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ARTS
Rocking with Flair
by Dan MacRae
(read)
Hello, hello, hello, hello!
by Emily Elias and Ashley Martin
(read)
Spliced
(Best) Picture-esque films
by Luke Fandrich
(read)
Phantom phails phantastically
by Luke Annand
(read)
Hip-hop blowing up in Saskatchewan
by Brett Cyr
(read)
A night of coughing, music and drinking
by Jacalyn Phillips
(read)
NEWS
“Hot” coffee
by Jeanette Stewart
(read)
Go to MonJo
by Cassie Hawrysh
(read)
Not-so-beauty pageant
by Cassie Hawrysh
(read)
Queen City Carnival
by Jeanette Stewart
(read)
SPORTS
Pandas got game
by Greg Urbanoski
(read)
Eyes on Sports
Let’s get it on!
by Morgan Bradshaw
(read)
Fit as a fiddle
Top ten celebrity fitness regimes
by Julie Folk
(read)
FEATURES
Aikido, the way of harmony
by Matt Barton
(read)
COMMENTARY
Don’t shoot the messenger
Editorial
by Steven Kisser
(read)
Crackheads are people too
Commentary
by Cassie Ozog
(read)
The Good Fight
Freedom on the march
by Justin Ludwig
(read)
Just another Thursday
by Emily Elias
(read)
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Rocking with Flair
by Dan MacRae
the Carillon
Vancouver rockers bring in noise, sweat
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“Recently there have been a lot of shoegazers, “ sighed Dawn Mandarino, the vocalist/guitarist of The Flairs. “Where have all the bands gone that want to put on a good show? “
Mandarino is lamenting this while sitting in the B.C. accounting firm where she works when she isn’t one quarter of Vancouver glam-punkers The Flairs. With a giddy bounce of pop-punk, glam-rock, and 80s metal (Skid Row is a band favorite and a heartfelt tribute to “18 and Life “ is in their repertoire), The Flairs are a rock outfit with Canadian rock veteran status. Mandarino and drummer Jen Foster were formerly of the doomed to CanCon medium rotation goth rockers Tuuli. The other half of the band is made up of ex-Bif Naked guitarist Gillian Hanna and her brother/bassist Ryan Hanna. All of which seem to have a manic drive to be alive on stage.
“When fans leave our show, we want them to say that show kicked my ass, “ said Mandarino with obvious zeal to be back on stage. “We’re trying to bring showmanship back. There are some artists doing that. [An upcoming tourpartner] Robin Black for example. His show is one we model ourselves after. “ Along the same lines, The Flairs have also opened for gigolo-spokesman/paramedic/showman extraordinaire David Lee Roth.
“David Lee Roth was so cool, “ gushed Mandarino. “Oh my God! Listen to what’s playing on my Ipod (Dawn holds up her mp3 player to the phone and the Carillon hears the bombast that is Van Halen’s Panama). We didn’t know what to expect with him. He was just a pleasure to be around. He is very serious about what he does and also very cool. “
In Aught Five, the rock landscape is still generally empty when it comes to heavy-modern-rock-radio-rotation for estrogen-rich bands. Still, Mandarino sees progress. “Things are changing in rock radio. When Tuuli came out there were virtually no female singers on the radio. I remember back in the early nineties there were tons of female singers. Then it went into a whole Nickelback/Creed thing. It was kind of sad. But now there are female voices back on the radio. “
What about being lumped in with other female-fronted acts?
“Getting compared to bands with a female lead singer is understandable, “ explained Mandarino. “I actually prefer a female lead singer. It makes things for me much more interesting and exciting. “
The Flairs have had the joy of playing at North By Northeast (NXNE), Toronto’s acclaimed new music showcase festival.
“North By Northeast was a really big deal. It was our first time back in Toronto after leaving (the Toronto-based) Tuuli. And it was exciting that we could show them our new sound. People see us on stage and go whoa. People weren’t expecting us to come up without new music. “ said the accountant/rocker. And about their upcoming show in Regina?
“They can expect a lot of sweat and noise. “
The Flairs are currently on the road promoting their debut EP. They will be playing The State on February 11.
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