Give the gift of Coffee this Christmas!

With only a week until Christmas, everyone is looking for the perfect last minute gift for their friends and/or loved ones. Look no further..our team has scoured the globe in search of the latest and greatest trends in coffee & brewing culture.

We have something for all levels of coffee geek and have put together a few gift packs to save you time and money.

 Come down to the cafe for all your festive coffee needs and check out our online store!

Merry Christmas and Happy BrewYear!

SC on location at Bottega Christmas Market Dec 15-16

Streaming Cafe is very excited to be part of the Bottega Christmas Market on December 15 -16. We will be there serving up some premium coffees and delicious food for the Kelowna Food Bank fundraiser weekend!

Be sure to come visit us and this unique and beautiful location!

Bo.ttega Farm Inn is proud to be hosting their second annual Christmas Market & Art Show Saturday, December 15th & Sunday the 16th from 11am – 4pm. Over the two days, the festive market will feature some of the Okanagan's Finest Artists, Crafters & Musicians all set in the heart of beautiful South East Kelowna. Christmas Carols will be echoing through the halls courtesy of local musicians, and you will find savoury European baking, Glog wine, artisan coffee and stollen bread to warm you up while you explore Bo.ttega.

Last year saw more than 1,500 people take part in this family friendly event, so come and enjoy the spirit of the season! Admission is $2, children are free. All proceeds to the Kelowna Food Bank.

FB event: http://www.facebook.com/events/464700916915272/

BOTTEGA CHRISTMAS CONCERT - DECEMBER 16 / 7:30pm

In addition to the Christmas Market weekend Bo.ttega is proud to present a special Christmas Concert with Graham Ord, Ari Neufeld & Joshua Smith on the evening of Sunday, December 16th at 7:30pm.

An evening of seasonal inspired song, story and carols from three talented local musicians.

Tickets are $15+tax and available in advance at Streaming Cafe (596 Leon Avenue), Mosaic Books (411 Bernard Avenue) or online @ http://bo.ttega.com/

Proceeds from this concert go to the Kelowna Food Bank

FB event: http://www.facebook.com/events/301669656618276/

A few shots taken by Darren Hull at the 2011 Bottega Christmas Market

Where`s Waldo?!: Two years of Chalk Art

It`s been a couple years now that we have been advertising our upcoming shows on the chalk board. Not only showcasing the musical artists we have at the cafe but displaying the artistic talent of our baristas.

Here`s a couple years of chalk art into one big Where`s Waldo?!

Sound poet and performance artist Jaap Blonk

Dutch sound poet and performance artist Jaap Blonk will be appearing at 7:00 pm on Sunday,  October 14th, at the Streaming Café (596 Leon Avenue, Kelowna).
According to San Francisco Weekly, “Blonk's avant-garde performances channel the provocatively pioneering nonsense of Dadaism. His work is tremendously complex, but his brilliance makes it easy to think the opposite.”

This is Jaap's first ever appearance in Kelowna--he's gonna blow minds with his tongue-sounds! Admission to the event is free.


JAAP BLONK BIOGRAPHY

Jaap Blonk (born 1953 in Woerden, Holland) is a self-taught composer, performer and poet. He went to university for mathematics and musicology but did not finish those studies.
In the late 1970s he took up saxophone and started to compose music. A few years later he discovered his potential as a vocal performer, at first in reciting poetry and later on in improvisations and his own compositions. For almost two decades the voice was his main means for the discovery and development of new sounds. From around the year 2000 on Blonk started work with electronics, at first using samples of his own voice, then extending the field to include pure sound synthesis as well. He took a year off of performing in 2006. As a result, his renewed interest in mathematics made him start a research of the possibilities of algorithmic composition for the creation of music, visual animation and poetry.

As a vocalist, Jaap Blonk is unique for his powerful stage presence and almost childlike freedom in improvisation, combined with a keen grasp of structure. He performed in many European countries, as well as in the U.S. and Canada, Indonesia, Japan, South Africa and Latin America. With the use of live electronics the scope and range of his concerts has acquired a considerable extension.

Besides working as a soloist, he collaborated with many musicians and ensembles in the field of contemporary and improvised music, like Maja Ratkje, Mats Gustafsson, Nicolas Collins, Joan La Barbara, The Ex, the Netherlands Wind Ensemble and the Ebony Band. He premiered several compositions by the German composer Carola Bauckholt, including a piece for voice and orchestra. A solo voice piece was commissioned by the Donaueschinger Musiktage 2002. On several occasions he collaborated with visual computer artist Golan Levin.

Blonk's work for radio and television includes several commissioned radio plays.
He also makes larger-scale drawings of his scores, which are being exhibited.

He was the founder and leader of the long-standing bands Splinks (modern jazz, 1983-1999) and BRAAXTAAL (avant-rock, 1987-2005). He also has his own record label, Kontrans, featuring a total of 17 releases so far. Other Blonk recordings appeared on Staalplaat, Basta, VICTO and Monotype.

The band behind the man...gan - The Crackling

The Crackling are pleased to announce a fall tour kicking off in Kelowna, BC at the Streaming Cafe on October 13th. The band is fronted by Kenton Loewen and next week, he heads on tour as a trio (alongside his bandmates Gordon Grdina and Tyson Naylor) to celebrate their latest EP, "Ashen."

It's been a busy summer and fall for The Crackling as the main members of the band support one of Canada's fastest rising and award-winning songwriters - Dan Mangan. Fresh off their big wins at the West Coast Music Awards (WCMA's) with Dan Mangan in Regina last week, they are in fine form to hit the road once again.

ABOUT THE ASHEN EP
The Crackling released the Ashen EP, a follow up to their debut album Keep Full Ambitious on May 22, 2012 via Vancouver imprint File Under: Music. This collection of thoughtful, beautiful and previously unreleased recordings acts as the first taste of a full length release expected in 2013.

ASHEN on itunes

The project of Vancouver musician Kenton Loewen, The Crackling hosts a number of guests including the Vancouver Children's Choir ("Keep Me Drunk"), Dan Mangan ("Ashen") and a small ensemble of string and horn players led by renowned experimental heavyweight Eyvind Kang (Beck, Bill Frisell, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed and Blonde Redhead).

