Author Archives: Mia Sentlinger

BC Music Scene (Friday)

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Music By The Sea Fundraiser 

A local man is combining his love for music with a passion for his community tonight with his nonprofit charity event “ Music By the Sea”.  Chris Donison hosts a fundraiser for the arts through a non for profit foundation for music by the sea (literally, and it’s beautiful)  and this particular fundraiser is in partnership with the victoria hospitals foundation, which needs more support than ever. 

Working in partnership with the new Victoria International Marina in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, the venue for the event is breathtaking and fitting, for the beautiful classical and jazz music to be live-streamed- the new normal for enjoying performances such as live music. All the audio-visual technical work and streaming is done by Darcy Beck Productions and PK Sound. 

Artists playing Sunday evening include Victoria’s own jazz icon Louise Rose, performing solo at the piano and on the other side of the hall (two shows at once)  will be Victoria’s Lafayette String Quartet (known for their brilliance and artistry as well as their commitment to the health and well-being of our community through their annual Lafayette Health Awareness Forum). All participants are local, so the event is a great way to support close-to-home musicians and productions. What a nice way to keep the community spirits alive and well. 

A quote from the organization, “ We are curating the music program to be especially enjoyable for all people who may be in the hospital or any other care facilities anywhere. Indeed, we hope to reach as many as possible in the community” This special telethon-style concert is free to view with an option to make a donation. Of course, all money raised will be shared among MBTS and the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.

Music by the Sea is also partnered with C-FAX 1070 for the event which will be live-streamed on YouTube, and the live stream aspect can assure viewers a splendid evening as well as staying Covid-19 safe and following all guidelines. 

Check out the live stream here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuGAR0dtTEysd6J5zUMpdXw/

Why Radio Stations Shouldn’t be 24/7 Christmas Music 

Does anybody actually seriously enjoy Christmas music? Like other than it being in the background of Christmas movies? It cannot just be me who despises hearing the same 12 songs over and over again from the end of November to all throughout December. So, the news that a local radio station would be playing 24/7 Christmas music obviously didn’t sit well with me. My fundamental point here is that 1) it’s obnoxious and overplayed 2) it shouldn’t take over entire radio stations, normal people still want normal music. 

Firstly, there is hardly any quality Christmas music. It sounds unauthentic, overplayed, and like a sell-out. It blows my mind that we actually hear the same few songs over and over again, and nobody’s mad about it. The repetition seriously ruins the catchy nature of the jingle and replaces it with annoyance, and I would be so surprised if I was alone with this opinion. The Christmas music scene needs a lot more variety to carry any sort of quality.  

Secondly, not everyone celebrates Christmas! Or likes it! How could a radio station that was previously unaffiliated with a religion pick a Christian holiday to conform to for over a month? In such a multicultural city, such a stark decision feels off putting for non-Christian celebrators. And yes there are other stations to listen to but I bet they’re close to playing Christmas music 24/7 to stay relevant, which is fair it just doesn’t need to be excessive and exclusive. 

Amidst the criticism however I do have a solution: a 24/7 “Christmas” station that integrates lovely jazz and classical music with well selected and tasteful Christmas music, for higher quality but still warm and fuzzy Christmas-time music station experience. It could even be 112.5. 

To conclude, we shouldn’t don’t have Christmas exclusive stations because the quality of today’s Christmas-pop is so draining. I know we can do better. You’ve read my bit, I’m not trying to impose my opinion on everyone, just some food for thought going into this year’s Christmas season. If I get called a grinch I can handle it, it’s however apparent he has better taste in music.

BC Music Scene (Thursday)

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Dusk Till Dawn

If you like hip-hop or rap you have to take a second to check this out. Local rapper Boslen has something big in store for us. Come this winter, we can expect a masterpiece of an album drop with complete anthems to poetic masterpieces and everything in between. From songs like “Dawn” that takes a lyrical take on introspection and self-analysis to listen to early in the morning, to “Trip”, a halfway transition from softer r&b to heavier harder rap, and “Have You”, a more electronic dance beat with bars included. Tracks like “Forsaken” will have you crying in the shower while “Mercy” will have you stone-cold and strutting to the kitchen-  you will be amazed at the quality and diversity of an album- especially coming out of Vancouver

On another note, I need to stress how vital it is to support the local rap scene in Vancouver to encourage more traffic and promote a stronger music economy, but it is absolutely isn’t hard when there is an insane talent to fall in love with- and Vancouver needs artists like Boslen to inspire other starting rappers to chase their dreams. 

