Tons of ECMA news, N.B. happenings and more
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009
(Damhnait Doyle - Photo by Andrew MacNaughtan)
Doyle, Ghomeshi to host ECMAs
The East Coast Music Association recently announced that Newfoundland songstress Damhnait Doyle will pair up with Jian Ghomeshi of CBC Radio One’s ‘Q’ to host the 2009 East Coast Music Awards live from Corner Brook, NL on Sunday, March 1.
The East Coast Music Awards return to CBC. Fans of East Coast Music can catch the star-studded spectacular live at 8:30pm NT/8pm AT/7pm ET on CBC’s digital channel bold online here. The main CBC Television network will broadcast the East Coast Music Awards at 11pm in all time zones/11:30 NT.
The line-up of artists for this year’s East Coast Music Awards showcases Atlantic Canada’s emerging talent to the country, including Hey Rosetta!, Jill Barber, Tara Oram, Christina Martin, Meaghan Blanchard, RADIO-RADIO, MIR, David Myles, Ryan LeBlanc and Troy MacGillivray. The ECMA Awards Show also features the reunion of quintessential East Coast Celtic-rockers Rawlins Cross.
Artists from Newfoundland’s traditional and country music scenes will perform in a special tribute to Dick Nolan, the 2009 recipient of the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award. Nolan, originally from Corner Brook, NL, was a pioneer of Newfoundland’s music industry, sharing the music of his province with the rest of Canada.
2009 ECMA Stompin’ Tom Award recipients announced
The East Coast Music Association announced this week the recipients of the 2009 Stompin’ Tom Awards. The awards are given annually to the unsung heroes of the East Coast Music industry and will be presented this year at the Industry Awards Brunch on Sunday, March 1 at the Pepsi Studio in Corner Brook.
The 2009 recipients are: Mark Hill from New Brunswick, Ray Walsh from Newfoundland & Labrador, Narcisse Gautreau from Prince Edward Island, Joyce Seamone from mainland Nova Scotia and Donald Angus Beaton from Cape Breton.
“These well-deserving recipients have all made significant contributions to East Coast music and have over the years kept our music industry vibrant and dynamic,” Wade Pinhorn, board chair of the East Coast Music Association, said in a press release. “They have all demonstrated deep-rooted commitments and we are proud to be honouring them.”
The Stompin’ Tom awards are presented annually to one individual or group from each of the five regions of the East Coast Music Association: New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.
The award was conceived in 1993 when Stompin’ Tom Connors was presented with the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement award. Instead of accepting the award, he requested that an award be created to honour musicians who have made long-term contributions to the East Coast music industry and paved the road for many successful East Coast artists today. The East Coast Music Association has recognized more than 75 of these musical pioneers to date. The recipients are chosen by a committee of Atlantic Canadian folklorists in consultation with the ECMA board of directors.
Fans can make their voices heard
The ECMA Fan’s Choice Award is the only East Coast Music Award voted on by the public, and fans have until Friday, Feb. 27 at midnight (AT) to cast their vote. Cast your vote online here. Note that only one vote per computer will be tabulated.
The ECMA 2009 Fan’s Choice Award will be announced March 1st during the East Coast Music Awards.
The ECMA noted in an e-mail that the Fan’s Choice Award does not replace the ECMA Entertainer of the Year Award. The Entertainer of the Year Award is now voted on solely by the ECMA membership and is based on performances and touring throughout the eligibility period whereas the Fan’s Choice award is voted on solely by the public. The Fan’s Choice Award was open to all artists that applied and were eligible for any music award or showcase.
East Coasters head to the deep south
The East Coast Music Association is spearheading a contingent of East Coast artists and companies at the 21st annual North American Folk Alliance Conference (NAFA) in Memphis, Tennessee from Feb. 18-22.
For the last five years, ECMA has organized an annual Atlantic Canadian trade mission to NAFA ‘Canadian Music East Coast Style’ - a partnership of the East Coast Music Association, Music New Brunswick, Music Newfoundland and Labrador, Music Nova Scotia, and Music Prince Edward Island.
The collective will consists of over 30 participants including 14 showcasing artists, four management companies, organization representatives and ECMA. Showcasing artists include: Dominique Dupuis (NB), The Olympic Symphonium (NB), Samantha Robichaud (NB), David Myles (NS/ NB), Christina Martin (NS), Joel Plaskett (NS), Madison Violet (NS), Ruth Minnikin (NS), Chris Kirby (NL), Shanneyganock (NL), Don Brownrigg (NS/NL), Tanya Davis (NS/PE), Nudie & The Turks (PE) and Amelia Curran (NS/ NL).