In addition to the new material, Ashen includes an unreleased B-side from the Keep Full Ambitious sessions called "Her Body's In My Arms" and a cover of "Suicide Is Painless", the all-too familiar theme song from the 1970's hit movie and television series M*A*S*H. The Crackling resurrect the song's lesser known lyrics, written by a 14 year old Mike Altman, with intensity and chaotic reverence. The Ashen EP finishes with "I Love You Tonight", a nostalgic, romantic tale of yearning and times of change.



Details:
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST) at the cafe or live streamed - http://www.streamingcafe.net

October Performers | Video Overview

by Michael Donley
We're very proud to be bringing a strong Canadian October line-up! (Sumner Brothers, Rococode, The Crackling, Sunparlour Players, Kalle Mattson, Reuben and the Dark, Maurice & Matthew de Zoete). Look through videos from all these artists and take in some shows this month - online or live in person at the cafe. As always we've featured video highlights on our site from live shows you may have missed.
Have a great month!

The Sumner Brothers - SAT. OCT. 6th (early show)
The Sumner Brothers have opened for such acts as Sean Hayes (San Francisco), Hillstomp (Portland), The Deep Dark Woods (Saskatoon) and have shared the stage with Vancouver heavies C.R. Avery & Rich Hope. They tour regularly in Canada, the United States, and U.K. They have just released there 4th full length record "I'll Be There Tomorrow".
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)


Rococode - SAT. OCT. 6th (late show)
Very sorry, due to unforeseen circumstances Rococode had to cancel this show.
And as all things begin and end with the music, Rococode has set to making exciting new pop.  Their debut album Guns, Sex & Glory is a little bit dark.  A little bit playful.  A little bit scary.  A little bit thoughtful. All whipped together with the help of Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond (co-producer), Andrew Braun (co-producer), engineer extraordinaire Shawn Penner (Mother Mother, Hannah Georgas, Elias) and mixer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Polyphonic Spree, The Walkmen).
Tickets: $10 available @ Streaming Cafe
Time: 10pm (PST)


The Crackling - SAT. OCT. 13th
Kenton Loewen has seasoned himself as a touring musician having been on the road exstensively since 2000. Known mostly as a drummer (Dan Mangan, Mother Mother, Gordon Grdina Trio), The Crackling is his work in songwriting and his focus in guitar.
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)

Sunparlour Players w/guest Kalle Mattson - THURSDAY, OCT 18th 
Known for their intense celebration of a live show ("a must see!!" - CBC 3) the Sunparlour Players continue to bring their unique sound to the masses. Come out and see for yourself.

In the three short years since Kalle Mattson began writing songs, he and his band have grown from a Dylan-influenced solo act into a full on experimental folk-rock quintet. With two full-lengths already under his young belt, and a video for “Thick As Thieves” from the his second album “Anchors“ with over 1,000,000 views.

Tickets: $15 available @ Streaming Cafe
Time: 8pm (PST)



Reuben and the Dark - SAT., OCT 18th 
Reuben and the Dark is the newest project from Calgary's Reuben Bullock. The quartet weaves together sounds and vocal harmonies that create an unexpected texture that finds ways of translating the confusing language of emotion into song and melody; sounding simultaneously ancient and uniquely contemporary. Recently brought to London by Mariead Nash (Manager of Florence and the Machine/Blood Orange), the band has returned from Europe with a new release in tow. Multi-instrumentalist Scott Munro (Chad van Gaalen, Ghostkeeper), drummer Distance Bullock (SAVK, Bring Fire), and guitarist Shea Alain round out the ensemble.
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)



Maurice w/ Matthew de Zoete - SAT., OCT 27th 
Maurice - Sometimes from bad luck or circumstance, amazing opportunities and transformations can arise. This is much the case for Maurice, a man, and a band, born and raised in Victoria BC Canada. From a major label signing, lofty expectations, and working closely with producer David Foster in Hollywood, to tumult and shattered dreams, out of a mishandled career path and naivety, Jean-Paul Maurice was able to pick up the pieces of a misdirected career path and take his music and art into his own hands.

Matthew de Zoete - Imagine Nick Drake cheering up a bit and living long enough to work with Beck, and you have an idea of how Matthew de Zoete sounds on his new album Colour Film. Produced by Les Cooper (Jill Barber, Good Lovelies, Meaghan Smith) and graced with beautiful harmonies by Julie Fader (Sarah Harmer, Great Lake Swimmers), Colour Film displays the confidence and strength of a young man hitting his stride.
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)

Sunparlour Players “AC/DC visits Little House on the Prairie”

by Malcolm Petch

It’s hard to convey the refreshment it gave me to open up the Sunparlour Players website and see among the ever-present (ad-nauseam) social media icons on their homepage (you know: facebook, twitter, myspace, youtube, itunes, yada yada) a green symbol amongst the others labeled “BERNARDIN”. The best part? The link really was to the home-canning company (apparently they make there own jam...no joke!).

That iconography is, in itself, an adroit snapshot of the larger Sunparlour experience. Labeling themselves as alternative folk or punk folk act, Sunparlour Players exist more in the indescribable outer rim of indie acts who escape description: Macleans magazine described them as “AC/DC visits Little House on the Prairie”, but I’d say they’re more like “Julie Doiron visits Snailhouse” – definitely more experimental and fun than AC/DC, and a lot less formulaic than Little House on the Prairie!

Check out the SP music on Bandcamp. The EP “Sunparlour Preserves” is completely worth the 11 and-a-half minutes it takes to listen through. It’s well worth clicking on ‘buy now’ and naming a price that will leave some cash in the band’s collective pockets. And, of course, you’ll see by the name of the album (and the last track) why they have a “BERNARDIN” icon on their home page.

The photos of Yanni on their facebook page take the experience even further.

