Tom skoal

Niagara Independent Spotlight: Tom Skoal
Niagara Independent Spotlight: Tom Skoal
Submitted by: RockTheWalls on: Thu Jan 20, 2011
Today is the first day for a new feature we will have on the site, The Niagara Independent Spotlight. Every Thursday we will be featuring/interviewing an up and coming independent band in the Niagara Region. Today we have a 3 piece band from Niagara Falls, Tom Skoal.



I had the chance to sit down with Members Kyle (Guitarist/Vocals) and Julian Finbow (Bassist/Vocals).

With you two being brothers who are pretty close in age (Kyle, 21 Julian 19) was forming a band something that just kind of happened, or did it take a bit of time?


Kyle: I kind of forced julian into playing bass for a Blink 182 cover band I formed for a battle of the bands contest.I don't think he was into the idea
as much as i was (laughs).

Julian:I was just nervous to perform in front of people! (laughs)

Not much for crowds at first?

Julian: (Laughs) Yeah kind of. It's not like every once in a while noawadays. We
don't end up playing for a smaller crowd. Most of the time we are now playing to a good amount of people,but sometimes when a band is
playing a new city or venue while trying to expand their fan base,
the turnout is unpredictable.

Talking about playing in some new places, you guys did your first ever tour last summer. It was only about a week long, but what were some of the experiences that helped you guys learn and grow as a band?

Julian:It was a fun and an educational trip. As our booking manager, I learned about presenting yourself to promoters and some things about communicating via phone or email. As a band I think we learned that it's a lot more difficult to get a good night sleep in a van. Next time, we would probably end up renting the odd motel.

You guys play and write catchy rock music. Who are some of your influences while writing?

Kyle:I feel like Motion City Soundtrack, All Time Low, and Blink 182, Bowling For Soup, American Hi-Fi, and New Found Glory are
inspirational to my current writing. It isn't like i will throw in their albums for inspiration, but those are some bands that are in my
head, or ill compare a song to when Im writing

Julian: I would say I mostly the Foo Fighters, The Pixies, Matthew Good, Our Lady Peace, and Nada Surf. Lyric wise I usually write about specific situations or
experiences in my life.

I think you can see some of these influences shine through on tracks like Alone and 12:02. This begs the question, is a full length album in the works anytime
soon?

Julian:I would say late 2011, early 2012

Kyle:I think it depends on having about 10 songs that we are really happy with.

With there being so many awesome young bands in Niagara, what do you think sticks out about Tom Skoal?

Kyle: I think the fact we are a three piece. I don't see a lot of three piece bands lately. it definitely
gives a band a different sound. it's interesting to see what someone
can come up with when they're limited

Julian:
Our self-proclaimed unique rock sound, and our live show.

What do you think it is about your life show that will draw people into Tom Skoal?

Julian: I would say we put on a high energy set when we play. We
also do a fair amount of harmonies, which isn't the most common thing
today.

You guys have had the chance to share the stage with bands like Mariana's Trench, Arkells, and Ten Second Epic over the past bit. Is there any show that sticks out?

Julian: Ten second epic probably because they were being played a lot on MuchMusic at the time. At the show they put on a really great live
performance, and were all nice guys.

Now coming up in 2011, what do you guys have planned so far?

Kyle: We're
planning on recording a song within a month or two. We should be
shooting a music video for it. We're playing a show at The Mansion House in St.Catharines with Michou jan 27th. We definitely want to record more than we have in the past. We're
going to try to play as many festivals, and city events as possible

Awesome.
Any new things you guys want to try in the recording process?

Julian: I would like to trying layering vocal harmonies with 3 or 4
harmonies/unisons. Perhaps getting some wind instrument or organ sounds if it fits.

Looking forward to the new stuff. Lastly, Where can people
find Tom Skoal on the World Wide Web?

Julian: tomskoal.com

Be sure to go and check out Tom Skoal when they play with Michou next Thursday in St.Catharines at The Mansion House. Tickets are just $8 in advance, and $10 at the door. You can pick them up at Rock Universe (237 St.Paul St).


