Chloé Bach
arts@theotherpress.ca

 

 

Nearly Famous Music Festival hits it big-time!
Vancouver's nightlife gets a taste of the local flavor

By Jay Schreiber

     

VANCOUVER, BC
NOVEMBER 13TH ~; : }

As I’m sure (or at least hope) everyone is aware, being
a gigging musician in Vancouver is no easy task. But
from November 13-16", the locals took over, and many
bands from around the GVRD hit the stage at every bar
in town with so much power you could plug your amps
into it.

Simply advertised as “4 days, 70 bands, and the
cheapest wristband in town,” $15 gives you unlimited
access to every concert and watering hole this side of
the Rockies. Vancouver is well known for having many
bands and not enough support, so exposure is first on
the checklist for all participating groups.

But what does it mean to be “Nearly Famous?”
Well, basically it refers to all musical acts that aren’t
discovered or supported by the media. This could
be Big John Bates, a rockabilly act that played the
Penthouse Nightclub, or punk rock old-timers, SNFU

' that rocked the Red Room in Gastown. Most groups

have been around for a few years, but sometimes, the
veterans of being “almost famous” partake in events.
Coming straight out of the tour van, most groups
are happy to be recognized by the general population
and everyone seems to win. Bands get to play arid be
exposed; people get four days of shows for only $15,
and bars get a flood of people every night that will
drink at any cost. In this way, events and festivals like
this are doing a good thing for the music scene in our

~ hometown, and if this happened more often, maybe

musicians might actually get paid their worth... hey, it

could happen!

The only thing that is falsely implied about events
like this, is that every band is looking for their big
break into the mainstream, thus achieving “famous”
status. The truth is, however, some bands are happy
just gigging, paying the rent and getting their music
exposed. If someone likes a band, he or she is a fan, not
because they heard a song on the radio, or saw a video
on MTV, but because of the personal relationship that
bands can have in a live setting.

Vancouver is a very friendly place, and most
performing acts are aware of each other—not because
of YouTube or iTunes downloads, but because of the
gig they played together last week, or the month before
that. At shows, the lead guitarist isn’t glorified as a god
simply because he can rock out, but instead is revered
because he chooses to rock out with you.

VanCity could use more festivals like this, and
I’m of the opinion that we haven’t heard the last of the
“nearly famous.” And, just in case one of these groups
does go on to hit it off big time, you have full gloating
rights to “I saw this band back when...”

 

 

DJ HOTT WAXX droppin ihe bears just for you!

every Friday o oN,

Join us ai &7 Below for ALL your
Ganucks PP/and UFO coverage:

Hone a fi

ale ke] \cai oly A7 Below

Poker Sundays - Join ih@ IN@& No tim
— Texas Hold em Aciion

z tor |Apcies for al! Douglas

CONSGS SHUASNIS

Coyoire Ugly on ihe bar Friday nighis

57 BLACKIE STREET NEW WESTMINSTER BC

mate) 0\/ evar e On|

F, 604.522.0544