Music
Press
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Popular Quinte Region band Motion Picture Ending's fan support has been strong enough to elevate them to the Emergenza Festival Toronto Finals.
The Emergenza Festival is a worldwide showcase of the best unsigned bands. The Toronto region had registered 498 bands. It's down to the final thirteen.
Motion Picture Ending successfully graduated through 3 preliminary festival rounds at The Kathedral and The Reverb clubs in Toronto. Based on fan support, they have moved through the successive preliminary rounds to now perform in the Toronto Final Showcase. Motion Picture Ending will perform at The Opera House, 735 Queen St. E. Toronto on Saturday June 10, 2006. Start time is 8:30 pm.
Motion Picture Ending is thrilled with the support they have received so far in the Emergenza Music Festival and invite fans to support them to the next level.
You can visit their results at:
http://www.emergenza.net/document/bands/search.asp?bandcod=29880
Motion picture Ending appeared in two episodes of "THE WILKINSONS" a fun reality-based series aired this year on CMT.
Following their Opera House appearance, Motion Picture Ending will be playing in Trenton at the Ride For Sight fundraiser at the Amphitheatre in Centennial Park on Friday, June 23rd.
Motion Picture Ending will be the opening act for Matt Mays and El Torpedo at the Classic Hits 95.5 Belleville Waterfront Festival on Saturday July 8th.
Motion Picture Ending will also perform at Mohawk Raceway as part of the Mohawk Raceway Summer Concert Series on Sunday July 16th.
For more dates and information about Motion Picture Ending, please visit motionpictureending.com
- Trentonian
One of Canada's Biggest Prospects.
Young, fresh and brilliant.
- Emergenza 2006 North American CD liner notes
Saturday, August 25, 2007
By Luke Hendry
Struggling musicians take heart: there is life beyond the bar.
Just ask the trio of local acts who opened three nights of music at last month's Empire Classic Rock Festival.
Despite the pressure to wow the crowd, members of each act said it was a great opportunity.
As a guitarist and singer in his family's country band, The Wilkinsons, Tyler Wilkinson has performed in plenty of big gigs - but that didn't stop him from being excited when his rock band, Quinte-based Motion Picture Ending, took the festival's opening slot ahead of April Wine and Cheap Trick.
"Oh, man, it was awesome, one of the coolest experiences for all of us," gushed Wilkinson when asked about the night.
"All of us have a great respect for guys like that who paved the way for younger bands.
"To open for a band like that - it's kind of an eye-opener."
As the festival's youngest act, he said half-jokingly, "We were a lot less wrinkled than anybody else who was on that stage."
The band's largest previous gig was their 2006 show at Belleville's Waterfront festival, when MPE appeared before Matt Mays and El Torpedo.
"The fact that we have accomplished this stuff in two years is pretty fantastic," Wilkinson said, explaining it's faster progress than he and bandmates Curtis Weekes, Greg Bolton, and Justin Devries expected.
"We definitely knew we couldn't screw it up," he said of the gig. "We rehearsed our butts off for that show - not that we didn't put all our effort into every show. We had to make sure everything was super, super tight and sounding good.
"There definitely was a level of pressure for the show. It's not like you're opening up for other bands at your level."
Wilkinson said MPE will release its first full album within a year, and has attracted interest from Canadian record labels and U.S. producers.
In the meantime, he said, having the festival on MPE's resume‚ helps. "It shows a little bit of the clout that you have."
All of the acts praised Empire owner Mark Rashotte for his attention to giving local acts stage time at such a large event.
Wilkinson called him a "great supporter."
- The Intelligencer
Friday, November 17, 2006
By Michael J. Brethour
Belleville - Though filming of the live video shoot may be done, the show appears to be far from over for Trenton's alternative rock group, Motion Picture Ending.
Trenton's own Motion Picture Ending, a band featuring Tyler Wilkinson of the Grammy nominated The Wilkinsons, played The Empire Theatre in Belleville on Friday, November 10th opening for L.A.'s hottest alternative rock band, Rainshine. The show was a live video taped concert, to be used in the future for promotional marketing.
Though the show came up nearly at a last minute, according to Wilkinson in an over the phone interview, "The Band really clamped down, and practiced hard," said Wilkinson.
