Deal of the Weekend: Two Pitbull Shows for $20

Eva Rinaldi / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

There’s a whole lot to be thankful for this long weekend. Food, family, friends, fun, and best of all? Mr. Worldwide. Mr. 305, Pitbull, live from your living room; Saturday, October 10th and 17th, 5 PM PST, for just $19.99.

This Saturday, take a trip down to Miami’s Calle Ocho with two live performances presented by LiveXLive. Each performance will be available for purchase for $14.99, but the value comes via packaging both shows in one $19.99 bundle

Tickets available at https://www.fite.tv/watch/pitbull-live-and-timeless-oct-10/2p84t/

¡Dale!

Armando Christian Perez initially emerged from the Miami rap scene but became an international pop superstar. Currently, he’s one of the world’s most prominent Latin recording artists. Born in Miami, he attended high school there, honing his rap skills.

Armando chose the stage name Pitbull because of the tenacity and ferociousness of the dogs. Upon graduating from high school, Pitbull met Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew notoriety and signed with Luke Records in 2001.

 Rapper to Popstar

Pitbull’s 2004 debut album M.I.A.M.I. broke into the  Top 15 of the U.S pop album chart. In 2005, Pitbull was invited by Sean ‘P-Diddy’ Combs to create Bad Boy Latino, a subsidiary of the Bad Boy record label. His following two albums, El Mariel and  The Boatlift continued Pitbull’s success in the hip-hop community. Both were Top 10 hits on the rap albums chart. Armando dedicated Ell Mariel to his father, who passed away in May 2006.  The Boatlift saw Pitbull’s career take a turn towards gangsta rap.

Releasing I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) in 2009, Pitbull had an international hit on his hands; climbing to the number two spot in the U.S. It was followed by another Top 10 hit, “Hotel Room Service” and then the album Rebelution in fall 2009. Pitbull remained a staple on pop charts from 2010-13.

The Spanish sung album Armando dropped in 2010. It climbed to second place on Latin Albums charts, helping Pitbull earn seven nominations at the 2011 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Pitbull has found a  unique niche in music; somewhere comfortably between rap and Latin genres. He’s a trailblazer for aspiring Latin rappers, as well a cutthroat businessman; a great role model for any musician.

Arriba!

 

 

LoFi Friday: Powfu, Stay4Ever

Photo via Peter Tea/ Flickr https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

It’s Friday, and that means tons of new music has been released. Your homework for today includes kicking back, relaxing, and enjoying some new tunes for the weekend.

Today’s most notable new releases feature none other than 21-year old Vancouver lofi hip hop star, Powfu, and his single, Stay4ever. The message of the song follows Powfu in a dynamic relationship, in which he and his girlfriend go from strangers to becoming inseparable. Both the song’s lyrics and visuals do well to portray a motif of always being there for your loved ones.

Who’s Powfu?

Whether via radio, your favorite streaming platform, or TikTok, you’ve probably heard his work. Get to know this rising star a little better.

Born in Vancouver on March 31, 1999, Isaiah Faber learned to contribute to the worldwide lofi hip hop movement at a young age. He’s been producing music from his home and has built up a following of over 2 million fans across his social media presence. While only 21, he’s already firmly cemented himself as playing an important role in bringing the genre into the mainstream

In February 2020 Powfu released his single “Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)”, which uses a sample of British Filipino singer Beabadoobee‘s single “Coffee.” As of October 2020, the song has yielded over 600 million streams on Spotify; peaking at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 after going viral on TikTok, the video-sharing application. Since release, over four million TikTok videos using the song have been created. Releasing the song again commercially a year later, Powfu is signed to Columbia Records and Robots and Humans.

Powfu’s charting hit has steadily been on Spotify’s Global Top 50 for nearly the entire year, proving itself as one of the world’s most popular songs in 2020. The single is RCIAA Platinum, now boasting over 2 billion worldwide streams, and is included on Powfu’s EP, poems of the past, streamable now.

 

 

Jazz Up Your Evening With Malleus Trio

Jimmy Baikovicius from Montevideo, Uruguay / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

It’s a chilly Autumn Thursday, and that means more live music delivered right to your doorstep. Sooth your soul tonight at 8 PM PST, with the Malleus Trio, Live from Frankie’s Jazz Club.

