'Here's your chance to support multiple artists with one purchase,' says Chilliwack record producer

A new album set to be released this coming week will give folks a taste of nine different local artists all while supporting them financially. 

Sonny Rozsa of Yellow House Studio in Chilliwack, along with his pal Ted Kim, recently finished putting together a new album called Artists in Isolation featuring original work by Fraser Valley musicians. It is being released digitally on May 12. 

“Being a compilation, this is a great way for them to market to a whole new demographic,” Rozsa said. 

All of the musicians on the album are incredibly talented, he added, and he’s hoping that people who don’t know about some of the artists will hear them and say “wow.” 

“They’re in for a really big surprise,” he said. 

The album actually started as a different project called Local Produce which was aimed to help several musicians get their name out there in the form of not only songs, but short mini-documentary videos, each a few minutes long. 

Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Rozsa and Kim scrapped that idea. They knew musicians were struggling and they wanted to get the word out. 

“They’re all in the same boat… they’re just devastated by this. They can’t play anymore. They’ve lost their sense of being, they’ve lost a way to make money. There’s nothing out there for them,” Rozsa said. “We’re really trying to help them get some money in their pockets.” 

Artists in Isolation features: Kellen Saip (Chilliwack) with Sammi Morelli (Richmond), Laura Koch (Langley) of band The Kwerks, Brad Fry (Chilliwack) of band Awake O Sleeper, Kyler Pierce (Abbotsford), Ben Cottrill (Abbotsford), Jordain Culpepper (Abbotsford), Nelly P (Chilliwack), Naxx (Chilliwack), and the band Dear Father (Chilliwack).

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Vernon musician donating song proceeds to Food Banks Canada

One local artist is looking to turn streams into full stomachs. 

NØX, a Vernon-based rapper, is donating all iTunes and Spotify proceeds from his single 'Strange Times' to Food Banks Canada for the remainder of 2020. The song was released in November, but the hip hop artist finds many parallels between this song and our current situation. 

"The song delivers a strong and positive message of unity and togetherness, which I believe everyone needs to hear and feel right now," says Rory MacLeod, a.k.a. NØX. 

"This is an opportunity to present music fans with a relevant and uplifting song, as well as generate some much needed money to a great cause." 

The song's hook feature's another B.C.-based artist, Sammi Morelli, who hails from Richmond. You can listen to the song in the video above, and you can stream it to help with the cause.

Via Castanet

VOTE for #QuarantineBB here: https://www.musicbc.org/programs/csc-voting/

WTRFRNT first met in a blind co-write for a Socan Songcamp Monday and instantly clicked. Comprised of rising indie-pop artist Biawanna, producing songwriter INJA (Nathan Chiu), and topline singer/songwriter Sammi Morelli, WTRFNT brings a dynamic and diverse approach to any session or project they collaborate on. "Quarantine BB" was inspired by the loneliness of social distancing through the pandemic this year, and how it makes you long for physical human connection. (Also, the video game "Fallout" & the question - who would you wanna be bunkered down with?) This brings a sexy, fresh and relatively positive/hopeful angle as an answer to the theme #AloneTogether. A few glitchy video calls and a shared google doc later, we had "Quarantine Baby"...an isolation anthem. We hope you enjoy!

Oculus Announces Asymmetric Co-op Heist Game ‘Covert’ for Oculus Go & Gear VR

Los Angeles-based White Elk Studios, a team founded by former members of the God of War team, and Oculus Studios today announced a new co-op game called Covert. The couch co-op game is said to feature asymmetrical gameplay that will let one player play inside either an Oculus Go or Gear VR while the other user plays outside of VR. 

Here’s how Oculus describes it in the initial annoucement: 

Working with the infamous League of Thieves, your mission is to steal a mysterious artifact from an impenetrable safe inside Capital City’s museum. You’ll hack your way past the security systems, using high-frequency glass breakers, ziplines, and more to work your way into the vault.

