resilience [ri-zil-yuh ns] n. 1. the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched. 2. ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy. If you look up that word in the dictionary Mark Ross’s picture should be placed beside it. The first time I met Mark Ross he struck me as an upbeat person who always had a smile on his face and an unwavering desire to perform. Those characteristics mixed with his outstanding talent made him a pleasure to create music with. I’m pleased and proud to call him a friend and a former band mate. When I heard the news about “the incident” on February 19th I was shocked. I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. How could this happen to a guy who is this full of life and has such a love for live performance? My Facebook wall became flooded with messages, updates and different takes on “the incident” and I immediately checked in with another member of his band Misty Street to get a firsthand account of what happened.  Upon further research I found out that Mark almost died during a show. He had collapsed on stage during the second set of a three set gig. In fact it was mid song and it was one of his songs! Back when it happened I thought this would make for an amazing story but out of respect for Mark I held off until the right time arose. When I caught wind of the fundraiser gig I wanted to get the word out to help the cause. For those of you who don’t know Mark he is one of the most affable guys you’ll ever meet. He is the quintessential nice guy! In fact when I first approached him to set up the interview, here is what he had to say, “Before I answer the questions, I have to say I'm blown away at the response I'm receiving from the music community in Brandon. I've only been in the scene for almost 3 years now, but the love I'm getting from everyone is overwhelming. I feel like I'm part of a huge super talented dysfunctional family of misfits and weirdos. I love it!! I'll answer these questions the best that I can.” The 41 year old Ross works for Look Music Services as a DJ/emcee at various social functions. He spends most of his free time practicing music or learning and even writing new songs. When it comes to performing music, he spends most of his time playing with popular local group Misty Street, “the band practices ( or tries to ) twice a week, at least once a week for sure. If there's a gig coming up we try to get together as much as we can to make it tight. Myself I practice a minimum of 2 hours a day.” Another surprising part of this whole story is Mark was really serious about improving his health before the ultimate health scare occurred, “I was actually feeling really good, I had lost 20 pounds, I was working out and on a strict diet. That night I had a few adult beverages and was feeling great.” Ross says they were doing an uptempo original of his when it happened and he gave us this account of how it all went down, “It's funny now, but we were playing my own song Back Seat when all this happened. During the song Back Seat I was struggling to sing it. It's a fast paced song as you know and I thought the band was playing it extra fast. Then I realized the band was fine, it was me who couldn't keep up. After the song was done I was supposed to start the next song and I couldn't think of the right chords and couldn't catch my breath. The next thing I remember is waking up with Kelly Jones on top of me trying to keep me awake. I felt so tired. I just wanted to sleep. Kelly I believe has training in CPR so she was doing what she could until paramedics got there. Thank God for them, I was conscience the entire time so I remember everything. The poor guys had to carry me down the decker stairs. They got me into the ambulance and had to give me the paddles to stabilize my heart rate. I wouldn't have made it much longer with a heartbeat of 230bpm. It's called a V Tach or Ventricular Tachycardia.” Ross says the crowd reaction was a bit of a blur, “I don't remember anyone’s reaction personally but I know Mariah and Matt caught me so I didn't fall into my keyboards.” I for one believe it was Mark’s general upbeat disposition and love of offbeat humor that helped him through the ordeal. This recollection from punctuates that thought, “I heard I was still trying to make jokes even while I was dying (laughs). I think everyone was just in shock because it happened so fast. I think half of the Decker called 911 all at once. (laughs)” It was Mark’s penchant for quick quips that lead to the band coming up with the fundraiser idea, “The fundraiser came about when I received my ambulance bill in the mail. $675.00!! I made a joke about doing a fundraiser to help with the bill and Mariah thought