As part of the celebration for youth week across
Canada, The Yukon Arts Centre was host to youth performers promoting
the release of Mega BYTE 2, a collection of spoken word, rap,
music and multimedia to be released later this season.
Rappers Prolific Ones and Dino opened the evening’s festivities
to much applause.
I was interested to see the influences that rap have on Yukon
youth. I have my own views on rap mostly from Much Music and
other popular sources. These local groups that were up on the
stage this night all took this art form, using the beat and
patter of rap to tell stories of their own unique experiences.
This is the way music progresses
.
In a somewhat quieter but no less passionate way, poets Telek
Rogan and Sam Cashin gave readings of their own works.
Selina MacMillan did a straight out rocker with members of Death
in Venice
What can I say about Kate Weekes that I haven’t already
said? I like her song writing and her voice and always look
forward to hearing her again.
After the intermission comedian Michael Couchman was introduced
Couchman claims to be only 17. If he has this ability to make
me laugh at this age I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.
As I was saying to my nephew King Kong the
other day… take my wife please. In all honesty I found
his humour is dry, smart and his presentation self-effacing
in true Canadian tradition.
Next up was some heavy rapping from KO9 with what must be one
of the first performances of Yukon gangsa rap on the Yukon Arts
Centre stage.
The group Death In Venice fronted by guitarist Johnny Rodgers
captivated me. I like a good instrumental band because it shows
musicians ‘ confidence in the music they play not impeded
by lyrical content. I couldn’t help draw a comparison
between Death In Venice and the groups Do Make Say Think and
Godspeed you! black emperor. After all, guitar bass and drums
are the international sign of the power trio. The Death In Venice
set was a balance to the poetry and rapping that headed the
top of the program.
Jeremy Jones from Triple J’s headed Drifting, a local
hardcore band. The music was tight, fast and heavy. They also
had the right combination of superficial elements that I look
for in a rock group, good hair, the right pose when thrashing
a guitar and a touch of makeup that reminds me that I was once
a member of the KISS army.
Closing the festivities was Reid Parent. He gave a totally awesome
performance, and I mean that without the overuse of that term
in the parlance of our times. This guy is a born showman with
a total command of his world on stage. His rap was tight and
surprisingly local in nature while his music was incredibly
complex.
Look for the BYTE CD in early July