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Shooting Gallery: Intronaut with Guests – June 6th 2013 at The Rickshaw Theatre Vancouver, B.C.

June 10th, 2013 Filed under: Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO VIEW | All photos – Derek Carr)

A NOTHING IS HEAVY PRODUCTION

FEATURING

INTRONAUT

ON TOUR WITH:

SCALE THE SUMMIT

MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT

LOCAL GUESTS:

SEVEN NINES AND TENS

WITCH OF THE WASTE

THE NAUTILUS

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Copyright © 2004-2013 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Shooting Gallery: Striker and Guests – June 1st 2013 at Funky Winkerbeans, Vancouver, B.C.

June 4th, 2013 Filed under: Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO VIEW | All photos – Derek Carr)

WITH GUESTS

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Live Review: Magnus Rising’s WHATEVER IT TAKES album release – May 31st 2013 at the Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

June 3rd, 2013 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO VIEW | All photos – Derek Carr)

Magnus Rising have done Whatever it Takes over the last while getting the aptly titled disc ready for release. This past Friday saw the better part of the last three years finally come to fruition. Openers Altered Throne, Over the Coals, and Titans Eve complimented the night perfectly, winding a raucous contingent of Vancouver metal and rock-heads up for the main event.

With a sufficiently warmed up crowd ready to rock out, the Rickshaw welcomed their adopted newfie sons (and Nick James) to the stage with vigour. Straight out of the gate with no need to warm up, the quartet of brilliant musicians brought it all to the stage for the celebration. Working through an intense hour long set of new and old material alike, the crowd still had not had enough, and demanded an encore, which the Magnus b’ys were more than happy to offer.

After a dozen or so live Magnus Rising shows over the same time period in Vancouver, the boys from the Rock really stepped it up an entire notch. After making the most out of their time in the studio with L8R Records, It’s easy to assume that practice makes perfect… However when you compare their past performances with what was offered during the release, the world is getting a new studio album and a stronger live show all in one.

By: Scott Alexander

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Shooting Gallery: Nylithia with Guests – May 24th 2013 at The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

May 27th, 2013 Filed under: Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO VIEW | All photos – Derek Carr)

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Live Review: Swollen Members Beautiful Death Machine Tour – April 18th 2013 at The Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, B.C.

April 21st, 2013 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Scott Alexander)

Live Review – Swollen Members ‘Beautiful Death Machine’ Tour, w/ DJ K-Rec, and Cityreal
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
The Commodore Ballroom

Admittedly, I didn’t know what to expect from the Swollen Members. I had heard of them lots on the radio a few years back, and I remembered some of the songs, but before I spent some time on YouTube before the show, I had almost forgotten about them. How could I have been so careless as to neglect such an astounding local talent? Vancouver battle-axe warriors that rock the house, and have fun doing it.

This was to be my first hip-hop concert, I usually hang my hat at the local rock and metal shows. The audience I am used to alone is a drastic difference from the Swollen Members show. Girls had mini-skirts, not black leather and studs. And the guys… well, let’s just say that I left the house not worrying about how I looked, and I still didn’t have anything to worry about when I got there. It was interesting to see arms bobbing and swaying to the music instead of a sea of devil horns thrusting to the heavens. It was as though I entered a rabbit hole, and just like Alice, I was pretty blown away.

The intro DJ K-Rec showed mad respect to his hip-hop brothers of the past, displaying decades of the ‘art of rap making’ a Commodore Ballroom blitz of sorts. K-Rec played a mix of the best songs of all time in a very short period of time between when the house opened and when CityReal was to come on stage. This provided a chill atmosphere to introduce the show, and I was particularly happy with him playing Rack City by Tyga. The introduction definitely reminded me of a high-school house party with a lot more bass, so much bass, in fact, that it felt like it massaged my insufferable back pain away, knocking at least one glass on the table next to me crashing to the floor. Perhaps a good sign that a show is going to be great is that even the cops showed up. This definitely reminded me of high school.

