui linked up with guitarist Ryan Howlett of Speaking of Heroes, and then bassist Dana Edwards and drummer JJ Heath of Daggermouth. By 2005, Sioui and company were working up a sweat in the Hive Studios (Pride Tiger, Black Mountain), labouring under the humble name of Carpenter.

“It was sort of strange getting into the vibe of a purely rock ’n’ roll feel,” says Sioui. “Taking on the challenge of emulating a blue-collar classic like American Fool was a complete 180 from the angular post-punk music I had become accustomed to. I know it threw a lot of people off, but I’ve been at it for so many years now that the response has grown into something much more positive.”

Shepherding his forays into folk, pop and rock beyond Vancouver’s cloudy comforts, Sioui ventured back to Ontario’s countryside to compose Carpenter’s bucolic 2010 offering, Sea to Sky.

“I bought a farm in Ontario off the Internet, so I could be closer to where I grew up while I was writing. As cheesy as it sounds, there’s a certain breadth and airiness about being under wide-open skies that allows me to leave the space within our songs. A lot of bands are afraid to let space happen.”

Compelled by the plight of independent farmers, Carpenter swiftly became a conduit for political outrage, effectively funneling Sioui’s ire for the corporate-based Agribusiness into every passionate track.

“As a band, we put a lot of work into writing songs that are effective in communicating big ideas in a simple way,” he says. ”Starting out I never could have imagined a scenario where I would have any political stance whatsoever through music, but I’m not the kind of person who stands by and watches while the little guy is getting squeezed in all industries. We understand the value of supporting our local producers and businesses. I guess it’s a bit of our punk-rock influence fighting through.”

Tasked with striking a balance while styling striking ballads, Carpenter has temporarily moth-balled plans to re-enter the studio, instead opting to embark on a summer tour. Rolling into Calgary just in time for Stampede 101, the East-meets-West hybrid, which has shared the stage with the likes of NoMeansNo, Attack in Black and Minus the Bear, plans to flush the seawater from their veins and replace it with a warm draught of Albertan rye.

“My ideal would be to combine JCM with Hüsker Dü,” says Sioui. “I may draw on roots rock, but I like to play it at an insane volume and fling my body around like a man obsessed. We have a like-minded crowd that knows it’s not a political rally, it’s more of a feeling of connection between band and audience. Every show is a celebration. It’s something that goes back to our hardcore roots, and in a weird way it’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

Vulcan, Alberta, Canada - Hosts Spock Days

SPOCK DAYS LIVE LONG

TREKKIE CONVENTION GOES INTO ORBIT WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE TREKCETERA MUSEUM

An annual, community-wide Star Trek Convention, Spock Days, is occasion for perking up one’s ears and pursuing a bit of recreation in Canada’s Star Trek capital. Four fun-filled solar rotations of costume parties, celebrity appearances and mingling in the interest of inter-planetary friendship, Spock Days has been turning other bastions of science-fiction fandom green with envy for the past 21 years. A crop-circle-worthy locale on the undiscovered prairies, the festival’s birthplace in Vulcan, Alberta is more than the namesake of Spock’s logic-espousing home world it’s a cosmically certified tourist destination.

“The Town of Vulcan is genuine,” confirms Star Trek enthusiast and repeat Spock Days attendee Shannon Sigvaldasson. “For the residents of Vulcan and the surrounding area, this weekend is their Mardi Gras and they go all out! The whole community sees the benefit of aligning with Star Trek culture and, in so doing, creates a larger, world-renowned identity for their town.”



Enhancing Vulcan County’s reputation for being a veritable Rigel 7 of dark skies and space culture, curators of fandom Michael Mangold and Devan Daniels have announced the impeding launch of Canada’s only Star Trek-themed museum. The Trekcetera Museum is set open during Spock Days with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring this year’s special guests. Actors Robert Picardo “The Doctor” and Ethan Phillips “Neelix,” of Star Trek Voyager fame, and senior illustrator Rick Sternbach are slated to headline this year’s festivities.

