Features
Artist of the Month: Marlaena Moore
Meet our March Artist of the Month: Marlaena Moore!
After first hearing Edmonton's Marlaena Moore at Calgary's Femme Wave, I was hooked. She has one of a voice that's been described being able to "quiet the loudest of rooms and rattle the quietest of rooms". Not only does she have an amazing voice but her songwriting abilities could rival some of the greats. Singing from personal experiences, each of her songs contain rich imagery, giving you a visual aspect to go along with the music.
Interview: The Sheepdogs
Under The Rockies photographer Joshua Platt and I had the opportunity to interview The Sheepdogs' drummer, Sam Corbett, before an incredible show at MacEwan Hall. The group confidently rocked the hall by opening with, “Where Can I Roam” and closed with their classic, “I Don’t Know” before following up with an outstanding encore, which included The Allman Brothers tune “Whipping Post”. From the opening riffs to the closing solos, everybody in the hall was either dancing, jumping, crowd surfing, singing along with the band or performing some combination of the four. The band never let up the whole night, and only took a few breaks in the set lists to thank the audience or grab a quick drink. Hours before the stellar show, while the band was getting ready, we sat down with Sam Corbett and had a laid back and rewarding conversation.
Artist of the Month: Wares
Meet our February Artist of the Month: Wares! For those who know Alberta music, especially Edmonton music, you've most likely heard of Wares, Cassia Hardy's musical project that doesn't define itself to one genre.
Interview: Phases
Meet Phases, a band who, if you haven't heard of them or their popular song "I'm In Love With My Life" yet, you'll be hearing about them very soon. Formerly making music under the name JJAMZ, this group features some big indie rock names including Z Berg of The Like, Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet, Jason Boesel of Bright Eyes and Rilo Kiley and Michael Runion and, prior to Phases, also included Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine.
Artist of the Month: Fist City
While Lethbridge still might be known as the city where Marilyn Manson was punched in the face at a Dennys, it's also home to Fist City, our January Artist of the Month.
2015: Looking Back
2015 was a weird year. New Year’s has this way of making you (I’m saying “you” but I’m really speaking for myself here, hoping that you, the reader, can relate) feel like you’ve accomplished nothing, but then you look back and remember that it’s been a whole 365 days.
Artist of the Month: In Codes
Meet our December Artist of the Month: In Codes! From Calgary, we first heard about the then-trio when guitarist Ryan Mumby first sent us an email a few months back. We gave their music a listen, watched them open for Die Mannequin in September and decided they were a band we wanted to hear more from.
Interview: Set It Off
Set It Off have an interesting story. Frontman Cody Carson paved the way for YouTubers-turned-musicians in the alternative music scene, which has since expanded to include acts like Against The Current and As It Is.
Artist of the Month: 36?
Meet our November Artists of the Month - 36?! 36? are the winners of last year's Peak Performance Project and have since gone on to release an award-winning album, where do we go from here?, and a split with fellow Calgary band, The Ashley Hundred.
Interview: Miss May I
It's been quite the year for Miss May I. A run on Warped Tour, a stellar fifth album, Deathless, and now they're on the road with Aussie metalcore vets, Parkway Drive. We caught up with lead singer Levi Benton a couple days prior to Miss May I's show in Calgary.
Peak Performance Project: Layten Kramer, Braden Gates, Beach Season
Welcome to the final of our four writeups on the musicians featured in the Peak Performance Project!
The PEAK Performance Project is a seven-year, $4.9 million contest open to all musicians in Alberta. The program is run by Calgary’s 95.3 The PEAK radio station and Alberta Music with the goal of developing Alberta-based emerging artists and preparing them to take on the world.
Peak Performance Project: Two Bears North, The Royal Foundry, Northern Beauties
Vancouver's Gay Nineties were set to play Calgary's X-Fest before severe rain ultimately cancelled the festival. Luckily, a planned interview we had with the band was still able to go on and Gay Nineties ended up playing a make-up show at Cowboys that night.
Interview: Gay Nineties
Vancouver's Gay Nineties were set to play Calgary's X-Fest before severe rain ultimately cancelled the festival. Luckily, a planned interview we had with the band was still able to go on and Gay Nineties ended up playing a make-up show at Cowboys that night.
Under The Rockies' Mary McComish talked to vocalist Parker Bossley and drummer Malcolm Holt on former band experiences, touring and about the band's upcoming debut full-length record.
The case of Beth Gorley. An interview about The Casualties and sexual abuse.
Under The Rockies was offered to host this interview between one of our writers, Jay Caption, and Beth Gorley, a survivor of sexual assault. We thought this was a very important conversation we needed to have in light of all of the sexual assault allegations swirling throughout the punk scene.
If someone you know has been sexually assaulted, the most important thing you can do is believe them. If you yourself has been sexually assaulted, don't be afraid to call your local helpline. Also check out RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.
Peak Performance Project: The Wisers, The Velveteins, Leeroy Stagger
Welcome to the first of our four writeups on the musicians featured by the Peak Performance Project!
The PEAK Performance Project is a seven-year, $4.9 million contest open to all musicians in Alberta. The program is run by Calgary’s 95.3 The PEAK radio station and Alberta Music with the goal of developing Alberta-based emerging artists and preparing them to take on the world.
Calgary Punk Shows: All ages shows in Calgary?
Well let’s face it, this was coming! The all-ages scene in Calgary is probably the worst I've seen.
Artist of the Month: Reuben and the Dark
Meet our October Artist of the Month - Reuben and the Dark! Probably one of the biggest bands to come out of Calgary recently, Reuben and the Dark is a musical project started by Calgary musician, Reuben Bullock.
Artist of the Month: Dear Rouge
Welcome to a new segment on Under The Rockies that we've been teasing for a long while - Artist of the Month! With this segment we plan to showcase a musician or band either from Alberta ties or from Alberta. For the first month, we've chosen Dear Rouge!
Calgary Punk Shows: Calgary Doesn't Dance
Of the 20 to 25 shows I've been to in these last few months, I haven't seen one "mosh pit" and that may have to do with most of these shows being local and the lack of turnout they get. But isn't that more of a reason to do it?