Category Archives: Versus the Nothing

Here’s to the Future!

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It’s that time of year again where we look back over the past year and then look forward to the coming year. At SIN Agency we have so much to be thankful for and proud of over the course of 2012! We have grown and at the same time said good-byes that made us a bit sad. We have made some amazing new friends, while maintaining old friendships and enhancing them. The road to a career in music is full of highs and lows, struggle and sacrifices that give you moments in time that are simply irreplaceable. I’d like to take a few moments to recapture some of the past year as we move into the next and share them with you all.

2012 Highlights

GSTour Poster-DatesWEB

 

  • VERSUS THE NOTHING takes off on their 3rd and biggest North American tour spanning almost 3 months. The Grindstone Tour saw them back in old markets and
    hitting new ones, winning them an even bigger audience south of the border and many demands to have them come back from all markets including the infamous Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood. On a sadder note, VTN said farewell to long time and much loved band member Chris Shaw with a sold out good-bye show in July in their hometown Vancouver. Watch for a new album this year!
  • Poster Illumi-Nations Tour - Dates (Web)STONE IRIS released “Illuminations” following up with a Western Canadian tour in May. July had them head south of the border on the Illumi-Nations Tour covering 2 months and most of the U.S. where they impacted our friends across the border so much that they are set to record a new album in 2013 in Kentucky. They came home to headline the Mad Hatter Festival, and have since been writing new material mixed in with a few key shows. With nothing slowing these guys down they have not one but 2 albums planned for the coming year to be supported by as many N.A. tours.
  •  ALL ELSE FAILS is nominated for “Metal Album of the Year” by the Edmonton Music Awards in February. The Hell and High Water Tour takes the band to Vancouver Island and new fans for the first time, in May. This trip also spawned the new web series “Breaking Acclaim” featuring the band’s infamous hijinks on tour. New drummer Shane Tym joins the band and fits so well we hardly thought of him as “the new guy”! 2012 also saw AEF premier 2 new music videos for singles off The Oracle: What Was, Is and Could Have Been album; “Obsidian Walls” was released to internet in April and “This Burden of Life” was picked up for rotation by Much LOUD in September and subsequently released to BlankTV in October where it currently has over 13,000 hits. 2012 has also seen high points for AEF opening for bands like Protest the Hero and The Dayglo Abortions, as well as hitting 10,000 plus Facebook fans that they celebrated by responding to fan votes for drummer Shane having bassist Seedy Mitchell’s face tattooed on his butt. New album in the works along with much more in store for the calculated calamity known as our resident metallers, All Else Fails!

  • ARCANE SAINTS from Australia, SIN’s first international artists from outside N.A. mark their first trip to Canada with the Never Say Die Canadian Tour.

  • We were proud to expand BLANK-FEST to two western Canadian cities with Blank-Fest Calgary II at the Blind Beggar Pub, in support of The Mustard Seed and the 1st Annual Blank-Fest Vancouver at The Railway Club in support of Covenant House Vancouver, both events taking place in November. The number of bands submitting to play was overwhelming, with both locations boasting some of the best talent in Canada.

Welcome to the SIN Family

  • MATT BLAIS – We are very excited to welcome Calgary based Alternative Blues Rocker Matt Blais to our management roster. Matt has been in the music business for several years and adds his unique and cutting edge blues rock style, boasting tons of talent and energy to the SIN Agency roster, where he’s already very much at home. Watch for big things coming with Matt this year, starting with a The Canadian Heartbeat Tour and release of the brand new album “The Heartbeat” out February 26th!

  • DOC KOHLER – We are also very excited to add Vancouver BC artist, Doc Kohler, front man for Inside It Failed, to our management roster with his solo project. Doc is a multifaceted artist and we are looking forward to working with and managing the many directions his career will be going. Solo album to be released in 2013!

  • ANGELA FLUG & ADRIANA GRANDE – Welcome aboard as full time Blank-Fest Coordinators for SIN Agency. They have supported my dream with Blank-Fest through 2 years as volunteers and kept trying to convince me to let them do more. I’m finally learning to let go a little bit and share my baby. Angela and Adriana have taken on running these events for us and are now the main contacts.

