I have decided to fill the need for Calgary communities starting with this simple compact podium which is now available for rent.

It is sturdy yet can be broken down into three pieces for easy transport.

To commemorate Cinco de Mayo, we’re throwing a Mexicano themed fiesta, so come sport your best Mexican attire and you’ll receive a complimentary shot of Mescal at the door.

The Fundraiser will include a silent auction, Mexican cuisine, mucho cervesas and a door prize raffle. All topped off with a handful of Calgary’s finest musical acts, including Robot Workers, Taylor Cochrane, The Collapse, The Emissaries, and Haggard Beat!!!!!

Most importantly come get your early bird Frog Fest tix for $45 (one night only!). Be the first to hear this year’s Frog Fest lineup!

Cost of admission $10

Check out the event on facebook here .

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-48

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-47

I joined Spencer Brown at Beano Cafe to delve into his lengthy experience booking and promoting in Calgary. Spencer currently books for the Palomino Smokehouse and was the previous promoter for Broken City social club.

If you are looking for a window into how the scene works, how to get your band booked, and what the best practices for contacting a booking agent are, this is a great place to start.

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-46

On todays podcast, learn about being a luthier with Steve Rozitis, hear about his experience with his band The Firm Handshake, and we even get into a bit of heavy stuff about how art expresses the unseen energy that encompasses all things.

The food at the pig and whistle was insane. Massive portions.
I had to wrap up half of my meal for later and found I was not hungry for it for the rest of the night.

The band I was mixing, Kensington Road, played a set ranging from classic rock to 90’s alternative with a few surprises mixed in.
The lead vocalist had a great range and the general guitar and bass tones were spot on.
I am looking forward to when the band can expand their set list to include a greater variety of content and genres.
Here is a quick video from the start of their second set on the first night.

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-45

Join me as I speak with Kenna Burima about filling the void in our Soul’s with chocolate, television, drugs and alcohol.
Hear about her beliefs. How everything is vibration and we are all one. (What a hippy
Listen to her experiences with the Calgary folk fest and about how it feels to leave the stability of a job and move on to chase your dreams.

Find Kenna on Myspace here

You may also find Kenna performing with; Woodpigeon, the Pygmies, formerly the Brenda Vaqueros and many more.

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-44

Join us as we speak with some of the BeatRoute staff about their experiences at south by southwest (SXSW). Hear how they cultivate information for articles, what makes a good show, what a it takes to have your band reviewed by BeatRoute, how Calgary’s music scene has evolved, what the job of a magazine editor is really like and oh so much more.

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-43

Join Mike Tod as he discusses his experiences in Glasgow, hosting his program “mind folk’d” on CJSW, meditation and abstinence, the progression of man and oh so much more.

Visit his old blog here to see content he posted in 2011 including his CJSW playlists and other things he found interesting.

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-42

Join Ben Simbirski as he discusses the details of Calgary’s newest festival, MTT Fest on March 24th.

Hear about his and Barnaby’s struggles of planning, promoting, and funding the upcoming event.

We are proud to be sponsoring MTT fest and would love for you to visit their website for more information online here.

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-41

Welcome to episode 41 of calgary sound rentals behind the scene podcast, an inside look at calgary’s music scene featuring interviews and tracks by local bands, musician tips, event listings and more.
Unfortunately today’s scheduled guest was not available but I didn’t want to leave you hanging so I am bringing you a quick podcast on how to promote your shows.
So how should you go about promoting your show?
First of all assume that you are the only one who is trying to get people out to your shows.
Sure the venue may have posters up inside their establishment and if you are lucky may even advertise in FFWD or Beatroute each week or month respectively, but this is not enough.
The venue may even have a booking agent or promoter of their own but more often than not the efforts previously mentioned and maybe some Facebook or twitter activity could be the only effort the venues promoter is going to put in.
So how do we do it?
Start spreading the word about your show well in advance but before you do you are going to want to make sure your band has something online that people can check out. A web site, Facebook, twitter or myspace with recordings, a bio, some quotes from the media past shows, etc. You are going to need to be able to show people what your band is about.
Next Write a personal email or even phone everyone you think might come to your gig. A Facebook page is a passive tool for most people, and frankly how many events do you have coming up in your timeline?
Next you are going to want to have one of your designy friends create a kick ass poster that is going to grab peoples attention. You need to print some 11X17 posters and whip up some handbills to hand out to people you talk to about the gig in passing.
Make sure your material has the venue, the date, the other bands performing, maybe the cover charge. Drop your twitter right on the thing if you are down with the twitter.
Next up, if you want to spread the word through any type of recognized media than you are going to want to whip up a press release. We will leave the details for another podcast but basically it’s the who what where when and why information about the show. Be sure you are submitting it to media outlets on their specified submission schedules so that you can insure it is going to be listed in time for the gig and not annoy them.
As the gig approaches It’s time to Do the Legwork:
Grab your posters, a staple gun and go to town. Drop your handbills at all the coffee shops, clothing stores and venues that will allow. Leave small stacks of your wicked handbill where all the hip kids are hanging out these days. When you are stapling your 11 by 17’s, be mindful of covering up other upcoming events and try to only staple your poster overtop of past events if possible.
There is no need to make enemies.
Next up, Encourage the other bands on the bill to advertise the show on their websites and send out an email to their mailing list etc.
Closer to the show Put the event up on Facebook invite all your friends again as a reminder.
You can also Paste your event in all the free upcoming event calendars you can find online.
Lastly, why not combine your show with another event such as a fundraiser, party or holiday?
You could also release some recordings and include them with cover, make a theme night or fill in the blank..
Sometimes people need a little extra reason to come out. It’s not that they don’t like your band… It’s just that their lazy.
Finally when the show finally happens and it is a huge hit be sure to have a mailing list so you can blast out your next event.
If all else fails you can always hire a music promoter to take care of things for you.
Well, I think that about covers it.
Oh.. by the way, Calgary sound rentals is putting on a show on April 7th at the mount pleasant community hall. It is a rock and roll writers forum at 7:30pm followed by a live performance with Kenna Burima, Mallard, Hurricane Felix and In for Life. $5 cover get’s you in the door and a you will also receive a live recording of one song from each band in a zip file emailed to you a few days after the show. Again tickets are $5, more information can be found on the calgary sound rentals blog at calgarysoundrentals.com you can find us on twitter @soundrentals and look for us and this event on Facebook.
Thanks for listening and cheers!

