As we make our way through fall out here in Halifax, things are finally getting back to business, or rather posting, as usual. The Polaris is over, HPX is over, and so we're back to bringing you that sweet, sweet can-con, errrr, content. And because it's Thursday, that means one thing, Videos!

As you might imagine since we haven't run an episode of Video Hits in a while, we've got quite a backlog of them. So if you've sent us a vid in the last few weeks, our apologies, but perhaps send us a reminder and we'll try and get it up. So in the interest of backlog clearing, we've got a super-sized edition for you today. Five great videos on deck, so I'll do a quick intro and get out the way (Luda style).

The Tom Fun Orchestra's Bottom of the River somehow got nominated for a UK music video award, and that's pretty awesome, so I figured that deserved a posting. One great animtaed video deserves another, and so Said the Whale's vid for Camilo (The Magician) is up next. STW were one of the many buzz bands to play at the just-concluded HPX, another being Little Girls, and so their vid for Youth Tunes gets a posting. While on the subject of folks playing Halifax, Octoberman are playing Gus' Sunday night, so we've got their clip for Thirty Reasons here as well. I've said this before, but I've always enjoyed Classified's videos, and since he's got a new one for the awesome Can-rap all-star track Quit While You're Ahead, I had to put that up too. Enjoy!


Tom Fun Orchestra - Bottom of the River

MP3:: Tom Fun Orchestra - Watchmaker
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/tomfunorchestra

Said the Whale - Camilo (The Magician)

MP3:: Said The Whale - The Magician (Camilo)
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/saidthewhale

Little Girls - Youth Tunes

MP3:: Little Girls - Concepts
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/littlelittlegirls

Octoberman - Thirty Reasons

MP3:: Octoberman - Thirty Reasons
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/octoberman

Classified - Quit While You're Ahead

MP3:: Classified - Up All Night
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/hiphopclassified

Labels: Classified, Little Girls, Octoberman, Said the Whale, Tom Fun, Video hits

Has any music loving Haligonian actually recovered from another amazing HPX? '09 brought in an embarrassment of National and International talent but the rocking just doesn't stop here in Canada's ocean playground. In the next 10 days, we have some absolutely stellar acts playing shows and the hill wouldn't be doing it's duty if we didn't talk about the bands still willing to make the extra 12-hour trek from Montreal.

The Sunparlour Players are probably one of the best live acts in Canada. That statement is said so often, it's hard to disagree even if it's something that can't be measured (kind of like Hines Ward being the best blocking WR in football). Andrew and the boys are making their first visit since releasing Wave North (review).

Their new record showed incredible growth, but at the end of the day every time the band hits the stage, they absolutely tear it up so Thursday night @ The Company House is fixing to be a rowdy, smile filled evening. Plus, the are bringing some of their homemade jams/mustards for us to purchase, so really, how can you ask for anything more?

Still not sold? Well, take a look at the little tour video the band put together to show how excited they are about being back on the road. How often do you see three dudes sprinting in suits outside of anything matrix related? Never.

MP3:: The Sunparlour Players - Build It Up
MYSPACE:: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=48494366

Sunday night at Gus' showcases another stellar lineup, that includes White Whale records Octoberman and his tour mates Empire Lights. What do these guys have in common? Well, how about a shared member - Tavo fronts Empire Lights and plays in Octoberman. Very Kevin Bacon that is.

Octoberman - aka Marc Morrissette - has been putting out quality records for years, slowly evolving his sound from solo acoustic travel songs to that of a band comfortable with each others skills and preferred sounds. Their latest record - Fortresses (review) - surprised me, but rather than duplicate the review, I'll just quote Frank and say they sound like "Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous fronting a welterweight Crazy Horse."

Empire Lights is new to me and according to Tavo they are just about to get in the studio to record some new material and I know they have a solid cover of The Marquee and the Moon on the new Gooseberry Sloan tribute record, so that's enough to get me to show up early.

MP3:: Octoberman - Thirty Reasons

MP3:: Empire Lights - The Marquee and the Moon
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/octoberman
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/empirelights

photo courtesy of petenema.com

And finally... How about a nice ticket/cd giveaway from a gospel/punk band sure to turn Saturday, November 7th into one to remember. The Schomberg Fair are a three piece speed trio from TO that have been making a big splash with their new record, Gospel (review).

The boys are going to be setting up shop @ Gus' Pub and honestly, they will burn the stage down. Energy, sweat and good times are as guaranteed as cheap people drinking the two-dollar draft and crazy old people playing the lotto machines.

And we want you to be there. We have two guest list spots and a copy of Gospel (that you can pick up at the show) to giveaway, and all you have to do is email us (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) your contact info or leave a comment below. It's that easy, and so worth it.

MP3:: The The Schomberg Fair - Angels Wings
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/theschombergfair

Labels: contests, Empire Lights, Halifax, Marc Morrissette, Music, Octoberman, Schomberg Fair, Sunparlour Players