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Megan Folden

Gunner & Smith ‘Breakout West’ in Calgary and land 2023 European tour

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Gunner and Smith - Creative Saskatchewan

Geoff Smith, lead singer in the Saskatoon-based band Gunner & Smith, is no stranger to life on the road. Delighting audiences around the globe with his intense Americana folk and roots-rock music, Smith has built momentum in his musical career with his songs heralded as “hypnotic and open as the Trans-Canada highway, with all the nostalgic tingling of leaving home in search of hope.” – The Pilot Southern Pines, NC.

Gunner & Smith successfully applied for one of our Market Travel Grants when they were invited to showcase at the Breakout West Festival in Calgary earlier this year. The annual festival serves as one of Canada’s most popular music development conferences, and provides many opportunities for musicians to network and talk business opportunities with delegates from Canada and beyond.

“I was able to perform at two well attended showcase events to approximately 200 people, a significant number of them industry delegates and other artists,” says Smith, ”I was able to generate two press features. One with a local Calgary press outlet and the other with a national press outlet.” The opportunities to promote their newest album Hear You in My Head, maximize their exposure to new audiences, and seek out new business contacts were not lost on Smith, who also took full advantage of the one-on-one meeting slots and networking blitzes in the hopes of exploring future licensing opportunities.

“I was able to connect with a number of industry delegates including music supervisors, booking agents, industry association staff, and festival bookers.” Smith will be following up with all of his new connections and applying for several upcoming festivals in the near future.

Regarding the value in his attendance at Breakout West, perhaps most telling of all was Smith’s success in inking an international deal with an agent from Kumpels & Friends Booking for a European tour in September 2023. “This tour will be taking place in Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden. This tour will be very important to our development in the European market in the coming year.”

We here at Creative Saskatchewan applaud Gunner & Smith for their hard work, grit, and determination to succeed – we invest in real opportunity and could not be happier to see the flywheel taking off for their musical career.

If you’re a Saskatchewan creative entrepreneur who has been invited to participate in a particular market, you may be eligible to secure funding for up to 50% of your approved travel budget, to maximum of $5,000 per project. Check out the guidelines here.

Regina’s HalterMedia is Shooting Scrumptious Footage (and Food)

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Flat Out Food - HalterMedia - Creative Sasaktchewan

Regina’s HalterMedia is the definition of a homegrown video production company. Since graduating from the University of Regina’s film department in 2010, owner Adrian Halter has been busy crafting local stories with big results. Since starting his production house in 2011, Halter and his team have worked on projects ranging from Accessible Media Inc. documentaries to promotional videos for the likes of the City of Regina and the Queen City’s Italian Star Deli. Now, with support from our Feature Film & TV Production Grant, the company has turned their attention to a Saskatchewan-food based docuseries called Flat Out Food. The project, released by Citytv, is now gearing up for its third season.

In their words, the docuseries “explores unique SK ingredients on their journey from the field, forest or pasture to the plate.” That process has meant looking at old prairie standbys like beef and wheat, but it has also meant documenting walleye fishing and foraging for chanterelles. According to Halter, the wide scope of the series has allowed for not just Saskatchewan stories to be told, but for Saskatchewan film’s economic and social impact to be felt.

“Season 1 of this series was selected by the Government of Saskatchewan to represent Saskatchewan at the Frankfurt Book Fair which was a great honour. There is also a lot of anecdotal evidence that our show is impacting tourism in the province as many of our participants say they have patrons who heard about their business through our show. We have received high praise from Tourism Saskatchewan and Tourism Saskatoon about what our show represents to the province. In addition to economic opportunities, we have also hired dailies from local communities to help with production including Regina, Saskatoon, and Ile-a-la-Crosse. Not only does this provide income to people but it also helps expand awareness about the TV/Film industry in our province.”

On the business side, HalterMedia inked deals for seasons one and two with Toronto-based broadcaster Blue Ant Media. They’ve also drawn interest from French distributor Only Distrib. Closer to home, the series has been featured by the Globe and Mail, the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, in the pages of Alberta-based digital magazine Eat North, and in Air Canada’s in-flight magazine. Halter works closely with co-producer and show host Jenn Sharp to highlight stories across the province, with the show being inspired by the stories in Sharp’s book, Flat Out Delicious. In line with those prairie roots, Halter shared just how vital it is to draw both the content and the crew from our province when he spoke to the Star Phoenix’s Jocelyn Bennett.

“It was really important to Jenn and I that if we’re making a show that focuses on Saskatchewan ingredients and Saskatchewan producers, the crew and the people making the show are also from Saskatchewan. The series is a true Saskatchewan documentary series in the sense that it’s entirely shot here by people that live here. It’s entirely edited here. And the score for the series is 100 per cent original music composed in Saskatchewan.”

