Blog Review: Gitpop.com

Podcasts and blogs are an essential part of any grass roots indie marketing campaign.

In the weeks preceding this post, Easy Way Out has had the good fortune to be featured on a number of blogs and podcasts. Most recently, EWO's album "Steal the show" was reviewed on an awesome indie music blog called Gitpop.

Gitpop is a tremendous source for locating up and coming acts the world over. Steve Chatterton, your Gitpop blog host, covers everything from album and show reviews to music news. His most recent article informs the reader about the upcoming Toronto Freedom Festival and Marijuana March.

The album reviews are refreshingly brief and to the point. Folks today certainly have short attention spans, so this format allows the reader to get in, get the goods and move on... and there's plenty to move on to. After satisfying my ego by reading the review of our album "Steal the show" I began clicking away, jumping to and from Gitpop, to Myspace and back through the provided links. Before I knew it, 2 hours had gone by... a perfect example of why less is more.

Steve also writes for BlogTO and has a Podcast there which, although it has been on a short hiatus, will be returning in the coming weeks... most likely with a tune or 2 from Easy Way Out.

For now, dear reader, head on over to Gitpop and find yourself some new ear candy.

Venue Review: The Annex Wreckroom - Shock and Awe

Let's explore shock and awe for a moment. For me, it's a level of surprise that grabs a hold of astonishment by the balls, looks it square in the face and says "dude, that f'n rules! Everything about you makes me wanna squeal like a squirrel on crack!"

I experienced a sincere feeling of shock and awe on Friday April 18th when I arrived at the Annex Wreckroom for sound check. An impressive collection of imagery, sound and comfort washed over my soul in the span of a second.

This was my first time at the Annex Wreckroom. I'd heard good things and was looking forward to soaking it all in first hand, but that's usually when I get let down. But I'm here to urge you, dear readers, if the opportunity arises, plan to spend an evening at the Annex Wreckroom.

After stepping through the threshold and walking up the stairs, a guest of the Wreckroom is greeted in the foyer by a glass encased Elvis bust beside a ukulele and, on my visit, the original stylings of Dread Zeppelin emanating from the main ballroom.

Once through the foyer, the room expands into a gargantuan playground of style and rock luxury. The Wreckroom is deceivingly huge, from the outside, one would never expect the sheer magnitude of the space. A massive paisley shaped bar, adorned with a drunkard's trove of bottles, rests in the centre of the room as if it were a pivot for the rest of the Wreckroom to revolve on when the bands start rockin' out. The walls are lined with custom teardrop cushioned seats resting in rot iron stool frames and matching booth style couches. Ahead of the bar sits a generous stage seductively waiting to lay underfoot of the evening's noise and talent. To the left of the stage resides a makeshift games room, open concept, with coin operated standards like foozball, pool and a Michelangelo Portrait machine, and retrofitted with table hockey and a Pac Man aracade. Beyond this area is a VIP lounge complete with even dimmer lighting than the rest of the club and lower, more inviting couches that beg to be made out on. The entire atmosphere describes rock n' roll... even the bathrooms are labeled with the visage of Iggy Pop for the men's and Deborah Harry for the Ladies'.

The sound offstage is full, even and powerful. The sound onstage is clear, brilliant and balanced. The shock and awe here is not from the quality, but the discovery that our sound man is the very same gentleman, by the name of Aaron, that had previously provided killer sound at the Reverb, seemingly, for ever.

The Annex Wreckroom is definitely deserving of your hard earned dollars. Let's face it, music fan, after a long day of work it's time to kick back in a cool place and listen to some killer rock, might as well be the Annex Wreckroom. I can't promise you that every band that graces their stage will provide you with that feeling of shock and awe, but the Wreckroom itself certainly will.

Venue Review: Shades of Green, Woodstock, On.

I'm not entirely sure where Shades of Green (453 Simcoe Street, Woodstock, On.) got their name from, but I'm almost positive that it either comes from an old Irish expression or it has something to do with the flesh tone on the faces of the, 4 or so, bar flies pounding back the suds, staring off into space and looking pathetically lonely all night long. The event that the venue was hosting was certainly a worthy cause and for this reason alone, I will try to describe this venue to you in the most diplomatic and flattering manner possible.