it was a great plan. Any help right now is much appreciated. It's almost been 3 months without working, and that ambulance bill almost gave me another V Tach.” Bassists Greg Gibson was as shocked as everyone was, “there were no warning signs at all. Mark and I were having a great conversation between the first and Second set discussing the show and discussing important worldly matters, such as the Deadpool movie.” Then moments later the unthinkable happened. It’s something no band ever wants to deal with but Gibson says they did the best they could considering the shocking situation, “We just finished Backseat, which is a fast Ska styled song that Mark wrote and sings, and then we started playing higher and higher and I looked over and Mark was sinking lower and lower. When it happened I think the entire band went into automatic pilot mode we just wanted to get him the help that he needed we were beside him talking to him until the paramedics arrived.” Gibson says the crowd reaction was somewhat reassuring, there was some confusion but they very concerned and very helpful. A few people appeared to have medical training which was very welcomed at that time.” Thankfully resuscitation wasn’t necessary but it was nip tuck, “Mark was groggy and extremely tired, kind of going in and out of consciousness, but he didn't completely lose consciousness at any time. When we were asking him his name and other quick mini mental status questions, he was the consummate comedian. We asked "can you tell us who you are? He answered by singing Snoop Doggy Dogg". That's when I knew he was going to be OK.”  So will they be playing Backseat during the fundraiser gig? Gibson offers this take on it, “We may save backseat for the next gig. Who knows? Maybe we will play backseat as a slow waltz. (Laughs). But we will be playing higher and higher.” Ross being his ever energetic self, had this to say, “At the fundraiser I'll be doing as much as I can. I'll be doing the classics like Michael Jackson and Elvis and of course Back Seat, the song that started this all.” The show which is billed as “The Mark is Alive Ambulance Fundraiser Gig” is set for Saturday, April 30th at the Double Decker (10th & Rosser) in downtown Brandon. In lieu of cover charge there will be a cash collection at the door so bring whatever you can afford. I’m sure Mark and the band will be more than appreciative and respond with an amazing show! Mark is getting closer and closer to feeling 100% again but he says it has been a long and tough recuperation, “I've been on antibiotics every day for 6 weeks. It's tough because I had a PICC line from my arm to my heart, so my daily activities were pretty limited. I just finished my last trip to the hospital yesterday so I'm free to recover and can't wait to get back on the stage.” Local singer songwriter & keyboardist Mark Ross (middle) with Misty Street band mates Cy Arthurson (pictured at left) and Matt Cory (Right). Catch them in action Saturday, April 30th at the Double Decker. They’ll be playing a full show this time. 

As their name suggests, Tremendous Dynamite are powerful 4 piece musical unit producing sounds that are perfect for blasting from your stereo! Their second release aptly titled “Invitation” happens to be the first full length CD featuring the new line up of the band which includes: Nick Piche (Lead Vocals & Guitar), Mike Posthumus (Lead Guitar & Bkgd Vocals), Kevin Blair (Bass & Backing Vocals) and Paul Roozendaal (Drums). The 11 track disc begins with the title track that packs a powerful 1 – 2 punch combination of raging rock that resembles Radiohead meets the Chilli Peppers. Piche’s vocal phrasing is reminiscent of earlier Bowie on this track that sets a perfect pace for this album packed with guitar heavy tracks.  The tight and powerful interaction of the band is obvious on every track of “Invitation” as drummer extraordinaire Paul Rosenthal and Bassist Kevin Blair add the perfect ingredients to enhance TD’s powerful delivery if not push it right over the top. These two veterans of the Westman music scene provide a solid platform for Posthumus and Piche to consistently let powerful riffs fly from. Indeed this commanding and cohesive group have composed a disc packed full of potent beats and riffs! Turn your stereo up to 10 and have a listen to the riff and roll arrangement of Over the Edge (track 2) for an exceptional example of this. However it’s not all serious business on Invitation as the guys prove how playful yet punchy they can be on the Danko Jones like “Basement Ghost Blues” perfectly placed in the track 3 position of the album. The crunching guitars and bouncy beat combine to create a persistently pulverizing effect that