Oh my god! Oh my god! New JPNSGRLS!
Their new single "Oh My God" and music video was released last week, plus we have a release date for the new album, Divorce: July 22nd.
The band is currently touring around Europe with The Heavy, and hopefully we'll have some Vancouver dates again soon!
If you know me, you know I'm fighting tears right now. The Tragically Hip is one of my favourite, if not my favourite, band and Gord Downie is my favourite frontman, hands down.
So today, when The Hip announced that Gord has an incurable form of brain cancer, glioblastoma (which coincidentally is what our friend Neil had/passed away from this year), I had that instant, gut-punch feeling. I don't know what cruel joke 2016 is playing on us all, but it had better stop, because now it's really personal (a feeling that I'm sure many Canadians, musicians and music lovers alike, are sharing today).
I have seen this band too many times to count (I tried today and lost track), and have seen Gord perform with other bands over the years as well (a favourite being with The Sadies - not just because I was obsessed with this outfit he had on).
EDIT: See below...
A video posted by Christine McAvoy (@christine__mcavoy) on
Take this photo below for example, three set lists from three shows in one week in Toronto, where I used to live. First I saw them on The Hour (centre set list) [I found the video online, you can watch the concert here, but watch the whole thing b/c there is an interview with Gord too - and at the 40:46 mark, you might spot a grainy, 20 year old Christine to George's left], then at 102.1 The Edge I got Gord to sign the set list [Christine, enjoy w/ my compliments Gord Downie], and managed to get invited into the secret show at the Horseshoe that night (set list on the left), and finally the first night of shows at the Phoenix they had that week (set list on the far right).
Fun Fact: the back of the centre set list says "Applause!" - Johnny Fay wrote that on it during the show as a joke and held it up. I was closest to him, so I asked him for it. <3
Obviously if you've read the news, the one shining light is that we still have him for a while, and The Hip, being the rockstars they are, are doing one last tour with their spectacular front man. The dates are going to be announced this week, and you can bet you're ass I'm going to be there.
There was really only one choice of song for today... Courage, it couldn't come at a worse time.
It's the second single from the upcoming Moonface and Siinai collaboration! "Them Call Themselves Old Punks" starts off reminding me of some of the more creepy Sunset Rubdown songs, before building as Krug's voice soars over Siinai's riffs.
My Best Human Face comes out June 3rd on Jagjaguwar, and is possibly my most anticipated upcoming album. .
Seeing as the May long weekend is the unofficial start of summer, what better song of the day than the latest from Vancouver's summeriest band, BESTiE?
"Infinity" is the third (and final) song released off their Permanent Vacation EP, which dropped yesterday. Produced by Dr. Boss himself Shawn Cole, it's a tropical pop-rock song that is should be on heavy rotation on everyone's summer playlists.
Old Man Canyon has released a bonus track from the recently released album Delirium, called "Got You On A Ride".
The band is currently touring across Canada and the states, and will be back in BC for the Phillips Brewing Backyard Weekender in July.
Check out the song below, and have a safe and happy holiday weekend!
David Beckingham (one third of Hey Ocean!) is gearing up for the release of his first solo album, and he's giving us another taste of that it will sound like.
In a new video for "Soldier", Beckingham & his backing band perform live-off-the-floor in the Alsco Linen building, as his voice trembles over the swell of strings.
"Just When The Light" is out May 27th, and he'll be playing around Vancouver in July -- at Khatsahlano and Hiatus festivals, and in Victoria in August.
The bad news is, SAVVIE didn't make it to the final four on CBC Searchlight, after being one of the top two Vancouver artists.
The good news is, there's a brand new video for "A Blur and A Haze"!
SAVVIE teamed with production studio Faked Potatoes on the video fitting this dark and brooding song.
Last night we found out the winner of the 2016 Prism Prize: Kalle Mattson's video for Avalanche, directed by Philip Sportel.
As you'll see in the video below, the camera follows Kalle as he moves around a room and recreates some of his favourite album covers - reminiscent of Rich Aucoin's video for Brian Wilson Is A.L.i.V.E. that took home the prize in 2014!
Check it out below, and click here to see the winner of the Audience Award, "Virgins" by Death From Above 1979.