Now with their eyes firmly set on season three, which was also partially funded by Creative Saskatchewan, HalterMedia is preparing to release episodes that tell the stories of producers and restaurants in places like Yorkton, Beauval, Manitou Beach, and Nokomis. Those episodes will hit your small screen sometime in 2023.

Did you read this profile and think either: “I’m hungry” or “I could make a TV series about things I love”? We can’t help you with the first one, but we can point you towards the grant that helped bring Flat Out Foot to fruition. Recently, we’ve combined our television and feature film production grants. Whether as part of our Saskatchewan stream or our service production stream, grant applicants are eligible for bonuses if they film in the province frequently, shoot the show rurally, and/or keep the post production work within our borders. For more information on how you can receive up to 30% of your eligible expenses towards your project (up to five million dollars) check out our program guidelines.

Written by John Loeppky.

Shantaia is Taking Her Music South

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It’s approximately 1,894 miles between Nashville, Tennessee and Spiritwood, Saskatchewan, but thankfully — for 2019 Saskatchewan country music emerging artist award (SCMA) winner Shantaia, sound waves travel much faster than what would be a 29 hour journey by car. The up and coming artist, who says she’s been singing since the age of three, has used Creative Saskatchewan funding to finance two recent singles: “Broke to Brand New” and “Hung Over You”. Those dollars came from our Market & Export Development Grant – Micro Stream.

Shantaia says she’s at a point in her career where she’s “fighting” to move from being seen as an emerging artist to someone who is more established. Music site Canadian Beats’ Jenna Melanson called “Broke to Brand New” a track that highlights a “bigger and bolder sound” as well as being a tune that “…flawlessly blends the sounds of modern country with her buoyant pop sensibility to create an empowering feel to the penetrating lyricism of the song.” The single has racked up more than 722,000 plays on Spotify, been featured on numerous playlists, and has charted highly since its release in January—with over one million streams on all platforms. The single also came in in at #33 on Mediabase’s charts. June’s “Hung Over You” isn’t too far behind.

Shantaia says she’s received positive feedback from across Canada and that her social numbers haven’t stopped climbing since “Broke to Brand New” hit the airwaves and streaming platforms.

“[It’s] my highest streaming single yet! We are so proud of the hard work we’ve put into this song and the accomplishments it has had so far…New fans have reached out to me more than ever saying they have heard “Broke to Brand New” on the radio all over Canada, which has definitely been a huge reason why my Instagram numbers and streaming numbers have increased!”

Despite the increase in listeners, Shantaia didn’t spend the entirety of 2022 just in the studio. She participated in some significant US-based events—like January’s Whiskey Jam and February’s Tennessee Songwriters Week—but also spent some time on the road opening for The Washboard Union and Raquel Cole on their Road Back to Cavendish tour. Closer to home, she played Dauphin, Manitoba’s Country Fest and some Canadian Country Music Awards events in Calgary, Alberta. She may have taken a break from releasing music for two years prior to 2020, but since then it’s been full steam ahead.

Next on the artist’s to-do list is to continue working on a full-length album in 2023, which includes her most recent single “Know You”. She wants to take the momentum she’s gained from these singles (as well as from opening for acts like Kane Brown, Emerson Drive, and Charlie Major) and pile it into this new record. Her previous EP, Chapter One, was released in 2020 and she’s also worked on tracks that include Brody Siebert’s “Ashes on the Bar” and a Blue Jays Sessions offering that also featured another Saskatchewan artist, Alex Runions.

Whenever that new record lands, we know it will have some distinct Saskatchewan country sounds embedded in it. After all, you can take the artist out of the prairie but that doesn’t mean you can take the prairie out of the artist.

“I’m so proud to be from Saskatchewan and so grateful for everything you guys have done for me!”

Nashville-based rising stars like Shantaia aren’t the only ones using the Market and Export Development Grant to their advantage. Saskatchewan musical heavy hitters like JJ Voss, Nick Faye, Universal Honey, Belle Plaine, Blake Berglund, and Jess Moskaluke are among the music-based recipients who have received this form of funding in the last year. The micro stream has a maximum of $5,000 per applicant (which can represent up to 50% of your overall marketing budget. Within our major stream, meant for larger-scale marketing opportunities, that maximum can jump up to $25,000 per applicant per fiscal year. The deadlines to apply depend on your artistic medium. You can be publishing a book, crafting, creating visual or performing art, promoting music, getting eyeballs on a film or television project, or doing some interactive digital work— you’ll have a different deadline in each instance.

By John Loeppky.

Crooning Across The Prairies Brings New Opportunities for The Bromantics

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The Bromantics - Creative Saskatchewan
The Bromantics

What do you get when you combine a Saskatchewan group singing songs from the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, a collaboration with one of Saskatchewan’s oldest arts organizations, and our funding? A successful tour. The Bromantics found themselves in the middle of that perfect storm in 2022.

