Spiral Beach
Encyclopedia
Spiral Beach was a Canadian
indie rock
band, based in Toronto
, Ontario
, active from 2003 to 2009. The group consisted of vocalist and guitarist Airick Woodhead, vocalist and keyboardist Maddy Wilde, bassist Dorian Wolf and drummer Daniel Woodhead.
, including a weekly residency at Toronto's Drake Hotel
. By June 2006, the band had gained a devoted following and their shows began selling out, with their NXNE showcase ranked as one of the best of the festival. While their self-titled EP began receiving airplay on Canadian campus radio stations and CBC Radio 3
, the band embarked on an international concert tour opening for The Hidden Cameras
. This was followed by dates opening for Tokyo Police Club
and Sloan
Spiral Beach released their second album, Ball, on Sparks Music on October 16, 2007. It was produced by Mike Olsen
of The Hidden Cameras
, and recorded in a converted barn near Hamilton, ON. To celebrate the album's release, the band organized several concerts in Toronto
including an all-ages show on Ward's Island
which drew hundreds of people to what the band describes as a "rave"-style event, as well as filming a music video
for the song "Made of Stone
" in a circus tent set up in Trinity Bellwoods Park
. They toured around Canada to support the album and performed at SXSW in Austin, Texas
the following year.
In April, 2008 Spiral Beach played overseas in London, England to coincide with the release of the Voodoo UK 7". The shows were well received and included a show at Club Fandango
. The band was also featuring on the home page of MySpace
UK.
In June 2008 the band was fined by EcoMedia for $1470 for postering on their large metal recycling bins in Toronto, prompting a benefit show at the Whippersnapper Gallery, one of Toronto's most popular DIY all-ages venues.
In December 2008 the band began work on their third album with producer Mike Olsen. After the initial recording process was complete, they embarked on a North American tour, playing across the continent from Victoria
to Halifax to New York City
.
In June 2009 Spiral Beach played four shows at the NXNE Festival in Toronto, including performances with Matt & Kim, Japanther
, DD/MM/YYYY
and The Black Lips. The shows were filmed for a music video to the song "Domino" from their forthcoming album. Chartattack rated the band's performance at Yonge & Dundas Square as one of the best of the festival.
The album "The Only Really Thing" was released on September 22, 2009, and the band embarked on another north american tour, including several shows at the CMJ Music Marathon
in New York City, where they were featured as one of the "Top Ten Bands at CMJ" by Paste Magazine. Along with traditional vinyl, CD and mp3 formats, the album was also released as a 95-page photo book, a copy of Daniel Woodhead's original lyric book, and a comic book by Maddy Wilde.{After several acoustic shows in Toronto that fall, they left for a European tour in November 2009, which included a headlining show with fellow Canadians Hey Rosetta at the Queen of Hoxton in London, in a night presented by Muso's Guide
, as well as a performance at the On3Radio Festival in Munich, Germany, broadcast live on-air to thousands of viewers.
Upon the band's return, they performed on MTV Live for the second time, followed by several dates around Ontario, ending with a show in Toronto on Daniel's birthday, December 19, 2009.
Airick and Daniel Woodhead are the sons of Canadian folk musician David Woodhead, and Wilde is the daughter of Canadian musical satirist Nancy White
.
The members of Spiral Beach appear as themselves in the film Charlie Bartlett
, with four of their songs featured in the movie. They have also had their video "Made of Stone" used as part of an episode of the TV series Life's a Zoo
.
The members of the band most recently appeared on an episode of Master Tracks
, recording the song "Vanishing Town". The episode appeared on November 5, 2010; however, the members disbanded prior to the airing of the show.
A press release for the band's 2007 show at the Centre of Gravity Theatre in Toronto
read:
"A massive all night party at the Centre of Gravity Theatre featuring the finest musical acts from Toronto and abroad, as well as a full-on extravaganza of video projections, gravity-defying circus acts and glow-in-the-dark visuals. This event will not officially end, and guests are encouraged to bring tents, sleeping bags and pillows and camp out on the floor with the bands. A pancake breakfast will be served in the morning."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, active from 2003 to 2009. The group consisted of vocalist and guitarist Airick Woodhead, vocalist and keyboardist Maddy Wilde, bassist Dorian Wolf and drummer Daniel Woodhead.
History
In 2005, the quartet released their self-titled EP and performed locally all over TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, including a weekly residency at Toronto's Drake Hotel
Drake Hotel
Drake Hotel may refer to:in Canada*Drake Hotel in the United States *Drake Hotel , Illinois, listed on the NRHP*Drake Hotel , listed on the NRHP in New Mexico*Drake Hotel...