SP take their name from the Ontario region nicknamed “Canada’s Sun Parlour”, an area where SP songwriter and founding member Andrew Penner grew up.  Besides songwriting, Penner contributes his skills in the areas of lead vocals, guitar, bass, banjo, bass organ pedals (Geddy Lee influence noted), percussion, and kick drum. Michael Rosenthal, the other founding member, is not to be outdone: he brings drums, glockenspiel, banjo, backing vocals, keyboards and bass to the mix. Both Rosie and Penner come from Ontario, and Sunparlour Players make their home in Toronto.

While the band delight in arranging their own gigs in any location from barns and backyards to theatres and clubs, they certainly don’t shake a stick at opportunities to tour or perform with other acts, including gigs with Blue Rodeo, Mumford & Sons, and Plants and Animals.
When SP hits Streaming Café on October 18, they’ll be sharing the intimate stage with Kalle Mattson, another Ontario singer/songwriter who is blazing upward in sonic recognition not only in Canada but around the world.

Propelling his music and his name globally since this past November, Mattson’s music video “Thick as Thieves” has received on-air and online attention from media giants including Time Magazine, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Much Music, and CBS News. The National Post, in commenting on all this attention, highlighted Mattson as one of five musicians poised to breakout in 2012.

The video for Thick as Thieves, created for only $250 in materials (and tons of hours of careful work) showcases the history of the world in stop-motion animation. That’s an ambitious goal in any genre.
As a Dylan-inspired solo act who has now grown into a full-on experimental folk-rock quintet show, Kalle Mattson has only been writing songs for three years. But it is pretty clear that he’s found something he’s good at: his 2009 debut album “Whisper Bee” garnered two Northern Ontario Music Award nominations and a Top 100 placement in the Billboard World Song Contest. Album number two, “Anchors”, won the award for Group Album of the year at the afore-mentioned NOMA, and earned Mattson the 2011 SOCAN Songwriter of the Year Award. There was even a song placement on the TV show Degrassi.

“Lives In Between” is Kalle Mattson’s newest release, an EP featuring a new lineup and a new sound, and it came out in the spring of 2011. Mattson and crew have been touring the EP extensively while working on a full-length project also due out in 2012.
Both of these Ontario acts are impossible to capture in words. Their music needs to be heard to be appreciated. (That sentence is in the passive voice; let’s try that again: You neeeeed to hear their music!!). The Streaming Café website has links to the bands’ websites, where you can hear their music first-hand, and SC is honoured to be able to present both groups live and in-person on October 18th.

If you’ve ever been to Streaming Café (596 Leon Ave, Kelowna BC), you’ll know how hard it is to find a seat when there’s good live music in town! Plan to get here in plenty of time to catch Sunparlour Players and Kalle Mattson – and in fact, if you buy your tickets ahead of time you’ll be guaranteed a spot (if it’s not already too late…).

Of course, out-of-towners and those unlucky enough to miss the ticket sales will be able to catch the music online, and will even be able to ask questions of the artist via our innovative tweet-your-questions setup. But you’ll want to be here in person…

8:00 p.m. on October 18 at Streaming Café. You’ll be glad you showed up!

Rococode: Guns, Sex and Glory

by Malcolm Petch

Very sorry, due to unforeseen circumstances Rococode had to cancel this show.

Guns, Sex & Glory. No, that’s not a promo for a new movie, nor is it the life-plan for a New York gang leader wannabe. Guns, Sex & Glory is the debut album from Rococode, a Vancouver-based ensemble that tours Eastern Canada as much as it does Western Canada.

Interestingly, the folks of Rococode describe themselves as ‘an evolving band of three Vancouver musicians’, yet all their publicity shots show four distinct members. That’s pretty efficient evolution.

The video for their song “Weapon”, posted on August 30, does a good job of capturing the essence of Rococode’s music. There’s an underlying darkness in the visual theme that supports the lyrical content of the song, yet the whole thing is wrapped in a robe of accessible and strong pop music that is engaging and enjoyable right from the start. Shades of  California pop bands slip through the track on occasion – in a good way.

Truth be told, all of Rococode’s videos are masterful and engaging. It’s clear these guys – or, rather, lady and gentlemen – know what they’re doing both with their music and with their visuals.

Dig a bit deeper, and it’s easy to see why the music seems so well constructed: it actually is well constructed. Laura Smith and Andrew Braun, founding members of the band, met at a Jazz school where, among other things, Andrew graded Laura’s Music History papers and played support in her solo project. And every bio that includes mutual time at a Jazz school is usually reflected in quality music.

As Laura and Andrew started collaborating more and began recording, the solo project transmogrified into something more like the Laura and Andrew Band (they even referred to themselves as LAB). Shaun Huberts (bass) and Johnny Andrews (drums) joined the line-up to help lay down tracks during early recording sessions after crossing paths with Andrew at a Victoria wedding where they were all faking their way through providing jazz background music. “The evening was highlighted by a 45-minute muzzak-inspired rendition of ‘Girl from Ipanema,’ ” says Andrew. “It was love at first note.” Andrew started bringing Shaun and Johnny in as backing musicians with Laura every once in a while, and when LAB started recording it just made sense to use Shaun and Johnny to round the tracks out.

Huberts and Andrews already had a good gig as bassist and drummer with Tegan and Sara, however, so when their LAB sessions in the studio ended they headed out on a T&S/Paramore tour while Braun and Smith were finishing up in the studio.

“When Shaun and Johnny came back [from their tour with Tegan and Sara] and we started to play live shows it was quickly apparent that it was a project they also wanted to be invested in,” says Andrew.  “We all came BACK to the studio after a long hiatus and recorded two (and a half) more songs… including Weapon… to finish up the record.” Braun says it was obvious to all four of them that they’d settled into being a band.

Rococode credits producer Ryan Guldemond with having the biggest and most obvious influence on Guns, Sex & Glory. Like Shaun and Johnny’s inclusion into the family, Guldemond’s role came about after a chance meeting one day. That serendipitous street encounter morphed into a significant time of pulling apart the songs Andrew and Laura had written, piecing the arrangements together, and really shaping the sound for the band.

