Anyone Can Book a Gig in Kingston.

By Greg Tilson (of Little Joe Management)

Back in the fall of 2006, a handful of Apple Crisp volunteers, including myself, Laura Kelly, Meghan Sheffield, and Annie Clifford, met with local musician Nich Worby (now playing bass for Entire Cities) to talk about why it was next to impossible for him to book a concert in Kingston. 

The Scherzo had recently closed and Chris Morris (formerly of Rock Crew Productions) had gone into real estate. All of the stalwart musicians like the Luther Wrights and Spencer Evanses were talking about the glory days when there was live music every night of the week, back when Sarah Harmer and Gord Downie roamed the streets of Kingston.

What we decided to do, of course, was create a new all-ages performance space in the basement of Queen Street United Church. This was the humble beginning of Apple Crisp. Since that time, we’ve grown into a monthly concert series, arts zine, music festival (March 16-20 2009), and record label. New local bands like Rueben de Groot (Virginia Creepers), P.S. I Love You, Magic Jordan, False Face (who will be performing Nov 8th at The Artel), Christina Foster, Nich Worby and the Milkwood Sparrows, TimKnightUs, and The Gertrudes (the latter two were featured at Sunday’s Apple Crisp Showcase, as part of the Tone Deaf Experimental Music Festival), have all emerged during this time and are working together with Apple Crisp to record and promote concerts.

Live music in Kingston is definitely on the rise. Last week, for example, I stopped by Bar None (formerly Smijies) to see my friend Lucas’ performance as The House is Black and then crossed the street and headed over to Casey Fisher’s new music venue The Living Room to see Rueben de Groot & Josh Lyon open for C.R. Avery. This was on a Monday night!

We’ve learned one very simple equation: new Kingston music venues = new Kingston bands. There are now more opportunities and support for our performing artists. We are slowly creating a diverse community of people who are rallying together and showing their passion for live music. The result is more high caliber bands who want to perform in Kingston, and a growing music community, coupled with a surge of artistic creativity throughout the city. Take Magic Jordan, for instance: their first concert was opening for Wood Hands (Paper Bag Records) at the Modern Fuel Gallery, which was a sold out, very high energy gig back in 2007. Wood Hands loved the show so much that they have since invited Magic Jordan to perform with them on several occasions, both in Kingston and Toronto. During this time period, Paul Saulnier (Magic Jordan) started a new project called P.S. I Love You who was showcased at this year’s Wolfe Island Music Festival, and also featured on CBC’s Bandwidth last weekend. P.S. I Love You brought together many different grass roots music lovers, such as graphic designer Benjamin Nelson, recording engineers Matt Kicul and Matt Baetz (Longshot Records), along with all of the Apple Crisp volunteers to release a very impressive self-titled EP, which has charted in the top ten at for well over two months now.

Organizing local live music performances is an essential part of a burgeoning arts community. Anyone can do it. In fact, many of my favourite concerts have taken place in living rooms around the Skeleton Park neighbourhood. Alternative venue spaces are most rewarding because so many more people are involved, which adds to the local personality and character of the events. Local artist Don Maynard knew all about this when he organized a twenty-four hour art exhibit and concert last year at the NGB Studio warehouse on Cataraqui Street, called “Tidal Mass.” This was an excellent example of bringing together many of Kingston’s leading performing artists for a collaborative project that has rippled onto many other initiatives, such as a shared music studio in the very same building. Matt Kicul is presently recording new projects for both Magic Jordan and P.S. I Love You in this studio, which will be featured on an Apple Crisp compilation CD to be released in the new year.

We all know Virginia Clarke is the guru of organizing live music in Kingston. Her Grad Club concerts and the Wolfe Island Music Festival are second to none. However, it takes more than one person to create a music community.

Kingston Punk Productions is a shining example of how to build a local music community and set the stage for new local bands (like Cities Turned to Sand). KPP shows are always full of life with enthusiastic young audiences.

These are both excellent resources for booking shows. We would also like to encourage more people like them to get together with their friends and organize local concerts that are unique and representative of what the music is all about. TimKnightUs (Apple Crisp Records), for example, performed in the Newlands Pavillion (City Park) at sunset last summer while audience members picnicked around the lakeside stage. They used several condenser mics to incorporate the sounds of the waves, birds, wind, and voices into their performance. Tone Deaf Artistic Director Matt Rogalsky came out to see the show and enjoyed it so much that he invited them to perform at this year’s Tone Deaf Festival. Creative people like them who are willing to take some risks are helping to make this community of musicians grow.

Anyone Can Book a Gig

• Part I: Where do I start?  From setting a date to booking a band
• Part II: Promotion  - From posters to press releases
• Part III: The big night -  From sound-check to tear-down
• Part IV: Music in the neighbourhood