Saint Alvia gets competitive
Those familiar with Burlington, Ontario's music scene will recognize names like Silverstein, Dead and Divine, and Finger Eleven, all of whom were formed in the GTA sleeper-town of nearly 200,000. But from the same hotbed comes one of the most promising young rock, reggae and punk acts today: Saint Alvia.
They're a super-group of sorts, especially for those aware with Southern Ontario's rich history in punk/emo rock. Several members also perform as part of The Video Dead; others have come from bands like Boys Night Out, Grade and Jersey.
But Saint Alvia's music doesn't bear much semblance to the band's individual histories. In fact, they try to approach each song as a blank slate, an aesthetic they've acquired from some of the most influential rock and roll bands from the ‘70s.
“I think the Clash and [Big Audio Dynamite] were fearless with their toying and genre crossing,” said lead singer Ben Rispin. “I think the idea of taking risks with music is really one of the aspects of our band that keeps Saint Alvia interesting for everyone in it... We are a very eclectic band and we like it this way.”
But it's hard to imagine all that creativity coming from a city Rispin calls “a cultural wasteland of ‘power centres' and sub divisions that look identical to each other.”
“That lack of culture breeds art. As kids, we got so bored with our surroundings that we built this scene and culture around us,” he said. “It's like the mythical creature Hydra, when you cut off its head, it grows six more. It's so massive now and there are so many creative kids doing interesting things.”
Their ingenuity is paying off too, with two Juno nominations and a MuchMusic Video Award nomination under their belt. And though they didn't win, Saint Alvia made quite a stir at last year's Juno Awards when Rispin got onstage during Finger Eleven's acceptance speech for Best Rock Album. There, he treated the audience to a Kanye West-esque tirade about how Saint Alvia's album was better.
Of course, it was just a joke, and being hometown friends, Finger Eleven was in on the prank, but it still made the industry turn its head for a minute, making the name Saint Alvia one to pay attention to.
In fact, the boys were nominated again for 2009. Rispin and the band will be heading out west for this year's Junos in under a month, but no stunts have been planned just yet. Never say never, though.
“I think the good people at Caras can take a joke and understand when you get a bunch of musicians under the same roof, 'tomfoolery'... will take place,” Rispin said.
But pulling pranks, or just jumping around onstage, that energetic spirit seems to follows the Saint Alvia wherever they go. Recently, the guys toured Japan as part of a Canada-Japan cultural exchange, and they're also prepping for a big date with Rancid and Rise Against in Toronto, before touring Europe and the States, where they are currently label-less.
And though there will be record label representatives sure to be checking them out south of the border, the band remain “more focused on giving ticket holders a good time and not looking at this as any sort of political move for our band.”
In the mean time, Saint Alvia will be playing a St. Paddy's Day celebration gig in Kingston right before a mini-tour with The Gaslight Anthem, which will bring them to Call the Office on March 21. St. Patrick's Day has a tendency to get a little messy for rock and roll bands.
“This is our life, and we will absolutely be in fine form for the Gaslight dates. We can't wait!”
They're a super-group of sorts, especially for those aware with Southern Ontario's rich history in punk/emo rock. Several members also perform as part of The Video Dead; others have come from bands like Boys Night Out, Grade and Jersey.
But Saint Alvia's music doesn't bear much semblance to the band's individual histories. In fact, they try to approach each song as a blank slate, an aesthetic they've acquired from some of the most influential rock and roll bands from the ‘70s.
“I think the Clash and [Big Audio Dynamite] were fearless with their toying and genre crossing,” said lead singer Ben Rispin. “I think the idea of taking risks with music is really one of the aspects of our band that keeps Saint Alvia interesting for everyone in it... We are a very eclectic band and we like it this way.”
But it's hard to imagine all that creativity coming from a city Rispin calls “a cultural wasteland of ‘power centres' and sub divisions that look identical to each other.”
“That lack of culture breeds art. As kids, we got so bored with our surroundings that we built this scene and culture around us,” he said. “It's like the mythical creature Hydra, when you cut off its head, it grows six more. It's so massive now and there are so many creative kids doing interesting things.”
Their ingenuity is paying off too, with two Juno nominations and a MuchMusic Video Award nomination under their belt. And though they didn't win, Saint Alvia made quite a stir at last year's Juno Awards when Rispin got onstage during Finger Eleven's acceptance speech for Best Rock Album. There, he treated the audience to a Kanye West-esque tirade about how Saint Alvia's album was better.
Of course, it was just a joke, and being hometown friends, Finger Eleven was in on the prank, but it still made the industry turn its head for a minute, making the name Saint Alvia one to pay attention to.
In fact, the boys were nominated again for 2009. Rispin and the band will be heading out west for this year's Junos in under a month, but no stunts have been planned just yet. Never say never, though.
“I think the good people at Caras can take a joke and understand when you get a bunch of musicians under the same roof, 'tomfoolery'... will take place,” Rispin said.
But pulling pranks, or just jumping around onstage, that energetic spirit seems to follows the Saint Alvia wherever they go. Recently, the guys toured Japan as part of a Canada-Japan cultural exchange, and they're also prepping for a big date with Rancid and Rise Against in Toronto, before touring Europe and the States, where they are currently label-less.
And though there will be record label representatives sure to be checking them out south of the border, the band remain “more focused on giving ticket holders a good time and not looking at this as any sort of political move for our band.”
In the mean time, Saint Alvia will be playing a St. Paddy's Day celebration gig in Kingston right before a mini-tour with The Gaslight Anthem, which will bring them to Call the Office on March 21. St. Patrick's Day has a tendency to get a little messy for rock and roll bands.
“This is our life, and we will absolutely be in fine form for the Gaslight dates. We can't wait!”