The final results of the whole recording project literally speak for themselves, and Laura, Andrew, Johnny and Shaun have been touring their album together from even before it was released. Johnny and Shaun still have to split their time between their work with Tegan and Sara and their time with Rococode – but get them in the right place at the right time, and the music comes together!

That music will be coming together here at Streaming Café on October 6. And for all those who have ever thought to themselves, “Man, why are the shows so early at SC?”, you’ll be glad to hear that for this rare occasion Streaming Café will be hosting Rococode at the special showtime of 10:00pm Pacific time! Yes, that’s right: ten o’clock in the evening.

Rococode. In person. Intimate setting. Rare opportunity.

Cafe Art Display: Kristen Amy Cresswell

We are very happy to be displaying some amazing works on our cafe walls by the talented Kristen Amy Cresswell . Her art will be showcased for the next month, so come down and take them in. Visit Kristen's  facebook page for more information on her art.

BIO
Kristen Amy Cresswell was born in 1986 and raised in the Dutch dairy-farming community of Southern Ontario. In 2006 she made the move to Kelowna, BC where she now calls home! Living in two beautiful provinces has been a key inspiration to what she creates.

She has always found art in the things around her. A few of her earliest memories include making dandelion crowns during a baseball game, braiding strands of straw into little dolls, and drawing on her brand new jeans in ink during the ride home on the school bus, which her mom didn't quite appreciate as much as Kristen enjoyed doing it. Creating art has always been a vital part of her life.

Kristen is a self-taught artist who isn't afraid of colour. She pairs bright & bold colours with sharp clean lines. Her current fascination is with sunlight and how it affects the colours we see. The lack of light voiding the subject of colour, and the light during different times of day sometimes changing the colour itself! The result is beautiful, full-of-life, spectacularly coloured paintings.

This year, Kristen has shown her work at both Bean Scene coffee shops in January and May, at Art In The Park in August, at the Riot On The Roof event in August and now at Streaming Cafe for September.

September Performers | Video Overview

by Michael Donley
To start off the fall we've got an epic month of indie music, featuring a couple amazing mid-week performances along with our Saturday night shows. Have a look through videos from this months performers and take in some shows - online or live in person at the cafe!
If you missed out on a show, have a look through clips from hundreds of our past shows.

Raleigh - SATURDAY, SEPT. 8th 
Raleigh's lush composition draws on the finer elements of earthy folk and chamber pop with delicate melodies that hold the whole thing together. Cello, guitar, drums, and boy - girl duets weave through dynamic, newstyle prog-folk resulting in a sound that has been described as "a more thoughtful, elegant indie", and "dynamic, quirky folk." All three members have spent time playing with illustrious company, including Woodpigeon, The Dojo Workhorse and The Dudes.
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)


Krief - THURSDAY, SEPT. 13th
Guitarist for The Dears, Patrick Krief made his frontman mark with his solo project Black Diamond Bay. The April 2012 release of Hundred Thousand Pieces (Pirates Blend), presented the Montrealer at his finest, with beautifully heartbreaking, cinematic arrangements, and soulful lyrics and songwriting. Though Krief performed almost everything himself during the recording of the album (drums, piano, keys, bass, guitar, percussion, and vocals), he takes to the stage with a full band during his live shows, kicking his ornately instrumental music up a notch, creating a fuller, rocking sound, jam‐packed with soul. Have a look at Krief’s online concert series for a little taste of his music live off the floor.
Tickets: $12 available @ Streaming Cafe
Time: 8pm (PST)


Dogwood and Dahlia - SATURDAY, SEPT. 15th
Dogwood and Dahlia, hailed as “Vancouver’s youngest poet singers,” have captivated the Vancouver indie folk scene since their formation in the spring of 2011. With two EPs under their belt (“Nice to Meet You” in May 2011 and more recently, “The Sea” in December 2011,) the band is excited to meet new people, see new places, hear new music and get people dancing as they tour this summer, before returning to Vancouver to record a full length album in early 2013.
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)

Zaac Pick - SATURDAY, SEPT. 22nd
When Zaac Pick sings about the inconstancy of time, you can’t help but believe he has the experience to back it up. The Vancouver singer-songwriter brings an older-than-his-years wisdom to every melody his new four-song EP, Whitewater.  2012 has seen the Whitewater EP nominated for a West Coast Music Award for Best Solo Roots Recording, the title track added into regular rotation on CBC 3, and the accompanying video on MuchMusic. With a cross-country tour behind him, Zaac is currently working on his first full-length album.
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)



Michael Bernard Fitzgerald - THURSDAY, SEPT. 27th 
There’s a lot to love about Michael Bernard Fitzgerald (MBF). His sweet, approachable disposition gives way to an undeniable confidence onstage. He is a man who can break hearts playing solo with an acoustic guitar and in equal measure, make venues soar with full backing bands, choirs and dancers. From his modest first show at a tiny folk club in 2005, to the heights of Virginfest, touring the country with Hey Ocean and playing shows with the likes of Stars, k-os, and a fall 2010 Canadian tour supporting Lights, the course is now charted for Michael to embark on his next musical journey; the release of his new record in the spring of 2012.
Tickets: $10 available @ Streaming Cafe
Time: Two Seatings - 7pm (Early Show) + 10pm (Late Show)



The Jon Cohen Experimental - SATURDAY, SEPT. 29thh
The Jon Cohen Experimental is the brainchild of Montreal musician & songwriter Jon Cohen. Having been a key member of such diverse and popular bands as The Dears, The Social Register and many more, Jon formed his own group in the spring of 2006 as a response to over a decade of service to the prolific Montreal music scene. Arming himself with looper pedals, drum machines, casio-like keys, a bass guitar and trippy projected visuals.
Tickets: FREE SHOW
Time: 7pm (PST)

MBF: 2 Shows - 1 Night

by Malcolm Petch

Michael Bernard Fitzgerald (MBF) blew through Streaming Café the first time as part of Breakout West, the music fest surrounding the Western Canadian Music Awards. The WCMAs were held in Kelowna in October of 2010.