Here is the band's video for their song 12:02. - NiagaraMusicScene.com

They hopped on stage during inLimbo’s performance in the Finale.

They put ‘My Name Is: Tom Skoal’ stickers on random people during their Niagara Adventure.

They know most of the lyrics to Sir-Mix-A-Lot’s ‘I Like Big Butts’.

They are rebels. They are…Tom Skoal.

With the majority of spectators knowing all Tom Skoal’s songs, it was nothing short of a fun show. These Niagara-based boys are well known for their crazy antics and plaid wearing. They've got a sound that can stand up to bands like Stereos and Simple Plan and it's pretty evident that Tom Skoal is not going anywhere anytime soon as they have tons of shows lined up for the next little while.

Looking back at Week 4, Tom Skoal entertained the audience with original songs such as Alone, Lost in the Wind and Threw It Away. Although those sound like seriously depressing songs, the band was having a grand old time on stage.

Since playing in the YouDiscover 2009 contest, Tom Skoal has played numerous shows across Southern Ontario and have recorded their new EP which will be released Summer 2010.

They will be playing at The Mansion House in St Catharine’s on May 11th w/ Two Hours Traffic. You can check out other dates at: (http://www.myspace.com/tomskoal)



-Alanna - inDiscover.net

On May 28th, many Westlane students, teachers and peers gathered at a Fundraising concert with two live local area bands - InLimbo and Tom Skoal. The event was held to raise money for Westlane's Robotics team. The Westlane robotics team develops skills in a variety of fields including engineering, design technology, computer science and animation. Each robot takes approximately 6 weeks to build. Recently, the Westlane Spartonics were in Atlanta at a competition and placed 2nd in their division leading them to top 8 in the world! Well done Westlane! For more information or to enquire about sponsoring the Westlane Robotics team visit www.spartonics.org

http://www.snapniagarafalls.com/index.php?option=com_sngevents&id[]=99542 - SNAP Niagara Falls

Michou & Tom Skoal
Tuesday, March 10
Strega Cafe
8p.m.
All Ages/ Licensed
Windsor, Ontario natives Michou are currently on their acoustic tour that will take them out East and back to Ontario. They stop at Strega Cafe on Tuesday along with Niagara Falls band Tom Skoal.

http://media.www.brockpress.com/media/storage/paper384/news/2009/03/10/ArtsEntertainment/Upcoming.Events-3666965.shtml - The Brock Press