With the dazzling light display that patrons of the Empire Theatre have come to expect, Motion Picture Ending belted out tunes that literally had fans at the show standing and cheering. Wilkinson describes it as "a healthy mix of everything, with undertones of melodic pop rock."
When asked what influences the music of the band, Wilkinson replied, "The main musical influences of our work come from The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World and Radiohead."
The band performed a few songs such as Girl, Maybe, Science, These Eyes Through Bright Lights and Liquor, and many more. Between songs, Wilkinson and band members would explain the basic notion and meaning of the song to come.
Motion Picture Ending offers a blend of radio-friendly guitar driven rock with heart wrenching vocals and tight rhythms. Written by Tyler Wilkinson and composed by Curtis Weekes (bass and vocals), Justin Devries (drums and vocals) and Greg Bolton (guitar and vocals), the band has developed its own unique sound on pop rock.
The next booked appearance of Motion Picture Ending is booked for Dec. 16 at the Merchant Ale House in Kingston. This show is a split bill with The Emily Fennil Band. Wilkinson said "Some last minute shows may come up in the local area."
As far as future plans, Wilkinson indicated that the bands efforts would be dedicated to showcasing people in the L.A. and New York music scene.
The band played the last Waterfront Festival in Belleville, and relates that experience as "an awesome venue." Wilkinson stated that if asked, "The band would love to play Waterfront again." - The Shield
Saturday, June 24, 2006
By Luke Hendry
Next month’s Waterfront festival could be part of a promising beginning for new local band, Motion Picture Ending.
The alt-rock foursome will open for headliners Matt Mays and El Torpedo the night of Saturday, July 8.
In an interview this week, members said they can’t wait to play at this year’s Belleville Waterfront and Ethnic Festival.
“We’ve grown up going to this festival every year,” said singer-guitarist Tyler Wilkinson, 22, of Centre Hastings. He’s known for his singing and guitar work in his family’s Grammy-nominated, Juno winning country trio, The Wilkinsons.
“It’s such a big step for us,” said Greg Bolton, 20, of Trenton. He shares vocals and guitar parts with Wilkinson.
“It couldn’t be a better venue for us,” Bolton said.
The Waterfront concerts typically draw several thousand people an impressive crowd for a band like MPE, which has yet to even release an album.
But while their name might not yet be very well-known, the quartet has been playing locally and around Ontario fairly regularly, distributing their two-song demo CD and trying to build a fan base.
So far, they said, it seems to be working.
Last weekend, MPE placed fourth in the Emergenza Festival’s Canadian finals, and were voted best band by their competitors. The contest saw them playing to a crowd of hundreds at Toronto’s Opera House and an estimated 1,600 people last Saturday night at Montreal’s Club Medley.
During the months of competing, three of the group picked up new instruments as awards for their instrumental skills. Crowd feedback was frequent and very positive, Devries said.
The band formed just over a year ago, as Wilkinson began looking for a band to perform his own songs, a complete departure from his country act.
“I’ve been writing, waiting for the people that could make this music with me, for about six years now,” said Wilkinson.
After his family moved back to Hastings County from Nashville, Tenn., he began writing with Devries. They had been friends for years, and Devries had appeared as the drummer in the Wilkinsons’ Little Girl video.
They met Greg Bolton through a friend, and through him, hooked up with Curtis Weekes. A multi-talented musician, Weekes had been playing drums in a group with Bolton, but switched to bass for MPE. Their first jam was a promising one.
“In my other rock bands, none of it clicked,” said Wilkinson.
But MPE did click, particularly when they began to write music as a band.
“Then we knew we were destined to be together,” Wilkinson said.
“We’ve recorded enough stuff to release an EP, but we’re probably going to use that to get a record deal,” he said.
The band has no single frontman or lead guitarist, with all members considered equal.
“We just want to make the best music we can,” said Bolton. “Why put up borders?”
“We’re all connected when we’re on stage,” said Devries. “It’s not like, Look at me.’ We feed off each other There’s no ego.”
The musicians said they are dedicated to refining their sound and their live shows, regardless of the gig.
“Every show we play is a springboard,” Weekes said. “After the Opera House, we rocked out the same way for three people the next night. Every show counts for us.”
Their fast-paced single, Girl, is already in rotation at Loyalist College’s CJLX 91X radio station. The band is also trying to get airplay in other Ontario markets.
Other upcoming gigs include a July 16 appearance in Campbellville as part of the Mohawk Summer Concert Series. Wilkinson will also continue to tour with his family’s band.
