JORDANA TALSKYDANIELLE BOURJEAURDHONEY BEARDRADIANT DIVIDEBODHI JARCPMIRAGE 13MEET THE BLUEBODY SPRAYVAJRAMINDFUL AUDACITYRETURN FOR REFUNDETNOKOZENVINYL HERO
EverythingOShauN w/ Xpress aka DJXPF SCOTT AND THE NIGHTHAWKS
ARTIST NAME: VINYL HERO
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
Meeting other bands from other cities/countries. It’s great to see bands from everywhere. heir sounds, how they do what they do, and on occasion finding bands with similarities (war stories included!) to ours…that helps make fast friends
2. What should we expect from your live show?
3 guys giving everything for their crowd at any price of admission, no matter the venue, size of he crowd, they come first & performance is everything. We’ve grown tired of the cookie cutter rock bands . We try to be as honest as possible while kicking as much ass as possible
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
Our drummer is Belgian & has the most impressive accent ever!
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Terminator 2 – it would range from a single acoustic/folk strum along to heavy metal, somewhere between Horse With no Name and War Ensemble!
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Springsteen – for all reasons of fandom- I’ve always enjoyed seeing Max Weinberg grin from ear to ear. Doing triplets, happiest drummer ever! Nils Lofgren has incredible tone & redonic collection of gear on tour. I would corner Steve Van Zandt and ask all the dirt questions about the Sopranos and how many bandanas he tours with and…I’d ask if I could try any one of “The Boss'” telecasters.
ARTIST NAME: KOZEN
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
I think one of the coolest things about festivals is that they bring a lot of talent to the surface.To see all kinds of awesome bands and artists being promoted is a reminder of just how broad, all-encompassing, and universal music culture is. And it’s a great atmosphere.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
A lighthearted “fun” vibe with lots of shredding and hooky songs! And you can expect us to showcase some new songs!
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We’re all church dudes and most of us have some preaching skills. Dead serious. But when it’s time for our shows it’s less talk, more rock.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
The 1998 American Godzilla movie. We’d replace all the music with really high-energy J-rock or Anime sounding music and it would be great because we’re here to make everything as #kawaii as possible. Or, we could do Frozen, and it wouldn’t matter what it’d sound like as long as the title track doesn’t exist.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
We’re torn on this one, can’t reach a band consensus. Either show would be a weird lineup though.
ARTIST NAME: RETURN FOR REFUND
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
Simple, the party. Every year, Indie Week is a beautiful shit show filled with friends, laughs, and foolishness. We’re looking forward to rocking out with some solid friends and musicians.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
World class musicianship, raw animal energy, and heart grabbing songs. We give everything we have, all the time.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We have begun pre-production on a plot driven, musical romance. It’s a double album tentatively titled Crazy Love.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Natural Born Killers and the songs would be the exact same as they are now. The NBK soundtrack is one of the most artfully complied soundtracks of all time. Even the dialogue is amazing. You’d have to crazy to mess with it.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Is this a thing? I dunno. I think Springsteen would draw a bigger crowd, so let’s go with him.
ARTIST NAME: ETNO
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
The way the festival involves the whole the city and makes it take part of the activities and shows. Much like SXSW that has showcases happening in different venues as opposed to having them all happen in a closed arena or area. I guess this is a great incentive for the bands to get a feel of the town and really get to know Toronto more. And it’s great on the business side for all of these bars and pubs to get all this movement during the week of the festival.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
We’re bringing really the best of what we do on stage which is to have fun and deliver our most raw energy that has been our trademark for all these years. Our work will be new to most of the audience so we plan on playing songs that range all of our career up to stuff we’re releasing now.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We’ve been together for 15 years now and in our first album we sang in 4 languages. Portuguese, English, Spanish and French. And in the demo version for one of the songs we had a section in Tupi-guarani, a native Brazilian language. The mix of languages came from the diverse background of everyone in the band. Some of us lived abroad such as Mexico, Spain, US and Panama, so being multi-cultural is part of our identity as individuals. After that album we decided to stick to just Portuguese.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Hmm… Well, first we’d have to come up with a movie that matches our music style. So, I guess Pulp Fiction would be awesome to be featured in! The grittiness and the acid sense of humor in the movie is so iconic, having our music play to those scenes would be a dream come true. Specially since Tarantino has such an amazing taste for choosing the music for his movies. Although there would be no way that we could top his selection, but we accept the challenge!
