Via Rail: Music On The Train

10/12/2023

Tracks on tracks alumni – representing Sidney York on the rails, now noted for country+ juggernaut Nice Horse – Brandi Caroline Sidoryk rocking 2 national anthems at Vancouver Canucks versus Carolina Hurricanes game.

Yep, she even did the bilingual, updated Canadian anthem whilst looking sharp in her Forces Canada uniform accompanied by a contingent a flag bearers.

{snapshotted from a kitchen table tablet in a cottage in provincial Japan by Dave Olson}

02/07/2022

https://youtu.be/DNxT0KP9R1s
Turn another page in the Tracks on Tracks Year Book.

The Matinée Tracks 10 year, part 5

“I know that wasn’t the question, but this is the answer”

The friendship and camaraderie of The Matinee is as evident as the affable gents provide cabin tours and compare Canadian landscapes to Lord of the Rings geography while wondering “what life feels like there” as places whisk past VIA Rail Canadian train’s window.

Beyond the witty banter, they play *so much* that Matt Layzell’s voice is almost tossed into the baggage car with the empty bottles ~ from 3 AM group sing-alongs, to Lightfoot/Dylan-esque poetics in the view car (including Kiana Brassett chiming in on violin), and breaking out songs sounding like summer FM radio in a convertible turned up to 11 as the throngs cheers their beers to slinging Matt Rose & raconteur Geoff Petrie on guitars, Pete Lemon switching between brushes, tables, shakers & sticks, and Mike Young swapping bass for mandolin.

Indeed, The Matinee collectively brought the chops and the charm reminiscent of The Band on the 1970 Festival Express with easy-going sincerity, swagger & style and surprises for everyone – especially for CBC host and singer of The Smugglers, Grant Lawrence who was temporary speechless for the first time in his life.

So continues the Track on Tracks rock ‘n’ roll train adventure from Vancouver to Toronto with 10+ bands, dozens of music enthusiasts, and a documentary crew who were literally climbing the walls to capture it all. Hop on board for part 5 of 10 and see you in the bar car ready to sing-a-long.

The Matinée Tracks 10 year, part 5“I know that wasn’t the question, but this is the answer”The friendship and camaraderie of The Matinee is as evident as the...

26/06/2022

https://youtu.be/LgP7-jcJW_k
Tracks on Tracks ep. 4 featuring Fernie stoke folk legends
SHRED KELLY.

In a rapid flash, Shred Kelly went from a broken-down van on the side of a mountain highway, to a tow truck then a rental racing the clock to Edmonton to hop aboard the train. Making it just in time to stumble into an epic dance party already in overdrive. Whew.

The jovial quintet then brought relentlessly positive vibes to the town of Melville, Saskatchewan with an early morning luggage car performance, serenading what-must’ve-been-90% of the prairie town’s denizens – complete with lawn chairs, big coffees, and/or tall cans – sliding open the box car to belt out a rousing tune about disaffection for crappy jobs. The beaming mayor expressed his sincere thanks as the train coterie danced alongside the locals.

Once the shock of their unlikely transport triathlon wore off, they settled into their groove of jamming with everyone, pulling out banjos, melodicas, mandolins and rocking with a rapt, packed train car with smiles as bright as an indie-rock Osmond family.

This episode features Tim Newton’s impressive assortment of toques and hats, Sage McBride leading sing-alongs like the grooviest community choir leader, plus Ian Shiner-Page on traps, Steve Polit on guitar, and Jordan Vlasschaert’s scene-stealing ‘stasche rounding out the roster as he shared the band’s ski-town friendliness by thanking the producers/directors/filmers/everyone involved on making this ridiculously awesome journey happen.

And so the VIA Rail Canadian train rolls on, backed by a free-wheeling soundtrack with community coalescing by the kilometer from Vancouver to Toronto – with an important lesson learned, “Whatever it takes, just make it to the station.”

“Shred Kelly” Tracks 10 years, part 4In a rapid flash, Shred Kelly went from a broken-down van on the side of a mountain highway, to a tow truck then a renta...

19/06/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r44aIvmx62I
Tracks on Tracks ep.3 - The Belle Game
An ensemble is solving puzzles: metaphorical about how to play in different circumstances, logistical about how to deal with power outages, and practical like this puzzle has 500 pieces and three waterfalls. Yet, The Belle Game solves all the problems with courage and grace while shifting styles and eras – is this 50 years ago or 50 in the future?.

