Live Acts, the ones I loved and the ones I look forward to

Is it New Year's yet?

Well we're still in that "Year in Review" part of the calender, and I've enjoyed writing these articles.  I am quite excited for Joel Plaskett tomorrow night here in Victoria, and using that as inspiration I've decided to list the live shows from the past year that I really enjoyed, and an act I really want to get out and see.




Mangan and his band at

Alix Goolden Hall

Dan Mangan at Alix Goolden Hall was a really great show.  It was awesome to see him live, after reading reviews of his shows across the country.  Every review seemed to be positive, and it was quite obvious why.  Musically the band could not have been any better, and the fun they shared with the crowd really gave the concert an intimate feeling.  You would be hard pressed to find someone that didn't like Mangan live.



Christina Maria at Lucky Bar

One performance I won't forget from this past year was Christina Maria at Girls with Guitars 2.  Although the majority of the crowd had left, it didn't seem to faze her.  Her performance was amazing.  If you left that show early, you missed out.  It's hard to keep everyones attention in a bar, especially a half empty one, but that's exactly what she did.

Christopher Arruda was brilliant to watch.  We got to see a set of his at Lyme Aid 5 in Victoria, and he was great to see in action.  It was a good set, and it really made me want to see a show that is his own.  With a band and a Grand Piano, I think this guy would blow some peoples minds.

The Malahat Revue at Sugar Nightclub
(Photo Courtesy: Jonathan Taggart http://www.jonathantaggart.com/)

I would have to say there wasn't a show I went to this year that I didn't like.  But I can't very well write about them all again here.  So the last act I'll mention that I enjoyed is The Malahat Revue.  A ridiculous group of musicians got together and played as though they've been a super-group for years.  The fact that they biked from show to show made it all the more awesome.  The best part?  Jeremy Fisher said recently they have some news coming in the New Year, possibly another tour?

And finally an act I am anxious to see.  I am going to Ontario to visit the family in June, and I've just realized that the dates line-up with North by NorthEast.  Although I won't be in Toronto that entire time, I am really hoping The Ruby Spirit will be playing a night I have available.  I really enjoyed their album this year, and have been curious to see their live show.  They really intrigue me and I think it would be quite a spectacle.

Of course there are plenty of other artists I would like to see in the New Year, but I'm even more curious to know what you will be seeing?  What artists did you love from this past season?  Let me know all about your favourite live acts guys, and thank you so much for reading!

Santa photo courtesy blogs.smarter.com

It finally happened, Christina Maria sits down with Island SoapBox

Christina Maria is simply all about music.  Through and Through.  I had tried to catch up with her on a previous trip to Vancouver, and we thought at one point that it was going to happen, but it just didn't work out. So I was more than happy to catch up with her last week at the "Girls with Guitars 2" show at Lucky Bar.  She was dead tired from her final Peak Performance Project report, her music video shoot (involving rigorous arm wrestling!), prepping for her Trans-Atlantic trip and subsequent record release tour, oh and she's hungry and still needs to get dressed for her show.

Still she is all smiles as she sits down for the interview.  She may be tired but her passion for music is as fiery as ever.  It's very clear that music is her life, she spends little time doing anything else.  When I asked her what she liked to do outside of music, after much thought and deliberation, it was "Sometimes in the winter I like to knit." with a bit of a smile and shrug.

When you are managing as many things as Christina is, it certainly is important to love what you do.  She is in Zurich, Switzerland releasing Straight Line to her European audience right now.  An album that she is extremely proud of, having worked so hard on it.

In the hectic fashion that only indie-rockers seem to be able to keep up with, Christina Maria hadn't even practiced with her band in Zurich prior to flying in last week for her tour starting October 28.  You can see she has some nerves about it, but you also hear the excitement and the confidence in her voice.  She is sure the show and tour will be great.

Now fans on this side of the Atlantic have been lucky enough to have been listening to Straight Line for a while now.  It's a fast 21 minutes, an EP that is quite fun and shows some serious range.  It's also cool because she worked with several producers across the country putting the album together.  Spreading the love is something that really worked well for Maria.