“The real joy of seeing celebrities in Vulcan is that the setting provides for more up-close encounters and one-on-one time,” says Sigvaldasson. “There is a kind of freedom and safety that being in Vulcan allows the stars versus the comparatively rigid schedule of a typical convention.”

Guest of honour and Spock Days emcee Robert Picardo, who is also known for his roles as Richard Woolsey from the popular TV series Stargate, will be delivering an original live performance along with his former Voyager co-star and astro-gastronomer, Ethan Phillips. A senior illustrator and designer for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager and the first two seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, special guest Rick Sternbach will also regale the congregation with insights into his role in creating hundreds of props and set-pieces for the franchise and personal stories of assisting the show’s writers.

“Go for the whole weekend, there’s no reason to leave! Book a hotel room or campsite early, they fill up quickly. Be sure to catch the Parade! Walk the main streets; each shop you wander into will have some fun and unique Trek memorabilia. And, if a group of Klingons invites you to drink with them, do it!”

Spock Days runs from June 7 to 9 in Vulcan, AB.

Originally published in BeatRoute Magazine June 4, 2013
By Christine Leonard

Calgary Metalfest 2013

Return of the Beast 

Calgary Metalfest enters its second summer

by Christine Leonard


Calgary Metalfest II featuring Skeletonwitch, Intronaut, Scale the Summit, Into Eternity, Anciients, Endast, Wake, Disciples of Power and many more
Dickens Pub June 6-8, 2013


Now in its sophomore year, Calgary Metalfest was originally conceived as a hell-raising party for local soundman/producer Nathan Renaud on the occasion of his 30th birthday. Far surpassing the traditional party benchmark of waking up the neighbours, the success of the premier installation was a pleasant surprise for Big Nate.

“I call myself the ‘sole proprietor’ of Calgary Metalfest,” says Renaud. “Mainly because I started last year’s festival as an excuse to see all my friends. The first year my selection process was entirely selfish and short-sighted.”

Despite its casual nature, the inaugural event was a success. “You can’t imagine the relief I felt when our venue reached 90 per cent capacity on that first night. The place only held 500 people and 460 showed up! I couldn’t have been happier; I was walking around handing out kegs and bonuses.”

Confident he could out-do his previous effort, Renaud spent the past 12 months contacting and booking over 80 bands from across the country to perform during Calgary Metalfest 2013’s four-day showcase. It hasn’t been easy deciding who will converge for the second edition of this extravaganza of extreme music; the enthusiasm displayed by Canadian metal bands seeking exposure for their brand of high-octane hardcore has precipitated a waiting list of would-be stand-ins.

“It was obvious that there was a demand for this festival, but the logistics were a bit of a nightmare at times,” says Renaud. “I have to give a big shout out to Tyson Cale Boyd of ConcertWorks in Edmonton for putting me in touch with many of the acts that were coming through; I was super-fortunate to be able to pick up Skeletonwitch from Athens, Ohio and Intronaut out of L.A. When it came to selecting from the demos and applications submitted by local bands, it seemed like we had received submissions from every damn one of them.”

Augmenting his role as producer and stage manager for Scarab Productions (purveyors of Calgary’s international metal festival, Noctis), Big Nate also plays bass for the local tech-death ensemble KYOKTYS. As a musician himself, he has come to appreciate a hands-on approach to mounting an unforgettable show. And although Big Nate has to remind himself to pause and enjoy the melodic chaos, he’s determined to make sure everyone involved leaves feeling like it’s their lucky day.

