Many bands try their damnedest to capture the essence of a sound from another era, while wrapping it up in a bright and shiny modern wrapping paper.

The majority of these bands will not gain much credibility. Even if they do acquire some instant indie success via the bandwagon kids, their staying power is fairly marginal. The reason for this is rather simple: it’s a facade. You can’t just decide to be a band with a retro sound because a particular throwback style is all the rage. You have to actually be retro at heart and in love with, if not raised on, the genre you’re attempting to emulate.

This is why Toronto’s own Bella Clava are garnering such buzz and exposure- they sweat out a blend of female-fronted, blues infused, psychedelic tinged classic rock (with a modern twist, mind you) that could only be perfected by those with a true passion and knowledge for that musical style.

Continue reading “Bella Clava @ NXNE”

CM held a targeted email contest in conjunction with S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival. The five winners each won a pair of tickets to S.C.E.N.E., happening Sunday, June 6, in St. Catharines, ON.

S.C.E.N.E. is one of the largest annual, one-day, all-ages music festivals in Canada, celebrating the spirit of independent music. Attracting 6,000+ fans to downtown St. Catharines each year, S.C.E.N.E. has been a hotbed for up-and-coming musical talent across all genres, featuring both Canadian and international talent.

This year

If you haven’t already, DJs and electronic music fans should check out the first of two Digital Music columns from Sara Simms in the May/June 2011 issue of CM. The piece discusses the advantages of incorporating a controller into your DJ rig, and what’s exciting is that Part 2 is coming up in our July/August 2011 issue, so keep an eye out. We’re thrilled to have such a talented and reputable figure in Canada’s DJ scene contributing, and I hope you’re reaping the rewards. www.sarasimms.com.