Trying to make it big can come later for Niagara Falls band Tom Skoal.
For now, they are having fun playing shows, writing songs and trying to get their name out there.
“This summer we’re kind of just playing as much as possible and writing as much new stuff as we can,” says guitarist and co-singer Kyle Finbow.
Tom Skoal consists of Finbow, 19, Kyle’s brother, bassist and co- singer Julian, 17, and drummer Jake Antonio, 19. The three-piece band started two-and-a-half years ago when the three friends decided to enter Westlane Secondary School’s battle of the bands. They haven’t looked back since.
In addition to continually playing shows in the Niagara region, they have expanded their boundaries to a wider audience.
Some of the more popular venues they’ve played include The Opera House in Toronto; the L3 with Ten Second Epic and S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival with The Arkells.
“We’re trying to branch out a little bit. We want to try and get a fan base, so they could follow us around,” says Antonio.
“I think Toronto’s a good place to get noticed,” adds Kyle, “You’re not going to get noticed playing shows in Niagara Falls, you’re go- ing to get noticed playing shows in Toronto.” Even though the band has started to expand outside their hometown, they haven’t forgotten their roots in the Niagara region.
“It’s good [playing shows in Niagara] because we’re playing in front of people we know and there’s a few good venues here,” says Julian.
Their geographical boundaries aren’t the only thing expanding. They’re broadening their musical horizons too.
The alternative rock band first started out covering generic songs, but has created a unique sound, borrowing from a lot of different styles, that they can call their own.
“We’re starting to get pretty dynamic now. We first started out playing generic songs. Now were playing with the instruments a bit, trying to get some good solos in there; get some different drum beats,” says Antonio.
Kyle says he thinks he and Julian having similar voices adds to the depth of their sound.
While Kyle is influenced by every type of music, Julian says his main inspirations are Matthew Good and Our Lady Peace, and Antonio says he “just likes the style of drumming in general,” though adding that Rush played a big part.
The band gets together once a week to practice.
“We pretty much write a song every practice,” says Antonio. “We’ll get the basic idea for a song then usually tweak it for a month and then we’ll start to play it. We’re actually bringing back some oldies we haven’t played live because we figured they sucked. We’re bringing them back because we reworked them and we’re going
to try and play them again,” says Antonio.
The three members say they complement each other well, shar- ing the same humour and more importantly, being friends.
“We’re not just a band, we’re also best friends,” says Antonio. Earlier this year, Tom Skoal re- leased their first EP entitled Some- times.
They spent 40 to 50 hours re- cording the three tracks at Sorge Studios in Port Colborne, saying it was a good learning experience.
“Our producer was pretty loose with things, so it was definitely a good place for our first recording,” says Julian.
“We wanted to get our EP out because we wanted people to take our music home and listen to it and also we kind of needed it because some of the venues need to hear your music before you play,” says Antonio.
The EP was capped off by a CD
release show at the Vintage Sports Bar in Niagara Falls, where they sold many copies. Online sites such as Facebook also gave the EP exposure.
Kyle attends Niagara College in the Broadcasting – Radio, Televi- sion and Film program, while Ju- lian just graduated from Westlane and Antonio has a full-time job doing heating and air conditioning. The band tried to play as many shows as possible, though they say sometimes work and school get in the way.
“Sometimes it’s hard to manage, but we do a lot of weekend gigs be- cause we get weekends off,” says Antonio.
The men have played twice at Niagara College, including once for battle of the bands. They say they have a good time playing at the college’s pub.
“Whenever there’s people drink- ing it’s a good place to play. Ev- eryone wants to hear music,” Kyle points out. The near future looks good for
the band that took their name from a map in which they misread Tom Shoal as Tom Skoal. They are em- barking on a mini-tour in August hitting Buffalo, Detroit, Windsor, London, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville and Toronto.
The band says it’s something they’ve always wanted to do and Julian says, “it’d be a good experi- ence.”
“A couple of people from dif- ferent cities will recognize us and hopefully that will get us different shows in the future. Then we won’t just have a fan base in Niagara Falls; we’ll have a fan base in southern Ontario,” says Antonio.
Because, after all, it’s all about doing what you love.
“Our goal is just to have fun. I think that’s what it’s all about. If you aren’t having fun you shouldn’t be doing it,” says Kyle.



(page 24)
http://niagara-news.com/images/pdfs/2009_10/sept25.pdf - Niagara News

Here is one of my local bands from Niagara Falls, Ontario called Tom Skoal.

Shane Tyrer sent me a notice on Facebook about this band playing in downtown St Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

So I’m posting their concert information here.

I like their cool ballad like songs, they all have a message.

Nice clear lyrics and funky music to listen to.

I’m going to try and remember to go to one of these concerts.

The first thing I thought of when I saw these pictures on myspace was “The Beatles Look.”

http://ideagirlconsulting.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/tom-skoal-kyle-finbow-julian-finbow-jake-antonio-sometimes-threw-it-away-music-that-channel-radio-toronto/ - Idea Girl Consulting Word Press

Julian Finbow appears to be content on an oddly summery Tuesday afternoon in March when he sits down to discuss his band.

"We're just taking things as they come along," he says. "But we're finally releasing an EP."

That EP is titled Sometimes, and the band is Tom Skoal. For more than two years, Finbow, his brother Kyle, and their friend Jake Antonio have been playing gigs around the St. Catharines-Niagara Falls area, honing not only the proficiency of their live show, but also their songwriting skills. The self-released EP has been a long time coming, as Julian says, but all of the band members are pleased with how it turned out.

Julian, the younger of the Finbow brothers, plays bass, while Kyle plays guitar and Jake is on the drums. Recently, the trio became a four-piece, with the addition of second guitarist Jesse Uhde. With the new guitarist, Tom Skoal has a more complete, rounded sound that helps to bring its songs to life, as evidenced on the new three-track EP.

