Who is Nick Glover?!

Nick Glover, hailing from Oshawa, Ontario, is an indie artist who spends his time writing and recording a heart-felt brand of Indie Folk Pop. Producing lyrics that clearly come from his own experiences throughout his 20-something lifetime, Nick delivers each verse with a deeply emotional vocal performance on each tune he lays upon us. I sat down with Nick in efforts to figure out what's behind his emotional, song-writing prowess.

indie now: Who are your greatest influences musically?
Nick Glover: I've always been into a lot of folky indie bands/musicians. The one man that made me want to pick up the guitar for the first time was Matthew Good. I'd heard Apparations for the first time and it just inspired me to start writing. Also bands like Death Cab for Cutie and Our Lady Peace were huge inspirations for me. Naveed, in my opinion, was one of the best albums of the '90s. I remember hearing it back in elementary school and thinking, "This is the best band I've ever heard." That's when I started thinking seriously about music.

indie now: When did you finally realize you wanted to be a musician?/Have you always wanted to play music growing up?
Nick Glover: "Ever since I was a kid I liked singing and writing. Although, at that point I never let the two coincide with each other. It wasn't until I was 14 when I started hanging around my good friend Matt Sutherland that I started writing music. We ended up writing a song together, the first song I ever wrote called Temple of Mirrors, and it really helped get a lot of things that were bothering me off my chest. Ever since than I just always used music to get tough times and even the good times."

indie now: Who affects you today musically?
Nick Glover: "My friends and family have always been a major impact on my music. Ever since I started writing, I always felt a sense of gratitude from people when they hear me play. Right now I feel as though the people who affect me most though, are the other musicians I hang out with. From playing with them I've adapted somewhat of a variety of different styles that I can play around with."

indie now: What Cd is in your car stereo right now?
Nick Glover: "At the moment I've been really into this new band called "Fun." They're fronted by the former vocalist of The Format and they have this extremely catchy indie rock sound. What really gets me about them is their very instrumental heavy sound with everything from piano, to trumpets and accordions."

indie now: What makes a good musician? What are the unique qualities a person must have to succeed in this field?
Nick Glover: "A good musician must have passion. If you're not passionate in what you're doing or what you're playing, than why are you doing it? I've always been very passionate about every song I write and even every song I cover. I make sure that every line means something to me. You also have to be able to write songs, but that all comes with practice."

indie now: Do you have to get into some kind of zone when you write or does it just come naturally?
Nick Glover: "Usually I'll come up with something out of no where and I'll just love it so I'll write something to it. It really all depends on my mood; some nights I'm just not in the mood to write so it makes it difficult for me. Other nights I could start writing 2-3 songs out of no where. Writing for me comes in random intervals. I try not to force it so I get the best result I can."

indie now: What's in the near future musically for Nick Glover?/Are we going to see a record soon?
Nick Glover: "At the moment I'm recording my new album or maybe EP. I haven't really decided where to go with it yet. It's going to be called "A Road Too Steep"...but there's no set release date. I have a few August shows coming up though. There's one at the Thornton Arms on the 7th of August and another at Isabella's Chocolate Cafe on the 21st."

indie now: Beatles or the Rolling Stones?
Nick Glover: "Right when I read this question I instantly though of Metric's "Gimme Sympathy" haha. I'd definitely have to say The Beatles. I was raised listening to the Beatles and they've always been one of my inspirations. I remember the first time I heard "Eleanor Rigby" I fell in love with their music."

If you want to get a good idea of who Nick is and don't have a lot of time to listen to all of his tunes, I suggest you listen to "The Letter" on his MySpace or Facebook. Easily my favorite song. You can find Nick on MySpace, Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook. His link on the left brings you to his Facebook which has links to all of the above.

The Rural Alberta Advantage: Hometowns

Quite typical, but absolutely fantastic, Rootsy Canadian Indie Rock is the only way I can describe this band/album. I know this blog is supposed to feature indie bands from Toronto but after listening to what Paul Banwatt, Amy Cole, and Nils Edenloff of The Rural Alberta Advantage put in to their first full-length album (Hometowns) I could not stick to the norm.

