Chollapalazza II

I have no real idea how to spell the name of this event, but as I think they made it up, I don't think it really matters. The main thing is, it was fun. Sunday lived up to its name, as it turns out; the sun shone down onto China Steps as though it were meant to be. Tens of people crowded the square to observe the spectacle as Lindsay Anna, The Apollo Ghosts, David Thee King Elmhurst, Kristjanne Jasper, and a conspicuously absent Angelo Spencer took to the stage. Or didn't, in the case of Spencer, who was detained at the border. I assume he was presumed to be a threat to national security, as his name sounds kind of foreign. Also, there may have been more acts to see but I was forced to leave prematurely. Everyone who played seemed a little rough around the edges, presumably due to a late night at Crace Mountain the night before, but I thought it helped to create a relaxed, casual, almost homey atmosphere.

Ballgag N' Chain Gang - Everything's Better With Bacon

Apollo Ghosts - Money Has No Heart

This is one great record, and you can buy it as a 7" or download it FREE! For reals. You should check it out.

Tower Of Dudes - Hibernation

Bloody Wilma - Bloody Hell, I Don't Know What This Song Is Called

Bloody Good.

Hank And Lily - David Hasselhoff

One of my favorites from Hank Pine and Lily Fawn.  Drink it in, children.

Noise Floor Recording Studio

The Noise Floor is 'A retreat studio on beautiful Vancouver Island.'  It opened July 6, 2010 in Ladysmith, B.C, is housed in a wonderful heritage building, and may or may not be just up the street from a pizza parlor that just couldn't be bothered to acknowledge or serve customers the day I happened to need pizza just down the street from the Noise Floor, even though they had just opened and clearly could have used the business.  Hopefully they got their shit together and are doing wonderfully.  That would help mitigate the insane debacle that is looking for food in Ladysmith.  Or maybe we just got unlucky.  

The Noise Floor got real lucky in Ladysmith because it is in this building:

We got real lucky in Ladysmith on the music front, however, as we not only occasionally get to see shows at the Fort (secret, intimate, sweet venue), but we also passed by the Noise Floor in our bid to avoid starvation.  There was some weird shit coming out of it and into our ears, and I liked it.  The building itself is quaint and charming and quite inviting to look at from the street, which is as close as I've ever come to going inside, as we were starving when we found it.  And even though my good friend the Himalayan Bear apparently played a show there, as evidenced by this photo, 

he neither invited me nor made the arduous twenty minute journey to Nanaimo to visit me.  But I digress.  And confess:  I know little about this cozy looking music studio, save that they would probably love to record your next album.  Unless you suck.  Then they will begrudgingly record you for twice the price.

I don't actually know that those last two sentences are true because I made it all up. You may find out, if you suck.  But I do know that you can see more pictures and read a bit about what they've been up to here: 

TheNoiseFloor

Eventually I will visit this place, and meet the owners - Jordan Koop and Terry Stewart.  Terry was kind enough to provide these photos for me when I was unable to lift them from their facebook page.