Category Archives: Archive

Michael Red + Tsimka – Thurs Sept 1 – Music in the Courtyard 2022

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Thursday, September 1, 7:30 pm

Michael Red + Tsimka

Deep meditative soundscapes and atmospheres inspired by dub, nature and non-physical life.

Michael Red: live electronics, sound objects
Tsimka: vocals

Michael Red is a Vancouver-based music producer, composer, curator, performer and DJ. He is founder and lead for Low Indigo, ambient/experimental artist under the name Souns, one half of LA FE, one half of Chambers, former collaborator and touring artist with throat singer Tanya Tagaq, founding member of Lighta! Sound, and collaborator with a long list of other notable artists. Michael's performed across Canada, and internationally and has been written about in The Wire, XLR8R, Resident Advisor, and Vice's Thump. Tsimka Martin, rooted in nuučaan̓uł territories, morphs millennia-old oral and drumming traditions into contemporary sonic vibrations. Inspired by the dualities of the ancient and the modern, Indigenous and settler identities, ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ and English languages, Tsimka playfully reinterprets spiritual wisdom, natural elements, and cultural stories to remind listeners of the rhythms alive in us all - breath, heart, and joy.

michael-red.com

soundcloud.com/tsimka

For more information and tickets: www.firehallartscentre.ca or call the Firehall Box Office at 604.689.0926

Saxophilia

Saxophilia – Fri Sep 2 – Music in the Courtyard 2022

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Saxophilia

Friday, September 2, 7:30 pm

Saxophilia

Home-Grown Saxophones: Canadian music for classical saxophone quartet, with works by Fred Stride, David Branter, Violet Archer, and Beatrice Ferreira.

Julia Nolan: soprano saxophone
Kris Covlin: alto saxophone
David Branter: tenor saxophone
Colin MacDonald: baritone saxophone

Formed in 1996, the Vancouver-based saxophone quartet Saxophilia has been committed to giving the highest quality performances of classical saxophone repertoire. All of the quartet members are active performers in Vancouver’s music community, as soloists and as band members in a wide variety of styles from classical to jazz to popular music. This appreciation of a diversity of music informs the group’s choice of repertoire, which ranges from the standard repertoire of classical saxophone quartet, to contemporary music, to jazz arrangements and lighter fare. In 2018, the ensemble released their self-titled recording Saxophilia, featuring the music of BC composers Dorothy Chang, Peter Hannan, and Colin MacDonald.

saxophilia.com

For more information and tickets: www.firehallartscentre.ca or call the Firehall Box Office at 604.689.0926

Eagle Ex Machina – Sat Sep 3 – Music in the Courtyard 2022

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Matt Cook-Contois & Eagle Ex Machina

Saturday, September 3, 7:30 pm

Eagle Ex Machina

Alternative rock and roll with blazing fiddle solos.

Matt Cook-Contois: vocals, fiddle, guitar
Erik Severinson: vocals, lead guitar
Tom Kuzma: bass
Mark Kerrey: drums

Eagle Ex Machina is an alternative rock band founded in 2020 by multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Matt Cook-Contois as a vehicle to combine his love of rock music with a traditional fiddle upbringing. The soundscape of Eagle Ex Machina pays homage and draws on influences such as the Foo Fighters & City and Colour while incorporating a modern approach to Canadian Fiddling. Their debut album features an aggressive approach to song writing, guitar and violin proficiency, and a diverse set of influences to create a unique sonic signature. Matt Cook-Contois’s musical journey started on his traditional territory of Misipawistik Cree Nation through the Frontier Fiddling Program. A combination of classroom learning, the tutelage of his musician Grandfather, and years of practice culminated in back-to-back finals appearances at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship.

eagleexmachina.com

For more information and tickets: www.firehallartscentre.ca or call the Firehall Box Office at 604.689.0926

Whelming

Whelming – Sun Sep 4 – Music in the Courtyard 2022

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Whelming

Sunday, September 4, 3:00 pm

Whelming

Bohemian rock music for the overworked and under-stimulated.

Erik Severinson: guitar, vocals
Eric Wettstein: guitar
Markus Abramzik: bass
Mark Kerrey: drums, electronics

Whelming is a Vancouver music outfit developed for the purpose of exploring the creative capabilities of its members. With 20th century rock music as a jumping off point, the band lets their aesthetic wander with the current of each piece; landing elsewhere, feeling at home.

whelming.bandcamp.com/album/plant-your-lightning

For more information and tickets: www.firehallartscentre.ca or call the Firehall Box Office at 604.689.0926

Haram performing at Music in the Courtyard concert series at the Firehall Arts Centre

Vancouver Sun Q&A

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Q&A: Diane Kadota talks about Vancouver Independent Music Centre

VIM House is an organization hoping to see a purpose-built music centre in Vancouver.

Stuart Derdeyn | December 16, 2021

Anyone lucky enough to find themselves at one of the 18 Music in the Courtyard concert series show at the Firehall Arts Centre this summer enjoyed an eclectic and varied presentation of some of the local music scene’s finest performers.

From blasting Latin jazz from trumpeter John Korsrud and Hard Rubber New Music to works by Benjamin Britten and Béla Bartók courtesy of Microcosmos or the guitar-testry of Paul Pigat and Jeremy Holmes, the concerts were presented by the Firehall centre and the Vancouver Independent Music Centre (VIM). While one of these venues is long-running and well-known, VIM is a relative newcomer that is also stretching out into programming at local movie theatres such as the Fox, Rio and Hollywood for its Music at the Cinemas series.

The non-profit charitable group was established in 2011 with the goal of developing a central, accessible, sustainable and culturally diverse music centre, the VIM House .

Planned for a 2026 opening, this new, purpose-built 20,000 square foot space in the former Plaza of Nations area of northeast False Creek is presently in the planning stages.

Rather than wait around and see what comes, VIM House is moving into putting on curated concert series focusing on the kinds of music that aren’t immediately what one would expect to see in an arena, soft seat hall or nightclub. A fundraising drive through Canadahelps.org hopes to raise $10,000 by Dec. 31. At this time, the group hasn’t been designated as the operators, although they have spearheaded the concept.

Diane Kadota, veteran Vancouver arts manager and VIM House committee member, talked to Postmedia News about what the idea for this new space is, why there is a need for it and what the hopes are moving forward:

Postmedia: What made the whole idea come about for VIM House?

Kadota: In 2006, a group of individuals from across the local music scene came together to discuss a purpose-built space for music that had the right ambience, acoustic designs and atmosphere for presenting music in, because so many of the local spaces were designed primarily for spoken word. We have the Dance Centre, places such as the Arts Club, the Cultch and Firehall, which support theatre, and a number of artist-run spaces for visual arts but nothing for music.

Q: Given those examples you’ve just made, why is it that there isn’t a “music centre” specifically designed for presenting live shows, instead of musical acts constantly having to work with existing spaces that weren’t designed with live music in mind first and foremost?

A: I’ve been pondering this for many years, and there are several reasons I see. Part is the mindset that musicians should be able to make a living without subsidy, and the American music industry supporting that contention. Where visual artists can really articulate what they need, and have been well-subsidized for decades, music people haven’t been able to find the same access.

Q: Spaces such as the celebrated Bimhuis in Amsterdam must be an inspiration to your idea for the VIM House?