Thank you!

I almost hate starting Thank You’s because I always forget or leave someone out that I shouldn’t have, so that said, if you aren’t on this list it’s not because we don’t appreciate you, we do! It’s been a long very full year and I hopefully have remembered to say thank you as each moment came and went and WILL make sure I do again.

  • Skilly Sciliberto, my partner for the past two years. Thanks for putting up with all the crap as well as celebrating the highlights. I wish you all the best as you move on with your life outside of the music industry and if you ever miss us, you know where to find us.
  • The SIN Agency team: Dusty Exner, Zeke Galt both agents extraordinaire. Thanks for rocking this biz, I couldn’t do it without you.
  • Jon Asher! I love you man! Not only are you the BEST publicist EVER you are an awesome friend and colleague! Let’s kick some 2013 nads together! Looking forward always to what we can make happen.
  • All the bands who took part in Blank-Fest 2012 with us: Matt Blais (Calgary & Vancouver), Jung People (Calgary), Mammoth Grove (Calgary), Atacama Republic (Calgary), Dreams of Reason (Calgary), Bloom (Calgary), Stone Iris (Calgary), Open AIR (Calgary & Vancouver), Dusty Tucker (Calgary), All Else Fails (Calgary), Leave the Living (Calgary), Before the Storm (Calgary), Kathy Frank (Vancouver), Mad Young Darlings (Vancouver), Cry of Silence (Vancouver), The Cut Losses (Vancouver), The Deadwax Collective (Vancouver), Handsome Distraction (Vancouver), The Coalition (Vancouver), Versus the Nothing (Vancouver), Thorntyr (Vancouver) and the mighty Titans Eve (Vancouver). You all ROCK! Much love!

Check them all out here: Blank-Fest Calgary II & Blank-Fest Vancouver.

  • The Blank-Fest team: Dusty, Zeke, Angela, Adriana, Adam, Schwappy.com (Brent and Lee), The Blind Beggar, The Railway Club, The Mustard Seed, Covenant House Vancouver, Fadeback Studios United, Raelynn Ross Photography, Rory Watson Photography and Asher Media Relations! Thank you all for helping make my dream come to life and supporting a cause that isn’t always the most popular! 2012 would never have happened without you and 2013 will be even better with all of you on board!
  • Our Bands! YOU make what we do worth it every day!
  • All the “local bands” that support our touring artists on the road! Sharing your fans is one of the most generous things you can do.
  • The Media that support our artists and unsigned bands along with the majors! YOU ROCK!
  • The Venues and Promoters across North America that still believe in live music and supporting unsigned talent! We appreciate you more than you will ever know!
  • The Fans who support the bands! For all of you that keep the music live! THANK YOU!

Looking Into the Future – 2013!

  • NEW MUSIC COMING! 2013 Releases from ALL ELSE FAILS, DOC KOHLER, MATT BLAIS, STONE IRIS, VERSUS THE NOTHING! Watch for them!
  • TOURS! Already in the works 2013 tours and shows for: Matt Blais, Stone Iris, Odium, 40 Sons, and more!
  • R2IW! COMING SOON!
  • BLANK-FEST CALGARY III, BLANK-FEST VANCOUVER II and……
  • Today is only the first day of a beautiful and amazing year to come! We look forward to sharing each step forward that we make with some of the most incredible talent out there, and that we are fortunate enough to be able to work with!

Artists to Watch

Besides the obviously stellar talent on our roster, we wanted to give a little shout out to some artists out there we think have a strong year coming ahead too, as bands you should keep your eyes on! There is no way to list them ALL but here are just some to get you started!

-          Open AIR, Calgary AB

-          Dusty Tucker, Red Deer AB

-          The Cut Losses, Vancouver BC

-          Aimie Laws, Salmon Arm BC

-          Diesel May, Red Deer AB

-          Uh-huh Baby Yeah!, Louiseville KY

-          Bloom, Calgary AB

Here’s to an amazing and SINFUL year ahead! Support live music! Support unsigned bands because all the majors started in a small bar somewhere!