This weeks podcast features live acoustic performances and interview with Calgary folk musician Chris Gheran.

Join us as we discuss his experience making soap, how we lye (I mean lie) to show respect, and how to dispose of a body properly.

Please Visit Chris Gheran’s Webpage To Hear his Tracks

Join our conversation with Nathan Godfrey about how the environment and culture of a region stylizes it’s music.

Learn of his experiences growing up as a Shepard, and how traveling to South America influenced him, and helped fuel his passion for music.

Visit Nathan’s Myspace Here

Reminiscent of Age of Electric, “In for Life” are committed, talented and certainly have charisma.

It was enjoyable to sit down with them to chat about their songwriting process, their passion for music, and to have a few drinks while witnessing their curious inter brother dynamics.

Please check out in for life at http://www.reverbnation.com/inforlife1

Hear them live on February 11th at 1am for a multi band benefit show for cancer held at studio 82.

They will also be playing April 7th for our Rock song writers forum and show event at the mount pleasant community hall.
For more information on this gig click here.

Well… I don’t know if it can get any better than this.

In this weeks podcast Iron maiden meets castlevania. That’s right, it’s the outlaws of Ravenhurst!
Just look at their album cover. I think that pretty much says it all.
Enjoy the interview.

Please check out the outlaws of ravenhurst at http://outlaws.bandcamp.com/

Where: Mount Pleasant Community Hall (602 – 22 Avenue NW)

Timing: Forum at 7:30 pm sharp
Music starting at 9:00 pm
Event End: 1:00 am

Cost: $5

What: Join us for a round table discussion with actively gigging Calgary bands In for Life, Hurricane Felix, Mallard, Kenna Burima and more about their song writing process.

Hear tips and tricks about working with promoters, finding song inspiration, recording techniques and managing the social media landscape as a musician.

A live show will follow the forum with sound and lighting by Calgary Sound Rentals.

Your $5 cover includes the forum, live performance and 5 tracks recorded from our 24 channel digital mixer, mixed, bounced and electronic to you two weeks after the show.

But tickets in advance with the paypal button below!

Tonight we connected with Calgary musician Ryan Davis from Haggard Beat.
Check out 3 live acoustic tracks and an interesting interview about leaving your ego behind and existing on a more spiritual plane through watching a fire or performing music.

We discuss how music is used as a language to express feelings and emotions, and just what it is that helps connect us to a song.

Check out the haggard beat at http://haggardbeat.com/

We chat with Brock Geiger and Clea Anaïs from Raleigh about their Canada tours, upcoming goals and how music effects themselves and the people who are exposed to it.
Check out a review of their album in FFWD Here
Also you can download it from their bandcamp here

Sorry about the sound quality. We were experimenting with a new live set up so the interview is noisy and the live performance is compressed.

A quick audio thank you for all of your love in 2011 and a little bit about where we are headed with the podcast.

Cheers!

On today’s behind Calgary’s music scene podcast I interview Calgary musician Luke Thomson about his 5 track EP talkin’ trash.
We delve into where his inspiration comes from. The origins of his music and get to hear a few tracks played live.

Luke Thomson Talkin Trash EP

Share your “how we met” story as a comment on this blog post, on our Facebook page by @ mentioning us on twitter (http:twitter.com/@soundrentals) or by email and you could win 25% off of your spring sound and lighting rental package.

The winning story will be announced on March 31st.

Calgary sound rentals brought out 6 500w speakers filled the entire school field with sound. It was quite windy but our tops still had enough power to deliver Michael’s performance to an audience of over 300 high school students.

The rain threatened the event all morning but Amos luckily had finished wrapping the last cable by the time the downpour started.

Here is a shot from the event.

Calgary sound rentals will be providing front of house for a 25′ wide stage dominated by local Calgary musician Matt Blais

We will also be providing some motivational tunes to help get our walkers pumped up for the event.

We are proud to be working with the JDRF again and look forward to seeing all of you walkers bright and early this Sunday.

Please visit http://www.jdrf.ca/ for more information and to support the cause.

Images of the event will be posted on this post following the walk.

The event is from 7pm to 7am and will feature a variety of great performers to keep people entertained and motivated during the relay.

Calgary sound rentals is brining out 4 dual 18″ sub woofers with 4 Meyer tops to satisfy the sound needs of the entire agricultural area.

If this set up doesn’t keep people motivated on the track nothing will.

Please visit
http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFL_AB_odd_?pg=entry&fr_id=9400 for more information or to show your support.

Here are some shots of the event.

Tonight we set up a sound system in Calgary’s carriage house inn in one of their larger ballrooms. We had a full sound and lighting rig to enable a dog fashion show.
A dog fashion show?
Yes. That’s right. There are interesting things going on in Calgary. The longer I am in this business the more I realize just how much is going on here.

Oops-a-dazy, the organization putting on the event, is a no kill animal rescue shelter which was started in 2006. Since their inception they have saved over 2000 animals.

How it works is that there are foster homes for abused, found or reclaimed animals. The foster care persons have regular houses in Calgary just like you and me.

People can go online and see images of the animals that are in the foster homes.
They can go and visit the animal and take it into their own home if they wish.

I asked Brent from oops-a-dazy, and one of the foster persons, if it is ever hard to say goodbye to a pet. He told me yes it is hard sometimes but the upside is that when a pet he has been caring for finds a home, that means he has space to take in another pet in need.

We are proud to have been a part of another successful community event.
It was enjoyable to see the persons with all of their dogs.

I couldn’t help leaving feeling all warm and fuzzy. (and thinking it’s time to watch best in show again.)

This post will be updated with some shots of our set up.