When CityReal hit the spotlight, he was able to get a lot of people out of their seats and onto the dance floor. The audience was definitely into his energy and performance on stage, and there was a large amount of crowd interaction. CityReal is another local Hip-Hop artist who has very real lyrics that this writer could relate to personally. Some content included depression, anxiety, and life stress. These were very unique subjects for me to hear in a rap song as I’m used to what the radio dubs good hip-hop and plays on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. It’s a shame up to this point that CityReal hasn’t gotten more exposure, he puts on a great show and is a very engaging artist. He did a great job and you could tell he loved what he was doing and was having a good time. During the show, he brought another BC artist on stage to jam with him, by the name of Georgia Murray. They worked well together and had great chemistry performing. CityReal vanished to let Georgia sing a song solo, and you could literally see the music flow through her as she belted out her lyrics. When CityReal came back, the essential backpack rapper prop made its first appearance of the night. Again, having not really covered hip-hop in the past, I couldn’t stop wondering what was inside it. Then, just when I started to realize he looks pretty natural with a backpack on, he whips it off and ruffles through it to reveal copies of his last CD, “Good Morning Blues”. He then proceeded to toss them into the audience as a great finale. Definitely an interesting and intelligent gimmick.

Through a slightly longer than usual pause between sets, people did not leave the dance floor. All you could hear through the ballroom was a chant of one word: Swollen. And the crowd were not going to stop until the Members hit the stage. Every time a house song finished, we all piped up even louder in hopes of an earlier start. When the Swollen Members Madchild, Prevail, and Rob the Viking came out, the dance floor filled up in seconds. The seats left with only memories of the previous occupants. Swollen performed a great mix of new and old songs, famous and lesser-known songs, and even a freestyle rap by Prevail about his hometown of Vancouver. We ate it up, and I was blown away by his ability to pull words that rhyme out of thin air. At moments, it felt like the crowd was singing louder than the speakers for songs like “Warrior” and “Red Dragon”. With every song, the crowd just got more and more into it, until suddenly the show ended. We chanted Swollen for a decent length of time until a bouncer came on stage and told us to stop and essentially kicked us out. That was a first for sure. If not for a tiring tour over the last month promoting their latest disc “Beautiful Death Machine”, you know they would have headed back on to that stage until the wee hours.

I was honestly surprised how good a hip-hop show could be live. I never really thought much of it, but now I have another experience behind me. I will definitely be more inclined to see more hip-hop shows in the future since I had so much fun at this one. All the performances really blew this rocker away…

By Clayton Cyre

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Live Review: Metal Alliance Tour 2013 – March 30th, 2013 at The Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, B.C.

April 3rd, 2013 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Derek Carr)
(Above: Anthrax Air)

Live Review: Metal Alliance Tour Featuring: Anthrax, Exodus, High on Fire, Municipal Waste and Holy Grail
Saturday, March 30th
The Commodore Ballroom

Another strangely beautiful day in the usual rainy month of March bestowed upon us a rare thrill: Some big name thrash bands were rolling through town and channeling their energy through one of the best intimate venues this “no-fun” city has to offer… The Fabulous Commodore Ballroom.

With five bands on the menu, they had to get started pretty early and ended up letting us in at just after 7pm. As the last rays of sunshine poured through the large picturesque windows of this historic building, the first act, Holy Grail, took to the stage. With a wail, James Paul Luna brought forth ‘Dark Passenger’, arguably most popular track off their latest album “Ride the Void” and followed up with a few other tracks from the same disc including the title track. They finished their short set with a couple of tidbits from their first album, Crisis in Utopia. With driving drums, killer vocals and some solid guitar solos, they really brought out their raw talent to a venue that was still filling up.

Next up was a band that had recently graced VanCity with Napalm Death in late 2012: Municipal Waste. A chilling intro song with eerie sounding chimes led into Unleash the Bastards from their 2005 release Hazardous Mutation. Overdrive cranked to 12, Ryan Waste unleashed flawless thrashy note after thrashy note from his guitar in a maddening attempt to churn out a dozen songs in a mere half-hour set. Succeed they did, playing tunes from Hazardous Mutation, The Art of Partying and The Fatal Feast. Not typically the type of music you may personally listen to, all is forgotten when they take the stage: These guys know how to put on a show, interacting with the crowd and practically demanding a brutal mosh pit.