The place here was packed and the atmosphere was more than electric – which was strange, because MBF only had an acoustic guitar with him. But he tore up the crowd, blazing through a high-energy set that had people literally on their feet dancing by the end of the show.

Dancing doesn’t usually happen at SC. And dancing people crowding the stage with surging motion that blocks the streaming cameras definitely never happens. But it did. We loved it.

MBF is no stranger to the road, having toured the country with Hey Ocean and playing shows with folks like k-os and Stars. And MBF usually goes onstage in a big way: herding 40 musicians and artists through an Alberta-based University Theatre tour, playing at Grand Theatre in Calgary with a 26-person backing band, returning twice more to play with 54 performers on the stage at the same time, taking a 25-member choir on tour through Lethbridge, Kelowna, Edmonton, and Vancouver, plus two sold-out shows at Knox Centre Theatre in Calgary, and generally blazing through the landscape without much regard for musical decorum.

We were happy to find that MBF’s experience at SC was as enjoyable for him as it was for us; he worked with us to stream his album-release ‘party’ gig live in June of 2011, and we brought him back again in February of this year.

Now it’s time for another show! Michael will be joining us for two mid-week shows on Thursday, September 27. We’ll be live in the café and streaming the early show at 7pm, and it’ll be in-house only for the second show at 10pm. Tickets for either show are $10 plus fees in advance, or $15 at the door. They’re available at Streaming Cafe or online at http://mbfsept27.eventbrite.com/

Join the crowd who love MBF – check out his previous performance videos, and get your tickets for September 27…
...just added to the bill is the amazing Ali Milner! - The Province praised her “powerful vocals, command of the stage and fiery red locks,” while Discorder called her “a soulful, old-fashioned jazz singer, with style and talent beyond her years.”

Zaac Pick | On the heels of a WCMA nomination.

by Malcolm Petch
There was a full house at SC this past Saturday, and an out-of-town visitor asked me about the pre-show music.

“Who are we listening to?” asked the guest. “This is good!”

The music on tap was by Zaac Pick, and the visitor’s reaction to it was common to first-time hearers of Zaac’s music.

Here at SC we first heard Zaac live when he visited Streaming Café in February of 2010. The gear got hauled in and set up, we were doing our normal soundcheck routine, and it seemed like a typical show setup. Until Zaac started playing.

The camera and lighting guy paused in his setup routine. The sound guy actually looked up from the board. The web sound guy came in from the van. The baristas stopped barista-ing and came out from behind the counter to watch and listen.

“Wow,” we said to each other. “This guy is really good.”

Since Streaming Café opened in 2009 we’ve had literally hundreds of artists come through our doors. The fact that we can remember Zaac’s first appearance testifies to the quality of his music and the tastiness of his appearance. And he’s been back twice since that first gig.

And on Saturday, September 22, we have the privilege of hosting him again.

This time out, Zaac is fresh on the heels of a nomination in the Best Solo Roots Recording category for this year’s Western Canadian Music Awards. His new four-song EP, Whitewater, was released last November as a follow-up to 2009’s Fierce Wind.


And lest you think our enthusiasm for Pick is just an in-house Streaming Café thing, you should know that others have been quick to pick up on the quality and freshness of his songs, too: My Century, from the 2009 EP, won top prize in Vancouver’s Shore 104FM Song Search contest. And three TV dramas, One Tree Hill, Degrassi, and Ghost Whisperer, all featured other tracks from the Fierce Wind EP.

That Song Search win helped Zaac with his latest EP, as part of the prize got him off and running into Nimbus Recording School to work with Canadian producer GGGarth Richardson. Richardson – engineer for Motley Crue, Nickelback, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others – runs the school as a way to pass on his expertise, and worked on Pick’s project with Shawn Cole, producer of other SC alumni including Yukon Blonde.

Guitarist for The Dears - Krief at Streaming Cafe

A piece of music can be listened to over and over – understood and loved by its listener. And then the piece is heard live, and another level of understanding and appreciation is opened up. This is indeed true for Krief. Through the live performance of his music, you can see with your own eyes the skill and talent he has as a musician, and the passion he has for his song‐writing as he belts out the heart felt, intensely personal lyrics. Armed with a collection of 10 soul bearing tracks from his latest solo offering, Hundred Thousand Pieces, Krief is ready to hit the road and take his music to the masses. Kicking off in Winnipeg, MB on September 5, he will head west on a nine‐city Canadian tour, bringing his songs to life on the Streaming Cafe stage on Thursday, Sept. 13th..

Guitarist for The Dears, Patrick Krief made his frontman mark with his solo project Black Diamond Bay. The April 2012 release of Hundred Thousand Pieces (Pirates Blend), presented the Montrealer at his finest, with beautifully heartbreaking, cinematic arrangements, and soulful lyrics and songwriting. Though Krief performed almost everything himself during the recording of the album (drums, piano, keys, bass, guitar, percussion, and vocals), he takes to the stage with a full band during his live shows, kicking his ornately instrumental music up a notch, creating a fuller, rocking sound, jam‐packed with soul. Have a look at Krief’s online concert series for a little taste of his music live off the floor.


Hundred Thousand Pieces is a culmination of a journey that began at the knee of his musically inclined uncle, where a young Patrick scratched at the six strings his older self would master. It is an expedition that truly took flight when, influenced by the songbooks of McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and Hendrix, the 13‐year‐old guitar prodigy would sneak into bars around his native Montreal, jamming with their house bands; it is
one that continues to mature with every face‐melting flurry the virtuoso burns into the blown minds of audiences around the world.

Don't miss Krief's live appearance, up close and personal at the Streaming Cafe - Thursday, September 13th. Ticket are $12 in advance and now available online or at the cafe.

Cafe Art Display: Acrylic paintings by Randy Bone

We are very happy to be displaying some amazing Acrylic paintings on our walls by talented local artist Randy Bone. The art will be showcased for the next month at the cafe, so come down and take them in.


