Top Local Artist of 2014: Honourable Mentions

There were other local artists who didn’t make the Top 10 for whatever reason, but should get some mention. Basically had I done a Top 20, these artists would be on the list. These videos are arranged from when they took place.

Sam Weber at Lucky Bar: Oh Diana (January 11, 2014)

Sam Weber: http://www.samweber.me/

West My Friend at Fairfield United Church : Missing You (March 6, 2014)

West My Friend: http://www.westmyfriend.com/

Shoestring Bourbon at the Copper Owl: Statesboro Blues (March 29, 2014)

Shoestring Bourbon: http://www.shoestringbourbon.com/

The Archers at Fairfield United Church: Walking in the Dark (June 7, 2014)

The Archers: http://www.thearchersband.com/ 

Weak Patrol at Lucky Bar: Girlfriend (June 19, 2014)

Weak Patrol: https://www.facebook.com/weakpatrol/

San Felix at FernFest 2014: I Was A Vulture (June 21, 2014)

San Felix: http://sanfelixband.com/

The Carlines at the Market Square Courtyard Sessions: Dance Like Fools (August 2, 2014)

The Carlines: http://thecarlines.com/

Theresa Pasaluko at St. Ann’s Academy: Give Up (August 4, 2014)

Theresa Pasaluko: http://theresapasaluko.bandcamp.com/ 

BUM at Rifflandia 2014: A Promise Is A Promise (September 13, 2014)

BUM: http://www.smashsensation.com/

Geoffrey Lundstrom at Lucky Bar: Tears of Rage (September 20, 2014)

Geoffrey Lundstrom: http://www.geoffreylundstrom.com/

Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 1

1. Isobel Trigger at Club 9ONE9: Champion (August 9, 2014)

The number one spot this year of Local Acts of 2014 goes to a band I predicted last year to expect a big year in 2014 and that is Isobel Trigger. Most bands only wind up doing maybe one or two of the things this group has done in 2014.

This year saw the band become The Zone’s Band of the Month for April, saw the release of their new EP, ‘Nocturnal’, release two music videos for their songs ‘Tiger Shark’ and ‘Champion’, play at some of the biggest festivals on the island such as the Rifflandia Music Festival in Victoria and the Tall Tree Music Festival in Port Renfrew, get signed on to Cordova Bay Records, and they even had a documentary filmed about the band’s road to the Tall Tree Music Festival.

2015 will have a tough year to follow up on what this band has accomplished in 2014, but a cross-Canada tour in the Spring and another possible album release in 2015 shows that this band will not be resting on their laurels they had this year.

For more videos from this show, click HERE

Isobel Trigger: http://www.isobeltrigger.com/

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Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 2

2. The Roper Show at Rock The Shores 2014: Chains of Love (July 12, 2014)

Literally every time I turned around this year, it seemed like The Roper Show was playing another sold out show and 2015 doesn’t look like it’s going to stop with his CD release at the end of January already sold out.

The Roper Show has played literally everywhere this year from the Hope for Hannah Benefit concert, V.I.C. Fest, Rock The Shores the BC Day celebrations on the fields of St. Ann’s Academy, opening for Current Swell at The Royal Theatre, to various other shows I’m probably forgetting right now.

The Roper Show: http://www.theropershow.com/

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Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 3

3. Current Swell at Rock The Shores 2014: Rollin’ (July 11, 2014)

This band has come a long way since their start in Victoria back in 2005. In 2014, the band has performed all over the world with stops all throughout Canada, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Brazil (with their first gig in Brazil drawing 3000 people).

Despite the success the band is achieving all around the world, they always take time to return to perform in their hometown performing three times this year. Performing as part of the Redbull Hometown Tour in May, Rock The Shores in July and playing to a sold out show at The Royal Theatre in November.

