How It Went Down: Friday, October 23, 2009

Tonight's show was chock-a-block with talk. Interviews with Simone Schmidt from the band $100 who are playing the Pyramid on October 29th. Simone spoke from Washington DC and shared the backstory behind Forest Of Tears, the band's debut record, produced by Rick White!
The second segment was all Ultra Mega - a local group that first came to my attention last summer with a video for their version of the Wu-Tang Clan's "Shimmy Shimmy Ya." They recorded three songs live here at the station and debuted three more demo tracks from a forth-coming album.
Finally I spoke to Dan Mangan, who recently won the XM Verge Award for his record Nice, Nice, Very Nice. He'll be playing October 28th at the LO Pub with Katie Murphy and performing an in-store earlier that day at Into The Music.

Here's what I played:

Set One: 6:30 - 7 PM

Mulatu Astatke w/ Ethiopian Quintet - I Faram Gami I Faram [Strut]
Zrada - While I'm Alive [Independent]
Little Girls - Youth Tunes [Paper Bag Records]
Interview with $100
$100 - No Great Leap [Blue Fog Records]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30 PM

Bon Iver & St. Vincent - Roslyn (fr. The Twilight Saga: New Moon OST) [Atlantic]
Ultra Mega - Shimmy Shimmy Ya [Live at UMFM]
Ultra Mega - Native Alicia [Live at UMFM]
Ultra Mega - Big Poppa [Live at UMFM]
Interview with Ultra Mega

Set Three: 7:30 - 8 PM

Ultra Mega - The Rise And The Fall [Demo]
Ultra Mega - Rubble Of A Love [Demo]
Ultra Mega - Call Her [Demo]
Interview with Dan Mangan
Dan Mangan - Tina's Glorious Comeback [File Under: Music]

I'm In Fargo, But I'm On The Air.

Yeah, I'm out of town this weekend, but have pre-recorded a show that includes a nice chat with local artist Ingrid Gatin, whose CD release for Broken Tambourine is Friday, October 16th at the Gas Station Theatre. Her former band, the Magnificent 7's will be one of the openers. Speaking of openers, I'm replaying my interview with Afie Jurvanen who performs under the name Bahamas and will be opening for Amy Millan at the West End on Sunday the 18th.

Here's what I played:

Set One: 6:30 - 7 PM

Oromocto Diamond - Black Feelings [P572]
Construction & Destruction - Nine Houses [The Quarantine]
Built To Spill - Nowhere Lullaby [Reprise]
Ingrid Gatin Interview
Ingrid Gatin - Tin Heart [Independent]
Little Girls - Tambourine [Paper Bag Records]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30 PM

Karen O and the Kids - All Is Love (fr. Where The Wild Things Are OST) [DGC / Interscope]
Dead Man's Bones - My Body's A Zombie For You [Anti-]
James Husband - While The Boys Went Down Under [Polyvinyl]
Language-Arts - Cough Drop [Independent]
The Tony Wilson Sextet - Lachrymae Movement #1 [Drip Audio]
The Flaming Lips - Gemini Syringes [Warner]
Smoky Tiger & The Seven Doors - Tree Planter's Waltz [Lit Fuse Records]

Set Three: 7:30 - 8 PM

We Are Wolves - Reaching For The Sky [Dare To Care Records]
Bahamas Interview
Bahamas - Sunshine Blues [Nevado Records]
Black Feelings - Aum Shinrikyo [Alien 8]

Ontario, Saskatchewan, Ontario

Tonight I'm joined by Regina band Library Voices who'll perform an acoustic number or two and answer several more questions...
I've also got interviews with Jennifer Castle (aka Castlemusic) who's in town to open for Chad Vangaalen, and Dan Kurtz of Toronto/UK act Dragonette. He's married to his bandmate and former solo singer Martina Sorbara and they'll be in town on the holiday Monday to play the West End with Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees.