On today’s behind Calgary’s music scene podcast we interview Calgary band “Jung people”
We speak with them about their experience at the market collective, what makes a good live show, how dynamics can draw attention to your set, who influences them as musicians, how to navigate all of the band based web sites, social media and oh so much more.

Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-30

On today’s behind Calgary’s music scene podcast we harp a bit about stage level in small or empty venues, and we present an interview from the market collective with Kelly Taves about how collaboration can help your skills as a musician, where she finds inspiration and more.

This is the only shot I got from this months market collective. It’s Lab Coast.

On today’s behind Calgary’s music scene podcast we present a quick sound technician tip on gain staging.

We explain what gain staging is and how it works.

Basically proper gain staging will allow you to have the cleanest signal before feedback and the most vibrant sounding audio flow through your mixer, fx units, compressors and other audio devices.

The other night Jay Stanley donned some make up and fashionable clothing to perform David Bowie’s hits with a full band.

The show was a cancer benefit and pooled together a great line up of musicians volunteers and business sponsors.

The giving nature of Calgary never ceases to amaze me.

Calgary sound rentals brought out a load of microphones for the multiple back up vocalists and we utilized our brand new effects unit to replicate the effects on Bowie’s recordings.

Cantos system may have been able to handle the demands of the event but… As usual, I wanted it to sound perfect.

We ended up bringing out a number of monitors, a sub woofer, lighting rentals, disco balls and more.

It was amazing to see how known popular music can bring together a crowd of strangers.

Check out some of these shots taken at the event.

On today’s behind Calgary’s music scene podcast I interview Jay Stanley about fronting his David Bowie tribute band.

Find out what it is like playing in a gigging cover band and stick around for some extra bits while we philosophize about mans progression towards achieving balance with himself and nature.

Heavy stuff.

We recently purchased a portable battery powered all in one speaker to further meet the needs of our customers. I kept getting requests for a portable system and have finally found an effective solution.

This little guy outputs 800w. I believe this is peak output so potentially we should be able to get around 565w of average power.

After some testing in the shop I foresee it will meet the needs of our average remotely located outdoor event.

When playing music, there is ample power.
I also had no problems using the included wireless microphone which boasts a hundred foot range.

The system includes 4 quarter inch inputs and some basic effects.

You can rent this self powered pa system from our website here

Yay!

This weeks podcast comes to you live from the market collective and features tracks and interviews from, weigh anchors, fox and the flower, Amy Theison, Calvin Locke, Jocelyn Alice and Ryan Bourne

Reuben Bullock

Weigh Anchors

Shea Alain

Calvin Locke

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Today on the podcast we speak with Andre Patterson from Workin Late Productions about his upcoming mixed arts series called Syzygy

He also talks to me about his participation in the band Banda Brava and describes what it is like to play at Don Quijote’s every month.

Here is podcast Calgary Sound Rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-26

p.s. you can subscribe to this podcast on iTunes here

I felt like I was in “from dusk till dawn”.

The serving staff were in fetish wear and the bar felt like it was forty degrees Celsius as we set up for Ikons, a Kiss tribute band.

The band had a full on 1970’s Kiss performance complete with a massive flashing KISS sign, lit up stairways, Marshall stack graphics, platform shoes and complete KISS makeup and costumes.
The engineer pulled off a wicked mix and people got right into it. People sang along with the songs, got up on stage with the band and all in all enjoyed great gig.

Everything went smoothly and I wasn’t mauled by vampires. Two points Calgary sound rentals.

Check out this interview with the shows promoter Trevor Nagam of Wickedgigz on Calgary sound rentals Behind The Scene Podcast Episode-25

p.s. you can subscribe to this podcast on iTunes here

Today on the podcast I speak with the bitterweed draw about their experiences playing at the market collective, we hear a great recording tragedy, and touch on how music can give us a deeper understanding of each other.

A quick chat with Adam from this City defects recorded at broken city on the night of their kick off tour.

Take a listen.

Episode-22 Q the Arts

Please click the link below to get a pdf of the juicy details about the event.
Q the Arts Media Kit

Check back on this post after the event for photos from the event.

I brought out this rig

for Joanna and the acrobatics, Transit and a few DJ teams. The sound system suited the room perfectly. The bass was just warm enough and the highs just crisp enough. The musicians were all extremely talented and along with our system we really got the crowd moving.

At one point, too my surprise, a dance troop came bursting out from behind a curtain hitting a catwalk with custom designed clothing. When the models reached the end of the runway they broke out into urban dance. It was awesome. This troop had some great moves.

The band slayed the room and had everyone moving. They sounded heavily influenced by Stevie Wonder and featured an extremely talented female vocalist. Each member was truly “a player”.

All in all it was a great night and I am looking forward to the 3rd annual Converge next year.

Here an excerpt from today’s podcast.
This weeks tip is on compression.

Thank you for listening.
We’ll be back next week.

When:May 28th 2011

Where: Mount Pleasant Community Hall
602 – 22 Avenue NW Google Map

What: Come out for a whole day filled with valuable information on how to market your business in all the little ways that produce BIG results. We are featuring a presentation on how to make Social Media work for your business from Kelly Martin, HouseLife’s second fashion show and workshop on how to dress your way to success in your field. Lighting, sound support and music provided by Calgary Sound Rentals. On top of all of this, look forward to a great networking opportunity, trade Show and Market. You don’t want to miss out on this! Details below.

Ticket Types

Social Media Forum, Fashion Show & Exhibition ($55) – This ticket includes a pass to everything you see on our Itinerary (below) including the Social Media Presentation, Catered Networking Luncheon, and Fashion Show & Exhibition. You can use your ticket the evening of the 28th to come back for live music and dancing!

Fashion Show & Exhibition ($20) – This ticket includes everything from 2pm on! A pass to the Small Business Exhibition and Market and a Fashion Show courtesy of HouseLife. Don’t forget, you can use your ticket to come back the evening of the 28th for live music and dancing!

