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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONTREAL INDIE SCENE TRAINS ITS FUTURE PROFESSIONALS

May 12, 2006 (Montreal, Quebec) Friday May 26 at La Sala Rossa, five bands at the forefront of the Citygrass Alt-Country music scene are taking the stage for an exciting musical event. The night begins with Little Birdie, followed by Katie Moore, Lee Mellor and the Mudhounds, The United Steel Workers of Montreal (USWM) and finally, Li’l Andy and Karaoke Cowboy will draw the night to a close. Pulling off an event of near festival size takes some effort, and Dawson College’s Community Recreation and Leadership Training (CRLT) intern Linda Sullivan is learning what needs to be done to make this night a sure-fire success – with a little help and supervision of course. “Its inspiring to discover the talent in the independent music scene, I’m very excited to see this project unfold,” Sullivan says.

What is Citygrass? Steeped in the legacy of some of the world’s greatest music, these performers have crafted music with rhythms and themes branching directly from the spirit of today’s urban reality. With their roots entrenched in the classics of the people’s music, they’ve listened with modern ears and crafted a style that is truly of this time and place. Citygrass!

The Montreal Indie music scene is brimming with talent and these bands are increasingly turning to self-production and promotion. “The goal is to professionalize the scene so that great musicians get their due recognition, distribution, radio play, the whole works,” says United Steel Workers of Montreal band member Gern f. As part of this movement, Mr. f. and UrbanHanded Works Inc., a multimedia company, have provided Dawson College student Linda Sullivan with this internship to show her the ropes of running a tight PR campaign. “The UHW Studio feels it is important as a major source of support for independent musicians to train people like Linda so musicians are not left to fend for themselves,” Gern f. says.

UrbanHanded Works houses an independent recording studio that Gern f. built around The United Steel Workers of Montreal’s debut album, “Broken Trucks and Bottles”. He designed the UHW Studio with the aim to provide recording opportunities for local independent bands. Since then, a number of successful recording projects have been launched out of the studio by many of the same Montreal bands The USWM has played alongside.

“I’ve been to plenty of shows before but never really thought that much about what goes on behind the scenes.  As an intern with UrbanHanded Works working to produce and promote the Citygrass event I came to realize that I have a unique experience to be present at the beginnings of something new in the Indie music scene. Getting my training when something new is being created- it’s like I develop while the work develops. The feeling of this experience will be with me for life.”

The fruit of Linda Sullivan’s work will become a reality on May 26:

Citygrass! A Night of Alt. Country will take place on Friday May 26, 2006 at Montreal’s La Sala Rossa, 4848 boul. St. Laurent. Kicking off the evening will be Little Birdie at 8 pm, followed by Katie Moore at 9 pm, Lee Mellor and the Mudhounds at 10 pm, The United Steel Workers of Montreal at 11 pm and Li’l Andy and at 12 pm. Tickets are 8$ in advance and 10$ at the door.

For more information or interviews, please contact:
Gern f.
650 Vinet
Montreal, Quebec, H3J 2G1
Phone: 514-935-6968
Email: gern@uswm.ca
Website:
UrbanHanded Works Inc.: www.urbanhandedworks.ca
The United Steel Workers of Montreal: http://www.uswm.ca

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