With winter almost behind us and warmer weather ahead, we’re up for any cool excuse to get out and explore. This month, we’re all about Music on the Ave, and with festival season around the corner, we found plenty of ways to get our fix right here on 17th.
SLOTH RECORDS
Calling 17th Ave home since 2009, Sloth Records (736b 17th Ave SW) prides itself on offering something unique for everyone. Any music lover can find what they’re looking for here, from their large selection of concert tickets, band tees, books, cassettes, turntables and DJ equipment.
With as many formats and styles of music as they can possibly fit on their shelves, owner Dave Muir tells us, “we feel we are well versed on hunting down and carrying records and items that aren’t easily found.” So, if you’re on the hunt for that throwback record or CD you blasted in your car that one summer, chances are you’ll find it at Sloth. If not, they’ll track it down. You might even rub shoulders with some of the city’s finest musicians and DJs while flipping through their LPs.
For your live music fix, watch for Sloth’s in-store concert series and be sure to check them out on April 22 for Record Store Day. They’ve got something up their sleeve for their biggest and best store-wide sale yet.
Music is a great conversation piece, it brings people together and ultimately makes people happy, something we all need more of in this day and age.
BEAT DROP
Did you know you can master the art of making music right here on the Ave? Enter Beat Drop (1120 17th Ave SW), a music production and DJ school and Canada’s first Ableton Certified Training Centre. Seeing a gap in modern music eduction, owner Mitch Lee wanted to pull back the curtains on production techniques and began courses out of his studio, Redemption Audio (932 17th Ave SW). As classes filled up with people and with a passion for music, he grew the unique music education concept into Beat Drop.
Their next semester starts May 23rd, so it’s a good time to register for their wide variety of courses. From DJ 101, Mixing & Mastering to Sound Design, Beat Drop’s got it all and students can expect to learn from the best. “Practical advice and real world application is the goal, with all courses taught by professionals who are effective communicators. Students can expect advice, technique and knowledge from artists who are in the trenches.” shares Mitch.
Music is an escape, outlet, expression and transports us to different places.
Read up on their courses offerings at beatdrop.ca, or if you can’t make it down, you can enrol in their online programming and mix magical beats from home. Give Beat Drop a go and you could have the next killer remix right at your fingertips.
SHIP & ANCHOR
It’s a sunny day and you’re craving a beer. The Ship (534 17th Ave SW) is often the answer and a go-to for live music on the Ave. Curated by Booking Manager, Darren Ollinger, “Ship Shows” offer an intimate environment for an eclectic array of musicians and artists and features one of the best stages and sound in the city.
We caught up with Nicola Trolez from the Ship and she shared why this 17th Ave staple has been a hot spot for bands to jam for decades. “We have hosted bands since the early 90s and our Saturday afternoon Open Stage Jam has been running for over 20 years”, says Nicola. “We believe that you shouldn’t have to pay to get into your local spot and have never charged for live entertainment for the 26 years we have been in business,” she adds.
The Ship has always been a proud supporter of the live music community.
This love for supporting and cultivating local music extends beyond just booking bands. Each year, The Ship hosts their Annual Songwriting Contest that “has provided hundreds of artists of all ages, genres and career stages remarkable development opportunities, studio time and some of the highest cash prize amounts of any contest in the province.” With four categories, musicians of various ages and stages in their careers can enter.
Have you got a tune up your sleeve? Deadline for entries is April 14th. Catch the live finals at the Ship and Anchor on May 28th.
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