Vancouver band Mother Mother will perform a free show at Stanley Park on Friday, July 8, 2011 as part of Vancouver's Summer Live event.
Summer Live will feature free performances by dozens of sensational artists in the spectacular outdoor setting of Brockton Point at Stanley Park on July 8, 9 and 10, 2011.
Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts - July 8
His early Vancouver days saw Barney Bentall recording on a shoestring at Little Mountain Sound and touring hard to support four kids. In 1988, he formed a band called the Legendary Hearts and their self-titled debut went on to win a Juno Award and sell over 100,000 copies. Over the next decade-plus, Bentall and his band toured extensively and released five studio albums — all of them reaching gold or platinum status.
The Dustin Bentall Outfit - July 10
Vancouver is a big town now, but you can still hear its roots in the music of native son Dustin Bentall. His rock-star father Barney dropped a few hints over the years but he didn’t crack any whips, and Dustin has found his own path as a rustic troubadour singing about everyday life and loss.
The Belle Game - July 10
This indie-pop outfit’s layered instrumentation, shared female/male vocals and poetic lyricism have sparked comparisons to the New Pornographers and Arcade Fire. The seven-piece band’s first full-length album, recorded in their Vancouver hometown, features the idiosyncratic blend of affection and whimsy that has marked them as one of Canada’s coziest bands.
The Be Good Tanyas - July 8
Frazey Ford, Trish Klein and Sam Parton first played together at tree-planting camps in the Kootenays. The Vancouver-based trio then brought a modern yet nostalgic mix of folk, country and bluegrass to audiences around the world. The band has regrouped for a series of special 10-year anniversary shows in 2011.
Bill Wallace of SWARM - July 8, 9, 10
Infectious energy, irrepressible rhythm — and a lot of thumping on anything and everything that makes cool sounds. Wallace, a key figure in the development of action drumming and percussion theatre, started the SWARM concept in Vancouver and eventually took it all the way to Broadway.
Blues & The Gospel Truth - July 9
This special collaboration brings together a soulful crew of the highest order, including: award-winning bluesman and actor Jim Byrnes, a staple of the Vancouver music scene since the mid-70s; The Sojourners, a real-deal gospel trio that had its self-titled debut nominated for a 2011 Juno; musician and songwriter Steve Dawson, the producer behind four Juno-nominated albums this year, including Byrnes’s Blues Album of the Year, Everyone West; and the Universal Gospel Choir, which has been celebrating the uplifting power of the world’s sacred and social-conscience songs since 1985.
Bollywood Birthday Party - July 8, 9, 10
A live celebration of dance and song, presented by South Asian Arts, tells the story of Hanu, an Indian Vancouverite who is betrothed to Nayna, a fancy power girl from the heart of Mumbai. They get to know each other — and Nayna’s new Vancouver home — during a visit to Stanley Park.
The Borealis String Quartet - July 10
Founded in Vancouver in 2000, the Borealis String Quartet has grown into one of the most dynamic and exciting classical ensembles of its generation, receiving international critical acclaim for its fiery performances, passionate style and refined musical interpretation.
Celso Machado - July 8
For 40 years, this master guitarist, percussionist and composer has been introducing global music fans to the irresistible rhythms of Brazil. Machado, who lives in Gibsons, BC, incorporates a wide range of world-music influences into his own sound, making a unique contribution to the ongoing evolution of Brazilian music.
Dal Richards Orchestra - July 10
He was born in Vancouver in 1918. He played the saxophone and clarinet and then led his own big bands and orchestras through the heyday of the dance-hall era. He became the King of Swing in the Hotel Vancouver’s Panorama Roof Ballroom, where he was a weekly fixture for 25 years. The Vancouver legend and member of the Order of Canada still does regular shows and concerts across the Lower Mainland.
Daniel Wesley - July 8
The band takes its name from its engaging songwriter and frontman, a native of White Rock who now calls Vancouver home. Wesley’s reggae-driven rock has earned positive comparisons to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam — with a little Neil Young thrown in for good measure.
