Rodney Decroo's Allegheny, BC at Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival

For Immediate Release: July 17, 2014

 (Vancouver, BC) - Rodney DeCroo is bringing his critically acclaimed show Allegheny, BC (Stupid Boy in an Ugly Town) to the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival for 10 shows at the Sugar Foot Ballroom (10545-81st Avenue) starting on Friday, August 15th. Allegheny, BC (Stupid Boy in an Ugly Town) is a one-man show based both on DeCroo's book of poems of the same name and his album Allegheny. The show has DeCroo, via poems, songs and monologues, recalling his childhood in a small coal town near Western Pennsylvania's Allegheny River, and his coming of age struggles in the radically different world of Vancouver, BC, in the mid-1980s.

DeCroo released his 5th album, Allegheny, in early 2012 and it was a bit of a departure from his previous alt-country tinged records. It's a spoken word album drenched in electric atmosphere that returned the artist to his first love, poetry, while transporting the listener to a childhood as grimy as the corrupt Pennsylvanian river of the title. Yet, despite the stories of a blighted childhood in a small coal town just outside industrial Pittsburgh, Allegheny transcended to a defiant beauty that resonated with both critics and audiences. Allegheny was included in the year end top 10 lists of not one but two senior critics at the Georgia Straight and collected high regard from print and online publications such as The Vancouver Sun, The Province, Exclaim Magazine, Art Threat, The Tyee and many others. DeCroo followed this feat with another, publishing a haunting collection of 42 poems through Nightwood Editions called Allegheny, BC tackling the same subject matter.

In 2013, collaborating with double bassist/composer Mark Haney and director Jane Heyman, DeCroo expanded and launched Allegheny, BC (Stupid Boy in an Ugly Town) with a hybrid of poems, songs, and monologues at Vancouver’s Little Mountain Gallery. Haney and DeCroo next took the project across the prairies, work-shopping the show in clubs, galleries, bookstores and most recently, at the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival and Vancouver International Writers Festival. Along the way, Allegheny, BC (Stupid Boy in an Ugly Town) has been met with the same acclaim and stunned silences—touching everyone from punks, old cowboys, literary and theatre types, and everyone in between.

Look for Rodney DeCroo in Edmonton for 10 performances of Allegheny, BC (Stupid Boy in an Ugly Town) at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. For ticket info and more information, please visit: www.rodneydecroo.com

Allegheny, BC @ Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival All Shows @ Sugar Foot Ballroom (10545-81st Avenue) Friday, August 15 - 9:15 PM Saturday, August 16 - 4:00 PM Sunday, August 17 - 5:00 PM Monday, August 18 - 9:15 PM Tuesday, August 19 - 7:30 PM Wednesday, August 20 - 9:15 PM Thursday, August 21 - 4:00 PM Friday, August 22 - 7:00 PM Saturday, August 23  - 5:00 PM Sunday, August 24 - 5:00 PM

For More Info: www.rodneydecroo.com

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PRAISE FOR ALLEGHENY, BC (STUPID BOY IN AN UGLY TOWN):

"You will be asked to hold your applause for Allegheny, BC until the end of the performance. And when that performance is over, you will have been moved to tears, amazed that something so painful could be made into an experience so profoundly uplifting. The Allegheny that snakes through the coal town of Harmarville is a “filthy river”, but from it has come something so beautiful and pure that the trauma might have been, on some abstract level, almost worth it. Almost." - Mike Usinger / Georgia Straight

"Brutally honest and beautifully observed. 4 out of 5 stars!" - Erica Thorkelson / Vancouver Sun       

 "DeCroo is a powerful and intense performer with impressive stage presence, and his life so far, recalled - even re-lived - seriously is well worth our attention." - Malcolm Page / Plank Magazine

MEDIA TOOLS: WATCH footage of Allegheny, BC (Stupid Boy in an Ugly Town) performance here STREAM Rodney DeCroo's - 'Allegheny' album here CLICK here for high-res - 'Allegheny' album art CLICK here and here for a high-res Rodney Decroo press photos.

Mike Edel Releases Video For Brand New Track 'The Closer'

Watch The Video For 'The Closer' 

For Immediate Release: July 3, 2014

(Vancouver, BC) - Alberta-raised/Victoria-based musician Mike Edel released his brand new song 'The Closer' last week and today he is excited to announce the release of the incredible animated video. The video is a collaboration between Mike Edel, Jorge R. Canedo Estrada, Henrique Barone, Thanat Sattavor, Cesar Martinez and Breno Licursi and was made possible through funding from Public Records and Telus.

'The Closer' is a song about baseball which is something that Edel knows plenty about from his summers growing up on the prairies.

"It’s a story about a pitcher in a small town, a lot like the one I grew up in, who is pitching a perfect game into the 9th inning," explains Edel. "But his mom runs onto the mound and tells him that he needs to leave the game because his dad has had a farming accident. So the coach brings in the closer with a 2-0 lead in the 9th inning.  He gives up a walk.  Then a single.  Then a home-run.  They lose the game 3-2 in the 9th. I think that sometimes we think that these small moments in small towns don’t matter, but the truth is that they do." Click here to read Mike Edel's full essay on 'The Closer.'