Current Swell: http://currentswell.com/

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Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 4

4. Towers and Trees at the BC Legislature: Montreal & Devil On The Highway (July 1, 2014)

How much do people love Towers and Trees? The band started a Kickstarter campaign to raise $4,500 for their full-length album and wound up exceeding that goal in one day. By the end of their campaign, they raised almost THREE TIMES that amount. This goes to show how supportive people are to this talented group of people.

While the band has been busy recording their new album for most of the year, they were asked to perform in front of the BC Legislature on the Main Stage at the Canada Day celebrations, a great honour for any band.

Video from this performance was never released before. Funny thing about this video, at the end when the band’s drummer, Jesse, threw his drumsticks into the crowd as the end of the song, one of them wound up hitting me right in the leg. That’s some good aim.

Towers and Trees: http://www.towersandtreesmusic.com/

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Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 5

5. The Noah Edwards Band at Club 9ONE9: Those Were the Nights (August 9, 2014)

Remember my list last year when I said to keep an eye out on Isobel Trigger (more on them later in the list) for 2014? The Noah Edwards Band is one of the bands I’ve seen perform the most this year and also the band I think you should keep your eye on for 2015 as I expect big things from this west-coast folk rock band.

The Noah Edwards Band: http://noahredwards.wix.com/noahedwardsband

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Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 6

6. Jon and Roy at Alix Goolden Hall: Little Bit of Love (December 13, 2014)

For the last six years, the music scene in Victoria is always capped off at the end of the year with the Jon and Roy Holiday show. This event sells out every year and is a welcomed holiday tradition for people following the local Victoria scene and you can definitely tell it was missed that one year they decided not to do one in 2011. This year’s line up brought together Vancouver’s, Luca Fogale, Old Man Canyon, Carmanah, Vince Vaccaro, and the headliners Jon and Roy.

The band in 2014 released their fifth studio album, ‘By My Side’.

For more videos from this show, click HERE

Jon and Roy: http://jonandroy.ca/

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Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 7

7. Robbie Aylesworth at V.I.C. Fest 2014: Wastin’ (June 14, 2014)

A breakout year for musician, Robbie Aylesworth. I believe I first saw him performing acoustically as a solo artist first and then come 2014, he basically created a super group of a band consisting of himself, Dan Ball of Acres of Lions, Noah Edwards, and producer Todd Hooge backing up the band on drums.

Once the band was formed, it was only a matter of time before he caught the attention of The Zone and their Band of the Month program being the radio station’s Band of the Month in June. Whether Robbie is playing solo acoustically or rocking out on the stage with the full band, expect a great time seeing him perform.

For more videos from this show, click HERE

Robbie Aylesworth: http://www.robbieaylesworth.com/

<<<NUMBER 8||NUMBER 6>>>

Top Local Artist of 2014: Number 8

8. Carmanah at the Market Square Courtyard Sessions: Never Going Back (July 5, 2014)

Changes to Carmanah were made this year with some band members having to leave the band, but the addition of a new drummer and bassist did not faze what the band’s sound was, it only evolved it.

The band has been busy this year performing at the Song and Surf festival, saw the release of their EP, ‘Out of the Woodwork’, embark on their first tour to Alberta, and end the year off as one of the band’s performing at the annual Jon & Roy Holiday Special.

For more videos from this show, click HERE

Carmanah: http://carmanahband.ca/

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Top Local Artist of 2014 – Number 9

9. Fox Glove at Rifflandia 2014: Away We Go (September 11, 2014)

Every year I am discovering new bands in the local Victoria music scene, and ever year there’s one band that grabs my attention. That band this year for me, is the all-female trio, Fox Glove. I wished it didn’t take me until the second half of 2014 until I finally saw them perform. The first time I saw this band perform was at one of my favorite venues at Market Square during Atomique Productions’ Courtyard Sesssions leading up to the Rifflandia Music Festival, which Fox Glove was also a part of this year where they performed at Studio CMCT on the first night of the music festival.

Fox Glove: http://www.foxglovemusic.ca/

<<<NUMBER 10||NUMBER 8>>>