Arrowz

EDMONTON - The guitar chords smash through in hypnotic patterns and the children are dancing, unbound.

It’s hard to imagine the Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton could summon a more perfect manifestation of its culturally preservative and nurturing goals, as St. Alphonsus elementary-school students are serenaded by an actual rock concert — for many children their first — by local garage rock-duo Arrowz. It’s a show aimed precisely at them.

Rock ’n’ roll baton passed? Check.

“This is the coolest show we’ve ever been asked to play,” singer Mark Hayes says as he smiles from the gym stage to a crowd of 30 mixed elementary and junior high kids. Hayes is tattooed, thin, bearded, toqued, sassy — all the Brooklyn identifiers that used to belong to dockworkers, now coddled by indie music culture. Behind him, Andrea Yacyshyn is a clever artist and social worker who throws dinner parties based on moon phases, and as drummer she’s literally striking as the smallest kids twirl screaming over a gymnasium floor lined by ignored sports boundaries. It’s joyful as these children rip around the gym to the band’s sharp and bouncy pop punk.

More so, as opening for Arrowz (and also watching) is the newly formed project band Tokyo Stripes, comprising first-time musicians in grades seven and eight, also from St. Alphonsus, south of 118th Avenue.

Switching singers Brendan, Nokomis and Jenelle, the curtains open on the stage-filling band and they tiptoe into three songs older than they are: Oasis’s Wonderwall and Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams — both a little heartbreaking if you examine the lyrics — and, with increasing confidence, Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ’n’ Roll. Yacyshyn joins in for the finale.

“You guys nailed it,” one of their program instructors hired by RRSE, Curtis Ross, grins. He’s luminescent with mentor pride. Yacyshyn also smiles afterward. “Seeing the kids just absolutely rock out was wonderful.”

The non-profit RRSE exists to preserve rock’s history and nurture its future, accomplished in part with their institution-roving, idea-more-than-place Centre for Art and Music. The RRSE and CAM work with Yellowhead Youth Centre, Rite Trak School and a combo of Edmonton Public Schools and Catholic Social Services to promote rock and roll, not so much away from other forms of music, as from negative influences including drugs, gangs and simple loneliness.

On Monday, Nov. 18, for example, RRSE and CAM will provide a musical component to Students on Stage, an anti-bullying event in St. Albert.

“It’s specific for inner-city kids and youth at risk, to give them a chance to learn how to play guitar,” RRSE executive director Kennedy Jenson explains as the show is gearing up.

Jenson has worked with Tommy Banks, Ian Tyson, co-founded the Kit Kat Club and was a former Klondike Kate. “It’s just wonderful to see them smile and come out of their shell,” she says, noting about 200 kids have gone through the program, which is funded in part through proceeds from Edmonton Rock Music Festival and instruments from AXE Productions.

“You’ve got to know these kids had never touched an instrument until September. Some of them are singing unbelievably, and playing really well. We’ve got two really good teachers.”

Starting in mid-September, musician-instructors Chantal Burn and Ross took groups of kids across the city under wing, happily helping them figure out what instruments sing to them, or if they have talent behind the mike. This concert is just one result. “It gives them time to do something productive instead of running the streets,” Burn notes. “I love it. I get excited for them. It’s a total rush.”

Twelve years old and in Grade 7, Jenelle smiles when asked if she could feel her confidence growing as she sang the Jett and the Blackhearts song. “Of course I do! The rush comes into me!”

“We want to help build self-esteem with the kids,” Jenson continues, “and that’s what music can be so good at. It’s a universal language. They come from such tough backgrounds, and a lot of times it’s a great form of communication and a good form of bonding.”

“Chantel is an amazing singer,” Jenelle beams on her way out, “and Curtis is definitely the best guitar player I have ever met.” That sounds like a real connection, and it’s mutual.

Ross, also in Bebop Cortez and a veteran of Preyers and BrontoScorpio, leads onstage with guitar during the show. “I was actually joking this is the funnest band I’ve ever been in, with these junior high kids,” he laughs, “because they love doing it so much.”

Jenson concludes, “That’s the No. 1 priority for this program: a wellness.”
- Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON - The guitar chords smash through in hypnotic patterns and the children are dancing, unbound.

It’s hard to imagine the Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton could summon a more perfect manifestation of its culturally preservative and nurturing goals, as St. Alphonsus elementary-school students are serenaded by an actual rock concert — for many children their first — by local garage rock-duo Arrowz. It’s a show aimed precisely at them.

Rock ’n’ roll baton passed? Check.

“This is the coolest show we’ve ever been asked to play,” singer Mark Hayes says as he smiles from the gym stage to a crowd of 30 mixed elementary and junior high kids. Hayes is tattooed, thin, bearded, toqued, sassy — all the Brooklyn identifiers that used to belong to dockworkers, now coddled by indie music culture. Behind him, Andrea Yacyshyn is a clever artist and social worker who throws dinner parties based on moon phases, and as drummer she’s literally striking as the smallest kids twirl screaming over a gymnasium floor lined by ignored sports boundaries. It’s joyful as these children rip around the gym to the band’s sharp and bouncy pop punk.

More so, as opening for Arrowz (and also watching) is the newly formed project band Tokyo Stripes, comprising first-time musicians in grades seven and eight, also from St. Alphonsus, south of 118th Avenue.

Switching singers Brendan, Nokomis and Jenelle, the curtains open on the stage-filling band and they tiptoe into three songs older than they are: Oasis’s Wonderwall and Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams — both a little heartbreaking if you examine the lyrics — and, with increasing confidence, Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ’n’ Roll. Yacyshyn joins in for the finale.