The members of Tom Skoal didn't take themselves too seriously at first. Formed out of Kyle's desire to play Blink-182 covers for the 2007 Westlane Battle of the Bands, they soon encountered a problem in that his brother didn't even own a bass. Once Julian had remedied this, they began to get together at each

other's houses to jam. At an early practice, the band took its name from a misinterpretation of a location on a map in Antonio's bathroom.

One of their first original compositions was called Banana Girl, filled with the nonsensical lyrics one would expect from such a title. Despite this, the song had irrefutable charm and was the kind of tune that sticks in your head after just one listen.

Banana Girl brought the band some attention on the Niagara Falls scene and helped to widen their local fan base.

Since then, the band went on to become a far more serious vehicle for each member's songs, with new cuts like One More Lie instantly striking a chord with the listener thanks to poignant lyrics and simple, but no less effective, pop-punk structures.

The actual songwriting process has also evolved over time, with the band's first bunch of songs written primarily by the Finbow brothers, then brought to Antonio to flesh out. Now, with a new guitarist in the fold, the band is more willing to let ideas ebb and flow at jam sessions until they have made themselves into fully formed songs,

thanks to the efforts of all four members.

n the time since their formation, they have become much more adept at their individual instruments and performing cohesively as a unit, making their live shows that much more engaging for fans.

One thing that has remained a constant is the band's undeniable pop sensibilities. Each of the songs on Sometimes is filled with melodies that make the listener feel like they have known them forever, accentuated by the raw, yet graceful production of Carmen Sorge, owner of Sorge Studios in Port Colbourne.

Though the band may have abandoned the silliness that was common in its early days, Tom Skoal has not sacrificed the catchiness that was present in songs like Banana Girl.

The inter-band dynamics are interesting, largely due to the presence of the Finbow brothers. Although it could be assumed being in a band with one's brother would get stressful after some time, Julian assures this is not so. In fact, thanks to their close proximity, it's far easier for one of them to take the other's ideas for a song and run with it, he says.

The goal for the band's near future is to start playing shows outside Niagara and to get back into Sorge Studios to record new songs, possibly for a full-length release later in the year. Some tentative titles for songs that the group has been working on include Lost in the Wind, Throw It Away and Call Me Dad, the latter of which seems to indicate they have not lost their sense of humour.

Before they tackle the task of recording a new batch of songs, the main focus for Tom Skoal is getting the EP out. The group is holding a release party for

Sometimes Sunday at the Vintage Sports Bar at 5993 Main St.

Admission to the show is free, and the group will be joined by fellow Niagara Falls locals Inlimbo, Subject to Change, and the Anti Q's.

Shortly after the release party, the band will represent Westlane Secondary School in the Niagara Falls citywide Battle of the Bands, taking place April 2 at the Optimist Club. They'll be facing stiff competition at the event, competing against similarly skilled representatives from A. N. Myer, St. Paul, St. Mike's, and Stamford.

The other bands won't be up against the same Tom Skoal from two years ago, though. They'll be facing a tighter, more mature ensemble that can only be the result of constant practice and dedication to their craft.

- - -

WHO?

¦Tom Skoal CD release party with Anti-Q's, Inlimbo and Subject to Change

¦Tom Skoal and bands Citywide Battle of the Bands The Optimist Club from A. N. Myer, St. Paul, St. Mike's and Stamford

WHAT?

WHERE?

Vintage Sports Bar at 5993 Main St.

WHEN?

March 22, 4 p. m.

April 2, 7 p. m.

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1635248 - The Niagara Falls Review

Two Niagara soldiers, Corporals Drew Neufeld and Bob Pye, who recently returned home from Afghanistan, are the Grand Marshals at this year’s Canada Day parade in Niagara Falls.

The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. on Morrison Street at Drummond Road and travels west on Morrison, leading

to all the fun at Optimist Park.

Residents are reminded to bring a food donation for Project SHARE because volunteers will be along the parade route to collect it.

"Canada Day has long been a very special community celebration and involves so many dedicated volunteers in planning this annual event,” said Denyse Morrissey, director of Parks, Recreation and Culture.