Featuring bassist Geordie Hart (The Boom Booms), tenor saxophonist Dominic Conway (Coco Jafro, Enemy Pigeon), and JUNO Award-winning drummer Ben Brown (Pugs & Crows), Malleus Trio is a Vancouver-based high-energy jazz combo playing through genres, attempting to alter the traditional sense of jazz while skipping across musical bars. For nearly a decade, their songs have uniquely combined original composition with rapid improvisations mixed throughout. Each member of the Malleus Trio remain musically active in wildly different respective genres (Boom Booms, Pugs and Crows and Coco Jafro)

This diverse experience demonstrates undeniable chemistry, pulsing through a sound both unconventional yet attractive. Malleus Trio released their debut album to critical acclaim in 2017. Their latest record, Play Nice is a fresh collection that showcases their exemplary skills ​and incredibly wide scope. Malleus trio is celebrating the release of their album in Vancouver following a Canadian country-wide tour in 2019.

 Tonight’s show promises energized originals and specialized selections from some of Vancouver’s cutting-edge fresh talents. Drawing upon the band’s experiences across genres such as jazz, R&B, rock, and global music, Malleus Trio uses a unique hybrid of improvised jazz and deep groove for their signature sound.

In spirit of the time’s circumstances, tonight’s performances can be streamed free of charge by anyone, anywhere. If you enjoy tonight’s show and have any means to donate during this difficult period, consider making a donation to the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society. Coastal Jazz donors above $25 receive a tax receipt, a $50 donation earns you other awesome benefits, along with access to Coastal Jazz’s library of archived performances after Malleus Trio signs off.

Stream via Coastal Jazz’s Facebook Page, Instagram TV, YouTube, or Twitch.

Live Music Tonight: Shred Kelly Online Tour at Fox Cabaret

Strap in for another night of live music; all available from the comfort of your home, of course.

The 5 member band, Shred Kelly is celebrating the release of their latest album, “Like a Rising Sun”, with a nationwide virtual tour. Tonight, they play at Vancouver’s Fox Cabaret, at 8 PM PST. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/121751234219

The tour is available for free streaming, although the band encourages you to donate what you can. To support Canadian venues, a portion of the proceeds will go directly to the venues which the band frequents. Every night of Shred Kelly’s virtual tour will feature unique sets and special guests, so fans can catch every concert and feel a fresh experience each time.

Shred Kelly is known for their high energy, folk alternative performances which typically bring dancefloors to life. With three albums and dozens of tours under their belts, the five bandmates create their sound using inspiration taken from British Columbia; the mountains they traverse, and the people who inhabit them. Like a Rising Sun is the band’s fifth and perhaps most raw album. It’s intended to be an insight into each band member’s personal, and emotional milestones. Examples include starting a family, losing a loved one, and coming out of an experience a changed person.

Applying a combination of banjos, ukuleles, synthesizers, guitar hooks, harmonies, and pulsing beats, Shred Kelly has seamlessly fused folk instrumentation with modern rock; presenting a sound that is both unique and irresistible.banjos,

Shred Kelly has played at many Canadian and international festivals, such as NXNE, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Ottawa Blues Fest, Shambhala, Evolve, Tall Tree Music Festival, Keloha and Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival. Shred Kelly is building an impressive resume, consisting of awards and recognition. The band boasts five Kootenay Music Awards, one Western Canadian Music Award, over one million Spotify plays, CBC recognition, as well as media attention in the United States, and Germany.

 

 

 

Tito’s Pouring Up a Stacked Line Up For Made to

This Thursday, catch what might be the month’s hottest line up for fans of electronic, and house music. With its first segment released on August 27th, Tito’s Made To Order is a four-part virtual experience celebrating music, culture, food, and art across North America. The best part? The entire ‘festival’ is available for free online streaming, live via Tito’s Youtube channel.

October 8th’s lineup will feature sets from Claud Vonstroke, Louis The Child, and ZHU. While the live-stream is free, Tito’s encourages all donations. proceeds from the series will be going towards World Central Kitchen; Tito’s will match all audience donations up to $100,000.

What is World Central Kitchen?

Connecting chefs from all around the world, World Central Kitchen is a nonprofit organization exploring the best approaches to tackle poverty and world hunger. Their initiatives include serving nutritious, fresh meals to health-care workers and impoverished communities, in addition to supporting black-owned restaurants.

The Lineup

ZHU

Hailing from the Bay Area, Steven Zhu, known more commonly as ZHU, is an American musician and singer who has been active since 2014, signed to Mind of a Genius Records. His hit single, “Faded” was released in March 2014, rapidly climbing global charts, peaking at number 3 in Australia and the UK, and number 12 on the US Dance/Electronic chart.

Louis the Child

Consisting of Robby Hauldren, and Frederic J. Kennett, Louis the Child is an Illinois based- production and DJ duo. Their most recent studio album, Here for Now(June 26, 2020), peaked at number 6 on the US dance charts. The duo has been consigned by Simon Cowell, impressed with their production ability.