drives home the angst within every word Piche spews during the chorus demanding that he indeed has a mean case of “THE BASEMENT GHOST BLUES”!! This particular selection provides the perfect soundtrack for a killer mosh pit scene! For me it’s one of the many highlights on the album which there are many. There are enough memorable musical moments on “Invitation” that propel the listening experience. The twin guitar interplay is outstanding on several tracks including the outro sections of Drinks are Cheap and Watching The Paint Dry (Tracks 4 & 5). The comical “Style is Everything” (Track 6) displays Piche’s skillful blend of spoken work and singing style that adds the perfect flair for this track. Could it perhaps be aimed at an unsuspecting member of the peanut gallery? Desert Walk (Track 7) is reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine meets Rush with its crushing combination of a plodding section that contains a wall of raunchy riffs and fantastic drum fills that transitions seamlessly into a galloping progressive section. Your Madness (Track 8) the darkest and perhaps heaviest track on the album showcases Piche’s penchant for a spoken word singing style that really paints the gloomy picture this track portrays, the vocal delivery suggest a Grohlesque sneer that helps drive the point home. This selection also displays the band’s ability to effectively punctuate a composition in every section. Get a load of how they set up the guitar solo section. It produces an ass kicking jolt that any hard rock fan would appreciate. Leaves and Whisper (Tracks 9 & 10) are two more prime examples of the guitar heavy riff rockers this band is aptly capable of. Something Red (Track 11) is a perfect way to end this musical journey. It ideally encompasses the efforts which came from the countless hours this band invested during recording sessions in Garageland Studios located in Brandon’s west end. What starts off as a moody mid tempo acoustic track laced with tasty bass and guitar arpeggios, leads into a pleasing chord change complete with a straight ahead riff. The aforementioned change up provides the perfect foundation for the coda of this composition that comes complete with smoldering guitar work and flourish of drum fills overlapped with the vocal refrain of “it’s all the same”! Interestingly enough this is actually the most dissimilar track on the disc but turns out to be the perfect way to wrap things up and it may have you singing along before the final fade out…    Not only does Tremendous Dynamite deliver in the studio, they are also a blast to see live! Your next opportunity to check out their intense riff rock blast to your senses is April 15th & 16th at the 40. They’ll be ripping it up on stage during the official CD release bash for “Invitation”. The evening kicks off with an instrumental set by Brandon’s newest power trio “The Daughters of Creation” lead by guitarist extraordinaire Matt Cory and you are invited to join in on what should prove to be an outstanding live music experience. Invitation track listing: Invitation Over the edge Basement ghost blues Drinks are cheap Watching the paint dry Style is everything Desert walk Your madness Leaves Whisper Something Red

Brandon Troyanda School of Ukrainian Dance 2016 Festival WHEN: Friday, April 15: 9 am – 11 pm Saturday, April 16: 8 am – 10:30 pm Sunday, April 17: 8 am – 5 pm WHERE:    Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium 205-20th Street WHY:         This bi-annual competition is a celebration of Ukrainian dance that showcases the artistic and cultural expressions of this form of dance. This year over 1000 dancers and instructors from 39 clubs throughout Manitoba & Saskatchewan will attend! We will showcase more than 440 dances – this is our biggest competition to date. The club began hosting the event in 2000.       We welcome members of the general public to attend to enjoy the culture (various displays and vendors), the dancing and the music.   Admission Fees: Friday $10 Saturday $10 Sunday $10 Weekend Pass $25 *Children 10 & under are free. http://www.brandontroyanda.com/festival.html