Fashion Show & Exhibition $20.00 Social Media Forum, Fashion Show & Exhibition $55.00

Exhibitor Application Form

So, you’ve decided to apply to be a vendor at “Marketing Yourself: Social Media Forum and Fashion Show”! We want to help you and your business, and in order to provide the best opportunity that we can for you in our exhibition we need to ensure that you’ll be a good fit with our other vendors, and that there will be no one else with your particular business present. Click Exhibitor Form to apply and we’ll get back to you within 72 hours to let you know if you’ve been selected to exhibit on the 28th!

Itinerary

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Preparations & Refreshments

The two hours leading up to the official kick-off of Marketing Yourself: Social Media Forum and Fashion Show are reserved exclusively for our business vendors. This is a valuable opportunity to network with other small-business owners and local, innovative organizations. It is also a chance for all vendors to set up their displays, arrange product for visitors, and organize promotional material. During this time, complimentary coffee and tea will be provided to all business vendors.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Kelly Martin: Social Media Presentation

Kelly Martin, CEO and Founder of My Social Media Bridge, will be delivering a one-hour comprehensive presentation addressing the usage of social media for promoting businesses as well as for individuals. Kelly has been helping businesses with their marketing strategies for over ten years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience relating to using social media and capitalizing on an online presence. The three major topics that will be addressed in Kelly’s presentation are:

• Facebook: the advantages and disadvantages of profiles, business pages, and group pages; how to set up various pages within Facebook; how to use Facebook effectively
• Twitter: how to set up an account; building followers; constructing an effective tweet; the purpose behind tweeting; how to tweet for your business
• LinkedIn: how to set up a profile; the advantages of joining LinkedIn; how LinkedIn offers a different aspect to social media usage; how to use LinkedIn effectively

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Social Media Q&A Panel

Following Kelly Martin’s presentation on social media, an interactive question and answer period pertaining to promoting businesses online, specifically through social media, will be held. A panel consisting of experts in marketing, promotion, and branding will be present to answer questions from everyone attending the event. This is a valuable opportunity to clarify any information presented in Kelly’s talk, as well as draw on the unique expertise areas of our guest panel.

12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Catered Networking Lunch

A catered lunch will be provided for all business vendors as well as event attendees. While enjoying locally-prepared delicious food, everyone attending Marketing Yourself: Social Media Forum and Fashion Show will have the unique opportunity to network in an environment of like-minded businesses and individuals. Take the time to introduce yourself, exchange business cards, educate yourself on new businesses in Calgary, and promote what you have to offer to the world! Beer and wine will be available for purchase from this point on.

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Small Business Exhibition & Market

The afternoon exhibition and market creates a prime opportunity for business exposure, marketing, and networking. Visitors from the public will be exposed to a variety of small businesses, new and upcoming ventures, and entrepreneurs representing a wide range of products and services. Small business owners who have set up display tables will have the time to explain their business, meet with potential new clients, sell products, and take orders. In addition to the trade show and market, visitors and vendors will have the opportunity to purchase wine and beer, and be provided with complimentary snacks to fuel their conversations!

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
HouseLife Presents: Fashion Show

Specifically for this event, HouseLife Owner & Stylist Meagan Kelln has created a fashion show to demonstrate how to maximize the positive image you project, regardless of your business industry. The fashion show is designed to help you learn how to dress in order to give others the best possible impression of you, your skills, and your business. From creative artists to corporate boardroom representatives, Meagan has put together an impressive lineup of current outfits to work for any image and any budget, male or female.

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Break

During this time, visitors and vendors are invited to take a break from the event to stretch, eat dinner, and collect their thoughts – it’s been a very full day up until this point! Vendors are also encouraged to take advantage of this time to dismantle their display tables and pack up their products. Although there will be additional time for cleaning and packing up marketing materials at the end of the evening, this is the best time to do so. Remember to keep at least a few business cards on hand for networking into the night, though!

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Live Music & Dance

The final phase of the evening is a showcase of local talent – a fantastic lineup of musical artists and bands will be providing the soundtrack to a night of dancing and fun! This is the last chance to mingle with the people you’ve met throughout the day, and kick back and appreciate some of the extremely talented musicians we have here in Calgary. All sound and lights for the dance have been provided by Calgary Sound Rentals. At 10pm, we’ll wrap up Marketing Yourself: Social Media Forum & Fashion Show and go our separate ways, armed with a wealth of new knowledge, business contacts, and ideas for the future!

Sponsorship Opportunities

Please contact us via email or phone (403) 397-2271 for more detail – we would love to work with your business to find somewhere within these packages that will fit with your business vision and budget.

Platinum Level ($1000+)

Our Platinum Level sponsors receive the most benefits, marketing and exposure of their business. These organizations are also given priority as feature sponsors for future events hosted by HouseLife and/or Calgary Sound Rentals. As a Platinum Level sponsor, you will receive:

* Placement of a banner that you provide across the main stage – 15 feet of prime space
* A full-length feature blog post promoting your business on both the HouseLife and Calgary Sound Rentals websites
* Business posting on HouseLife’s “My Community” webpage for 6 months
* Feature business promotional interview on the Calgary Sound Rentals Weekly “Behind the Scene” Podcast
* Your business’ full-color logo on all event posters and signage
* Your business’ profile (30 word maximum), contact information, and logo (B&W) in the event program, given to all event attendees
* Detailed feature mentions on the P.A. during the event

Gold Level ($500 – $999)

Our Gold Level sponsors receive significant exposure both on the event day as well as online both before and after the event. These organizations also get early notification of sponsorship opportunities for future events hosted by HouseLife and/or Calgary Sound Rentals. As a Gold Level sponsor, you will receive:

* Business posting on HouseLife’s “My Community” webpage for 3 months
* Feature business promotional interview on the Calgary Sound Rentals Weekly “Behind the Scene” Podcast
* Your business’ full-color logo on all event posters and signage
* Your business’ profile (30 word maximum), contact information, and logo (B&W) in the event program, given to all event attendees
* Multiple mentions on the P.A. during the event

Silver Level ($250 – $499)