The indicators were there almost three years ago. In 2019 the band, who call their style “a cross between nostalgia and modern trend, attracting people of all ages,” showcased for the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC). Success on that adventure made way for another one planned for the following spring. A years-long pandemic pause meant that the group finally got to hit the road in the first few months of 2022, performing at 16 dates in Saskatchewan while also adding on four shows in Alberta and one in Manitoba to the original OSAC itinerary. According to the group, the return on investment for our Tour Support Grant speaks for itself.

“We are extremely pleased to say that we have met or exceeded our goals in two key areas. With respect to increasing our audience base and brand recognition, The Bromantics played to crowds that surpassed OSAC expectations by a factor of 3. Our social media presence has shown a positive increase in followers, but just as important, our interactions with the audience members after the shows were overwhelmingly positive, with many superlatives thrown our way.”

And when we say a provincial tour, we mean it. 2022 took The Bromantics to Biggar, Hudson Bay, Langenberg, Moosomin, Macklin, Kipling, Estevan, Weyburn, Manitou Beach, and a host of other Saskatchewan centres. As one member, bassist Jim Mitchell, posted on their Facebook page after a March date in Macklin, “We are really seeing how much the awesome people of our province have missed going out and experiencing live music as much as we have missed performing.”

Aside from the positive audience reception, touring gave the band an opportunity to work with new merchandise styles, something they say they are keen to continue in the future. Right now you can purchase items like mugs and water bottles as well as shirts, letterman jackets, and hoodies from their online store. To peruse their digital storefront, go to the-bromantics-shop.myshopify.com.

Another knock on effect of the tour–ignoring for a moment the opportunity to market their stylish letterman jackets– was that they built up significant momentum as they work towards creating a new record filled with original music that complements their current repertoire of covers. To go to the next level, they’ve been working with Rec Hall Studios in Saskatoon since their return to rehearsals in 2021. According to the band, positive reception to their originals was a key learning they took from the tour.

“We also received overwhelmingly positive feedback on our new original songs that we performed (and polished) throughout the tour. A number of audience members commented on how the originals held their place among the classic covers we perform.”

With a few dates already pencilled in for 2023–specifically in Maryfield, North Battleford, and Prince Albert–it’s clear that The Bromantics won’t stop hitting the stage anytime soon.

If you’re looking to use Creative Saskatchewan funds to expand your market reach and/or tour to new places, you can find that information on our website. Tour support for live music requires a run of at least six live performances in multiple cities with performance fees being collected. The next deadline for this grant is February 1, 2023. As the Bromantics have proven with their OSAC tour, travelling around Saskatchewan is a great way to learn about our province, meet new audience members, all while doing what you love.

By John Loeppky

Slow Down Molasses Brings Saskatoon-tinged Indie Rock Across the Ocean

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Slow Down Molasses - Creative Saskatchewan
Slow Down Molasses

In 2022, Saskatoon four-piece rock band Slow Down Molasses (SDM) worked to add their musical talents to that list, using Creative Saskatchewan grants to build their worldwide fanbase and bring those experiences back home to the land of living skies.

Using one Tour Support Grant and two Market Travel Grants, the band spent time in Britain and Germany promoting their most recent album, 2021’s Minor Deaths. Their four members: Tyson McShane (vocals & guitar), Chris Mornin (bass & vocals), Levi Soulodre (guitar & vocals), and Kaelen Klypak (drums), held seven tour dates across the UK and also spent time at Brightson’s The Great Escape Festival and the c/o pop Festival in Cologne, Germany. This British leg of the tour was meant to happen in 2021, alongside international appearances in Estonia and Hamburg, but were shifted to 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic made those plans moot.

Slow Down Molasses’ time across the pond started with the German festival, an opportunity that members say kickstarted their summer of success. Their time there meant that they booked a slot at the Future Echoes Festival in Norrkoping, Sweden for February 2023. It just goes to show what can happen when another festival’s director is in the audience. Next came their wider tour, where travelling across England and Scotland opened many doors, according to the group.

“The band now has talent buyers in Brighton, London, Glasgow, Manchester, Reading, Oxford, and Hull who are all keen to see the band back in 2023. In addition, the band made crucial in-roads with radio.”

And, in the midst of all that buzz (including a BBC6 DJ spinning their tunes), Slow Down Molasses found their way to The Great Escape Festival in Brighton. The band’s description of how the event went, combined with their slew of inspiring concert photos on their Facebook page, makes the viewer wish they’d been there.