The third act of the pentalogy was written by High on Fire. Their music to me is almost ambient; with driving bass and deep/heavy tones with a solid foundation of droning kick drums. A soulful soundscape if you will. The floor of the Commodore shook under the brutal mass of low energy as the light sculptor washed them in greens and whites. They powered their way through four long songs from three of their albums. To me, this band seemed out of place from the fast paced, thrashier bands that came before (and after).

The first of the big headliners of the night, Exodus, was up next. The heavier and most menacing of the bands on the bill, Exodus did not disappoint. The band has seen its share of lineup changes over the years, but the current lineup seems a solid match. As the first notes blistered forth, the crowd became a crushing sea of brutality with a constant stream of surfers pouring into the photo pit. The stage was awash in reds and yellow to set the darker, heavier mood. They pounded out tracks from several albums, most notably a number of songs from “Bonded by Blood/Let There Be Blood” as well as “Exhibit B” and “Tempo of the Damned”. They assaulted our earholes for around an hour, by far the “heaviest” band of the night.

And then there was one…and that one was called Anthrax. For a band that took a huge turn in the mid 90s replacing Joey Belladonna with John Bush and taking their music in a very different (and very radio friendly) direction: it was sure good to see the iconic version of Anthrax take to the stage to bring us one of their fan favored classic albums: 1987s “Among the Living” and play it from beginning to end with bonus tracks between Side A and Side B and then a couple fun extras to finish up the show.

Feeling very lucky indeed as they came out to the stage playing the title track from the album Among the Living which to a photographer such as myself meant they would likely play songs in order. What more could I ask for? First three songs meant I could take pics during Caught in a Mosh and I am the Law which would soon follow. And follow they did, as the stage was washed in yellows, greens and red. Some of the brightest lighting I’ve seen at a show so far.

All the members were in top form. Drummer Jon Dette worked the skins like a maniac, Scott Ian and his incredible method of crunching out some of the heaviest riffs imaginable whilst stomping and leaping around the stage in a manner no-one would expect from a man in his late 40s. Then there was Joey, one of the oldest vocalists in the thrash genre at 52, jumping on the monitor leaning towards the crowd with mic outstretched for the sing along parts. Frank Bello was a surprise for me, hamming it up on stage with some incredible expressions and photo-ready poses for my glass. And the touring guitarist Jonathan Donais of Shadows Fall performed his parts flawlessly, though not as animated as the core members.

They performed a sort of working intermission in which they pounded out tracks from their most recent albums “Worship Music” and the cover album “Anthems”. The familiar sounding chimes rang out leading into a crisp, tight version of In the End which seems more like a song you would play at “The End” with its anthemic chorus and driving finale. Next up was a passable cover of AC/DC’s TNT that sounded as if it were Bon Scott singing instead of Brian Johnson and with a tease of the familiar guitar riff from Back in Black at the end. Scott Ian then treated us to the chunky side-project song ‘March of the S.O.D.’ and brought us back to the latest release with ‘I’m Alive’. Carrying on with ‘Among the Living’ was another Anthrax classic: ‘Indians’. Part way into the track they stopped as if they were pissed off with the crowd reaction and stomped about the stage. All part of the act as they got the crowd riled up and on the warpath. Finishing off the album with rarely heard live versions of ‘One World’, ‘A.D.I./Horror of it All’, and ‘Imitation Life’ (all about the plastic people, who seem more prevalent today than they did in 1987).

The blood-thirsty crowd not completely satisfied at this point demanded more. So how could they resist treating us to I’m the Man in which Bello was “THE MAN” and finishing up to everyone’s delight with Antisocial. For a band who have been around for almost 30 years I have to say there’s a lot of young bands out there who could learn from them about performance. Watch what they do, because they do it right.