Hometowns, released July 7, 2009, keeps your feet tapping and head bopping through it's entirety, thanks to the constant and catchy drumming, captivating lyrics, and addicting melodies. I kind of want to sit around a camp fire and listen to these tunes...it's just that kind of vibe.

If you're cheap, and you'd like to give your ears a little taste of what I'm talking about, just pan your eyes over to the left and click on The Rural Alberta Advantage. The link will take you to their MySpace where you can sample two of the songs from Hometowns. If you're reading this on Facebook, log on to indienow.blogspot.com and click the freaking link.

If you're like me, and still enjoy headin' to the record store (can you even call HMV a record store?.....i didn't think so)...ahem....if you still enjoy going to an entertainment store then you can pick up the most recent offering from HMV for $14.99 - TOTALLY worth it!

OR, come check them out with me July 30, 2009 at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto! For a list of other dates around North America you can find them on MySpace.

Let me know what you think!

Blind Witness, Cedardale, and more @ The Reverb!

Thursday May 14, We Got The Movement presents: Blind Witness, Oxford Street Montage, Destain, Cedardale, Your Last Sunrise, and Of Soldiers and Saints at the Reverb. (651 Queen St. West, Toronto)

Doors are at 6pm and it's only $10! You can't buy tickets in advance, so make sure you get there early enough before they're sold out!

Blind Witness, and more, at the Reverb on May 14 - you DO NOT want to miss this show!

Title Track Recordz and Machine Gun Dolly!

Machine Gun Dolly, a punk rock band from Ottawa, has recently signed on with independent label Title Track Recordz.

The three-piece band, consisting of guitarist and singer Johnny Duflicker, Jesse Strokes on bass guitar and Mac Simpson on percussion, have recorded 15 brand new songs that will all be featured on their upcoming release with Title Track Recordz. The album, entitled Nuclear Generation, is set to be released this summer. (When I know the date, you'll be the first...well second...or wait....fourth to know!)

The band has flat out said that this album, which has been two years in the making, is a masterpiece. That's a lot to back up, but if you ask me, the three boys from Ottawa are not messing around.

They'll be promoting the release in the coming months with a slew of shows in Ottawa and the GTA, along with the release of their music video for the single One Shot, One Kill. (I will definitely be keeping you up-to-date with shows)

The band recorded Nuclear Generation with brand new equipment and are very eager to let their fans hear the quality of their new tracks. Machine Gun Dolly has always been true to staying original in terms of their sound, and this album is nothing short of original.

Stay tuned, as I learn more about this exciting news from Title Track Recordz! For now, check out the left panel for your TTR and Machine Gun Dolly fix!

Tired of Ticketmaster?

As most of you may know, Ticketmaster blows goats. Period. If you're looking for tickets to independent artist shows, Ticketmaster is not the place to go..neither is TicketWeb, whatever, same crap.

If you're looking for tickets to shows for indie artists and some bigger name artists check out Rotate This! They have tickets that Ticketmaster would never even think of selling, because Ticketmaster wouldn't know a good thing if it smacked them in the face. Rotate This! service charges are only %10 of the base ticket price, rounded down to the nearest $0.50, and will never exceed $3.00. The service charge is NOT refundable but if a show is cancelled they will replace those tickets with tickets to another show and waive the service charge. The only catch is, you cannot purchase the tickets online; you have to go down to 801 Queen Street W. in Toronto and visit their shop to purchase any ticket. I'd walk from Sault St. Marie to buy a ticket from Rotate This! before purchasing another ticket off of Ticketmaster - Cheaper service charges, better tickets, and not Ticketmaster/TicketWeb, how can you go wrong?

Not only do they sell tickets, they sell new released vinyl (Cd's too) from indie bands from Canada, U.S.A, England, and all around the world. Genre wise, they sell anything and everything (minus classical and nu-country).

They even stock used vinyl, although it's tough to keep it around for very long, they have it. If you've got some old vinyl kickin' around, feel free to bring it by their shop and they'll give you some dollars for them.