A: Very much so, particularly the Bimhuis location which had a slightly rougher character to it. It was very easy to come to listen, or move to the bar to talk without disturbing other people and also to stand and listen. I liken proscenium theatres to a church where you are expected to sit and listen for an hour to sermons and only get up occasionally to sing. A lot of people don’t want to stay quietly seated to listen to music and we need a space that accommodates a number of listening styles.

Q: In the meanwhile, you are getting into presenting performances at other locations, such as the recent Cinema series in theatres such as the Fox. Will these continue?

A: That came out of the four-member committee deciding to start with what we know, which is being immersed in music, and not just waiting for something to be built. The Music in the Courtyard series is certainly going to continue and we have musician Jo Hirabayashi, whose group Jo Passed was signed to Sub Pop, coming into the Fox for a trio of shows sometime in 2022. We are having a hard time confirming dates as everyone is clamouring for space as things reopen.

Q: That helps make the case that the city could use a designated space for music to be presented that falls somewhere outside of the giant arenas, big symphonic concert halls or nightclub settings where music is mostly heard today, doesn’t it?

A: Yes, it does. At the same time that we were doing our studies, the City of Vancouver has done its own studies around this as well, and what is clear is that we don’t really have existing models to draw from. You need to come up with a design that can encompass a spectrum of musical styles in a warm space that has a range of sounds, as well as such amenities as a bar, cafe, etc.

sderdeyn@postmedia.com

twitter.com/stuartderdeyn

read original article

Music at the Cinemas Series

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Banner for the Music at the Cinemas series

Vancouver Independent Music Centre (VIM) presents:

Music at the Cinemas 2022

The Vancouver Independent Music Centre is presenting Music at the Cinemas, a series of live music concerts at two iconic Vancouver cinemas, the Rio and the Fox from February 26 to April 3, 2022. These concerts will reflect the diversity of music art, cultures and practices of local, regional and national artists. Music at the Cinemas will transport audiences across time and space, immersing them in different worlds of music.

At the Fox
2321 Main Street
Shows 7:30 pm; doors 6:30 pm
19+ Entry with proof of vaccination

  • Saturday, February 26, 7:30 pm: Tony Wilson’s The Homeless Project
  • Thursday, March 3, 7:30 pm: Double Bill – Itamar Erez Quartet / Shruti and Raagaverse
  • Thursday, March 17, 7:30 pm: Triple Bill – jo passed / Sleepy Gonzales / Amanda Sum
  • Saturday, April 2, 7:30 pm: First Nations, First Strings – An Evening Celebrating Indigenous Guitarists with Jason Burnstick and George Leach

At the Rio
1660 East Broadway
19+ Entry with proof of vaccination

  • Sunday, March 13, 8 pm: Hard Rubber Orchestra’s Tribute to King Crimson plus Videos courtesy of Covid
  • Friday, March 18, 7:30 pm: Lil Opry Night
  • Sunday, April 3, 7:30 pm: Double Bill – Onibana Taiko / Gamelan Gita Asmara

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We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Canadian Heritage through the Support for Workers in the Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund, the BC Arts Council through the Resilience Fund and the City of Vancouver through Cultural Services.

 

Sunday, April 3 (2022)

Double Bill: Onibana Taiko and Gamelan Gita Asmara

The Rio, 1660 East Broadway
7:30 pm Show; 6:30 pm Doors / Tickets: Sliding Scale 19+
Tickets: riotheatretickets.ca
Program: wp.me/a59tPM-pI

Livestream on Youtube (by donation through CanadaHelps)

Onibana Taiko – Japanese folk music with a touch of feminist punk aesthetics

  • Noriko Kobayashi: vocals, tsugaru shamisen
  • Leslie Komori, vocals, drums
  • E. Kage: vocals, drums

Onibana Taiko is kick-ass taiko meets traditional Japanese folk art forms meets feminist queer punk aesthetics. We play taiko combined with our uber tactile and full-body resonating beats with the driving sounds of shamisen (Japanese Banjo),  and soul-piercing traditional Japanese vocals and fue (a wooden flute).  Onibana Taiko invites audience members to commune with our ancestors through Obon dance and music (sort of like a Buddhist Japanese Dia De Los Muertos celebration). 

onibanataiko.ca

Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdXiXA6VO2hlnH1nM4IwbQ
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/OnibanaTaiko
Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/onibana.taiko/?hl=en

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Gamelan Gita Asmara

Gamelan Gita Asmara is an ensemble that uses a new kind of Balinese gamelan set called Semaradhana. They are a dedicated collective committed to mastering this challenging music together, with the rewards of making something of aesthetic and social value, and the joy of sharing this with audiences. For this performance they will be joined by guest artist I Dewa Made Suparta, a musician, composer, and teacher. Immersed in Balinese gamelan from early childhood, he began performing at age 10. Dewa is a founding member of Çudamani, one of Bali’s most innovative gamelan ensembles.

gitaasmara.ca

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFKGE85oEkU
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcKKTo3w_QQ

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Saturday, April 2 (2022)

First Nations, First Strings banner

The Fox, 2321 Main Street
Doors:  6:30 pm    Tickets:  Sliding Scale 19+  
Tickets: vim_apr2.eventbrite.ca

Livestream on Youtube (by donation through CanadaHelps)

First Nations, First Strings…An Evening Celebrating Indigenous Guitarists with Jason Burnstick, George Leach, Raven Kanatakta and Marty Ballentyne. Featuring special guest M’Girl

  • Jason Burnstick:  guitar
  • George Leach:  guitar
  • Raven Kanatakta:  guitar
  • Marty Ballentyne:  guitar
  • Johnny Walsh:  bass
  • Michael Simpsonelli:  drums

M’Girl:

  • Renae Morisseau:  vocals, hand drum
  • Olivia Lucas:  vocals, hand drum
  • Deanna Newton-Gestrin: vocals, hand drum

As we all come thru the pandemic together, it’s time to start sharing our voices and celebrate our songs. One of the few live Indigenous music shows in 2022 in Vancouver, features award-winning musicians and songwriters, Jason Burnstick (Cree), George Leach (Stl’atl’imx), Raven Kanatakta (Anishinaabe/Mohawk), and Marty Ballentyne (Cree) unite for a riveting evening of original, breathtaking music. They will be joined by local Vancouver musicians, Johnny Walsh on bass, and Michael Simpsonelli on drums. 

Hereditary Chief Ian Campbell, whose ancestral names are Xalek and Sekyu Siyam, is from the Squamish and Musqueam Nations. He’s a mover and shaker both culturally and politically in his home communities and throughout Vancouver for many years. He will do the land acknowledgment and welcome everyone to the evening!

The evening’s host and MC is music industry trailblazer, programmer, producer, songwriter and manager, the incomparable Elaine Bomberry (Anishinaabe/ Cayuga from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory). Bomberry co-created a Juno award category solely for Indigenous artists.