Starting with trackside sparklers at a “water stop” at an undisclosed location then segueing into unabashed joy playing with balloons, streamers, and shine in the packed “activity car”... as Canada rolls past in endless twilight, the band builds layers like an art school thesis submitted for professors Eno and Bowie.

The band candidly discusses their apprehensions and concerns yet all the trepidation evaporates once they pick up instruments and launch into song – you’ll feel the emotion of “yes I will wait up for you”. Later, they squeeze into the caboose car, along with oboe and bassoon from Sidney York, and a clap-along crowd for an intimate performance to bookend their transcendent offerings.

Together, vocalists Andrea Lo and Katrina Jones (also keys), guitarists Adam Nanji and Alex Andrew – plus Marcus Abramzik on bass and drummer Rob Chursinoff – find ways to solve the puzzles: sing differently, change instruments, and switch approaches to find the infinite possibilities in constraints.

So, c’mon and oll through the “S curves” on this train adventure from Vancouver to Toronto complete with a cadre of bands, fans, documenters, and other free radicals in part X of Tracks on Tracks, more to come, more is past.

An ensemble is solving puzzles: metaphorical about how to play in different circumstances, logistical about how to deal with power outages, and practical lik...

12/06/2022

Tracks on Tracks Ep.2 - Portage & Main

As the Canadian scenery flashes by in impressionistic hues for greens, box cars and rain, the affable fellas of twin acoustic guitar folk rockers ”Portage and Main” talk about their wonder, disbelief and excitement about being on this “Festival Express-esque” journey while sharing their heart felt Canadiana songs.

So continues the Tracks on Tracks journey, a 2012 Vancouver to Toronto train adventure with 10 bands and dozens of music enthusiasts exploring the Canadian landscape aboard the classic VIA Rail Canadian. Fortified with a spirit of camaraderie and pure creative expression, the bands head towards NxNE festival with the mantra of “Every night! Every night!”

Named for the fabled Winnipeg intersection, their songs evoke themes of searching, growing up, being away and coming home. John, Harold, and George move from upper deck dome car with spontaneous collaboration with chartreuse Adaline, to activity car with wide-eyed audience noting the serendipity of the experience paired with the song, to a jam packed sleeping berth with late-night improvs including a sizzling fiddle solo.

Yup, it’s all happening, all at once. Produced by Green Couch Films and now available to spark your dreams of adventure. Get aboard, there’s more to come.

https://youtu.be/m79WGecsqUM

As the Canadian scenery flashes by in impressionistic hues for greens, box cars and rain, the affable fellas of twin acoustic guitar folk rockers ”Portage an...

08/06/2022

HAPPY 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY 💚
Tracks on Tracks Ep. 1
TOPLESS GAYLOVE TEKNO PARTY

https://youtu.be/QU5Qini1NiE

" I like the place the music creates" A train car packed with sweaty shirtless dancers, streamers and balloons, and a dance groove sextet called “Topless Gay...

08/06/2022

Dave Olson, your Community Wrangler from the train here with a video from my barn studio in provincial Japan to express how absurdly excited i am to see our remarkable journey coming out to the world!

https://youtu.be/wkO7Bi-TZvE

Episodes start rolling out June 8... yikes that's almost right away.

Roll call, who's watching?

10 years ago, I was on a train going from Vancouver to Toronto with 11-ish rock ‘n’ roll bands, CBC Radio 3, mixed media documentary film crew and other free...

18/05/2022

Hello its Dave, Your pal from *that train*… Now living in provincial Japan, there’s trains like everywhere so always gives me a chance to tell folks about the wildest five days from Vancouver to Toronto.

I have a dossier of artifacts from the trip - snapshots, pods, vids, news etc from this epic (non)express in a round-up post - although some of the links and photos are maybe disappeared from the Internet 😞 including my “suitcase of secrets” etc.

Just thinking you might enjoy the flashback.

PS let’s do it again, this time bring the kiddos 

https://daveostory.com/film-vids-docs/tracks-on-tracks/tracks-on-tracks-train-artifact-roundup/