Claud VonStroke

Barclay Macbride Crenshaw, more commonly known as Claude VonStroke, is an American electronic producer based in LA. He owns San Francisco’s DirtyBird records, and in 2016, he was awarded America’s Best DJ in Pioneer DJ and DJ Times’ annual poll, beating out powerhouses like Kaskade, and The Chainsmokers.

Donate for Your chance to win an online meet n’ greet with Louis the Child, an autographed poster, or tito’s Vodka!

 

 

A Music Festival For Your Mental Health

The BCIT community is already one month into their fall semester. Time flies when you’re having fun!

As we approach a long weekend, some undoubtedly feel a little more thankful than others. October 8th is World Mental Health Day; an excellent time for personal reflection. Optimal mental health is important regardless of an ongoing pandemic, and this music festival is here to help you focus on yours. The best part? You can stream it all live from your home!

“Come Together” Mental Health Music Festival will be hosted by Sound Mind Live, in collaboration with multiple additional mental health organizations. Doubling as an inaugural benefit for supporting mental health initiatives, the festival will be hosted by Jordan Carlos, and feature performances from Smith & Myers, Jason Isbell, Kiiara, American Authors, Jade Bird, Shamir, Son Little, Yola, and more. You can catch the festival live at 5 PM PST, via the Relix YouTube channel

All proceeds from the event will go towards the National Alliance on Mental illness, the largest American mental health organization that provides free mental health services and programs.

Speakers from Mental Health America, MusiCares, and additional organizations, will provide information on virtual mental health resources, support programs, the best practices for self-care as everyone experiences these challenging times. Furthermore, the Come Together Festival is set to feature performances and panels on subjects regarding mental Health in the music industry, the LGBTQ+ Community, and mental Health in the BIPOC Community, running before and after the headliners at 3 pm, 4 pm, and 8 pm PST.

Hopefully, this fantastic new initiative is here to stay, especially considering current societal circumstances. Sound Mind Live connects musicians, music lovers, and progressively-thinking organizations to construct community and open dialogue surrounding mental health. Their mission involves sparking social action; by reducing the stigma around mental health, through music. Stream it live on October 8th.

 

Covid-19 and Hip-Hop.

The world changed in early 2020; Covid-19 swept its ways across the world, and nothing’s been the same ever since.

By now, everyone has felt the impact of Covid-19 one way or another. Just about every industry in the world has undertaken new restrictions and regulations regarding the coronavirus, but none quite like Vancouver’s local music industry.

Vancouver native hip-hop artist PHILLI has experienced significant change firsthand. At 21 years old, he’s been making music for about 4 years now. These last few months have been some of the toughest yet on his output. A lack of physical collaborations with producers and fellow artists has thrown a wrench into his young career. Make no mistake; he’s still on his grind, and a relatively quiet summer has given PHILLI a lot of time for reflection.

Primarily, he’s itching for a chance to get back on stage in front of a crowd. His stomping grounds consist mainly of nightclubs in Vancouver’s downtown core, where before Covid-19, he’d perform frequently on weekends. Unfortunately, there’s still no concrete timetable for when PHILLI will see the stage again, the uncertainty of it all takes a heavy toll on the young artist. While he absolutely enjoys putting time into writing his lyrics, nothing replaces the rush PHILLI gets onstage, live in front of a crowd. It doesn’t matter whether a large crowd or intimate; he simply loves sharing his work, and energy, with an audience.

Furthermore, PHILLI misses collaborating with other local artists. He’s always looking to expand his musical horizon, and incorporate features into his work. Working creatively with partners you respect is stimulating, and one of PHILLI’s favorite parts about making music. Making music solo can become unsatisfying, but it’s allowed PHILLI to establish a primary goal for himself; work hard in preparation for a strong return.

Covid-19 and My Craft. A Producer’s Take

The ramifications of Covid-19 have been felt worldwide; job loss, online schooling, masks, employment insurance, and lots more.

Here in the Lower Mainland, musicians have been dealt an especially lackluster hand. A widespread shutdown of bars, nightclubs, and studio space, leaves local artists without their primary business and networking environments.

Hip-hop producer WTHPORTS has spent the last several years collaborating with artists from all over Vancouver, Canada, and North America. Drawing inspiration from the sounds of the southern and west coast United States, he’s taken the changes to his industry in stride; his connections have allowed him to remain focused on music production. However, it hasn’t been easy.

The 22-year-old producer was smart enough to have invested in studio equipment young. He began taking production seriously in the 12th grade, slowly but surely acquiring the means for his own home studio. In these unprecedented times, he’s well equipped to conduct business virtually. Collaborators send him their verses, and he makes magic happen via studio hardware/software.