This special evening opens with M’Girl, a percussive hand-drum group who create beautiful harmonies fusing both traditional Indigenous and contemporary rhythms. Lead by Renae Morisseau (Cree/Saulteaux), and accompanied by Olivia Lucas (Cree/Metis/Black), Deanna Newton-Gestrin (St’at’imc), they are honoured to share their songs on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.  www.mgirlmusic.ca

This intimate concert showcases multi-award winning Jason Burnstick, who has won a 2020 Leo Award for Composer of the Year for Best TV Movie, an Indigenous Music Award, also an Aboriginal People Choice Music Award, and was a JUNO nominee twice over his career. Performing on his original vintage 1920’s Weissenborn lap slide guitar, he always gains new fans wherever he performs.  www.burnstickduo.com

Also performing is George Leach, whose soulful voice and guitar playing reflect the beauty of his home territory. He’s also won a few music awards, including a 2014 JUNO award and 3 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards. George’s musical style ranges from blues slide to hard-hitting rock and roll.  www.georgeleach.com

Joining the stage of these amazingly talented guitarists is Raven Kanatakta of the JUNO award-winning Digging Roots fame. He’s also a songwriter, producer, engineer, film scorer and music entrepreneur. As a teenager he attended and graduated from the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston. With his wife ShoShona Kish, his partner in Digging Roots, they have toured in Europe, the US, Mexico, Australia and Scandinavia.  www.diggingrootsmusic.com

Marty Ballentyne created one of Canada’s original Indigenous hard rock bands, Breach of Trust from LaRonge, SK that won three awards at the former Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Marty says, “I play music and I love it. My life is small without it. Let’s agree to put music where it belongs – at the centre of our experience. I’ll play a song for you.” 

Johnny Walsh has been performing, writing, and teaching music on guitar and bass across Canada for over 20 years! I started my music career at Vancouver Community College in 1999 where I earned a diploma and then finished my education at McGill University in 2005 where I received a BMus in jazz performance. Since 2008 I have been the bassist in the award-winning groups Brasstronaut, and Dan Mangan and have travelled the world playing music. I have worked in many capacities including being a sideman in countless projects, as a studio session musician, a performer on cruise ships, a film/commercial composer, and as an instructor. I’ve earned several awards, including a WCMA for “Songwriter(s) of the Year” with Dan Mangan + Blacksmith in 2015, the SOCAN Echo Songwriting prize with Brasstronaut in 2010, and a Juno award for “Best Alternative Album” with Dan Mangan for “Oh, Fortune” in 2011.

Michael Simpsonelli has worked professionally in the Canadian music industry for over 25 years as an in-demand session player, with an extensive list of artists. He leads his own band, Crooked Rider- as guitarist and composer, playing spaghetti-western and surf-rock style originals. He produces and records with various artists at an East Vancouver studio, produces VR360 videos, and is currently designing interactive 3D music experiences with spatial audio, by developing virtual and augmented reality applications.

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Friday, March 18 (2022)

Tickets: riotheatretickets.ca

Lil Opry Night: An intimate variety show with Vancouver roots & country favourites

  • Carolyn Mark: guitar,vocals
  • Dawn Pemberton: vocals
  • Scott Smith Adventures in Pedal Steel: pedal steel
  • Stephen Nikleva: guitar
  • Stringband Sundae (Trent Freeman: fiddle; Patrick McGonicle: fiddle, mandolin; Alison DeGroot: banjo;  Mark Kilianski: guitar)
  • Jack Garton: accordion
  • Jeanette Kotowich: metis dancer
  • Kathleen Nisbet: fiddle, guitar, vocals
  • Chelsea DE Johnson: vocals, guitar

Presented by Vancouver Independent Music Centre (VIM), Vancouver Folk Music Festival and The East Van Opry, the warm and intimate A Little Opry adapts the popular annual East Van Opry to bring you some of your favourite Roots and Country music performers from right here in East Vancouver, on the same Rio Stage. From Heatley fixtures Scott Smith and Stringband Sundae, to Canadian soul treasure Dawn Pemberton, BC great Carolyn Mark, and Petunia and the Vipers veterans Stephen Nikleva & Jack Garton, this show is sure to satisfy your Opry cravings. Put on your cowboy boots, and get ready for a variety show that’ll give you a taste of everything you’ve been missing.

instagram.com/eastvanopry

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Thursday, March 17 (2022)

Tickets: vim_mar17.eventbrite.ca

Livestream on Youtube (by donation through CanadaHelps)

Triple Bill: jo passed/ Sleepy Gonzales/ Amanda Sum

jo passed – A band whose music exists somewhere between dream pop, shoegaze, indie rock, and prog

  • Jo Hirabayashi: vocals, guitar, keyboard
  • Téa Mei: bass
  • Mac Lawrie: drums

Vancouver-based jo passed was founded by self-described “freaky music weirdo” Joseph Hirabayashi in 2015. They balance languid melodies and blissed-out vocals against guitar figures that are by turns artful and aggressively physical. Following extensive North American touring, the group landed a deal with the respected American indie label Sub Pop and released their debut album Their Prime in May 2018.

jopassed.com

Sleepy Gonzales – A collective daze with languid dream-pop jams in all directions

    • Ally Lowry: vocals
    • Cristian Hobson-Dimas: vocals, guitar
    • Nick Moniz: bass
    • Beni Hobson-Dimas: vocals, drums

Described as “Musical ADHD,” Sleepy Gonzales is an indie rock group from a small basement jam space called Dougie’s Den in Surrey, BC. Made up of half-Mexican twins Beni and Cristian Hobson-Dimas plus Nick Moniz and Ally Lowry, they all bring their own musical influences to the mix. Described as the feeling of “jumping out of a plane without a parachute and landing softly in your bed.” 

sleepyfuckinggonzales.com

Amanda Sum – Jazz-influenced indie-pop, singer-songwriter, or folk, depending on the day

  • Jamie Lee: drums
  • Kristin Fung: synth bass, synths
  • Amanda Sum: keyboard, electric guitar, vocals

The Permanent Rain Press described Amanda’s “quirky indie pop” as having “the perfect amount of wit and tact.” Her lyrics revolve around identity, whether being a woman, a person of colour, young, or a Virgo. Amanda champions other under-represented artists through her work by making her opportunities collective ones. Her debut full-length record is currently underway.

amandasum.com

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Sunday, March 13 (2022)

Tickets: riotheatretickets.ca

Livestream on Youtube (by donation through CanadaHelps)

Hard Rubber Orchestra Presents: A Tribute to King Crimson featuring Erik Severinson

  • John Korsrud, Eric Wettstein: conductors
  • Erik Severinson: vocals
  • Eliot Doyle: drums
  • Jack Duncan: percussion
  • André Lachance: bass
  • Cameron Wilson: amplified violin
  • Bill Sample: keyboards
  • Ron Samworth: guitar
  • Bill Runge: soprano, tenor sax
  • Tom Keenlyside: alto sax, flute
  • Jon Bentley: tenor sax
  • Chad Makela: baritone sax, bass clarinet
  • Brian Harding: trombone
  • Jim Hopson: trombone
  • Cam Henderson: trombone
  • Andrew Broughton: trombone
  • Derry Byrne: trumpet
  • Geeta Das: trumpet
  • Jocelyn Waugh: trumpet
  • John Korsrud, Bill Runge, Eric Wettstein: arrangers

Hard Rubber Orchestra pays tribute to one of the most influential progressive rock bands of all time, bringing the music of King Crimson to life at the Rio Theatre for one night only! Joining HRO for this very special show is vocalist Erik Severinson. The evening will include a special presentation of video and music by Harry Stafylakis and Eliot Doyle, Peggy Lee and Melissa Hubert, and James O’Callaghan.

hardrubber.com

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Thursday, March 3 (2022)

Tickets: vim_mar3.eventbrite.ca

Double Bill: Itamar Erez Quartet/ Shruti and Raagaverse

Itamar Erez Quartet – Delicateness of Middle Eastern music, freedom of jazz, passion of flamenco