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
I think both situations would be an amazing mind-blowing experience but I’d have to with Bruce. Mostly for the energy that explodes from stage and that he still carries on. Neil Young is maybe closer to our style of message in lyrics, a very reflexive and almost protest like lyrics. We were very much influenced by bands like Rage Against the Machine and System of a Down in our early years. So that’s what makes it a hard choice. But since we sing in Portuguese, the universal language that we all speak is music. And we carry a lot of energy in our songs and that’s what we communicate the best with international audiences.
ARTIST NAME: VAJRA
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
There are so many great bands performing in one city day after day – it’s one big celebration of live music.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
You should expect to lose your sense of self and meet us in the netherworld.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
Annamaria, our lead singer was just strangled on stage in Las Vegas while on our Shadows North American Tour by a crazy fan who thought we were all demons on stage and said we were playing the devils music. And, she kept singing through it all! Here is some live footage: https://www.facebook.com/vajratemple/videos/10155466609386141/
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
It’s hard to say which film but likely a film by David Lynch or Andrei Tarkovsky. The songs would be mostly experimental, atmospheric journeys similar to the interludes we write.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Neil Young. Love his energy and the music he creates.
ARTIST NAME: MINDFUL AUDACITY
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
Our favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week is seeing other up and coming musicians and bands perform. The talent in Toronto is fresh and diverse and when they perform, they bring an extra element to their songs that takes it to a whole new level which is amazing to see.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
When you see Mindful Audacity perform you can expect a high energetic performance that is captivating and makes you feel truly connected to the music. As an audience member, you will “experience” the songs as the music takes you through intense progressions that rapture you in melody lines and stories of life, love and heartache. Our songs are a mix of various styles with heavy jazz fusion influences such as The Yellow Jackets, Jamiroquai and Incognito.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We like to break the rules when it comes to music. The crazier we can do something the better and more exciting it is.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
The Matrix and it would be a heavy synth lead soundtrack with a Chick Corea Elektric Band feel. It would be awesome!
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
100% Bruce Springsteen because one he is very talented and two because of his personality. He comes across as a very chill and relaxed person that truly loves his craft as a musician. From seeing him perform, I believe that he would be a great person to have back stage conversations with about all his life journeys and adventures.
ARTIST NAME: JORDANA TALSKY
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
The variety of styles that are showcased. I’m indie pop infused with jazz and soul but with hints of alternative and blues – I appreciate a festival that promotes eclecticism!
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Quirky, personal and fun.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
My band has an important non-human member – my laptop. I haven’t named it yet but taking suggestions.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Funny Girl is one of my 2 all time favourite films, so maybe a new spin on those songs with a modern approach, using loops and vocal percussion. It would be so weird. So yeah, that.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Currently, I’m in a revisiting Neil Young mode – I attended the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and he was inducted. I went down the listening hole and it inspired me to write some tunes that have a Neil-ish vibe. So for today, I’d say Neil. But the Boss is certainly a boss, and he’s got a new Broadway show, so with my long jazz hands it would also be appealing.
ARTIST NAME: DANIELLE BOURJEAURD
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
It’s great that Indie Week promotes so much emerging talent. I love being part of the underground hidden scene and discovering new artists. And then from an artist’s point of view, we get to be discovered in the independent music world! Win win!
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Lots of energy! I love to rock and roll and start the party! It’s important for me to interact with the crowd – I really feed off their energy. What you see is always what you get when I have the mic and I have been known to open up to my listeners on a personal level. Every show is a bit different!