"I like working with other people. I'm so ADD that I can't, I just can't do one thing. I like to move around and do lots of stuff. I do like collaborating with a producer as opposed to doing it myself, cause there is always that element of, someone bringing something in that you would have never thought of and I really like that. It makes me like the music more, when there is something a little bit different then I would have done."

Christina has been doing quite well in the Peak Performance Project.  Reviews of her Red Room show were quite good and she finished 4th in the online voting portion.  Her live show must be helping this along.  The performance she put on at Lucky Bar was brilliant, pure Rock Star.  To see someone so confidently & completely own the stage through the entire set is quite a treat.  I had not been to one of her shows before the Peak Project, but I can't help but think it's paying dividends.

It's a project she has nothing but good things to say about (get a free copy of a song worked on with another Island SoapBox favourite Steph Macpherson here!).  The Surrey-born musician credits the program for things like helping her identify and reverse weaknesses that she may not have been aware of, and really creating a community and network amongst the participating bands & artists.  In Canada, where Christina finds it hard to find support as an emerging artist, she says more events like The Peak Performance Project could really help.

"There are so many artists in Canada that are super awesome, so I think it would be great if there was more support. I just went to Toronto and there was just so much talent over there. I just notice that there is not enough support for the artists in Canada, that's why it's so amazing that the Peak Performance Project exists. More stuff like that would be great."

As for supporting this talented Canadian musician, you can rest assured of your investment.  Her recorded goods are in fact good, a ticket to her live show is a great night out, and her work ethic is second to none.  She is on a Straight Line to the top, so you might as well hop on the bandwagon and help push her a little closer.

Girls with Guitars 2 a success!

Christina Maria owning the stage during "Girls with Guitars 2"
Photo Courtesy: Cyler Parent (his cell phone :)

Well the night finally came, and it was a great hit!  Katie Schaan, Ellisa Hartman and Christina Maria (who sat down with Island SoapBox and an interview is coming shortly!) played beautiful sets.  Lucky Bar was the perfect venue with great sound and service.  Surge Ahead can definitely count this event as another success.

Katie Schaan opened the night.  With a good crowd from the get go, and more spilling in as the set went along.  For a crowd busy buying drinks and finding their friends, they seemed to pay attention to Schaan.  She had some good banter and recovered quickly from a broken string incident, going back stage and emerging with Christina Maria's feathered guitar (we're still not sure if Christina knows this).  Ellisa Hartman held the crowd over with some stand up comedy.

Luckily Ellisa stuck with her musical set and didn't take the stand-up any further when she took the stage next.  She's a really great act to listen to.  Her guitar playing was captivating and her voice is smooth.  The only thing we noticed was her slower stuff in the middle was so soothing it kind of tired us out.  There is no doubt that Hartman's talent will have her playing many shows in the future.

A woman who is playing a ton of shows right now, whether they be here or abroad is Christina Maria.  The Victoria crowd spilled out as the two local singer/songwriter's acts had finished up, which was probably the biggest mistake they could have made.  It's no knock to the other two acts, but Maria owned the Lucky Bar stage like we had not witnessed all night.  She may have had the smallest crowd, but she had the most people paying attention.  It was a pure "Rockstar" performance, super fun to watch and over before you know it.

The best news all night was from Surge Ahead's Richelle Newson, who said there is already a third "Girls with Guitars" planned early in the New Year.  They are doing a great job getting talented artists and great sponsors, and there is no reason to think that will change next time around.

You can check out some video of the concert over at Magmazing Music, run by my friend Adam Lee.

Girls with Guitars 2, it's here! (Well basically :)

Island SoapBox is proud to be covering "Girls with Guitars 2" at Lucky Bar, coming Tuesday October 19. Three incredibly talented singer/songwriters will take the stage that evening, and Island SoapBox wants you to know a bit more about them before you come out and see them!