A Dubwise Sunday Afternoon - July 9
Vancouver’s underground dub scene is making waves worldwide. Summer Live shines a light on this rock-steady vibe with an afternoon of MCs, DJs and musicians spreading some serious dub love. Featuring: Sorcerers, who magically fuse reggae and dub with hardcore punk; Taal Mala, a dance-floor music transformer with his mashup of dubstep, ragga jungle and techno; the Lighta! Sound co-founder and Vancouver dub-scene impresario Michael Red; choice cuts from Spiney Jim’s encyclopedic dub collection; and more to be announced soon. Presented in partnership with New Forms Festival.
En Karma - July 8
It is North America’s preminent Bhangra band. Its members have been there from the beginning of the movement, in the UK and Canada, and En Karma keeps it all fast and fresh with a sampling of Vancouver-flavoured indie-rock.
Fond of Tigers - July 8
Featuring seven of Vancouver’s leading creative musicians, this “post-everything” jazz band plays nuanced music that ranges from the smallest gesture of extended technique to full-on avant-rock bombast backed up by two drum kits. Its 2010 release Continent & Western won a Juno Award for Best Instrumental Album.
Gamelan Gita Asmara - July 9
Formed in 2001 as an ensemble in the UBC Ethnomusicology department, Gamelan Gita Asmara faithfully and lovingly presents the music and dance of Bali. Its special Summer Live performance will include musical director Wayan Sudirana and dance director Putu Widiantini.
Hannah Georgas - July 9
A dynamic singer-songwriter, equally comfortable riling up a club crowd as she is melting hearts with a cabaret number, the Vancouver-based Georgas has racked up a series of awards and accolades since winning Music BC’s Songbird West Songwriting Contest in 2008. She is currently at work on a full-length follow-up to 2010’s This Is Good.
Hey Ocean! - July 10
This young Vancouver trio — Ashleigh Ball, David Beckingham and David Vertesi — has a gift for blending various musical styles into a brand of infectious pop that is uniquely their own. This summer, their high-energy live show will feature tracks from a brand new and highly anticipated album.
Kokoro Dance - July 8, 9, 10
Call it a post-butoh dance company: Kokoro, formed in 1986 by Barbara Bourget and Jay Hirabayashi, has used Japanese avant-grade dance as inspiration for its 1,000-plus performances around the world. Bourget and Hirabayashi also produce the annual Vancouver International Dance Festival featuring local, national and international artists.
John Korsrud’s Drum & Light Orchestra - July 9
The 14-piece Drum & Light Orchestra is an all-star collection of Vancouver artists that includes Ray Garroway (K-OS), Randall Stoll (Soulstream), Tim Proznick (Kia Kadiri) and Chris Gestrin. Five drummers, electronics and a four-piece horn section deliver high-energy sonic extravagance fused with eye-popping visuals by Brian Johnson.
Kyprios - July 8
An MC who commands the stage with poetry and hip-hop punchlines. North Vancouver’s Kyprios, a founding member of the Juno-nominated Sweatshop Union, has toured all over North America with the likes of the Black Eyed Peas, Wyclef Jean and The Roots. And back at home, come playoff time, his Vancouver Canucks anthem How The West Was One is everywhere.
Dan Mangan - July 10
The singer-songwriter’s travels initially saw him experiencing his Vancouver home as more of a resting place than a roost. But after years working the road, now things are coming to him: Mangan’s new album will be released by Arts & Crafts, making him the first West Coast artist to join the trail-blazing label’s roster. Mangan’s inventive band will be joined by a horn section and strings for this special show.
Mother Mother - July 8
It’s going to be a big year for this Vancouver-based five-piece with siblings Ryan and Molly Guldemond at its core. The pop-rock band, which originated on Quadra Island, opened 2011 with the worldwide release of Eureka, its third album — and its most tenacious and undaunted record to date. Their recent tour played to sold-out houses everywhere.
