HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION

Halifax Pop Explosion 2015 is coming at you October 20th-24th

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We want YOU to become an official Halifax Pop Explosion Festival Ambassador! Earn a free wristband by sharing the HPX experience with your friends. Win/win right? Click the link to find out how: bit.ly/HP15sma

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HPX Board Elections

The 2015 Halifax Pop Explosion AGM and election for Board of Directors was held on July 20th. We are pleased to welcome back three members of the board who were re-elected for two year terms; Josh Hogan, Kris McCann and Chris Toms. They join our current board members; Tara Thorne, Trevor Murphy, Marnie Gillis and Stephanie Purcell. The Board welcomes its newest member Georgia Richards who brings valuable industry experience to the team. The executive positions of the board were elected for the 2015-2016 term. Stephanie Purcell - Chair Josh Hogan – Vice-Chair Marnie Gillis – Treasurer Trevor Murphy – Secretary “Really proud to be a member of this board and work alongside a dynamic group of industry colleagues. We all love this festival and what it stands for! We look forward to delivering our fans and friends a fantastic HPX 2015 alongside the direction and leadership of our Executive Director James Boyle and his team of professionals.” Stephanie Purcell – Board Chair

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Halifax Pop Explosion Partners with MusiCounts For 2015 Festival

Halifax Pop Explosion announced today it is partnering with MusiCounts for the 2015 festival, donating one dollar from every festival pass and ticket sale to the organization. MusiCounts' mission is to ensure that children in Canada, regardless of socio-economic circumstances or cultural background, have access to a music program through their school.  

"MusiCounts is thrilled to be Halifax Pop Explosion's charitable beneficiary," said Allan Reid, President & CEO CARAS / The JUNO Awards and MusiCounts. "Through this partnership we are working towards building a positive future for children and youth across Canada by ensuring they have access to music instruments. Nova Scotia has a rich musical heritage and we are proud to support it."  

The partnership underscores Halifax Pop Explosion's ongoing commitment to giving back to the community and championing the importance of arts and culture both on a regional and national level.  

The festival also unveiled a second tier of early bird pricing today. For a limited time, Early Bird passes are $79.00 + tax and service fees. Skip The Line passes are $159.00 + tax and service fees. Both are available for purchase HERE. 

Halifax Pop Explosion takes place from October 20-24, 2015 and features performances from Purity Ring, Alvvays, and Rich Aucoin with Symphony Nova Scotia.

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SUPER EARLY BIRD PASSES NOW ON SALE!!

VERY LIMITED Super Early Bird Wristbands and Skip the Line Passes are now on sale!

SUPER EARLY BIRD WRISTBAND $69 + tax and service fee (regular $99)

BUY YOUR PASS HERE only until May 30th, or until quantities last.

Your Super Early Bird Wristband includes:

5 day access to all HPX music, comedy and culture events (subject to venue capacity; does not include Rich Aucoin/Symphony NS Show)  

SUPER EARLY BIRD SKIP THE LINE PASS $149 + tax and service fee (regular $199)

BUY YOUR PASS HERE only until May 30th, or until quantities last.

Your Super Early Bird Skip the Line Pass includes:

5 day skip the line access to all HPX music, comedy and culture events (subject to venue capacity; does not include Rich Aucoin/Symphony NS Show)  

Guaranteed access to shows at the Multi Purpose Centre

Limited Edition Early Bird Poster

Festival wristbands and passes are available for purchase online, or by phone at 1-877-ETIX-NOW

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Halifax Pop Explosion Announces First Three Artists for 2015 Lineup

Halifax Pop Explosion announces the first three acts for its 2015 lineup, including performers Purity Ring, Alvvays, and Rich Aucoin with Symphony Nova Scotia. Pop Explosion teamed up with Last Gang Records last week to make the announcement at a show at The Drake Hotel in Toronto.

This year’s event takes place from October 20-24, with the first round of Super Early Bird passes going on sale on May 15. These very limited passes will be on sale HERE until May 30. Super Early Bird passes are $69.00 + tax and service fee, while regular pass price will be $99.00 + tax and service fee.

Purity Ring was formed in 2010 when two members of a different band came together on a track called "Ungirthed." Megan James and Corin Roddick have been creating music together ever since, collaborating  with rapper and HPX 2014 alum Danny Brown in 2012. The duo released their second studio album in 2015, titled Another Eternity.

