Live at the Cambie

The last couple of weekends found me at the Cambie Bar, my favorite haunt in Nanaimo....yeah, that's right, I was on the wrong side of town and let me tell you rockers...they were fucking doing it right!  A week ago I was there for Carry the Storm and Under the Mountain and this past weekend the rock continued with SplitTRACT, Soundstem and Nanaimo favorites and home boys No Operator!

Last week Carry the Storm opened the night with their unique brand of metal.  It doesn't matter what kind of metal you're into, Carry the Storm has created a sound that seems to blend them all together!  They're my favorite local metal band and they fucking rock the place to it's foundations everytime they play.  Oh, I should also mention that they were the judges favorite at the VIU (Vancouver Island University) Battle of the Bands and actually got paid!  I hear their winnings are going into the artwork for their upcoming EP!  I can't wait for that release!

Under The Mountain are the fucking hard rockers that took home honors at this past year's Cambie Battle of the Bands and they never disappoint....though I'm really starting to wonder if Steve (lead vocals and guitar) knows how to play without a hangover...everytime I catch them he's well, under the weather, let alone under the mountain.  Doesn't seem to fucking matter....they kill it everytime!  They too are promising an upcoming EP release!

This week the I was treated to Vancouver's SplitTRACT and was fucking blown away by the incredible talent of this band.  Hard Rock is their style and man, they are fucking tight!  I'm not the only one noticing either...local radio stations have picked up on their sound and have been sending it over the airwaves.  I highly suggest  you pick up their EP while it's still dirt cheap...these boys have the makings to make it big and it won't be long before their merch goes up in price - and rightly so! And dare I say...not hard on the eyes either.  Oh fuck it, check them out for yourself....

ALONE

Next up was another Vancouver band, Soundstem, and what a great set!  Randy...killer bassist for SplitTRACT did double duty and played bass for this band as well!  I feel I know Randy well because after every song he played (for both bands) an enthusiastic fan (I believe his name was Geoff - don't know if that's how he spells his name, he just struck me as a Geoff with a G...) yelled out "I love you Randy" ....not in a gay way (not that there's anything wrong with that) but in a drunken friend at 2:00 am way.  Well I fucking agree Geoff...I fucking love him too!  This band has been around for a while and played originals off both their CDs as well as a covers of Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead or Alive and Billy Idol's Rebel Yell!  One of the originals they played is Erase and also the first track on their CD Tomorrow can Wait....check it out rockers....

ERASE

Headlining the show was No Operator and also what drew me to the Cambie for a second weekend in a row.  These guys are fucking amazing!  I missed their show a couple of months back and was heartbroken....stupid winter weather...and there was no fucking way I was going to miss this one!  There's a reason these guys are the fucking beaus of the ball in Nanaimo!  No Operator has managed to find the perfect blend, a clean sound that appeals to rock fans yet hard enough for metal fans to throw their horns in the air and start a mosh pit.  And oh yes....there was definitely a pit!  Their high energy is contagious and they had the joint jumping!    Goes to show you don't need a large stage to move around because these boys used every bit of that small stage and put on a show like no other! 

There is something else I need to share with you about No Operator.  These boys are just more than pretty faces!  I've had the opportunity to really dig into their latest CD Weather and War (not a hard feat considering I own it) and not only am I impressed by their incredible talent as musicians but also by their intelligence.  Their songs are rife with political opinions and they're using their gift of music to not only open ears, but minds as well.  I have to admit, I had a hard fucking time trying to choose just one of No Operator's songs to share with you!  I chose this one because it's just so fucking hauntingly beautiful.....

WITH ALL SIDES

These bands fucking rocked to a packed house and I have to congratulate Amber McGrath for a job well done in bringing talent like this to our appreciative ears!  But that's not all I'm congratulating this awesome chick for!  Saturday marked the 150th show she's brought to Nanaimo's Cambie Bar and I for one am grateful for her dedication and support of live local music.  The Cambie has been an awesome venue for local bands to stretch their stage performance muscles as well as gain new fans...good job Amber!  Yeah, yeah....I know....I still expect to pay the cover..... ; )

Where can you find more info on these bands?  Well, let me help you out!

If facebook is your thing:

Carry the Storm - https://www.facebook.com/carrythestormmetal

Under the Mountain - https://www.facebook.com/UndertheMountainband

SplitTRACT - https://www.facebook.com/splittract

Soundstem - https://www.facebook.com/Soundstem

No Operator - https://www.facebook.com/nooperator

If you like to tweet:

Under the Mountain - https://twitter.com/UnderThMountain

SplitTRACT - https://twitter.com/SplitTRACT

Soundstem - https://twitter.com/Soundstem

No Operator - https://twitter.com/NoOperator

Random links:

Carry the Storm - http://carrythestorm.bandcamp.com/

Under the Mountain - http://www.reverbnation.com/underthemountain

SplitTRACT - http://chriswitoskimusic.com/splittract/

Soundstem - http://www.reverbnation.com/soundstem?page_view_source=facebook_app

No Operator - http://www.nooperator.com/

Battle at the Cambie

Hey kids, I'm back!  Sorry for the absence....I quit smoking again and was feeling a little on edge but now I'm feelin fine and lookin even better!  In fact, I was feelin and lookin so fine I felt I had to get out and take in some serious rock and roll on Saturday night....so that's exactly what I did.

Throughout the month of November the Cambie Bar and Grill in Nanaimo, British Columbia has been having a little competition.  Pitting great local island bands against one another, it all came down to the best of them this past Saturday night!  Man, I tell ya, when I pick a night to go out, I pick a fucking night to go out!!