  • Itamar Erez: piano, guitar
  • François Houle: clarinet
  • James Meger: bass
  • Kevin Romain: drums

This quartet of accomplished musicians and interpreters creates music of depth and sensitivity based primarily on Itamar’s original compositions. Itamar Erez’s most recent CD, Mi Alegria, has received rave reviews and garnered a nomination for 2020 Instrumental Artist of the Year from the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Clarinetist François Houle is inspired by collaborations with the world’s top musical innovators. He has developed a unique improvisational language, virtuosic and rich with sonic embellishment and technical extensions. James Meger plays primarily in jazz, free improvisation and rock music, working with many local and international players. Kevin Romain, one of the most in-demand drummers in Vancouver’s creative music scene, moves freely between jazz, improvised and contemporary styles.

itamarerez.com

Shruti and Raagaverse – Contemporary Indo-Jazz Fusion Collaborative Ensemble

  • Shruti Ramani: voice
  • Jodi Proznick: bass
  • Noah Franche-Nolan: piano
  • Nicholas Bracewell: drums

Raagaverse is an exciting Indo-Jazz Fusion project headed by Shruti Ramani in a collaboration with Jodi Proznick and Noah Franche-Nolan. The group was formed to create new music that highlights each band member’s musical personality and background. For this performance, they will be joined by Nicholas Bracewell on drums. Expect an energetic and enthralling performance.

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Saturday, February 26 (2022)

Tickets: vim_feb26.eventbrite.ca

The Homeless Project is the third in composer, guitarist Tony Wilson’s series of projects that address pressing social issues.

  • Tony Wilson: composer, writer
  • Rhea McKinley: writer
  • Mike McKinley: filmmaker
  • Patsy Klein: vocals
  • J.P. Carter: trumpet
  • Joshua Zubot: violin
  • John Kastelic: viola
  • Tony Wilson & Cole Schmidt: guitars
  • Russell Sholberg: bass
  • Kenton Loewen: drums
  • Michael McNamara: narrator
  • Jessica Heuchert: ASL

The Homeless Project is the third in composer, guitarist Tony Wilson’s series of projects that address pressing social issues. The original project, A Day’s Life (2015), dealt with drug addiction and Looking Back (2019) addressed child abuse. Tony explains that “It is important for me at this time to shine a light on those who are less fortunate and whose struggles are often ignored.”

allaboutjazz.com/musicians/tony-wilson

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Saturday, November 27 (2021)

Tickets: vim27nov.eventbrite.ca

Veda Hille with Lucien Durey, Patsy Klein & Nicholas Krgovich – Songs about love and nature and time, in an art rock/chamber folk style

 • Veda Hille voice and keyboards
 • Lucien Durey voice
 • Patsy Klein voice
 • Nicholas Krgovich voice and keyboards.

Veda Hille has been writing music, making records, and performing internationally since 1992. She is a classically trained pianist, art school drop-out, performance curator, self-taught singer, theatre interloper, and independent artist. She has released 22 albums, the latest being Little Volcano, a solo album that accompanies her new touring show. For this special night at the Fox she has gathered a team of beautiful singers, because she has missed singing with people so much over the last while.

vedahille.com
Miracles by Veda Hille
Charismatic M.F. by Veda Hille

Tillicum Shantie – Featuring jazz arrangements of Salish songs and the music of two legendary indigenous jazz artists – Mildred Bailey and Jim Pepper

 • Russell Wallace voice, drums
 • Tony Wilson guitar
 • Michelle Bardach voice
 • Sam Dabrusin voice
 • Dave Say sax
 • Russell Sholberg bass
 • Kai Basanta drums

Russell Wallace is an award winning composer and a traditional singer from the Lil’wat Nation. He is an alumnus of Capilano University (Theatre), University of BC (Creative Writing), Banff Centre for the Arts (Composer), and Spirit Song Native Theatre (Theatre). Wallace is one of the founding members of the Aboriginal Writers Collective West Coast. Wallace received a Leo Award for Best Musical Score for a documentary series, 1491: The Untold History of the Americas Before Columbus. Wallace has been a guest programmer for Word Vancouver and has programmed and managed the Aboriginal Electronic Music Festival for a number of years.

Excerpt from Tillicum Shantie’s performance at KW Studios on May 4, 2021

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Friday, December 3 (2021)

Tickets: vim3dec.eventbrite.ca

Josh Zubot Strings – A wide gamut of melodic/ suspenseful harmony, energy, improvisation and extended exploration in sound

 • Josh Zubot violin, composer
 • Jesse Zubot violin, viola
 • James Meger bass
 • Meredith Bates violin
 • Peggy Lee cello

Josh Zubot’s string explorations have found a new home with his string quintet of genre defying West Coast players.

Josh’s compositions take on emotion, energy, calmness, unpredictability and virtuosic technique. The music combines traditional and graphic notation while slicing group improvisation moving from the tiniest of sound to the extreme. After hearing his acoustic string music, the listener’s sonic universe will be stretched to the limits.

Josh Zubot’s Youtube channel

Scott Smith and Tony Wilson’s Tribute to Lenny Breau and Buddy Emmons – Tribute to Canadian legendary guitarist Lenny Breau and Nashville pedal steel guitarist Buddy Emmons with music drawn from the jazz tradition

 • Scott Smith pedal steel
 • Tony Wilson guitar
 • Jeremy Holmes bass
 • Liam Macdonald drums

In the late ’70s guitarist Lenny Breau and pedal steel guitarist Buddy Emmons teamed up and recorded an album entitled Minors Aloud. Recorded in Nashville, the album became a hard-to-find classic and a must-listen for guitarists of any kind. The quartet will play the entire album as well as other tunes Lenny and Buddy collaborated on.

Scott Smith is an award winning pedal steel player and guitarist who has toured and recorded with Barney Bentall, Rich Hope and Terminal Station among many others. Host of the popular Adventures in Pedal Steel series at the Heatley, he released the instrumental album Lifeboat: Explorations in Pedal Steel in 2020.

Guitarist and composer Tony Wilson has been a fixture on the West Coast jazz and free improv scene for decades. In addition to releasing numerous albums under his own name such as Looking Back and A Day’s Life, he has also played and recorded with the Peggy Lee Band, Waxwing and Pugs and Crows.

Scott Smith and Tony Wilson play Buddy Emmons and Lenny Breau
Reach for the Sky by Tony Wilson

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VIM aims to support the enjoyment and appreciation of music of diverse cultures and genres including world, classical, jazz, folk, early, popular and experimental by local and visiting musicians and composers. VIM showcases the excellent music and musicians in Vancouver. When touring is possible, VIM will host artists from across Canada and around the world to create a place where musicians and artists from different genres and cultures will meet one another, exchange ideas and experiences and collaborate. These connections will allow VIM to reach wider audiences and to create opportunities for residents and visitors alike to discover and explore all music.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Canadian Heritage through the Support for Workers in the Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund, the BC Arts Council through the Resilience Fund and the City of Vancouver through Cultural Services.

Future shows for this series will be announced at vimhouse.ca, through the VIM House newsletter and on social media.

 

Music in the Courtyard banner

Music in the Courtyard

Posted on

 
The Firehall Arts Centre and the Vancouver Independent Music Centre are pleased to present, Music in the Courtyard, a summer music series that will occur on weekends, July 30 to September 5. Performances will take place Fridays and Saturdays 7:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm (with the exception of the performance on Sunday, August 1, which will take place at 7:00pm). Additional concerts may be held on week days and will be announced when the details are confirmed.