Vancouver obviously knows small beginnings and they should be taken seriously when there’s this much talent. If you don’t believe my enthusiasm, check out Boslen’s current releases on Spotify, like “Eye to Eye ” or “Vultures “ for a taste of the style and the energy the songs can give you. I may just be promoting my studio and one of our artists, but I would not be doing so if it wasn’t deserving and I didn’t think you’d like it. If you like big city rap, love artists like The Weekend, Future, Drake, or 21 Savage there will be a song for you on this album. 

 Why BC Music Festivals Need to Come Back After The Pandemic

We’ve all heard of music festive nightmares, like Fyre fest (which was well advertised but completely bankrupt, but hey what about the good ones? We all know summer 2016 hit completely different (in a good way) with the massive Pemby fest, Squamish Valley Music Fest, Breakout in the winter. We cannot lose this essential event that brings a bunch of strangers into a giant family for a weekend.

If you’ve ever been to any kind of music gathering, you can relate to the insane energy they omit. When everyone is listening to the same music so loud you can’t miss it, wearing whatever they want, a new aesthetic environment and visually stunning light shows, an experience is created that you cannot forget.

Across genres, these festivals may differentiate and attract different crowds, but there is a festival for everyone. While I may be generalizing, teenagers and young adults can enjoy the chaos of the upbeat electronic or heavily rapper headlined festivals, other young adults may enjoy folk or Indie feel good fests packed with local breweries and food trucks or celebrate community with your family at a more chill folk or arts fest that supports the local music scene. There is something for everyone and it isn’t hard to find an event near you that you can look forward to. 

Lastly, music fests are great ways to support the community and small businesses essential to the heart and soul of a city like Vancouver. Often the smaller headlines are filled by local artists and performers, giving opportunity for them to gain new fans and listeners. The food section can be a plentiful arrangement of local restaurants turned trucks (notably earnest ice cream is a must-try), traveling trucks with unique fusions, and the resident festival trucks you look forward to seeing every year. There are also sections or art for sale (often local), clothing and accessory stands, and everything in between. Although you may be spending a bit more, it’s a great way to spend a paycheck on a memorable experience. 

This is why music festivals cannot be left behind post-pandemic. They act as such a unique and bright event in many people’s summers (or winters!) and are remembered beyond their years. I’ve been going to the Vancouver Folk Music Fest every year for as long as I remember, and it’s the highlight of my summer. It’s important to keep community events like music fests alive to promote the artistic wellbeing of a city and keep the young and old connected to the community. Support music fests post-pandemic! Go back to the festivals you love or try one for the first time, you won’t regret or forget it. 

 

 

BC Music Scene (Wednesday)

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Why Radio is Still Important 

Despite the rise of portable music apps on our smartphones, like Spotify or Apple Music, a certain art is practiced in radio. A dying medium, but one that should be remembered with respect and beauty. 

To work in radio is to produce, perform, and to curate. Two parts to create a live show, with one goal: to please the listener. 

The production is the gears turning behind the sound you hear out of your car, the mall, or whatever waiting room you may be in. It’s the mechanical and technical skills of everyday people, just like you and me, wh feel passionate about the art of radio. It’s the necessary labor behind all the software, the equipment, and the people, and results in the magic that happens between the three. 

The performance is the talent: the hosts and the on-air guests that fill the 5 second, 30 second, or 5-minute gaps between the music. It’s the personalities loved by listeners that put out content relentlessly, who train like athletes and are as emotionally complex as comedians.  It’s their job to make the 5 minutes of dead air into relatable and relevant gold, a station unchangeable and resilient to ads turning people away. It’s the real people behind the music. No robots, no algorithm, just real people with real problems.  Front line workers of entertainment: honest and hard work.

