SCENE AND HEARD is where Vancouver’s up and coming musicians sit down for a one-on-one interview with each other. Artist-on-Artist. What do they discuss? Anything and everything! Their favourite venues, where they go on dates, other Vancouver bands, their girl crushes, you name it… There will be two new artists every month! Have suggestions on who think should interview each other?, leave your comments below!… On a crisp autumn morning, in a busy Barney’s restaurant on South Granville, singer/songwriters Adaline and Nat Jay sip on tea and quickly catch up on some off-the-record girl-talk. Even though they live a few blocks away from each other in Fairview, and play in a collaborative folk band [The Prettiest Face In Town] the two haven’t seen much of each other over the last few months; Jay just finished up some co-writing in Los Angeles and Adaline is knee-deep in the Peak’s Performance Project competition. On top of this they have their civilian lives, including their working stiff jobs and love lives…

DATING IN VANCOUVER:
A: “You can ask me about my love life…I’ll expose it.”
NJ: “So Adaline, tell me about your love life.”
A: “I’m single. My relationships don’t work out because I’m too busy”
NJ: “Well what’s your favourite way to meet guys in Vancouver…”
A: “I always tell myself I’ll never date another musician, but the reality of it is, I always meet people at shows. I should really try to meet people in different ways, outside of the music scene…start going to art galleries.”
NJ: “Maybe you should join a rock climbing club?”
A: “Actually I DO rock climb!”
NJ: “Really?!”
A: “I dated a rock climber for years. Did you not know this?”
NJ: “I don’t think I did!”
A: “It’s this part of me no one knows about. I use to climb buildings [in Vancouver]. We did this thing called Parkour, and it’s where you jump off buildings and tumble. I used to go, and hang out with him [her ex] and I wasn’t as good, but I tried things. We climbed the Toys-R-Us sign on Granville and Alder!”
NJ: “Is that not illegal?”
A: “All of this is illegal. I climbed a crane at UBC…there’s such a subculture in Vancouver of daredevil people that do things at 2 in the morning when the lights are off. It’s so unique to Vancouver because there’s so much construction…and the mountains. People are like monkeys here. Like an urban jungle. Maybe if people still do that they can contact me and let me know where to go!”
A: “What about you Nat, where do you go on dates in Vancouver?”
NJ: “Actually, a recent date I went on, I tried to find an arcade. I took him to one downtown, but it was closed, so we found one a little one. I heard that Richmond has really great arcades. That’s really great about Vancouver, it has all these suburbs and you can use their amenities.”
A: “The [Jazz] Cellar is always a great date…”

VANCOUVERITE: JILL BARBER
A: “The first time I ever saw Jill Barber, I had no idea who she was, and I went to the Jazz Cellar because my friends were going. Jill Barber came out on stage, and honestly, her playing piano in a small space, it was one of those moments [when you hear an artist before they get big] and you hear them sing, it was just like…’whoa’. She has this song [Measures & Scales] where she sings: ‘He plays piano in a jazz band’ it was the sexiest. We were just sitting there saying: This girl is so amazing. And then a year later, she was everywhere.”
NJ: “She’s one of Vancouver’s favourites.
A: “She lives here now…with Grant Lawrence.”
NJ: “Yah, they just got engaged… I wish Matt Barber lived in Vancouver; he’d be on my favourites list. He was here for the Junos and we both played at the Cellar downtown and shared a greenroom.
NJ: “She [Jill] is one of my favourite Vancouverites to follow on Twitter [@jillbarber]. She’s a bit of a different genre than your average pop, indie musician and she plays so many festivals, and goes so many places.”
A: “We’re going to sound obsessed with Jill Barber.”

VENUES IN VANCOUVER:
A: “I go to concerts at least 3 times a week.”
NJ: “Media Club’s one of my favourite venues [695 Cambie St]. I really like it since they did the renos. It’s a nice big stage now and could fit the four of us [Prettiest Face In Town].”
A: “Ya, and we brought our lamps and put blue bulbs in them. It looked different from any other Media Club shows.”
NJ: “It was nice that they let us do that.”
A: “Other favourite venues? Obviously the Commodore [Ballroom, 868 Granville St]…I’d love to play that room. I’m excited to see the new ‘Richards’.”
NJ: “I think my favourite venues are bigger venues, places I haven’t played in. Theaters. I love theaters. The Centre [in Vancouver for The Performing Arts].”
A: “The Centre is amazing. The Cultch is great [1895 Venables St], I love the Rio, I’ve played that [1660 E Broadway]. Theatre spaces are the way to go.”
NJ: “I like the Biltmore too. [395 Kingsway]”

HOODS:
A: “Favourite neighbourhood?”
NJ: “This [South Granville] is my favourite neighbourhood.”
A: “I like a few different ones. To me there are four really cool neighbourhoods…well there’s more than four. There’s Commercial Drive which is more hippy and free, there’s Main which is more scenester and hipster, there’s here that is a combination of both…”
NJ: “It’s like an outdoor mall here.”
A: “Yah, there are lots of places to shop…you can just walk a block and be at Purr [2928 Granville St].”
NJ: “I love Purr.”
A: “Ya, I love it there and it’s literally a block away from my house, that’s so bad…but it’s still relatively inexpensive, they have lots of sales. Oh! And Main Street is so cool for its antique shopping.”
NJ: “Main St.? Totally. I went antiquing with Paul [Boechler, Engineer @ FaderMaster Studios] and I found the cutest merch case. Like a little vanity that I put my CD’s in now…”
A: “Kits!… 4th Ave…that’s more the yuppie-lululemon-wearing-dog-walking-people.”
NJ: “Health conscious.”
A: “Because it’s right by the beach!”
NJ: “And by Capers. I love capers. I love the ‘Eat Your Greens Smoothies with Hemp Protein and a Power Muffin. That’s my favourite.”
A: “Oh, you are so trendy. Nat Jay’s such a hipster.”
NJ: “Well, I can’t afford it anymore, they raised the price.”