Read More Here: https://www.roadtovr.com/oculus-announces-asymmetric-co-op-heist-game-covert-oculus-go-gear-vr/

Give Angry Inch a chance 

Anna Jacyszyn 

Oct 10, 2018 

Facebook rejected this poster advertising the Fred Skeleton Theatre Company’s upcoming production of the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. 

Now that we are fed and watered and thankful from the long weekend, this week forward feels short, but packed with interesting occasions and evenings out. 

I have signed up for a writing class, beginning this week, in hopes of harnessing all the threads of life stories that dance unleashed inside of me. A Pandora’s box of photos, reunited characters from my past, memories that may or may not be all real, but I embrace them inside my imagination and perhaps, one day, tie together in a book. 

The theatre is ripe with opening nights this week; Tonight, Kelowna Actors Studio opens its doors for the first show of its new season: Young Frankenstein. 

It’s based on the classic 1974 film from Mel Brooks starring Gene Wilder. This parody of the horror genre is gleefully reanimated for the stage with jokes, songs and innuendo that sticks a pitchfork into good taste while it oozes glorious fun and slap shtick. 

The show runs Oct. 10-28 at Kelowna Actors Studio Theatre, 1379 Ellis St. 

Tickets can be purchased through Kelowna Tickets at their new location, 100-2600 Enterprise Way, by calling 250-862-2867 or visiting KelownaTickets.com. 

——— 

Tomorrow night, Fred Skeleton Theatre Company is premiering its controversial musical Hedwig and the Angry Itch. 

This is the first full-on musical the multi award winning theatre company has put on, and the reason I say controversial is not about the content of the actual show itself but the image on the playbill and posters advertising it was banned from Facebook for being too graphic. 

Image and opinions aside, the musical is a well-crafted rock concert about Hedwig (Thomas Fournier), who speaks directly to the audience letting you discover the character’s history through a series of monologues. 

What a history it is. 

Starting as a young man in East Berlin, he is convinced by an amorous American soldier named Luther to get a sex-change operation so that they can get married. Unfortunately, the surgery is botched and he is left with an “angry inch.” After being left in a Kansas trailer park by Luther, Hedwig reinvents himself and meets a young man named Tommy. 

They fall in love and literally make sweet music together, until Tommy discovers what’s between Hedwig’s legs and, repulsed, spurns him. Tommy takes all of the songs that they wrote together and becomes successful. 

It’s at this point the show really begins. 

The new Hedwig Robinson, “internationally ignored song stylist barely standing before you,” kicks off the first stop of her last-minute-Canadian-tour with the help of her band “The Angry Inch.” She recounts and rocks her way through the journey of her life; a journey over the Wall, from East Berlin to Junction City, Kansas; a journey from man to woman in search of her other half. 

Also in the cast is Sammi Morelli playing Yitzhak, Hedwig’s backup singer, dresser, roadie, and husband and with a live band of exceptional musicians to include: Loni Moger on guitar, Stefan Bienz on bass, and Andy Ashley on drums under the musical direction of pianist Neville Bowman. 

Brandon Shalansky revamped the script to capture what’s current and fit the show into its run at the Creekside Theatre.

Read More: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/entertainment/article_54553ada-cc08-11e8-b005-63729c41dbc4.html

Lake Country production an outrageous rock musical 

Fred Skeleton Theatre Company’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch is Oct. 11-13 and 18-20 

MORNING STAR STAFF 
Oct. 7, 2018 5:30 p.m. 
ENTERTAINMENT 

Fred Skeleton Theatre Company presents their first musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Creekside Theatre in Lake Country on Oct. 11-13 and Oct. 18-20. 

This outrageous and unexpectedly hilarious rock musical tells the story of Hansel Schmidt, a slip of a girly boy from communist East Berlin who — after a botched sex change operation — becomes Hedwig Robinson: “the internationally ignored song stylist barely standing before you.” Kicking off the first stop of her “Last-Minute-Canadian-Tour,” Hedwig (with the help of her band, The Angry Inch) recounts and rocks her way through the journey of her life; a journey over the Wall, from East Berlin to Junction City, Kansas; a journey from man to woman in search of her other half. 

