Sunday, June 8, 2008

Andrea was at Music Waste in Vancouver so I took over Gumdrops & Lollipops this Sunday. We have been alternating fill-ins for one another over the past month or so, but I think we will be back to the regular flow of things by next weekend. As usual, I tried to stick closer to the indie pop mandate of G&L. I hope you enjoyed the Stefana Fratila tracks I played. She was in town on Friday night opening for Aleks + the Ramps and Ok Vancouver Ok. I’m sure that everyone that was at the show enjoyed her set as much as I did. Stefana and her band mates are from Vancouver. This was their first gig in Victoria and hopefully they can make it back soon. You can check out her music here.

Also making their Victoria (and Canadian debut) on Friday night was Aleks + the Ramps, all the way from Melbourne, Australia. Apparently some of the residents of Fairfield were not as excited about Aleks + the Ramps' music as everyone in the audience was. Unfortunately, noise complaints had to cut their set short, but that short set really was amazing. They head off to Toronto on Wednesday for a few NXNE show, followed by a mini tour of Ontario and Quebec. Hopefully they all decide to come back to Canada soon. Here is a sample (from an Australian gig) of how fun their live show is, complete with choreographed dance introduction.



The Ramps inspired me to do an all Melbourne hour on Carload of Whatever this week. I really am pretty out of touch with the Australian music scene, but I got a sort of crash course in it from the Ramps this weekend. All the members of the band seem to be quite involved in other Melbourne projects, so it was really easy to delve into the Melbourne music scene. Jon Tjhia (of the Ramps) gave me a couple CDs, which made up the majority of the show. He is also a member of the group ii. ii are an experimental, ambient group who have just put out their amazing debut record landlakes. If you like strange, droney music as much as I do I highly recommend checking them out. You can find landlakes through Sydney's Feral Media. I hope you enjoyed some of the tracks in the all Melbourne playlist this week.

Vincat are making their grand return home from an extensive cross Canada tour this weekend. To mark the occasion they are playing two shows...an all ages party on Friday night at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, and a bar show on Saturday night at Lucky. Both shows are with Edmonton's Hot Panda (who just signed to Mint Records!). Young Lions are opening the all ages show, fresh from an appearance at Music Waste. This will be fun.

Friday, June 13
Vincat, Hot Panda, Young Lions at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship (2124 Chambers st at Princess Ave - map here) - 7 PM - ALL AGES!

Saturday, June 14
Vincat, Hot Panda at Lucky Bar - 8 to 10:30 PM - 19+

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Gumdrops and Lollipops playlist:

Artist - Album - Song
Beach House - Beach House - Saltwater
Watercolour Paintings - Get Out of the Way or a Whale Will Swallow You - Happyships
Greenbelt Collective - Our Homes - This Hill Used to be a Valley
Almonds, Cohen - Ontario (on Stereo!) - Cleveland Family Fued
Vincat - Inner Space EP - Rocketship Construction
Hot Panda - Whale Headed Girl - Chinatown Bus
Stefana Fratila - Victory Square - Hello, Lady Reed
Stefana Fratila - Victory Square - I Dissect, You Progress
Ok Vancouver Ok - The Balcony - The Balcony
Ok Vancouver Ok - I Get So Drunk About Songs About Love - I Get So Drunk About Songs About Love

Carload of Whatever playlist:

Melbourne-mania!

Artist - Album - Song
Aleks + the Ramps - Canada Tour EP 2008 - Hey Owl
Denim Owl - Demo - I'm on Fire
ii - Landlakes - We Ate Everyone
Pompey - Brother Sister Records Compilation - Fifty Gallon Drum
Inquiet - Brother Sister Records Compilation - Fresh Flesh
Holland - Brother Sister Records Compilation - Random Pop
Directorsound - Brother Sister Records Compilation - Before the March
Drama for Yamaha - EP - No More Ease
The Motifs - Matches EP - For a Clear Day
Flying Scribble - Vessels - Don't Follow Me
Barrage - Hero or Dirt? - Hour of Pink Dominoes
Scissors for Sparrow - Demo - Pitter Pattern