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We are all so different. Our styles range from rock and roll to punk to some metal to straight up bluegrass country and pop. Together we have such a unique flavour. Keeps things interesting for sure!
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Any Quentin Tarantino movie! He always has such a bad-ass soundtrack. Pulp Fiction was always my mom and I’s favourite road trip soundtrack. Gotta love anything spaghetti western with a bit of a hillbilly vibe!
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
I’m going to go with Neil because he was always my dad’s favourite. I grew up listening to all of his vinyls from CSNY to Crazy Horse and loved learning his riffs and trying to play harmonica along to each track. I’ve seen Neil play a few times and I think we would just have so much fun together on stage. Plus come on, he’s Canadian! ❤
ARTIST NAME: F SCOTT AND THE NIGHTHAWKS
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
Rubbing elbows with industry professionals. I love getting elbow rubs.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Jarry’s patented Flying Kung Fu Karate Kick stage dive.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
Collectively, we weigh over half a ton. 16lbs of that is beard.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Bullit – That car chase scene needs a soundtrack. Conveniently, I happened to have written a song for that scene. If you could put me in touch with the director, that’d be great.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Bruce. I’d challenge Little Stevie to an on-stage bandana fight. Winner gets the other guys guitar.
ARTIST NAME: HONEY BEARD
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
New Band Discovery! The bar hop aspect is exciting too but finding your next favourite band is one of the best aspects of Indie Week. As a playing artist we love working with the volunteers who run stage management and sound, their enthusiasm is infectious! Last year we discovered The Dearly Bereft (Toronto) and their off shoot band Vox Somina!
2. What should we expect from your live show?
On the face of it we’re a standard two person electro-pop band but we wield as many instruments as we can live to bring that authentic live show and genre-bend in the most unexpected ways, we also pump as much energy into the performance as we can, so expect to be entertained, and if so inclined you might even expect to to find yourself shuffling a limb or two!
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
For people who haven’t heard us before we keep getting mistaken for a folk band. We think its because the words Honey and Beard evoke some sort of flannel wearing, acoustic guitar toting barn dweller, and its soooo not the case and as you can imagine we’ve ended up on some interesting line-ups.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Hmmm…The Terminator (1984). We wouldn’t mess with Brad Fiedels amazing iconic theme tune but it would be a treat to whip up some dark synth arpeggiators for a murderous time traveling cyborg!
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Not really a big fan of either*, could we open up for Depeche Mode? Maybe Gary Numan? The former being a template for what we do in Honey Beard and the later because, lets face it, Gary Numan is the godfather of synth pop!
*(Gaz is answering these questions and is of Irish Nationality and thus feels no innate compulsion to pick Neil Young) lolz
ARTIST NAME: EverythingOShauN w/ Xpress aka DJXP
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
I love how the basis of this event is to truly support, present and push the independent artists in our city. It feels like this festival is really about shining the light on us artists. We need more of this. And heck y’all giving me an opportunity to shine. So I love this.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Hahaha. Nothing but passion, energy and giving the crowd a feeling of wanting more when the last note is sung. My goal is to give you a warm feeling and with our live shows I can tell you this…. You will remember what we did when we finish our show. Maybe have flashes of it while you drive home hahaha.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
My producer slash DJ Xpress aka DJXP is not only part of my musical team, he is my brother. Like same mother same father. A lot of people who listen to my music don’t know that.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Honestly this is too hard. LOL I have soo many films that I love. I don’t know this second LOL. Can you ask me this again later?? I will have something for you guys.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Give me some of that “Heart of Gold”. I ll take that Neil. That song is super heavy. He has a lot of dope records I would love to sample from him.
ARTIST NAME: RADIANT DIVIDE
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
Getting to hear new music and network with bands.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Expect to dance and have fun!
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
I started out writing indie rock songs because that style was really “in” around 2008/2009. Metric was starting to blow up and I listened to their music a lot. People told me I had to be different so I started writing heavier stuff. My style has changed a lot! The new song “Cocaine” is very rock n’ roll. It’s like Joan Jett meets Guns n’ Roses!