Our Silver Level sponsors have the opportunity to contribute monetary funds or make their sponsorship in-kind through the donation of a door prize or multiple door prizes (dependent on estimated value of goods and/or services), or through tote bag items (samples, gifts, coupons, and/or gift certificates) that total a minimum of $250 in value. Silver Level sponsors will also receive exposure in the following ways:

* Your business’ logo on all signage at the event
* Your business’ profile (30 word maximum), contact information, and logo (B&W) in the event program, given to all event attendees
* Multiple mentions on the P.A. during the event

Bronze Level ($50 – $249)

Bronze Level sponsors have the opportunity to contribute monetary funds or make their sponsorship in-kind through the donation of a door prize or multiple door prizes (dependent on estimated value of goods and/or services), or through tote bag items (samples, gifts, coupons, and/or gift certificates) that total a minimum of $50 in value. Through event marketing, Bronze Level sponsors receive invaluable exposure for their business. Bronze Level sponsors receive:

* Inclusion of promotional material (catalogues, business cards, and/or flyers) in tote bags given to all event attendees
* Your business’ profile (30 word maximum), contact information, and logo (B&W) in the event program, given to all event attendees

This weeks podcast comes straight from the market collective. We speak with Omar and the bear, the Doer and the Doddler and Morley Tutle. Here some live recordings and learn how to use your amp as your monitor when you have to have a really low stage volume.

Welcome to episode 20 of Calgary sound rentals behind the scene podcast, an inside look at Calgary’s music scene featuring interviews and tracks by local bands, sound tips, upcoming event listings and more.

I have seen a couple of these people perform and I laughed. A lot. More than I expected.

Here is the info… and I quote;

Friday, February 18 · 8:00pm – 9:30pm

And thank you to Kate Nowlan for the awesome poster for this month’s show. Much better than the dead racoon we had nailed to a telephone pole.

James talks to us about his experience with the digital audio program at sait and about his time on the set of “the missing link” as a boom operator.

Today on the podcast, we have some information on microphone pick up patterns, and an interview with James Shettler about his experience as a boom operator on the set of “the missing link.”

On a side note, did you know that on site on film locations the sound engineer will take a sample of room sound so that they can mix that in under the dialog or for between edits?

On this small business feature I speak with Meagan Kelln about her business Houslife.
Check out her upcoming white shirt workshop (which features a fashion show) on her web page.

Yours truly will be providing a system for the event.

Today on the podcast, a quick tip on stage level, and 2 interviews from back to back events with Calgary promotor and band merchandise producer Jonathan Harris.

Next week we will be speaking with James Shettler about his learning experience at Sait, and on his recent work as a boom operator on the set of the missing link.

Valentine’s Craft Fair
Sunday, February 13th
9am-4pm
Free Admission
107 3009 23rd ave s.w.

Come and Enjoy free coffee, hot chocolate, samples from our vendors as well as live acoustic performances by local musicians!

Vendors participating are:

The Scrapbooking Studio: free make-and-take Valentine cards; handmade Valentines for sale

Chezzy’s Chocolates: free samples of their signature “Baileys and Cream Chocolate Hearts” and
many other hand-made chocolates for sale

Chelsea’s Custom Cakes: free samples; Valentine Fondant cupcakes and larger cakes for sale

Sybillinart by Sabine: Decoupage Artist Sabine sells her beautiful hand-made Valentines crafts

Danielle’s Candy Bouquets: Beautiful candy adorned stems in Valentines decorated vases

Second Cup on 17th Avenue: Donating the co ee and hot chocolate! We love you Second Cup!

Sandi’s Jewellery Handmade Wire Art: A ordable handmade creations for that special someone

Bev’s Baking: Hand-made cookies and brownies decorated for Valentine’s Day

Houselife Food Fashion: kitchen and fashion styling services

And many more!!! Come and enjoy!

Event Information via down loadable PDF

This weeks episode, a tip for home recording enthusiast on pop screens.

Here is a transcript from the podcast.

Welcome to episode 16 of Calgary sound rentals behind the scene podcast, an inside look at Calgary’s music scene featuring interviews and tracks by local bands, sound tips, upcoming event listings and more.

Calgary sound rentals is an audio visual company helping to grow small businesses and actively supporting non-profit communities and local bands. If you are interested on being featured on the podcast or for more information please visit calgarysoundrentals.com find us on twitter at Twitter.com/@soundrentals or friend us on facebook. Peace.

This weeks episode, a tip for home recording enthusiast on realistic panning.

Here is a transcript from the podcast.

Often when we record an instrument it will end up being a single track in our mix. The problem with this is that humans are binaural creatures, we have two ears. In the real world when a sound occurs we hear it from the ear closer to the sound source first and then with our other ear.

This weeks episode, a tip for mixing engineers on how to prepare your venue for a sound check. We speak with Reuben Bullock about the market collective, his album “pulling up arrows” and more.

This weeks episode, a tip on how to maintain the balance of your mix by compressing the bass track. I share some of our new years resolutions and we provide some ideas on what to do this New Years Eve with our event listings.

Here is a transcript of the podcast.

Today we have a quick tip for the do-it yourselfer on why you may want to compress bass when mixing your tracks.

Calgary sound rentals is an audio visual company helping to grow small businesses and actively supporting non-profit communities and local bands. If you have an upcoming event you would like to promote, or are doing something interesting and would like to be featured on the podcast or simply for more information please visit calgarysoundrentals.com find us on twitter at Twitter.com/@soundrentals or friend us on facebook. Peace.

On this weeks episode Kris talks with Chris Dadge about improvising, bug incision, how to connect to your soul through music and more. Hear a track off of Chris Dadge and Scott Munroe’s “Holly Jolly” as well as a track from Chris Dadges “Silk Thousand”. Find out a bit about what is happening at Cantos and Weeds Cafe etc.

This weeks Sound advice is on how to position instruments in your recording with room sound and re-verb. (aka close miking and distance miking techniques).

Calgary sound rentals behind the scene podcast will be back with a quickie on the 29th, unless we can find a musician to interview over the holidays.