By Derek Carr

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Shooting Gallery: Over the Coals EP Release with Guests – March 15th 2013, at The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

March 17th, 2013 Filed under: News/Calendar/Industry, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Derek Carr)

Shooting Gallery: Over the Coals EP Release with Dead Asylum, Altered Throne, and Harvest The Infection
Friday March 15th, 2013
The Rickshaw Theatre

facebook.com/Harvest.The.Infection

facebook.com/alteredthrone

facebook.com/deadasylum

facebook.com/overthecoals

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Live Review: Scott Kelly with Guests – March 9th 2013 at The Railway Club, Vancouver, B.C.

March 11th, 2013 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Derek Carr)

Live Review: Scott Kelly with special guests Gordon Smith, T. Nile, Johnny Wakeham and Mike Hodsall
Saturday, March 9th
The Railway Club

When I was asked to shoot the Scott Kelly and the Road Home show, I didn’t respond right away. I wasn’t quite sure what it was all about. I knew that Scott Kelly was in a little band you may have heard of called Neurosis but wasn’t sure what to expect from this show. I also wasn’t aware of the other artists who were playing. A quick internet search changed that. Off I went to check out something that lately, for me, was an incredibly reversed change of pace.

The show opened up with Mike Hodsall of Circle of Wagons and Ravenhead fame. It was a mix of acoustic songs that ranged from happy to depressing. A couple were completely instrumental and were both haunting and entrancing whilst being completely original sounding.

The next three artists Johnny Wakeham, T. Nile, and Gordon Smith played songs that were heavy on the country side, not my cup of tea generally, but I give props to the standout here: Tamara Nile and crew really stood out here with the variety of instruments and diverse talent who brought a healthy dose of country mixed with folk to the stage. Tamara’s ability to captivate her audience with her beautiful voice and commanding stage presence was definitely something special. And I’m a sucker for violin music.

The stage was cleared off for the main act and possibly one of the strangest combination of instruments to grace the platform I’ve seen in recent times. An Apple Macbook with a single octave keyboard, an electric guitar, and two acoustic guitars. Shouldn’t there be a bass somewhere? What’s going on?

Scott Kelly looked at the mismatched crowd that stood before him, a mixture of metalheads, rail workers, and country enthusiasts and started conversations with people in a quiet, almost shy and laid-back tone. Then, once the soundcheck was complete, it was go time.

The slow, deep toned guitars strummed their melancholy chords as if they were trying to find their true purpose, their calling, the reason for their being. I think this is the music that dwells deep within Mr. Kelly’s heart. A continuation of his other musical leanings, though something more likely to be sung to the children as they close their eyes to slip into the world of dreams instead of nightmares. As the dreamworld deepened, so did the tuning of the guitars, which brought forth an array of tones seldom (if ever) heard in an acoustic guitar. It seemed deeper, more personal, and more heartfelt than even the recorded version accomplished (which it does).

In between songs, as he changed the tuning of his guitars, he would engage the crowd with meaningful conversations as if were all a bunch of friends sitting around the campfire. The fans were policing the show themselves and he knew that, thanking them for controlling the drunks who didn’t fully understand what they were watching and listening to.

The question I pondered for a while before I headed out to this unusual show, and the question many people probably ask themselves when they discover that Scott Kelly has this other band is: What genre is it, anyways? A thought that I hoped I could answer after seeing this performance, but I’m not truly sure I can. I guess it’s in the same vein as a Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits. It is every genre, yet none of them at all. Scott Kelly has put his soul on the table and asked us to interpret in our own unique ways.

Good luck and good night.

By Derek Carr

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Shooting Gallery: Anciients with Guests, March 2nd 2013 at The Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, B.C.

March 4th, 2013 Filed under: Made In Canada, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | All photos – Derek Carr)
(Shooting Gallery Below)

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Shooting Gallery: Baptists CD Release, Feb 28th 2013 at The Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver, B.C.

March 4th, 2013 Filed under: Made In Canada, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | All photos – Derek Carr)
(Shooting Gallery Below)

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Live Review: In Flames with guests – February 18th 2013 at The Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, B.C.

