Month: February 2010

Two Band Interviews Aired and a Guest Co-Host – S05E38


It’s an opportunity to try something a bit different on my radio show. I know it’s pulling a bit like CBC Radio One’s Bandwidth and the other CKCU Special Blend shows in airing two different audio interviews. It was also a unique show this week because I had a special guest co-host helping me, it’s Kara from Bands Undone. Originally, she wanted to come by to the station but was busy and got injured. Finally, her time to co-host on the radio happened!
I have been on-air for two hours for basically a month, it’s all in fun time.

On the show, I aired two interviews, one was The Belle Game, which was recorded this past Monday (Feb. 22) night at Canteen. The other interview by Nightwood (of Montreal) was done in January.
The Belle Game was at Canteen for Bands Undone and they literally played a great set.
Video and Reviews from the Bands Undone site is at this link. Check it out as I did the filming for their live in-session, minus the editing as Kara took care of that.
The location for this band is pretty bi-coastal as some are from Vancouver, some from Montreal and one from Maine. As for the interview, it’s a hoot to listen as it was funny. There were mentions of bands like Ottawa’s The Acorn, Toronto’s Ohbijou, and Vancouver’s Said The Whale.
The funny thing during the show was one of the members of The Belle Game was listening to the show LIVE while using Twitter.
During the show, we discussed on the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and what’s shows are coming up in Ottawa. Played new songs from Broken Social Scene and Jason Collett. Trying to be fresh in playing new tracks from Canadian indie artists.
As usual, I decided to be silly and play a theme from a CKCU show called Tread Lightly.
The video above is a video I shot and it’s a separate interview from The Belle Game.

Without further ado, you can listen to the show by pressing play.
The full show
Extra (Chatted more about the 2010 Vancouver Olympics before what would be “Wonderful Wednesday”)
Check out the playlist at this link.

Interviews

The Belle Game
Press play to listen or download it.

Nightwood
Press play to listen to download it.

The New Midnight Jamz on CKCU for February 27, 2010
I had the opportunity to hang out with the gang from that show. You can listen to the 2 hour show by pressing play.

Basia Bulat and Chinese New Year 2010 – S05E37

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It was a hectic weekend checking out bands and dealing with the cold. It started with doing an audio interview with Young Rival at Mavericks on Friday night. It was last minute because I almost forgot they were in Ottawa and it has been awhile I haven’t heard from the band. There’s a lineup change in the band and as far as I know, the interview should be airing sometime in late March as their upcoming album will be released in April.
On Saturday night, it has been a long time waiting as Basia Bulat came to town for a sold out concert. This time, it’s for her current release of the second album, Heart Of My Own. The funny thing was having to wait outside the First Baptist Church for several hours. Thoughts on the concert, the opening act was Ottawa native and now residing in Montreal, Leif Vollebekk. Vollebekk brought along a band as the previous times I had seen him, he was performing solo. As usual, he soothed the crowded with his soft toned songs. His folk influenced fit the right tone for the church.
Onto Basia Bulat’s performance. As usual, she still brings the excitement when she comes up on stage. The crowd still enjoy her songs from Snakes & Ladders to the new song like The Shore. The video on top is a live track of Sparrow. Even though, the church had a curfew for 10pm, the audience still wanted Bulat to return for several more songs and she definitely did. The best thing about the Ottawa crowd was knowing when to clap on I Was A Daughter and Before I Knew.
I almost forgot to interview her because her publicist text messaged me that sound check was late and they didn’t get food as well. I was fortunate to interview her at the end of the concert. On the interview, Bulat did mention a Casey Mecija of Ohbijou. CBC News posted an article on Bulat on Feb. 22, 2010.

Feb. 17, 2010 Update
Without further ado, here’s the interview with Basia Bulat. Press play to listen or download it. You can also stream it through iTunes or other media players.

Here’s the radio show including the interview. Playlists are this link, Show #1 and Extra
Press play to listen to Show #1

Press play to listen to the extra half hour show. Foolishly used two other CKCU radio show themes.


Happy Chinese New Year – Gung Hei Fat Choy/Gung Xi Fat Chai
It’s this time of year for having as I have many liondance performances. In time to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, it started off with a 30 min performance at T&T Supermarket in Ottawa, Canada. The video posted from above in a condensed form. It was crazy when performing at the Asian supermarket because it was difficult having to get through from the crowds. Overall, it was the first time for our troupe to perform at a popular Canadian Asian Supermarket.
Afterwards, we had another performance at Winterlude. Before getting to the area, I bumped into Basia Bulat and her band again but they were leaving the hotel. It was a funny moment because I saw their red van and I decided to get out of the friend’s car and started to run towards them. It was funny to surprise them and then telling them I had a liondance performance. If you’re able to read this entry, I posted the videos for your enjoyment.
Back to Winterlude, we had three performance, it was at noon, 1.30pm and then 3pm. It was cold but fun as the crowds got to watch it. Here are videos to check out.
Enjoy!


Another video, here’s one from Monday (Feb. 15) at Ottawa Chinatown. A Chinese New Year parade, click on the link.