On this weeks episode listen to all of the musical performances from Calgary Folk Fests Rock and Roll Xmas at the Arrata opera centre held on Dec 12 2010 featuring; raleigh, Samantha Savage Smith, Chad VanGaalen, Lorrie Matheson, Doer and the Doddler, Jay Crocker, Bob Keelaghan, Clinton Saint John, Savk, Reuben Bullock, Mark Hamilton, Laura Leif, Woodpigeon, Dan Vacon and Aaron Booth

On this episode check out interviews with members from woodpigeon, a sound tip from CKUA’s mixing engineer Steve (out of Nanton Alberta) and hear a track from woodpigeon playing live in the East Coulee School museum.

When: Sunday, December 12 · 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Where:
Arrata Opera Centre
1315 7 St SW
Calgary, AB

"Just because you are jaded and ironic doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the holiday season! We’ve gathered a dozen local musicians to carol and cajole you into a festive mood.

Join Clinton St John, Bob Keelaghan, Dan Vacon, Lorrie Matheson, Woodpigeon, Savk, Jay Crocker, The Doer and the Doddler, Aaron Booth, Samantha Savage-Smith, Reuben Bullock and the Xmas house band featuring Ryan Bourne, Colin Mitchell, Steve Fletcher and Eric H…amelin for holiday songs both classic and spastic.

Hipster moms and dads: Here’s a kid-friendly seasonal celebration you won’t roll your eyes over. There will be Santa, ornaments for kids to make courtesy of Local Library, cocoa and an early sing-along for the little ones.

Also: cider and mulled wine, the world’s smallest record fair, a late sing-along for grownups, and a silent auction featuring fully trimmed xmas trees and gingerbread houses made by local artists.

Tickets $25 for adults, $5 for kids, available at Sloth Records and through the Calgary Folk Music Festival office by phone at 403-233-0904 or online at calgaryfolkfest.com"

– written by the Calgary folk fest

Episode 9, released as a quickie for Canada’s international day of pod-casting.
In this episode, a quick musician’s tip about stage volume and why turning your amp to 11 may not be the best idea. (sometimes)

Join us in the green room with Ontario and Calgarian musicians from ‘The Crossover’.
Hear how this band has used their experiences working with the homeless in Calgary to create music with a positive influence.
Learn more about the alpha house, what it is and what they do.
Check out ‘life’s yours’ a track from the crossovers ‘12 steps to recovery demo’.

This weeks audio tip is on how gripping the mic may change the way your vocals sound.

Join us in the green room with local musician, recording engineer and producer Lorrie Matheson.

In this episode Lorrie talks with me about his studio, his vinyl obsession, his experience as a solo artist, and he shares some of Steve Albini’s recording tricks with us.

Long walk short dock AKA Dave King talks about his experience at the Shambhala music festival and the Art institute of Vancouver.
Listen to his take on dance music for people who don’t like dance music and learn about how he is building up his live show experience by teaming up with RIM’s visuals.

Also in this episode, our sound advice tip on how to determine how much power you can draw before blowing a fuse.

We ask the desert island scenario and hear a wicked track from LWSD “keep it round” off his disc “casual tea”.

Jay Sinclair of the new black centre talks to Amos and I about his experience within the Calgary music scene, on running new black and about touring. Jay has played in many many bands over the years including; Mallard, Collin Decker Freefall, Fallout Frequency, Belvedere and more.

Also in this episode, our sound advice tip on how non technologically savvy vocalists can get their points across to sound technicians.

And as always we ask the desert island scenario but unfortunately don’t have a track for you… Alas.

Matthew Doherty drummer in axis of conversation, raleigh, this city defects and more talks to Amos and I about his experience within the Calgary music scene.

Also in this episode, a sound guy tip about using a y cable to keep your front man and the front of house sounding great.

And as always we ask the desert island scenario and get to hear a track from Raleigh’s unreleased album.

I arrived at the palace that is the Banff springs hotel and couldn’t help but think of The Shining. The looming mountains made me feel tiny and alone in a city where I knew only the DJ I was there to meet, whom I had spoke to only through email.

After unloading the gear into one of the ballrooms for a wedding reception.. alas, the technics 1200’s I brought were not working properly with Serato!
Apparently they were not grounded correctly as Serato could not make any sense of the signal being sent from the turn tables to it’s inputs.

In case you are wondering what serato is, it is a piece of software that allows DJ’s to bring there entire music collection with them on a hard drive instead of in vinyl or cd’s. The software enables them to mix with real turntables (ideally) or cdj’s as if the tracks were on the tables themselves except the tracks are routed from the computer and are only manipulated with the turntables.

Luckily the in house audio visual company at the hotel had a set of tables for a ridiculous price. If I had known perhaps it would have been worth it to go back to Calgary for another pair.

After everything was sounding great I took to the streets along with a thousand other people who thought it would be a good idea to head out to Banff for the long thanksgiving weekend.
My goodness.
There were people everywhere and they were taking photo’s of the most ordinary things like, a Starbucks, a pumpkin, a time to cross signal etc.

I grabbed a bite at wild bills saloon. All their staff seemed to be from Australia. I imagine they come for the ski-ing/snowboarding and stay over the summer. (those ozzies and Kiwi’s and their extreme sports)

I purchased some salted licorice.
Checked out the social network for lack of a better option and crashed for a bit in the back of the car.

Another adventure. Complete.

United way was providing free bar-b-q in exchange for donations.

From what i understand, United raises money for a large number of organizations.
A list of who they support can be found on their web page at calgaryunitedway.org
One in three Canadians will accept help from an organization that United way funds.

We were pleased to be involved again this year for the bar-b-q and look forward to supporting them again in the near future.

Although it is a few years old the content is still relevant.
Inside you will find how to calculate the volume of your speaker enclosure based on the size of speaker your are going to use and other specifications required for your calculations.
The author guides you through four different types of speaker enclosures from the closed box to the cone and also provides information on crossovers.

Some of the speaker systems seem to be very complex and I think you would have to build a few enclosures before getting things to sound right.

It was interesting to read about how the Fibonacci ratio is used to achieve the best sounding speaker enclosure.
I have always found the ratio fascinating and have long looked for ways to use it in relation to music.

