Sunday, May 10, 2009

I was away in Vancouver and America for a bit. Thanks to Johanna and Nathan for filling in for me the past few weeks.

While I was away the Victoria city council decided to stop Camas and the Brickyard from hosting shows. Andrea already articulated how I feel about this, but I wanted to mention it on here as well. All ages venues are important to local music scenes; they allow for the entire community to participate in shows, regardless of age. I spent a large part of my underage high school years at all ages shows. I always dreaded seeing my favorite bands come through town with the '19+' tag attached to the listing.

Camas made it easy for anyone to put on shows. Andrea and I used to complain about the lack of affordable all ages venues in Victoria. Camas stopped our complaining for a year and a half. The space supported several music communities in Victoria for that period, hosting local punk, hardcore, noise and indie rock shows on a weekly basis. As of this Friday, May 15, Camas will no longer be having shows. Luckily, the Fifty Fifty Arts Collective stepped back into the picture right before we lost Camas and the Brickyard as venues. Vancouver has been having similar issues with all ages venues being shut down recently. It is a problem that will recur, and Victoria is not the only place this happens. Technically, these venues were illegal, operating outside of their zoning designations. I'm not sure what needs to happen to ensure that a venue can operate 'legally,' but at least we had those spaces for the time that we did.

Some good things that happened there:

Sat, April 17, 2009: Ghosts, ‘It It, Woolworm at Brickyard

Fri, March 6, 2009: Slam Dunk, ‘It It, Rooney & the Minglers, Old Gospel at Camas

Thurs, January 29, 2009: Listening Party, Slam Dunk, Almonds Cohen, Giant Wood Chipper at Brickyard

Sat, January 17, 2009: Elenora Thompson, Giant Wood Chipper, Walter TV, Fuji Hakayito at Camas

Sun, Nov 16, 2008: A&R Presents - The Bicycles, Hot Panda, Prairie Cat, The Secret World of Animals at Camas

Sat, Nov 15, 2008: Balacade, The Joe, Doug Hoyer, Nail Salon at Camas

Wed, June 18, 2008: Slam Dunk, Women, Mt Royal at Brickyard

Sun, May 18, 2008: A&R Presents - Laura Barrett, No Gold, The Macadamia Brothers at Camas

Thurs, May 1, 2008: Balacade, Nail Salon, Bear’s Lair at Brickyard

Fri, April 25, 2008: Oldlife Presents - The Blankket, Almonds Cohen, Blanck at Camas

December 30, 2007: A&R Presents - Endless Bummer, The Desks, Panty Boy, Balacade at Camas

...


In happier local music news, the Almonds, Cohen full length record is DONE! It is called Amazing Grass, and there is a special release show happening on Wednesday. Almonds, Cohen doesn't even need venues. This event is outside, in a semi-secret (okay, it's a tunnel) location. Meet at Recyclistas at 8:30. Bring a flashlight. It's outside. It's free. Macadamia Brother's are performing as well. Boom box amps.

More info at Old Life.


Playlist:

Artist - Album - Song
Wavves - Wavvves - No Hope Kids
Future Islands - Wave Like Home - Old Friend
Double Dagger - More - No Allies
Crocodiles - Summer of Hate - I Wanna Kill
The Magnetic Fields - The Wayward Bus - The Saddest Story Ever Told
Apollo Ghosts - Hastings Sunrise - Shadow Boxing Bruce Lee
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Natural Light
The Vaselines - Enter the Vaselines - Molly's Lips
The Torrent - Leonora Moreno - Unpopular
Anagram - Split 12" - Manic Indulgence
The Blankket - Pegatively Nositive - 2003 (clean)
Telepathe - Dancemother - Can't Stand It
Woods - Songs of Shame - The Hold
Almonds, Cohen! - Amazing Grass - Ring Finger
Clues - Clues - Haarp
Tim Hecker - An Imaginary Country - 200 Years Ago
Years - Years - Are You Unloved?
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam - Derek