February 21st, 2013 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | All photos – Chris McKibbin)
(Shooting Gallery Below)

Live Review: In Flames, All Shall Perish, BattleCross, Demon Hunter
Monday, February 18th 2013
The Commodore Ballroom

Battle Cross, Detroit thrash/death band opened up with a stellar set and goofy antics. The luscious locks of frontman Kyle Gunther flowed like those of a mermaid, as he head-banged in all directions, and refused to confine himself to the standard windmill. Despite the enthusiasm on the part of all members, who it should be said played marvelously, the peak in their energy occurred when an illicit substance was hurled onto the stage. Gunther wildly exclaimed to unseen friends backstage “WE GOT SOME! WE GOT SOME!” Welcome to Vancouver boys.

All Shall Perish, hailing from Oakland California, brought us brilliant Deathcore. They evoked the first circle pit, and had everyone raising their horns and screaming. The atmosphere created by their ballsy, aggro, catchy riffs was enough to make one couple passionately grope, catching the attention of frontman Eddie Hermida. You know your metal is powerful when… One member of the band wore an Archspire T shirt, a nice shout out to our local tech death heroes. The lack of melodic choruses and the distilled badassness the band displayed made them stand out beautifully against the backdrop of the bands that followed. They are a not to be missed act.

Demon Hunter made their first appearance in Vancouver this night. Their backdrop and decorative mic stand gave their scene a neat vibe, and the musicians had an air of humility that fans appreciate. Judging by the very boisterous singing of the crowd, and the frenzied pit, the first show in Vancouver was clearly long anticipated by a strong fan base. The often juxtaposed melodic choruses in the songs sometimes dragged the energy down, especially considering much of the time the vocals during singing parts were only partially audible. However, it appeared that Demon Hunter fans could not be happier with the set. When they left the stage, fans chanted for an encore insatiably.

In Flames was all that everyone was hoping for. Impeccable musicianship, addicting riffs and anthems, and a clear appreciation for their audience (despite sometimes semi-condescending remarks from frontman Anders Friden) One does not have to be a fan of this band to appreciate what they bring to the stage. They played their hits as well as lesser known works. While Friden encouraged the audience to figuratively lose its shit, he expressed sympathy and appreciation for the security before the stage, showing that while being a smug foreign rock star you can still be decent, conscientious person. No greater enthusiasm was shown that entire evening than when In Flames played “Take this life” while having a fan record the crowd from the stage. They band demanded that he post the footage on You Tube afterwards, which seemed to be an incentive for the fans. Dudes thrashed they bodies to and fro, and then joined hands and swayed back and forth for the singing parts. Friends wrapped arms around each other and raised cups of beer. It was a rock n roll party they won’t soon forget.

By: Lanie Klipp

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SHOOTING GALLERY: 22nd Annual Downtown Eastside Women’s Memorial March, Feb 14th 2013

February 17th, 2013 Filed under: Made In Canada, Shooting Gallery, Tales From The Eastside™ by Editor in Chief

All Photos: Scott Alexander

Official Website

“Their Spirits Live Within Us”: Annual Women’s Memorial March for Murdered and Missing Women

In January 1991 a woman was murdered on Powell Street. Her name is not spoken today out of respect for the wishes of her family. This woman’s murder in particular was the catalyst that moved women into action. Out of this sense of hopelessness and anger came an annual march on Valentine’s Day to express compassion, community, and caring for all women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Coast Salish Territories.

Decades later, the march continues to honour the lives of missing and murdered women. This event is organized and led by women in the DTES because women, especially Indigenous women, face physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual violence on a daily basis. The heinous and unimaginable violence that have taken the lives of so many has left a deep void in our hearts. We gather each year to mourn and remember our sisters by listening to their family members, by taking over the streets, and through spiritual ceremonies.