Haram at 7 pm on Saturday, July 31 and the C.R. Avery Orchestra at 7 pm on Saturday, August 7 are presented in partnership with the Vancouver Folk Music Festival.

Peggy Lee is our guest curator for three concerts: Gentle Party at 7 pm on Sunday, August 1, Alvaro Rojas’ Gran Kasa at 7 pm on Friday, September 3 and Handmade Blade at 7 pm on Saturday, September 4 for the series.

Tickets, sliding scale: $20-40. Click HERE to purchase tickets.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, Creative BC, Sound On, the City of Vancouver, and the Elsie and Audrey Jang Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation. We also acknowledge the support of BC Community Gaming through the Firehall Arts Centre; deeply appreciate our presentation partners, the Firehall Arts Centre and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and thank all of our donors and volunteers for making this series come true. Firehall Courtyard mural image, Radius, courtesy of the Creative Cultural Collaborations Society.
 

Friday, July 30, 7 pm
M’Girl
Percussive hand drum songs that blend harmonies to reflect their cultural practice and personal journeys

M'Girl

Renae Morriseau, Michelle Bardach, Sherryl Sewepegaham: vocals, drums
Beaver Thomas: guitar

M’Girl is an ensemble of Indigenous women with stories and songs on the gifts received from Mother Earth. Though officially performing for over 15 years, their musical histories and cultural practice spans throughout each of their lives. Their hand drum songs blend harmonies into a contemporary style that reflects their expertise of voice and their personal story of home. They are honoured to share their songs on the territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. Their Music in the Courtyard performance will include one set of traditional songs and a second set of both traditional and guitar songs with covers and original music.

mgirlmusic.ca 

 

 

Saturday, July 31, 7 pm
Haram – presented in partnership with the Vancouver Folk Music Festival
Arabic/Avant-garde ensemble mixing wild abandon with lyrical time-tested melodies, which are blown wide open with the inclusion of noise, electronic soundscape, and free improvisation

Gordon Grdina: oud, guitar / Francois Houle: clarinet / Jesse Zubot: violin / JP Carter: trumpet / Chris Kelly: sax / Emad Armoush: vocals, ney / Tommy Babin: bass / Kenton Loewen: drums / Liam MacDonald: riq / Tim Gerwing: darbuka

Juno Award winner Gordon Grdina formed the ensemble Haram in 2008 to interpret classic Arabic repertoire.  Starting with Iraqi folk music and the great era of Egyptian radio music when Oum Khalsoum and Farid Al Atrash reigned, they have since expanded to include classic Sudanese and Persian repertoire. The pieces are lovingly reinterpreted with an ensemble half studied in the tradition and half in avant-garde improvisation. This blend of traditions is what gives Haram its unique sound. By combining improvisation and arrangements, the band keeps alive the spirit and Tarab inherent in the compositions. The music has developed into a state of effortless cohesion mixed with wild abandon conjuring up a sense of respect and homage while being explosively self-expressive.  Haram is a powerhouse ensemble playing a repertoire that has been revered by millions.

haram.bandcamp.com

 

Sunday, August 1, 7 pm
Gentle Party +
Lush, mischievous, “achingly beautiful” soundscapes and harmonies

Gentle Party

Meredith Bates: violin 
Elisa Thorn: harp
Jessicka: voice

This Music in the Courtyard appearance will include the musical projects of the members of Gentle Party. Gentle Party is an avant chamber pop ensemble described as “lush and somewhat mischievous, yet shimmering with melancholy” (Dave O Rama, BC Musician Magazine). Jessicka’s hauntingly evocative voice rests on a sumptuous bed of luscious processed strings emanating from harpist, Elisa Thorn, and violinist, Meredith Bates.

If Not Now is multiple award-winning violinist Meredith Bates’ solo project featuring “achingly beautiful string harmonies that slowly advance and retreat, like breathing” (Mary Dickie, MusicWorks). The Years In Between uses harp, voice, and electronics, which Elisa Thorn weaves together through song-writing, improvisation, and soundscape to create a rich tapestry of sound she likes to call “pretty shred.” Power Squeezer, the eclectic experimental duo of Elisa Thorn and Meredith Bates, has been enthralling audiences since its inception with music that washes over you in waves of dramatic intensity and peaceful reflection.

gentleparty.com

 

Friday, August 6, 7 pm
Microcosmos
String Quartet Masterworks: Franz Schubert’s Death and the Maiden and Thomas Adès’ Arcadiana

MicrocosmosMarc Destrubé: violin
Andrea Siradze: violin
Tawnya Popoff: viola
Rebecca Wenham: cello

Microcosmos, formed in Vancouver in 2010, performs from the rich string quartet repertoire written in the past 100 years. They harness the intimacy of a string quartet to present some of the greatest music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Aside from the quartet’s ‘house’ concerts, they have been guests on series such as Music on Main’s lauded ‘Cellar’ series, Vancouver Pro Musica’s ‘Further’ Series, and ‘Speaking in Ligeti,’ a collaboration with MMHop Productions and four dancers that toured to Halifax and Ottawa. “Thank you for learning and programming these wonderful pieces! It is truly wonderful to be able to communicate the beauty and excitement of these pieces at all” (Martin Reisle, composer)
.

microcosmosquartet.com

 

Saturday, August 7, 7 pm
The C.R. Avery Orchestra – presented in partnership with the Vancouver Folk Music Festival
“a creative avalanche…one has to remember to breathe through it all” (Shane Koyczan)

C.R. Avery

Elyse Jacobson: violin one 
Shannon Scott: keyboard, vocals, yuke 
Molly MacKinnon: violin two 
Ross Fairbairn: upright bass, vocals 
John Kastelic: viola
Doug Gorkoff: cello
C.R. Avery: vocals, harmonica 

what men do with their mouths (Bio for c.r avery by P. Smith)
cue the frenzied combo of molar and spit.
his tongue touches every chroma on its way to blue. he’s been rinsing with gravel, flossing with wire and chewing brick again, he’s been a bad, bad boy.
but he is crackerjack conjurer of washboards and rubber, even suburb girls welcome the twinging. i want to nibble yesterday’s corona from his chin, rub my index finger along the surface of his laugh, pull the maw open to check the slick road of his throat.
there’s something illegal going on down there, the sweet keening of ancient instruments. the orchestra is fidgety, click-hipped, steaming inside that skin.
the boy opens the beauteous and, in gut rendering, words become both otherwise and everything.

cravery.com

 

Sunday, August 8, 3 pm
Only a Visitor
Vocal-driven Art Pop / Indie. Deceptively catchy, poetry-forward songs

Only A Visitor

Robyn Jacob: synth/keys, vocals
Emma Postl: vocals
Celina Kurz: vocals
Jeff Gammon: bass
Kevin Romain: drums

Described by CBC Music as one of 10 Vancouver acts to watch, Only A Visitor is a quintet that resists being bound and exists in an estuary of sound informed by art music and pop. Classically trained composer and arranger Robyn Jacob’s eclectic songwriting showcases vocal techniques and arrangements that feature subtle asymmetrical rhythms twisted around a pop skeleton. Joined in 2015 by drummer Kevin Romain, bassist Jeff Gammon, and singers Emma Postl and Celina Kurz, Only A Visitor has released three recordings and with composer Nancy Tam co-produced Double Happiness: Detour This Way, a docu-song cycle exploring the complexities of the Chinese diaspora using material from their 2019 album Technicolour Education. They are currently preparing their next release Decay, which will be released in early 2022.

onlyavisitor.com

 

Friday, August 13, 7 pm
Murray Porter: piano
Soulful blues piano man from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory

Blues Man Murray Porter’s music career has taken him all over the world for the last 40 years. Murray may have a blues soul to the core, but he also grew up on rock and roll, R & B and country music. Porter’s love of performing comes across clear and strong. He has been compared to Dr. John, Joe Cocker and even Elton John! He captivates audiences wherever he performs and he makes new fans and they never leave his show disappointed. He’s a proud Mohawk man from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in southern Ontario, who now lives on Squamish Nation unceded territory in North Vancouver, BC.