Randy Bone - Biography & Artist Statement 
Randy grew up in the North Okanagan and resides in Kelowna. He spent his childhood among nature, and lived on a spacious corner lot fitted with gardens trees, and a workshop; his inspirational sources. Randy’s most referenced of these memories were the moments in time when he sat alone in these environments. He was able to witness the silent business of life cycles, learning by observation, experimentation, and contemplation.

Since early adulthood he has pursued his interests in painting and drawing in a dedicated, self-directed manner. In 2000 he began two years of formal fine arts instruction at OUC, now UBCO in Kelowna.

 He has produced bodies of work in several mediums—these acrylic paintings were influenced by the gaseous nebulae of deep space and lunar impact craters. They delve into the physics and mark-making potential of both the flow of paint and acrylic medium and the physical impact of objects upon the paint medium itself. The materials were applied at varying distances, allowing randomness, natural shaping, gravity and flow.

For an online gallery go to http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.89727753713.105517.675563713&type=3
& for more info contact Randy at:

randyboneartist@hotmail.com

 250 712 1065

August Performers | Video Overview

by Michael Donley
One of the perks of the summer months is that we are able to grab some great touring artists that are hitting the festivals and doing some "vacation touring". Once again we are very happy to present quality indie performers this August, so be sure to have a look through their videos, music and all their websites have to offer. Catch a show this month at the cafe and enjoy our new patio in person or if you live out of town check out the live stream - every Saturday night!
If you missed out on a show this last month have a look through clips from all our past shows.
Nuuka & Bed of Stars - AUG 4th - 7pm (PST)
Nuuka is a Kelowna based band who in a very short time of been making waves in the local scene. Known as Indie/Pop/Rockers with strong melodies, catchy hooks and harmonies, Nuuka will have your ears and maybe even your hands and feet.

Bed of Stars is the outlet for the passionate and talented Evan Konrad, a twenty-two-year old prodigy from British Columbia with a flare for sensationalizing the emotive qualities of music. He recently worked with Juno-nominated producer Daniel Victor, the man behind the chart topping collaborative project known as Neverending White Lights. He collaborated with NWL for the video Falling Apart that was nominated for  Video of The Year at the 2012 SiriusXM Indie Awards !



Ali Milner - AUG 11th - 7pm (PST)
Very happy to have to Ali Milner at the cafe - at 21 years old, she has already been recording and performing for eleven years. Ali just completed 8 weeks on the CBC reality television show, Cover Me Canada placing third out of thousands of applicants.
 


Indio Saravanja w/ Jason Lowe  - AUG 18th 7pm (PST)
Indio Saravanja - born in Argentina and raised in the Canadian North, this one time actor/dancer/singer from a blue collar background (see Billy Elliot) was busking in Montreal subways by the age of fifteen, performing as a street musician in Spain by seventeen, and, at nineteen, doing his first real gig in New York, courtesy of his friend Jeff Buckley. He most recently won First Place at The 2012 Calgary Folk Festival Song Competition.

Special guest Jason Lowe the 23year old composer from Jan Juc Australia, walks his own individual path throughout the arts, and the planet. Currently in Canada, Jason is out to promote and tour his brand new Self titled album for the most part of 6 months or more before then returning home for a long line of touring in his homeland.




Matt Epp & Adrian Glynn -  AUG 25th - 7pm (PST)
Aug 25th is going to be an amazing show from two talented singer/songwriters.
Winnipeg's Matt Epp regards himself as a writer of songs that he describes as "soulful folk." "Matt Epp is simply one of the best of a this new generation of fine songwriters" - Gary Cristall, Vancouver Folk Music Festival 2010

In a music world littered with singer-songwriters, Adrian Glynn stands apart. The Vancouver-based troubadour takes any opportunity to defy convention: he has turned murder ballads into spell-binding, microphone-free serenades, and abandoned the standard rock band setup in favour of suitcase kick drums and clawhammer piano strings.

Matt Epp and Adrian Glynn

by Malcolm Petch
August 25th marks one of Streaming Café’s two-artist shows, a new tradition for us here at SC. Many-appearance Adrian Glynn from Vancouver will be paired with Winnipeg’s Matt Epp.


Matt Epp has hit the ground running over the last several years. Rather than eking along as a part-time musician and part-time something else-that-pays-the-bills, Epp chose to dive in with both feet and both hands, writing, recording, and touring full-time. Five albums over nine years, with a new one in the works, have given Epp a repertoire of original music that rivals any ‘big-label’ artist.

He’s also got one of the coolest websites I’ve seen for a singer/songwriter (http://www.mattepp.com).


There’s a greater pop sensibility in Epp’s songs than there is in a lot of artists who identify themselves as folkies (and Epp does identify himself amongst that genre: he calls his songs “soulful folk”).  Pop sensibilities? Yes. The tunes have memorable hooks both musically and lyrically, and they’re recorded for the most part with fairly fully fleshed-out full-band arrangements. Perhaps rock sensibilities would be a better term, but the angelic background vocals and string parts on several tracks would survive better in the pop world than they would in the rock world.  Epp’s bio describes him as liking Dylan, Young, Cohen, and Jonathan Richman, and seeing himself in their tradition, and that is evident in his songs; but there are definitely more contemporary elements as well in Epp’s arrangements and vocal stylings. I would even say I heard shades of Coldplay as I listened, but I wouldn’t want to be insulting to Matt (and I wouldn’t want to admit that I know what Coldplay sound like…). Fact is, I really liked Matt’s songs as I went through them to get to know him and his art.

Again about the website: if you’d like to get a good understanding of what drives Matt Epp, check out his music right on his website. You’ll see what I mean about the coolness of his site, and as the music cascades from track to track you’ll be hard pressed to not click on the ‘buy on iTunes’ link…

Matt Epp is a true artist, dedicated to his craft as a performer and songwriter. An evening of his music would be a wonderful way to spend a Saturday night.

Adrian Glynn has spent time at SC on several occasions in the past, each time in a slightly different guise. His song “Bruise” is showcased on his Previous Performances page, and the video is an example of the work ethic Adrian brings to his music: while other artists would perhaps bring a stomp box to add rhythm to their guitar playing, Adrian brought a full kick drum to bang on while he was playing and singing.