Increasing deaths of many vulnerable women from the DTES still leaves family, friends, loved ones, and community members with an overwhelming sense of grief and loss. Every year the list of women going missing also increases. Over 3000 women are known to have gone missing or been murdered in Canada since the 1970s. Last year, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women issued this statement: “Hundreds of cases involving aboriginal women who have gone missing or been murdered in the past two decades have neither been fully investigated nor attracted priority attention.”

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Shooting Gallery: N.I.H Presents: Galgamex, Nylithia, Gross Misconduct and Entity

February 13th, 2013 Filed under: Made In Canada, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | All Photos – Derek Carr)

NOTHING IS HEAVY & ABSOLUTE UNDERGROUND PRESENT:

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SHOOTING GALLERY: DENYSS MCKNIGHT’S Birthday Bash!

January 27th, 2013 Filed under: Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(Photos – Sarah Whitlam)

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Live Review: GOJIRA and Devin Townsend – Saturday January 19th 2013 at The Vogue Theatre, Vancouver B.C.

January 22nd, 2013 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Derek Carr)
(Top: Gojira – Bottom: Devin Townsend)

Live Review: GOJIRA and Devin Townsend
Saturday, January 19th 2013
The Vogue

The crowd was warming up fast for Devin Townsend. Half out of anticipation, and half because of the manic youtube montage projected onto a screen on stage for an hour prior. Bizarre videos had everyone laughing before Townsend kicked the music off. Not only was his singing as impressive as hoped for, but the whole band delivered excellent metal Canadiana with the prowess of veterans and the energy of boys new to the game. On the floor below the Vogue’s spacious balcony, immediate moshing ensued. An obviously loyal local fanbase loved to head bang and sing along. Townsend’s self deprecating humour, and goofy antics elicited much laughter. He somehow managed to make most of the audience members do “Jazz Hands” during his song “Lucky Animals”. It speaks volumes of the appreciation of the night’s crowd for this man and his band, because as you may know, dear reader, metal heads are notorious for taking themselves more seriously than this.

The fans who lined up around the block for Gojira, making this a solid sold out show, got what they’d waited for when they were out in the cold. A beautiful backdrop, intense lighting, and monstrously impressive playing on the part of each musician made the headlining performance a multifaceted experience, appreciated by ears and eyes alike. It was an absolute pleasure to behold. Some might say, a near spiritual experience. Playing several hits from their earlier releases, and everyone’s favorites from the widely acclaimed “L’enfant Sauvage”, they left no listener before them unsatisfied. “Backbone” from their record “From Mars to Sirius” was near orgasmic. The music was relentlessly heavy as fuck, mind bending, and brilliant. “Wisdom Comes”, a very early song of the bands, definitely has stood the test of time and fit in very nicely among their newer songs, provoking wild head banging and screams of appreciation. It was a unique sensory experience. An extended drum solo blew everyone away, and reminded me personally that Gojira stands out as exceptional because these players are not just metal heads who do what they do well, they are artists. At one point, front man Joe Duplantier and his brother, drummer Mario Duplantier switched instruments, playing a song for us this way with remarkable versatility. The band endeared themselves to us even further still by crowd surfing, and then individually thanking us at the microphone.

“I can’t believe this guys,” The happy front man yelled, beaming. “We are sold out! Thank you so much.” They promised to return, and you can bet that when they do, it will be with an even grander presentation that rivals that of any metal band you’ve seen.

They will have earned it.

By: Lanie Klipp

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Shooting Gallery: Napalm Death and Municipal Waste, November 9th 2012 – at The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver B.C.

November 14th, 2012 Filed under: Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(Photos – Derek Carr)

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Copyright © 2004-2012 ABORT Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, in any form or medium without express written permission from Abort Media Publishing Corporation (AMP Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject to our Terms of Use.

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Gallery Review: Drop it Like it’s ART, A Snoop Doog/Lion Gallery Show, Nov 9-23rd 2012 – at The Fall, Vancouver, B.C.

