Music Biz Headlines, May 17, 2019

By Kerry Doole

Tapestry Opera does right by Indigenous collaboration

Shanawdithit, the new opera by composer Dean Burry and librettist Yvette Nolan, and the Tapestry Opera team have conspicuously attracted the enthusiastic involvement of Indigenous artists. –  Jenna Simeonov, Globe and Mail

Interview: Bart's four-year journey to their sophomore album

After impressing us with their debut album, the Toronto prog-pop band had to overcome a series of trials to make the next one. This interview took place over three years.  –  Dave Hurlow, NOW

Authorities offer advice on safer drug use ahead of the 2019 summer festival season

Authorities know that some of you are going to pack drugs along with your camping gear and coolers. The B.C. government dropped a “just say no” approach years ago and since then has taken a more realistic attitude, aiming to see that people who do use drugs do so in as relatively safe a manner as possible. –  Travis Lupick Georgia Straight

CIMA's Unsung Hero Award goes to Yvonne Matsell

The Toronto club booker and independent promoter (and co-founder of NXNE)  is known for her pink hair, middle finger, quick wit and exceptional ear for new talent. –  CIMA

Milwaukee radio station drops Drake for NBA playoffs

Drake is being dropped from WXSS 103.7 FM's playlist while the Bucks and Toronto Raptors battle it out in the NBA playoffs. The station announced the “break from Drake” in a video message shared on Facebook. –  iHeartRadio

Team Building is a safe space for Toronto's songwriters

The event, which started at Holy Oak and now takes place at Burdock, encourages vulnerability, experimentation, and community-building. –  Laura Stanley, NOW

Lament for Grigorian, Canada’s finest music store

Another of the centers of jazz and classical music culture in the city of Toronto is a victim of “development.” After 39 years, arguably the finest music store in Canada, L’Atelier Grigorian in Yorkville, is closing in the middle of June. The Grigorian family will be moving their operations online.  –  thejazzduck  

Royal Bank of Canada boosts annual funding to video project for emerging artists

The Bank last year stepped up to help fund the creation of music videos by launching the MVP Project grant, has committed to another three years and $900K, the largest per annual donation made by the RBC Foundation on behalf of its Emerging Artists Project. –  Karen Bliss, Billboard

The Carleton scores big ECMA win

For former owner Mike Campbell, it’s an incredible achievement. He still books the shows at the beloved Halifax venue. –   Jordan ParkerHalifax Today 

Against Me! to play four of their albums in full in Toronto: Just announced

The beloved punk band will play two albums a night at The Danforth MH. On October 15, it’s Searching For A Former Clarity and New Wave. On October 16, they’ll do White Crosses and Transgender Dysphoria Blues. –  NOW

Music Managers Forum Canada Honour Roll offers heartfelt tributes to Award recipients

A close group of Canadian industry veterans recently gathered in Toronto for Music Managers Forum (MMF) Canada’s 13th annual Honour Roll. The event awarded Sandy Pandya, Ron Sakamoto, Chris Taylor, Ashley Poitevin, and Sarah Osgoode “for their outstanding achievements and contributions to Canada’s music management industry.”  –  Karen Bliss, Billboard

International

Morrissey wears far-right political party pin on “Fallon”

The For Britain Movement, founded by an anti-Islam activist, has thanked Morrissey for his support. –  Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork

Decoded: The history of record deals

While record deals have been around since the early days, their structure, standards, and consequences have evolved. Throughout the past 100-plus years, however, one constant has held firm: The minds behind the music almost always walk away with less than the powers that be. –  AWAL

Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated review: A positively jubilant album, covering the full spectrum of love, lust and break-ups

After the critically acclaimed ‘Emotion’ failed to set the charts alight, perhaps its polished pop follow-up will get Jepsen the recognition she deserves. – Elisa Bray, The Independent

‘Fake artists’ have billions of streams on Spotify. Is Sony now playing the service at its own game?

Large record companies – who have been complaining about the “fake artist” practice for two years – appear to be adopting an “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” approach. –  Tim Ingham, Rolling Stone

“You fucked my night” – Roger Daltrey calls out fans for smoking weed at recent Who concert

The Who kicked off their tour at Madison Square Garden on Monday (May 13). It almost went off without a hitch, had it not been for Daltrey calling out a group of fans for smoking weed at the show, claiming he is allergic. –  Will Lavin, NME

Rip It Up: An oral history of New Zealand's greatest music

The first 101 issues of Rip It Up have been added to the free online archive Papers Past. We tracked down some of the people behind this legendary publication to get a sense of how it started and why it was so essential to the local music scene. –  The Spinoff

The eternal revenue stream of Led Zeppelin

In the streaming era, record companies are cashing in anew on old hits — and getting more creative about how to do it  –  Amy X. Wang, Rolling Stone

Americana Music Awards nominations 2019: Women take center stage

The Americana Music Association has named nominees for its 18th annual Americana Honors & Awards. Women dominated the 2019 nods with Brandi Carlile, Rhiannon Giddens, Kacey Musgraves and Mavis Staples among the nominated. –  Celebrity Access

Judge orders that Woodstock 50 can go ahead

The Woodstock 50 Festival has been given new life after a judge has ruled that the festival can go ahead and that investor Dentsu had no right to cancel. The judge’s ruling favour of the festival is a major win for Michael Lang. –  Noise11.com

6 benefits of playing house concerts over bar gigs

For lots of artists, house shows end up being more beneficial and sustainable than ones played at traditional venues.here are six great reasons why you should play more house shows. –  Music Think Tank

Ethan Hawke, Alessandro Nivola team on country music story ‘Satan Is Real’