Looking at the local music scene.
“I just couldn’t get out of bed,” Jamison Isaak narrates, as bells chime over footage of fireworks at night. We hear him ask, “How am I supposed to get through this tour? How am I supposed to get through this day?” Among the many musicians and artists in the Fraser Valley, Jamison Isaak, producing music […]
Since the early 2015 release of Wayfarer, Western Jaguar has undergone a metamorphosis, from ambient solo project to live rock band. The Mission-based project led by vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Jeffrey Trainor has its roots in Jeff’s parents’ basement, gradually growing into a dynamic live act featuring AJ Buckley on drums, (Casinos front man) […]
Gold gloom describe themselves as “two girls from the Fraser Valley making sad dreamy tunes in their bedrooms.” While a quick, superficial glance at their bandcamp page might paint the duo as trying to mine the depths of their angst and insecurity without a focus, a more patient listen of their work reveals the purpose […]
By Nick Ubels If you catch Mission’s Cheap High at one of their six fall shows, you’ll be struck by how well everything locks into place. Justin Goyer’s shimmering guitar lines float between his brother Derek’s bass parts while Carlos Mendonca’s unmistakable growl cuts in like a prowling lion. It helps that he ranges across […]
It’s been a successful summer for Abbotsford’s preeminent rapper. The past three months have seen him win the first ever Fraser Valley Music Award for Hip Hop, open the annual Jam in Jubilee concert series, and perform at the Envision Concert in the Park series. With the release of his first album in over two […]
This August, we partnered up with one of the most popular local music festivals, Jam in Jubilee, and our mutual friends at CIVL Radio, to produce a weekly zine. There were interviews with local bands and other festival-friendly content. We’re including some short excerpts here, but you can also read each of the four mini […]
Ontario folk/metal outfit WHOOP-SZO were joined by Chastity and Abbotsford’s own Villain Villain on June 30 at Brothers Bowling and Billiards, performing for a packed house. If there’s one thing that struck me while I bopped my head along to the hazy incarnation of surf-pop Villain Villain showered guests with, it was the fact that […]
Abbotsford’s fine microbrew establishment, Field House, was host to an entirely new music festival in the valley at the end of June. Over two days they welcomed 10 indie bands to their outdoor stage. Some of the bands were well-known, such as Jordan Klassen, while others were relative newcomers still developing their mark. Beginning on […]
Astrid Lyre, lead singer and guitarist for the Nanaimo based alt-rock group Eleanore, returned to her hometown of Abbotsford in late July. During her short stay Astrid, who underwent a transition from male to female, visited CIVL Radio’s studios at UFV to discuss Eleanore’s debut album, and the state of gender and sexuality in Canada’s […]
In anticipation of the first-ever Fraser Valley Music Awards, I sat down with FVMA Coordinator James Kasper to talk about the awards and the local music scene. As well as being a musician and a founder of Mighty Speck Records, Kasper started and organized the Vancouver Island Music Awards (VIMAs) for 11 years.