“a master bluesman” (Robbie Robertson).

murrayporter.ca

 

 

 

Saturday, August 14, 7 pm
Mohamed Assani Trio
Assani is known for his innovative, genre-defying approach to the sitar, stretching the boundaries of the instrument.

Mohamed Assani

Mohamed Assani: sitar
Jeans Le Doujet: electric bass
Liam MacDonald: drums, percussion

Mohamed Assani is an award-winning sitar player and composer, known for being a proactive ambassador for his rich musical tradition. He has brought the sitar to new audiences through innovative, genre-bending collaborations. Mohamed has performed Hindustani classical music as well as his own original music across the globe — with orchestras, string quartets, hip hop artists, DJs, world music ensembles, jazz artists, Indian & Pakistani classical artists — and as a soloist. Trained in both Indian/Pakistani and Western Classical music, his music-making seamlessly draws from different genres and cultures with depth and authenticity. He forges new paths while remaining committed to the rich roots from which his tradition has emerged. “Assani is both a musician who’s deeply rooted in the artistic traditions of South Asia and a one-of-a-kind innovator” (Georgia Straight).

mohamedassani.bandcamp.com/album/wayfinder

 

Sunday, August 15, 3 pm
Tonye Aganaba
Their music is connected and intimate; a kind of vulnerability that we all hunger for.

Tonye Aganaba

Tonye Aganaba is a queer and non-binary multidisciplinary artist, musician, and facilitator residing on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Their new album Something Comfortable is an intentional and devotional endeavour inspired by their battle with Multiple Sclerosis. The album serves as the score to ‘AfroScience’ an immersive performance and workshop series fusing live music, dance, visual art/digital media and storytelling to stimulate conversation and action around identity, addiction, healing, public health, and expression.

tonyemusic.com

 

Friday, August 20, 7 pm
Ad Mare with guest artist Julia Nolan
Stellar woodwind quintet performs a great spectrum of repertoire across genres and epochs

Ad Mare

Julia Nolan (guest artist): saxophone
Marea Chernoff: oboe
Sophie Dansereau: bassoon
Christopher Lee: clarinet
Mark McGregor: flute
Andrew Mee: horn

Founded by clarinetist AK Coope and bassoonist Sophie Dansereau, Ad Mare specializes in performing rich and unusual musical programs, entertaining educational concerts, and new compositions and commissions. Alongside the standard wind quintet works they perform new compositions, promote local Canadian composers and are regular guests at popular concert series around British Columbia. They regularly present new compositions in the Vancouver Pro Musica annual festival Sonic Boom and they had the honour of being the only group invited to simultaneously perform live on CBC’s West Coast Performance and Radio-Canada’s Les musiciens du dimanche programs.

admarequintet.com

 

Saturday, August 21, 7 pm
The History of Gunpowder
Blues-inspired orchestrated chaos with an experimental tendency; Tom Waits meets Mars Volta meets Nick Cave

The History of Gunpowder

Alex Morison: vocals, guitar
Katie Stewart: violin
Mike W.T. Allen: saxophones
Nikko Whitworth: bass
Nik Focht: drums, samples
Cole Tinney: keys, synths
Bradshaw Pack: pedal steel
Jen Davidson: tenor sax, vocals

The History of Gunpowder is a freak-out ensemble from Montreal, now based in Vancouver, with an ever-changing cast of members that put on unpredictable, chaotic live shows. A staple of the Canadian live scene, The History is devoted to constantly pushing the envelope on stage and in the studio and has built a community around them that consists of some of the best musicians in Canada. They are set to release a string of live-videos from quarantine and works from a residency project of compositions centered around a 19th century pipe organ in anticipation of their upcoming record, The Epileptic Vol. II, supported with a 2022 European Tour. The group’s line up is expanding to reach new musical heights along with a different featured artist that makes an appearance every show, ensuring a unique experience every time they hit the stage. 

thehistoryofgunpowder.bandcamp.com

 

Sunday, August 22, 3 pm
Rumba Calzada
Eclectic, powerful mix of salsa, jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms

Rumba Calzada

Raphael Geronimo: timbales, drums, bongo, vocal
Allan Johnston: bass, vocal 
Lou Mastroianni: keyboard
Rolo Preza: congas, vocal
Rod Murray: trombone, percussion
Tristan Paxton: guitar

Rumba Calzada’s countless tours, festivals and sold out shows across Canada, the US, Malaysia and Philippines has set the standard for excellence for authentic Latin Jazz and Salsa music. Originally formed in 1991 by Boying Geronimo and now headed by his son, Raphael Geronimo, the band has recorded four albums with an array of nominations, including a Juno Award (2002 World Music Album of the Year), Westcoast Music Awards (2002 Outstanding World Recording of the Year) and Canadian Independent Music Awards (2002 Best Global Album). With airplay and media praise around the globe, Rumba Calzada is gearing up for more shows and recordings, with an all-new album planned for 2021. “This one stays in the CD player. A classic” (Descarga.com, New York).

rumbacalzada.com

 

Friday, August 27, 7 pm
Quatuor André Lachance
Music shaped by jazz and informed by pop, prog rock and improvised analog electronic music

Quatuor André Lachance

André Lachance: guitar
Brad Turner: Rhodes, piano
Chris Gestrin: Moog synth
Joel Fountain: drums

Quatuor André Lachance’s approach is electric, improvised and in the moment. The blend of acoustic and electric instruments creates a wide range of energy, dynamics and exchanges in the music. It is the coming together of four strong voices, old friends and the sum of their experiences in the music world, for a truly unique group sound that references jazz, prog rock, fusion as well as funk and electric ambient textures. Their music includes original compositions by André, as well as groove-oriented and ambient improvisations. The group was founded in 2010 and nominated for best jazz artist at the 2017 Western Canadian Music Awards for its album “The Orange Challenge.” A second album is due for release at the end of 2021.

andrelachance.com

 

Saturday, August 28, 7 pm
Electronica Night
An evening of progressive electronica with three of Vancouver’s most exciting performers

x41: ambient

x41 (Jen Pearson)Jen Pearson has been an electronic music producer, promoter and dj for over 20 years. In the 90s she started with an online radio station, created experimental jungle in the early 2000s, then moved into dark ambient and most recently she’s an active dj in the underground scene. She has played live sets at festivals including Mutek (Montreal), Decibel (Seattle), Active/Passive (Galiano Island) and Communikey (Boulder).
kikimora.bandcamp.com

 

Hitori Tori: breakcore

Hitori ToriJulian La Brooy has a handful of electronic music releases on labels such as Peace Off Records, Concrete Collage and Occult Research Records. He has worked closely with Vancouver New Music Society (VNM) and over the past several years Hitori Tori has toured Japan, Europe and played improvised sets at the Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition.
hitoritor1.bandcamp.com

