This is the Remix

Hello my faithful readers! I know, it feels like ages since my last post. Probably because it has been. I made the executive decision to never come back from Way Home, and as a result have since spent months crying in a field in Oro-Medonte.

Ok, that's not exactly true... but I have been a busy little music nerd.

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION: Way Home was amazing. Great tunes, fantastic surprises (Passion Pit canceled last minute, so instead, we got to witness the glory that is Broken Social Scene), amazing people... but zero cell reception, next to nowhere to charge my phone, and loads of data overage charges made the weekend a mobile blogger's nightmare. But, at the end of the day, I'm definitely Way Homesickand already pining for next year (July 22,23 & 24 2016). As you may already know, I'm a sucker for a good cover song. I was already super jazzed to be at the festival, but became even more stoked to see some of my favourite bands add some amazing cover tunes to their sets. Gaslight Anthem did Baba O'Riley by The Who (call it "Teenage Wasteland" and I'll excommunicate you. I'm not kidding.), The Decemberists did Ask by The Smiths, St. Vincent channeled The Beatles with her version of Dig A Pony, and Brandon Flowers (fittingly) covered INXS's Simply Irresistible. These covers were nice little treats for those who caught their sets, and it reinforced the decisions I had made in the wake of band scheduling conflicts.

People went nuts at Kendric Lamar (I lost my voice), danced like mad at Django Django (one of my favourite sets of the weekend), and took a nap at Neil Young. Seriously. How many songs about Monsanto do we need to hear? I'd say play Rockin' in the Free World and be done with it... but he did. And he added a new verse. About Monsanto. I wish I were kidding. All Neil Young disappointments aside, much fun was had, many new friends were made, and a great time was had by all.

WHAT I'M UP TO NOW: Flash forward, past job hunting, wedding season, and a move. Here I am now, living that intern life. I managed to land my dream internship at a place called The Feldman Agency, a talent management agency filled with amazing people and a stellar client roster. I haven't been here long, but I've already had some amazing opportunities. So far, I've caught Matt Good's new album at a private show at The Rivoli, enjoyed Hozier from an executive suite at WE Day, and met a handful of famous faces (none of whom I recognized right away - so no embarrassing, dorky, star-struck moments to share... yet). My job puts me smack dab in the middle of the industry I've been dying to be a part of for so long, and I'm absolutely loving every minute of it!

So here's where I'll call it a day, for now. Before I go, here's a small sampling of what I've been listening to lately:

Jamie XX (ft. Romy) - Loud Places
Hippo Campus - Little Grace
Rykka - Blackie
Shamir - Vegas
Father John Misty - The Ideal Husband
Matt Good - All You Sons and Daughters

New opportunities mean new inspiration and adventures, so I'll keep the updates coming!

- Heather, the Jukebox Hero    

A Modern Day Cover Letter

Dear potential employer,

You're a record label who needs an executive assistant. You also just so happen to be home to a few of my favourite bands. I'm a music nerd, who just so happens to be well educated AND in need of a job. So far, I feel that we're a good match.

You need someone who's organized, efficient, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. Someone who's comfortable communicating with individuals and clients at all levels of the organization. Someone who can multitask and solve problems. Someone with an eye for detail. Someone who might point out typos they happened to notice while reading the ad for the job in question (it may be presumptuous, but I have an eye for details and I think this proves it).

 You're also hoping for someone who has stellar interpersonal skills, the ability to anticipate needs, someone who can collaborate and work well with others. You want someone diplomatic and engaging, who knows their way around a computer and who has maybe worked in the music industry before.

I still feel that we're a good match. 

Before going back to school, I worked in the heart of the tourist industry in Niagara Falls - the definition of a fast-paced work environment. For nearly 10 years, I cooked, tended bar, and served at some of the busiest restaurants in the area, where multitasking and organization weren't skills I learned, but methods of survival. Anticipating guest needs, communicating effectively, and collaborating with my team were necessary steps in making good tips. An eye for detail and a sense of urgency made my job easier. Despite the laundry list of things restaurant staff are responsible for, being diplomatic and engaging was always job one.

All of the skills I learned in the tourist industry trenches translated easily to Public Relations, the field of study I chose to pursue upon returning to school. And PR ended up being a fantastic gateway to the place I long for the most - the music industry.

While in school, I had the opportunity to intern for the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, which a lot of people found confusing at first (I'm a bit more Moneen than Mozart). I loved every minute of being involved with a not-for-profit organization committed to bringing music to the masses, even if the type of music wasn't what I was used to listening to. I also had the opportunity to undertake a second internship with Errant Entertainment, where my research, writing, and editorial skills were put to good use (check out my interview with Sumo Cyco here).

Alas, my days as an intern are over, but my thirst for being part of the music industry has not been quenched. This, potential employer, is where you come in. I'm passionate, organized, well versed in computers (Windows, Mac, all social media platforms, Google docs... I'm even learning HTML and CSS as we speak!), and I would be a great addition to your team.

