1) Where did the name “Oh! The Scenery” come from?
Oh! The Scenery started of as a solo project, consisting of only myself (Allan), and some songs I wrote acoustically. When I first started the project, I had help from my girlfriend to come up with a stage name. Out of the list of names she had complied together, “Oh! The Scenery” stood out and connected with me. It immediately reminded me of Dr. Seuss’ story “Oh, the places you’ll go”. I felt that the name related really well with the intentions I had of where I wanted to take this project. I knew that doing music as a career could lead and take me anywhere; relating back to the story, I knew that this path I am on is nothing but a big adventure. That is why I chose that name out of everything on that list. “Oh! The Scenery” developed a meaning of not taking anything for granted. Whatever gets thrown our way, good or bad, we will take it all in. So the credit goes to my girlfriend for thinking of a really unique name.

2) How long have you been together as a band?
The band started around the middle of April 2010, and was originally a three-piece band that consisted of Ryan Patrick, Michael Ferreira and I. Later down the road, right around the month of August, Jeff Care joined our band and completed the line up. This band has been around for nearly a year now; but as a four-piece band, that started around August.

3) What have been some of your biggest accomplishments so far?
We are completely proud of everything we’ve done. Our biggest accomplishments I would have to say is getting this band from the ground and launching it to the level we are at now.  We have played shows with some really great bands and have shared the stage with some really well known musicians, we have developed fantastic relationships with other artists, we have won over really incredible people who support us with everything we do, and we’ve started to make a name for ourselves.

4) What is your favourite song to perform live, and why?
I absolutely love playing our song “Just For Awhile”, and one of our newest songs called “Wanna Get Rough”. Those songs are my favourite to play live because they are really fun to sing and perform.

5) How would you describe your fans?
Incredible.

6) What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
We are really excited to finish writing for our 7 song E.P that we plan on releasing this summer. Heading to the studio, touring, and broadening our fan base!

7) What is your favourite venue to play in Toronto?
Personally, I love playing Sneaky Dee’s, The Rockpile and Hardluck Bar.

8) Where is your favourite spot in the city to hangout as a band?
Would definitely say Sneaky Dee’s!

9) What has been the craziest fan moment to date?
Craziest fan moment? Probably when we get asked crazy questions on Formspring!  

10) For people seeing Oh! The Scenery for the first time at LiveMusicTO's showcase on April 8th with Chase Coy, Hometown Beatdown and Chasing Amee, what can they expect? 
They can expect a very energetic show! They can expect to listen to a band with a very unique and distinguishable sound. They can expect to see the passion we have in playing our music, and they can expect to have lots of fun and enjoy the fact that they came out to support local music!

Northcote, Cavaliers and The Schomberg Fair LIVE at Dakota Tavern March 12, 2011. Canadian Music Week 2011 Showcase. Photos by Angela Smith.

“I highly encourage you to check her out. Cause she’s good.” - Alan Cross, Exploremusic.ca

Singer/songwriter/musician Stephanie Bosch grew up schooled in rock‘n’roll and hockey. At first it was the love of the game that taught Stephanie about hard work and dedication, but it became more apparent that her true passion lay with words and music. As Stephanie was growing up music was constantly blaring from somewhere whether it came from the local rock station, a favorite album from her parents record collection or her hometown rink in Devon, Alberta. Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Doors and Tom Petty rank high in shaping her early tastes. As she grew older, Alanis Morrisette and Our Lady Peace contributed to her stand out flavor.

Side by side with rink time, she started piano lessons from the age of six then picked up the guitar at sixteen
where it literally attached itself to her soul. She’s been a musical artist ever since and is a stand out role
model for today’s youth because of her `be real’ mentality and her tenacious appetite to reach her goals.
Plus, she still kicks ass on the ice.

The EP Stupid Charlie is the third recording from the twenty-two year old Toronto based artist. It’s offering
contains anthem choruses, rock, punk, alternative and pop sensibilities topped up with poignant lyrics. It
includes a Marilyn Manson cover of Beautiful People and these songs sound fresh, fiery and contagious.
Stephanie has great instincts that suit her unique vocal styling and guitar melodies. It was recorded in
Edmonton at Beta Sound Recorders and was produced by award winning producer/songwriter, guitarist
extraordinaire Bobby Cameron in the fall of 2010. Her message for everyone “Stop being so fake, so damn
greedy and plain ole’ nasty to each other.” Mr. Cameron’s thoughts on Stephanie: “Every now and then there
comes along a young songwriter that cuts through all the clutter and just stands out. From the first listen I
knew Stephanie Bosch was destined to be a household name".