The V-Day Edition Radio Show – S05E36

Wednesday morning’s show was just playing music as I did not want to air an interview because Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Played some love songs from Canadian indie musicians and bands. From the likes of Basia Bulat (who will be in Ottawa for a show on Saturday night), You Say Party! We Say Die! (they released XXXX in the States on Feb. 9), Stars and a rarity for myself to play Justin Rutledge. Just to name a few on the love songs.
One song I played was in an episode of Chuck, Season 1 and played Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden. Yes, that is no joke! The last hour had me playing Cantopop love songs.
Almost forgot to mention that Chinese New Year is on the same day as Valentine’s Day. I foolishly forgot to say on-air that it’s the year of. It’s the Year of the Tiger. I will remind myself for next Wednesday morning.
Without further ado, you can check the playlist at this link.
I did two dedications to a friend and you want to know where to find it, fast forward to 1 hr and 39 mins.

You can listen to the show by pressing play.

Apologies for sound quality as the on-air studio had a change in computers. It’s difficult to not know the settings for Adobe Audition. Sometimes the audio quality will vary week in, week out. It’s not under my control.

T’was The Dead of Winter on Friday, Was It? – S05E35


I did not expect my Friday (February 6, 2010) to be connected from one end to another. It started off with not one but two Bands Undone event. First up was Tanya Davis, originally from PEI and now residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her music is a blend of Pop and Folk, more in the same like Jenn Grant.
Next was Paper Beat Scissors, who is just one man, Tim Crabtree. What was unique with Crabtree is that he’s not Canadian. He’s from England and fell in love with Canada. His music brings an style of Pop, Folk and Alternative.
I had an opportunity to interview both artists. It will be aired sometime in March as I will consider that month to be an East Month theme.
Review for Tanya Davis is at this link.
Review for Paper Beat Scissors is at this link.
Here are a few images provided.

Later in the night, I went to The Black Sheep Inn for Kyrie Kristmanson, Catherine McLellan and The Abramson Singers for In the Dead of Winter Music Festival. Who I didn’t expect to see was Tanya Davis there because I didn’t know she’s the organizer of IDOW music festival. Overall, all three performers were excellent. At the end of Kryie’s performance, she got the other two acts to come on stage to sing Hallelujah. The cover to the famous Leonard Cohen cover. Just ironic that I played Hallelujah by Justin Timberlake from the Help for Haiti Now charity album.
What was cute to see at The Black Sheep, aside from Lucy the Pug were two kittens. It was ironic that I aired the Hey Ocean! on my radio and they mentioned a cat.
Here are several photos provided.

The Abramson Singers

Catherine McLellan

Kyrie Kristmanson

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Matthew de Zoete & Finally Aired The Hey Ocean! Interview – S05E34


Matthew de Zoete at Bands Undone

On a nice Wednesday afternoon, Matthew de Zoete dropped by at The Canteen Art Shop + Gallery for a intimidate set for Bands Undone. His music based on his MySpace page blends Pop, Rock and Folk. The Hamilton musician was in Ottawa for a performance at The National Arts Centre. He kindly came to the gallery and performed four songs. The last song was unique and experimental because of the lighting. Overall, he’s a great guy prior to and after the session. The interview with Kara was a hoot because of the sunglasses.
Videos and Review from Bands Undone are at this link.

Wednesday’s 2 Hour Radio Show

I finally aired the Hey Ocean! interview on a special 2 hour show because the 2 other program hosts at CKCU-FM were away and I had the opportunity to air the long interview into two parts. In my slight opinion, I didn’t do a good job on the host breaks because of the distraction in the on-air studio. Due to the fact that the station was installing the Media Touch system. What I wanted to say on-air was somewhat goofed up.
It’s too bad the other host I join with at 10am wasn’t there because I had planned to chat more on Jackie Chan films. Unfortunately, I will try again next week as this other radio show on CKCU called The Drunken Master Review, talks about movies and Hong Kong films in general. I might have a little rivalry of sorts, in a joking manner.
You can check the playlist at this link. New songs from the likes of Basia Bulat, Kate Maki (from her Two Song Wedding album), Caribou and local favorites from Sadie Hell and The Balconies were played. Played several bands and musicians that will be performing during the Olympics. I am still not sick of You Say Party! We Say Die! yet. Even Strombo still plays them on his Sunday night radio show on CBC Radio 2. Even though, I didn’t play Glory, they just released the music video for it. It’s over at Vimeo. Check it out, it’s the same setting as Dark Days.
Ended the show with one song from Help for Haiti Now and a classic song with a newly updated version, soon to be released.

Press play to listen to the show.

The Hey Ocean! Interview
Part 1: Press play to listen or download it.

Part 2: Press play to listen or download it.

Feb. 23, 2010 Semi-Update: Talk about irony but CBC Radio 3‘s R3TV released a new episode on Hey Ocean! I sort of beat them to the punch on asking Ashleigh Ball on her other job. It’s voice acting for cartoons. Here’s the link to check it out, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY0n8i9oQKw Mind you that my audio interview was conducted back in November 2009.