 

Sara Gold: drone

Sara GoldSara is a non binary experimental interdisciplinary film maker and sound artist operating on unceded Coast Salish Territories. Utilizing No-input mixing, an experimental noise technique, Sara weaves circuits by routing cables in various ways into large format vintage analog console mixers creating self generating feedback loops that can be controlled. This is saturated with a layer of 1/4 inch reel to reel magnetic tape delay to create a warm yet strange journey.
saragold.ca

 

 

Sunday, August 29, 3 pm
Brad Turner Quartet
Internationally recognized Vancouver quartet of keen, intuitive and skilled masters of jazz

Brad Turner: trumpet
André Lachance: bass
Bruno Hubert: piano
John Lee: drums

Formed 28 years ago, the Brad Turner Quartet has been a mainstay on the Vancouver jazz scene, and has garnered national and international attention as an ensemble of keen interactive sense, formidable improvisational skills with a strong and varied repertoire gathered over their years together as a group. The individual members of the quartet have performed and/or recorded with such artists as Lee Konitz, Dave Douglas, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Renee Rosnes, Joe Lovano, Michael Moore, Mino Cinelu, Ingrid Jensen, Gary Bartz, Harold Mabern, Seamus Blake, Peggy Lee, Achim Kaufmann, and Charles MacPherson . The Brad Turner Quartet has released eight recordings, and has been nominated for Juno awards three times, most recently for their 2019 release “Jump Up”.

 

Friday, September 3, 7 pm
Alvaro Rojas’ Gran Kasa
A 70s prog band, a salsa band and a string quartet going on a road trip together

Alvaro Rojas’ Gran Kasa

Meredith Bates: violin
Peggy Lee: cello
Chris Gestrin: piano, keyboards
Alvaro Rojas: guitar
James Meger: bass
Sam Cartwright: drums
Liam MacDonald: percussion

Alvaro Rojas is an award-winning guitarist and composer based in Vancouver BC. His latest recording, Gran Kasa, features an all-star lineup of some of Canada’s finest musicians in the jazz, improv and world music. Gran Kasa combines elements of Afro-Peruvian rhythm and form with Alvaro’s own unique approach to melody, harmony, texture and sound. It’s a forward thinking project that puts old and new together in an intense and exciting musical experience. As a composer, Alvaro has had works performed by many of Canada’s finest new music groups and he has written music for choir, big band, orchestra, chamber groups, small ensembles and has scored numerous short films.

alvarorojasmusic.bandcamp.com

 

Saturday, September 4, 7 pm
Handmade Blade
Striking and explosive improvisations and compositions from three musicians with a huge sonic palette

Handmade Blade

JP Carter: trumpet, electronics
Aram Bajakian: electric guitar
Peggy Lee: cello

Each member of this trio contributes compositions that launch striking and explosive improvisations. This small group has a huge sonic palette and great energy. In addition to collaborating with Dumb Instrument Dance, the trio has performed at numerous venues in Vancouver and in May 2016 made their US debut at Constellation in Chicago for the Chicago String Summit. The group has produced one recording: 3 interpretations of guitarist Aram Bajakian’s Dolphy Formations.

 

 

 

Sunday, September 5, 3 pm
Alpha Yaya Diallo
Guinean born singer-guitarist who’s earned a matchless reputation for the excellence of his musicianship and the excitement of his live shows

Alpha Yaya Diallo

Alpha Yaya Diallo: guitar, vocals
Etienne Mangala: bass guitar
Knowledge Mizoni: drums

Guitarist and singer Alpha Yaya Diallo, from Guinea in West Africa, is one of the hottest acts on the world music scene. His dexterous acoustic and electric guitar-playing, with its fluid melodic lines and compelling grooves, places him in the front ranks of African axemen. By successfully uniting the traditional and the contemporary in African music, Diallo has carved out a niche beside such luminaries as Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, Youssou N’Dour, and Mory Kante. He has recorded eight highly-acclaimed albums, many of them nominated for or winning JUNO awards. With Doy doy, his latest release, Diallo takes his art to new heights. Always seeking new territories to explore while at the same time respecting his roots, Alpha Yaya Diallo is one of the most inspired and inspirational world music artists performing anywhere.

alphayayadiallo.com

 

VIM VAMS – Opening doors to music

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Vancouver Independent Music Centre, Vancouver Adapted Music and the Roundhouse present

VIM VAMS – Opening doors to music

An online concert and panel on the accessibility of music venues, 7 pm, Friday, July 2, 2021

Via Facebook + YouTube

Curated by Dave Symington, co-founder of VAMS, this concert will feature the music of three distinct artists:

  • Digger Dan and the Dirt Brigade – blues infused funky trunk junk with some style samplings and diverse lyrics
  • Greg “77 Spokes” Labine – conscious hip hop songs about faith, hope and love
  • Sticks and Tones – original instrumentals ranging from straight ahead pop/rock to borderline prog

Digger Dan, a solo artist from Surrey, writes, sings, and plays original electric and acoustic guitar music. Pulling inspiration from blues, rock, funk and Latin music, Dan’s sounds are paired with thought-provoking lyrics that touch on personal, local and global instability. His frequent outdoor performances have cemented his place in the Vancouver music community, each time proving to everyone that his disability doesn’t get in the way of his passion. Having picked up the guitar at the age of 20, his love for music remained unchanged after his injury 7 years later. With the help of VAMS, he is recording an upcoming album “10 Feet Tall”, featuring his band, The Dirt Brigade.

Greg ’77 Spokes’ Labine is a rapper who has written and performed spiritually driven hip hop for 20 years. He performs in venues throughout Greater Vancouver including shows with VAMS and has recorded more than five albums. Each performance is a genuine taste of the life of an artist who has overcome many struggles, and a celebration of faith and love through song.

Sticks & Tones is the instrumental duo of Dave Symington and Jim Meyer. First meeting at one of Jim’s busking sessions on Granville Island, they soon learned to combine their talents and create spacious and captivating songs that make you wonder, ‘How are there only two members?’ The "Stick" is a two-handed tapping instrument, which allows Jim to play melody and bass parts while Dave explores percussive and melodic elements with two Roland Octapads. Symington has had a disability (C5-6 quadriplegic) since a diving accident in 1975. He co-founded the Vancouver Adapted Music Society with Sam Sullivan in 1988. 

The performances will be followed by a discussion of issues facing musicians with disabilities. The panel will include Dave Symington, Graeme Wyman, Greg Labine and Daniel Sloan.

“Musicians with disabilities still have to struggle to be heard. And that’s why there will always be a role for VAMS.” - Sam Sullivan, VAMS co-founder

Since 1988, The Vancouver Adapted Music Society (VAMS) has made music accessible for people living with physical disabilities. The idea is simple: everyone should be able to enjoy the benefits of music. Through the adaptation of musical instruments, a fully accessible music studio at the GF Strong Rehab Centre, regular concerts throughout the year and, recently, a mobile studio that can bring VAMS programs to clients, VAMS offers musicians with disabilities opportunities to write, record, and perform their own original music while helping to build social connections.

The Vancouver Independent Music Centre Society (VIM) was created in 2011 to develop a new, acoustically designed space for music, in response to the serious loss and lack of dedicated music venues.