In August 2009 she was invited to do a set on stage at the Edmonton Folk Festival and in November packed
up the guitar and extensively toured BC promoting Departures. She was honored in February 2010 when
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts asked her to represent them at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic
Games. She also was thrilled to showcase for industry and fans at Canadian Music Week in Toronto.
Stephanie went back to Edmonton inspired and wrote and recorded Stupid Charlie during the summer.
Nearing the completion of the EP in August 2010, Stephanie packed her bags for good and decided to make
the move to Toronto. Quickly finding her place in the city, Stephanie and her band, including Tom Lacey on
drums and James Ruegg on bass, clicked instantly as a group.

Stephanie's CD release show for her EP is at the El Mocambo on April 14th. Advanced tickets are $10, $15 at the door. Email booking@stephaniecbosch.com if interested in tickets.

Stephanie will also be part of LiveMusicTO's presentation of Whosarmy's CD Release party on May 6th at The Drake. More info to come!

Don't miss CHASE COY (Greenwood, IN) and HOMETOWN BEATDOWN (Whitby, ON) on the LiveMusicTO Toronto date of their North American tour together - happening April 8th at The Hardluck Bar!

Chase Coy's performance is sure to be a memorable one playing favourites such as "If the Moon Fell Down (feat. Colbie Collait)" and brand new unheard songs off of his unreleased sophomore full length 'Indiana Sun' (out April 12). With direct support from your Hometown Beatdown boys, making this their homecoming concert - on their last tour with the 'Piece of that Peace' EP!

We are so stoked about this show that we wanted to offer fans the chance to win some amazing swag, prize pack incudes:

- Autographed Chase Coy CD
- Autographed Hometown Beatdown CD
- Personal meet and greet with both bands prior to the show

HOW TO WIN
1) Buy advance tickets online through either Ticketscene HERE or PayPal HERE.
2) Every ticket purchaser’s name will be entered into a random draw!
3) The more tickets you buy, the better your chances of winning! So be sure to get together with your friends.

1 ticket = 1 entry
2 tickets = 3 entries
3 tickets = 5 entries
5 tickets = 10 entries

For full show details, please visit the official event page HERE.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!

Buckcherry and Papa Roach LIVE at Sound Academy March 12, 2011. Canadian Music Week 2011 Showcase. Photos by Jon Pignataro.

One of the brightest, most sincere and beautifully talented artists - ladies and gentlemen take a look at Part 1 of the interview with Canadian hip hop artist, Shad.

Speaking about everything from education to his introspective lyrics, this was a conversation for the books.

LMTO: You’ve mentioned you are a fan of Common, do you feel like a lot of your writing comes from a similar place?
Yes, Common was my favourite rapper in high school, he’s one of the artists that blew my mind when I was 15/16 years old because he was one of the ones who really cared about what was said. He put effort into everything so ya he was a huge influence. It was something special.

LMTO: A lot of your lyrics are pretty personal and you share it all with the world—is it nerve-racking?
A little bit, but in a good way. I think it is a healthy thing you know. I’m pretty grateful for having the opportunity to do that cause I think I’m better for it. You get to be yourself a little bit more and I think that’s a healthy thing and if you do it from the right place it can be good for other people too.

LMTO: Let’s talk about the track We, Myself & I and in specific the lyric, “Please be my third eye when the light gets dim.” Can you elaborate on that a bit?
That whole song is like about being too much inside your own head, at least that verse is for me. That line there is like a prayer, saying help me to see clear when I’m lost inside myself, and then of course I’m playing on the word ‘eye’. I think being reflective is a good thing, but I also think our culture is pretty self focused and you lose a lot of perspective and it is dangerous and unhealthy.

LMTO: Where do you do most of writing? Is it a random process?
I try to write consistently, it never really works out. It’s more when you get struck by a good idea, a good song idea or lyric, things come naturally from that, but it’s the hardest part to get to that point. I try to be in a good place, where I feel like I’m not writing for the wrong reasons. There are fine lines between writing to engage people and winning them over and being reflective, introspective and indulgent. I try to get to a good place so it comes out.

LMTO: You opened up for Classified a couple of years back, what was that like?
That was a really cool experience because particularly at that time, which was only two or three yeas ago he was one of the few hip-hop artists in Canada that was succeeding in finding an audience. It was really cool to observe what he did and it all came from a very common sense—hard work—no nonsense approach to things. He makes music that he believes in and he works hard at it and its quality and his show is quality.

LMTO: What’s it like being a Canadian hip-hop artist (with reference to the industry, producing music and being successful)?
Stuff has changed in the last years, I wasn’t even thinking of MuchMusic or anything like that when I first started. I mean we were putting grants in, but I didn’t really care I didn’t think that was how my music would spread. They don’t play music videos so I know I didn’t watch it. But that’s changed a bit, Rapcity is back.