Most live music venues tend to dim their lights when it's time to listen to the music, not Shades of Green. Dimmers are expensive and besides, counting and comparing lip stains on your pint glass can provide patrons with endless fun while waiting between bands and shouts of random lunacy from the regulars. The staff was singular but friendly, the washrooms were oderous but well labeled and the pool tables were adequately level. The stage was neatly tucked away in the corner of the bar behind a necessary structural pillar and a dip in the ceiling. The sound booth, conveniently located on the stage at arms length distance, consisted of 4 imaginary walls that took up almost no space. This was a blessing since Easy Way Out barely fit on the stage what with the Neil Peart size drum kit that monopolized the majority of the real estate the carpeted riser had to offer. The sound mix was alright and provided Mark, our drummer, with the opportunity to attempt our set by memory since he couldn't hear anyone but himself. Needless to say, Mark shined the entire time. (For the record, Mark did love playing that gargantuan kit.) The vocals were at a decent volume and the generous echo allowed me to imagine what it might be like to perform our set from the other side of a giant electric fan.

All and all, if your goal is either to simply get loaded and the location is irrelevant... or you can't get served anywhere else because you're under age and your fake ID blows dogs for quarters, then Shades of Green is probably just perfect for you... so enjoy.

(NOTE: this post is meant as a humour driven satirical comentary on many pubs/taverns in small rural communities . It is clearly tongue in cheek and Easy Way Out thanks Shades of Green for the opportunity to play for their patrons. If this post upsets you in any manner, you seriously need to take a deep breath, put down the Labatt 50, readjust your tight jeans, straighten your mullet and calm the f' down..... I just described my uncles...)

Step over to the Dub side... with Street 66

Street 66, one of my personal favorite Toronto acts has been on the scene since 2006. Crafting their own groove plated Dub-Raggae-Rock fusion, they've managed to develop a slick style that reminds me of a the Slackers, Sublime, then splatter that with a bit of hip hop here and there and tight pockets of jazz and soul.
Seeing Street 66 live is a trip. The lead vocalist and I imagine, main contributor, goes by the name of Step. A dredlocked archetype of charisma and melody, it almost seems as if he's something of a conductor guiding his rag tag band of indie misfits through the show until the final note is played. As an audience member you'll be mesmerized as Street 66 take you through tales of travel, love lost, booze binging and that sweet sweet sensemilia. I defy anyone to stand still during their set.

The album really translates their live show well. I was floored when after a show that my band, Easy Way Out, played with them, I realized they had left a stack of their albums out for anyone to just take home for free. I was on my way to buying one of these albums at full price when I found my free copy. The album, from beginning to end, is filled with consistent quality tracks that are very difficult to separate from one another. What I mean is that you can't just simply play one, you most definitely have to listen to hand full of tracks to be properly satisfied. Kinda kills the random setting on my IPod. But that is definitely a good thing.

The final note I want to make about Street 66 is about their professionalism. Finally a band that understands the importance of the show as a whole. Where the other acts on the show that night pretty much left after their set was done (and took their fans with them), Street 66 made it a point to sit through every act. Considering they we're on at 8:30, that's a fairly big commitment to supporting the event as a whole.

Having said that, Easy Way Out has begun a working relationship with Street 66 and looks forward to playing with them again and again.

You can catch Street 66 with Easy Way Out live at Clinton's Tavern Friday March 28, 2008. They'll be on at 12:00, so stick around for their set, this is an act you owe it to yourself to see.

Check out Street 66 online at www.myspace.com/street66music

EWO Rock the Coq on Halloween

Ah Halloween... the only day of the year that EWO could possibly play for the late great Rick James ... of course no one thought to take a picture of the funk legend and pop culture stalwart, so we have absolutely no proof. But we know the truth and that's good enough.

October 31st proved to be one of the most exciting days of 2007 for EWO. The group finally popped their collective "away" cherry, by making the arduous 45min journey to Burlington, get dressed up as a psychotic group of doctors and play the Legendary Red Rooster.

Presented with a fantastic stage set up, friendly staff, a great engineer and the kind of audience you wish you could take home with you, Easy Way Out immediately realized how blessed they were to be aforded the oportunity to promote their original Rock/Hip Hop sound in such a positive environment.

Mike (an incredible sound engineer to say the least)

Somewhere around 11:00, EWO took the stage and opened the set with a new tune "See what I see". As soon as the final notes rang out the crowd scrambled for free demos and the Red Rooster management presented the band with shots of Jagermeister. EWO then barrelled through the rest of the short set with the energy of an atom split in two. "Beat Down" and "New Age" received their usual positive reaction, "Relyin' on Reef" and "High Life" took them to the next level and the new prog/hop apocalyptic epic called "Genocide" left the audience eyes wide and jaw agape. Not ten minutes after climbing down from the stage, EWO was approached to return as early as Saturday December 8th.

Burlington really taught us a lot about "away" shows. Great clubs and open minded people are everywhere so watch out Peterborough we're coming for you next.

Next Blog: the first in a series of articles titled "An interview with..."

Jay Flores-Holz