Jamsterdam Radio: rock music

Hey readers!

The Dirty Nil @ Masonic Lodge. Photo c/o Jersey Girl in Canada

It's been a while since I have been to Streetsville, Ontario, but I went back just to see Bike Thiefs play new tunes with their new drummer, as well as check out the other bands, who I've never heard of before this past Friday.

The first thing I noticed was that it was an all ages event with no booze... alrighty then. It was mainly a venue full of teenagers, many who didn't seem to believe in the concept of wearing deoderant or (bathing for that matter), then a few of us slightly older folk. The many aromas of B.O. festered through the room, mixed in with the humidity from teenagers dancing around and moshing all night.

It was kind of weird for the first minute until I opened my ears to the stage and listened to the opening band play- they were awesome- had this experimental/old school kinda vibe to their sound (I'm still learning how to explain this genre of music, as it's been new to me since I first heard the band formerly known as The Bukkakes a few months ago). If you want to hear what I'm talking about, check out Denim Skeletons on the Jamsterdam Top 10 Countdown at 10 am EST or midnight EST! They closed their set covering the "Bop It" tune, in a Devo-esque fashion. It was pretty damn sweet. They were giving away copies of their EP where each had a different CD cover- I chose the sexiest one I could see on the merch table. Shout outs to the cutie who was passing around their stickers in the crowd- I believe she's the girlfriend of the guy in the band with the incredible long locks (if

Denim Skeletons EP: Each has its own original cover. Mine's sexy.

you're reading this, dude: keep the hair!)

Two other bands played after Denim Skeletons- one of them had this lead singer who was crowd-surfing and getting into mini fistfights with some of the members of the audience.. I thought he was going to punch everyone he saw out as he finished the set and stormed out, but I'm guessing it was part of the show?? I may be too old for this kind of thing... and I'm not actually old yet, so... it was entertaining though! I swear someone also covered "The Twist" some time in the night as well.

Next up was Bike Theifs- they played some familiar tunes, as well as new material off their latest EP entitled "Bloated". Their energy was fantastic and their new drummer, Eric completed and complimented that vibe. Best Bike Thiefs show I've seen thus far! Lead singer, Marko Woloshyn cracked some jokes in between tunes, so when they were just about to close their set, he said something about covering a Chris Isaak song. I thought he was kidding around until I heard the intro... my jaw dropped to the ground!! It has been hard for me to find a good, solid "Wicked Game" cover (even on YouTube), and I have never heard one before until Friday night. Bike Thiefs: You fucking nailed it. Sexiest. Cover. Ever. NOTE: If someone has video footage of this, please post it up on YouTube- it's gotta be seen by everyone!

Band stickers. I dig.

The headlining band was Dundas-based band, The Dirty Nil- I've never heard of them before, but I was glad I stuck around to see them play. They have that "Rock 'N' Roll" sound where you have the dancefloor option to mosh or grab a partner and swing them around. Again- new to me, but I dig this, big time.

Overall, it was a pretty good night- went outside to spit on the sidewalk a few times, as I felt like I had evaporated sweat stuck in my teeth from inside the venue, but definitely a great night for live music. Would definitely highly recommend seeing the mentioned bands play live!

@JerZGrlinCanada

Hey Readers!

There was this band that has been mentioned on the site since they played at Art Fusion at Mel Lastman Square back in May. Now TROVE, which consists of Aryn Powell (vox/guitar), Alexa Pavao (bass), Matt "Chewy" Chaitram (guitar), and Matt Bellissimo (drums) has since been in the Jamsterdam Radio rotation since last month with their single "Ambition" off their self-entitled album. I got to catch up with TROVE frontman, Aryn Powell. Check it out:

JGIC: What inspired you to get into music?

AP: Personally, I would say my Dad. I grew up listening to everything he did, and fortunately for me, he has very good taste! Listening to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Police, specifically, at such a young age definitely set me on the right path. He listens to all genres, and always pointed out the best aspects of songwriting, performance, and emotion in music. I became very aware of what made a great song GREAT, and I was obsessed. 90’s music had a massive impact on me, as well. Mostly grunge, rock, and metal...but also video game music. It was really amazing back then! As a self taught musician, I learned guitar by playing along with my CDs, which in my mind was like jamming with a live band. It also taught me to play by ear, and over time, how to sing. After I became a somewhat competent player, I just started writing like mad. Songwriting is my passion, and the creation process is what inspires me the most.

