Words and photos: Tamara Stanners
I was a Boot Camp skeptic. It was an idea that I had a challenge wrapping my head around. I mean I love the whole concept of the PEAK Performance Project. I loved the fact that 20 artists from B.C. were going to get information and inspiration and some cash to help their careers. But, who has time, in the busy summer months, to give up a week to go to summer camp? And even if time wasn’t an issue, I just thought it would be lame.
Well, with year two of PEAK Performance Boot Camp behind us, I can honestly say I was so wrong. Last year wasn’t some kind of anomaly. The Magic is real.
The artists just wrapped up their camp experience a couple days ago. It is called Boot Camp for a reason. It is intense.
Each of the seven full days of PEAK Performance Boot Camp are crammed with information. Seminars from music industry insiders who were there to reveal the secrets of a business that hides the keys to success most times just to thwart the competition.
These days of learning started at 9:00 and went til 6:00.
One hour for dinner, and then it was Showcase time!
My favorite part of the camp!
For five of the nights, four bands each night would perform a set. Every single night was exceptional. The talent spectacular. I have been asked which artist was the highlight, but my list of highlights from the live shows makes up half of the line up of the Top 20.
Then after the showcases ended around midnight, it was back to work.
People were averaging 3 – 4 hours of sleep a night. Up all hours writing music for the songwriting challenge. They all had to come up with a song with ‘Last Night’ as a theme instigated by songwriters Don Mcleod and Dane Deviller. Many artist collaborations were born, like Bodhi Jones with Kyprios; and Adaline with Caleb of Parlour Steps; and Vince Vaccaro with Acres of Lions and Christopher Arruda.
Then the songs had to be recorded in the state of the art studios built by Shawn Cole and Garth Richardson and their Nimbus Recording School team. The thing is, to record 20 songs, the studio had to go around the clock. So artists were learning all day, and working all night.
But, they didn’t complain. Some got stressed. Just about all got run down. We were all downing oil of oregano like it was water to combat the bugs that could so easily strike due to fatigue.
You would think that competition aspect of the camp would be fierce. You would think that the artists would be scheming, and coming up with ways to guarantee their success in the PEAK Performance Project. And that’s where the magic happens. At Boot Camp the artists bond in a way that can only happen by spending 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in complete isolation from the outside world.
They support each other. They care for each other. They begin to love each other in a true and spiritual way.
Boot Camp helps build more than music careers. It is building a magical music community in B.C. that will embrace more and more artists in the coming days, weeks and years. I believe that this very community will make the West Coast music scene one of the most vibrant, not only in Canada, but in the world.
I am no longer a skeptic. I believe in Boot Camp.
Follow the 2010 PEAK Performance Project at peakperformanceproject.com.