ECMA artists will be a part of the Performance Alley Showcases at NAFA, as well as host three evenings of music showcases at the Canadian Music - East Coast Style Music Suite at the Memphis Marriott Hotel.
Moncton bands aim for Corner Brook
Five Moncton bands will join forces at the Oxygen Nightclub in the Hub City this Friday, Feb. 20 to help raise money for their upcoming journey to Corner Brook, NL for the East Coast Music Association’s annual festival and conference.
The Motorleague, The Divorcees, Nayles, The Nuclear and Kevin McIntyre will perform together to showcase one of the most diverse lineups Moncton has ever seen.
“I hope people will come out and show their support especially considering the diverse lineup” says Dana Robertson, bassist with The Motorleague. “This year, being in Newfoundland, makes it way more expensive for all of us small, local bands to make it there as it is, so we’re looking for Moncton’s help by coming out and seeing this great show.”
The trip, which involves driving to Cape Breton, a 10-hour ferry ride to Port-aux Basque, then driving two hours to get to Corner Brook, will take approximately 20 hours each way, and will cost each of bands hundreds of dollars in fuel, ferry, accommodations and food costs.
All five bands will be showcasing on a number of stages, but all will be playing on Music New Brunswick’s stage at Whelan’s Gate, a popular Corner Brook live music venue.
Admission for the Feb. 20 show is $10 and includes a complimentary beverage courtesy of Molson. Doors open at 10 p.m. and the show is 19+.
Tireless Sedans release debut this weekend
Moncton band Tireless Sedans will release its debut, Parts + Labour EP, this weekend at Doc Dylan’s in Moncton with Fredericton band Tuque (formerly Jellyroll) opening.
The debut is self-produced and released by independent label Superbob Records. It’s a six-song collection of folky, alt-countryish rock.
The band is made up of Dave Rahmer, Mark McGinnis (original drummer for the Ditchpigs, guitarist/singer in the Villanovans and Super Dickie 66), Chad Lifford and Jenna Gallant.
Thee Requiems release debut
Another Moncton band Thee Requiems released its debut album last week. The band, Josiah Barnett, Ryan White, Cameron Murphy and Joel Fowler, recorded the album with Kyle McDonald at Cabin Studio in Moncton.
The band formed in 2005 after Barnett (Catboxer, The Pale Marys, Fear of Lipstick) expanded on the solo project he’d been working on since 2002 called Gil Spectrum and the Requiems.
Along the way, Ryan White (The Pale Marys, Octopus Trash) helped with recording and mastering and occasionally appeared on tracks. In ‘05, Barnett got together with Ryan and Cameron Murphy (The Peter Parkers, Ghostown Belle, The Varsity Weirdos, Colonial Quarrels) and formed a band. Quickly, the band adopted the moniker Thee Requiems, and Joel Fowler (Catboxer, Scribbler, Loomer, I Hate to Think) joined the band soon after.
Introducing … Jason LeBlanc
Riverview, N.B. native Jason LeBlanc has been making his name known in music circles in the Moncton area lately, gigging as much as he can around the city.
Until recently, LeBlanc kept a low profile, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t busy.
He is currently working on his fourth record. LeBlanc hasn’t released any of the records to date physically, but each one is available on his Facebook page for download. He says each of the record has a different feel and concept.
“My influences include a number of things,” he explained in an e-mail. “There are a number of bands I could list and artists, too but a lot of things influence me. Personal thoughts really influence me. Silence does too. I don’t really know what to say other than what one would perceive as noise, I’m starting to hear as music and I’m trying to adapt my songwriting style accordingly.”
LeBlanc plans on finishing his fourth album and gigging around town some more. A CD release may be coming down the pipe as well.
Colepaugh releases new single
Moncton’s Chris Colepaugh & The Cosmic Crew have released its anthemic cover of the classic Neil Young song “After The Gold Rush” to radio. The tune was released on 2006’s In Your Backyard album. You can check out the tune on the band’s website.
Fresh off dates at the Hard Rock Café in Boston and the Seahorse in Halifax, the band has several gigs lined up for the ECMAs in Corner Brook, so check the band’s website to catch them.
Rusted Dawn to rock Quebec, Ontario
New Brunswick’s Rusted Dawn are no strangers to the way of the road. The four piece thrash band are about to embark on their fourth tour of eastern Canada. The tour kicks off Feb. 26 at Fredericton’s The Capital.
From there, the busy band (brothers Jeremy and Justin Goddard, Chad McMillan and Luke Vautour) will play five dates in Ontario and four dates in Quebec. The band will showcase new material from their upcoming full length album The Black Tides of War which is due out later this year.
