Category Archives: LiveJournal Imports

Techno event showcases original music

By ALLAN WIGNEY — Sun Media

“This,” Techno Ontario’s organizers T.C.P. and Nonstop Promotions helpfully declare in capital letters in their description of tomorrow’s ambitious electronic-music presentation, is “NOT A RAVE.”

Given the event’s Club SAW setting and scheduled 7 p.m. ’til midnight running time, that might go without saying. Yet, there is a more significant element to Techno Ontario that promises to set the night apart from a typical evening of dancing to DJs.

“The idea,” says one of the evening’s performers, Nikolaus Sands, “is that rather than going to a club to hear someone spinning other people’s music, you can go to something that showcases people creating their own music.”

Sands, aka Comrad, will be one of seven local electronic artists presenting original music under a particularly broad ‘electronic’ banner. From trance to metal, there will be an impressive array of sounds on offer.

In addition to Sands, the evening will feature DJ Lushys — both solo and with his band I Awake — as well as Indian-born percussionist Zarnoosh, producer Twiin, dark-trance specialist Blake Sutherland (making his public-performance debut) and producer Chris Girard. Each will bring a different style to the table, and will introduce original music often built upon organic instrumental roots.

“It’s all built from scratch,” Sands says of his productions. “It might start with a guitar line or a bass line, or something on sitar. I develop it from there, using a sampler, drum machines and an analogue synth. And at the show there will be visuals, though I’m no visual artist.”

Fortunately, visuals will be provided tomorrow by Patrick “Brainwerx” Brown, and by old-school video games to be projected onto the big screen. Cool.

And cozy, given the intimate confines of Club SAW. Only 100 tickets are being sold for the event, in fact, with proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund.

“It’s not very often that we get to do this kind of stuff,” Sands enthuses of the original-music showcase. “The only chance someone would normally get to do it is if they put on their own event.

“This is a chance for us to not only get some exposure, but also to hear what each of us is doing. It’s not like people doing live electronic music get invited to play clubs very often.”

Sands did have a semi-regular gig performing his music live at the University of Ottawa’s Cafe Nostalgica. And, in the interest of maximizing his musical pursuits while he prepares for his final year in Carleton University’s environmental studies program, Sands has hedged his performing bets by playing bass with a local “pop-punk band … that hasn’t played any gigs yet.”

Not that one should jump to categorized conclusions, as the breadth of styles slated for Techno Ontario strives to remind us.

“I’m just into music in general,” Sands notes. “It doesn’t matter if it’s punk, hardcore or electronic. I just want to make music.”

Visit Sunny Ontario

I’m playing a benefit show (as Ad·ver·sary) for the World Wildlife Fund, Thursday at SAW.

The show is being put together by some of the XVI crowd, and the idea behind it is to bring together local producers of different styles of electronic music in a sit-down event:

This July 5th, Neil_nonstop and Phil Beta of T.C.P. will host a truly original electronic music show at none other than Club Saw. For one night, you will see and hear 7 of Ontario’s best new original musicians spanning different realms of the electronica spectrum.

This is a NOT A RAVE, this a night of 100% original music. So grab a seat with some friends, sit back, and prepare for a journey through sound.

The Styles will range from trance, to retro, to hard techno, to metal and beyond. The purpose of this show is to bring together different genres of electronica that seldom are played at the same event. This unique mix-up of amazing original music is just what you would expect from this beautiful province of ours. Not only will you hear some of the best new artists around, you’ll also be transported to another astral plane with visualizations by Brainwerx; the master behind the visuals at Illuminatrix.

Most importantly, we’re not doing this event any money. All profits from ticket sales and internal sales will be Donated directly to the World Wildlife Fund to assist their efforts Worldwide.

So if you want a night of amazing new music, the finest visuals, and support wildlife and the local music scene at the same time, you’ll want to be at Techno Ontario this July 5th at Club Saw.

