So here is the thing...due to the fact that I am an Algonquin journalism Student, I can't post the story on here that I would like to post because my story is now owned by the Algonquin Times. That being said, I can still write a new piece with new information that wasn't used in my Times Story. Therefore there is no copyright infringement. So here I go...
Recently, I attended a show for an up and coming indie-folk-pop artist named Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, or MBF for short, here on campus at The Observatory (The OB). It was a fantastic show with great enthusiasm!
In his short career as a professional recording artist, Calgary's MBF has already been coined as "Canada's next best hope for a global star" and someone to watch in 2010 by Peter Simpson who writes a column for The Ottawa Citizen.
With music reminiscent of the soulful sounds of James Morrison and Dave Mathews and equally as unique, MBF's songs carry plenty of base and drumline-esq snare beats mixed with the melodic sounds of a piano on songs such as Reach You; string orchestras and xylaphonic instrumentation on tracks like Movie Life; and a few tracks with harmonious chorus vocals in the background, it's hard to believe MBF has only been playing professionally for 4.5 years!
His unique sounds seems to resonate well with his fans, new and old.
"I loved the show!" said show attendee Matthew Haddad. "His music emits love, happiness and friendship and that's all that you need."
"My favourite song that he played is Movie Life," said Rosie Waugh, who attended the show at The OB and was the lucky lady chosen to go up on stage during the ballad Care For You. "It was very neat the way he made songs that everyone knows have a completely different sound."
Not only did he bring someone up on stage during a soulful ballad, during one of his more energetic songs, Movie Life, he played the song with a loop pedal, overlapping his own voice several times before adding a new riff and continuing the loop for a good 2 minutes thereafter. While the loop continued to play in the background, MBF began singing various other songs such as My Humps by Fergie, Waterfalls by TLC, The Thong Song by Sisco, Tik Tok by Ke$ha, and a few other songs as well. It was amazing to watch him up on stage loving what he does and how much the audience laughed and got involved.
Later on, towards the end of the show, MBF played his latest single, Brand New Spaces where he got everyone in the audience standing up and thumping their feet while clapping a special beat, the same one that can be seen in his music video for the song. What great enthusiasm!
In recent months, from October to December, MBF had steady gig at a place called The Supermarket in Toronto's Kensignton Market, just west of the downtown core, and only taking 2 weeks off at Christmas.
"I like being busy," laughed MBF.
Touring so much usually puts a strain on one's ability to keep track of time and MBF is no exception to this rule. he recounted a story to me about this one time while back home in Calgary for no more than a single day. MBF forgot that BlackBerry phones don't automatically change time zones when you fly in and out of cities. This meant that he needed to keep track himself and of course, that meant humorous events were bound to occur.
"I had called for a cab that was supposed ti pick me up at 5 a.m." MBF told me as he recalled his adventure with time changes. "I set my alarm so that I could get up and ready for the cab the night before. I woke up and got ready and went downstairs to wait for my cab. I waited and waited and finally decided to call the cab company. They asked me when I ordered the cab for and I told the girl 5 a.m., she said 'Sir, it's only 3:10 in the morning' and suggested I go back up to my room and take a nap," recalled MBF with laugh.
Playing only in Canadian Venues thus far, MBF calls a 1,600 person venue in Calgary, called Jack Singer, one of his favourite places that he has played to date.
"It's always been a dream of mine to play there," said MBF. "I finally got to play there this summer for my CD release party for my first full length album The MBF LOVE LP."
With his first full length album out in music stores across the country, MBF is well on his way to bringing his energetic songs to all of Canada and the world beyond!
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