Mike Edel released his debut album "The Last of Our Mountains" in 2011 and quickly became one of Victoria’s most sought after musicians, performing alongside the likes of Serena Ryder, Chad Van Gaalen and the Cave Singers. And plenty of great things have happened since the release of the album: Edel was a 5th place $5000 seed in the 2012 Peak Performance Project, The Victoria Times Colonist named his song 'The Country Where I Came From' as their Single of the Year (2012), CBC Radio 1 recorded and released one of his live shows and he won Rawlco Radio’s 10K20 grant. He's also appeared at the Rifflandia Festival, Victoria International Jazz Festival and Tall Tree Festival, interspersed between nearly nonstop touring across Canada and the United States.

At the beginning of 2014 Edel went into hiding, delivering a new catalogue of songs to Grammy winning producer Joby Baker, constructing his sophomore release in Baker’s Victoria studio. It’s a follow-up that Edel promises to be his best work to date. The new album (which includes the track 'The Closer') will be released later this year. For more info, please visit: www.mikeedel.com

“In the last two years that Mike Edel has been in Victoria he has established himself as one of the region’s go-to musicians”  - Victoria Times-Colonist

 “If the Polaris Prize wasn’t enough proof that this country is teeming with talent, then meet Mike Edel.” - MuchMusic.com

MEDIA TOOLS WATCH/POST Mike Edel's 'The Closer' video here (YouTube link) STREAM/POST the Mike Edel track - 'The Closer' here (SoundCloud link) CLICK here for high-res 'The Closer' album art. CLICK here for a high-res press photo.

 FOR MORE INFO: www.mikeedel.com

Vancouver's Westsonic Music Releases Brand New Single From Mary Zilba - Are You Sorry Now

WATCH 'Are You Sorry Now' Lyric Video

For Immediate Release: June 26, 2014

(Vancouver, BC) - Vancouver based record label and music production company, Westsonic Music, is pleased to announce the release of Mary Zilba's new single - 'Are You Sorry Now'. The track is the first release for Westsonic Music and is the lead single from a forthcoming Mary Zilba EP to be released later this year.

Mary Zilba wears many hats with style and grace. A writer, producer, recording artist, star of The Real Housewives of Vancouver, and founder of Buff Beauty cosmetics, Mary is also a tireless philanthropist. Whatever Mary does, she brings her creativity, enthusiasm, determination and commitment to the table. As a recording artist she has a solid discography, working with some of the music industry’s elite, including Diane Warren and Grammy award-winning producer (and Westsonic principal) Ian Prince. Their collaborations produced three albums with seven Top 40 hits, which lead the charts on MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic. Mary Zilba was propelled back into the music spotlight in late 2013 after the release of the single 'Hero'. The track received plenty of radio airplay and both the video and song climbed to #1 on the UK iTunes Chart.

Mary Zilba's new single 'Are You Sorry Now' is the perfect summer track and is made for blasting from the car with windows rolled down while singing along with your friends. The song, written by Frank Giustra with music by Dave Corman, deals with the subject of infidelity and love gone wrong which is pretty popular subject matter when it comes to pop songs. But that's what drew Mary Zilba to the song, the universal nature of the lyrics.

"Everyone has gone through heartbreak," explains Mary. "And unfortunately, I am no stranger to having my heart broken due to infidelity, but this song takes us on a journey from pain to finding the strength to move on.  So many of us can relate to that feeling of 'I can’t live without that person' to 'what was I thinking, I’m so over him/her!'"

Westsonic Music is a music production company and record label based in Vancouver, BC. Their staff includes Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Ian Prince, producer and songwriter Dave Corman, music lawyer and business specialist Bob D’Eith and Liongate's own Frank Giustra -- songwriter, business leader, and philanthropist. A diverse team with backgrounds in all things music, Prince, Corman, D'Eith, and Giustra have built a brilliant team devoted to the development of talented artists and the crafting of hit songs. 'Are You Sorry Now' is the first release for Westsonic Music. Stay tuned for more releases to come in 2014, including a full EP from Mary Zilba later this year. For more information, please visit: westsonicmusic.com

WWW.MARYZILBA.COM WWW.WESTSONICMUSIC.COM

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MEDIA TOOLS WATCH/POST Mary Zilba 'Are You Sorry Now' LYRIC VIDEO here STREAM/POST Mary Zilba - 'Are You Sorry Now' here (includes posting/embedding info, just click on 'Share') CLICK here for high-res - 'Are You Sorry Now' single album art. (Photo Credit: Mario Miotti) CLICK here for a high-res Mary Zilba press photos.

The 13th Annual Music Therapy Ride Hits The Highway on September 13th!

The Road Hammers Join Ride as Celebrity Guest!Riders Registered Before August 1st Receive an Early Bird Rate of $99

For Immediate Release:

Vancouver, BC - The 13th Annual Music Therapy Ride is set to hit the highway on Saturday, September 13th, 2014. This year the ride will once again be rolling down the Sea-To-Sky highway, beginning at The Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam and ending at the Garibaldi Lift Co. in Whistler. For the 13th year in succession, the Vancouver Motorcycle Police Drill Team will provide a presidential escort for the entire journey.