So if you're interested in buying some tickets to an upcoming indie show, NXNE, Edgefest, or looking to purchase some fresh vinyl, stop by Rotate This! at 801 Queen Street West in Toronto. Their link is on the left side of this blog, cheeecck itt!

The Perpetrators

Another great band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, The Perpetrators bring their rocky blues with a hint of punk n' country, or as they say, "Blues for people who hate blues," to the Eaglewood Folk Festival, which takes place August 28, 29, and 30, 2009. I have never seen them live, but I am definitely looking forward to this year, as I have heard very good things about these boys - no matter the venue and no matter the number of people, they'll put on the best show they can for whoever's there.

Check them out at the link for them on the left under indie artists

The Undesirables - quite desirable

For the past four years I've been going to the Eaglewood Folk Festival in Pefferlaw, Ontario, to experience the best in independent folk music. The one band that stood out to me the most was The Undesirables. Completely independent, The Undesirables are made up of Corin Raymond on lead vocals and Sean Cotton on guitar and harmony. Their songs are very mellow but so very powerful that they get you groovin' with them with the first track on their album. Check out their website, listed on the left side of this blog, under indie artists.

If you're interested in the Eaglewood Folk Festival their website is also listed on the left side, but under indie biz.

Black Lungs open for Senses Fail at The Phoenix

"I owe it all to going to concerts when I was younger. Without them, I would not be doing this...they inspired me to do great things and I hope they do the same for you" - Wade Macneil of Black Lungs

Black Lungs opened up for Senses Fail tonight and did not dissapoint. The other thing that sucked was that their set time was only 30 minutes. Senses Fail had a 1 hour set time and they were the only two bands....a show done at 9:30pm - a little weak if you ask me, but a great show nonetheless.

Seeing as how I don't really know who Senses Fail is, Black Lungs were definitely the highlight for me. Me n my buddy seemed to be the only two guys in the place that enjoyed them though. There were a bunch of scene kids there waiting to do their arm n leg dance in the pit - don't ask me what it's called, it bugs me - and they weren't really feeling the folky punk sound of Black Lungs. For one of the tunes, they brought on a trumpeter and a tromboner (haha I said boner) which was sick. I love when bands mix it up with brass instruments. (The Waking Eyes are a great example)

Anyway, back to the arm and leg dancing in the pit. What the fuck is that all about? If someone has an explaination for me, PLEASE let me know. Where I come from (grundge, alt rock, punk rock background) the pit is for moshing. I do not need some kid wailing his arms n legs everywhere when im moshing with fellow moshers. Not only is it annoying, it's dangerous - I do not feel like getting kicked in the shin or slapped in the face - I prefer smashing my body into others as they do the same.

LONG LIVE THE MOSH!

Isle Of Thieves get it on with Mitzi's Sister

Isle Of Thieves, since forming in 2006, have been touring extensively to bring their energetic, catchy, roof rocking live show to your town. The last time I saw them was at the Canadian Music Week kick-off party at Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto - they absalutley rocked the shit out of the music industry's finest, with reps there from Sony, Universal, XM Radio and more.

Their next gig is taking place at Mitzi's Sister in Toronto (1554 Queen St. West) with Life in Sound, Social Clash, and The Eatons on Friday April 10th. It's a 19+ show and it's only $5 at the door. Mitzi's Sister does not know what she got herself in to - her socks....will be rocked.

The excitement these guys bring on stage is something you do not want to miss. Check out their myspace (click their link on the left) to listen to some of their songs from their first full-length album entitled 'Only Human', which was produced by Joao Carvalho (Billy Talent, Sam Roberts, Alexisonfire)

Isle of Thieves, April 10th at Mitzi's Sister for only $5 ----> BE THERE!

Vinyl+ at Insound

Hey everyone, I was browsin for some Vinyl tonight and I came across Insound; they sell Mp3's, 7", LP's, turntables, headphones, whatever you want - check it ouuut!
www.insound.com

For all my hiphop boys, you need to check this link out - it's from Insound but I thought I'd save you some time... http://www.insound.com/FiHi__UBDJ__Urban_DJ_Mixer_Mixer/productmain/p/INS52184/

Their slogan is 'We Love Vinyl More" - they can definitely back it up

Anderson Council - Under Auditorium

Night two of Rock N' Reel 2009 featured the CD Release Party for Anderson Council's Under Auditorium (Backrow Records very first release - www.backrowrecords.ca) at E.P. Taylor's in Oshawa, Ontario.