“The annual parade is always a favourite - and the entire day is filled with so many great activities for the entire family. We invite everyone to join us, maybe wear red & white - and of course wave a Canadian flag proudly.”

The opening ceremonies begin at 11:30 a.m. on

the main stage.

Following the singing of the Canadian National Anthem, performed by Peter Holley, there will be the unveiling of the city’s new Coat of Arms along with special presentations to the winners of the Good Citizen Awards and the Youth Essay Contest.

There will be four stages of non-stop entertainment that will include Dan the Music Man, Mad Science and Zero Gravity Circus. Also performing will be The Kids School of Rock from the Niagara Institute of Music and Art, the Tom Skoal Band and Athena Flashing, the 2009 winner of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee Battle of the Bands competition.

There will also be cheerleading and dance demonstrations plus an interactive Latin Dance performance with Marcelo, the King of Salsa and Adriana from Boogie Babes. There will also be performances by Renegade, The Maddhatters and The Cheezies.

Miso Gostimir, 16, who was planning to spend Canada Day on Clifton Hill with a group of his friends, was open to other ideas.

“It’s just a fun day to hang out and watch the fireworks,” said Gostimir, who wasn’t aware of all the events taking place at Optimist Park, but noted he might consider checking it out.

Children will also be able to have fun at the free inflatable play station, enjoy a piece of free birthday cake or visit the Niagara Falls Lions Carnival. There is also a car show plus a number of community displays.

Carol Stewart-Kirkby, executive director of the United Way of Niagara Falls and Greater Fort Erie, said she loves to see so many faces in the crowd, especially those of new Canadians, and getting a chance to meet and talk with some of them.

She will spend part of the day with her son cutting up and serving the large birthday cake from Portage Bakery. It’s something she has done for a few years.

“I came here from England with my family in 1970 and this was the best decision my parents ever made. I love this country and our city.”

This year’s event is going green so residents are reminded to bring their own refillable water container.

Roy Kennedy, who will soon turn 85, and has a bit of difficulty getting around because of the arthritis in his hips, said he hadn’t made any plans for Canada Day.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, someone might invite me,” said Kennedy who lives at Willoughby Manor. “I’m a pain to be with because I can’t do anything, but long as I’m able to sit down when I get to places, I’m all right.”

Kennedy said he often thinks about the difference between Canadians and Americans. In the United States, many people are proud to fly their flags while in Canada we treat our holiday as just another day.

For those looking to cool off on Canada Day there is free public swimming at city pools. Swimming hours are 1-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. At Mitchelson Pool public swimming is only from 1-5 p.m.

Anyone wishing to visit Niagara Falls or Toronto on Canada Day will be able to take advantage of a 2-for-1 special offer on the GO Train.

On July 1, all adult, senior and child one-way tickets will be valid for return travel on that day when traveling to or from Niagara Falls or St. Catharines. Visitors from the Niagara Region can also take advantage of this special offer to visit Toronto for the day.

More information can be found by visiting the Niagara Falls page at gotransit.com or by calling 416-869-3200.

•••••

Here are some of the places that will be open or closed on Canada Day:

• The Review will not publish on Canada Day.

• Garbage, recycling and organics will be collected as usual.

• Niagara Region’s essential services, including Niagara Emergency Medical Services will continue to operate on a regular schedule. The Region’s eight Long-Term Care facilities will operate as usual; however, Adult Day Programs will be unavailable July 1.

• Most Niagara Region offices and facilities will be closed on July 1, including: administrative offices, sexual health clinics, public health, child care centres and Niagara Specialized Transit.

• Mandarin Restaurants, all located in southern Ontario, are inviting Canadians to enjoy a free meal on July 1. Line ups are anticipated in the morning. Doors open at noon for the first seating and will seat customers until 8:30 p.m., on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals must show proof of Canadian citizenship either through a passport, birth certificate or citizenship card to receive a free meal.