The original Off-Broadway production opened in 1998 and recently was remounted on Broadway starring Neil Patrick Harris and Lena Hall. The musical was turned into the cult-classic film of the same title in 2001. 

For Fred Skeleton’s upcoming production, artistic director Rob Mason-Brown has teamed up award-winning directors Chantal Ethier and Shannon Mason-Brown to bring this show to life. 

“I was nervous because musicals are a beast and this material was so personal to me as an ally to the LGBTQ community,” says Ethier, “but in working through the material, the discovery was simply that this is a universal story. In the end, it’s a story about self-acceptance and self-love with gorgeous imagery.” 

Related: Play poster censored by Facebook 

Playing the title role of Hedwig is Thomas Fournier. Fournier is a recent graduate of the Ryerson School of Performance’s BFA Acting program, and, though he is now based primarily out of Toronto, the Kelowna local is excited to return to his hometown to don the infamous wig. 

“There is an immense responsibility that comes with being the caretaker of a role like this,” says Fournier, “stepping into Hedwig’s shoes is not a comfortable fit. Pain, anger, and loss plague this character and yet somehow, they’re witty and begrudgingly loveable.” 

Fournier’s previous performances in the valley have included New Canadian Kid, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged], La Cage Aux Folles, and Brighton Beach Memoires. 

Celebrated musician Sammi Morelli takes on the role of Yitzhak, Hedwig’s backup singer, dresser, roadie, and husband. Morelli returned to BC in 2017 after a Canadian Tour and has been busy since performing at the Vancouver Jazz Festival and recently opening for Elise Trouw at the Creekside Theatre. In addition to her music career, local theatre-goers will recognize her from such productions as 9 to 5 and Spamalot.

SOCAN SONG HOUSE INSPIRES SONGWRITERS DURING BREAKOUT WEST 2018 

Story by Howard Druckman | October 18, 2018 

For two days at the 2018 BreakOut West festival and conference in Kelowna, BC, the SOCAN Song House provided 12 member participants the opportunity to develop the craft of writing songs. The session was led by hit songwriter/producer Brian Howes, and organized on-site by SOCAN A&R Representative Racquel Villagante. 

The participating songwriters, all from Western Canada, were Rebecca Emms, Brady Frank, Scott Henderson, Zach Kleisinger, Rebecca Lappa, Olivia Lunny, Sam Lynch, Dylan MacDonald (of The Middle Coast), Sammi Morelli, Jacqueline Muzichuk, Aaron Parker, and Tatiana Zagorac (a.k.a.TallTale). 

The first day of the workshop they presented half-written songs and were given individualized feedback and critique by Howes. They re-worked these songs and re-presented them to the group. On the second day, they were partnered up, and co-wrote with each other to come up with new songs that fused their styles and strengths together. 

All 12 SOCAN songwriters came away with new co-write connections, new songs for their repertoire, and a more comprehensive understanding of what it takes to write a hit song. 

Sammi Morreli left the Song House saying, “I’m still buzzing from an incredible week at the #SOCANSongHouse! Sooo grateful for SOCAN providing songwriters like us with incredible opportunities to grow and connect like this! Huge shout out to Brian Howes for leading the workshop, and Racquel Villagante for making it all happen!”

https://www.socanmagazine.ca/news/socan-song-house-inspires-songwriters-during-breakout-west-2018/

Kelowna songstress, Sammi Morelli headlines Music in the Park 

The Westside will host another night of music 

KELOWNA NEWS STAFF 
Jul. 30, 2018 11:44 a.m. 
ENTERTAINMENT 

Canadian award-winning singer, Sammi Morelli will headline Friday’s Music in the Park on the Westside. 

The pop, soul, electronic songstress and former radio host Kelowna local released her first album at 13 years-old and continues to pursue her passion.

https://www.kelownacapnews.com/entertainment/kelowna-songstress-sammi-morelli-headlines-music-in-the-park/

Catch Sammi's feature episode of "The Seen" with Kylee Roman on Shaw TV Okanagan, DAILY at 4am, 8:30am and 4pm! 

"Everybody Bleeds" on The Seen! 

"Mine" on The Seen!