As a non-profit, innovative, purpose-built and supportive music centre, the VIM will offer a stable, professional, accessible, inclusive and welcoming home for music and music-related activities. As such, it will address disabling social, cultural, and political conditions that limit participation in the cultural sector. The VIM is conducting research to develop and plan the music centre to be accessible and inclusive by design, programming and operations. The VIM will develop a comprehensive plan that not only upholds existing accessibility standards but moves beyond the minimum requirements.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the BC Arts Council, Creative BC, the City of Vancouver through Cultural Services and Factor.

 

VIM online!

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VIM Online!
An evening of performances and interviews with five local music talents
Kimmortal, Marina Hasselberg, Tariq, Tzo’kam and Venetta
Hosts: Jo Hirabayashi and John Korsrud
December 3, 2020, 7pm

Facebook and Youtube
Free registration: https://vimonline.eventbrite.ca

On December 3, join the Vancouver Independent Music Centre Society for an evening of performances and interviews on youtube and facebook!

Please support local music by donating to the Vancouver Independent Music Centre: https://bit.ly/3pIjH0s

With (by order of appearance):

Kimmortal
Kimmortal is a queer non-binary filipinx musician (poet, rapper, singer), visual artist and creative facilitator who is passionate about making and using art and music to empower, educate, and activate community engagement and healing. Kimmortal is a talented artist who combines hip hop, indie, electronic, and experimental into a powerful mix of raw vocals, imaginative instrumentation, and powerful storytelling. They released their most recent album “X marks the Swirl” in 2019 which was longlisted for a Polaris and recognized as top 19 albums of 2019 via CBC. In 2020 Kimmortal was nominated in the Hip Hop and Rap category of Breakout West Music Awards.

Marina Hasselberg
Award-winning cellist Marina Hasselberg’s musical career led her from her birth country of Portugal across the world to Vancouver’s eclectic music scene. Starting as a chamber musician with a strong background in classical music, her passion quickly expanded into baroque music, experimental music, improvisation, and interdisciplinary works that cross all genre boundaries, taking her on a path to perform with various orchestras, ensembles, theatre, dance and film productions, mimes and calligraphers, noise bands, and improvised music groups. In early 2021, Marina will be releasing her debut album featuring written and improvised music for solo cello and electronics, and small ensembles featuring guest improvisers Jesse Zubot, Aram Bajakian, Kenton Loewen, Giorgio Magnanensi, and François Houle.

Tariq
Tariq is a Juno nominated singer/songwriter and recording artist, also a member of the critically acclaimed Vancouver band, Brasstronaut. His latest, “Telegrams,” is his sixth full-length solo release. Tariq is also a nonfiction writer whose essays on song craft have appeared in Walrus Magazine. He is currently working on a memoir about growing up as a first-generation Canadian kid who dreams of playing in a rock n’ roll band.

Tzo’kam
Tzo’kam means “chickadee” and “visitors are coming” in the Stl’atl’imx language. Flora Wallace and her family have always sung together, but the family decided in 1997 to expand their efforts to share the culture. It did not take long for Tzo’kam to start performing, touring and recording. Tzo’kam, under the direction of Russell Wallace since the death of the founder, lead singer and family matriarch Flora Wallace, continues to work within their communities to teach, share and maintain a tradition that has been kept alive by dedicated elders.

Venetta
Venetta is the co-founder of NuZi Collective, an events, and music collective focused on uplifting black & brown women, trans women & gender non-conforming individuals within the Vancouver electronic music scene through music initiatives & community engagement and empowerment. She is committed to reclaiming the black & brown roots of electronic dance music and creating black political spaces as a source of empowerment. Venetta has quickly become an important DJ and voice in Vancouver’s thriving underground dance music scene, and her blend of techno, electro, acid (and beyond) is starting to make waves outside of Vancouver. She is also the founder and executive director of the Vancouver Black Therapy & Advocacy Fund, a non-profit foundation aiming to connect Black Vancouver residents with mental health resources such as free therapy.  

Jo Hirabayashi (host)
Jo Hirabayashi is a musician, producer/composer and videographer living on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Jo operates creatively under the moniker jo passed 平林 which, under the project name sometimes referred to as a “band,” has released two EPs and one LP on internationally renowned label Sub Pop records in 2018. Jo has directed music videos for artists Kokoro Dance, Debra-Jean Creelman and many others.

John Korsrud (host)
VIM  Board Member John Korsrud is a composer, producer and trumpet player based in Vancouver, Canada. He is the leader and principal composer of the 18-piece Hard Rubber Orchestra, a jazz/ new music ensemble he formed in 1990. As a composer, John performed on his own trumpet concerto, Come to the Dark Side, at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 2010, commissioned and performed by The American Composers Orchestra. John has also been commissioned by The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, The CBC Radio Orchestra, Turning Point Ensemble and Vancouver New Music. As a trumpet player, John’s eclecticism has seen him perform with Anthony Braxton, to punk legends DOA, and The Vancouver Symphony.

Poster design: Big Wave Design / John Endo Greenaway

Videos: shot at and produced by KW Studios.

Located in the Woodward’s Heritage building at 111 West Hastings Street in the traditional lands of the x?m??k??y??m (Musqueam), S?l?ílw?ta? (Tsleil-Watuth), Stó:l?, Shíshálh (Sechelt) and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nations of the Coast Salish peoples (Vancouver). KW studios are multipurpose production/performance spaces available to rent to the public with a mandate to support low-income, non-profit, indigenous and DTES artists. The spaces consist of a 1,051 sq. ft. dance studio on the main floor, and a 3,802 sq. ft. production studio with attached recording studio, dressing room and servery in the basement.  Both spaces feature harlequin vinyl sprung dance floors, lights and lighting grid, recording / live sound gear, projector and screen, green screen and a full outlining curtain track.

 

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada, FACTOR and Canada’s private radio broadcasters, and the city of Vancouver.

 

Open Up!

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Open Up!

A Conversation on Sustainable Models and Strategies for a  Music Centre

Tuesday, September 18, 2018, 7-9pm

Creekside Community Centre, Multi-Purpose Room 4

1 Athletes Way, Vancouver – This is an accessible venue

Free admission (limited space, free registration at openup.eventbrite.ca)

Our third conversation event is a chance to reflect on the studies and work VIM has undertaken over the last seven years, and to look at the road ahead. On July 12, the City of Vancouver approved the re-zoning of the Plaza of Nations to include a music presentation centre.

The Conversation on Tuesday, September 18 will enable public feedback on the current plans and to discuss challenges and opportunities as we begin to focus plans for the development of an exciting music hub at the Plaza of Nations.

The Vancouver Independent Music Centre Society  (VIM House) was created in July 2011 by a coalition of musicians, music presenters and managers who support the planning and development of a purpose built, culturally diverse, affordable and accessible music centre. This not-for-profit, charitable organization has undertaken a series of studies to determine the need for and feasibility of a new state-of-the art venue that will suit the needs of the local music community and Vancouver residents and visitors.

The vision for VIM House is to showcase the incredible diversity and wealth of music in Vancouver, as well as to host performers from around the world; to create a place where musicians and artists from different genres and cultures will meet one another, share ideas and experiences and develop new musical collaborations.

Vancouver has produced some of the best musicians in the world and is home to a growing population eager for music of all kinds, yet is lacking the creative hub for music that can be found in many cities. As plans move forward to include a music presentation/creation venue in the vision for Northeast False Creek, VIM House is looking to engage the community in a series of discussions exploring sustainable models and strategies for this future venue.