Like the black and white ransom note style letters that spell out This Ain’t Hollywood, the wild and tame performances that have graced the music venue over the years are just as starkly juxtaposed.
Whether you’re born and raised in the Hammer or you experience the city as more than a university town, This Ain’t Hollywood has often served as an introduction to Hamilton’s music scene.
From metal performances on Mondays to last Friday night’s tribute performances to Johnny Cash, the old pub turned rock ‘n’ roll palace has hosted all kinds of acts since co-owner Lou Molinaro alongside Glen “The Hamilton Kid” Faulman and his wife Jodie Faulman bought the James Street North establishment in 2009.
Thousands of hip hop, jazz, classic rock, punk, country, folk and blues performances have taken place on the ten-year-old stage. The venue became a hot spot for Juno after parties, performances for the Canadian Country Music Association’s Country Music Week and drag events.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp5zn_xBJt5/
While music pulsates through the 125-year-old walls of the building every other night, This Ain’t Hollywood is just as alive during the daylight.
Thursday’s are crafty happy hour sponsored by Collective Arts and Monday’s are for bingo and games. The space was also used by Over The Bridge co-founder Ace Piva to host a naloxone training and overdose prevention awareness event last November.
Now that the building is up for sale for just under $2.15 million, long-time concert goers, friends of the venue and Hamilton-based musicians are wondering about the fate of the venue and the direction the city’s music scene is heading. While the owners are testing the waters for a potential sale, Molinaro insists that the shows must go on.
The venue is making no cancellations to its upcoming booked shows and is still booking performances well into the new year. As the ambiguity around when the venue will be sold looms over everyone’s heads, the This Ain’t Hollywood team is planning to make every moment count before the lights go out.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoXtRxdhcsj/
While there is still hope that the future buyer would continue to add to the legacy the rock ‘n’ roll palace will leave behind, here’s to remembering the moments that made This Ain’t Hollywood the icon it is in the north end.
[spacer height="20px"]The Other Side of Country
On Sept. 7, 2018 the CCMA hosted a show at This Ain’t Hollywood for the coveted Country Week. House band Dead Flowers had everyone’s feet stomping to the beat of the Rolling Stone’s country songs. Guests included Hamilton’s own Terra Lightfoot as well as Canadian country music singer-songwriters Madeline Merlo, JJ Shiplett, Wayne Petti, Damhnait Doyle and Wes Mack.
[spacer height="20px"]Every B.A. Johnston Performance
Every one of B.A. Johnston’s performances at This Ain’t Hollywood might be just as iconic in the Hamilton music scene as the venue itself. He is one of the most consistent performers, coming back show after show since the venue first opened. Johnston’s comedy music is difficult to explain but there’s a whole lot of laughs and tough love for Hamilton in his lyrics.
[spacer height="20px"]Strummer Night
The Annual Steel City Rockers Tribute to Joe Strummer has made This Ain’t Hollywood the event’s home for the past couple of years. After Faulman had a chance encounter with the Clash’s lead vocalist he decided to pursue music and form The Sam Lawrence 5. Molinaro was starting his own record label at the time and decided to record with the new band. Over a decade later The Sam Lawrence 5 is still performing tributes to Strummer and this year’s performance included renditions by The Let Downs, Sons of Dad, Hoodwinks and much more.
[spacer height="20px"]Sold-out shows
Hamilton’s up and coming indie rockers, the Bandicoots, have held several of their hometown shows at This Ain’t Hollywood. Their sold out EP release party on June 3, 2016 was opened by The Crowleys & Jaunt, two other Hamilton bands on the rise.
Rock band Teenage Head got their start in Hamilton in the early 1980s and they’re still selling out shows. Pop band Un-Teens opened for Teenage Head’s show on Dec. 3, 2016 and both bands gave one of the loudest performances to shake This Ain’t Hollywood’s walls.
[spacer height="20px"]Arkells’ official music video for “Coffee”
In 2013, arguably Hamilton’s biggest musical success story filmed the official music video for their single “Coffee” off of the Michigan Left album at the venue. In between clips of arcade-game style animations the band is seen performing in front of sthe recognizable This Ain’t Hollywood banner. The Arkells held a surprise performance at the venue that same year and performed “Coffee” alongside other tracks off their album.
[spacer height="20px"][thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
Your MSU Campus Events Battle of the Bands winner, Sam Holladay, performed on the main stage tonight for Light Up the Night 2018.
https://www.facebook.com/TheMcMasterSilhouette/videos/10156232424935987/
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
By: Suzany Manimaran
On Sept. 22, the eve of Bisexual Day of Visibility, a group of individuals from all over the Greater Toronto Area came together for Hamilton’s first ever Biphoria, an event for bisexual identifying artists and performers to showcase their pieces.