Here's what I played tonight:

Set One: 6:30 - 7 PM

Parlour Steps - As The World Turned Out [Nine Mile Records]
The Mary Onettes - Dare [Labrador]
Library Voices - Kundera On The Dancefloor [Live at UMFM]
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - Oh No! [Kill Rock Stars]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30 PM

Castlemusic - For My Friends [Blue Fog]
Castlemusic - Your Hand Is A Wing [Blue Fog]
Holopaw - Oh, Glory [Bakery Outlet Records]
Satomi Saeki - Matsuri No Taiko [Oliver Sudden]

Set Three: 7:30 - 8 PM

Crooked Brothers - Sweet Lemons [Transistor 66]
The Avett Brothers - January Wedding [American]
Devil Eyes - Rip My Heart Out [Signed By Force]
Rain Machine - New Last Name [Anti-]
Dragonette - Fixin To Thrill [Universal]

Bermuda, Bahamas, come on pretty mama...

Tonight's show featured an interview with Afie Jurvanen from Bahamas (or maybe I should sake "aka Bahamas" rather than "from Bahamas" as it's his project plus guests). Anyway, he's on the road to Ottawa after playing Pop Montreal the other night and he'll be rolling into Winnipeg on October 18th to open for Amy Millan at the West End Cultural Centre. Since his new album on Nevado is called Pink Strat, we talked gear for a bit.

I also interviewed Mat Brooke from Seattle's Grand Archives. That band is headed to Winnipeg via the Yellowhead, having just played Edmonton yesterday and Saskatoon tonight. They're playing a killer triple bill alongside the Most Serene Republic and locals Royal Canoe at the Pyramid tomorrow night. We talked about the ghost stories behind their new album Keep In Mind Frankenstein and about the origins of "Louis Riel" off their self-titled debut.

Here's what I played tonight:

Set One: 6:30 - 7 PM

A Fine Frenzy - What I Wouldn't Do [Virgin/EMI]
Minto - Tonight I Lay My Head [Independent]
Whale Tooth - Six Billion [Independent]
Said The Whale - Out On The Shield [Hidden Pony]
Zrada - Give Me Liquor [Independent]
The Lytics - Stay Humble [Pipe and Hat]
Ghostface Killah - Guest House (feat. Fabolous) [Def Jam]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30 PM

vitaminsforyou - He Closed His Eyes So He Could Dance With You [Sfeericle]
Junior Boys - Bits & Pieces (fr. Everybody Dance Now v.4) [93.3 CFMU]
Bahamas Interview
Bahamas - Sunshine Blues [Nevado Records]

Set Three: 7:30 - 8 PM

Russian Circles - Melee [Suicide Squeeze]
Grand Archives Interview
Grand Archives - Willoughby [Sub Pop]
Zrada - While I'm Still Alive [Independent]
Quiet Nights Orchestra - Chapter One [Do Right!]

Out of town, but still on the air...

Headed to Brandon for the Western Canadian Music Awards this weekend. In fact, I won't be around for my show but I managed to put together a pre-record that includes a very interesting interview with author and Yiddish scholar Michael Wex where we discuss his new book "How To Be A Mentsh (& Not A Schmuck)"

That takes place in the second segment, but here's the rundown on the what I played, including brand new songs from Basia Bulat and the Kings of Convenience.

Set One: 6:30 - 7:00 PM

Basia Bulat - Gold Rush [Secret City Records]
Kings Of Convenience - Boat Behind [EMI]
Chad VanGaalen - Willow Tree [Flemish Eye/Sub Pop]
Boats - Classic Rock Weekend [Independent]
Keith Price - Confucius Corner [Independent]
Woon - You're Not Alone [Tru Thoughts]
Sleep Whale - Sleep Whale [Western Vinyl]

Set Two: 7:00 - 7:30 PM

The Wilderness of Manitoba [Independent]
Interview with Michael Wex

Set Three: 7:30 - 8:00 PM

Mum - A River Don't Stop To Breathe [Polyvinyl]
Lightning Dust - Dreamer [Jagjaguwar]
Volcanoless In Canada - London In Love [Independent]
The Michael Parks -It Hurts So Much To Fall In Love [Independent]
The Wooden Sky - My Old Ghosts (fr. Friends In Bellwoods 2) [Out Of This Spark]
Bocce - Inspiration Bellwoods (fr. Friends In Bellwoods 2) [Out Of This Spark]
Islands - No You Don't [Anti-]
The Black Seeds - Love Is A Radiation [Easy Star Records]

Two recaps in one...

