CDs, like vinyl, coming back?
Sales are rising, possibly because fewer outlets selling them
Is the compact disc making a comeback?
The astonishing return of vinyl had observers hastening the end of the CD, but it’s not dead yet. In fact, Rob Frith of Neptoon Records has seen an upturn in sales of used CDs at his store, perhaps because there are fewer outlets selling them. So, just as the vinyl record has regained popularity, the CD might be making a slow U-turn.
The semi-annual Record and CD Convention originally was presented by the Vancouver Record Collectors Association. That group is no longer, but Frith, who was a member of the VRCA, has kept it going and witnessed various trends.
The spring convention will be at the Croatian Cultural Centre April 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nelly Furtado will receive the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award at the Junos later this month. She has not only been a spokesperson for various humanitarian campaigns, but has also connected with her Portuguese heritage, with a humanitarian streak underlining it.
Old Man Canyon tours North America in support of the January release of Delirium. The nearest it gets to Vancouver is July 10 in Victoria.
Christa Couture and Sandy Scofield are teaming up to share a concert via the Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture initiative. The pair has learned to live with disabilities: Scofield has hearing loss and Couture survived the loss of a leg because of cancer. Couture has a new album, the Steve Dawson-produced Long Time Leaving. The concert will be at CBC Studio 700 April 9.
A collaboration between Lily Fawn, she of the strange Hank & Lily duo, and Zephyr Nova has produced an EP under the name of The Songs From the Black Lodge, that premiered Saturday at WISE Hall.
John Korsrud surfaces again like cavalry coming over the hill with his 18-piece Hard Rubber Orchestra. The theme this time is Spring Breakage and is at the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre (149 W. Hastings), April 16.
For its 20th anniversary, The Wheat in Barley plays White Rock’s Coast Capitol Theatre, April 2.
The Fretless is taking over the Granville Island Revue Stage, April 15. At work on its third album.
Did You Die opens for Yuck at the Fortune Sound Club, March 29. Yuck sounds much better than its terrible name.
Zimmerman, Songs in the Key of Bob, is an evening of Bob Dylan songs withJimByrnesandStanHammer.At the Edgewater Casino, March 26.
Mecca Normal guitarist David Lester is also an illustrator. He has a true story, The Battle of Ballantyne Pier, included in Drawn to Change: Graphic Histories of Working Class Struggle. The book, and Lester’s contribution, is a graphic novel. It’s out March 25.
Van Damsel has a video, Sophia, with an LP due April 22 and a tour later. This will bring the band to play the Media Club, May 28. Sophia is light enough to be guitar-pop with a chorus that touches on R&B.
The merger of Cobra Ramone and Bend Sinister has produced Space Junk, which will perform David Bowie’s farewell, Blackstar, April 23 at the Rickshaw.
You will need a computer instead of a turntable. John Pippus has a new recording, Bring Me Some Whiskey, pressed as the “world’s smallest 45.” It looks like a tiny 45 r.p.m. single, but is actually a USB stick you can play in the appropriate computer slot. The single has a limited run of 100 and is a lively blues-based original backed by Robert Johnson’s Stop Breaking Down. Pippus goes back to Holland for dates after March 30.
They’re probably too busy to spend much time in their adopted home of Vancouver, but Tegan and Sara will be here prior to a June 3 release of their eighth album, Love You to Death.
CD of the week
It’s not hard to imagine an audience waving its lit-up smart phones as it weaves to The Revisionist by Jeremy Allingham — it has that anthemic quality. Not all the tracks on his Memory Electric album are as effective, but he’s earnest and that sincerity is the album’s conscience. It’s an album that underlines the effectiveness of a few strummed chords on an electric guitar. The mix could be brighter but Find Love and Money Gods are hook-laden good rock songs.
Fundraisers
Better healing than harming. A Concert to Support the Unist’ot’en Clan takes place at the Imperial, April 1. The Unist’ot’en are protesting the building of pipelines to transport fossil fuels on their land. Money raised will go toward the building of a healing lodge. Five Alarm Funk and The Boom Booms headline.
The East Van Go Gos is presenting its concert and brunch a ninth year. The group raises money to help African grandmothers (Go Gos is Zulu for grandmothers) raise children whose parents have died of AIDS. Appearing at the Trout Lake Community Centre April 3 is Pearl.
Festival
The second World Music Festival is at the Rio Theatre, April 22 and 23. The first was handled by Tom Landa of The Paperboys and Locarno.
Landa also started CelticFest and look how big that has grown. The second World Fest will be two days instead of one and has moved to a larger venue.
Appearing are bands from Mexico to India to representatives of the First Nations — plus Locarno.
Gigs
Tobacco Brown, Jess Vaira, Benny Wise (March 25, Rickshaw); Robyn McCorquodale (jazz at the Enigma, March 26); Black River Killers (debut a video, March 26, Rickshaw); Brad Curtis and The Some X 6 (March 26, Railway Club); Orchard Pinkish Hillbilly Soul Revue (April 2, Rickshaw Theatre); Rococode (April 8, Fox Cabaret); Aidan Knight (April 29, Biltmore); Johnny De Courcy (April 29, Rickshaw); Food (Apr. 30, Rickshaw); Said the Whale (May 7, Fox Cabaret).