. By June 2006, the band had gained a devoted following and their shows began selling out, with their NXNE showcase ranked as one of the best of the festival. While their self-titled EP began receiving airplay on Canadian campus radio stations and CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3 is a radio station that consists of two parts devoted to Canadian arts and music: a radio service which is available on Sirius Satellite Radio and streaming audio, and several daily and weekly podcasts from the CBC Radio 3 website...
, the band embarked on an international concert tour opening for The Hidden Cameras
The Hidden Cameras
The Hidden Cameras are a Canadian indie pop band. Fronted by singer-songwriter Joel Gibb, the band consists of a varying roster of musicians who play what Gibb once described as "gay church folk music"...
. This was followed by dates opening for Tokyo Police Club
Tokyo Police Club
Tokyo Police Club is an indie rock band from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. It consists of vocalist and bassist David Monks , keyboardist Graham Wright, guitarist Josh Hook , and drummer Greg Alsop ....
and Sloan
Sloan (band)
Sloan is a Toronto-based alternative rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Throughout their 20-year tenure Sloan has released 10 LPs , two EPs, a live album, a "best of" collection and no less than thirty singles...
Spiral Beach released their second album, Ball, on Sparks Music on October 16, 2007. It was produced by Mike Olsen
Michael Olsen (musician)
Michael Olsen is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer, composer and arranger living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.He has collaborated live on tour and on records with bands and artists such as: The Arcade Fire, K-OS, Jim Guthrie, Kevin Hearn, The Constantines, Gentleman Reg, Great Lake...
of The Hidden Cameras
The Hidden Cameras
The Hidden Cameras are a Canadian indie pop band. Fronted by singer-songwriter Joel Gibb, the band consists of a varying roster of musicians who play what Gibb once described as "gay church folk music"...
, and recorded in a converted barn near Hamilton, ON. To celebrate the album's release, the band organized several concerts in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
including an all-ages show on Ward's Island
Toronto Islands
The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in the city of Toronto, Ontario. Comprising the only group of islands in the western part of Lake Ontario, the Toronto Islands are located just offshore from the city centre, and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour...
which drew hundreds of people to what the band describes as a "rave"-style event, as well as filming a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song "Made of Stone
Made Of Stone
"Made of Stone" is a single from The Stone Roses' eponymous début album. Jackson Pollock is referenced in the B-side "Going Down" in the line "Yeah, she looks like a painting, Jackson Pollock's No...
" in a circus tent set up in Trinity Bellwoods Park
Trinity Bellwoods Park
Trinity Bellwoods Park is located on the west side of downtown Toronto, Ontario Canada, bordered by Queen Street West on the south and Dundas Street on the north. The western boundary of the park is Crawford Street, running north to within a short block of Dundas, where the park extends further...
. They toured around Canada to support the album and performed at SXSW in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
the following year.
In April, 2008 Spiral Beach played overseas in London, England to coincide with the release of the Voodoo UK 7". The shows were well received and included a show at Club Fandango
Club Fandango
Club Fandango is a live music promotions company based in Highbury, London, England. It was started in 2001, by Simon Williams and Andy MacLeod. The former runs Fierce Panda records, the latter the Pointy Records label...
. The band was also featuring on the home page of MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
UK.
In June 2008 the band was fined by EcoMedia for $1470 for postering on their large metal recycling bins in Toronto, prompting a benefit show at the Whippersnapper Gallery, one of Toronto's most popular DIY all-ages venues.
In December 2008 the band began work on their third album with producer Mike Olsen. After the initial recording process was complete, they embarked on a North American tour, playing across the continent from Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
to Halifax to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
In June 2009 Spiral Beach played four shows at the NXNE Festival in Toronto, including performances with Matt & Kim, Japanther
Japanther
Japanther is an art project, established by Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek, then students at Pratt Institute. Japanther was featured in the 2006 Whitney Biennial and the 2011 Venice Biennale, and has collaborated with a diverse pool of artists such as gelitin, Penny Rimbaud, Gee Vaucher, Dan Graham,...
, DD/MM/YYYY
DD/MM/YYYY
DD/MM/YYYY was a Canadian experimental indie band from Toronto, Canada. They were known for their abstract music, which involves the use of unconventional instruments and combinations thereof, steadily changing time signatures and rotating member roles. They played their final show on 11/11/2011...
and The Black Lips. The shows were filmed for a music video to the song "Domino" from their forthcoming album. Chartattack rated the band's performance at Yonge & Dundas Square as one of the best of the festival.
