12 The Other Press Playing in the Treehouse | Fun comes first for this good natured local band By Laura Miller With the energy the band Treehouse produces on-stage, I was not surprised when they were friendly and entertaining off-stage. They have a comical appeal that emphasizes their bizarre personalities. They acted like a group of anxious school boys awaiting recess, talking nonstop and laughing insanely at their own jokes. When I interviewed the band I was left with the i impression that although they seem a bit strange and crazy, in reality they are five average guys, who have jobs and well paid educations. They are working their way through life not expecting too much as long as they have a good time and enjoy them- selves. A motto which drummer Raffie Tashdjian lives by is, “Fun first, pros- perity second.” Success is of secondary impor- tance to Treehouse. “Selling millions of records is not important, what is impor- tant is having people out there that re- spect you and actually enjoy your mu- sic,” declared guitarist/vocalist Brent Neilson. When asked about a particular song that refered to potatoes, they were quick to laugh and tell me a long, Strange tale that began with vocalist/ guitarist Doug Hollinrake. To briefly describe Hollinrake I would say he is a thinner version of the Barenaked La- dies all rolled into one guy. Says gui- tarist Gary Lam “Doug has most of the obscure analogies known to man.” [| discovered this, but I think that Hollinrake brings another twist into the nucleus of the band, a different outlook on life that enhances their creativity. They do admit that they try to be serious at times and Hollinrake said with a chuckle, “We actually do have some meaningful songs.” The songwriting process is a challenging one for every band and ultimately de- termines their success. They feel they have progressed since the days of playing house parties and this comes through in the way they produce their music. “We all contribute to the songwriting process,” says guitarist Brandon Jang from where he sits qui- etly. Treehouse no longer approach their writing with a set plan. What seems to work best, said Neilson, is “someone will come in with a little riff or a chord progression between verse and chorus ... and everyone will build around that.” Hollinrake adds to this “Any lyrics I write, I have to feel that they fit the music, whatever the emo- tion conveys.” One of the hardest things for the band to do was to find a name they all could agree on. Lam said, “It is the most frustrating and painful process. Until you get a name you don’t really think you are a band, you think you are some guys jamming together.” It did take the band nearly nine months to choose a name and Neilson often excused him- self by “exercising his right to Veto.” Eventually Hollinrake thought of a name that in some ways reminded him of BC and that everyone in the band liked. The band admits that they are very influenced by Canadian music especially Spirit of the West and The Skydiggers. They each have different tastes (Tashdjian is a big, big fan of Rush) that make their music sound folky, popish, country and somewhere in-between everything else but no where near it at the same time. “If you listen to our set, you will listen to one song and think you have gotten us pegged and then by the end of the set it will be totally different,” said Lam. Which is true, there is no way to describe Treehouse except for the way they describe themselves, “Semi-angst-ridden, melody-orientated, neo-folk-pop-rock.” They do feel that youth and C/66 ( Mee inexperience can be a weakness but it can also work as a strength at times. “We don’t have a lot on the line,” admits Tashdjian. Because they have something to fall back on, they are not depending upon their music to pay the rent. As for the future, Lam admits “I honestly do not think that any of us here believe were going to be stars. I don’t think any of us here wants to be stars.” Whether they like it or not they will be getting more attention in the future, especially with the release of their first independent album this summer. As a band, their music is never boring. As people they keep you in stitches laughing. They have a unique Stage presence that draws a hub audience back onto the floor everytime they play. c Starfish Room host to singer/songwriters Tom Russell, Peter Case and Dave Alvin tour in support of Merle Haggard tribute aloum by Paul Enns For fans of these three virtually unknown singer-songwriters, this was a night not to be missed. Dave Alvin, Peter Case and Tom Russell were in town to support Tulare Dust, a song- writers tribute to Merle Haggard. Tom Russell was first to take the stage. Accompanying him on lead guitar and background vocals what Andy Horton. - From his opening tribute to Canadian towns to the Tex-Mex stylings of his closing song, Russell proved himself to be an engaging storyteller. He has apparently lived in many different places, including Vancouver, and traveled a great deal as the songs he writes contain many geographical references. These lend depth and believability to the songs. His opening song told of a road trip across Canada and mentioned many specific towns, including Head-Smashed-In Buffalo- Jump, while others contained specific Vancouver references. One of the highlights of the evening was the exceptional guitar playing of Horton, which added a great deal of character to each song. One rarely hears acoustic guitar playing of this caliber, and he received a generous and well deserved round of applause. next up was Peter Case. Focusing on the more folk-oriented songs from his previous albums, as well as a couple new and traditional tunes, Case delivered an energetic performance of hard-edged folk/blues. His aggressive, old-school style of harmonica and guitar playing, (which included alternate tunings) succeeded brilliantly, enabling this eclectic artist to find his own way into a musical style far older than he. Unfortunately, Case seemed to be the least known of the performers, and while there were many people there to see him, his lyrical complexity lost a good number of the audience. Possessing a dry, understated wit and intricate usage of wordplay akin to Elvis Costello’s, Case appeared out of place in the company of Russell and Alvin. For those who are already fans, or those Student Day at Music West Event to introduce music industry careers by Scott Simmer If you have ever wondered “Man, I don’t know what I want to do with my life, but I really like music”. then read on. Music West, the annual conference and festival for music industry hopefuls (musicians, business types and so on), is producing an eivie ns called “Student Day” to promote awareness of music industry careers. A ‘hands-on learning experi- ence’, Student Day will have musical workshops, panel discussions on industry careers, demos of the ‘latest multi-media music technology,’ and several performances by school bands and professional musicians. The Internet and its connection to the music industry will be demonstrated. Many different music industry pro- fessionals will be giving talks to attendees showcasing their careers. On the business side of things, lawyers, agents, managers and accountants will discuss what they do and what oppor- tunities there are available to newcom- ers to the industry. As well, sales, advertising, publicity and promotion careers will be highlighted. Finally, the well known music jobs - engineering, producing, sound and lighting - will be covered by notable experts. Several renown musicians and musical groups will demonstrate train- ing and performance techniques for fa- mous-musician hopefuls. Clyde Michell, resident conductor of the Van- couver Symphony Orchestra, will be on hand to discuss the life of today’s ca- reer musician, including a talk about the crossover between traditional and popu- lar music culture. Several instrument workshops will be offered at Student Day, including sessions for drum, bass, guitar, keyboard, violin (electronic!) and woodwind players. While conceptually designed for high school students, Student Day of- fers many opportunities for Douglas College music and business students to meet future employers, take a seminar or two on their instrument, and jive with career musicians. Further information on Student Day, being held May 12 at Robson Square Conference Centre in the midst of MusicWest, can be had by contacting Natacha Dobrovolsky at (604) 684-9338. who made an effort to get into the music, it was an excellent and rewarding set. When Tom Russell came out and introduced Dave Alvin, conversations stopped in mid-sentence, and people pressed closer to the stage. They were here to see Alvin, and they were not disappointed. Alvin’s deep, resonant baritone filled the room as he sang “songs about California.” His guitar playing was featured prominently, especially on a song inspired by the image of “the Soul Stirrers, with Lightning Hopkins on guitar.” He had a good rapport with the audience and he asked the audience what the difference was between country, Blues and_Rock and Roll. The answer: It is moot, because the music says it all. Aside from slight nuances, there I s no difference. His seamless blending of these styles was evidence of his talent, as well as his understanding and love of music. At the end of his set, Alvin invited Case, Russell and Horton back on stage and they played songs from Tulare Dust to close the evening. After this tour, we can only hope that each of these artists will begin to get the recognition that they deserve.