After 15 years and 29 sales at the Park Community Centre Don Burnett has decided to change venues for the popular Brandon event that consistently drew more people with each passing year. Just as the demand for vinyl has grown over the years, the popularity of the sale has grown as well. In fact it has gained so much momentum the sale was renamed “Brandon’s Biggest Record and Music Sale!” According to Burnett the timing was just right, “It  was  finally  time  as  the  years  went  on  more  vendors  came  on  board  and  some  wanted  a second  table. The  last  few  shows  I  had  vendors  in  the  coat  check  room   and  in  the  skating  room of the Park Community Centre so we literally out grew that venue.” Recent stats show vinyl sales are the highest they’ve been since 1988! Many people will remember the handful of albums they may have bought that year but fewer will still own those records as the CD became the dominant music format in the mid-eighties. More and more people are going back to the vinyl format so it’s nice to see things have come full circle (pun intended). What’s even stranger than the impressive stats of vinyl sales these days is the fact that the younger generation are consuming more classic rock than what is passing for music today. Although there are a handful of today’s artists who lead the charge with sales according to some recent eyebrow raising stats here in Canada. The top selling record was Adele’s ’25’, which sold 116,000 copies, followed by Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’, with 74,000. But overall Vinyl sales are up more than 26% than at this point last year. What’s more, bands and artists are making more from vinyl sales than at any time since 1988, with 17 million records sold last year in the US alone. With sales up 28% on 2014, they accounted for 6% of the overall retail music market, and one in five of all ‘physical’ sales. Those numbers are impressive and inspiring to Burnett who thinks they’ll translate into a busy day for the sale come next Sunday, “I  would  like  to  see  400  to  500  through  the doors. With the resurgence of vinyl it is possible.” Burnett says attendance figures at the Park Community Sales over the past few years reached upwards of 200 – 300 people per sale so hitting the 400 mark is doable. Burnett is quite happy about that his love of collecting has grown into a sale that has continued for so long, “I have been collecting for about 33 years. I started when I was 16, got a little more serious about it in 1990 when I met Wayne Russell who used to run the country music center on 10th street.” So how many albums does a collector amass who has been at it for over 30 years? Burnett offers a staggering ballpark figure, “I can't really put a number on it for sure but I would say 4500 to 5000. Keep meaning to count them one of these years I’ll get around to it.” Some of his more prized possessions are impressive batch of oddball titles as well as releases from more popular artists, “oh I have a Japanese pressing of Pink Floyd’s Obscured by Clouds, some colored vinyl and some picture discs of The Beatles, Marc Bolan and The Yarbirds.” Like many collectors do Burnett says he has a wish list of titles, “I am trying to get Rodreguez's albums Cold Facts and Coming back to Reality. Also looking for Porcupine Tree, the Black Angels, Gov't  Mule, Joe Bonnamassa, also Roky Erickson and any Psyche/Garage rock records.” As for what the common consumer is after these days Burnett says from his experience at his various sales, “most people want the standards like Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd or Black Sabbath but you also get people that want Lenny Breau and more obscure albums. However I would say David Bowie will be one of the more popular artists this year, possibly the Eagles and Jefferson Airplane, all because of the recent deaths and a renewed interest in their music.” Vinyl won’t be the only item available at the sale, Burnett says when it comes to music, the list of items will run the gamut, “There will be t-shirts hoodies, music books, CDs and Music DVDs. Maybe some stereos and Musical Instruments, all depends on what the vendors bring it is basically anything musically related as well as records.” The sale runs from 11am – 5pm and there is no admission but the Legion will be taking a silver collection at the door and there will be a non-perishable food item collection for the Samaritan House. The new location is The Royal Canadian Legion Branch # 3 (Banquet Room) at 560-13th Street EAST Brandon. The new venue allows for 40 tables to be set up. To inquire about table rentals call Don at 204-726-0703 tables are $35 each. As of this writing there were only 6 tables available. Sale runs from 11am – 5pm. So just how valuable can some vinyl be to some collectors?

Sean Paul will be performing live this Wednesday night at Houston's.  Without a doubt one of the larger entertainment names to play at this club. Being affiliated with huge names like Beyonce, Akon and Snoop Dogg to name a few Brandon will have their first chance to witness the platinum selling artist in person. Tickets are now available by clicking on this link.  VIP tickets also available. http://www.diyobo.com/events/sean-paul-live-in-brandon-brandon-mb-canada