You can smell it, hanging in the dry air: the subtle whiff of mothballs on vintage merino wool; the woodsy perfume of beard oil, wafting from a faux lumberjack. That’s right, everyone — autumn is here, and Shindig is back in full force.
“What’s Shindig?” you ask, from your hole in the ground. Only one of Vancouver’s oldest and most revered independent music traditions, now celebrating its 31st anniversary. Both a competition and showcase of local talent, Shindig has seen over 800 diverse and awesome acts get drunk and rock out on stage. Whether you’ve neglected to come out on a Tuesday since October, or you’ve seen every act this Shindig season, Discorder has the lowdown on each of the nights’ winners to bring you up to speed.
Winner of Night 1: Pale Red
Aside from Shindig, what has been your biggest performance to date?: To be honest, some of our favourite shows have been the ones that few came to. Intimate, almost to a fault.
You’re playing your Vancouver dream gig. What local band are you sharing the bill with, and at what venue?: A real mash-up blender would be great, with groups like Rambone and the Wet Reality, Hag Face, and Glad Rags. At the Media Club. No, on top of Science World.
Where do you go to beat the post-jam munchies?: We definitely have affordable tastes. Cheap pizza, gummy candies, condensed milk in the bath. Any corner will do.
Someone forgot to put out the spliff and your record collection is on fire. What’s the one piece of wax you save?: Ki-Ban by Aburadako (Miles), The Age of Consent by Bronski Beat slowed to 16 RPM (Charlotte), my $1 copy of Jobriath, or Tusk by Fleetwood Mac (Portia).
When you’re not busy writing hits, what does the band do for fun?: We like to sit in the bathroom photographing each other with novelty glasses and blowing smoke into each other’s mouths.
What can people do to hear more Pale Red?: “Paleredband” is our handle on Twitter, Tumblr, and Bandcamp. We’re on Facebook and YouTube too. Or just tweet at us and we’ll get pizza together and pass some smoke around.
Winner of Night 2: Still Creek Murder
Aside from Shindig, what has been your biggest performance to date?: Wunderbar in Edmonton last winter. When people leave their homes in -40°C wind chill winter, you know they really care about music.
You’re playing your Vancouver dream gig. What local band are you sharing the bill with, and at what venue?: Johnny de Courcy at the Dairy Queen parking lot on Hastings.
Where do you go to beat the post-jam munchies?: Budgie’s Burritos!
Someone forgot to put out the spliff and your record collection is on fire. What’s the one piece of wax you save?:Still by Joy Division (Sam), “I’d leave this world with my collection. Without it, I am a shell of a human.” (Shay)
When you’re not busy writing hits, what does the band do for fun?: Free Street Fighter at Guys & Dolls. Even if that one stick doesn’t go up.
What can people do to hear more Still Creek Murder?: Come see us at 333 on December 12 with Dead Soft, Crystal Swells, Hermetic, and MALK or go to stillcreekmurder.com
Winner of Night 3: Revered
Aside from Shindig, what has been your biggest performance to date?: Shindig was Revered’s first and only performance to date!
You’re playing your Vancouver dream gig. What local band are you sharing the bill with, and at what venue?: The Vancouver Opera opens for me and we perform in Burrard Inlet on a semi-unloaded freighter ship while using the remaining shipping containers as the stage and set decor.
Where do you go to beat the post-jam munchies?: The recesses of my mind to feast on my ego, freshly engorged from performing brilliance.
Someone forgot to put out the spliff and your record collection is on fire. What’s the one piece of wax you save?: The soundtrack from Transformers: The Movie (1986).
When you’re not busy writing hits, what do you do for fun?: Indulge my insecurities, so that I’ll have more hits to write.
What can people do to hear more Revered?: Go to soundcloud.com/emmett-hall-revered. New tracks to be posted come December, hopefully.
Winner of Night 4: MALK
Aside from Shindig, what has been your biggest performance to date?: We played this 10-band banger at The Railway Club a while back with some amazing bands like Woolworm, War Baby, and The Wandering Halls. I have never been paid that much at — or seen that many people in — the Railway.
You’re playing your Vancouver dream gig. What local band are you sharing the bill with, and at what venue?: Dead Soft, at the Commodore.
Where do you go to beat the post-jam munchies?: We just make a shit ton of popcorn.
Someone forgot to put out the spliff and your record collection is on fire. What’s the one piece of wax you save?: The Music Machine’s Talk Talk or Neil Young’s On the Beach.
When you’re not busy writing hits, what does the band do for fun?: Drink responsibly, not ingest illegal substances, jam on dad rock/wanker riffs ‘til Miranda can’t stand it anymore.
What can people do to hear more MALK?: People can listen and buy our EP, Prehistoric, at our Bandcamp page (malkband.bandcamp.com) and watch the video for our single, “Switch,” on YouTube.
Winner of Night 5: Skim Milk
Aside from Shindig, what has been your biggest performance to date?: I’ve played some pretty cool shows, but the best show for me was at the Lexington in London UK with Brasstronaut. It was just packed with Canadian ex-pats and we felt right at home.
You’re playing your Vancouver dream gig. What local band are you sharing the bill with, and at what venue?: My friend Michael Markowsky at the Orpheum Theatre. We do a show with storytelling, art, and music. It would be far out in a huge concert hall!
Where do you go to beat the post-jam munchies?: Where is the closest slice of pizza?
Someone forgot to put out the spliff and your record collection is on fire. What’s the one piece of wax you save?: Steely Dan’s Aja because they got a name for all the winners in the world and I want a name when I lose.
When you’re not busy writing hits, what do you do for fun?: I like to cook. Cooking is like composing music: you have to balance all the different flavours to make it taste good.
What can people do to hear more Skim Milk?: I’m always posting new tracks, weird demos, and experiments on my soundcloud which you can find via www.skimmilk.ca
“What, that’s it? But there’s still so much more Shindig to go!” you cry. Fear not, faithful readers — while this may be all the time (and space) we have for our wonderful winners in print, keep your eyes glued to your screens for “Heroes of Shindig Part II” to drop online in the new year, exclusively at discorder.ca