I will see you where the music lives!

Cheers,

Leanne Harrison

SIN Agency

Final Lineups Posted for “Blank-Fest Calgary II” and “1st Annual Blank-Fest Vancouver”

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Final Lineups Announced for both SIN Agency Blank-Fest events. We are extremely excited to present a diverse and talented group of musicians from Calgary, Vancouver and other cities in Canada!

BLANK-FEST CALGARY II

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3rd

BLIND BEGGAR PUB

Its about the homeless, nothing more, nothing less!

12 Hours 12 Bands
Admission is a Blanket, Warm Clothing or Cash Donation of Choice
Bands Start @ 2 p.m. End @ 2 a.m.
18+ Event

All proceeds go to The Mustard Seed, Calgary

On Twitter? Please RT and Hashtag #BlankFestYYC

Facebook Event Page

 

 

 

 

1st ANNUAL BLANK-FEST VANCOUVER

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10th

THE RAILWAY CLUB

Its about the homeless, nothing more, nothing less!

12 Hours 12 Bands
Admission is a Blanket, Warm Clothing or Cash Donation of Choice
Bands Start @ 2 p.m. End @ 2 a.m.
19+ Event

All proceeds go to Covenant House Vancouver

On Twitter? Please RT and Hashtag #BlankFestYVR

Facebook Event Page 

Versus the Nothing Prepares to Say Good-bye to Chris

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Photo Credit: Barrett Klesko, Fadeback Studios United

Long time band member and guitarist for Versus the Nothing, Chris Shaw, has made the tough choice to step down as the band prepares to carry on. Chris posted this statement on the band’s Facebook page a few days ago:

Photo Credit: Barrett Klesko, Fadeback Studios United

“Hey Everyone! Chris here. I regret to inform you all that the July 6th show @ Joe’s Apartment with be my last with Versus the Nothing.

After seven years, three albums, numourous tours, memorable shows and many other memories and experiences I hold close to my heart, I feel it is time to step down. It was a VERY tough decision for me to make but was needed as the band is going full steam in one direction as my life is going in another. I love the guys like brothers and all you fans are like family to me which I will always cherish.

With that being said, I hope everyone can come out on July 6th for my last emotional ride with Versus the Nothing.

Much love to everyone! See you next Friday @ Joe’s Apartment.

Chris”

Having worked with Versus the Nothing for 3 years and several tours, this is a very bittersweet moment for myself and SIN Agency. Personally and all here at SIN wish Chris all the best and the brightest in his future and he will always be called friend.

Please join Chris and the band at Joe’s Apartment for his farewell show:

VERSUS THE NOTHING W/ THE POST WAR @ JOE’S APARTMENT, VANCOUVER BC

Looking Back and Looking Forward

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With the start of 2012 and a brand new year, we here at SIN felt that we had some notes of thank you, pats on the back, and some milestones that we wanted to acknowledge within the community we work in.

2011 was a year that was full of changes and struggles in the independent music community, with economy changing and shifting, and venues closing making it harder on touring bands in many ways and learning to adapt as a once full and bountiful scene struggles to survive has been hard on us as well as the artists we represent. As with all change, the strong will survive and so far we are still here!!! We don’t plan on going anywhere and we look forward to the coming year with a fresh enthusiasm and appreciation for those we are fortunate enough to work with on all sides of the spectrum.

From Leanne:

Some of the opportunities that our artists were accepted for this past year say so much about the quality of their music and the strength of their performance.

All Else Fails at Boonstock ~ July 1st 2011

Like All Else Fails opening for City of Fire, 3 Inches of Blood, & Cancer Bats and an appearance at Boonstock Music Festival. Versus the Nothing opening for Bison BC, Die Mannequin, State of Shock and Hinder and they also marked 2 U.S. tours in 2011 spending close to 14 of 18 months on the road touring.

We got to work with bands like Kill Matilda, Stone Iris, Harmful Effects, The Ruined,Quartered, Inside it Failed, Centrefold, The Senticsphere, Chasing Amee and many more that I will probably remember I should have mentioned by tomorrow.

