I usually try and keep this blog music focused but i can make a grasp at tying this to music.
I am part of a group opening a space called “the hub halifax”. In its simplest, it is shared office space. At its most ambitious it will literally be a hub for change within Halifax. A launch pad and connector for folks wanting to start new businesses, projects or bring about social change.
Having run a jam space for the past 3 years, I have had the opportunity to meet literally thousands of musicians, managers and so many others connected to music. And while the Rock Garden has served as a suitable place to do business, it can also be chatic, loud [no kidding huh!] and down right busy.
All making a looming deadline that much harder to meet.
But even with all the people around, when you remove the music component there are fewer folks around that might want to talk business, the latest technology or other such matters of interest to someone running a business.
Enter my desire for something like “the hub”. A place to work with like minded people, and work in a place with fewer distractions! I hope “the hub” literally becomes a hub for meeting the equivalent of the people I have meet in the music industry via the Rock Garden. If so it will certainly be a success for all involved. The space will also have meeting rooms and other amenities to help you do what you need to in “doing”.
The space is set to open on February1st 2009.
But we have a few things before then to deal with….
This Saturday = open hub | 2-4pm
Join us for an open hub at 1673 Barrington St. (2nd flloor) on Saturday December 6 from 2-4pm. Its a chance: to get a “tour” of the hub in its raw unformed state; to hear a bit more about unique offering of co-working/meeting/social space and stories from hubs around the world to share your ideas about what you need in a hub; and connect with people in Halifax who are also interested in co-working.
We’ll be giving out door prizes of hub day passes and there will be a raffle for ONE MONTH FREE hub in-between membership (50 hours) and ONE FREE YEAR-LONG hub connection membership (30 hours/month).
Memberships
Disclaimer: A lot of the following should be taken with a grain of salt. But not the part where I want you to make me look good and “win”.
So we are also seeking members now. As being the only partner from the arts, I feel I have to make sure anyone I bring in is far “cooler” than the members my partners sign up [they all come from non-profit and consulting backgrounds!! C’mon I can't lose to them can I! Boring!!]. However, I think I am already losing this battle! So please help me.
I have made a friendly wager with the others that I can find 5 folks that they will all unanimously want to be part of “the hub”. Because you yet to be found 5 will be so exciting, and on the ball and just doing stuff that we’ll pick up on the energy and that will fuel us and the whole place just becomes an amazing ball of energy. Sorry, positive energy.
To become an unlimited member there is actually a selection committee [to prevent overloading the membership with any one group/profession/etc., and to ensure a general good mix of folks from different backgrounds, professions and to ensure we’re getting positive folks, dark clouds and psychic vampires need not apply!!].
So even I cannot promise you will be selected, especially if you are the ninth graphic designer to apply, so apply soon. Solely for my own pride as a result of me opening my mouth!
But if I can find 5 up-starters, people doing things, looking to make things happen – well I think we will all make something big happen in the new year!
The cost for an Unlimited membership is $416+tax/month [there are a few ways to get a bit of a discount though....]. And while the use of the space is unlimited, the number of these memberships we have is not.
Any questions/comments, use the comments below or email me at rob.macarthur@the-hub.net
Know you want in? Here’s the online application. Undecided/considering it, here are some benefits [PDF file] of membership with us. Very excited to see who I will be working around in the New Year and what we can accomplish in 2009!
Posted in
Shows on 12.04.08 15:13
Argyle Fine Art is pleased to continue it’s music series SIGHT ON SOUND on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4th opening with JON MCKIEL and then DON BROWNRIGG. Doors Open at 8pm, concert begins at 8:30pm.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT ARGYLE FINE ART for $10 and will also be available at the door. Limited Seating will be available. Expect beautiful sounds and sights in an interesting venue and enjoy an intimate way to experience music. This series is for MUSIC LOVERS.
ATTENTION ARTISTS:
Here is an artful twist to a not-so-ordinary concert! Come to the concert on Dec 4th for just $5 but expect to bring your sketch pad and pen or pencil! That’s because we thought it could be interesting to have artists sketching throughout the first set of the concert-drawing either the performer, inspirations from the lyrics etc..whatever you would like. Then during the intermission we will showcase your drawings and you can perhaps sell them to the adoring public for $5! What you all could create would be wonderful! ANd you’ll have the chance to hear a great show and meet some new artists too! REGISTER BY PHONING 425-9456 to be part of this innovative way to merge the visual art and the music!
Stay tuned and keep checking our website at www.argylefa.tk for new musicians and dates.
A limited edition of posters will be for sale at the show, as well as CD’s by the various artists. We look forward to seeing you!
WHO IS DON?
Music with spirit. Music akin to roots, folk, blues, and country, Don Brownrigg is a musician’s musician… Halifax based Newfoundlander Don Brownrigg’s musical meanderings are catalogued on his debut release Wander Songs – a recording of non assuming folk-pop music that has spirit and is sincere and heartfelt in it’s delivery. Brownrigg blends folk, blues and country with his haunting voice, morose melodies and pensive writing.