For more on Motion Picture Ending, visit www.motionpictureending.com.
- The Intelligencer
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
By Luke Hendry
Local rock fans could get a few minutes of fame Wednesday night by volunteering to be on The Wilkinsons television show.
The people behind the program's second season are calling for extras to be volunteer audience members in a concert scene with Motion Picture Ending, the rock quartet that includes Tyler Wilkinson on guitar and vocals.
"In this season we're exploring Amanda's and Tyler's solo careers," producer Angela Donald said Monday between takes at Pinnacle Music Studios on Front Street.
The episode, being shot this week, delves deeper into Tyler's other life with MPE, a band which in the first season received only a few passing mentions.
Donald said MPE will perform several songs during Wednesday's shoot. The extras are needed to form the audience in the concert segment.
The 10 new episodes of season two are to begin airing in March 2007 on Country Music Television Canada.
- The Intelligencer
Friday, July 7, 2006
Performing at the Ride For Sight in Trenton on June 23, Tyler Wilkinson and his band Motion Picture Ending are already a success. Watch for them at the Belleville Waterfront Festival coming up on July 8.
Motion Picture Ending received three awards at the National Final of the Emergenza Festival Saturday evening at Club Medley in Montreal. The Emergenza Festival is a world wide battle of unsigned bands. Motion Picture Ending was judged best band at the Toronto final June 10th, competing with 498 other bands, earning the band a berth at the National final in Montreal over the past weekend. Tyler Wilkinson was judged best guitarist at the Toronto final.
At the Montreal final, Curtis Weekes was judged the best bass player and was awarded an Ampeg B2-R 500 Watt amplifier and cabinet. Justin Devries was judged best drummer and was awarded a complete Mapex drum kit for his stellar work. While the judges placed Motion Picture Ending 4th overall, most importantly, all of the bands competing in the finals voted Motion Picture Ending to be the best band. “To be voted best by your peers is an awesome statement about the band” said guitarist/vocalist Greg Bolton, “… this has been an amazing experience for us.”
Motion Picture Ending performed in Trenton at Ride For Sight on Friday, June 23. Motion Picture Ending will be the opening act for Matt Mays and El Torpedo at the Classic Hits 95.5 Belleville Waterfront Festival on Saturday July 8th. Motion Picture Ending will also perform at Mohawk Raceway in Campbellville, ON as part of the Mohawk Raceway Summer Concert Series on Sunday July 16th. For more information visit www.motionpictureending.com
- The Community Press
Discography
'Clarity in a World of Chaos' (TBR - 2010)
Produced by: David Kalmusky and Motion Picture Ending
1. White Flags
2. Girl
3. The Devil Wears Pink
4. Last Hallellusion
5. Call it a Day
6. Shifting Sand
7. Science
8. These Eyes (Through Bright Lights and Liquor)
9. The Light
10. Natural
11. One Light Town
12. Undertow
'Live for a Cause' - A live acoustic album (2009)
Produced by: Motion Picture Ending
1. The Devil Wears Pink
2. Last Hallellusion
3. White Flags
4. Be Somebody (Kings of Leon cover)
5. Shifting Sand
- Late '05 to early '06 - Motion Picture Ending recorded a two song demo - "Girl / Shake It Up", produced by Brian Moncarz (The Junction, Pilot Speed, Silverstein, Moneen).
- Spring 2006 - "Girl" is added in rotation at 91X Belleville and then achieves airplay on MIX 97 Belleville and on The Wolf 101.5 in Peterborough.
- "Girl" subsequently charted at #1 for two weeks on the 91X Indie Top 5 during the summer and had a run which ended in late September. "Girl" ended the year at Number 65 on the 91X Top 91 of 2006.
- The songs "Girl" and "Shake it Up" now combine with six recordings completed in the summer of 2005 in their hometown of Trenton: "Cold Feet", "A Day in the Life of Green", "The One", "Ode De Paris", "Emergency", and "Fade".
- To this, add two newer masters - "Letters" and "Maybe" - recorded at Pappa D's Studios in Trenton - February 2006.
- “Maybe” was added to the rotation of 91X Belleville and is featured on Kingston’s K-Rock 105.7. "Maybe" reached #1 on the 91X Indie Top 5 immediately following a great run with "Girl".