Photo Credit: Suzanne Sagmeister

In November we celebrated our first anniversary as SIN Agency and with Versus the Nothing as their booking agents, and I believe it’s personally my third year working with them and teaching them you don’t mess with the master of pranking! I win! Twice now!

November also saw our very 1st Annual Blank-Fest Calgary that had 12 amazing bands, one incredible venue and so many unbelievable people giving it up for our cause! It’s about the homeless, nothing more nothing less. Thank you to all the bands, The Blind Beggar Pub (Adam and Garry and staff), QR Zap, Axe Music, Stampede Six.com Photography, The Mustard Seed, Kenn Rowell, Asher Media and the Calgary fans and media that supported us.

Photo Credit: Tyler Branston, Branston Photography

In December we shared a first anniversary with All Else Fails on our roster, one helluva year full of excitement, pride and laughter, including the ever awesome Studio Space video blog that spoofs everything and everyone and I constantly anticipate their antics and breakthroughs with equal passion.  Also in this past year we found an unholy but oh so awesome alliance with AEF and Branston Photography… what we have seen (insane live performance shots, Zombie profile pic and the infamous YOGA pic) so far is only the beginning of what is to come and I can’t wait!

Photo Credit: Suzanne Sagmeister

This past summer we added Broken Ride to the full time roster, breaking new ground for us with our first radio friendly rock band, with a passionate performance and goals we are excited to share. Join the ride or step aside!! Watch for the doors they are going to kick in this coming year with tours in the works crossing borders for the first time.

There are so many to thank for the past year that I’m afraid to start naming names because I know I will forget some that should most definitely be mentioned! If I miss mentioning you please know that if it wasn’t nearly midnight and the end of another long work day, you would have not been forgotten.

First my partner Skilly for putting the Indestructible in SIN, for listening to my rants and raves when I hit that wall I can’t bash through and making me laugh when I’m so mad or frustrated I didn’t think it possible.

To Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for being amazing at what he does, for putting up with our antics and for being a really awesome friend too.

To Hayley Hitchcock the intern we worked to death until we lost her to school. To our new interns Shayne and Krys…. Do NOT talk to Hayley. We are awesome to work for… honest!

To all the support bands that come out to rock the house with our touring bands on the road, thank you!!!!!! Your support is unbelievably valuable and you are appreciated more than you will ever know.

To the awesome venues, promoters, bookers and buyers that we have the good fortune to work with and who give our bands a home to play in on the road and at home including but not limited to: John Kriska/ Better Than Fred’s, Trevor Kain/ DV8 Nightclub, Trev @ E3 Media (we miss you), Isaac/ Dicken’s Pub, Adam & Garry/ The Blind Beggar, Bret Pollard/ Phunkin Gruuve, Bryan Grob/ Nestor’s Tavern, Joe Black/ Blackstar Productions, Elle Quintana/ Reggie’s Rock Club and Music Joint, Brad Sumak/ Red Rooster (RIP) & Corktown, John Kohn/ O’Flannigan’s, Blake Talarico/ Devil’s Gap, James/ Canmore Hotel, Shawn McLeod/ Pogue’s, Chance/ Riverfront Pub (he loves me), Mike Ash/ Distrikt Nightclub, Jason Jansekovich/ Club 515 (RIP), Derin/ Original Joe’s Avenida, Art Szabo/ Brixx, Kristina Killcrist/ Kelowna, Steve Derpack/ Haven Social Club & JCL Productions, Darryl Bowers, Lars and Deren/ Of Thorn & Vine, Zuko/ my Manitoba hero, and so many many many more that I haven’t got the room to add you all. Thanks for what you do and the help that you have given.

I’d like to give shout outs as well to some old friends and new: Alkatine, Indie 403, Dragonfly Rockstars, RockmebabyTV, Jesse Valstar from Odinfist (thanks always for the help you give), Disa Cameron and Higherground, Dreams of Reason, The SteveyRae Show, The Stepping Stone Radio & Tricky Dick Maidment… again, the list is endless!

Kill Matilda

And to start 2012 off just right we are excited to say that we have added both Kill Matilda and Stone Iris to the roster, as well as 2 new agents; Dusty and Doug to help us do more of what we do!