Neko Case - July 9
Born in Virginia, mostly raised in Tacoma, Neko Case came to Vancouver in the mid-90s to attend the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. She played drums in local bands such as Cub and Maow and then, just before her student visa expired, recorded vocals for a side project called the New Pornographers. Her most recent solo album, Middle Cyclone, was an international best-seller.
The New Pornographers - July 9
It was originally conceived as a side project for its seven members, all stalwarts of the Vancouver indie scene. Then its debut, 2000’s Mass Romantic, struck a chord with critics and listeners alike and the New Pornographers, as a rock band, took on a life all its own. The growing collective now has five full albums, all of them critical and commercial successes.
Origami Workshops by PALM - July 8, 9, 10
The Paper Folders Around the Lower Mainland, or PALM, is Vancouver’s own origami club, dedicated to the promotion of the art and craft of Japanese paper folding. These special workshops will feature Joseph Wu, nominated for a Jessie Award for his work in Pangea Arts’ The Life of Paper
PodPlays 125 - July 8, 9, 10
Produced by Neworld Theatre, the 2011 PodPlays combine technology, text and performance: Audience members borrow mp3 devices and listen as a story guides them on an intimate 15-minute walk. There will be five over the course of 2011, beginning with a Summer Live version written by Adrienne Wong. Concept created by Neworld and the Playwrights Theatre Centre.
Said the Whale - July 9
Formed fours years ago by songwriters Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft, Said the Whale earned early accolades for its West Coast indie pop, with shimmering guitars and lyrical tributes to their Vancouver home. Now the band is a celebrated six-piece outfit — winners of the 2011 Juno Award for New Group of the Year — with a full-length album in the works as they tour North America.
The Salteens - July 10
These self-confessed Vancouver “music geeks” make worldly and boldly contoured pop that can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages. Led by songwriter Scott Walker, the Salteens have toured with the Yo Gabba Gabba live show and released the popular EP Kids Songs, with tracks such as Take a Nap Mom and Be Nice to Animals, last fall.
Spirit of the West - July 10
It started with three Vancouver friends and a folk band called Evesdropper. Thirty years and 13 albums later, Spirit of the West is one of the country’s most time-and-road-tested bands. Four gold and two platinum albums, Hall of Fame inductions — and the charms to wheedle complimentary pints from bartenders in nine countries.
L Subramaniam - July 10
The Indian violinist, composer and conductor, trained in the Carnatic and Western classical music traditions, is renowned for his virtuoso playing and his compositions in orchestral fusion. Dr. Subramaniam toured with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison in 1974, and his roughly 200 recordings include historic collaborations with artists such as Yehudi Menuhin, Herbie Hancock, Maynard Ferguson and many of the world’s great orchestras. Presented in partnesrhip with the Indian Summer Arts Society.
The Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company - July 8, 9, 10
For over a decade, this Taiwanese troupe has delivered innovative theatre utilizing traditional glove puppetry, actors, projections and live music. The company has performed in over 30 countries and will delight family audiences here in Vancouver with A Sea of Puppets, a refined, comedic and exciting display of Taiwanese puppet theatre at its best. Presented in partnership with the Asian Canadian Special Events Association.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra - July 10
Formed in 1919, the VSO is among the largest and most celebrated symphony orchestras in North America. Its performances reach almost 250,000 people each year and its educational programs are training a new generation of classical musicians. Maestro Bramwell Tovey, the orchestra’s artistic director, has been with the VSO since 2000 and is world renowned for his artistic depth and warm, charismatic personality on the podium.
We Are The City - July 10
In three short years, Kelowna’s We Are The City has become one of Canada’s most reliably unpredictable groups. For its 2011 EP High School, the experimental rock trio adopted personas and covered their heads with T-shirts, but the changes go deeper than a new look: the six songs introduce drum machines and string arrangements to the band’s already frenetic sound.
The Zolas - July 9
Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski of the prog rock band the Zolas recorded their 2010 album Tic Toc Tic in a studio Dobrzanski constructed in his parents’ basement while studying at UBC. Now other Vancouver bands such as Said the Whale, We Are The City, and Hey Ocean! are studio regulars — proving every city scene needs a formative basement.
