Starting a band is a lot like being the new kid at school. It takes a while to figure out where you belong, and finding your place can be a total nightmare. For aspiring musicians new to the music game, finding bandmates, let alone another band to play with, can be as daunting as finding your clique. You don’t know where to book shows, or how to put one on, and the idea of a recording studio is as exotic as the Taj Mahal. Fear not, shy wonder, Shindig is here to take your hand.
Shindig is CiTR’s annual battle-of-the-bands style contest, designed as more of a community building showcase of local talent, rather than a competition. For over three decades, more than 800 local bands have participated in Shindig, with alumni including The Smugglers, 3 Inches Of Blood, Dandi Wind, Japandroids and the Pack AD, to name a few. This month marks Shindig’s 31st year of existence, and its first time in brand new venue The Hindenburg. It is also the first year they’ve pushed the start date back to October, something organizer Ben Lai says will give student bands more time to prepare for entering.
"We’re hoping that by starting in October we can have a few more UBC-based bands," says Lai, who's hosted the event since 2001. "If you’re a student and you start school Sept. 1, you can't possibly get your act together and apply for Shindig too."
In addition to the venue and date change, there’s more in store for winners this year. The big draw for bands has always been recording time, and this year it’s two days plus one night and mastering at Rain City Recorders. In addition to studio time, other prizes include a showcase at Music Waste 2015, a two-page feature in CiTR 101.9 FM’s Discorder magazine, and new for this year, poster printing, distribution, and button making.
“A lot of the prizes are meant to help the bands promote themselves," says Lai. "Shindig is a lot about promoting – if you’re a new band in Van and you don’t know anyone, it’s sometimes hard to get a show, or get your feet in the water. Shindig is a way to get people exposed to the community, to other bands.”
How does one get the goods you ask? Shindig bands are evaluated by five judges – usually musicians or writers themselves – using criteria of originality, performance, musical ability, and songwriting. After performing, the band is given a summary of the judges comments. Constructive criticism, if you will.
"We feel like its useful for bands to get feedback, because sometimes your friends are not gonna tell you what you should hear," says Lai. "It’s a delicate issue."
New host venue The Hindenburg brings great sound, great sightlines, cheaper beer, and lower ticket prices. It ushers in a new era of Shindig, and the christening of one of Vancouver’s most promising new venues. Breaking into the music scene doesn’t have to be intimidating, and Shindig is here to show you that, says Lai.
"Shindig is less about a 'contest', it's more about a community and exposing people to good local music," he says. "For people who are like, 'There are so many bands in Vancouver' or 'I don’t know how to get started'… [Shindig] is a good place to start."
Shindig happens every Tuesday until Dec. 16 at The Hindenburg, 23 West Cordova. Cover is $6 and CiTR DJ’s will spin after the bands. Semifinals and finals will happen after Christmas holidays.
For more information, visit www.citr.ca/shindig