It’s $10, and it’s an early show (I’m on at 8:20, and it ends at midnight). One of the projects is fronted by S4, who was a guest DJ at one of the Dark Carnivals, and also performed as Lou Cypher Project.


Featuring All-Original Electronic Music sets By

– Comrad [Link]
A rising name in the Ottawa Techno scene, Comrad is heavy into writing new tracks, all of which are unbelievably better than the last. The band is work of Nikolaus Sands, a classically trained musician from Ottawa. Using created and found resources, Comrad successfully incorporates organic instrumentation with thick analog bass and drum sounds. His style is constantly evolving and his latest releases clearly reflect it, pushing glitchy-atmospheric melodies to the limit on a wide arsenal of Analog Korg Synthesizers and Drum Machines. Comrad is a name to watch in the near future and you might just witness his burst into scene. This July 5th, Comrad will bring you a live set of his latest and best tracks along with the synths that made them!

– DJ Lushys
Djing and producing since 2000, 2001, and having played along side names such as Luna C, Dominik, SOS, S4, Ruffage and Deacon to name a few, his sound is forged from his love for all forms of dance music. Expect to hear a mash up of his own productions and collection which will take you from breaks, to old skool hardcore and jungle, to trance and back and everythign in between.

– Blake Sutherland [Link]
Although he’s a new name in Ottawa’s electronic music scene, Blake Sutherland has been quickly making a name for himself with his many amazing releases of dark, hard driving, trance fused with a generous helping of melody. When we first found this guy, we thought he was from out of town and were offering to bring him in Ottawa to play the show, he was that good. As luck would
have it, he’s from our own little city of Ottawa and would be more than happy to bring his original productions to you for a night you’ll never forget. Check out his tracks and then come for his first performance, live, at Techno Ontario.

– I Awake [Link]
Since forming in 2006 I Awake was the full on new project by djs S4, Lushys and Agent 1475, together with Phill Christy and Jon Sheriff their sound was awoken. Hard driving melodic music driven by an eclectic list of influences ranging from metal, post-punk and extensive experiences in EDM and Live Music performance, you do not want to miss this band!

– Ad·ver·sary
Ad·ver·sary is a project from local techno-industrial promoter Twiin, who brings over a decade of DJing and production experience to his music. Combining distorted and tribal beats with melodic arrangements and experimental sound design, Ad·ver·sary has been turning heads at shows throughout Canada and the United States. Fresh from a US tour with industrial-metal powerhouse Cyanotic, AVS is preparing for a two-week UK tour in the fall, and finishing his first album for Germany’s Ant-Zen records.

– Chris Girard
Chris was born in the city of Ottawa, Canada. His father’s strong love for music influenced him into the sounds of rock and alternative, and as he grew older, it became an even bigger part of his life. After playing in a band for over 4 years, and taking professional drum lessons, Chris became a very skillful percussionist. Studying the theory of music, Chris also became a mastermind of his own passion, and put it to work when he began to create his own music. After only three years of composing his own music, he has reached a level which is now being recognized by many top DJs and producers alike (ex. Paul Van Dyk, DJ Tarkan, V-Sag, Snake Sedrick, Nikola Gala, Perry O’Neil, Hernan Cattaneo, Jon Sinclair, and Ariel Cybana). He strives to create the perfect sound, and feels blessed to be given this opportunity to share his music with as many people as possible.(labels: www.tilthmusic.com, www.nosmokingrecordings.com)

– Zarnoosh
Born December 20th 1987 in Mumbai, India, Zarnoosh started producing at the young age of 14, when he sequenced drums for his first band. Now residing in Ottawa, Canada where he has had experience playing drums and percussion with numerous bands and other projects he is well-versed in the music scene. Having recently signed up his first couple of releases with more projects on the way things are fresh talent! (labels: www.moonrising-records.com, www.realmusicrecordings.com)

The fine print:

+ The Video Game Hermit will be bringing his games to play free on the big screen.
7pm-9:30pm – The Best of Dos Games (email philbeta.tcp@gmail.com for game suggestions)
9:30pm-11:30pm – Nintendo Wii!

