S.O.S.FEST - SYNTHPOP NITE: Rational Youth + Xarah Dion + Automelodi + Hard Science
Presented by: Switched On Synths, House of TARG
Doors: 9pm / Show 10pm / 19+
Cover: $10 + service charges adv / $12 at door / Free with festival pass
Ottawa’s popular electronic music series SWITCHED ON SYNTHS presents S.O.S.FEST - 5 evenings of synth fuelled events and concerts featuring legendary & emerging performers from Germany, Iceland, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal & Ottawa all in the comfort of a true classic arcade. Each evening will focus on a specific genre within the synth spectrum including, DRONE/EXPERIMENTAL, SYNTHPOP & DARKWAVE.
SYNTHPOP NITE
RATIONAL YOUTH (Canada's 1st SynthPop Band)
Rational Youth was formed in 1981 in Montreal & is considered to be one of Canada's first synthpop groups. Their debut 7” release “Cite Phosphore / City Of Night” (a song that is in heavy rotation during TARG Toughen Up! Free-Play Sundays) paved the way in expanding Montreal’s local new wave scene into both the discos and clubs. In 1982 Cold War Night Life was issued as the first all-synth pop release in Canada and became one of the biggest selling Canadian independent LPs. Fast forward to 2016 - Rational Youth founder/Vocalist Tracy Howe (The Normals, Men Without Hats, Heaven Seventeen) & his wife Gaenor perform live as a duo and have just released the very incredible and relevant Future Past Tense. Rational Youth has never sounded better!
XARAH DION (MTL SynthPop)
Montreal's Xarah Dion works on the verge of synthpop, minimal wave and dark disco. Dion's well-received first LP Le MalNécessaire (2014) brought her to widely tour Europe. The new LP FUGITIVE expands Dion's unique sound with skillfull arrangements, signature melodies and feverish sequences and rythms. FUGITIVE ushers in a vangard yet classic sound infused with 80s industrial and disco sounds. Ok - that was from Xarah’s bandcamp bio - but we can tell you that many of the performers at S.O.S.FEST are mega excited for her performance.
AUTOMELODI (MTL New Romantic Italo Disco)
Shimmering French Vocals backed by authentic 80’s/90’s inspired Euro minimal synth pop. Moody, dramatic & highly dance-able. For Fans of TRISOMIE 21 & GRAUZONE. Watch, Listen, Dance - that's all that is required.
HARD SCIENCE (OTT. Live Modular Analog Synth)
Arturo is the person behind the Ottawa Synths facebook page. Not only is Arturo (Hard Science) an incredible musician, he is also a very important community builder in the Ottawa synth scene & the guy behind the all important Ottawa Synths Facebook Page. Expect a wicked set of live synthwave jamz with accompanying analog video.
THE OFFICIAL S.O.S.fest ZINE: Everything you need to know about the Switch On Synths festival happening June 14-18 at TARG download the PDF here.