Glynn is known for his ballads and intriguing lyrics. In 2010, part of Glynn’s touring involved musical and literary events in the UK, and the Word! Festival in Leicester described his show as “…funny, charming, and shockingly brilliant… the lyrics are poems, and the performance astonishing.” CBC Radio3 host Grant Lawrence named Adrian Glynn as his “act to see” at the Pop Okanagan festival in 2011.


Anyone who’s seen Adrian Glynn at SC will rightfully expect a solid and engaging performance by this stage veteran. Coupled with Matt Epp, this will be a night well worth the entrance fee (and yes, of course, this show is free… but it’d still be worth it even if you had to pay for the tickets!). Live in-person and online at 7pm, Saturday, August 25th. 

"Fiery Redhead" Ali Milner

by Malcolm Petch

Cover Me Canada 2012 (third place). Lilith stage Summer 2010. Closing ceremonies for the 2010 Paralympic Games. JunoFest 2009. CBC Radio 2 and Radio 3.

Chances are you’ve seen and heard Ali Milner on TV or on the radio sometime over the last couple of years.

Most recently she showed up as the fiery redhead with the hot band on the reality show “Cover Me Canada”. (Actually, she always shows up as a fiery redhead). Ali Milner is climbing the tracks of awareness these days, letting her smooth voice and keyboard talents speak for themselves while her visual presence makes its own mark.

Ali is 22 years old. Her first album (Ali Milner) came out in 2005. If you do the math, you can see that she was 15 when that album debuted on the Venus/EMI label. And here’s a further kicker: Ali already had five years of experience under her belt when she released that album.

It’s a rarity to find someone in his or her early twenties who already has a decade of performing experience in hand. What does that mean? Well, it’s clear from the first notes of her music that this is someone who is not a flash-in-the-pan; this isn’t some college student who’s decided that she’d like to start writing songs and singing as something fun to do on the weekend. Ali Milner is very obviously focused on her music as a career. Her vocal agility shows that she’s logged a lot of time in practice sessions and, very likely, in training sessions as well. Her pitch is strong, stable, and well-defined, and her confident piano work supports her voice with understated assurance.

In 2009 Ali recorded her second album, I Dare You, and did it all live-from-the-floor to tape, adding strings and horns in post-production. That’s the kind of recording that a veteran jazz performer might elect to do, someone who knows what they want to play and when they want to play it. You can hear the music yourself on her website – you’ll find that the finished product is tasty and engaging, trailing elements of jazz and soul through pathways of pop that catch your ear on the first listen.

After Milner’s successful appearance on “Cover Me Canada”, it’s crystal clear that Ali’s live performance skills are up there with the best of those who’ve already logged a decade as a performer.  Among other cover tunes she performed, she sang “Black Velvet” as a duet with Alannah Myles during the seventh episode of the series.

And we get to have Ali here at Streaming Café on August 11, with one of the bonuses being that at Streaming Café Milner will be performing a lot of her own songs, rather than the covers she had to perform as part of the TV show.

Milner’s Kelowna appearance will be one of a number she’ll be involved in during her week in the Kelowna area. She will discover what we all know: Whistler’s great, but there’s no place like Kelowna! And when she’s done here she’ll be heading back to her home base of Vancouver for the first Peak Performance Project showcase of the fall season.

We invite you to take in this special appearance by a Canadian artist who’s going to be making her mark more and more on the national and international scene. With the intimate listening-room setting of Streaming Café, this will be a rare up-close-and-personal performance that you’ll want to be part of. C’mon, you know you’ll be kicking yourself if you miss this one! August 11 at 7pm, live in-person at 596 Leon Ave in Kelowna, or live online at streamingcafe.net

Wax Mannequin-Madame Tussauds would not be happy

by Malcolm Petch
Madame Tussauds would not be happy with Hamilton-based Wax Mannequin: he shape shifts as readily as a wizard’s wand on a day off in the country. That’s not usually a desired trait in a sculpture of wax.

Wax Mannequin, the stage name of indie singer-songwriter Chris Adeney, embraces a genre he calls “Strange-Folk”, and it’s clear he’s not losing sleep trying to fit into someone else’s definition of what makes a successful touring music act. And therein lies the beauty: the freshness of Wax’s writing is unencumbered by presumption and pretending. His lyrics – sometimes abstract, other times apparently just absurd – show a mind ready and willing to step outside the circle of “same-old, same-old” in order to capture whatever is needed to continue the ever-expanding scope of expression Wax obviously enjoys.

Like any good recording artist, Wax’s early work consisted of four-track recordings made with nylon-stringed guitar and circuit-bent electronics (that’s when you take some toy like a “See ‘n Spell” and tweak its electronic innards until it emits controllable squawks that can be used in music-making…). And when he started playing bars in the southern Ontario region in the early 2000’s, that’s the type of music he put on display – very much a performance artist as well as a musician. His second album, entitled and Gun, came out in 2003 as Wax started travelling outside his standard geographical playing locations.

As his music-touring region grew, so did his volume of expression; by 2004 Wax was waxing eloquent with distorted electric guitars and “bombastic” electronic accompaniment. The shape shifting was underway. His two albums from that period (2004’s The Price and 2007’s Orchardand Ire) are full band-backed records that reflect that louder passion.

2009 saw another shift, with a record entitled Saxon that was decidedly contemplative when compared to Wax’s previous two albums.  A focus on melody and deeper lyrics overshadowed the loud energy of earlier work, and the album earned a growing following for Wax Mannequin in Europe. The following is growing so much, in fact, that Saxon was re-released on Germany’s Artful Sounds record label.

The latest album from Wax’s arsenal, No Safe Home, reflects an even more intense shape shift to a wandering muse theme, and is even a further move along the scale away from loud electric to ambient acoustic. Wax’s own PR writing calls No Safe Home a “…hauntingly spacious, sparsely produced acoustic record”, and it’s clear even from the album title that Wax has found more resonance in travelling with his music than he has in staying home.