- "Maybe" is available on the CD “Weapons Grade Audio 2”, a Pappa D Recording Studio compilation release. "Maybe" is also included on the Emergenza 2006 North American CD compilation release.
- Four more MPE songs were recorded by Mark Rashotte in early '07 at The Studio Without Windows at The Empire Theatre in Belleville. "These Eyes", "The Devil Wears Pink", "Science", and "Natural" were mixed and mastered by David Kalmusky.
- "The Devil Wears Pink" ranked #4 on the 91X top indie tunes of 2007.
- Mid '09 - The album "Clarity in a World of Chaos" was recorded, mixed, and mastered with David Kalmusky at The Swamp and Blue Loft studios in Stratford, ON. The band posted blogs on MySpace and videos on YouTube throughout the process.
- Late '09 - "Clarity in a World of Chaos" is available for purchase on iTunes and CD Baby.
- Spring 2010 - "White Flags" is added in rotation at 91X Belleville and spends several weeks at #1 on their Indie Top 5 chart.
- March 2010 - "The Devil Wears Pink" is featured all month on K-Rock 105.7 Kingston. The track is also included on the soundtrack for the Lionsgate movie "Unrivaled".
- July 19, 2010 - Motion Picture Ending is the featured indieSolo artist of the day at indiesolo.com.
- There are a number of fan generated videos of live MPE performances and the band has also posted their own "MPEpisodes" on Youtube.
- MPE merches CDs and t-shirts at their gigs.
More great songs to come!
Photos
Bio
Think of the last time you were in a dark theatre and stepped out into the fresh air with your mind buzzing and emotions still running wild. Motion Picture Ending is a concept stemming from one of the most truthful moments you’ll ever experience at the end of a movie when nothing has skewed your thoughts and tainted your feelings.
Motion Picture Ending is an alternative rock band from Trenton, Ontario, Canada consisting of Tyler Wilkinson (lead vocals, guitar), Justin Devries (drums, vocals), Curtis Weekes (bass, vocals), and Greg Bolton (guitar, vocals). Their goal is to spark the same honest and organic reaction they infuse into every single note and chord.
Tyler says the band's name, just like their music and live show, "Is an honest feeling… we're honest about what we play, and we're honest about what we do, and we want to bring out that kind of honest reaction."
The early roots of Motion Picture Ending go back to Tyler Wilkinson’s professional music childhood as he started touring with his family's country music group, The Wilkinsons, when he was just six years old. Since he was 16, Tyler had been writing material for a solo rock project, so when the family returned home in 2004 after spending the previous nine years in Nashville, he hooked up with his old friend Justin Devries to play drums.
In 2005, the Motion Picture Ending lineup was completed when Tyler and Justin found guitarist Greg Bolton through Tyler's girlfriend. MPE became a four-piece with the addition of bassist Curtis Weekes who was playing alongside Greg in another band at the time.
Justin believes that Motion Picture Ending is a very personal, from-the-heart kind of band. "MPE is just a very honest, passionate, heart-driven band," he says. "A passion for the music is what stands out for me. We're all doing this for our own personal reasons, but we came together so fast and so well, and as a group we all believe in this. It's not like a 'what if' kind of thing... it's something we completely believe in."
With opening slots already played with major Canadian acts such as Hedley, Lights, illScarlett, and Ten Second Epic, their complete belief in the band is paying off. It’s also had a chance to shine south of the border as MPE has played several showcases in Nashville and Los Angeles.
"Music -- it's such a personal thing," says Greg. "Music is this powerful thing from your heart that, when you play live, everybody's kind of feeding off that. That's where we show them where our heart is from and how much we love what we do."
Curtis says their music is all-inclusive of moods and a wide-open range of musical tastes. He hopes to inspire Motion Picture Ending fans. "I want people that listen to our music -- whether they're sad or happy, or in any kind of mood -- I want them to be able to use it as a remedy to satisfy something in them at the time," Weekes says. "Our music sends the message that dreams are within reach, and that anything they put their mind to is possible."
After teaming up with renowned Producer/Mixer/Engineer David Kalmusky (Emerson Drive, The Wilkinsons, The Road Hammers), MPE's debut full-length album “Clarity in a World of Chaos” is recorded and ready to be released in 2010.
Expect to be singing along with Motion Picture Ending as they set ablaze a chorus of infectious melodies on a stage near you.
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