One Divided, Long Story, and London Swagger started the night off with stellar performances that had the crowd buzzing in their seats (may have been the beer too). It almost seemed as if the bass player in each band got together before the show to share dance moves because each one of them danced their faces off on stage, with One Divided bassist, Tyler Mcleeven, starting things off.

When asked how they feel about working with Backrow Records, the response was pretty much unanomous from Anderson Council. "They're awesome, everything we suck at, they're great at...without them, we couldn't succeed" says guitarist Jeff Robertson. Bassist Dave Yorke added, "everything we don't want to do, they do better than we could ever possibly imagine doing."

After a few hiccups from the sound guy, a team of bubble blowers on stage and scatered around the venue, Anderson Council was ready to steal people's hearts. "that's what we try to do, we aim to steal hearts" says guitarist Jeff Robertson. Between the cougars in the front row, the beer drinkers in the 19+ section, and the creepers in the backrow, no pun intended, Anderson Council stole their hearts indeed. Anderson Council proved themselves once again, not only to Backrow Records but to the entire audience by executing an electric and entrancing set.

These boys are here, and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon, Anderson Council Under Auditorium available now from Backrow Records.

www.myspace.com/acouncilband

Rock N' Reel Music & Film Festival 2009

How many times do amateur musicians, industry professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs get the opportunity to experience the future of the music industry through the eyes of its future leaders? April 2-4, 2009, the students of the Music Business Administration/Management program at Durham College will be hosting our annual music and film festival entitled Rock N’ Reel. This festival, entering its 9th year, is targeted at musicians, music professionals, amateurs, and entrepreneurs. The three-day event features a tradeshow, a songwriting competition (called Songs’ Revealed; recorded and broadcast on Roger’s Television), seminars - featuring keynote speakers, music clinics, a demo derby, a film festival, and independent artist showcases.

This years theme is entitled The future is now; the future is music, which is meant to capture the importance of keeping the music industry alive and well in the now to benefit it in the future. The industry's nonchalant attitude towards illegal downloading, and decreasing album sales, up until a few years ago, dramatically changed the way people perceive music. Our mandate, through our entire festival, is to get people thinking and talking about music to create a positive change in the industry.

Seminars

Do I want my MTV? (The future of music television), Live Live (The role of touring), Canadian Urban Music: The past, present, and future, and more. A highlight of speakers include: Mark Spicoluk (President of Unerground Operations), Matt Diamond (94.9 The Rock), Paul Gagnon, Boi 1Da, and plently more.

Showcases

Rock, featuring the Backrow Records CD release party for Anderson Council's debut album Under Auditorium. Hardcore, featuring Enter Ghost, This Ends Now, and more. Acoustic/Hip Hop, featuring Rich Kidd, Jarryd Fillmore, Earthtone and plently of others.

To find out more information about the seminars, showcase performers, the film festival, trade show attendees, and much more, please visit http://www.rocknreelfestival.ca/.

welcome to indie now!

indie now is.... a blog determined to showcase the best indie talent in the Greater Toronto Area. We're not talking about the artists signed to indie labels like Arts & Crafts or Underground Ops; although we respect those labels, it's not what we're about. We're talking about true independent artists who do what they do night in and night out to simply share their art with others with very little return. These are the artists who keep the music scene in the GTA alive, and that is why we have come together to show our support and provide them with yet another outlet to showcase their art.

Throughout each week, we'll be featuring artists from around the GTA that we have come across travelling from gig to gig. We'll give you a brief overview of the band, review of their show, list of upcoming gigs, and a possibility of an interview and (depending on the venue rules) a video of one of their songs from that night.

If anyone has an artist they want us to feature please comment on this post and let us know when and where they'll be playing next. We do not have a genre barrier, so don't hesitate to post!

Thanks for tuning in, stay indie Toronto!