+ HUGE visual effects budget. Entertain your eyes as well as your ears with nonstop Visualizations by BRAINWERX!!

Techno Ontario
July 5, 2007
7pm-Midnight
CLUB SAW
67 Nicholas St.
Ottawa, Ontario

Club Saw is not a large venue, to ensure optimal comfort and seating, this event will be limited to 100 tickets.

Tickets are 10$ and are on sale now at:
– Norml Clothing, in the Byward Market.

** Limited Tickets available at door, msg Phil Beta on XVI to reserve (15$)**

حفظه ال

One of the world’s most famous and revered Islamic calligraphers, Khalil Al-Zahawi (also known as the “elder of calligraphers” – shaykh al-khattatin) was gunned down outside of his home in Baghdad, another casualty in the ever-escalating sectarian war on culture and learning.

Once the largest city in the world and the center of human art and science, it’s slowly being transformed by soldiers and fanatics into a city of terrified, uneducated peasants.

May their gods preserve them — it’s obvious that we cannot.

today i am just going to listen to frank zappa until my ears stop working

There are still two stalkers out there. Dynamo and Fireball. Who do you think will make the next kill?
Oh my. That’s a tough one.
Come on, Angus. You can do it. Who do you think?
Alright, I think the next kill will be made by… Ben Richards.
No, no. Angus, Richards is a runner. You have to pick a stalker.
I can pick anyone I choose. And I choose… Ben Richards. That boy is one mean motherfucker.

0522

LADIES AND SIRS

TONIGHT IS MY BIRTHDAY

AND I WILL I BECOME A MAN

AND BY BECOME I MEAN REMAIN

AND BY A MAN I MEAN A 28-YEAR OLD MALE

AND BY MALE I MEAN JERK

I WILL BE AT ZAPHODS

WON’T YOU JOIN ME?

Sacred Gardens

It used to be that warm air and the sound of the city were why I was outside, but now they’re reminders, not reasons.

As soon as I sat on the park bench, my fingers reached for a pack of Players (light, regular) that I haven’t carried in eight years. I don’t even have a pocket there anymore. I could smell them, though. A crisp licorice smell that my brain refused to accept wasn’t real. (Just reach into your pocket, they’re right there.)

Things are so different now, and I don’t like the territory.

I don’t have the friends I used to have. I’m not the friend they used to have, either. We’ve all been slowly replaced by new people who just happen to talk the same way, and wear the same skin. The same with my brother. No matter how hard we’ve tried, we can’t find common ground where we need to anymore, and I can’t pretend I’m okay with the way he does things. I can’t put into words how much I miss our relationship. I wish we were still ten and playing nintendo.

I miss my private passions. There’s nothing I do for me anymore that brings me the same quiet joy. I don’t colour my hair differently every week. I don’t explore mainframes or telephone exchanges every night. I don’t go looking for faeries and magic in the woods every summer. DJing sometimes comes close, but not often. Not often enough, at least.

I don’t know where to go from here.

The empty streets at night used to be holy, and I’ve lost my faith.

Transhuman 2.0

Just when you thought machine-driven rock and industrial couldn’t get any meaner, Cyanotic tear through the barriers with a double-disc set that will grind your proverbial bones and leave your ears begging for mercy!

Cyanotic certainly have proved their worth in the realm of the modern industrial music underground. Cutting their teeth with a successful demo EP, Mutual Bonding Through Violation, and the debut full-length album Transhuman, this Chicago-based group stands as perhaps the best example of where heavy electronic music has yet to go. Drawing as much from the current electronic flavors of power noise and drum & bass as from the older modes of coldwave and EBM, Cyanotic’s sound is a raging assault of searing synths, grating guitars, and pounding percussion, offset by a healthy dose of glitches and film samples. After two years of touring and selling out their first album, the band blasts out Transhuman 2.0, a new double-disc collection featuring the original album digitally remastered by Trozoc Productions’ Chris Cozort, and a plethora of alternate versions and remixes that more than stand up to the originals, but could be considered new songs unto themselves.

