2x The Mono’s Art Rock and Science Fiction
2x The Mono may have had its roots in Randell Neudorf’s goal of experimenting with organic and electronic sounds in song via new technology like the looping station. But with the project becoming a full band – including brother Regan Neudorf (bass, synth, etc) and Adrian McFarlene (percussion) – the efforts are multiplied and the results intensified on the bands fourth CD, Art Rock and Science Fiction.
“I have to admit that as an artist I am attracted to the world of juxtapositions,” admits Randell Neudorf. “The combination of electronic and organic sounds has been a very intentional thing for 2x the Mono from the very beginning. It is the striving towards the perfect balance of that combination that excites me on stage and in the studio. I don’t know why but a hillbilly jaw harp and a nice phat bass synth seem like they are made for each other in my ears.
“We started describing it as art rock, it seemed a little less intimidating then experimental, but it still let people know that you are going to have a unique musical experience,” he adds. “At the same time, we started writing a number of robot themed songs that were really resonating with people. I always like it when an album’s title and cover gives you a feel for what is inside, so if Art Rock and Science Fiction sounds a little blunt that is okay with me. It also doesn’t hurt that it also sounds really cool.”
Art Rock and Science Fiction is all about songs melding childhood dreams, spaghetti westerns, Star Wars movies and lots and lots of robots – making for a very eclectic but engaging disc.
With 20 instruments (ominchord, ukulele and vocodor among the more
standard guitar, drums and keyboards) played by three guys bent on creating a fantastical if not fantastic multi–layered homage to the art rock of the ‘90s and beyond. Neudorf screams “I miss the sounds of my youth”, on the opening track, conjuring up images of avant–garde rockers like King Missile with blunt force.
“All my high school and university years were in the ‘90s, so that decade had an understandable influence on me,” notes Neudorf. “My friends and I would hang out and listen to Eric’s Trip, His Name Is Alive, Moby, Sonic Youth, The Inbreds, Hayden, Beck – that decade taught me was to keep looking for the next thing that sounds completely different. Some bands that really inspire me now are Paper Route, Sufjan Stevens, Danielson, Soul Junk, Bizzart, Project 86, David Bazan, and Half–Handed Cloud.
“And I really believe that there is niche out there for our brand of art rock,” he adds. “We played a huge festival in the US this summer called Cornerstone. We were completely unknown to their audience other than a link on the festival’s website to our myspace page but we got treated like rock stars. One guy even bought a sweaty 2x the Mono shirt right off my back. I had been wearing that shirt for two days to promote our shows. That stinky shirt could have stood up by itself but I saw the guy proudly wearing that same shirt a couple hours later. I can’t tell you how large the market is but we attract people who are very serious about what they listen to.”
With a CD release party this weekend, Neudorf and company hope to offer an aural and visual experience – but one that is as entertaining as it is serious.
“As much as we talk about the art, we really want people to be entertained when they see 2x the Mono, so I think our live show appeals to a wide audience, especially since we blend so many styles,” reasons Neudorf. “The different sounds can give people an entry point into our music no matter what they listen to.
“The live show is a multimedia experience with retro videos from archival film footage are timed out to each song and projected on the band as a light show,” he adds. “The audience will see fleeting images of robots, cowboys, and factories mirroring the stories in our songs. We also use multiple loop stations to bring in all the instruments from the CD, so our three piece often sounds like a 15 piece art collective. We really just want people to connect with our sound and stories. We aren’t part of a specific scene or demographic but we are always flattered when other musicians like what we do. We would love to be a band’s band.”
The 2x the Mono plays this Friday August 27 at The Freeway Coffee House (333 King Street East) with Hunter Eves and Fitness Club Fiasco.
The all ages show starts at 8pm and $10 gets you in with the new CD. Click myspace.com/2xthemono for info and sounds.
A Celebration of Hamilton II
The inaugural Celebration of Hamilton festival put together by the
Corktown Pub’s Jesse Dore and Spherical Productions’ Joey Balduchhi
last year was an ambitious one–day festival that incorporated three performance areas and a couple dozen artists. This year, the pair returns with an end of summer bash that is bigger and bolder with an eye on impressing upon Hamiltonians just what Hamilton has to offer.
“We have 18 acts on two stages, 18 buskers, 15 artists, a group of 20 amazing volunteers, eight vendors – and they’re all Hamiltonians,” smiles Dore on this year’s festival. “We are celebrating as much of our local arts, entertainment and business sector as is possible. Plus, it’s just a really fun way to see all of our favourite local acts without having to pay cover.
“Both Joey and I love Hamilton and all it has to offer,” he adds. “Looking around and seeing this fantastic arts community right here and hearing about people that still think they have to go to Toronto to see a good show or appreciate some culture was just ridiculous, so we decided to help along the local arts in any way we could. We decided to show Hamiltonians that didn’t already know that we have to celebrate right here in Hamilton. Last year, we proved that Hamilton is something worth celebrating, maybe even surprised some people that came for one band and ended up finding out that there is a lot more talent and artistry than they ever thought from this city.”
With the success of their first, Dore and Balducchi set to make their
second celebration even better incorporating more family fun (face painters, jugglers, children’s bands, cotton candy and more) from Noon to 4pm and enhancing how art and musicians could be better presented and in even greater numbers.