Although this resource provides calculations as well as building tips I think experience is a necessity for achieving great sounding speakers and that experimentation would be the best way to go.

You can buy the book here if you wish. (Calgary sound rentals does not profit from this link.)

The idea is a stationary bicycle race to raise money for juvenille diabetes research.

When I arrived at Eau-Claire there was a mysterious screaching in the air. Hundreds of bats were occupying the areas surrounding trees.
When the sun rose they vanished into the air.

The tented area behind the barley mill held 50 stationary bikes.
Each participant had 8 minutes to ride as many km’s as they could.
Prizes were awarded to the groups who collectively travelled the furthest distances, as well as for individual record holders.

I brought out six powered speakers on stands, 2 wireless sure pg58 microphones and a laptop full of hits.

I found myself playing dj while the racers did their heats and kept the energy in the tent by playing upbeat music from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

The tent was full of happy cyclists many of whom were dressed up in ridiculous costumes .

It was a pleasure for Calgary sound rentals to provide uplifting music for the day.

Never before have I listened to that much disco.

It’s back baby!

Since I was working with the reserve I was able to take a shortcut through their beautiful land. What a pleasant drive. Lot’s of open space and beautiful views of the mountains.

The priddis hall facility was the perfect size for this type of event and offered very reasonable acoustics.

I set up a 3200 lumen projector, an 8′ projector screen, 2 self powered 500 watt qsc speakers and a shure pg58 wireless mic.

Unfortunately I had to leave to set up at another event before all the action started. Looks like I missed out on some great bar-b-q.

I am thinking Calgary Sound Rentals is going to invest in some higher quality wireless microphones and lavalier microphones in the near future to better serve our customers.

Our customers can now place deposits to reserve their rental through our online paypal gateway or with their credit card by phone.

When : August 18th 2010
Time : 10am – 2pm
Who : Open to the public
Where : Stephen Ave and 1t S.W.
Contact : 403 228 1600
Website : www.sfmsalonspa.com

SFM lifestyle Salon and Spa partner with Matter of Trust to host a hair-cut-a-thon to assist the gulf oil spill.

Hair is very absorbent and efficient at gathering oil. Salons are sweeping up their hair clippings and shipping the hair to Matter of trust who turn the cuttings into mats.

They can also be made into brooms which can be tied together to surround and contain a spill.

Here is a video link if you would like to know more about how the process works.

Calgary sound rentals is pleased to donate sound equipment for the event.

When I arrived I found a workshop that had been converted into a ballroom. I have to say the wedding planner/event coordinator did an amazing job considering what she had to work with.

I loaded up the stage (a flat bed semi truck.)

The band hit the truck. The people hit the dance floor.
I brought out eight qsc hpr121i monitors, one qsc hpr181i sub and two racks of four par 56 lights.
The machine shop was a little tinny so I had to cut some of the high mid’s on the front of house graphic eq’s and made sure the bass was pumping. Not surprisingly the 18″ powered sub I rented out did the job perfectly. I love our QSC’s!

For the size of the room the rental equipment I brought out from Calgary was perfect. I think if there was anymore power in that room the reverberation off of the metal siding would have made the music a wash of high’s.

We are pleased to be renting sound equipment and providing volunteer audio techs for the following event;

Sunday August 8th · 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location Stanley Park
42nd Avenue and Stanley Drive SW
Calgary, AB

OneYoga presents a fundraiser towards teaching hygiene and health care to children in Koinadugu, Sierra Leone.
Please visit thier facebook event page here

“More Info:
OneYoga 2010! This year bigger and better!
* Free
* Outside
* At Stanley Park- close to Chinook Mall
* 108 minutes of yoga to help end extreme poverty
* Registration starts at 9:00 AM, Yoga starts at 10:08 AM
* Open to ALL levels and ages…yes, families welcome!
* We’re targeting 1008 people!
* All you need to do is SHOW UP, PRACTICE YOGA and DONATE
* Tax receipts for all donations and sponsors over $25
* All money raised goes towards teaching hygiene and healthcare to children in Koinadugu, Sierra Leone. (uend.org/dt/projects/58)
* We encourage everyone to consider alternative transportation i.e. walking, biking, and city transit.
*There will be a walk down to the park from lululemon 4th street. Please be there for 9a.m. if you wish to partake
* You may want to consider bringing: Water, sunscreen, and a yoga mat
* The best ways to donate on site is cash or check, we will have a computer available for those who wish to use credit; or save the hassle and donate before hand: http://www.uend.org/dt/OneYoga2010

* If you want to raise funds and get pledges (like a run for cancer) please visit the UEnd website and register yourself or a team at: http://www.uend.org/dt/OneYoga2010
A free yoga mat will be given to anyone who raises $100+ (from yogamat.com, while supplies last)”

p.s. if it is raining this event will be taking place at the multicultural centre.

The event was a success!

Here are a few shots off my phone.
We brought out four seven hundred watt yorkville speakers and four 500w qsc hpr121i powered monitors. They were positioned around the park so that people could choose to do yoga where they felt most comfortable.
The instructors used wireless headset lavalieres while a band played soothing music in the background.
Very nice.

Our 500w speakers were mounted on an 8 foot tall structure which was fastened to a large dolly. It was a little precarious getting the speakers onto the top of the structure but once everything was in place and strapped down things sounded excellent. Wireless mics were used by dancing singers to lead the parade in celebratory song.

The festival was very interesting, the rhythmical songs were pleasing and everyone was in great spirits.
When the Chariot (brought in from Montreal for the event) arrived at Shaw millennium park the person representing the reincarnation of Hare Krishna and his family members handed out fruit to the crowd around them.

At the park everyone was welcome to a free vegetarian meal, which was delicious, and there were many forms of entertainment generally bringing awareness to the spiritual beliefs of the organizers. Children put on plays and I listened to an informative program on vegetarianism.

I had a great time and look forward to helping the community celebrate again next year.

We managed five crisp monitor mixes and helped to ignite the room with auditory delights.

The highlight for me was when the band burst into “we built this city”.