Established by members of the Vancouver music industry in 2002 with representatives from booking agencies, radio stations, record labels, talent managers, concert promoters and recording artists, the Music Therapy Ride is a charity ride designed to raise funds for community-based music therapy services in British Columbia. Proceeds are administered by the Music Therapy Association of British Columbia, awarding grants to deserving music therapists and care facilities.

The money raised from the Music Therapy Ride is used to support the building, maintenance and continued use of mobile recording studios designed specifically for music therapists called Bandwagons. These mobile studios contain recording software, sound processing equipment and a variety of musical instruments. The Music Therapy Ride has funded the creation of 2 Bandwagons thus far. Bandwagon 1 arrived at its permanent residence, the BC Children's Hospital, in July 2011. Created in 2012, Bandwagon 2 provides music therapy programs in the lower mainland of British Columbia, traveling to various institutions for six-week residencies.  Bandwagon 2 recently made the trip to Vancouver Island for the first time. The funds from this year’s Music Therapy Ride will be used to build Bandwagon 3 and provide continuing financial support for Music Therapists’ services.

As a result of twelve years of dedication, support and generosity, the Music Therapy Ride has raised over $600,000 for the Provincial and National Music Therapy Trust Fund. Recipients of funds raised from the Music Therapy Ride have included: Canuck Place, BC Cancer Agency,Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children, Camp Moomba, Brookhaven Extended Care Facility, George Pearson Centre, BC Women’s Hospital, the Society for Disability Arts and Culture and many more.

Joining the ride this year as the celebrity guest is Canadian country music group The Road Hammers. The Road Hammers are proud to be a part of the 2014 Music Therapy Ride: "Over the years we’ve experienced the power of music change people’s lives in so many ways. We know that for some people, music provides one of the few effective options for treatment of physical rehab, mood disorders, pain control and deficient social skills. We’re excited to join the ride, sing a few songs and have a wonderful day with friends and fans in beautiful BC.  Make sure to join us on Sept 13."

Reservations can be made at: musictherapyride.org. Early bird tickets are $99 until August 1st and include breakfast, bar-b-que lunch in Whistler, live auction, custom t-shirts and more.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jen Fritz | Fritz Media Phone: 604-626-7045 Email: jen at fritzmedia.ca

102.7 The PEAK and Music BC Announce the Top 12 PEAK Performance Project Artists for BC

For Immediate Release:June 11, 2014

(Vancouver, BC)- Today at 8pm PST, the Top 12 PEAK Performance Artists were announced live on air at 102.7 The PEAK from a bustling Fortune Sound Club. The chosen artists will be joining the Alberta PEAK Performance Project Top 12 at the coveted PEAK Performance Project bootcamp in Princeton, British Columbia later this summer.

The BC Top 12 artists in no particular order are:

• The Tourist Company - North Vancouver
• David Newberry - Vancouver
• Miss Quincy and the Showdown - Fort St John
• Derrival - Langley
• Altered By Mom - Vancouver
• The Wild Romantics - Nanaimo
• Damn Fools - Vancouver
• Jodi Pederson - Vernon
• Goodwood Atoms - Vancouver
• Shred Kelly - Fernie
• Jon Bryant - Surrey
• Good For Grapes - Surrey 

The BC Top 12 will be performing live at the 4^th annual Khatsahlano Street Party Saturday July 12^th. Links to free downloads of the artist’s songs will be available on site.

The Alberta Top 12 artists will be announced on Saturday, June 21^st at 3:15pm in Olympic Plaza as part of Sled Island.

The PEAK Performance Project is designed to educate, promote, develop and launch the careers of some of BC and Alberta’s up and coming artists. It also hopes to foster the BC and Alberta music industries and create a sense of community amongst artists and music professionals. While the projects are run as separate programs in each province, there is an incredible opportunity to create bridges between BC and Alberta though the shared educational experience at the Rockridge Canyon Bootcamp. Top Prizes this year for the BC Project include a 102.7 thousand dollar top prize, $75,000 second prize, $50,000 third prize, as well as a $5,000 base camp award given to each Top 12 band to help them with their career development.

The BC PEAK Performance Project, sponsored by Cariboo Brewing, is in year six of a seven-year, $5.29 million program designed to kick-start the international music careers of 3 emerging BC artists annually. The project is administered by Music BC Industry Association and funded by 102.7 The PEAK through CRTC approved Canadian Content Development Funding.  Past winners have included We Are the City, Kyprios, Current Swell, Dear Rouge and Rykka.

For more information on The PEAK Performance Project, visit:  www.peakperformanceproject.com

For more information on Music BC, visit:  www.musicbc.org

For more information on Khatsahlano Street Party visit : www.khatsahlano.com

For interviews and other media enquiries, please contact: Jen Fritz - Fritz Media Phone: 604-626-7045 Email: jen at fritzmedia.ca