“You guys nailed it,” one of their program instructors hired by RRSE, Curtis Ross, grins. He’s luminescent with mentor pride. Yacyshyn also smiles afterward. “Seeing the kids just absolutely rock out was wonderful.”

The non-profit RRSE exists to preserve rock’s history and nurture its future, accomplished in part with their institution-roving, idea-more-than-place Centre for Art and Music. The RRSE and CAM work with Yellowhead Youth Centre, Rite Trak School and a combo of Edmonton Public Schools and Catholic Social Services to promote rock and roll, not so much away from other forms of music, as from negative influences including drugs, gangs and simple loneliness.

On Monday, Nov. 18, for example, RRSE and CAM will provide a musical component to Students on Stage, an anti-bullying event in St. Albert.

“It’s specific for inner-city kids and youth at risk, to give them a chance to learn how to play guitar,” RRSE executive director Kennedy Jenson explains as the show is gearing up.

Jenson has worked with Tommy Banks, Ian Tyson, co-founded the Kit Kat Club and was a former Klondike Kate. “It’s just wonderful to see them smile and come out of their shell,” she says, noting about 200 kids have gone through the program, which is funded in part through proceeds from Edmonton Rock Music Festival and instruments from AXE Productions.

“You’ve got to know these kids had never touched an instrument until September. Some of them are singing unbelievably, and playing really well. We’ve got two really good teachers.”

Starting in mid-September, musician-instructors Chantal Burn and Ross took groups of kids across the city under wing, happily helping them figure out what instruments sing to them, or if they have talent behind the mike. This concert is just one result. “It gives them time to do something productive instead of running the streets,” Burn notes. “I love it. I get excited for them. It’s a total rush.”

Twelve years old and in Grade 7, Jenelle smiles when asked if she could feel her confidence growing as she sang the Jett and the Blackhearts song. “Of course I do! The rush comes into me!”

“We want to help build self-esteem with the kids,” Jenson continues, “and that’s what music can be so good at. It’s a universal language. They come from such tough backgrounds, and a lot of times it’s a great form of communication and a good form of bonding.”

“Chantel is an amazing singer,” Jenelle beams on her way out, “and Curtis is definitely the best guitar player I have ever met.” That sounds like a real connection, and it’s mutual.

Ross, also in Bebop Cortez and a veteran of Preyers and BrontoScorpio, leads onstage with guitar during the show. “I was actually joking this is the funnest band I’ve ever been in, with these junior high kids,” he laughs, “because they love doing it so much.”

Jenson concludes, “That’s the No. 1 priority for this program: a wellness.”
- Edmonton Journal

With Sled Island having to cancel the last few days of their festival in Calgary due to extreme flooding a number of out-of-town bands have been left in the lurch.

Thankfully a group of Edmontonians have stepped up to the plate and organized shows in town for bands in need. Details are still being hammered out for Saturday and Sunday, but tonight (Friday, June 20) at Barber Ha there’ll be an exceptional six band bill that really shouldn’t be missed.

Wunderbar, Barber Ha and The Empress Ale House are looking to be venues for the rest of the weekend; check back for more info as it arrives.

Kudos to Craig Martell of Wunderbar, Mark Hayes and Andrea Yacyshyn of Arrowz (who were supposed to play in Calgary today), Aaron Getz of the Hot Plains Music Fest, Linda Ha of Barber Ha and others for making this work so quickly. And, of course, we’re all thinking of the beleaguered folks at Sled Island and our Calgary friends.

- Edmonton Journal

OK, this isn't so much a proper release as it is a small batch of demos that happen to be available on the Internet right now, but with this rawkus trio of songs, newly formed local duo Arrowz offers an impressive, near-bullseye introduction to itself.

All three offer different takes on gritty, propulsive rock: "Believers" sets up a subtle, slow-burn urgency, keeping a vocal line low in the mix among the fuzzy guitar work, both punctuated with a steady drum pound and occasional backing harmonies. "No Thanks" takes a speedy, punky, stream of consciousness verse into a muscular, hooky chorus with ease, while the lively shouts 'n' rhythmic hooks of "Desires" offer healthy sense of fun to close it all out.

There's a sense of old and new pairing up here: guitarist/vocalist Mark Raymond Hayes's been around, having previously voiced the Mark Birtles Project while drummer Andrea Y apparently only picked up the sticks in December. Likewise, the music they make is an unshaven, unrepentant take on rock 'n' roll very much in the Dirt City tradition, yet these three demos are lively and fresh on their own merits. These songs feel like warning shots across the bow: you'd be wise to keep checking your shoulder. - Vue Weekly

OK, this isn't so much a proper release as it is a small batch of demos that happen to be available on the Internet right now, but with this rawkus trio of songs, newly formed local duo Arrowz offers an impressive, near-bullseye introduction to itself.

All three offer different takes on gritty, propulsive rock: "Believers" sets up a subtle, slow-burn urgency, keeping a vocal line low in the mix among the fuzzy guitar work, both punctuated with a steady drum pound and occasional backing harmonies. "No Thanks" takes a speedy, punky, stream of consciousness verse into a muscular, hooky chorus with ease, while the lively shouts 'n' rhythmic hooks of "Desires" offer healthy sense of fun to close it all out.

There's a sense of old and new pairing up here: guitarist/vocalist Mark Raymond Hayes's been around, having previously voiced the Mark Birtles Project while drummer Andrea Y apparently only picked up the sticks in December. Likewise, the music they make is an unshaven, unrepentant take on rock 'n' roll very much in the Dirt City tradition, yet these three demos are lively and fresh on their own merits. These songs feel like warning shots across the bow: you'd be wise to keep checking your shoulder. - Vue Weekly