LMTO: Ya let’s talk about that, have you seen it? Do you like it?
Me and my manager were talking about it, it’s like ya, this is us now, this is our generation and they're playing people’s stuff I know, like these are peers  of mine. I mean people like T-RexXx have been holding it down in the city for a while now. I was also glad to see the Wedge come back. I think there is more support on the ground for Canadian hip hop artists.

LMTO: Do you think people like Drake have something to do with that?
Ya, I think Drake has something to do with it.I think it’s like the proliferation of music in general has had something to do with that too. People are looking for music from all different sources, it’s easier to make videos now, its easier to make quality music, and I think Drake has definitely had an effect on that.

LMTO: So, you’re working on your masters eh? Congrats first off.   
Thanks a lot, ya I’m almost done... couple of weeks. It’s a Graduate Liberal Studies program, part time, for working people. It’s really about just learning, I’m almost at the end of it now and it’s given me a base for the rest of my learning kind of thing.

LMTO: Do you think it’s important for artists to do degrees / become educated / get their masters?
Ugh, I go back and forth on that, I don’t know. I don’t like to impose responsibilities on people. If you are an entertainer/artist and that is what you devote yourself to, I think it’s unreasonable to expect people to be involved in a million other things. At the same time I think it is valuable, you know, I think if you are going to be speaking to people you should have an idea of what you are saying and should have an idea of what you think is important. Some of these things should be clear in your mind and may require some kind of learning.  But, no I don’t like to impose that responsibility on people.

But ya I feel like if you have a platform you should have an idea of what you are doing, I think that’s important. I think as artists we happen to have a lot of free time, and that should be put to use. I think you could go learn about the world…like…if you have some free time instead of going and kickin’ it at the beach or something, like kick it at the beach with a book and learn something about the world; maybe you’ll have something to share…

LIVE at The Phoenix March 8th, 2011

From Wikipedia:

The Get Up Kids is an American alternative rock band from Kansas City, Missouri. Formed in 1995, the band was a major player in the mid-90's emo scene, otherwise known as the "second wave" of emo music. As they gained prominence, they began touring with bands such as Green Day and Weezer before becoming headliners themselves, eventually embarking on international tours of Japan and Europe. They founded Heroes & Villains Records, an imprint of the successful indie rock label Vagrant Records. While the imprint was started to release albums by The Get Up Kids, it served as a launching pad for several side-projects such as The New Amsterdams and Reggie and the Full Effect.

The Get Up Kids were viewed throughout their existence as a prototypical emo band, having been major players in the Midwest emo movement of the mid-1990s. However, like many early emo bands, The Get Up Kids sought to dissociate themselves with the term, as it was considered dismissive to be seen as an "emo band." Years later, guitarist Jim Suptic even apologized for having the influence they did on many of the modern third-wave emo bands, commenting that "The punk scene we came out of and the punk scene now are completely different. It’s like glam rock now . . . If this is the world we helped create, then I apologize.”

Due to some internal conflicts, the band broke up in 2005. In 2008 the band announced a 2009 reunion tour to support the tenth anniversary re-release of Something to Write Home About, their most successful studio album. Soon after the reunion, the band entered the studio to write new material. In early 2010, the band released Simple Science, their first release in six years. In 2011 they will release their new album There Are Rules.

Vancouver based band Elias is no doubt one of Canada’s more talented and at the same time, underexposed acts.  Many Canadian acts lack exposure simply due to the fact that their music is far too regional and doesn’t reach a wide enough demographic, and therefore lacks international appeal. I call it the Tragically Hip Syndrome. Elias presents a style of music that transcends those traditional restraints, joining a growing number of Canadian Musicians exploding onto the worldwide stage with songs that reflect universal themes and emotions. Elias’s sometimes dark, and always emotive alt rock displays skilful melodies and a passionate attention to songwriting, reminiscent of some of their influences like Radiohead, Coldplay, and Arcade Fire.

Recently wrapping up a highly successful tour with Finger 11 and the Envy, culminating over a year on the road in support of their first full length release, 2009’s “Lasting Distraction”, this core group of Brian Healy, Robert Tornroos, and Stephen Tavares, is set to hit the studio shortly to record their sophomore effort.  We recently had a chance to talk with the guys about what’s going on in their universe.

by Billy Gavel

As you know on March 11th LiveMusicTO is proud to be presenting the Track Avenue Records CMW Showcase at the iconic Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Toronto.

In light of this show we wanted to launch a contest and award two lucky winners the ultimate CMW prize pack.