Alvvays has become a house-hold Canadian indie-rock band, with their self-titled first album reaching number one on US college charts in 2014. Their break out track,  "Archie, Marry Me,"was popularly covered by Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard. The band is consistently touring, currently on a non-stop schedule through Canada, the US and the UK.  

On his album Ephemeral, Rich Aucoin takes his past three years of relentless worldwide touring, and distills all of the big ideas that philosophy majors like him love to ruminate on into 10 sharp, dance-pop songs. "I am so excited to announce that Purity Ring, Alvvays and Rich Aucoin will be part of this year's festival. All three bands have strong ties to Halifax and we are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of these internationally touring artists,” says Executive Director James Boyle. “This year's event will have the same exciting live concerts you have come to expect from HPX with a few surprises you won’t want to miss."

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WORK WITH THE HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION ASSOCIATION

Event Coordinator, Production Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator

Deadline for Applications: May 15, 2015

Anticipated Start Date: June 1, 2015

This is an great opportunity to work with one of the most exciting new music festivals in Canada! Halifax Pop Explosion Association is hiring three contract positions under the provincial Job Creation Partnerships (JCP) program. The JCP program is designed to create positions that will provide unemployed, insured participants with opportunities to gain meaningful work experience. Follow the links to the Job Descriptions below.

These positions are offered as part of the Job Creation Partnerships program of the Government of Nova Scotia. To be eligible for participation in Job Creation Partnerships, you must be an unemployed individual (“insured participant”) as defined by Section 58 of the Employment Insurance Act. This means that you are an individual for whom:

- an unemployment benefit period has been established or has ended within the three years prior to the date of requesting assistance; or

- a benefit period that included a maternity or parental claim has been established within the five years prior to the date of requesting assistance, after which you remained out of the labour market in order to care for a newborn or newly adopted child and are now seeking to re-enter the labour force.

View the full details on the JCP program here.

PLEASE NOTE: You must be deemed eligible for the JCP Program to be hired by HPX. Please check the criteria closely before applying.

Job Descriptions:

Event Coordinator

Production Coordinator

Marketing Coordinator

Please send your cover letter and resume to Operations Manager Josh White –[email protected] – with the position you are applying for in the subject line. Only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.

Thank you,

Halifax Pop Explosion Association

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2015 ARTIST SUBMISSIONS EXTENDED TO MAY 15TH!!!

The 2014 Halifax Pop Explosion was a huge success! With performances by Zeds Dead, Danny Brown, Against Me!, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Jen Kirkman, Ryan Hemsworth, Tanya Tagaq and many, many more, it’s not hard to see why HPX is one of the best parties out there.

The 23rd Halifax Pop Explosion will take place October 20-24, 2015.

If you are a musician, band or comedian who wants to be a part of HPX 2015, you can now apply to showcase.

Early Bird submission fees are $15 until FEBRUARY 20TH, 2015

They are $25 from February 21st until our final submission deadline, May 8th, 2015 EXTENDED TO MAY 15TH!!!

Make sure you have the following things ready for your band/comedy submission:

- High-res imag

- Artist Bio

- Stage plot and input list

- Band member information

- Contact information

- MP3 of song to be juried (*comedians see note below)

- URL of your web presence (website, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Facebook, etc)

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN APPLICATION

If you have any questions regarding the submissions process, please contact Ashley Moran at [email protected]

*Comedians, we realize that you may not have an mp3 of your work and it is required on the application, so please just send us your favourite song.

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POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE ANNOUNCES KEY DATES FOR 2015, LONG LIST REVEAL IN HALIFAX

Steve Jordan, Founder and Executive Director of the Polaris Music Prize, today announced key dates for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize.

Celebrating its 10th year, the Prize will head east to Halifax, Nova Scotia for the announcement of The Long List.  The forty titles will be announced on June 16th at world famous Carleton music venue. “After bringing the Long List to Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, we’re excited to be travelling to Canada’s far east. We feel the proceedings will be safely overseen from upon high by the spirits of Thrush Hermit, Stan Rogers, The Inbreds, Stinkin’ Rich, The Guthries, Jale, The Superfriendz, and Hip Club Groove,” said Jordan. The Long List event will be organized in conjunction with the team at Halifax Pop Explosion.

The Short List will be unveiled July 16th at The Carlu in Toronto and the Polaris Music Prize Gala will return to The Carlu for its third year, taking place on Monday, September 21st.  Aux.tv will once again stream the gala live.

