Chasing Indie Music
I use to scout indie bands, and it was one of my favorite hobbies.
I discovered so many bands that soon became so popular I was no longer seeing them for free at local music nights.
I went to all the record stores; I was picking up The Georgia Straight for the new music listings it was a passion, it was my mission to witness original art before it was fully discovered and blown up.
Gotye his popularity skyrocketed, and he was sold out in seconds when it came to opening night at the Orpheum in Vancouver.
It was his song “Somebody that I used to know.” that got past his loyal mainstream fans to the ears of others. I was going to purchase a ticket at the door on the day of the concert, but it sold out in seconds. I usually got in, but he was no longer indie.
He disappeared after his enormous success to go back to his band “The Basics” in Australia and recorded an album The Age of Entitlement. So I guess he’s made it back to his comfy Indie artsy self. Much appreciated.
Poliça, Give you the Ghost was their first album and before it was out, I remember seeing them at an underground bar in Vancouver and hypnotized by the dual drums and Channy’s hypnotic voice, I had to see them again in Seattle.
News traveled so fast; their fans just flocked to them. The crowd grew fatter, and I felt like I could no longer see Channy.
It was quite a shift, the first show in Vancouver I spoke with Drew Christopherson while he had a cigarette and I asked him casually if he wrote their music, he said no its all Channy Leaneagh. We talked for a bit as if he was just another guy; now for that to happen, he would have to be another guy.
British star Elle Goulding when she was playing her guitar, and singing her songs from the album Lights, she came to Vancouver and performed at the Vouge, no one really knew her yet, and you could buy a ticket at the entrance.
She was amazing and I had to see her at her sold-out show at the Commodore. She swept everyone off our feet. It’s impressive when someone has that indie magic to sweep us off our feet; you know you will be seeing them at Rogers Arena very soon.
She surprised me for she went from folk to electronic pop and it was that electric twist in her folk music that sprouted her.
Lykke Li from Sweden came with that song “Little Bit” it intrigued us indie watchers with her unique rapturous stage presence and her lulling voice.
I became a fan when she opened up for — I think it was Laura Marling at the Commodore Ballroom? I recall going to so many concerts where I saw Ben Howard and all these fantastic artists just merging into Vancouver city, that now all of them just are in a mixing pot.
Regardless they all helped me discover fantastic new music.
From 2010–2012 so much music was streaming, and so many new fans had so much more to put on their iPods.
Bon Iver, Hey Ocean, Kimbra, I even went to some country folk band nights, I was all over downtown, Main street, Commercial Drive. At the smallest bar, to the dive bars, to the Commodore Ballroom. Those years of chasing new emerging artists were the best two years of my musical journey.
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