MUSIC TO YOUR BEERS ...
City brewery aims to be creative hub
“It just makes sense,” says Josh Thorp-Vallis Yes, it does. Music and beer. It just makes sense.
As does making the source of one the source of the other.
Which is why Wild Rose Brewery is hoping to be something of a creative hub for Calgary’s music community.
On Friday, the local suds-maker will launch its Artist Residency Program at its Currie Barracks location brewery and taproom featuring local acts The Frontiers, The Torchettes and Sargeant & Comrade.
“I’ve always wanted to do something here because it’s a great venue and it has a chance to do something unique,” says ThorpVallis, a local producer and DJ who also works at the brewery.
“The idea was that I wanted to be able to start something here but for them, where they could benefit from it, where it’s not just someone taking from them …
“It’s giving them a chance to grow and curate and create something instead of just playing a show somewhere.”
The nine-month residency is meant to encourage collaboration and growth in the city’s thriving music scene.
It’s actually why Thorp-Vallis chose the first three acts he did, having been familiar with the work they’ve done in the past and impressed with all of the different opportunities they’ve created for themselves.
R&B rockers The Torchettes, for example, have a regular Torch Night evening in the city, where there’s a different theme every show, including a recent one celebrating female artists and featuring other local acts such as Liz Stevens, The Bownesians and Nico Brennan. Roots-rockers The Frontiers, formerly Sealegs, are also heavily involved in the community, with their Facebook page filled with as many benefit shows as paying gigs. And the hip-hop and soul combo of singer Yolanda Sargeant and rapper-producer Evgeniy Bykovets have worked with other artists at home and across the continent.
So, again, Thorp-Vallis knew they were all game and would make the most of their time working with Wild Rose.
And during that nine-month period, there will be a flagship show every three months featuring all three. As well, each band will then have their own show once every six weeks in rotation, so that there’s something in the taproom from the residency program every second Tuesday.
“But during those events they will bring in other artists to open for them, maybe do solo sets — whatever they want because it’s their curated night,” Thorp-Vallis says.
“And between that, if something comes up, if they’re like, ‘Hey, we’d like to do something,’ they can. That’s the whole idea, that with this venue they have a constant place to play, but if they come up with an idea that will work for the room — let’s do it.”
He also sees the potential for the brewery to have its own part in the collaborative process, with the opportunities for special cask beers named after bands or even having other artists design the labels for special brews.
As much as he sees it as a chance for the acts involved in the residency program to grow, he also sees it as the perfect opening for Wild Rose to support the community and be a part of it, bringing together what each of them does best for a natural, perfect pairing.
“That’s music, right? That’s a live event, if you have a beer or two, and you’ve got that glow. Everyone has had that moment, that’s why you love music, is the live show,” he says.
“Sure, records and albums, but when you see something live and you have that experience, have a beer, you enjoy it. Your hands clap and life is good.” And it all makes sense. The Wild Rose Artist Residency Program featuring The Frontiers, The Torchettes and Sargeant & Comrade kicks off with a show Friday night at the Wild Rose Brewery and Taproom’s Barracks Room (2 4580 Quesnay Wood Dr. S.W.).
It’s giving them a chance to grow and curate and create something instead of just playing a show somewhere.