Every June, the North by Northeast (NXNE) festival showcases a staggering number of bands hailing from all over the world. We sat down with two band’s from this year’s events who come from the ranks of U of T students and alumni to discuss their involvement with the university, how school affects their music, and what they’re expecting from the festival this year. Both Amity Beach and Beyond the Mountain are playing at Cameron House on Wednesday, June 18.
Amity Beach
Amity Beach is an indie pop group from Grand Bend, Ontario, made up of university students who produce music in their spare time. We talked with band members and U of T students Geoffe Bailie, guitar, and Fraser Moore, bass, about the group’s genesis and involvement with NXNE.
The Varsity: What was your inspiration for starting Amity Beach?
Geoff Bailie: We all grew up together, and we formed Amity Beach while we went to high school in Exeter, Ontario. Most of us went to the same elementary school, and we were all learning piano and guitar all at the same time, so we would play together. We didn’t start writing our own songs yet, but we played covers at our school’s Battle of the Bands.
TV: You guys have an impressive performance history. How do you think your smaller shows will compare to NXNE?
Fraser Moore: It’s not huge, but it’s the usual vibe of our shows. Usually our shows are in small rooms with lots of people. We’ve only had a few awkward ones where it’s large and empty — like the one time we played a heritage night at a museum. There were about 250–300 people there, and most of them were about five years old. They were very polite.
TV: How are you able to balance school and the band during the school year?
FM: It’s not too bad. We don’t usually get a lot of practice in before our shows, so we mostly do individual practices. We’ve been playing long enough that we really don’t have to do large group practices before the shows, but we definitely do less shows during the school year than during the summer. During the school year we do about 1–2 shows a month.
TV: How has your U of T experience affected the band and your involvement in the band?
GB: Before we used to jam out, and now we send stuff around so when we meet up we have somewhere to start up. Once we were at university, we had to start taking our studies a lot more seriously, so that kind of happened with music — we started taking our music a lot more seriously as well. In high school we were goofing around a lot.
TV: Do you find that your young age has given you an advantage or disadvantage in such a competitive music industry?
FM: One time we got kicked out of our gig at Lee’s Palace. We drove to Toronto, and we had all our gear inside, and the bouncer asked for our drummer’s ID, and he wasn’t old enough, so she said, “Get your stuff and get out.”
TV: Any advice to bands that are just starting out?
FM: No matter how good you are, if you are a band on a bill who is very standoffish and disrespectful, it comes off on stage. People like your music more if you’re nice.
Beyond the Mountain
Beyond the Mountain. Media Photo
Beyond the Mountain is a Toronto acoustic pop/folk band, notable in the city’s music scene as winners of the 2012 Indie Week Best Singer-Songwriter award. We spoke with lead vocalist Theo Tams and guitarist Jacob Mouka about the band’s outlook heading into the festival.
TV: You guys have only recently formed as a trio. How do you mix your individual inspirations with your band sound?
Jacob Mouka: It’s totally organic how we mix it. We do have some overlaps but we do also have some unique tastes, which I really think is an asset for us since we bring in so much. My stuff tends to be the most indie and alternative. Kyra also leans into that realm as well. I grew up listening to classic rock like Led Zeppelin and even some grunge. We don’t try to censor any of our influences, we just try to let it all in. As long as we’re open-minded and cool with it, it makes for richer stuff.
TV: In the past, you guys have performed at The Rivoli and Lee’s Palace. How do you think those shows are going to compare to performing at NXNE?
JM: I always try to make the show fun. If the band is having fun, the audience will always be into the show, and vice versa. No matter what we play, I try to imagine I’m playing with a group of friends who want to have fun. I don’t think it will change too much.
TV: Theo, you were on Canadian Idol six years ago. How did your participation in Canadian Idol affect your approach to the band?
Theo Tams: Idol was a long time ago, so I find it interesting that no matter how long I’m in the industry, I will always be asked about my participation on that show. The difference between being with a major label and working with an indie band is being self-managed and self-directed. Beyond the Mountain is more of an artistic voice for me; there is no one to answer to except each other. I don’t know if Canadian Idol really affected the band. It brought up my profile as a solo artist, which in some ways has helped the band, but in other ways it has acted as a deterrent — it’s a very double-edged sword coming from a show like that.
TV: You guys are releasing an EP in the fall. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
TT: Our EP is going to sound very similar to our live show. We’re not going to make it production heavy and we want to keep it more on the acoustic side.
TV: Jacob, you went to U of T for undergrad. Were you involved with music as a U of T student?
JM: Not really, only at student-run events and open mic nights. I didn’t take any music courses or anything official. It was mostly with friends, hanging out and jamming. U of T was great and the academics were great, and music acted as a counterbalance, which was what I needed when I was taking the really difficult science courses. Music was a great creative outlet for me.
TV: Any advice you would give to your 18- year-old self?
JM: People have to realize that no one is going to hand you anything. Don’t wait for someone to give you anything and don’t stop practicing until something is perfect and polished. You need to go out and try things and know how to network. When I was introverted and shy, I began going to open mic nights and trying to meet people and do different things.