The album "The Only Really Thing" was released on September 22, 2009, and the band embarked on another north american tour, including several shows at the CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival is put on by CMJ Network. CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2010 is scheduled for October 19–23 and will be headquartered at New York University and other downtown NYC venues.- History :...
in New York City, where they were featured as one of the "Top Ten Bands at CMJ" by Paste Magazine. Along with traditional vinyl, CD and mp3 formats, the album was also released as a 95-page photo book, a copy of Daniel Woodhead's original lyric book, and a comic book by Maddy Wilde.{After several acoustic shows in Toronto that fall, they left for a European tour in November 2009, which included a headlining show with fellow Canadians Hey Rosetta at the Queen of Hoxton in London, in a night presented by Muso's Guide
Muso's Guide
Muso's Guide or musosguide is a UK-based online magazine. It was launched in 2003, and has been re-launched three times. It is an editorially independent magazine.-History:...
, as well as a performance at the On3Radio Festival in Munich, Germany, broadcast live on-air to thousands of viewers.
Upon the band's return, they performed on MTV Live for the second time, followed by several dates around Ontario, ending with a show in Toronto on Daniel's birthday, December 19, 2009.
Airick and Daniel Woodhead are the sons of Canadian folk musician David Woodhead, and Wilde is the daughter of Canadian musical satirist Nancy White
Nancy White
Nancy White is a Canadian singer-songwriter, whose topical songs were a regular feature on CBC Radio from 1976 to 1994 on the public affairs show Sunday Morning...
.
The members of Spiral Beach appear as themselves in the film Charlie Bartlett
Charlie Bartlett
Charlie Bartlett is a 2008 comedy-drama film directed by Jon Poll. The screenplay by Gustin Nash focuses on a teenager who begins to dispense therapeutic advice and prescription drugs to the student body at his new high school in order to become popular....
, with four of their songs featured in the movie. They have also had their video "Made of Stone" used as part of an episode of the TV series Life's a Zoo
Life's a Zoo
Life's a Zoo is a Canadian stop-motion animation situation-comedy created by Adam Shaheen and Andrew Horne II. It is directed by Alexander Gorelick. A co-production of Cuppa Coffee Studios and Teletoon, "Life's a Zoo.tv" was named Best Animated Program or Series at the 24th Annual Gemini Awards...
.
The members of the band most recently appeared on an episode of Master Tracks
Master Tracks
Master Tracks is a Canadian television series where an emerging band is given one day to record a song with acclaimed producers Moe Berg and Laurence Currie. It was launched on aux.tv, a Canadian music website, and BiteTV, a digital cable channel, in March 2009 and currently airs on both...
, recording the song "Vanishing Town". The episode appeared on November 5, 2010; however, the members disbanded prior to the airing of the show.
Performance style
The band is known for their energetic and visually entertaining performances, which often feature pylons, video projections, and wild stage antics. They have expressed their preference for performing at all ages shows in unusual venues and situations, including galleries, theaters, loft spaces and downtown parks. They also tend to perform barefoot or shoeless.A press release for the band's 2007 show at the Centre of Gravity Theatre in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
read:
"A massive all night party at the Centre of Gravity Theatre featuring the finest musical acts from Toronto and abroad, as well as a full-on extravaganza of video projections, gravity-defying circus acts and glow-in-the-dark visuals. This event will not officially end, and guests are encouraged to bring tents, sleeping bags and pillows and camp out on the floor with the bands. A pancake breakfast will be served in the morning."
Festival appearances
Spiral Beach has performed at a number of music festivals including- Blue Skies Festival (2005)
- Hillside Music Festival (2006 and 2008, including a guest appearance by Cadence WeaponCadence WeaponCadence Weapon is the stage name of Rollie Pemberton, a Canadian rapper.-Biography:Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, his father was Teddy Pemberton, a pioneering hip hop DJ on CJSR-FM, and his grandfather was Rollie Miles, a football player for the Edmonton Eskimos...
) in GuelphGuelphGuelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, ON - Ottawa BluesfestOttawa BluesfestThe Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest is an annual outdoor music festival that takes place each July in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. While ostensibly focused on blues, the festival has increasingly showcased mainstream pop and rock acts in recent years...
(2007) - Wolfe Island Music Festival (2007)
- The Big Time Out in Cumberland, BC (2007)
- Ottawa Folk Festival (2008)
- SCENE Fest (2008 and 2009) in St Catharines, ON
- Suncrash Festival (2008 and 2009) in Orillia, ON
- V Fest (2008) in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, ON - On3Radio Festival in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany (2009)
Discography
- Spiral Beach (independent, 2005) (out of print)
- Ball (Sparks Music, 2007)
- Voodoo UK 7"(RelentlessRelentless RecordsRelentless Records, founded by Shabs Jobanputra and Paul Franklyn in 1999 is now a part of Sony Music based in London, UK. Having achieved large scale successes with Joss Stone, KT Tunstall and several urban artists such as Artful Dodger and So Solid Crew, the label is now building a small focused...
/Stimulus, 2008) - Bonus EP (Sparks Music, 2008)
- The Only Really Thing (Sparks Music, 2009)