Just like last year, 2014 was one heck of a wild ride
We would like to thank everyone who supported local music in any way shape or form, whether it was writing a song, putting up a poster or masterminding a festival.
We would also like to point out the contributions of SaskMusic’s Derek Bachman, who passed away last week.
Thanks for everything friends, and please take care out there.
Ominocity’s top 14 news stories of 2014:
Riversdale: The changing face of a Saskatoon neighbourhood: Photo Essay
Riversdale is an interesting part of the city. But then again it always has been. Navigate the area via Google Street View and you will see what looks like a very different neighbourhood.
Read the full article HERE
Meet The Capitol, Saskatoon’s newest music venue: Review, Photo Essay
The Capitol, Saskatoon’s newest rock venue, recently launched up on 244 1st Avenue North to much fanfare and local rock lore – rumours of The Sheepdogs’ involvement in the bar fuelled plenty of speculation leading up to the opening week. The first weekend was a total success – both nights resulted in sold-out crowds.
I glued googly eyes onto a bunch of things at a grocery store and didn’t get caught: Photo Essay
After campaigning for months to get a job with the Canadian government, I finally landed a position at a postal outlet in a local drug store. As someone who was partial to writing long, rambling hand-written letters and stuffing them in decorated envelopes, it seemed like a dream job in paradise.
Read the full article HERE
“A great human and the best friend a Saskatchewan musician could ever have”: RIP Derek Bachman
Yesterday we lost a great human and the best friend a Saskatchewan musician could ever have. Derek Bachman was so much to so many people. The Executive Director of SaskMusic, he touched the lives of so many musicians in his work with the scene and the community. Our thoughts go out to Derek’s family, friends and colleagues.
Read the full article HERE
Exploring the urban ruins of Saskatoon: Photo Essay
It’s one of Saskatoon’s most iconic buildings. And, given it’s massive cement structure, it’s also something of a landmark for the neighbourhood, a foreboding-looking edifice that is visible from all over the city. The Parrish and Heimbecker elevator is an urban industrial monument unique in its architecture, a stone canvas for graffiti artists and, upon closer inspection, a place for pigeons to dump scads of chalky white excrement. There’s also lots of cool things to look at and climb on if you are into that sort of thing.
Read the full article HERE
Saskatoon’s smallest, most adorable library is a part of a global movement
Nestled in the front yard of a home in Saskatoon’s Varsity View neighbourhood is a wooden box with a door on it. Take a look inside and you’ll discover a cache of random books. Welcome to Saskatoon’s smallest, most adorable library.
Read the full article HERE
Five things to know about Saskatoon’s Nuit Blanche
Saskatoon has it’s fair share of parties that celebrate all that is wonderful about art, culture and music – things that help make a city livable and awesome. And now we have one more reason to get out and dance. Nuit Blanche, a free night-time arts festival that showcases and celebrates art and culture, is finally coming to Saskatoon this Saturday, Sept. 27. Happening throughout the world, along with key locations across Canada, the event strives to make the city itself a place where art, and the unexpected, can happen.
Read the full article HERE
Justin Pearson, founder of Three One G Records and The Locust, returns with Retox
If you’ve ever listened to spazzy American hardcore bands – especially one that wore insectoid, skin-tight, full body nylon suits – then you’ve probably encountered one of Justin Pearson’s many groups. Ominocity caught up with Pearson to chat about writing books, writing zines, annoying electro DJ superstars and being embarrassed by the term “legendary.”
Read the full article HERE
Meet the Edmonton illustrator who is documenting Saskatchewan’s ghost towns
When Nigel Hood, an Edmonton-based illustrator, first set out to document Can-punk legends SNFU, he had no idea the sprawling poster design he created would lead him to his next project: Saskatchewan ghost towns. A former art director for Prairie Dog Magazine in Regina – Hood also designed the current logo for Saskatoon’s Planet S Magazine – the illustrator now has his sights set on his home province.
Read the full article HERE
From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z: The dumbest moniker in rock & roll?
It’s sort of hilarious, but no one from Saskatoon’s From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z can remember what year the band officially started. I send out a flurry of texts to several of the ex-members to no avail. The joke’s probably on me – I was living with guitarist Jared Beattie when he first started writing those songs with Levi Soulodre on our couch. And I can’t really remember either.
Read the full article HERE
Ominocity’s Top 15 Moments of MoSo 2014: Review
It’s Sunday evening and I am tired. Like, really tired. The kind of tired you get from running your ass off all weekend watching as many bands as humanly possible. But, of course, it’s not just about the music – it’s getting to see friends from all over Canada converge into the space of a few days, eating food on the run, and sipping on all the drinks. Whew. MoSoFest, you’ve won this round. Can’t wait to do it again.
Saskatoon’s Avenue Recording Company studio to close
It’s a sad day for Saskatoon’s musicians. The Avenue Recording Company has long been a fixture of the city’s music scene. Located above Amigos Cantina just off of Broadway, the studio was responsible for recording countless local albums. Seriously, it’s probably easier to list off the local bands that DIDN’T record here.
Saskatoon’s Sordid Punk History: Five of the City’s Most Unlikely Rock Venues, Part Two
Saskatoon’s underground music scene has a long history of being forced into unorthodox venues. Promoters sought out strange and out-of-the-way rental spaces – basements, industrial garages, etc. – which typically brought in a bunch of enthusiastic kids and some really amazing bands.
Read the full article HERE
“Shut up and play the hits”: 18 musicians reveal why they will – or won’t – play the hits
The evening ends with a palatable disappointment cloying in the air. Shuffling aimlessly around the venue, most of the concertgoers look uncomfortable – several have yet to surrender their spot at the front of the stage even though the house music is cranked and the 2am lights are on full blast. It’s a strange conclusion to an evening of music: the band didn’t play the hit.
Read the full article HERE