THWOMP Interview: On Gigs Past, Present and Future

In Part Five of this originally-published-for-Suite 101 exclusive interview, Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall of the Nintendo® cover band THWOMP discuss gigs past, present and future.

Calgary-based Nintendo® cover band THWOMP is gearing up for two exciting projects. They will rock Edmonton on August 6, 2010 at Animethon 17. In the fall, they will release their debut CD. Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall stopped by to discuss gigs past, present and future.

THWOMP's Take on Bar Gigs

The band has had its share of bar gigs over the years, which the guys are glad to put behind them. "We used to play around town a lot, actually," said Brad. "It’s kind of easy to play Calgary out. There just aren’t that many decent bars to play at."

Bars and clubs tend to attract regulars and only occasionally draw in new patrons, while family and friends go only so far. "Once it’s your fifth gig in three or four months, it’s harder to get all of your friends to come out to it," explained Brad. "They’ll all come out to the first few, because they love you."

The other downside of bar gigs is the low return on investment. Dave said, "They pay almost nothing and the people who go to the bar don’t go to the bar and expect to spend $50 on merchandise, so nobody buys merchandise either."

THWOMP members made a conscious decision to stop doing bar gigs and focus on conventions. They have not looked back since.

THWOMP on Cool Gigs

Dave recalled one of their favorite gigs, "One of our funny, semi-regular gigs is at the Canmore Hotel, which is a heritage building. I think it’s 120 years old, at least, and you can tell…We turn it into a pretty big party and there’s some band stories from those gigs that I don’t think we’ll share with you."

"What happens on the road stays on the road," added Brad.

THWOMP's Current Gigs

Anime conventions, gaming conventions and comic conventions are ideal stages for THWOMP. "The conventions really have our exact demographic – sitting there – already dressed up," said Brad. "We have made some crazy fans over the last two summers."

THWOMP plays regularly at Otafest, Calgary's annual anime convention and Edmonton's annual anime con, Animethon. In 2009, the band gave its debut performance at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo.

The last gig had some bumps. "We were they only band they’ve ever had and you can tell," said Brad. "They had no idea what to do with us."

THWOMP on Dream Gigs

"I think we can all die happy if we played the Penny Arcade Expo," said Dave. The Penny Arcade Expo, or PAX for short, is held semi-annually in Seattle, WA. It is a gaming festival that hosts tournaments, freeplay areas, concerts and panels over the span of three days. "It’s probably the biggest gaming expo in the world, now that E3’s gone," added Dave.

Another dream gig for THWOMP would be MAGFest, held in Alexandra, VA. MAGFest is a video and computer gaming festival. Concerts by video game bands and jam sessions are featured prominently. "Too bad it’s about 3,000 miles away," said Brad.

Transcontinental gigs are hard for bands. "It’s not about the money but not losing money to get there," explained Dave. "Once you’re carting gear across the continent, it becomes very expensive."

Plus, being a niche band doesn’t make it any easier for bands like THWOMP. "It’s hard to stop at bars along the way and play to pay for your gas and food money," said Dave. "A lot of bars don’t want bands that don’t have singers and for good reason. That’s the world we live in. Ultimately, the more conventions we can regularly play the better."

Touring Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia is another "ultimate dream" for the band. "Getting paid to wander around Japan and play video game music would be really nice," added Brad.

THWOMP is a Nintendo® band comprised of Calgarians Brad Stanton (lead guitar), Colin Mitchel (lead guitar), Scott Munro (bass), Scott Moffat (drums), David Marshall (keyboards/percussion) and Kirk McVean (keyboards). For more information about THWOMP, the band or to listen to audio clips, visit their website and Myspace page.

Full interview series: Part 1 – THWOMP’s Origins | Part 2 – Band Names & Niches | Part 3 – Songwriting | Part 4 - Hey! Listen! CD Release | Part 5 - On Gigs | Part 6 - Convention Gigs | Part 7 - Video Games | Part 8 - Fun & Food

Happy Orthodox Easter!

The Orthodox church is the second largest denomination in the world, with over 3.5 million faithful. This weekend, they will celebrate Easter. Up to this point, they have been observing the Great Lent.

Why are they celebrating this month, when most Western Christians celebrated last month? Well, it has to do with the calendar. Western Christianity follows the Gregorian calendar, whereas the Orthodox religions (e.g., Russian, Greek, Coptic and Armenian) follow the Julian calendar, AKA the "Old Calendar".

Find out more about Orthodox Easter traditions in this informative clip with Father Christopher Stamas and Western Massachusetts News, Weather & Sports:

Turn Off the Autopilot When Practicing Music!

Sometimes, I stop my students in the middle of a phrase when something is going somewhat awry. I usually ask, "What happened there? What were you thinking about?"