EATS:
A: “I’ll tell you my favourite restaurant in Vancouver!”
NJ: “Okay.”
A: “My favourite restaurant is …oh! I should mention Caffé Barney [2975 Granville St.], because we’re here right now, and I come here all the time”
NJ: “I came here for my birthday! Remember? You saw me.”
A: “Yah. This is like a regular place for me. And I’ll go to Bean Around The World [2977 Granville St], because they have internet there and sometimes you can just go and sit there all day. But one of my favourite restaurants right now is on Commercial Drive…Bandidas [Taqueria, 2781 Commercial Drive] It’s a Mexican restaurant, but its all vegetarian, and real corn tortillas. They’re not like the ones you’d get at Safeway that are super flimsy…they actually have…girth.
NJ: “Hahaha!”
A: “They’re thick! …Can I say girth? But anyways…you’ll love it.”
NJ: “My favourite breakfast place is Crave on Main St. [3941 Main St] and then my favourite restaurant is The Foundation [2301 Main St.].”
A: “They have really good nachos”
NJ: “They have really good ‘East Van Town’…or whatever it is. And it’s reasonably priced; it’s like $8 for a meal. And I like that they’re late night.”

VANCITY MUSIC MAKERS:
A: “Speaking of Vancouver …that’s my girl crush…” [Adaline gestures to waitress at Barney’s]
NJ: “Hmm…we have to talk about our favourite local musicians.”
A: “That’s so hard. There’s so many, and I’m friends with so many.”
NJ: “For me, I’m the singer/songwriter girl…so I love going to see all my singer/songwriter friends. And it’s not a coincidence that three of my friends are in The Prettiest Face In Town [Adaline, Nat Jay, Cory Woodward and Adrian Glynn]”
A: “Awww!”
NJ: “Well, that’s why we got together.”
A: “It’s true.”
NJ: “And I love Dan Mangan too.”
A: “It’s almost too trendy to say Dan Mangan now…”
NJ: “But I’ve loved him for years. There are a couple bands that I really love…The Zolas…formerly Lotus Child. Their album is coming out in November; I’m really excited for that. And Bend Sinister, they’re pretty spectacular. And of course, Hey Ocean.”
A: “I love art rock…stuff that is moody, and ambient. Vancouver has a very distinct sound, it’s very beachy and indie rock.”
A: “…and I love Hannah Georgas…”
NJ: “Hannah!, of course. Oh and Mother Mother…we love Mother Mother.”
A: “That is so true.”
NJ: “Adaline and I traveled together a lot in March and we saw Mother Mother three and a half times. The fourth time we had to leave because we thought they’d think we were stalkers.”

LIVING IN VANCOUVER:
A: “I’ll tell you why Vancouver is perfect, because it’s small enough that you can make a name for yourself. You’re not such a little fish in a huge sea. If you work hard, you can get shows, and the scene is pretty tight. And it’s beautiful here.”
NJ: “Last night I went for a walk on Jericho beach, I went with Lindsay [May]. There was this beautiful red sunset and rocks jutting out and it was so beautiful, and we’re like: I can’t believe we live here.”
A: “It’s the most beautiful place in the world.”
NJ: “Especially when you’ve been away, you come back and breathe in and it smells so great here.”
A: “I went to Winnipeg for the WCMA’s and when I was flying back into the city, it was so gorgeous.”
NJ: “I have to say that the Vancouver airport is something that makes Vancouver awesome, and I’ve been to a lot of airports recently. The international arrival terminal?…Beautiful…with all the paintings, it looks amazing. LAX is ass-ugly, and Vancouver is just really nice.”

GIRL CRUSHES/RADIO STATION CRUSHES:
A: “I think the Peak is awesome. [100.5FM]”
NJ: “I think the Peak is the best radio station I’ve ever heard.”
A: “Vancouver has a great radio station. Arguably the best new radio station in Canada”
NJ: “That just made my day when I realized we got that station at work.”
[The Barney’s waitress distracts us all again…]
NJ: “Well, I have a girl crush on Ashleigh Ball [Hey Ocean]”
A: “Ya, biggest girl crush in Vancouver…Ashleigh Ball”
NJ: “Adaline and I had a crush on each other before we started hanging out.”
[Both Laugh]

VANCOUVER HAIR:
[Adaline’s phone rings. It’s the director of her music video, so Nat and I discuss her new haircut…]
NJ: “Ooo. I have a favourite hairdresser. I go to Statik Salon, which is just down the road on Granville and 7th [2331 Granville St.]”
VIA: “Didn’t you tell me you have the same hairdresser as Zach [Gray, The Zolas]?”
NJ: “Yes! Zach! We share a hairdresser, Alina, and she’s a big fan of the local music scene. She thinks of hairdressing as an art form, and just paints your hair.”
[Adaline hangs up.]
A: “I’m going wardrobe shopping today for my music video with my stylist! We’re doing ‘Whiter/Straighter’, but it’s 1960’s so I have to find the right outfit.” [Note: Adaline said she goes to A Salon in the Century Plaza Hotel on Burrard [1015 Burrard St.]]

The bill arrives, and Adaline is off to meet her stylist and Nat has to head to work.

Check out Nat Jay’s music here: http://www.myspace.com/natjay and Adaline’s music here: http://www.myspace.com/adalinesmusic and you can follow them on Twitter: @adalinemusic & @officialnatjay

[All photography by: Christine McAvoy - www.mcavoy.ca - @christinemcavoy]