Well, apologies to those who read this blog that I haven't been more on-the-ball about getting info and playlists updated sooner. Two weeks ago I had a shortened show due to the Bison Football broadcasts with the pre-game interview show beginning at 7:30pm. This is what I played during the one hour I was on air:

Set One: 6:30 - 7 PM

Joe Bataan - Mestizo [Vampi Soul]
The Very Best - Kamphopo [Green Owl Records]
Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move [Domino]
Ndu - Wats Good [Raw Livin Records]
Fox Jaws - Two By Two [Nevado Records]
Young Galaxy Long Live The Fallen World [Arts & Crafts]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30 PM

Keith Price - Zoom Zoom (Part Two) [Independent]
Medeski Martin & Wood - Wonton [Indirecto Records]
John Mayall - An Eye For An Eye [Eagle Records]
Ohbijou - Make It Gold [Last Gang Records]
Basia Bulat - My Heart Is A Warning (from Friends In Bellwoods 2) [Out Of This Spark]

As for last Friday, it was a busy show capping off a busy week here at UMFM. September 10th and 11th saw the station hosting two days of live music as part of the UMSU Orientation Week events. One of the featured groups on our stage joined me afterward for an interview: The Lytics. This young rap group made a great impression live and were an engaging interview as well. I also sat down with guitarist (and former Dig! Radio host on UMFM), Keith Price to talk about his new album Breakfast of Champions which will be released this Friday (September 18th) at the Park Theatre. Speaking of this Friday - I'll be in Brandon to cover the Western Canadian Music Awards so there will be no show, but when I return on the 25th we'll have Calgarians Miesha & The Spanks performing as well as so featured interviews from the WCMAs.

Here's what I played on the 11th...

Set One: 6:30 - 7 PM

The Wooden Sky - Bit Part [Black Box Recordings]
The F-Holes - Don't Get Me Started [Independent]
Interview with Keith Price
Keith Price - Zoom Zoom (part one) [Independent]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30 PM

Fink - Six Weeks [Ninja Tune]
Speech Debelle - Better Days (feat. Micachu) [Big Dada]
Interview with The Lytics

Set Three: 7:30 - 8 PM

The Lytics - Last Bit (Lovely Words) [Pipe and Hat]
Miles Jones - Coast To Coast (feat. Kae Sun) [Mojo Records]
Japandroids - Heart Sweats [Unfamiliar / Polyvinyl]
Lullabye Arkestra - Get Nervous [Vice Records]
Bloodshot Bill - Gee Whiz [Transistor 66]
Del Barber - The Party Song [Independent]

How It Went Down: August 28, 2009

Tonight's show featured my interviews with Mike from The Afterbeat talking about their new recordings and tomorrow night's performance at Stage 8/29 and a very in-depth conversation with author Richie Unterberger about his latest book, White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day, released by Jawbone Press recently.

Here's what I played in between interviews:

Set One: 6:30 - 7 PM

Still Life Still - Flowers And A Wreath [Arts & Crafts]
Polvo - Right The Relation [Merge]
Little Foot Long Foot - King Hipster [Independent]
Sondre Lerche - I Cannot Let You Go [Rounder]
The Afterbeat - Change The System [Independent]

Set Two: 7 - 7:30 PM

Fish & Bird - Burst Into Flower [Fiddle Head Records]
The Dustin Bentall Outfit - Take The Money [Impala Records]
Grant Davidson - Fool Of Me [Dollartone Records]
Richie Unterberger Interview

Set Three: 7:30 - 8 PM

Richie Unterberger Interview (continued)
Sally Shapiro - Looking At The Stars [Paper Bag Records]