November 11th, 2012 Filed under: Made In Canada, News/Calendar/Industry, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Scott Alexander)

From the creators of the Steven Seagallery, Bill you Murray me? and the Zig-a-Zigallery comes the pimpest mutha-effin art show to hit Vancouver, Drop it Like it’s Hot – a S-N-double o – P LION art show.

Opening November 9th 2012 to a packed house, with the artistically intrigued lining up down the street (and around the corner if they were enjoying some herb) for the better part of the night. The Fall has a real hit with its generally counter-culture space, and Drop it was no exception. Images of the Dogg Father dotted the walls of the gallery with exceptional pieces from front of house all the way to the back. With artists as young as 3, and prices ranging from $10 to a little over $5000, art was selling like hotcakes, no make that like small baggies of weed, all night.

The show will be up at The Fall at 644 Seymour Street (Across from Granville skytrain) until November 23rd, and will be open the following hours

Monday thru Saturday: 12-7pm
Sunday: 12-6pm

Check out some of our favorite pieces below. View pieces on Flickr for availability or purchasing information.

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Shooting Gallery: West of Hell with Guests, October 19th 2012 – The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

October 23rd, 2012 Filed under: Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(Photos – Derek Carr)

West of Hell, Agnostic Front, Death by Stereo

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Shooting Gallery: Powerman 5000 with Guests, Sept 8th 2012 at the Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver B.C.

September 10th, 2012 Filed under: Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(Photos – Chris McKibbin)

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Live Review: Main Street Live, June 27th 2012, Fortune Sound Club – SHOOTING GALLERY!

June 29th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Scott Alexander)
(Photo: MSL Host Little T)

Live Review – Main Street Live
Wednesday June 27th, 2012
Fortune Sound

Vancouver’s monthly showcase for live Hip Hop kicked off its latest installment in the ever comfortable surroundings of Fortune with an early crowd already eager for fresh sounds. A diverse bill including two full bands promised to be the opening of another chapter in the scene’s development, a promise that would be more than fulfilled.

First up to bat, Low Lux, Young Nige and DJ K-Rec of Friends With The Help come fresh off the release of their latest video “As The Light Hits You” and a string of high energy performances, taking the stage with ever sharpened wit and a controlled hyperactivity that makes for a gripping live act. Performing a fast paced set of tracks from their self-titled mixtape and recently released “Confidence” album, the Friends balance eloquent introspection with good-natured braggadocio and charm. Closing tracks “Get Out Of Bed” and the recent video single had the crowd entranced with their revelatory lyrics and epic beats, and lifted the vibe to a level of true artistry without pretension. K-Rec’s masterful scratches laced the set with flavour throughout, and his productions range from the subtle to the symphonic.

Next up, the duo of Atticus and G-Boxx, backed by DJ Seductive, dropped an ill throwback vibe heavy on the boombap. With G-Boxx’s consistent beatbox filling out the bass heavy productions, Atticus kicked tracks from his latest CD “The Boo Radley Album” reminiscent of Classified but with more bite.

And then from out of left field, the funkonauts of Deep Seated needed no introduction but the blast of their horn section to announce their arrival. It would seem that most Hip Hop heads are relatively unaccustomed to the sound of a full-on band, and with congas, slap bass and three part harmonies all preaching the gospel, the crowd was soon dissolved into a mass of movement as they proceeded to get their freak on.

As if to shock us back into the present (and future…) Heatwave and the Vandettas represented for the latest sounds emerging from the merger of Alt-Rock and Hip Hop, reminiscent of the best Gorillaz tracks. With Heatwave spitting the realness, Thom Yorke-esque vocals from the bassist, skull crushing drumming and K-Rec once again on the decks, The Vandettas sound approaches stadium status, with catchy hooks, massive beats and overall dopeness.

Finally it was Panther and the Supafly’s job to close out the evening, and he did so well with his massive dookie chain swinging in time to his fly party rhymes. Nothing too deep but exactly what was called for, Panther’s youthful verve ended the party on a high note of optimism.

All in all, an excellent representation of the diversity of VanCity’s Hip Hop scene on a party tip, Main Street Live continues to be the best night in town for quality performers and good vibes.

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

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