So this is the final preview piece, as the show gets underway tomorrow night!  Lucky Bar downtown Victoria will be the place to be for any fan of the singer/songwriter.  You’ve already had a chance to learn about Ellisa Hartman and Katie Schaan, and I’m sure you’re looking forward to learning about Christina Maria! Well lucky for you all, that piece is coming soon, as Christina has been kind enough to sit down with Island SoapBox before the show.  

That of course brings me to the point of today’s post.  I want you all to have the chance to ask Christina anything you would like to know!  You can leave a message at the bottom of this post, you can also send me an email, or hit me up on twitter!

Both Ellisa and Katie both mentioned being excited about playing with Christina, and I myself am very excited for both the show and the interview.  She’s a very talented artist, who calls many places on the globe “home”.  She is currently involved in the Peak FM Performance Project (the one I keep telling you all to vote in, you can until Midnight Monday!).

"Girls with Guitars 2" promises to be an excellent night out.  Sponsors will be giving out prizes, the bar itself is a great venue, and the talent on stage is first rate.  Come out, grab a beer and watch some live music.  How often does that disappoint? 

She's all Hart...man

Island SoapBox is proud to be covering "Girls with Guitars" at Lucky Bar, coming Tuesday October 19.  Three incredibly talented singer/songwriters will take the stage that evening, and Island SoapBox wants you to know a bit more about them before you come out and see them!

Ellisa Hartman is one of those fine acts.  The 23 year old is a whole lot of talent.  Although she is in the beginning stages of her musical career, she certainly doesn't lack musical experience.  A self-described "band geek" in high school, Hartman has learned all sorts of instruments ranging from Stand-up bass to Saxophone. The guitar though, not surprisingly, is home sweet home for Hartman. 

"My father was a musician, he was a guitar player, bass player. You know when you're a kid you look up to your parents, and my dad was my hero. I'd sneak dad’s acoustic guitar out of the bedroom and try and play it when I was a kid. I taught myself how to play.  I think musicians can generally play more than one instrument, but we all have one we can play the best. It's the one I actually feel I can play with confidence."

Although Ellisa has recorded an album (Arbutus), and played with some great acts, she is still breaking into "the industry".  The music takes care of it self, writing songs are a "piece of cake" when compared to the business side and getting those songs out there. 

"It’s hard to find the line between being confident and being arrogant. I think you need a little bit of ego to do certain things, like get up on stage and sell your soul.  It’s definitely a game, you gotta play your cards right for sure.
It's hard cause you are your own promoter, and for me that’s tough. "Hi, my name is Ellisa and I'm a really awesome guitar player and you should let me play in your bar". It's a really uncomfortable thing for me to do, and I’m sure I'm not the only one.
I’m having a hard time trying to reach out to other musicians, it’s definitely not always quite as welcoming as I would like it to be. I think if we all did form a strong community, everyone would benefit from it."

Well perhaps Girls with Guitars is just what Hartman needs at this point.  Surge Ahead is showcasing just what this province has to offer, extremely talented female musicians who deserve the stage as much as anyone else.  With a talent pool so deep, the Vancouver Island talent is thrilled at the opportunity.

"There are so many talented girls all over the island, it's humbling for sure. There is a lot of great talent out there.  I think it’s a great idea. Surge has been really awesome and good to work with.  It's great that people are looking out for the small local musicians that are out there. And Lucky Bar is a really nice venue as well. Definitely looking forward to it."

Away from music, she is an accomplished diver, having strapped on the Oxygen and dove into the ocean depths in several continents.  It may be surprising to some, but Hartman says although the waters here may be colder and murkier than other places, it's some of the best in the world.

"The diving here is probably the best I've seen and I've been to Asia and Central America. The life here is unbelievable, it's just amazing."

The Scuba Diving here may be some of the best in the world, and I'm willing to bet our music scene isn't far behind.  Tuesday October 19 will be an opportunity to see the great talent that is developing right here in our own backyard on full display.

"It's the only thing I'm really good at, you know what I mean?  Everyone has that one thing. That's music for me.  I want to be a musician."

When Hartman takes the stage and strikes that first chord, cheer loud and let her know she's already there.