It was all started with band #1, Cathedral Groove, a funky, cool, bohemian style band out of Courtenay, British Columbia.  They succeeded in getting my toes tapping and shoulders swaying to their cool funky vibe.  Here have a listen for yourself....

PARTY IN PURGATORY

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Band #2 fucking rocked my world with their driving rhythms and hard fucking rock riffs. Hailing from Nanaimo, Under the Mountain has rightfully gained quite a large local fan base.  Headbanging and rocking out these boys made me feel right at home.  They fucking blew me away and I couldn't fucking sit still while they strutted their stuff.  Ah, here....you gotta check em out....fucking Rock n' Roll with Rock n' Roll.....

ROCK N' ROLL

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I was especially excited to catch Band #3 considering they had already caught my attention.  Turned on to The Distributors by 106.9 The Wolf's DJ, Mike Lang, I've written about these talented young people in a blog post I posted back in September -  The Distributors.  Also hailing from Nanaimo, It was very exciting to catch them perform live and they fucking killed it, performing a smattering of their original tunes along with some great covers!

IN COLOR

It was Band #4 I was there to support though....Carry The Storm takes Metal to new highs, not to mention I'm quite fond of the kid who leads this fucking kick-ass band.  Incredibly talented musicians, this Nanaimo band never ceases to fucking entertain.  I've written about them previously as well but this time they finally fucking have a track recorded that I can share with you!  Metal fans get your fucking horns up in the fucking air and turn this tune all the fucking way up!!  This is Betrayal....

BETRAYAL

Completely different and diverse styles, these bands are best at what they do within their own genres and each one of them deserved to take home top prizes. A majority of the fans in attendance had to be hard rock fans because the fan vote came in with their choice of Under the Mountain to take the top prize.  I'm not sure who took home the judges prize....Amber hasn't fucking updated their facebook page yet....perhaps if she reads this, she'll let us know by posting the winner in a comment below. C'mon darlin, the kids wanna know...... ; )

Here are some links to stalk, er I mean check out more from these kick-ass bands....

Cathedral Groove
facebook
ReverbNation

Under The Mountain
facebook
ReverbNation

The Distributors
facebook
YouTube

Carry The Storm
facebook
bandcamp

No Operator can Trace the Sky and Carry the Storm

CARRY THE STORM

Wow...what a time for music!  I've had my fill of fucking great music this last little while.  We have greats like Black Sabbath and Eric Clapton releasing new stuff, I've been hearing some great Indie stuff online like Screaming Eagles and Jemile Aka BaghdadBad Boy (two very different styles but man I got to tell you about these guys in more detail!) and then if that isn't fucking enough I caught some great island local live music on June 7!

And it's that show I'm going to tell you about first!  I've traveled off the island to the big city of Vancouver to see shows in the past...and there is no fucking doubt, Vancouver rocks!! But I found out first hand this weekend that Vancouver Island and more specifically Nanaimo fucking rocks too!

On our way to the show our designated driver was telling us about his new favorite band.  It was a band he had caught live the weekend before and as luck would have it, he had the CD!  The Body Politic is a hot new Progressive Metal band out of Nanaimo, BC and they are building quite the fan base.  Any fan of Tool would definitely get off on the vibe that The Body Politic is laying down and vice-versa.   As a matter of fact I asked our designated driver (my friends kid, just turned 19) if he heard the similarities in sound between Tool and The Body Politic.  He asked me who Tool was...... fucking kids!

The show we were on our way to see was at a small club called the Cambie in Nanaimo.  A cool little dive with limited seating and a small stage.  Taking the stage that night were three bands.  These bands, though diverse, all have something in common....members of each group have played with who I was going to see.... Blake Deal.  I was excited to finally hear Blake perform.

Blake Deal - Carry the Storm

Blake's band, Carry the Storm, opened the show with face-melting Deathcore Metal - what my sister-in-law refers to affectionately as kill your mother music.  Blake's demonic vocals led Riley Anderson and Steven Bekker on guitars.  Their fingers flew over their guitar strings, the friction surprisingly not setting their guitars on fire, but definitely alighting something in the souls of the audience! I had five words for Blake after their set.... GET INTO THE FUCKING STUDIO!  He tells me in a couple of months....and when they have something recorded you can bet your ass that I'll be sharing it with all of you!  In the meantime you can find more info and photos by visiting and liking their facebook page at facebook.com/Carry-The-Storm!!!

Trace the Sky hit the stage next and let me tell you, these boys know how to rock.  Their alternative style has a pop punk edge much like what made the Offspring and Green Day so popular.  Liam Glaim has come out from behind the drums (used to play drums in a band he shared with Blake) to come out front with the two Matts (Harder and Gladman) to play guitar and sing.  They definitely had the crowd jumpin!  Here's just a sample of what we heard......

Check out Trace the Sky on facebook to listen to more - facebook.com/tracetheskymusic

Headlining the show was another fucking awesome band from Nanaimo!  No Operator has a hard rock sound that definitely appealed to this hard rocker!  And wouldn't you know it....Oliver Galloway (Ollie) - guitar and vocals - used to play in a band with Blake as well!  Either Blake really gets around or Nanaimo is a small town.... well maybe a little of both, hahaha!  Anyway... these guys are really making waves on our island.  Take a listen to the lighter side of No Operator and you'll understand why!

Visit No Operator on facebook to learn more about this up and coming band - facebook.com/nooperator

Needless to say, I had an fucking great time!  What more could a girl want than hot bands on a hot summer night........ ; )