TICKETS ARE $10. Limited Seating will be available. Expect beautiful sounds and sights in an interesting venue and enjoy an intimate way to experience music. Snacks and refreshments on site:-)
Also a request from the gallery:
..and so I got to thinking, some of you locals may want to get in on this artshow idea….it’s all about the art of letter writing. basically, for now all you need to do is write a letter, send it to Argyle Fine Art by end of December…and then in Feb there will be a show where some of the letters will be displayed on their own, others may be used to inspire selected artists and/musicians to create. If you are interested in writing a letter-great! All we ask is that it be in some sort of handwriting, can even be a postcard, anonymous..any type of letter…AND if you are a musician or artist wanting to get a letter and start creating from this give us a ring. Check out all the details at the SUBMISSIONS tab at http://www.argylefa.tk
Look forward to seeing you in the mailbox!
December 04, 2008
Dreamsploitation may sound like some kind of therapists’ convention, or in musical terms may conjure up a lush electronic orchestra. It’s neither though — in fact it’s the work of one man from Nova Scotia, who when he’s not going by the Dreamspoitation moniker, is called Chuck Blazevic.
The sound is very lush though, created by many many tiny samples from recordings and acoustic sources, all manipulated and, as Mr. Blazevic himself puts it: “…transposed and re-contextualized into an ultra-melodic tapestry of soft-psychedelia, b-movie orchestral back drops, dusty drums, and loud quiet sounds.”
To hear more, tune in to The Signal (10 p.m.) Thursday night as Laurie features the music…
EDIT: Brand new review that also ends – well if someone said this about me, I’d be pretty damn happy:
Dreamsploitation is not the new DJ Shadow or Amon Tobin, it’s the third option; the new kid on the block that will amaze you and keep you wondering what will be next to come out of his absinthe-fuelled sampler
From – The Silent Ballet
.
In October the fine folks behind Textura.org reviewed Dreamploitation’s Soft Focus Sound of Today, ending on this note:
At present, Dreamsploitation may be as obscure a name as the plundered materials constituting Soft Focus Sound of Today but, if there’s any justice in the world, that won’t last long.
Well the album was good enough to garner a mention on their year end best of list.
Many thanks to Textura for the support
Textura’s 2008 TOP 10s AND 20s
All year long, we waited in vain for some incredible genre-advancing release on the order of The Knife’s Silent Shout and Burial’s Unture to appear. Though that didn’t quite happen (a few came close), a careful review of the year’s releases revealed that an inordinate number of exceptional releases did appear, in fact so many that a number of well-deserving titles weren’t able to elbow their way into the top fifty. Without further ado, then, here are our picks for the top 20 full-lengths, followed by 30 Honourable Mentions, 20 Compilations and Mixes, 20 EPs / Singles / 12-inch Discs, additional highlights, and thank yous.
30 HONOURABLE MENTIONS
21. Celer: The Everything And The Nothing / Discourse Of The Withered (Infraction)
22. Goldfrapp: Seventh Tree (Mute)
23. Benga: Diary Of An Afro Warrior (Tempa)
24. Susanna: Flower Of Evil (Rune Grammofon)
25. 2tall: The Softer Diagram (Content)
26. Masaoka: For Birds, Planes, And Cello; While I Was Walking, I Heard A Sound (Solitary B)
27. Aloof Proof: Piano Text (Infraction)
28. Kiln: Thermals (Infraction)
29. Dreamsploitation: Soft Focus Sound Of Today (From Here To There)
30. Peter Broderick: Docile (Kning Disk)
31. Autistici: Volume Objects (12k)
32. Mico Nonet: The Marmalade Balloon (Mico Nonet)
33. Yair Etziony: Flawed (Spekk)
34. Stephan Mathieu: Radioland (Die Schachtel)
35. Library Tapes: A Summer Beneath The Trees (Make Mine Music)
36. The Retail Sectors: Starlight Silent Night (Symbolic Interaction)
37. Sawako: Bitter Sweet (12k)
38. Motorcitysoul: Technique (Simple Records)
39. Rae Davis: Positive Thinking (Exponential)
40. Hatchback: Color Of The Sun (Backspin)
41. Windy & Carl: Songs For The Broken Hearted (kranky)
42. Slow Dancing Society: Priest Lake Circa ‘88 (Hidden Shoal)
43. Lisa Nordström: 7 States Of Passion (Kning Disk)
44. Ezekiel Honig: Surfaces of a Broken Marching Band (Anticipate)
45. Sleepingdog: Polar Life (Gizeh)
46. Harold Budd-Clive Wright: A Song For Lost Blossoms (Darla)
47. Stray Ghost: Losthilde (Highpoint Lowlife)
48. Sans Serif: Tones For Lamonte (Hypnos)
49. Spectral Lore-Underjordiska: Split (Stellar Auditorium)
50. Derek Carr: Digital Space Race (Psychonavigation)
Songbird 1.0 is now available for download!
What’s Exciting About Songbird
Songbird is a forward-thinking media jukebox. It’s all about using information and media freely available on the internet to transform a typical media player into a music-lover’s utopia. – Lifehacker
And from the Songbird Blog (where you can also read about the new features if you have used earlier versions):
We set out to build an open, customizable music player. Today, we’re launching with dozens of integrated services, hundreds of add-ons, and a growing developer community. We’ll be the first to admit that there’s plenty left to do. And, while we’re not ready for everyone, 160k users a month are expressing their vote for an alternative music player.
If you think like us, you’ve got huge aspirations and you’re out to change the world. You gotta start somewhere, this is our 1.0.