From a 2009 interview in Exclaim! Canada: “For nearly a decade, Hamilton ON's Wax Mannequin has toiled in relative obscurity, bringing his amalgam of electro-folk and post-modern classic rock to different continents and as many real and makeshift venues as possible. That hard worn, roundabout path brings us to the masterful Saxon, an earnest batch of songs, most of which are performed on classical guitar and blend Wax Mannequin's trademark theatricality and darkly humorous perspective like nothing he's ever issued.“

And Wax Mannequin will make his StreamingCafé debut on July 28th. This seems like a perfect match: an acoustic yet electronic singer-songwriter taking stage on the folk-ish wood-wall stage of SC and being streamed digitally live around the world.

Well worth the trek to Streaming Café! Live in person at 596 Leon Ave in Kelowna, or online at streamingcafe.net; in either case, it all happens at 7pm Pacific time. Hope to see you there!

Germany's Sarah Brendel | North American Album Release

by Malcolm Petch

At Streaming Café we tend to develop long-term relationships with some of our favourite artists. One of those becoming a regular fixture here is Sarah Brendel, who will be joining us on July 7th.

What’s different about this long-term relationship, though, is that Sarah is from Germany, and her town of Dresden is a looong way from us here on the western-most side of North America.

Brendel is touring in support of her new album, Before the Mountains, which has just been released. In contrast to the produced layers of instruments on some of her earlier work, …Mountains is all what-you-see-is-what-you-get, with vocals, guitar and drums all recorded live-from-the-floor with no overdubs. The result is a faithful representation of a live Brendel performance, with both grit and poignancy coming through clearly.

Before the Mountains was produced by Brendel’s friend Arno Jordan, and recorded in the German artist-community facility where both Brendel and Jordan live with their respective families. The rustic retreat centre that both their families call home is a large manor house, or Schloss, that is set in the tiny hamlet of Rhorsdorf on the outskirts of Dresden (made famous in Kurt Vonnegut’s 1969 novel Slaughterhouse-Five). The castle-like centre houses several different families who have gathered together as part of an artistic community. There’s an in-house pub, too…

photo by Hanna Stober

Sarah Brendel has graced the wood wall at Streaming Café in July 2010 and again in August of 2011 (seems to be a summer-time theme happening here…). “Graced the wood wall” means she’s played here. And already in 2012 she’s been part of the Lille Gard music fest, playing alongside other international and regional artists in the outdoor Canada-Day weekend festival hosted by Tribehouse.


Before the Mountains is definitely a full-length album. Some of the 15 tracks are fresh recordings of tunes that have been featured in Sarah’s earlier performances here at Streaming Café, while most are new to listeners everywhere. There are definite influences showing on this recording, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and it doesn’t take a hard stretch of imagination to hear shades of Larry Norman and even Sgt. Pepper floating to the surface in different songs. In fact, there are a couple of song intros that might even leave you thinking you’re about to hear a Johnny Cash tune; but it develops into a Brendel original, of course.


One of the joys of hearing live music is being able to groove along to songs you already know; often a new album-release tour show involves old faves interlaced among the new tunes, so that concert-goers can get their fill of tunes they already know plus get exposure to the new tracks. But in this marvelous digital age, Sarah Brendel fans can get a listen to the new album ahead of time (and even buy it, of course) by following this link to Before the Mountains posted on the SC website.


Check out Sarah Brendel’s new album, enjoy some of the live videos of her previous SC performances, and then make a date with yourself (or someone you like) to see and hear this energetic German singer-songwriter live at Streaming Café on July 7th; as always, show starts live in person and online at 7pm Pacific time.


Here's the video "What A Happy Life" from here new album that was filmed in Dresden.

July Performers | Video Overview

by Michael Donley
We've got another great line-up of performers for the month of July. Joining us across the Canadian landscape from Vancouver to Nova Scotia, hoping the border to Boston and spanning the ocean to Germany & New Zealand. Every artist is definitely worth digging into, so have a look through the videos and links. Hope to see you at a show this month, either in person or the inter-web!
If you missed a performance from last month check out highlights in our past shows section.

Sarah Brendel - July 7th - 7pm (PST)
We are very happy to have our friends Sarah Brendel back at the cafe. Sarah is singer-songwriter from Germany and she is celebrating the North American release of her new album "Before the Mountains".  Unique voice, writing and talent.



Pat LePoidevin w/ van der Wel - July 14th - 7pm (PST)
If you've been following the Streaming Cafe for a while you'll know that we released a full length live album with Pat LePoidevin from his performance a year and a half ago (Pat LePoidevin live at Streaming Cafe). It's great to have him back! Pat brings his unique writing and performance style to the cafe on the 14th.
New Zealand's van der Wel opens the show and brings his rough-hewn folk songs to what is sure to be a packed house. He was an original member of indie/rock band Treelines when he lived in Kelowna.



The Abramson Singers w/Rachel Taylor - July 21st - 7pm (PST)
Vancouver native Leah Abramson, formerly of traditional folk bands Dyad, The Crooked Jades, and indie-rockers Octoberman enlisted her friends in some of Vancouver’s best-loved bands (members of Fond of Tigers, Dan Mangan’s band, Headwater) to play her haunting folk-noir originals as The Abramson Singers.
Leah (Abramson Singers) first caught my ears with her song "Fools Gold". A really great tune.


Rachel Taylor  is a Boston based performing songwriter who spent just enough time at Berklee to make her dangerous and has spent enough time on the road to make her strong. She creates a blend of alternative folk and intelligent pop.



Wax Mannequin -  July 28th - 7pm (PST)
Wax Mannequin has toured incessantly within Canada over the past six years (+ 30 times!), with more recent forays into Europe and Australia. He has built up a devoted fan base and released 6 albums that have all done really well on College Radio. He has toured with the likes of Geoff Berner, BA Johnston, Jenny Omnichord and the Burning Hell, to name a few, and has had the honor of opening up for such great acts such as The Arcade Fire, The Weakerthans, The Rheostatics, White Cowbell Oklahoma and many more...
Going to be a wicked show!