The curation comes from choosing songs in an order that flows while providing the listener with the audio aesthetic expected from the station. It’s essential the songs make sense, are enjoyable and memorable, but also lead people down new avenues for bands or feelings they didn’t have before. It’s not just the curation of a playlist to be played on the radio, it’s the curation of songs that make people intentionally feel, the curation of an emotional experience. 

I’m not telling anyone to live in the past, but let this be a reminder to not let the future come too soon. Tune into evolution 107.9 sometime, we’ll be there for you. 

 

BC Music Scene (Tuesday)

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 Growing the Local Music Scene

Vancouver is known to be a nice, adventurous, and artistic city, but we seem to lack one essential side of social culture: music. In my experience, it’s constantly mentioned that there’s not a lot of music hype in the city or an abundance of local musicians and concerts. While there are some notable mentions, like Headly, upcoming rapper Boslen, folk artist Dan Mangan, SoundCloud rapper bbno$, Marina’s Trench, or maybe The Zolas, the list is small and quick to leave to bigger cities. But what if Vancouver became a place to come to for other aspiring artists? 

To start exploring how we can create a better music scene, we should examine the factors that do the opposite. Covid-19 aside, Vancouver lacks a bustling music district where live music is easy to find and accessible to anyone looking. While Granville St is technically our entertainment district, it does have some of the most popular venues like the Commodore, The Vogue, The Orpheum, or Venue, it lacks some heart. Consider the possibility of a music district, filled with studios, concert halls, bars that support live musicians, and nightclubs that support local DJ’s. It would also be essential to have venues that can host music for audiences under 19, as currently, almost all live music in the city happens at bars and clubs where under 19 is strictly not allowed.  

Another piece of the puzzle is actually getting people out and sending money that promotes the growth of musicians and the industry. For example, if a small rapper you like is visiting Vancouver, grab all your friends and have a fun night! Drink (responsibly)! Dance! Take Videos! Dress up! The more audience participation and the more people that do come out to these shows means a lot to the artists: It makes them want to come back. It would be our responsibility as citizens to create and maintain the reputation of the city that we live in. Part of that definitely means having the time of our lives whenever we can, and who wouldn’t want that?

Another idea to consider (Covid aside) is more local music fests, which is not only huge for young, inexperienced and small musicians a chance to be in front of a lively, big audience, but they’re also beneficial for small and local arts, culture foods, and connectivity. 

We all love music. We want more of it, we want Vancouver to have more of it. If we can create a bigger music scene here with local artists, it means bigger artists too, and that means more economic traffic, more jobs, more opportunities, and more industry. By pushing for a more prominent music district, showing interest in more festivals, being engaging online and in-person we can create the bustling and alive music scene we all know we would love, here in Vancouver. 

 

Meet The Zolas 

If you like bands like cage the elephant or said the whale, you need to check out the local indie alt band The Zolas for all your rainy day mood swings. 

From mellow string tracks to upbeat urban songs, the Zolas offer a variance of easy listening, relatable and likable music. They are super easy to listen to or even to throw in the background at work (I’ve definitely heard them at local coffee shops). I personally fell in love with “knot in my heart” and “cold moon”, two awesome songs that offer that recognizable Zolas sound. 

The Zolas’ debut album, Tic Toc Tic, was released in November 2009. The album was produced by Howard Redekopp, who has worked with other Canadian musicians The New Pornographers, and Teagan and Sara. 

Spill magazine reviews the not-so-good album Swooner, and I liked the way they described the last song on the album. “It’s only when The Zolas strip their sound back down to the basics that they feel at all sincere. “Why Do I Wait (When I Know You’ve Got a Lover)” offers nothing more than a basic background synth line and earnest vocals. The song, unlike anything else on the record, feels grounded in a real feeling, an honest emotion. It’s also the best and last track on the album” I have to agree that it was not the best album, but a nice song nonetheless. 

