(With Lillix @ CRMA's)
Wow! Been so busy I can't even think! Finally got some time to sit down and recapture the week's festivities for you.
Friday I played at The Canadian Radio Music Awards held at the Royal York Hotel. I was fortunate to be nominated in two categories (Hot AC and CHR)...However, no win for me this year...though I'm happy to have been a part of the experience! My heart started to race a bit as they were announcing the winners. Big congratulations to all the winners! Canada is really thriving with great music and wonderful artistry. At the awards show...I bumped into the girls from Lillix (who are not only stylish and extremely rock&roll, they are very friendly and charming). Melissa Ethridge presented an award and apparently through word of mouth, she dug our performance (bonus!)
(Performing @ CRMA's)
Later on that night...(Thanks to VP Jeff Craib), I had the pleasure of performing at The Gladstone Hotel as part of the SL Feldman Showcase. Amazing talent there! Artist's include Sierra Noble http://www.sierranoble.ca/, Current Swell http://currentswell.com/, and Hello Beautiful http://www.myspace.com/hellobeautifulspace
During our set, the room was packed with music lovers, industry peeps and party goers. We played with high energy and I must have sweat out all of my bodily fluids, it was so damn hot on that stage. The band I worked with was incredible (Thanks Topher, Dave, Russ & Lindsay for an amazing time)
(Performing @ The Gladstone Hotel)
Afterwards...once adrenaline levelled out...we set out on shmoozing / mingling mode and worked the room. Within the crowd there were the agents from the Feldman family, the Hipjoint Crew, Shawn Marino of Universal, Ron Lopata of Warner, Mark Jowett of Nettwerk and tonnes more!
By the time our drink tickets ran out was about the time Ron Sexsmith stepped on stage as a surprise special guest performer. As a huge Sexsmith fan myself, I was totally blown away – more so, in a state of shock by being in the same room as the creator of music that really moves me. He is totally peculiar and alluring, which makes him a great songwriter.
Since it was a packed room with loud talkers...I felt people needed to appreciate his intimate, acoustic performance much more than they did (And that's probably why he deliberately popped the PA by unplugging his guitar patch after only four songs...and walked offstage.) That told me something about him. He is Rock&Roll:)
(With Ron Sexsmith in the green room)Today I was with Dan Davidson – Since we are both from out of town and checking out of our hotels on the same day...we had no place to write! Our last minute spontaneous plan consisted of us stealthily sneaking around The Royal York to find an empty room we could jam in. Mission accomplished.
Tomorrow I write with Shawn Desman – Gonna be fun!
S. Lang reporting from (still freezing) Toronto....Over and OUT!
xo
Hello All!
I'm reporting again from snowy, cold and rainy Toronto. Today is my second day here for Canadian Music Week and I spent it catching up with friends and checking out some killer bands!
I started out at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and met up with my friend Dan Erison. We chatted about music over drinks the lobby cocktail lounge. Dan is currently in management for Open Road Records. (Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts)
(With the Hipjoint Boys @ El Macombo)
We bumped into the beautiful and lovely Tracey Singer also from Vancouver. She is managing country artist Stacy McKitrik also from Vancouver!
After a few rounds...I get a text from Mike James (Hipjoint Productions) saying “Just got off the plane...I'll be at the hotel in one hour.” My reply... “Sweet I'm at the bar”
Turns out we had all made the same plans to go see the same showcase without even knowing, so we merged forces and took Toronto by storm.
(Running Red Lights)
We made our way out to The Supermarket in Kensington Market to catch The Agency Group Showcase. I had made dinner plans with Nancy Levesque, so we met up there for some pad thai and spicy chicken! Nancy is rocking with the Tanjola team in Toronto on the artist management side. (Tanjola manages Keshia Chante, Shiloh) http://www.tanjola.com/
There was a hand full of people I bumped into at The Supermarket! Artist manager/booker Rob Pattee, artist Jack Connolly, Fraser Hill of EMI and Dina Young (Dina and her partner in crime Bonnie are two lovely ladies that helped me get my FACTOR grants for tour funding and marketing/promotion funding) They are dope!
(Courage My Love @ El Macombo)
We watched country sweetheart Stacey McKitrik play a short set with her band. Great voice! I was line dancing in the crowd!
Shortly after...Running Red Lights hit the stage. I really enjoyed their show. Their front woman has great stage presence – slightly reminds me of Emily Haines of Metric. Also loved when their drummer started rapping. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/runningredlightsmusic
Then, me and the Hipjoint team (Mike James, Troy Samson) made our way to El Macombo to check out Courage My Love. They are 17-year-old LEGIT rockers. For real. Great energy...couldn't keep my eyes off their chick drummer. Seriously bad ass and rare to see such young talent! http://www.myspace.com/mercedesandphoenix
(Darlingside @ The Dakota Tavern)
Closing in on 11pm, I flew solo over to The Dakota Tavern to check out this group I checked out on Myspace this morning. They are called Darlingside...really loved their music online and their live show was perfect. Intimate, heartfelt and the venue suits the mood. Check them out! http://www.myspace.com/darlingside
2 nights down! 4 more to Go!
S.LANG over and OUT!
Hello Friends!
Today was a great way to start the week in Toronto. I caught an early flight this morning to T.O. and as the plane descended...I peaked out of my window seat to see nothing but SNOW! Totally should have used my Weather Network app on my Android phone to check the weather before coming to Ontario. Brrrrr! I would have packed a few extra sweaters...scarves...mittens...long-johns.
I hopped on the bus to downtown and checked in for band registration at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel. In the line up to pick up artist wristbands, I bumped into two members from Venice Queen www.myspace.com/venicequeenband (Fox Seeds Winners) a couple years back. Turns out, they are from Vancouver as well! The city is already buzzing with excitement...musicians a like all seem to be able to pick each other out in a crowd.
(With The Autumn Portrait, Jeremy von Hollen @ The Horseshoe)
At the airport..also bumped into band members from Red Vienna www.myspace.com/redvienna as we were coincidentally both checking our guitars into the fragile baggage section. All I had to do was ask "Canadian Music Week?" and an understanding nod confirmed that it is going to be a jam packed week of conferences, co-writing, showcases, shmoozing and checking out new bands!
Once I registered for CMW, I made my way to the East side to settle in with a friend of a friend. Turns out...One of them is now the new drummer for Ron Sexsmith! Rad!
I hit up my friend Jeremy von Hollon (music supervisor for Instinct Entertainment – and show Degrassi) and made plans to hang! Jeremy is the man behind the magic for bringing you “Straitjacket” and “Diamonds” by placing them in Degrassi:) He is good people! We hooked up downtown for some spontaneous ice skating then made our way to the Horseshoe Tavern.
Great line up tonight for the Tuesday New Music Night at The Shoe. We caught Royal Canoe – from Winnipeg. Amazingly, powerful and emotional music! LOVE LOVE LOVED it! Definitely check them out! Www.myspace.com/royalcanoe
Also caught Acres of Lions! They played an energetic set and we chatted briefly after their set. Very nice guys! Check them out www.acresoflions.com
And WHAT DO YOU KNOW! Bumped into some Vancourites at The Horseshoe as well! The boys from Autumn Portrait are currently on their cross Canada Tour now...and they surprised me...we hugged it out...then had a shooter. The lovely Adeline also graced us with her presence! So nice to have so much of home in the same room.
GREAT START to CMW!
Royal Canoe @ The Horseshoe Tavern www.myspace.com/royalcanoe
Ice skating downtown Toronto! brrrrr
With Jeremy :)
I've been nominated in two categories for "Mr. Immature"