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
That’s easy…Twilight! I feel like the songs off my EP are a perfect fit!
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Neil Young. He is an inspirational songwriter and guitar player.
*(Photo Credit: Laura Rossi Photography @laurarossiphotog | Radiant Divide will be playing the Bovine Sex Club on Wednesday Nov.8 at 11:50 PM)
ARTIST NAME: BODHI JAR
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
We have been looking forward to being a part of a festival like Indie Week for quite some time. It seems like an amazing opportunity to build relationships with other indie musicians of a similar mindset as well as bring our music to wider fanbase that would otherwise have not been exposed to it.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Raw, visceral, energy!
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We once did a show under the alias “Gutts of Mutts” where we performed a set in tribute to The Mars Volta.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
It would have to be Donnie Darko. The songs would reflect the mental state of the viewers throughout the film. Starting off relatively normal with a hint of uneasiness and ultimately morphing into the chaotic, mind-bended maelstrom you find yourself in by the time the credits roll.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Oh definitely Neil. He is a national treasure, a total bad-ass and a true inspiration to each of us in different ways.
ARTIST NAME: CP
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
Being able to perform for a different audience and networking with other industry professionals
2. What should we expect from your live show?
A lot of energy and crowd participation
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
I am part of a trio collective named “I Am One Of A Kind” and we are all related
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Barry Gordy’s The Last Dragon. The songs would be very hip-hop based with an Asian twist as the movie has a lot of breakdancing and martial arts mixed together.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Bruce Springsteen because nothing against Neil but Bruce is the man
ARTIST NAME: MIRAGE 13
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
We love that it brings all these awesome musicians from across Canada and different parts of the world as well as tons of people together with the universal language of music! It doesn’t matter if you’re from space, earth, the underground or what-not…it’s awesome that this festival is about showcasing everyone’s unique tunes and music.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Well, we self describe our music as underground rock (rumbling so super deep below the earth’s surface you could basically call it seaweed level), so we always aim to make our shows full of noise, energy, passion and togetherness (and, you probably guessed it, boosted bass).
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We love tardigrades! Tardigrades are water-dwelling, eight-legged, segmented micro-animals that can survive freezing temperatures, complete dehydration, radiation and even the vacuum of space. And they’ve been around for 600 million years. We also love sushi, and the number 13 (but you might have guessed that).
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
We would have to say This Is The End because we love the movie. The songs would include some melancholic, slower songs as well as some raw, upbeat rhythmic tunes to fit the moods of the different scenes in the film. We would especially include a super intense soul rumbling melody during the part when Jonah gets possessed by Satan and tries to kill the rest of the guys in the house.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Though we have great respect for both artists we would have to say Neil Young, because we like the meaning behind his lyrics and the raw energy and passion he puts into his performance.
ARTIST NAME: MEET THE BLUE
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
Seeing great bands from all corners of the globe
2. What should we expect from your live show?
Some new tunes and all round professionalism/Dinosaurs.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
We often go for burritos mid practice. Alex our bass player is a twin and Dave our drummer is a twin, just not to each other.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Jurassic Park, I would clone dinosaurs from mosquito’s trapped in amber, teach the dinosaurs how to play instruments, and let them write the soundtrack.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Neil Young. Generally less denim.
ARTIST NAME: BODY SPRAY
1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?
It’s great when tons of bands descend upon a city that we don’t live in.
2. What should we expect from your live show?
We’re like a gang from The Warriors except we play noise rock and don’t fight anyone, wear co-ordinated outfits, or live in NYC.
3. Tell us something we probably don’t know about your band.
Our combined bowling average is around 170.
4. If you could write the soundtrack for any existing film (from any decade) which film would you choose and what would the songs sound like?
Repo Man. The sound track would sound like Body Spray songs that we recorded while wearing dangly earrings.
5. Would you rather open for Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen, and why?
Neil Young. Dude knows how to bring the noise.
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