More often than not, the response is something like, "I don't know" or "I wasn't thinking of anything." Then, when I ask "Did you hear what you did there?" I get "I wasn't listening" as a response.

I wrote that post-it love note to one student who usually answers, "I don't know. I just go on autopilot." I've told him that it's dangerous to not listen to what you're doing.

As musicians, we are creating sound pictures. If we aren't even paying attention to what we are creating, how do we even know if it's any good? Or whether we are getting any better?

Here some reading on Mindful Musicianship and Mindfulness-based Practice. Check out Ellen Langer's book "The Power of Mindful Learning" here:

Geeking Out at the Calgary Expo 2013

The 2013 Calgary Expo has come and gone. It was my first year as a volunteer. All I can tell you is that volunteering was a wonderful experience and I'm definitely up for volunteering again. I was unable to attend any of the discussion panels, so I am grateful hat FlipOn.TV and the Comic Expo made Virtual Passes available. I look forward to watching the panels at a leisurely pace.

Here are some moments of the 2013 Comic and Entertainment Expo that I was able to capture when I completed my shifts. Enjoy!

Nathan Fillion and Tim Daly have got it right. Flying around in a cape is too much fun:

You can check out the rest of my 2013 Calgary Expo album here. I will try to upload my video of the LEGO Endor set later this week.

This is a fantastic moment captured by a Calgary Expo attendee. She asked actor/director/writer/gamer/professional nerd Wil Wheaton to tell her baby daughter why it's awesome to be a nerd:

A huge thank you to our guests, exhibitors, organizers and my fellow volunteers for making the 2013 Calgary Expo a huge success! I can't wait till next year! Well, perhaps my legs and feet need to rest a bit first.

Music Degree Programs at Colleges and Universities in Alberta

Traditionally, a career in music centered around teaching and performance. Now, there is a growing number of careers in music, from recording arts to jazz and popular music. These seven colleges and universities in Alberta have responded to this development by offering diverse degree programs and diplomas in music.

From Bachelor to Doctorate of Music at the University of Alberta

Established in 1908, the University of Alberta boasts an enrolment of over 37,000 students (2009/10 figures). U of A has a well-recognized reputation worldwide. It's computing science program was ranked third in Canada and 55th in internationally in 2010, while its School of Business ranked 89th.

U of A offers three undergraduate music programs: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) with a Music Major, Bachelor of Music and, like the University of Lethbridge, a combined Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education. Students can major in composition/theory, history, performance or world music. The Faculty of Music also offers a post-degree in music.

Students gain invaluable ensemble-playing experience by joining one of U of A's 13-plus music ensembles. These range from the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra to the Madrigal Singers and the Indian Music Ensemble.

The University of Alberta also offers a Masters in Music, Masters in Arts (in Music) and Doctorate in Music. Graduate students can specialize in academics, applied music, choral conducting or composition.

A Music Degree and a Christian Education at Ambrose University College

Ambrose University College's history is rooted in several older post-secondary institutions, including the Canadian Nazarene College, the Canadian Theological College and the Alliance University College. Founded in 1921 as the Calgary Bible Institute, the institution focused on educating young adults to serve in the church or overseas missions. It received university accreditation in 1999 and in 2007, began operating as a single entity called Ambrose University College.

Located in Calgary, Alberta, AUC boasts one of the largest private academic libraries in Western Canada and has received a Government of Alberta Award for Educational Travel. With an enrollment just over 600, Ambrose's faculty-to-student ratio guarantees small classes.

Ambrose University College offers a four-year Bachelor of Music program, as well as a three- and a four-year Bachelor of Arts program (Music Major). Students receive lessons on their primary instrument, music theory, aural training and performance.

Students gain valuable ensemble experience by joining the Chamber Singers, College Singers, Community Singers, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Brass Ensemble or Guitar Ensemble. The programs offer some flexibility in area of study as well as various leadership development opportunities (e.g. practicum and conducting).

Jazz and Contemporary Popular Music at MacEwan University

MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, was founded in 1971 as Grant MacEwan College. The school has over 42,000 students. MacEwan U offers over 60 programs, including applied degrees, undergraduate degrees, certificates, continuing education, corporate training and diplomas. It 2009, MacEwan College became an accredited university.

In 2011, MacU unveiled a new Bachelor of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Popular Music program. It is the first post-secondary institution to offer a university degree that combines jazz and contemporary popular music. Students study basic techniques, history and music theory. They can focus on one or two of the following concentrations in their final two years of education: composition, performance, recording arts and comprehensive (combining two majors).

As with all music programs at the post-secondary level, students must participate and perform in a musical ensemble, such as the jazz ensemble, showcase band, jazz combo, jazz choir, guitar ensemble or percussion ensemble. The faculty also offers a two-year Music Diploma and four-year Bachelor of Music.