We had qsc’s all around and it couldn’t have been any clearer.

There was not much equipment to work with only two QSC hpr121i available so I had to make use of some passive yorkville speakers.

Luckily the group brought two Lesly cabinets which annihilated the hot dog venue with thundering bass and ear piercing high-mids.

The whole venue was dancing and everything was sounding great when the circuit breaker flipped. After unplugging some unnecessary speakers and swapping out a power bar we were back and badder than ever. In a way I felt the fear of another abrupt stop added emotional impact to the show.

Calgary sound rentals is pleased to be providing a PA system for a Cake Competition in support of this anniversary on Tuesday, March 16th until Sunday, March 21st, 2010.
Cakes will be displayed at Market Mall and the public will have the opportunity to vote on their favourite cake
until 7:00pm on Friday, March 19th.

On Saturday, March 20th, teams of celebrities will judge the cakes and award the winning teams with
placement ribbons and Best Overall Cake Award.
Votes from the general public will be tabulated and the People’s Choice Award will also be announced on
March 20th.

Unfortunately competitors are by invitation only. Luckily each team is encouraged to hand out samples of cake to the public during judging on
Saturday, March 20th.

For more information, please contact Marla Cohen at 403-240-3000 ext. 128 or By Email.

Amos prefers to have a lot of low end presence in his mix and to keep the highs under control by smoothing out frequencies above 5kHz.
I tend to enjoy a punchier low end with crispy attack in the mid-high frequencies.

This taste seems to be carried over from the music production that we enjoy. Amos listens to a lot more dub and reggae than I do which tends to be a little more rich in the lows. I am used to listening to rock music which has a lot of attack in the mid highs and consists of a punchier kick and snare.
The production from one mix to the next is so consistent that ones ears start to gain a taste for a certain style of production. I could argue that my cd collection consists mostly of the same style of production. It is not only the talent of the musicians but the way it is presented.

Now when people require a mixing engineer for their Calgary sound related events I can affix an mixer that will suit the style of their music more efficiently.

Long walk was performing at Sals on 17th in Calgary. I was enjoying the tunes and could not help noticing the speaker system which had been installed by PK sound.

PK sound is a sound reinforcement company in Calgary Alberta. From my experiences of the shows they support the company seems to be focused on the DJ/house/techno vain of the music industry. I believe they also help to put on the Shambhala Music Festival in B.C. and are involved in burning man.

I could not help but admire their PA installation. Directly under the dj booth were two bass bins each appearing to have two 18″ speakers. On each side of the booth flew two custom made mid range speakers appearing to have one 15″ and a tweeter or possibly two 15″ speakers.

The sound was excellent and Long walk was barely pushing the system. His music worked well for the set up because he relies on a lot of low mid range for the bit crushing sounds which came through beautifully in the room.

Quoting Jenelle Kitto owner of Vidasana Living

Karma Yoga Class 10:00AM-11:00AM Attend with a donation

Family fun fair 11:00AM-1:00PM Free

“We will have games, entertainment, hula hoops and ribbons for the kids and those young at heart. Good food, great music and inspiring messages to share with all of you. 100% of Proceeds raised will go to the Alberta Children’s Hospital. We will be accepting cash donations and any donation over $20 is eligible for a tax receipt. RAFFLE PRIZES from private yoga classes, to healthy local food baskets and a juicer. Tickets $5 each or 5 for $20. (Raffle ticket purchases are not eligible for a tax receipt.)“

Calgary sound rentals will also be providing a free Calgary PA rental to one lucky raffle winner. Come out and support the children’s hospital and get involved with your community.

In my day Santa traveled in a reindeer powered sleigh, not a diesel powered truck. If you wanted to play in a fort in the middle of December you would have to go outside and build one out of snow. Now-a-days people can just hook up a generator to a giant inflatable castle.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I am jealous of all of the children who attended the CMP automotive Christmas party.

We provided them with a simple dj equipment rental so they could announce the names of the children who were receiving gifts.

It was a great affair and we were glad to be a part of it.

Calgary Sound Rentals is proud to help support Christmas in Inglewood.

“There will be live entertainment in the streets, Christmas Carolers, window displays, lots of in store give-aways and events, Santa Clause with a sack full of presents, a 20’ Christmas Tree in the heart of Inglewood, great food, fantastic shopping and so much more! “

If you are in the giving spirit please bring personal hygiene items or warm socks as donations for the Mustard Seed Street ministry’s “Warm Feet for the Street” campaign.

No matter how advanced video game systems get, nothing will ever beat the original nintendo.

There is something about the games. Something more than nostalgia. The simplicity of the games are captivating. They are also very challenging perhaps because so many games are so damn “cheap”, frustrating and impossible to pass. For example when your character gets stuck somewhere on the screen that you can’t escape from. Or sometimes there is no way to avoid objects that harm you. Or the boss is simply impossible to pass.

Remember Contra? In my opinion the best video game ever made. Well Calgary Sound Rentals invested in a 3200 lumen projector which is available for rent now. What better way for me to test it out than to project contra across my living room wall. Never before have I experienced the game like this. I don’t have to tell you. It was amazing.

Also I was using the projector during the day. There was plenty of power and lumens to see everything clearly. Everything was sharp. Freaks and geaks had never been bigger or better.

With a van load of pa equipment and a sack of teeth destruction I headed out to Dutchess Alberta for the Lee Taylor Band.
The community hall was packed. The Jackson five, zulu tribesman, monopoly characters and to top it all off Lee Taylor in a brand new yet surprisingly smelly Elvis suit. Only those with costumes were allowed in which made for a very entertaining evening.

The hall could have accomodated a few costumed giraffes and was wide and long enough to play college basketball in. We went with two mackie 1530 powered 3 way speakers and two qsc subs for the mains. Surprisingly I barley touched any of the graphic eqs I brought. It is nice to work with so much power on stage. Good ol qsc’s.

The party lasted long into November.

Tip #1 do not wear a goulish mask and try to mix. My mask boosted 250-400hz and made it difficult to enjoy a hard earned beverage at the end of the night.