Archive for July, 2010

Two Tickets to see Grum (and two complimentary bevvies!) at Shine Nightclub in Gastown on Saturday Night!

According to his MySpace, Grum is “Electro/Disco House/French Pop.” So, definitely, this would have been in the “electronica” section of the record store I worked at.

It is very high-energy, get-yer-ya-yas out dance music, and if you feel like you and a guest need to remove the burden of your ya-yas at some point over this long week end, you may want to enter the giveaway. (Also, the winner gets a couple free bevvies so you can feel like a bit of a rock star with your friend.)

To enter the contest, tell me and many other Vancouver is Awesome readers what your ya yas are (if you have any) and how you plan to get rid of them this weekend (weather permitting.) …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

Nori Kariya….Kamikaze Layback….

Who doesn’t love a day at the beach?

The horse on the left is clearly smiling for the camera.

Vancouver’s finest (and a couple of horses) were patrolling the seawall at Third Beach this afternoon. I was totally surprised when one of the officers actually cleaned up after his mount with what I can only assume to be an official, VPD-approved scooper contraption (or just a shovel).

SCENE AND HEARD showcases the independent music scene here in Vancouver. We interview some of our favourite local artists, and ‘Last Week in Music’ highlights some of the concerts happening around the city.

Slow week in concerts didn’t mean it was a slow week! Lots of fireworks went off and VIAindie had a visit from an East coast friend…

The Mountains and The Trees aka Jon Janes (who did our guest playlist last week) rolled into Vancouver last Wednesday to play at show at Little Mountain Gallery with The Wilderness of Manitoba…

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

Every day we share a single photo from our Flickr Pool shot by one of our faithful and talented readers (that’s you!). Today’s photo was taken by Jamil Rhajiak of the Capilano Reservoir which is just upstream from one of my favourite North Shore attractions, the Capilano River Fish Hatchery!

The cats rule East Vancouver. They’re everywhere…sidewalks, roads, hiding in doorways, supervising stores, sprawled out anywhere to have a bath. The cats I meet while wandering through East Van are probably all house-pets but it’s not clear who ‘owns’ them. Cats are all about territory, but all space is public to them.

Stay tuned…When the project is finished I hope to have photographed every one of the East Van Cats!

[Click HERE to see all the East Van Cats to date]

V.I.A.’s Home Grown features only the most awesome companies in Vancouver. From tiny, single-person operations to the big players, we profile our favourite businesses and interview their owners and operators.

Next Level Learning Centre Established 2010 www.nextlevellearningcentre.com

For over 40 years, Tom Lee Music has helped musicians of Greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island to make sweeter music. More than just a musical instrument and equipment specialty superstore, Tom Lee Music offers instruction and a level of service in a creative, dynamic environment that is unique to Western Canada. Further still is Tom Lee Music’s dedication to its community, offering continued support to a wide range of local arts and cultural events (including the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Ballet BC, Vancouver Opera, Music Fest) to sponsoring organizations like the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Foundation and the BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities as well as the School Alliance of Student Songwriters (SASS).

I sat down with Richard Duggan, Managing Director of the Next Level Learning Centre, to talk about the school.

Is there actually a Tom Lee?

Yes, there is. And no, he does not play drums in Mötley Crüe.

Tom Lee Music first opened in Vancouver in 1969. What is the secret to this company’s longevity?

Music is an international language, and Vancouver is one of the most multicultural cities in Canada. We always listen to all of our customers and make a real effort to satisfy their needs.

Tom Lee Music already offers traditional instruction through their existing Learning Centre. How is the Next Level Learning Centre different?

The education we provide at Next Level is different than anything we’ve done before. Music lessons, the way most people think of it, is learning to play guitar or drums or piano. Historically, music industry schools were limited as to what they could teach or would teach, and were otherwise few and far in between. What we’re offering at Next Level are all the essentials skills a musician needs to set themselves up for success in today’s music market, which as you know is constantly changing.

How did Next Level get started?

It initially started as a simple idea among myself, Tom Lee Music’s Business Development Manager Richard Howland and Don McLeod, who is a producer / songwriter and the founder of SASS (www.sass-bc.com). The concept was to expand upon our existing educational facility by offering songwriting and software recording classes.

However, as we were doing the groundwork and market research, we discovered that there is a massive gap in affordable music industry based educational facilities in this city – one can either take musical instrument lessons or spend $10,000+ to learn how to be a recording engineer.

So upon discovering this void we decided to expand our vision of the school to encompass a much larger segment of the music industry. Now, we will be offering everything from songwriting and software recording classes, to performance coaching, business and marketing, promotion, all the way to DJ lessons, and much more, all at an affordable price.

Self-marketing and promotion, this “new” philosophy… are there examples of this?

The reality is that the music industry has changed – established artists that have been tied into music contracts for years are telling people, “whatever you do, do not get into the industry we got into!” It worked for them, but it is a totally different industry today, and aspiring musicians need to learn how to work and grow within it.

In the end, there are many variables and measures to gauge success. But you still need to know what the resources out there are and how to access them, and that’s where we come in.

Tell me about the music market in Vancouver, from a musician’s perspective.

Vancouver’s music scene, like many other cities in Canada, can be …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

Have you entered our A Night on the (China)Town giveaway yet? Win two tickets to the Seven Tyrants Theatre’s production of The China Tea Deal 3 at the Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden as well as some sweet Sun Yat swag and dinner (an $80 gift certificate!) to Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie. The contest ends at 5:00 pm today and you can enter here. Keep on top of fun free stuff by following @VIAGiveaways!

I had a chance to talk with the garden’s Director of Community Development, Donna, as well as China Tea Deal producers Dan and David who also perform in this “outdoor, roving historical fairytale.” Despite this fairytale taking place in a historically accurate space like the garden, I was assured that there are no Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon gravity-defying acrobatics (maybe next year).

The China Tea Deal saga takes place in the garden, an authentic reproduction of a 15th century Ming dynasty home. Completed in 1986, the garden was a collaborative construction between Canadians and 52 master craftsmen from the province of Suzhou, China. Using traditional materials and techniques, the venue is a magical space featuring distinct architectural details (intricate halls and walkways are constructed with precise joinery and without the use of nails, screws or glue) amid a beautifully balanced garden. Donna noted that she “has seen the play and I have to say it really did create a new experience of the space for me – and I have worked here for a while! It tied everything about the garden in, and I felt like I was discovering a whole new place.”

As part of the audience, you are a part of the East India Company on a journey to China in the early 18th century and must help Captain Woodfellow navigate all of the forces at play…

Is this a production for all ages?

This is a family friendly, all ages production and you don’t need to have seen the previous two installments to enjoy this one.

We have a lot of material for adults – it’s a great exposé of history and philosophy of different events going on at that time. That being said we have incorporated much as possible to make it a great experience for all ages – everything from swashbuckling to live, traditional Chinese music and fan dancing. And of course, there is tea! The audience gets involved and helps decide upon a “choose your own adventure”-type swing ending for the play, all in one of Vancouver’s most beautiful spaces.

What’s it like to put on a play in an outdoor venue in the summertime in Vancouver?

It would have to be the space itself, the garden, is absolutely beautiful. I always enjoy coming in here and find it to be very calming, it’s a serene environment. Coming to the garden on your own during the day is beautiful enough, but having the opportunity to come here and participate in live theatre is a one-of-a-kind experience.

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>