GRAND PRIZE #1:
* 2 wristbands for CMW (valid for shows all week long)
* Meet and greet with all the bands featured March 11th
* The chance to get one band featured on LiveMusicTO

GRAND PRIZE #2:
* 2 tickets to the show on March 11th
* Meet and greet with all the bands featured March 11th
* The chance to get one band featured on LiveMusicTO

HOW TO WIN:
1) Go to the LiveMusicTO Facebook Page located HERE.
2) Leave a comment on our wall telling us why you are the most deserving fan, which band you love the most and why you'd like to see them featured on our website next month. Some tips for success: get your friends to help you win by "liking" your wall post or adding comments to it.
3) The two people with the most convincing/creative wall posts + the most activity will be our WINNERS!

Good luck everyone!

Deadline: winners will be announced and contacted through Facebook on March 9th at 6PM.

In the wake of a technological revolution, the music industry has been trying tirelessly for over a decade to adapt itself accordingly to the nature of the times. With limited success, the failing state of business has meant less money over the long term to develop potential artists and more money down on easily packaged artists who ensure a quick return on their initial investment.
This idea of labels coasting along on the success of their one-off artists and strictly adhering to the “if it ain’t broken don’t fix it model,” has got to go. This method is nothing but a bullshit safety net for labels that are crapping their pants because all of a sudden a once lucrative business model has become less than lukewarm.

We are on the cusp of something incredible for new music but in order for us to tap into that we need to bring the art back to rock & roll. The labels have come to an impasse and are backing themselves into a corner because while they’ve been busy milking the success of their copy cat artists, a new generation of artists have been figuring out how to use the Internet to reach and connect with their audiences on a whole new level, all on their own.

People are hungry for something real they can connect withand this new generation of artists is capable of feeding that hunger. It’s not just a matter of adapting the business model; there is a desperate need for authenticity in music right now. Less money available on the part of the labels in recent years has forced artists to think more creatively. I.e. less money = more creativity. And when we factor in the expanding nature of new technology and the Internet, we are seeing a whole new wave of artists and bands doing incredibly creative things to bridge the gap between the broken business model that labels are offering up, and the new found ability of these artists to reach out and engage with their audiences on a genuine and communicative level. The change the industry needs right now is not going to come from the business side but rather from the artists themselves. Increased creativity on the part of the artists is what’s going to get the ball rolling again, and this era in music is going to happen from the outside in rather than the inside out.

Look at a band like Arcade Fire who in 2010 teamed up with Google Chrome to create an interactive film experience alongside their song “We Used To Wait.” At the core of the idea is an emotional narrative that takes place around the viewer’s own neighborhood thus placing their childhood home at the heart of the experience. Anyone who has watched the film can attest to the manor in which it triggers the viewer’s memories of the past and calls upon them to consider the song from a personal standpoint. “The Wilderness Downtown Experiment” touches on something fundamental to the idea of rock & roll and that is the experience of the music.

Another great example is Modlife.com. Developed by Tom Delonge of Blink-182 and Angels & Airwaves, Modlife is a one-stop shop for artist and fan community development. The goal of Modlife.com is to create new revenue streams for bands and artists using high levels of interactivity with the fans. The crux of the project is its integrated subscription option which rewards loyal fans with access to featured content by the band using everything from live face to face video chat and text messaging to video blogs, mobile updating and twitter feeds. The subscription comes at very nominal fee of roughly 20-dollars for a three-month period, and fans actually get a chance to engage with the bands on personal level. What makes a website like Modlife.com such a cool new venture for music is that it was created by an artist for the artist. It takes another fundamental concept of rock & roll music which is connectivity, and widens the scope to assist artists in achieving exactly that.

With the Internet being such an integral communication tool in today’s world, artists have more power over their craft than ever before. Today, bands and other artists who can figure out how to utilize and adapt the functions of this new technology to fit the basic music business formula can hit the widest scope of people at the quickest rate possible. There is no right or wrong way for a band to “make it” anymore because it all depends on what works for that band or artist individually. The Internet provides musicians with the limitless ability to tailor a method that fits their needs and goals as well as the free-range access to people all over the world. People are the heart of rock & roll and the Internet is the new vehicle of the masses.

In the words of Tom Delonge, “the Internet makes creating art easier and distributing that art easier as well.” This new generation of artists understands that we need to cut down the bullshit and bring it back to the bare bones basics- the fundamentals of rock & roll.  It’s not about using technology to create beyond “perfect” records anymore, its about finding creative ways to reach people and forge an honest human connection between the fans and the music within the framework of a digital world.

What music needs right now are starving artists who will die before they jump for a crust of pity bread rather than grumbling tummies who will eat shit if you offer it up to them on a silver platter. This new generation of artists is about enhancing the experience of music and using this cool new technology as our vehicle to get us where we want to go. We have a cause­–which is lacking in music right now–and we have the DIY attitude necessary to get the job done. We are the bridge between old and new ways of thinking and creating, and we are showing the world that sometimes out of limited means and wild desire may come the most beautiful works of art.

Courtesy of RockRollandWrite.com
by Juliette Jagger