“It’s going to be crazy,” he says. “I’m sure the Breathe Knives, Witchstone show on Saturday is going to sell out, but Broken City has allowed me to open up their rooftop patio for an all-ages shaker. So, we’ll have all of those cross-over thrash bands like Oh, Shit! and Epidemic playing up there, just for fun. Hardcore standup comedian Jason Rouse from Hamilton will be performing and emceeing the festival. He’s hosted Monsters of Comedy and the Metal Hammer: Golden Gods Awards and he’s the crudest motherfucker I’ve ever heard.” Thankfully, attendees will be able to travel between venues with ease — they’ll have a shuttle running between them from 6 to 9 p.m. each night. And while it’s looking more like an official festival than last year’s event, Renaud still sees it as a celebration of his 31 years on earth, calling it “the best damn birthday party you’ll ever attend.”

Raleigh pushes pedals, buttons and envelopes

Raleigh reigns 

Trio wins with guitar, cello and drums

by Christine Leonard


Snowblink with Raleigh & SAVK
Palomino Smokehouse April 25, 2013

Local pop-folk trio Raleigh revolves around three distinct voices raised in perfect harmony — the sweet-yet-somnolent reverberations of cellist Clea Anaïs merging with the rock ’n’ ramble wanderlust of drummer Matt Doherty and guitarist Brock Geiger. A popular attraction since rolling off the assembly line nearly three years ago, the rootsy band has picked up some serious speed following the release of their 2011 debut New Times in Black and White.

“Our new album, Sun Grenades and Grenadine Skies, is definitely more of a band effort,” says Geiger. “This time around each person had the opportunity to throw in their own concepts and inspiration. It made it more of a collaborative process and you can hear it in the songs. We’ve been together for a couple of years now and we’ve figured a lot of things out. Guitar, cello and drums is kind of a unique approach from the get-go, so you’ve got to try to use that to the best of your advantage.”

Capitalizing on their natural momentum, the festival-tested Raleigh arrived in Montreal in September 2012 where they spent two-weeks laying down tracks at Hotel2Tango recording studios with noted production nerd Greg Smith and sound engineer Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Basia Bulat). Thoughtful lyrical pathways opened up into incandescent rocky reveries as Sun Grenades and Grenadine Skies began to take shape.

“If our new album had one theme it would be colour,” says Geiger. “It comes up a lot with Clea. Writing together, I’ve learned to pay attention to the dynamics of how we go about putting colour and mood into a song. I like the idea that music can be visually provoking without relying on the typical methods of storytelling. Knowing how our instruments fit together as a combo and understanding how to leave space, or make things denser, is a big part of it.”

The trio’s tight-knit nature also helps when exploring new sounds. “There’s less room for argument in a small group, but there’s more individual responsibility too,” says Geiger. “There’s nobody to hide behind as you jump from instrument to instrument. Coming from playing in large rock-based ensembles it’s kind of refreshing to be able to experiment so freely, and to know that we can add nice horns and other accessories and effects after the fact.”

An adventurous undertaking, Raleigh’s latest offering merges a trio of artistic narratives into one inscrutably melodic tableau. No strangers to the do-it-yourself motif, these indie-release veterans are now actively seeking a record label to aid in the distribution of the finished product. Geiger remains confident that the band will receive the financial backing and promotional support they’ll need to publish Sun Grenades sometime this fall. But despite the hours spent in the studio, and the number of kilometres they’ve put on the odometer, Raleigh is in no great rush to see their primed and polished LP hit the racks.

“We’ve been touring all of the songs on the new recording for almost a year and have had a lot of time to see how things sit with us, and nothing has been hurried,” Geiger says. “We’ve all put out records on our own, but going with a label seems like the best way to reach more people.”

CALGARY COMIC & ENTERTAINMENT EXPO 2013

CALGARY COMIC & ENTERTAINMENT EXPO

AN INTERVIEW WITH KANDRIX FOONG AND EMILY EXPO

“Shiny!” It’s an apt term to describe an (inter)stellar gathering of fans and talent that has come to be known as the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo (Comic-Con has been trademarked by the San Diego faction). Celebrating its eighth year of exponential growth, this multifaceted exhibition of pop culture and, specifically, science fiction fandom, has much more to offer than staple-rust and hermetically-sealed comic bags. According to event director Kandrix Foong and assistant director Lindsay Thomas (a.k.a. Emily Expo), this year’s show will benefit from some new streamlining and crowd-control measures that were successfully tested when they mounted Edmonton’s version of the Expo late last year.