In closing, thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope to hear from you soon. And if not, I hope you clicked through my blog posts and at least enjoyed what you read. Also, here's my favourite song by my favourite band (Yes I know this particular B Side wasn't released on your label, but I did really really enjoy Damage and can't wait for the next album).

Stay Tuned

Hello, my faithful readers! It's been all quiet on the western front lately, large in part to the fact that school got crazy for a while. But fret not, I've got a Post Graduate certificate and a boat load of ideas for future posts! Look for some new posts in the coming weeks!

Thanks again for reading. And if you have any ideas for posts you'd like to see, get at me!!

- H

Gimmie Symphony - That Time I saw the Orchestra

This post was one I had originally written for the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and it can be found here.


I should start by saying that I adore live music. I caught the bug early – I was seven when I saw my first concert, Aretha Franklin at Artpark in 1992, and I never looked back. Since then, I’ve waited for hours in extreme temperatures to see my heroes take the stage. I've come out of mosh pits with fat lips and black eyes. I’ve hung out on tour buses and in greenrooms. From Sir Paul McCartney to Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello to Bad Religion, James Taylor to Raekwon the Chef. It’s pretty fair to say I’ve seen it all. Well, almost. I’m 29 years old and up until recently…I had never seen the symphony.

Oh sure, I’ve heard the orchestra on stage with Arcade Fire and performing alongside cast members of Phantom of the Opera -I will use this time to share with you that I’m also a huge musical theatre nerd– but I’ve never been to a live orchestral performance until last week.

That being said, it may seem strange to some that I was completely psyched to start a Public Relations Internship with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. Every part of me, from my purple hair to my tattoos, was more than thrilled to be able to work and learn in such a creative, supportive and exciting environment and with people who are so dedicated to sharing music with the community. It is here that I’m gaining all of my exposure to orchestral music and I’d be completely lying if I said I didn’t like what I was hearing. It’s also a lie to say that I haven’t been humming Elgar’s Enigma Variations to myself for a week now – because I have.

I didn’t expect the symphony to sound as tight as they did right off the bat. That all those different people, playing all those different instruments at the same time could be so in sync. It was actually as if someone had hit play on something that had been pre-recorded. I was immediately impressed and awestruck.I can tell you first hand that the electricity in the concert hall is the same if not greater than any venue I’ve been in before a show. There’s a certain buzz in the air and that sense of excitement the musicians have is absolutely contagious. Having the privilege of sitting on the stage with them for rehearsal is like nothing I’ve experienced before. Needless to say, when I took my seat beside the percussion section, I was beyond intimidated. With the exception of Arcade Fire, The New Pornographers and Broken Social Scene, most rock bands are on the smaller size – there were four members of Led Zeppelin, three members of Rush, two White Stripes, but there were 58 professional musicians sharing their performance space with me.

There’s something about having 58 musicians playing together that enhances the visual element of a live performance. I’m talking about watching each section of the orchestra contributing to the overall sound of the piece they’re performing. There’s something so satisfying about being able to identify which instruments were contributing to each element of the performance. Being onstage gave me an insider’s perspective to the music – like I was listening to it on a different level.

There is only one word that can describe the sound I experienced once the orchestra started to play –powerful. Just as powerful as when a rock band plays their first notes on stage together. I was completely blown away, but in a different way than I’m used to. Do you know that feeling when you hear an opening band you’ve never heard completely nail their set and end up stealing the show? Yeah, my first symphony experience was like that but at least 50 times greater.That being said, I learned that the percussion section is SCARY! Seriously. I had seated myself next to the gong and the giant drum (which I later learned was the bass drum) which was probably not the best idea. I was unfamiliar with the piece being played and paying so much attention to the other sections of the orchestra that I did NOT see the timpani part coming. As a result, I jumped a good 15 feet in the air during the opening of Fanfare for the Common Man – probably the closest I was going to get to crowd surfing in the Great Hall.

I’ve crowd-surfed and managed not to get dropped on my head. I’ve sipped cognac with members of the Wu Tang Clan. And now, I’ve sat on stage with a professional symphony orchestra while they rehearsed. How many people can say that?

This is not the greatest song in the world, no...

... This is just a tribute.

This is also my obligatory first post on She's a Jukebox Hero, so thanks for stopping by. For starters, I should lay a couple of things on the table:

a) I'm no musician. I absolutely kill Ice Ice Baby at karaoke and I play one hell of an air piano, but I possess no musical prowess whatsoever.

b) I'm no journalist. I dig the written word, sure. But just like I've never been trained as a musician, I've never been trained as a writer.

I am, however, what some would call a "die hard" - I have been called an "authority on classic rock" on more than one occasion. If there's a book on a band I love, chances are I've read it twice. The money I've spent on concert tickets and band tee's alone could probably have been enough to buy a new car. Or maybe a house.

I may not be a trained professional, but the musical world is one I've submersed myself in since I was just a lil' guy. Music is what I love.

What you will find here is merely a collection of my opinions. Feel free to agree or disagree with whatever you read. Feedback is always welcome, suggestions are always encouraged, requests will be attempted to be granted, but respect is always mandatory. So, if you're pickin' up what it is I've put down, awesome! We're in for a time.

Stay tuned...