• Landfill site schedule for July 1 is as follows: NR 12 West Lincoln, Humberstone in Welland and Bridge Street in Fort Erie will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Walker’s residential drop-off depot will be open from noon to 5 p.m.

tricciuto@nfreview.com

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1634782 - The Niagara Falls Review

Rock the Ice Nights continues at the Rink at the Brink Thursday at 7 p.m.

Alex DelaMarca faces Aintree, both from Saint Paul High School, to determine who will move on to the semifinals.

There will also be special performances by Tom Skoal and Inlimbo.

Last week, Athena Flashing, of Saint Michael High School, and Xprime, of Ecole Secondarie Jean Vanier in Welland, advanced.

Cost of admission is $10 and tickets can be purchased from participating bands or at the Rink at the Brink.

Rock the Ice Nights will be broadcast weekly on TVCogeco in Niagara.

The 11-week battle of the bands competition continues every Thursday until a champion is crowned Feb. 25.

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2281996 - The Niagara Falls Review

Sweet Little Sixteen.

The Chuck Berry song should have been on the playlist for local the rock band Athena Flashing during the Battle of the Bands contest Thursday night.

It wasn't, but lead singer Dan Post could not have asked for a better present to help celebrate his 16th birthday -a great party with lots of friends and winning the annual contest that is open to bands from the five Niagara Falls high schools.

"This is crazy man. I just can't believe it. It's awesome. It's a great birthday present and I'm loving it," said Post, just minutes after finding out he and his band had won and while he was being congratulated by some of the band's supporters.

The band, which is from Saint Michael High School, is made up of Dan Post on vocals, Mikki Flash (Mike Paonessa) on guitar, Drex Adams (Waylon Glintz) on bass and Johny Fx (John Franco Bonaldo) on drums.

"I didn't think it would turn out like this. I'm always the negative one, but we really pushed and worked hard for this," Paonessa said.

Fellow band member Bonaldo said the other musicians were amazing, but their band rocked hard and he was glad the competition turned out the way it did.

Bonaldo's father, Frank, said the kids in the band are amazing for their young age, mostly 15, and they are only going to get better as they get older.

"They really got the crowd going and the competition tonight was really good."

Bass player Glintz said he was "totally blown away. I'm in shock."

The event, which is organized and hosted by the Mayor's Youth Advisory Committee, was held at the Optimist Hall on Morrison Street.

Dolores Multari, who attended the event with her husband, Marcello, a well-known musician who plays a number of instruments and has played with a number of bands over the years, said it was nice to see so many talented young people in the community.

"I think this is great. It's something the whole family can enjoy. You can listen to music and keep an eye on the kids all at the same time."

Mayor Ted Salci said it's a great event because it allows kids to demonstrate their creativity. "This is our seventh year for our Battle of the Bands and it seems to be getting better every year. This is a great opportunity for our youth and I'm very proud of them."

The other four bands that competed were The Good Lovers from Saint Paul High School, The Twerps from Stamford, The Minors from A. N. Myer and Tom Skoal from Westlane.

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1510490 - The Niagara Falls Review

Three months of music on ice begins tonight.

Local bands Avoiding the Afterlife, Red House Reservations and Hearsay will kick off the inaugural Rock the Ice Nights at the new Rink at the Brink skating rink near Table Rock. For the next 11 weeks, judges will listen to local high school bands every Thursday night (with the exception of Dec. 24 and 31) and crown a winner Feb. 25.

The winner receives 20 hours of studio time, 100 CDs with artwork, a video shoot, 50 t-shirts and a slot at next year's Springlicious festival and Canada Day celebrations.

In addition, fans can vote for their favourites via The Review's web page at www.niagarafallsreview.ca. Voting begins at 10 p.m. Videos, photos, opinions and music files can also be posted to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/niagarafallsreview.

The winning band receives a free flight on Niagara Falls Helicopters.

The winning band from each night moves on to the second round, which starts Jan. 7.

Nightly skating won't be interrupted. Bands will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. at the foot of the rink. Bleachers are available for viewers who aren't skating.

Thursday will also see a performance from special guest Tom Skoal.

The event is presented by the Winter Festival of Lights and the Niagara Institute of Music & Arts.

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2203371 - The Niagara Falls Review