This spring I was actually obsessed with the song Cold moon. It’s a sweet, humble little love song but has an interesting and unique bridge that changes the dynamic of the song while keeping the overall tone and energy. You’ll have to listen to know what I mean. 

In recent news, this summer on June 8, 2020, the Zolas announced they would release their fourth studio album later this year following a promotion of singles, dubbed Z Days. The band decided they would release one single a month at the end of the month until the end of summer 2020. The singles released from the album, in order of release, included “Energy Czar,” “Come Back to Life,” and “Ultramarine.” I think it’s a nice way of gradually releasing music that people can enjoy for a bit then get excited for the next release. 

 

BC Music Scene (Monday)

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#1 Get Excited For The Vancouver Folk Music Fest (Post Pandemic) 

 Today we’re going to dive into the amazing Vancouver folk music festival, and why you should consider going post-pandemic. Located in the heart of Kitsilano at Jericho beach park, the festival unites a beautiful environment with interactive arts and lovely music. Happening once every summer in the hottest week of July, it’s an unforgettable weekend that we need to support after normal life resumes.

One thing that sets the folk fest apart from the rest is the beautiful location. Not very many music fests get to reside in a park connected to one of the nicest beaches in the city. Jericho is a big, sand-filled beach with accompanying grass fields and hills- that double as a great place to nap midday. Far from industrial or urban, you feel like you’re in a different place. A great escape from the tiring routine you see downtown or in greater Vancouver.  

The folk fest isn’t really about a single headliner or big artist list: the all-round vibe is sweet enough to enjoy without the big “hype” that comes with big artists. That being said, there have of course been awesome and often Canadian headliners such as The Bahamas, Sam Roberts Band, Charlotte Day Wilson, Barenaked Ladies, or Lord Huron. The festival is a great opportunity to enjoy authentic and talented musicians that you probably haven’t heard of or have a few songs of. 

It’s also a cultural celebration of community. The folk fest goes out of its way to support local and small businesses with a great selection of vendors. From handcrafted jewelry to local art to delicious must-try food and drinks, you will not be bored for a second. The best part is the market: a separate section of the festival (open to the public) literally filled with clothing and jewelry stands for cheap prices and awesome quality. I always satisfy my never-ending ring collection here, for way better prices than the city. 

With the sunny weather, waves crashing nearby, and the feel-good folk music, the Vancouver folk fest is a must-see post-pandemic event. Great for parents, grandparents or kids, take your family or have fun with your friends and you’ll have the same memorable experience. You’ll feel the happiest energy, the carefree dancing, and the overall hippy vibe, and are guaranteed for a splendid weekend. Go check it out! 

#2 Getting into Production? 

For anyone getting into the multimedia scene and wants to experiment with the production side of the industry,  but don’t have the location or resources, consider renting studio space at local underground studio 2Track, located on Francais St. in East Van. 

The space operates in two sections: a creative space for photography or videography and then two fully functional and impressive recording studios. You can rent out the studio space with an audio engineer or the creative space with lighting help from the staff. There is also rentable equipment ranging from high-quality cameras, camera equipment, lighting, set accessories, and props, the perfect example of a happy client is someone using the equipment and space for a music video. There’s even a white backdrop to achieve industry-level photo shoots or videos, with changeable lighting and amazing staff to help you create the set of your imagination. 

I recommend this for a few reasons. One being that I think a lot of people are interested in creating something (be it a music video, photoshoot, album/single cover, etc) but never really moves past the “garage band” stage and takes it to a more professional level. For anyone trying to build a career out of a hobby they’ve started, it’s vital to make the jump so you can begin to be producing professional work and get paid for your talent. Secondly, people often criticize Vancouver for lacking growth in the music scene and lacking any type of real hype in the industry, but what we don’t talk about is that is it literally our job to be more involved in the music industry, to create more jobs and to push for creative excellence in everything we can get our hands-on.

If you have a passion for creating- especially anything to do with music- you have to take the leap of faith and start (or continue) putting yourself out there. 

You got this! You’re braver than you believe.