Study Classical and Jazz Music at Mount Royal University

Located in Calgary, AB, Mount Royal University was founded in 1911 as a college. Today, it boasts an enrollment of 14,000 credit students and offers bachelor’s degrees, applied degrees, university transfer courses, diplomas and certificates. MRC became MRU in 2009.

Mount Royal U offers two music performance diploma programs, the Classical Diploma and Jazz Diploma. Both streams focus on honing students' performance skills while providing a solid foundation in music history, theory, composition and improvisation.

There are several ensembles at Mount Royal including the Kantorei Choir, guitar ensembles, jazz combos, flute ensembles, percussion chorus and jazz vocal ensemble. The MRU Conservatory also has several youth ensembles. Many of its ensembles perform throughout western Canada. Distinguished alumni include opera singer Daniel Okulitch, the composer for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, David Pierce and violinist Andrew Dawes.

As of April 2013, the MRU Jazz Program is one of the post-secondary programs on the chopping block in response to the drastic cuts to education in the Alberta 2013 budget. Efforts to save the program are well underway. Please visit Save our Fine Arts for updates.

Red Deer College's Music Diploma and Music Preparatory Program

Established in 1964, Red Deer College offers over 75 programs, including degrees, diplomas and university transfer programs. According to “Universities in Canada” on Study in Canada's website, Red Deer College has over 10,000 students enrolled.

RDC offers a two-year Diploma in Music that provides students a solid foundation in ear training, music history, music theory, performance ensembles, private music instruction and recording technology. Like MRU, students can concentrate on the classical stream or contemporary genres. They may also do a combination of both streams.

Red Deer is the only college in Alberta to offer a one-year preparatory program in Music, geared towards musicians with either little or no formal music training. Students learn the basics in listening, performing and composing music. After completing this program, students must audition into the diploma program.

Doctoral, Bachelor and Masters Degree Programs in Music at the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is one of Canada’s top seven research universities in Canada. Established in 1966, U of C offers over 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees and boasts an enrollment of over 29,000 students.

The University of Calgary Department of Music offers undergraduate and masters degree programs in Music. At the undergraduate level, students can enroll in the Bachelor of Arts (Music Major), Bachelor of Music (majoring in Composition, History and Theory of Performance) and a Bachelors of Music in Integrated Studies (combination of two disciplines).

Students can study composition, musicology, performance and telemedia arts in U of C's masters degree program. The U of C also offers a PhD program in Musicology or Composition.

The achievements of U of C's ensembles include touring throughout North America, airing on CBC Radio and performing at the Honens International Piano Competition and Festival. Notably, the Wind Ensemble has performed at the CBDNA National Conference and the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) Conference.

Digital Audio Arts and Combined Degrees in Music at the University of Lethbridge

Founded in 1967, the University of Lethbridge offers 150 undergraduate and graduate programs and serves nearly 7,000 students. This institution prides itself on its liberal arts education programs. Students can study a combined degree, graduating with two degrees within five years.

U of L offers several undergraduate music programs, including a four-year Bachelor in Music, B. Mus. in Digital Audio Arts, Bachelor of Arts (Music Major) or a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). Students may also combine their music degree with another, such as a business management or education degree, in a five-year combined degree program.

Students can also enroll in a two- or three- year post-diploma B. Mus. Program. U of L's Masters Degree in Music and Master of Arts in Music is offered in voice, piano, collaborative piano, French horn, violin, conducing and composition.

Notably, University of Lethbridge's Bachelor of Music in Digital Audio Arts is the first degree program of its kind in western Canada. Its audio school combines academic courses with hands-on experience in first-class audio studios and labs.

Admission Requirements for Studying Music at the Post-Secondary Level

Music students not only need to meet the general admission requirements for university or college, but also the audition requirements to be accepted into a music program. Therefore, prospective students in music should speak with their music teacher and school guidance counselor as early as junior high to prepare.

A high level of performance is expected. The requirements differ from one instrument to another, but they are fairly similar when comparing music schools. For instance, at U of C, it is expected that pianists and vocalists be at Grade 10 (Royal Conservatory, Conservatory Canada or similar institution) or higher. Other instrumentalists should be at Grade 8 or higher.

Auditions are usually generally scheduled in the winter and spring. Alternatively, prospective students can submit their audition on DVD.

Music students have more options available to them at colleges and universities. Jazz and popular music, digital audio arts, music teaching and composition are just a few of the music programs available at universities and colleges in Alberta. Regardless of where a student plans to study music, he or she should thoroughly research various programs and admission requirements and speak with his or her guidance counselor and music teacher to ensure that all requirements will be met well before the audition.

Originally published April 2, 2011. Updated April 30, 2013. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.