“We’re on the threshold between being a mid-sized to a large-sized convention,” Kandrix confirms. “I think our expected number of visitors is hovering around 60,000. Obviously, we’ve been working closely with the Stampede Board and fire department to ensure that everyone is safe and happy. High-capacity crowds don’t have to be crazy crowds and we’re implementing initiatives to help alleviate line-ups and take off some of the pressure.”

Embracing a universe of possibilities, this year’s event will see the Expo’s area expand by 47 per cent thanks to the annexation of the Big Four building. This additional 12,000 square feet of outer space will facilitate food services, gaming modules, video games, photo ops and a kid zone. Limiting the number of weekend and single-day passes to the event has also proven to be a key element to keeping the nerfherders in a good mood. Anyone who purchases their ticket in advance is guaranteed entrance to the show and a high-five from Carrie Fisher (just kidding). This means that there will be a limited number of passes available at the door, so buy early to avoid disappointment. Ticket holders will be fast-tracked in through numerous points-of-entry and event organizers have also made it possible for fans to book autograph and photo opportunities with their favourite celebrities in advance via the Expo’s website.

“The bottom line is that, we love our fans and our guests and we want them all to have a fantastic time!” Emily Expo relates. “Creating a comfortable environment and making sure that the foot traffic flows smoothly makes people feel like they’re being taken care of… Little details like meeting guests at the airport, making sure that they’re happy and well fed, have a big positive impact. And I love creating those moments of pure joy, like when we surprised the cast of Star Trek TNG with an appearance by John de Lancie, who played Q.”

Constantly on the hunt for the star-studded event’s next unbelievable guest attendee, Kandrix is thrilled beyond-the-pale to take Firefly “out to the black” as this year’s Expo welcomes Serenity’s Captain Malcolm Reynolds (a.k.a. actor Nathan Fillion) to the fray. Beyond appealing to the renegade sensibilities of the Alberta Browncoat Society members, the Expo has amassed a tremendous roster of cherished performers to grace the convention with their presence. Light-years ahead of the curve, yet still true to its terrestrial origins, the event will also be acknowledging cutting-edge series, like Game of Thrones, while paying homage to never-outdated classics, like 90-year-old Spiderman creator Stan Lee.

“It’s about creating the right mix of hitting stuff everyone recognizes and intermingling those broader classic genres with more niche-oriented projects, like Firefly,” Kandrix explains. “I’m very interested to see the response to Nathan Fillion. He’s an Albertan hero and fans have been asking us to have him at our show for eight years and he finally said yes! We’re competing against conventions in Chicago and Belgium, so it was a bit of a coup that we managed to get him and it’s generating a very exciting vibe.”

It’ll be a feast for the eyes, with everything relating to science fiction, fantasy, horror, animation and beyond on display as over 600 artists, exhibitors, and vendors showcase their wares in the Expo’s impressive marketplace. The ears, however, will not go neglected as the paragon of musical parody, Weird Al Yankovic, delivers a full-blown Alpocalypse concert as one of the Expo’s special events. Other Expo-affiliated events include: The Hub – An Evening Reception with Torchwood torchbearers John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Gareth David-Lloyd, and An Evening with Game of Thrones, which includes dinner at The Palliser with Peter Dinklage (Prince Tyrion) & Lina Headey (Queen Cersei).

“What sets Calgary’s Expo apart is that we are concerned with producing a unique, solid, stand-alone experience,” Kandrix observes. “In my opinion, having attended conventions throughout North America, [I’ve realized] presenting a vast number of artists at a show is less important than providing a lot of variety. As organizers, we’re huge fans ourselves, so we wanted to touch on a lot of genres and offer an outstanding level of diversity. From Dr. Who and The Terminator, to Weird Al and The X-Files, we’ve gone the extra mile and word-of-mouth is spreading.”