JGIC: How did you start?

AP: Chewy, Alexa, Matt, and I all worked at a record store together and in the process, we became very good friends. I had actually written the TROVE album and started recording it before I had a band assembled. I ended up playing the songs for them on separate occasions, and they all offered to jam with me if I ever decided to start a band. I stressed that if we were really going to do this, commitment and sacrifice were huge factors. Fortunately, we were all on the same page.

JGIC: How did you come up with the band name "TROVE"?

AP: “TROVE” refers to a treasure trove. Essentially, the band itself is the trove, and the treasure is the music and friendship we all share. Also, one-word band names are more memorable. It’s got a nice ring to it.

JGIC: What are your top 3 fondest moments being an artist?

AP: Writing my first song would have to be up there. I’m sure it wasn’t very good, but it got the ball rolling for me - It was an incredible feeling!

Next would have to be the first time I played in front of a crowd. It was at my high school for a talent show, and I was scared to death! I played an original song with a couple of friends and as nervous as we were, we killed it! Hearing the applause afterward still rings in my ears to this day. It was literally that moment that I realized what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Finally, I would have to go with the TROVE CD Release Party. It’s a current memory, but it was so much fun! A lot of work went into that night and we really knocked it out of the park.

JGIC: What do you find is the toughest part of being an artist?

AP:There are a lot of things I can ramble about here, but without a doubt, all the toughest parts involve money. It’s the sole reason that bands struggle so much. It can be difficult to balance things out sometimes, but we’ve been pretty good about making ends meet. After all, you’ve gotta spend money to make money.

JGIC: Favorite bands?

AP: My favourite bands of all time are mostly classic bands, like I had mentioned earlier. But I listen to a LOT of music! Some of my other favs would be Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Silverchair, Incubus, Foo Fighters, Big Wreck, White Zombie, Metallica, Fear Factory, Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Queens of the Stone Age, Deftones, Tool, The Doors, System of a Down, Sepultura, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns n’ Roses, Rage Against the Machine, Oasis, and Portishead.

JGIC: So, basically you listen to all the good stuff! Deftones is one of my fave bands as well! I have seen one too many musicians with jealous girlfriends because the stereotype about musicians is that chicks dig them, so of course, there would be potential for groupies hanging around them. If you are/were in relationships, how would you deal with groupies?

AP: Well, we all like groupies...so we just stay single! Girlfriends break up bands. Anytime I’ve ever been in a band where “relationships” are involved, the inevitability of it all falling apart is very likely. I’m convinced that things in TROVE are moving smoothly because we aren’t tied down, which is a first for me. When I used to play gigs back in tha day with a girlfriend around, I didn’t have to deal with the groupies...she usually would. Then I would get yelled at for being hit on, haha! I definitely don’t miss those days.

JGIC: If you could form a “dream tour” with any musicians of your choice, deceased or living, who would you choose?

AP: Good question! If we’re talking about bands that are still rolling, I would love to tour with Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Incubus. If they we’re still together, I’d throw in Silverchair, Guns n’ Roses, and fookin’ Oasis!

JGIC: Any shout outs?

AP: To everyone who’s stuck it out with us. You guys make it all worthwhile...thank you for your continued support!

JGIC: Anything else you would like to add? (Upcoming shows, etc..)

AP: We’ll be playing very routinely now that the album is out, but one show I’ve absolutely gotta plug is our Friday Oct 18th opening slot for ANVIL at The Rockpile West. We’re super stoked for this one! Tickets are $25...but for $30, we’ll throw in a TROVE CD, a button, and a sticker! Get ‘em while they’re hot...It’s gonna be a wild night!!!

Stay in touch! If you’d like to keep up with the band, check out any or all of the links below:

www.twitter.com/troveband

www.facebook.com/troveband

www.reverbnation.com/troveband

www.troveband.com

Thanks again, Krystal! Hope to see you at one of our upcoming shows!

JGIC: Thank you Aryn for your time and this awesome interview!

To hear TROVE's single "Ambition" on your fave radio station, tune into the Jamsterdam Top 10 countdown every morning at 10 am EST, or midnight EST right here on jamsterdamradio.com!

@JerZGrlinCanada

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