“We are very excited to incorporate even more of what Hamilton has to offer our community,” explains Balducchi. “We re–worked the art gallery loft and made it licensed with wine and jazz music to give people a nice change from the heat outside and the rock music in the venue, giving the art gallery a nice chill, yet visually stimulating vibe. And the ‘Busker Welcoming Committee’ incorporates even more artists that we could not get on the stages. When people arrive from Noon to 9pm, every 30 minutes we have a new unplugged solo artist playing at the entrance of the Corktown, welcoming our guests to the festival and playing their fantastic music.
The buskers include Kirby, Trevor Howard, Johnny Parente, Aalia Kesari, Marcio Novelli, Adam Carter, Barry Mac, and more – while the festival itself contains enough talent to headline at least half a dozen separate shows – and they have. Anyone looking at a crash course can grab a bib, sit yourself down and marvel at The Forgotten Rebels, Tom Wilson, Saint Alvia, Wax Mannequin, BA Johnston, Harrison Kennedy, Ginger St. James and the Grinders, the Killin Time Band, Melissa Bel, Live How You Live, All For Nothing, Klass N Hachey, Max Wray, Kim Koren, Matt Jelly, Blind Mule, Subterranean Collective, Radio Free Universe, and Turkey Rhubarb.
“It’s one destination, one price admission and you can ride all of these musical rides all day and night at what could be a one day Hamilton’s wonderland.
“We want this festival to be going on for many years to come, so we want to make it bigger every year, taking more chances to get Hamilton’s great music scene exposed to more people,” offers Balducchi on the notably named line–up. “Having the bigger acts means the lesser known acts can play to many more people than they are used to playing for, and every big act in Hamilton started small, and they know that when they were small, they needed to play to more people to become as big as they are now, and for them to open for bigger acts earlier on,
helped get them to where they are now, and once the lesser known acts in Hamilton become a bigger drawing act, the cycle will repeat itself, and if we can help each other build on our dreams, the community becomes a lot more supportive to each other, because we are all working together more.”
“The only group that we are avidly trying to attract are Hamiltonians,” notes Dore on the anticipated audience. “Don’t get me wrong, everyone is welcome, but we really want to show Hamiltonians that we do have a lot to be proud of. As far as who will come out, based on last year, everyone.”
The second annual A Celebration of Hamilton Festival happens this Saturday, August 28 at the Corktown Pub from Noon until close and $20 gets you in. Click on corktownpub.ca
Sarah Blackwood’s Wasting Time
While The Creepshow is gearing up for a new CD release this fall, their lead singer, Sarah Blackwood, has quietly developed a solo career that has gone well beyond a side project. Blackwood’s sophomore solo disc, Wasting Time, is anything but what the title suggests and
the native Burlingtonian returns for a local debut and for some quality time with her fans.
“A lot of people can’t handle doing both,” smiles Blackwood on managing her solo and Creepshow endeavours. “I make a serious effort to make both projects happen in a way where everyone is okay with it. When the band has time off I will book some solo stuff, or I will book
a tour right before or after a Creepshow tour so it links up nicely. It just means I am on tour a little bit more. I do love both [the Creepshow and the solo work] so much, and have a great time doing both, so I try my hardest to make them work at the same time. It’s not always easy, but nothing in life is easy.”
Her solo debut, Way Back Home, offered a stripped down introduction to
Blackwood. Wasting Time is a more coherent work, developing the textures of new songs digging more personally into Blackwood’s world with the help of a lot of friends and family. Heartbreak Engines and Sewer Rats’ Daniel Flamm, the Creepshow’s Sean “Sickboy” McNab, Sector7’s Lee Williamson and even brother Ian Blackwood and father
Mike Blackwood lend a hand to the Gianni Luminati production.
“It’s all coming from my heart,” underscores Blackwood. “Since the day I started writing music, I always wrote about things that meant a lot to me. I am glad you mentioned the title Wasting Time, it is not at all wasting time and that is why I liked the idea of naming the
album that. This music is a way for me to tell my stories and experiences through music. It is my journal pretty much. I write about everything that I need to get off my chest, things I want to share, all of it. It means so much to me because I am telling stories and people are relating to them. It is a way of bringing people together and I love that.
“Burlington has always had a strong music scene,” she adds. “Since I was a kid, I remember going to shows every Friday starting as young as 12. We all grew up but stayed in touch and since we all still do music for the most part, there is no reason to stick with friends. Gianni
was amazing to work with. Recording at B–Town Sound was an incredible experience. In fact, Daniel and I will be back in there in about a week to record two cover songs for a 7” I am doing. Gianni will be recording that with us too. It is important to keep your friends close and involved in what you are doing. And when you have so many talented people around you, it makes it really fun, too.”
While a world traveller with and without the Creepshow, Blackwood and her solo Wasting Time North American Tour touches down in her old stomping grounds this week and the singer is nervously and excited for her hometown return.
“Every night is different no matter where I am in the world,” remarks the singer on her performances. “I have to say though; I get the most stressed out and nervous about shows at or near home. I always want people to show up and I am terrified they won’t! Also, there is always family there and close friends that you can’t help but want to impress. So the pressure is on when playing at home. I just hope people can have a good time. We have been on tour now for about two weeks and the show is pretty strong so people can expect the best show we can give them.”
Sarah Blackwood plays this Tuesday August 31 at the Casbah with Alyssa In The Apple Tree, Amberley B, and Kasey Downey. The licensed/all ages show starts at 9:30 and $10 gets you in. Click on myspace.com/sarahblackwood.