Book off April 26-28 and pull out the sunscreen and spandex, the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo touches down once more!

By Christine Leonard

Originally published  April 22, 2013 · in beatrouteab · in AB CITY, FEATURES. ·

Lauren Mann: a Strange Passion for Sound

Odd future Lauren Mann and Company take new album over land and sea

by Christine Leonard


Lauren Mann & The Fairly Odd Folk
Ship & Anchor Pub  April 10, 2013


There are few things more memorable than those childhood summers spent camping and exploring in the great outdoors. This is especially true for singer-songwriter Lauren Mann and her husband Zoltan Szoges, for whom the past few years have seemed like one extended (and occasionally strange) sleepaway vacation. Having polished off her curatorial collection of songs, Stories from Home, in 2010, Lauren took her partner’s encouragements to heart and set out on a coast-to-coast tour that would become a life-altering adventure.

“It was pretty crazy,” Mann recounts. “When I look back now, I can’t believe we actually did it. It was an incredibly big thing for us to see Canada and meet people from across the country. We teamed up with various transient band members along the road to form an ever-evolving troupe that went all the way to Newfoundland.”

Pages of rhyme continued to accumulate as the kilometres whizzed by, as Mann’s keen eye and quick hand captured her impressions along the way. The finger-snapping folk-pop of her piano keys has always reverberated with colour and joy, but now they also benefit from the grassroots gusto of The Fairly Odd Folk.

Besides initiating her manager-husband in the ways of the keyboard, drums and glockenspiel, Mann has recruited guitarist Josh Akin and another talented married duo, drummer/guitarist Jay Christman and bassist/vocalist Jessica Christman, to fill out her musical retinue. Intensified and electrified, the alt-folk ensemble looks forward to debuting Over Land and Sea, Mann’s latest batch of wildly illustrative campfire tales.

“I’ve been writing the songs on Over Land and Sea for a couple of summers; it’s been a long process,” she says. “Zoltan has remained the visionary behind the music; we are each other’s muses. I was very grateful to be able to take the songs down to Florida to record them with him and work with our wonderful producer Aaron Marsh. The band’s current lineup has been going steady since last fall, and now we’re really comfortable feeding off of each others’ ideas. I’m excited about the future — I feel like we’re honing in on our collective creativity.”

Mann’s passionate observations result in some decidedly fresh and unexpected sounds. Self-discovery by way of exploration is a recurring theme as the pitfalls of love and summits of ecstasy are aptly represented in the alt-folk annals of Over Land and Sea.

“Travelling across Canada and volunteering at summer camps gave me a lot of ideas for the new album. It was really fun just having the option of doing anything we wanted. It opened my eyes to what can happen when you write, dream and imagine,” Mann says. “Finding yourself in a different place every night definitely helps you rediscover who you are and where your priorities lie. It’s cool to find your personal normal within crazy.”

CD release parties abound with the coming of spring and Lauren Mann and The Fairly Odd Folk are poised to bring their piano-based and glockenspiel-enhanced rural-rock mash-ups to patios across the nation. Embarking from their erstwhile headquarters in Brooks, Alberta, Mann and her P.T. Barnum-esque entourage look forward to plying their electro-acoustic craft at Regina’s JUNOFest. Next they’ll dip into the United States for what promises to be a rollicking North American tour.

“It’s kind of funny, but we think of ourselves as one big family on a trip. Musically we’re on the brink of folk, indie and pop. Now that we’re a full band, things are getting tighter and are leaning towards alt-pop with some folky elements. It’s hard to say what the next album will sound like…. I love rock and roll, but I fell into folk quite naturally, so it’ll likely be a hybrid of electric guitar and ukulele.”