As ‘80s rock-new wave band The Fixx once sang, “one thing leads to another.”
That’s the case with Vernon’s alt. rock band //AMISTAD//.
The band, which released its new EP, Talk Peace To A Wolf, Tuesday, found out it didn’t make the top 25 in the CBC Music Searchlight contest.
Despite immense local support and votes for the band’s song Radikal, the first single off the new album, //AMISTAD// didn’t get past the top 10 of the regional finals (for the Interior, B.C. North) in the nationwide contest.
However, with that news came something good, as the band has just found out it has been awarded with a Telus Storyhive grant towards the creation of a new music video.
“I was blown away that we got the grant at all,” said the band’s bassist Nolan Bassett. “I was at school taking a chemistry test. I was overwhelmed by everyone texting me to tell me we got the $10,000. I can’t wait to share this project with everyone.”
A community-powered funding program for emerging content creators in B.C. and Alberta, Storyhive chose 17 artists as part of its Small Town Music Video 2016 initiative.
Winners each receive a $10,000 grant for the creation of a music video, which will be published for phase two community voting and showcased on Telus Optik TV On Demand and online.
Produced and directed by the band’s manager Joe Pinheiro, //AMISTAD’s// video will feature the second single, Human, off Talk Peace to a Wolf.
To be filmed at a live show this month, the video will pay homage to the band’s hometown and will feature local youth.
“Human has a lot of references to where we’re from and what it’s like to grow up as a band here in Vernon,” said lead singer Aidan Andrews. “We knew instantly that we wanted it to be the next single and we had to bring those local/hometown references to life in the video. That’s why I loved Joe’s script for Human, it clicked instantly and just made sense.
“Now with the Storyhive grant, we feel even more confident that we can make the best video yet.”
//AMISTAD// has already begun casting for the five nine year olds who will be portraying the band in the video.
//AMISTAD// launches its new album with a show at Paddlewheel Park Hall May 27.
Joining //AMISTAD// will be former Storyhive winner Windmills (Cory Myraas), also of Vernon. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10, available at Ratio Coffee, Record City, and from band members.
More details are available at amistadband.com.