The eligibility period for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize runs from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015. An independent jury of over 200 music journalists, broadcasters and music bloggers from across Canada determines the Long List and Short List. Eleven people are selected from the larger jury pool to serve on the Grand Jury. The grand jury convenes the night of the gala to select the Polaris Music Prize winner.

The Polaris Music Prize awards $30,000.00 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year. Judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration of genre or record sales, the prize’s past winners have included Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007), and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).

Polaris Music Prize 2015 Key Dates:

June 16th – Long List announcement – The Carleton, Halifax, NS

July 16th – Short List announcement – The Carlu, Toronto, ON

September 21st – Polaris Music Prize  Gala – The Carlu, Toronto, ON

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters.

About the Polaris Music Prize

The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours, celebrates and rewards creativity and diversity in Canadian recorded music by recognizing, then marketing the albums of the highest artistic integrity, without regard to musical genre, professional affiliation, or sales history, as judged by a panel of selected music critics.  www.polarismusicprize.ca/@polarisprize

Media Contacts:

Polaris Music Prize media:

Joanne Setterington

Indoor Recess

[phone]

[email protected]

Polaris Music Prize media (Quebec):

Magali Ould

[phone]

[email protected]

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2015 Symphony Show Announced w/ Rich Aucoin

Cinematic compositions. Epic live performances. A nonstop world tour. And a new album that’s an “all killer, no filler affair” (Exclaim!). Rich Aucoin is Halifax’s “Prince of Pop”, with a devout fan and media following, a legendary live show, and a reputation as our “foremost experimental-pop performer” (The Coast). Now, Rich brings his carnival spectacle of a live show to Symphony Nova Scotia and the Halifax Pop Explosion for a once-in-a-lifetime sonic collision of epic proportions.

info on tickets here.

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From our blog:

Heyo! Nicole the events coordinator here.

Last month I had the extreme pleasure of working with Rebel Girl Rock Camp. I grew up in the old Halifax County, but I remember some of my friends trekking into “town” to attend a super cool camp where they got to start their own band. I’m not sure when that ceased happening, but last summer some awesome women of the Halifax art scene got it going again. Since I never attended as a teenager I’m not sure if it was this comprehensive back then, but I would have just died of joy to be able to do all of the things that are now offered by Rebel Girl. There were the usual musical parts of being in a band; learning instruments, jamming, writing songs. In addition to all that they also made zines, printed band t-shirts, recorded and designed their own tapes. I came in on the last day to help them create an original music video. While it was hectic (anyone in film-making knows that four videos in one day is insane!), it was so much fun. Most importantly, it instilled in these vibrant young women the idea that they can do anything. Being in such a safe, creative environment actually really inspired me. It reminded me  that I don’t need to be afraid to experiment or even to fail. And women are strong in numbers! I got to work with the campers as well as other artists, and such a collaborative atmosphere felt so good. Something really neat about this new incarnation of rock camp is that it uses the term “Rebel Girl” to encompass not just cisgender youth, but anyone who feels marginalized and left out by traditional platforms because of their gender identity.

Check out the Rebel Girl Facebook Page for more info and updates. Look for my videos coming out later in the fall! (AFTER the craziness of the festival dies down, of course). And please consider donating. Financial support is obviously amazing, but there are a variety of ways in which you can contribute so think about what you may have to offer if you feel so inclined. We have a Rebel Girl component as part of the festival conference this year where we will be presenting speakers and workshops in partnership with the camp leadership.

ALSO, I am very excited to announce that one of the bands from camp, The Pretty Nihilist, will be having a show next week at Radstorm. I guess I have the insider scoop because it’s not posted on the website yet, but stay tuned at DIY Halifax for the announcement.

Here’s a little video I put together while I was at camp.

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If you missed our pre-announce vines, here they are again starting with Teenage Kicks

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HPX 2013 mini doc.

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...and that is sad...

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Selfie at 25

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The man behind Fish Bone Prints, Alex MacAskill

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27-year old New Glasgow teacher Scott Jones was paralyzed when stabbed last month, allegedly because of his sexuality. A benefit for Scott will take place on Thursday, Nov. 28th in venues on Gottingen Street. A great line up of bands and comedians will perform throughout the night. See the link for details and to buy tickets!

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HPX Day 5 wrap-up by Mixtape Magazine. Thank you to EVERYONE who helped make 2013 an amazing year. HPX's 21st anniversary was a great success!