New tours are already booking and we will be announcing 2 N.A. tours in the coming weeks, as well as several more in the planning stages that will be rocking down new borders and taking us all further than we’ve gone before! 2012 is going to kick some serious ass, and we can’t wait to bring you the best in original SIN!

2 of my proudest moments in the past year: Ivan Moody bringing beers on stage at Boonstock to my All Else Fails boys and when following up on a recent booking with a venue I’d sent a new band to, I got the following response “They were great! Awesome energy and live show, like all the bands you send me!” That right there is why I do what I do…. the bands are so amazing!

Stone Iris

Thank you 2011, bring on 2012!!

From Skilly:

Thank you Dusty and Kill Matilda for ongoing patience and assistance to solidify a great tour experience

Leanne for not charging me therapy bills and Advil receipts and most notably keeping me sane

Ralph James, Lorainne Webb, Jay Soulliere, Jason Furman, Adam Shanfield, Paul Gourlie and Perry Gilman for helping me develop a core music scene here in Yorkton (Ralph and Lorraine you allowed Yorkton’s bigger show ever with Hinder)

John Kriska, you saved my ass several times. Trevor Kain not only has your help been greatly appreciated I now know Drayton Valley exists. A huge shout out to other kickass promoters and venues, Jason Jansekovich, Frank Loffredo, Double Decker and the other 100 I’m missing

Hinder w/ Versus the Nothing, August 2011

HINDER big thank you for being so accommodating and changing the scene here in a positive way, Versus the nothing for relocating to Yorkton part of 2011 and helping us rise to the top, All Else Fails, Broken Ride, Chasing Amee, Living In Red, Ten Second Epic, Neverest- always a pleasure, Karl Wolf- more drunk nights ahead, Pascal, Cancer Bats, Swollen Members, Econoline Crush- Trev your an amazing human being, D12 and so many more

Lastly. I thank Yorton 110% for your support. Without you Indestructible Entertainment wouldn’t have expanded nor would have SIN been created. Neil Thom, you may be the smartest man in Yorkton, Mike Wilson-you supported every show I delivered, Tanya Oliva and the rest of Indestructible staff for every hour of work and dedication (even days and weeks for you Tanya).Katie for not killing me putting hours and hours into my passion and all my kickass helpers and sponsors from Fabutan, Cab Clothing, Skin City Tattoo, Yorkton This Week, Pizza Hut and the Juiceman Kevin Krase and Booster Juice for the ultimate compliment, believing in me from day 1.

The team of Indestructible and SIN Agency assures you tours and shows will be doubled for 2K12. Keep supporting the scene world.

SIN Agency will see you all where the music lives!

Last Show of the Year in Vancity for Versus the Nothing

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Versus the Nothing join Season to Attack @ The Shark Club w/ Bridges Out & more

Event details here…

Watch for an announcement for VTN’s upcoming North American Tour 2012…. they are hitting the U.S. and parts of Canada again this spring and bring something about nothing to a city near you! This is shaping up to be one of the boys’ most extensive tours to date and that’s saying something when its a band on the road as much as Versus is! GET EXCITED!

For all things VTN see Versus the Nothing’s SIN Artist Page.

Rock U Review Posts Audio Interview w/ Versus the Nothing

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Rock U Review has posted the audio version of the interview they did with the boys from VERSUS THE NOTHING before they took the stage to open for Hinder on August 22nd in Yorkton SK.

Check out the 3 part interview HERE 

“LIKE” ROCK U REVIEW ON FB

VERSUS THE NOTHING ON FB

 

 

Versus the Nothing in ROCKUREVIEW.COM

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Awesome article from ROCKUREVIEW.COM based on an interview with VERSUS THE NOTHING right before they opened this past August for Hinder in Yorkton Sask.

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK TO SEE GALLERY FROM ROCKUREVIEW.COM

Versus the Nothing to Open for Hinder

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Versus the Nothing has been added to the line-up on August 22nd in Yorkton SK at the Gallagher Centre Curling Rink opening for Hinder.

Details can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=220121984672205