Bobbyisms: London Music Scene 101: Keeping up with the industry

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: LISA MARK
Nova Scotia's Sloan released Commonwealth, which reflects each members' personalities.

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. There is an unquestionable buzz that settles in on the campus here at the start of a new school year; if it’s your first at Fanshawe, congratulations on your choice.

Fanshawe plays an important role in the music scene here in London. Like most places, the scene here in the city naturally seems to rise and fall around a few constant elements – including the venues we have and the increased population London enjoys during the school year – and a few wild card factors, like the talent pool of artists and bands we have at any given time.

Our school makes such an impact on the local music scene because we’re able to offer both; Fanshawe houses live music every week though Forwell Hall and The Out Back Shack, and countless unforgettable moments have transpired here – including this week’s incredible lineup of Classified, Shad and A Tribe Called Red, all for only the cost of a T-shirt.

Although London quieted slightly over the summer, the music world is poised to invade our streets and clubs once again. For example, Hamilton’s The Dirty Nil visits Call The Office next week, joining Greys on tour through town on September 13. The trio recently signed to Fat Wreck Chords and released their 7” Cinnamon only weeks ago, that show will cost you only $5.

Also notable this week are a pair of highly anticipated releases by Canadian heavyweights Sloan and Death From Above 1979, new albums that do not deserve to be bumped from public attention in the wake of the start of a new school year.

Commonwealth, the latest record by Nova Scotia’s leading alt-rock quartet, is a concept album split into four parts to reflect the four members’ personalities. Each named for a suit of cards, the four sections of the album were written by a different member of the band and coalesced into a unified whole, capped off by an 18-minutes pop-rock epic entitled “Forty-Eight Portraits.”

On another end of the rock spectrum, Death From Above 1979’s long-awaited album The Physical World is sure to come up in conversation among insiders into the new year, likely to make an impact when many “Best of 2014” lists begin to surface in November. The reclusive pair of Jesse F. Keeler and Sebastien Grainger marked their unlikely return to the spotlight – The Physical World is their first release since You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine debuted in 2004 – with a performance on The Late Show with David Letterman last week, captivating in ways you have to see to believe.

Canadian music is poised to make a big splash over the next few months, and London stands to play a big part in the process. Be sure to keep up with the latest events happening here on campus by visiting the Fanshawe Student Union online at fsu.ca or following along on Twitter @fanshawesu. Speaking from experience, pay note to the Thursday nooner concerts in Forwell Hall – in recent years, a veritable who’swho of artists have played intimate gigs here before sharing stages with major recording artists, and they go down every week.

And for more of the latest in regards to music news, album releases and concert previews here in town, follow this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms. This city – not unlike the school year – is going to be what you make of it. Support local music and make London your own, you won’t be sorry you did. I’m out of words.