Although he’s sufficiently maintained both high quality and quantity of production work, Ports (as friends and collaborators call him) definitely misses the physical networking aspect of his industry. He’s traveled coast-to-coast across Nort America, meeting dozens of artists along the way, and his production process usually involves both parties bouncing ideas off each. Working solo day after day becomes incredibly monotonous; Ports’ most significant challenge over the last 8 months has been remaining motivated. When he’s feeling uninspired, the young producer combats monotony by taking a couple of days to himself, listening to the music he grew his roots from, exercising, and cooking his favorite foods.

In light of all the change Covid-19 has made to his work, a summer of ‘quarantine’ provided Ports all of the quiet time he required to hone his craft; he’s fully loaded with abundant projects and features set for 2021.

Kelly Brown Quartet Live at Guilt & Company, 7 PM

So it’s fall now. Sweaters, soup, and soul music. 

https://www.pickpik.com/microphone-blue-chrome-sound-music-voice-111569

That’s right, nothing warms you up quite like quality live music. Unfortunately for musicians and music lovers across the world, Covid-19 almost entirely put a stop to live music.

Almost 

If you’re looking for fantastic, local,live-entertainment tonight, look no further than the Kelly Brown Quartet; tonight at Guilt & Company Live Music Bar, 7 PM PST. Guilt & Company is one of British Columbia’s few venues still offering live music; they do so every single night.

Still feeling paranoid regarding the pandemic? That’s completely normal. Be assured that Guilt & Company adheres to all of the province’s Covid-19 rules and regulations. This includes masks, hand sanitizer, and unfortunately, no dancing. Well, you still can, you just have to stay in your seat! 

For music lovers who can’t attend physically tonight, Guilt & Company live-streams all of their performances via Youtube. There’s really no excuse to miss out on Vancouver’s live music anymore!

Unfamiliar with Kelly Brown? This local legend leads a quartet consisting of some of the city’s most talented jazz, funk, and soul musicians. A Vancouver favourite, Kelly Brown’s quartet embraces a unique, modern sound, that is rooted in soul-jazz, and sprinkled with hints of funk, Latin, hip hop, and reggae. Their music is soul-soothing, yet simultaneously vibrant. ​Possessing a unique, original sound on guitar, Kelly Brown is also comfortable doing fresh takes on re-arranged pop, and jazz classics. Together, their music carries a distinct flair; a flavor very popular amongst his listeners.

Additionally, Kelly Brown has composed electronic music since 1993 and has traveled all over the world. He’s performed on a variety of stages; from packed venues to small intimate functions. Whether it be in a band, or solo situations Kelly Brown brings a sound that is his own.

Check it out tonight at Guilt& Co Live Music Bar, 7 PM PST, or live-stream via Youtube. You won’t wanna miss this.

Maple Ridge ‘Open Mic’ a Local, International Success

Yatko / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Ever since Covid-19 became responsible for a widespread closure of bars and restaurants, Pam Burns live-streamed open mic has become a vital new medium for emerging artists.

The Maple Ridge musician struck gold on March 25th, when she created her Facebook page, Corona Open mic. To Burns’ astonishment, the group jumped from 10 to 559 members almost overnight. Members hail from Metro Vancouver, all the way to Japan! Corona Open mic currently sits at 586 members.

Pam Burns is no stranger to the entertainment industry; prior to the pandemic induced shutdown across BC, Burns hosted Kanaka Open Mic, a weekly live music event at Kanaka Creek Coffee House in Maple Ridge. In nearly at the Kanaka Creek, she’s hosted over a thousand shows. Regardless, she never suspected that her online group would grow so rapidly.

Every day, Burns wakes up to an abundance of content from musicians all across the world. Her submissions are have come all the way from the Netherlands, Iceland, Japan, and our neighbors across the border. She watches every video through to completion. Corona Open mic features music from a wide variety of genres; the only rule is, musicians must perform an original song, or cover piece, accompanied by an instrument. The group has even featured classical music and opera. The bar is far from low, however.

While Pam Burns attributes her group’s success to a trendy name, she’s tapped into a critical new niche for emerging musicians everywhere. Ever since spring, there’s been a noticeable (necessary)lack in live music and performance, leaving both musicians and consumers starved for their fix. This platform provides incredible connections for budding musicians, coincidentally Pam’s favorite part about the endeavor.

Perhaps the neatest feature of Corona Open mic, is what Pam calls ‘cam jams’. Two or more artists perform different ‘layers’ of a song and collaborate with each other to create a virtual music group or band.

Burns is optimistic that live music will return to Kanaka Creek in 2021 but remains very concerned for local musicians. Intermittently, if you’re live-streaming a musical performance, please consider donating if the option exists.