Peacock Calls, Goose Poop & Castle Grounds... Just another day

Cyler got some action shots on his cell.

Well it's about time I write something on here.  Sorry for the laziness folks, I'd love to have some sort of great excuse, but I don't.  So let's move on here people :)

I spent the morning at Royal Roads University, the lovely Ellisa Hartman was in town (her boyfriend Pete playing the roll of Trooper, and driving Ellisa into town at 4 a.m.), Magmazing's Adam Lee, and my good friend/kick ass photographer Cyler Parent were there to collaboratively produce some gold.  Using Hatley Castle and the surrounding grounds as their back drop, they had a great photo session, and shot a couple of videos (including some brand new material).

The location was amazing, and the talent equalled her surroundings easily.  There will be some great sessions coming online shortly, I can't wait to see the results myself!  Even with the cooler temperatures, everyone was excited to be working, and it was a great way to spend the morning.  Look for Ellisa's new album to be available in hard copy soon, as well as photo and video from today!

Sunshine at Solstice

Alli Sunshine plays to the Solstice Cafe

The Solstice Cafe in downtown Victoria hosted Trevor Davies album release show Friday night, and for the 60 or so people that attended, they were treated to a nice coffee house experience. Unfortunately for Trevor though, due to some technical difficulties that really slowed down his set, it was the two opening acts that really stood out.

Alex Hicks started the night with a beautiful set. Hicks, a member of Raw Hunnie, had a super strong voice that really dominated the cafe. She played the guitar quite nicely, and apart from one little slip-up during a song, she played lights out. She seemed comfortable for the most part, her interaction with the crowd was decent. She has a phenomenal voice, and I'll keep an eye out for her in the future.

Next up was Alli Sunshine, and filling in for the Blue Sparrows was Trevor Davies' band mates, Bassist Phil Albert, and drummer Dave Klasen. Sunshine was the reason we were at the show, and she didn't disappoint. She is a very personable performer on the stage, and you get a real sense of her enthusiasm. Even with band members who had never played with her, and on a borrowed keyboard, she had the cafe's full attention. I was very happy to find that her voice was even better in person, and I'm really curious to see her with her own band now (especially with some guitar!).

Trevor Davies closed up the night at the cafe. As I mentioned earlier, they had some problems with their gear, and the set never really had a flow. Those difficulties shortened their set, and it was really too bad. I'm not sure if it was the difficulties, but I don't think their stuff is for me. Not to say it isn't good, because the crowd that Davies brought in last night certainly seemed like they got what they wanted. All in all, it was a great Friday night.

Everybody should be Making War

This rad cover shot was taken by my buddy from
www.cylerparent.com

Well Ellisa Hartman is fast becoming an Island SoapBox favourite, and the Making War E.P. has strengthened her case.  I remember her excitement for the release, and I can understand why.  The 6 song E.P. is a great showcase of her talents, and should please current fans as well as intrigue new ones.

"Making War" and "Smitten" are probably the two catchiest tunes on the album.  Both make you want to sing along, and I think these two will catch your attention and really allow you to enjoy the rest of the album, which rings along at a slightly slower pace.  As it's 6 songs, it's a quick play, but an enjoyable listen that will leave people searching out more Ellisa Hartman.

She is another musician on Vancouver Island who is just so incredibly personable, you want her to succeed.  This album is definitely a strong performance, and I think demand for this now Campbell River based musician should be on the rise.  Look for an interview in the coming weeks with Ellisa!

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? 

Rock of the "Hood", The forest has moved indoors Aug 20-22

Vancouver Island's "Bamberton" was supposed to be getting ready for the very first edition of "Rock of the Woods", a brand new outdoor music festival featuring talened artists from near and far.  Well due to circumstances that just suck, the festival is moving indoors over 3 nights.

Of course the goal moving forward is to make this event a successful outdoor one, but that doesn't mean this 2010 edition won't be worth while checking out indoors.  Sugar Nightclub and Lucky Bar have stepped up to host the 14 acts over the 3 days.  The line-up looks like this:

Friday, August 20th @ Sugar Nightclub Doors at 9:00pm: Brasstronaut, The British Colombians, Sunday Buckets, Acres of Lions and Smith &Lyseng

Saturday, August 21st @ Sugar Nightclub Doors at 8:00pm : Junior Boys, Mat the Alien, Humans, Celebrity Traffic, The Mowhawk Lodge.

The Closing Party, Sunday, August 22nd @ Lucky Bar Doors at 8:00pm: Run Chico Run, Espionage, Bloody Wilma, and JP Maurice

The group behind "Rock of the Hood" has done a great job keeping their spirits up, and finding alternate ways of making the festival work.  It's people like this that get local music heard and they should be commended for pushing through and making sure the music happens!

It's also great to hear that so many of the bands are still able to make it out, some of them dealing with date changes.  There are many people working hard, and changing their schedules around to bring music to you, the people!

It's easy to focus on the negative, and what is not happening this year. I say throw that to the wayside, and get in on "Rock of the Woods" while it's still in the "Hood". You can brag that you were around "when that ole festival was still indoors".  It's a chance to see some great acts, have a few drinks, and enjoy yourself.  In the end, isn't that what music is about?