“It was two years ago that I had the first show in Toronto,” said Catherine McCormack, Biphoria creator. “What I saw was that there was this huge gap around queer events which weren’t centred around alcohol and drinking and that way of reacting or dealing with our oppressions.”
Biphoria was a night of art and performance that was created and curated for and by those who identify as bisexual. Performances focused on stories about isolation and invisibility, identity crises and the ensuing anxiety in coming out. Many performers noted the immediate bond and sense of community the storytelling built between the audience and performers.
“We don’t see it at the time,” said performer Perth Sandiford, after the event. “But we are exchanging culture and growing culture, in this case queer culture, through storytelling.”
"We have a world that tells us bisexuals that we don't exist that comes up with you know ridiculous stereotypes, and uses that unfortunately to pit people in the queer community against each other."
Catherine McCormack
Co-president
Biphoria Creator
Through stories that were told, whether it were song, spoken word or stand up comedy, bisexual artists brought to light some of the major issues and stigmas facing the bisexual community today.
“I came out as bisexual in an era where it polarized a room,” said Micheal Thorner, another performer. “So [my] song kind of spoke to the orientation process that the small town Catholic moved through.”
Many artists talked about bi erasure and bi invisibility in gay and lesbian spaces, where bisexuality is heavily stigmatized at times.
“We have a world that tells us bisexuals that we don’t exist that comes up with you know ridiculous stereotypes, and uses that unfortunately to pit people in the queer community against each other,” said McCormack.
Several artists spoke about the complicated relationship that bisexuals have with labeling themselves, and about the stigma that comes with the label. Many bisexual individuals struggle with having their identity erased while in monogamous relationships and being framed as indecisive.
“The bi community often suffers because of the dominance of the gay community and the lesbian community,” said Valizan, who performed with his troupe, Shades of Araby. “Events like Biphoria help create community, strengthen community and show people there is a community they can come to if they need.”
But it is increasingly difficult to find queer spaces and community, even within bigger cities. “With the increasing gentrification in Toronto a lot of queers are getting pushed out. Look at The Village,” said Perth Sandiford, referring the LGBT-oriented Church-Wellesley neighbourhood in Toronto. “How many bars recently were torn down to make room for condos?”
Biphoria was ultimately a night of vulnerability, resilience and hope among a community often ignored.
[adrotate banner="16"]
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
By: Emily Scherzinger
Are You Alone? - Majical Cloudz
Best Song: “Downtown”
Soft, deep, and sweeping music for walking through rainstorms during existential crises. Prepare for tears to be washed away by rain.
Venue/Date: Toronto, The Garrison on January 15, 2016.
Coming Home - Leon Bridges
Best Song: “Coming Home”
If you’ve ever listened to 1960s blues and liked it, now is your chance to see someone actually perform it — Bridges has the sound of a modern day Otis Redding.
Venue/Date: Toronto, Massey Hall on March 10, 2016
Emotion - Carly Rae Jepsen
Best Song: “All That”
She’s known for that annoying song, “Call Me Maybe,” but her latest album, Emotion, takes us back to the best part of the 80s — the sweet pop that makes you feel like you just ate a huge bag of candy on a summer day.
Venue/Date: Hamilton, FirstOntario Centre on April 16, 2016.
Disclaimer: She’s touring with Hedley, which is less than stellar, but it’s worth going to see her and then leaving when Hedley takes the stage.
Emotional Mugger - Ty Segall
Best Song: “Goodbye Bread”
Best described as super weird garage rock, but Segall is so much more than that. You need to listen to his music while lying alone in a snow bank drunk after kissing the person you’re just starting to have feelings for. Trust me.
Venue/Date: Toronto, Danforth Music Hall on March 4, 2016.
Thank Your Lucky Stars - Beach House
Best Song: “Elegy to the Void”
Beach House may usually be the perfect music to listen to during the dreaded descent into Canadian winter, but their latest album is a lot more accessible for all emotional states. It sounds like something you’d make in your parents’ basement and nostalgically listen to five years later.
Venue/Date: Toronto, Danforth Music Hall on March 5, 2016.
Photo Credit: Sela Dor
[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
Those who fall under the grand umbrella of “singer-songwriter” often exude a similar aesthetic: dreamy troubadours with an acoustic guitar and a penchant for sensitive, lovelorn lyrics. British folk artist Ben Howard is an anomaly to this foolproof formula for commercial success; he prefers staying in the dark and allowing his music — a mix of lilting guitar riffs and raw vocals — to do the selling.
Currently on his North American tour, Ben Howard graced the historic Massey Hall in Toronto on Feb. 1. Montreal native The Franklin Electric, a young folk-pop band that is likely to impress you if you’re a fan of Howard’s style, opened up the show. A hybrid of Half Moon Run and Mumford & Sons, The Franklin Electric impressed with their charming stage presence and catchy, sumptuous melodies that included refreshing brass and string components (check out the quintet’s first album, This Is How I Let You Down).