“The venue [was] so full [that] our publicist couldn’t even get into the main room…Both shows went over incredibly well, resulting in industry response being resoundingly positive…The band was able to meet with and solidify relationships with numerous UK based promoters [while] at the Great Escape, while also meeting potential future label partners while there.”

2022 was also a big year for SDM on Canadian soil. They performed a few local gigs as well as at festivals such as M pour Montréal, BIG Winter Classic, Winterruption Edmonton, and Sled Island Arts and Music Festival (Calgary) while also being nominated for a Saskatchewan Music Award in the alternative artist of the year category. They’ll return to BIG in 2023, as well as spending time in Sweden and Denmark.

While we’re hoping the band gets a little more rest in 2023, we’re looking forward to seeing how Slow Down Molasses can capitalize on this momentum and reach audiences new and old with their music.

If you’re looking to use Creative Saskatchewan funds to expand your market reach and/or tour to new places, you can find that information on our website. Tour support for live music requires a run of at least six live performances in multiple cities with performance fees being collected. The next deadline for this grant is February 1, 2023. If you’re looking at our Market Travel Grant, that stream is dedicated to opportunities connected to showcases, festivals, and conferences, and exhibits.

Written by John Loeppky.

Dump Babes Explore Much-Needed Themes with New Record

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Dump Babes - Creative Sask - Sask Music - Chris Graham Photography
Dump Babes performing at the 2022 Saskatchewan Music Awards, courtesy of Chris Graham Photography

Reading Dump Babes’ band bio immediately tells you that they’re not here to abide by old norms and the same old tried and true.

“Dump Babes hail from the barren plains of Nutana, where as young children they kicked cans and ate street rats for breakfast. This combined lived experience is inspiration for their grungy pop-rock sound with a country twang and can be heard through their lustful lyrics in many of their songs…Aurora [Wolfe], Eric [MacNeil], Skyler [Cafferata], Aron [ Zacharias], and Barret [Ross] may be the official Dump Babes, but believe that everyone holds some trashy goodness within them.”

The Saskatchewan group’s latest album, niya kîminîcâkan, mirrors lead singer Aurora Wolfe’s focus on colonialism, the uprooting of Indigenous communities, and identity. It’s something the band says is instrumental to the way the album came together with Wolfe as their songwriter.

“The lyrical concept of the album speaks to Aurora’s experience as an Indigenous woman in chaotic/uncertain times. The songs process through subjects that range from incarceration to environmental colonialism, however the album ends with a celebratory and joyful song that celebrates the simple pleasure of sitting in a hot tub with friends.”

Written and recorded in Saskatoon, the record was an opportunity, according to Dump Babes, to “mature” and expand on their sound. The community that Dump Babes has fostered is immediately evident. The album’s Bandcamp page features the acknowledgement of beloved community figure Jill Mack, who passed away from cancer in March of 2022, and who supplied bass, keys, and backing vocals. The band was nominated for two Saskatchewan Music Awards–making the long list for album of the year and the final five for Indigenous artist of the year. 2022 also saw them perform as part of the Regina Folk Festival, Ness Creek Music Festival, and the Sled Island Music and Arts Festival in Calgary. Their attendance in Alberta, as part of a showcase, was funded by our market travel grant, while the eight song-strong LP was funded by our Sound Recording Grant.

In typical Saskatchewan artist fashion, Dump Babes haven’t slowed down since they released niya kîminîcâkan in mid-April. They’re hard at work moving towards producing a follow up album, and they say that the lessons they’ve learned with this recent offering have been invaluable.

“We have learned a considerable amount while recording this album, and we have many ideas to improve our sound on our next album. Additionally, we have received very positive feedback on our new material. The pop-oriented direction we took on this album has been well received, and is opening doors for us. Working with Antiskeptic Entertainment to promote this album has already increased our market visibility and reach, with stations across Canada adding our music to their rotations.”

Over and above these successes, Dump Babes have also started to be the subject of management offers, something that they say will make their time in the industry easier to balance as opportunities to create and tour increase accordingly. Their time on stage at the aforementioned music festivals brought in new audience members and additional sales. A vinyl release show in October meant another opportunity to showcase their work to the world. The album is available on all major platforms as well as in CD and vinyl form.

If you’re looking to find a new audience for your music—or burst back onto the scene with a new project— take a look at our grant guidelines to see if your work might be a good fit. The project needs to include at least six songs, run at least 30 minutes, and be created with the intention of commercial release in order to meet the minimum requirements. Recent recipients include Étienne Fletcher and Universal Honey. If you’re recording a shorter work, we also have streams dedicated to single sound recordings (1-3 songs) and EPs (4 to 6 songs and shorter than 30 minutes). If you’re looking at our Market Travel Grant, that stream is dedicated to opportunities connected to showcases, festivals, and conferences, and exhibits.

Written by John Loeppky.

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