To call Transhuman 2.0 a remix album would be a total misnomer; these are no mere remixes in the way that one thinks of adding a house beat or some additional synth lines as a remix. No, this is something new, taking the original songs further into harsher territory. One need only listen to the blistering energy of “Resurgence,” featuring JP Anderson of Rabbit Junk adding his penetrating screams and programming, or the industrial menace of “Chaos Incarnate,” with Chris Peterson and Jeremy Inkel of Front Line Assembly helping to toughen the track up even more from its original fury, to realize that Transhuman 2.0 is no mere remix album. While the original “Transhuman” was one of the more ominous moments of the album, this new version penetrates your speakers like a murderous cyborg with a jackhammer. “Deface” remains a perfect track for the dance floor, but is completely reworked with a new chord progression, while Eric Powell of 16volt lends his haunting vocals to “Axi-Ethereum.”

Closing 2.0 out are remixes by the likes of Drukore, whose remix of “Transhuman” speeds the track up into a brutal array of glitch-laden drum & bass, and Deadliner with a powerful take on “Deface.” Also noteworthy is mindFluxFuneral’s All Hope Lost mix of “Suspension of Disbelief” with its stuttering synth and vocoder work. And in case you thought Cyanotic were incapable of being anything other than loud and heavy, the atmospheric piano work on “Altered States of Consciousness” or “(Paranoid) Disbelief” provides evidence to the contrary. What truly stand out on the album are the vocals of Cyanotic’s founder Sean Payne. While not completely doing away with the distortion effects that permeated throughout the first album, Sean goes for a much rawer approach, using less effects and belting out a raucous and venomous performance on this album that only adds to just how much the band has matured over the years.

Not enough credit can be given to this enormously talented and creative band. Few groups can adequately recreate the same power of their debut without flat out repeating themselves. Like the original album, Transhuman 2.0 presents elements that are familiar but in an unfamiliar fashion. Just when you thought machine-driven rock and industrial couldn’t get any meaner, Cyanotic tear through the barriers with a double-disc set that will grind your proverbial bones and leave your ears begging for mercy!

one more time for the masses

Thanks to everyone who came out last night — musically, that was one of the best shows I’ve ever attended, let alone had the opportunity to play at, or promote. Everyone who played put on an incredible performance.

Acumen played the best cover of Bela Lugosi’s Dead that I’ve ever heard — DJ? Acucrack did live remixes of Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Nitzer Ebb and The Prodigy — and Ahnüsse made a surprise appearance to perform Aut Haus, which has been a hit at the club for a few months. Matt brought some Grandmaster Flash to the show, and DJ Hip-Hop rocked the fuck out with some of the dirtiest darkest drum-n-bass I’ve heard in a very, very long time. So to the people there, thank you all very much. Acumen have been trying to come to Ottawa for years, and you did not disappoint them.

With that said, the crowd was much, much smaller in number than we were hoping (or fearing) it would be, and financially the show was a complete disaster of size to rival the FLA cancellation.

After this, we’re almost certainly going to be taking a step back in how we’re doing shows. I don’t want to do them as often as we’re doing them, and I don’t want to do bands as big as we’ve been doing. (I don’t see us continuing to pursue the Skinny Puppy date for their next tour.) I think instead, we’re going to take some time to focus on Tuesdays, get some of the music we’re playing into local record stores, try and build the crowd earlier in the evening (which is something we’re having trouble planning given how many house acts Zaphods has been booking lately).

It was an incredible show, but I’m physically, mentally and financially drained from last night (as is Leslie), and I do not have the emotional or fiscal stamina to invest so heavily when we’ve been asked for years to bring bands to town, and they end up playing to a crowd of 30 people.