Howard’s show, very much like his career, was an ode to darkness. His preference towards staying out of the limelight was evident from the start in a subtle but dramatic entrance. Surrounded by a five-piece band (including India Bourne, the face behind the haunting harmonies on most of his tracks), Howard was seated at centre stage and was barely visible. The stage was illuminated only by low backlight, and he rested in shadows as he opened with “Small Things,” a track from his latest album, I Forget Where We Were. The distortion of the opening riff reverberated around the concert hall, from the hollow of his guitar to the curvature of the ceiling, and delivered an ache characteristic of his introspective tunes. The set list was mostly comprised of songs from I Forget Where We Were, an album reflective of a darker, more pensive Howard, who embraces disappointment and heartache just as he embraces the shadows from which he performed most of his 100 minute set.
Few can argue Howard’s impressive musicality. From fingerpicking with stunning agility on his acoustic guitar to hammering out delayed notes on his electric, his prowess on the instrument is second to few, and his live execution is astounding. When Howard was the focus, you could feel the audience at the edge of their seats, afraid to move so as to not disturb the evanescence before them. Though the permanent tremor and vulnerability of his voice stood out, it is worth mentioning that the five band members who accompanied him worked together seamlessly. Perhaps one of the downfalls of Howard’s show is the little recognition towards his band; though the play on light and dark is a thematic success, it failed to highlight the incredible accompaniment of the multi-instrumentalists who shared the stage with him. While Howard had the spotlight on him despite the darkness surrounding him, his colleagues were, quite literally, shrouded in his shadows.
Much of the concert felt like a storm. There were quiet, vulnerable moments, but there were also loud, punchy tracks. In “End of the Affair,” what starts off as an ardent, acoustic tune turns into one infused with electronic beats and Howard seemingly pleading in desperation. The lighting very much followed the course of the music, with darkness accompanying more meditative lyrics, and flashing lights following the sudden thumping of escalating percussion. Eventually, all songs found their ending in a calm space, once again with the flashing lights a passing memory and Howard and his band shrouded in a reflective silence.
If you have a chance, be sure to check Ben Howard out next time he’s on tour. While his music may be lacklustre to some, he possesses a quiet strength that may surprise you in a live setting. A great live performer, he has a captivating presence and equally infectious music catalogue. If you’re a concert goer who considers a prime concert experience as one that focuses more on wholesome, gratifying music than on-stage banter, Ben Howard will show you the bright side of performing out of the limelight and in darkness instead.
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
Julia Redmond
The Silhouette
Victor Hugo once said that, “music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” As it turns out, he was right—the mind can interpret more meaning from music than people might have thought, according to Dr. Stefan Koelsch.
Koelsch, professor of Psychology at Germany’s Freie Universität Berlin, visited McMaster on Nov. 5 to share his knowledge on music cognition. The seventh annual public integrated lecture and concert was hosted by the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind (MIMM).
“[MIMM] deals with a kind of science we can all relate to, all understand,” said Dr. Gianni Parise, Associate Dean of Research and External Relations for the Faculty of Science.
The concert portion of the evening began with a performance by the piano duo of Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann. The two have performed together for more than two decades, playing in various cities across Europe and North America, earning much acclaim along the way.
Seated, facing each other, at two grand pianos at the front of Convocation Hall, they performed their first selection: Franz Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz. Koelsch used this as a platform for his introduction of extra-musical meaning.
Koelsch explained that a lot of music tells a story. This is done by providing iconic, indexical, and symbolic meaning. The meaning elicits emotion in the listener, and this reaction is a key element of music cogenics and the central focus of Koelsch’s research.
To demonstrate the significance of emotion in music, Koelsch described an experiment that was conducted on a native tribe from Cameroon in which the participants, who had no prior exposure to traditional Western music, listened to clips of music and had to identify them with photos demonstrating emotions.
The results of the study showed that even with no background knowledge, the participants could properly identify the feeling of the music, lending insight into the universality of music.
Koelsch further explained the neurology behind musical interpretation. The part of the brain that processes music is the same part that interprets semantics, further supporting the concept of music as a language.
The lecture was punctuated with more musical selections. Margaret Bardos, an Ontario-based vocalist, joined the Bergmann duo onstage to perform such pieces as Climb Ev’ry Mountain and Send in the Clowns. Flutist Laural Trainor, director of MIMM, along with McMaster Music professor and flutist David Gerry, played the rather quirky song Cats in the Kitchen, composed by Philip Bimstein.
Even before the show was over, Koelsch brought the audience to their feet, encouraging a physical interpretation of the meaning in music while the Bergmann duo played selections from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story.
Koelsch extended concluding words of advice, “you don’t necessarily constantly have to think about musical meaning,” he said, “Sometimes you can just enjoy music and your brain can do the rest.”
