Radio Interview

Here's the link! This was a a ton of fun. Check out Lance's show more often (link also posted below)

http://www.mediafire.com/?28h43qkr5tpp3yv

http://thehardstuffradio.blogspot.com/

Playlist:
Quit Benefit - Pianos Become the Teeth
Ghostvids - Polina
Moments Like These - Brain Fever
Slow Applause - Kidcrash
Closenessless - Loma Prieta
Family Jams - the Love and Terror Cult
This Heimlich's a Favour - Strawman Fallacy
Song 2 - Mighty Atom

RAMBLE ON!
-Matt

A Mountain Fest II

August 19th/20th, 2011
Already coming together...


Also, radio interview was postponed, I'll let you know when I do.

Radio show

I'll be on the air tomorrow (Monday December 6th) at 3PM talking about music, and playing some of my favs. Check it out at the link below!

http://www.spiritlive.net

catching up

I'd apologize for long silences, but the truth is, life is just too hectic sometimes. I'll try harder, promise! For now, an amazing quote:

"When we say that certain individuals or groups “aren't punk...” because they make choices that don't fit into our definition of what punk is, we are denying their right to define themselves as they wish. We also force people who are looking for a home in punk to leave part of their identity —part of who they are— at the door so that they can be accepted, i.e. “You can hang out, as long as you don't talk about __________.” This is just one way that punk continues to be a subculture that alienates individuals who would probably make our communities stronger if they felt more welcome."
-http://shotgunseamstress.blogspot.com/

some people I know could seriously use some studying up on this shit.

I think my personal punk motto will be: "insular, but working on it!" haha...

Getting Frustrated/Getting Inspired

Due to a bunch of unfortunate circumstances, the Suis La Lune show didn't end up happening. I cannot express how frustrated I am by the complete lack of communication from people on the other side of the border, but suffice to say, it didn't happen, and that won't change.

However, on a more pleasant note, I have two really interesting new shows coming up.

First is the Love and Terror Cult's CD release, which will be in a new space in the Annex area of Toronto. This will be an All Ages show in a very awesome Positive Space venue, so if you're interested in witnessing hopefully the emergence of an important new cornerstone of the Toronto DIY scene come into play, make sure to come out to this!

a mountain far presents...amfs031
The Love and Terror Cult (spazzy, insane, awesome. CD release)(http://www.myspace.com/theloveandterrorcult)
The Discord of a Forgotten Sketch (intense and weird from Montreal)(http://www.myspace.com/tdoafs)
Ancestors (Toronto Post-Punk heroes)(http://www.myspace.com/ancestors)
Animal Faces (First show, ex/current LTC, Authors, the Chronic, Straight Goods etc)(http://www.myspace.com/ilikeanimalfaces)
$5-$10 (Sliding scale/Pay What You Want, but please be considerate of the bands)
7pm
ALL AGES.
No Booze/No Drugs/No Dinks
IMPORTANTThis is a trial run show at a Beit Zatoun, which is a beautiful new space in the Annex which is open to shows as long as they are thoughtful and respectful. Please help us and everyone enjoy the show by keeping a it Positive Space. Positive Space is defined as one that does not accept or tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia or any kind of behaviour that encourages shit-headedness and an unwelcoming vibe to anyone and everyone. This event is also dry. No drugs/drinking will be allowed in/around the show.To summarize: Don't be an asshole. If you are being an asshole, you will be asked to leave. Simple as that.There will be a variety of tabling.Want to table? email me! amountainfar@gmail.com

http://www.facebook.com/matthew.cuthbert#!/event.php?eid=106350122750694&ref=mf
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Next is the fest I've been working on, I'll post more about it soon, but suffice to say I'm really excited for it.

Voicing

As an individual project, I find no need to use terms like 'policy' or 'mission statements.' However, it recently occurred to me that those who are not too personally familiar with me may not feel entirely comfortable asking this, so I thought I would post about it.

To me, tabling for/about various causes whether they be social justice, crafts, baked goods etc, is all very intrinsically connected to the spirit of DIY and helps it create the even better Do It Together vibe. As such, I am making an open invitation to anyone who would like to table at any of my events. There may not be a whole lot of space at some of them, but I'm sure we can make something work.

I have had incredible experiences across this country just hauling my beat up suit-case distro with me; making friends, trading music/zines, chatting. I am in fact flying out to Edmonton tomorrow to do just that. On that note, it should be noted that this invitation is open to everyone, not just Torontoians. I'm always more than happy to have something new tabled, and a fresh face be there.

Obviously, the only request I have is that the materials being tabled aren't offensive in nature (sorry Nazis...you're just not my scene), and considerate (if your baked goods aren't vegan, that's cool, just please label it clearly).

So yeah...Seemingly simple, but important post. I want anyone and everyone to feel safe and welcome to help spread word on something important to them, and would love to help you with that.

amountainfar@gmail.com

As always,
-Matt

Poster Art (Self-Reliance)

Since I decided to make the blog about my observations/musings as well as my activities in the scene, I thought it would be neat to discuss a bit about why I decided to start doing show flyers in a certain way.

When I began doing shows, I really liked getting various friends to do the flyers. This is for many reasons; I have many talented friends who excell at graphic design, I thought it would be a neat way to expose different styles of art to different groups of people, I myself am awful with a computer et cetera.

However, I began realizing that in many cases, I couldn't express what I wanted properly, I sometimes had to fall on the same friends because others would flake out blah blah blah. I started thinking about how a major tenant of my project was 'self-reliance.' I have always been a strong believer of 'rely on no one, get screwed by no one.' Not to say that I don't receive any help (I do, a great deal from my very gracious friends), but in terms of overall responsibility, I am accountable only to myself, and prefer it that way.

In terms of show flyers, I have always loved the simple but effective aesthetic of cut/paste/scan. I realized that not only was this a style that I (and anyone) could do, but that it was also a lot of fun. I've only been doing them since May, and have mostly stayed in the area of old classic horror movie stills. Growing up, many of these images were captivating to me, and I like the way they play off the information being glued/taped onto them. Most importantly, the posters are quick, easy, effective and cheap.

Being solely responsible for the creation of my own flyers has been very enjoyable. I'll never claim to be inventing a style (far from it, I'm basking in a very classic one), but I hope to grow with it and play with the format here and there. It's also quite fun to use the access to a high quality scanner at my work for something of mine on my downtime.

Overall, I think just the sense of being responsible for getting my own shit done is the most rewarding part. I really hope one day I'll find a copy of a flyer I do lying around a friends room, or stuck to the wall of a bedroom or venue. Every show I've run has been really rewarding in one way or another, and having certain images associated with each one almost adds to the pleasant memories.

Enough talk, here are some of the poorly done images I'm speaking of.

Babble at ya next time.

-Matt

Upcoming Shows

Saturday June 12th

Creeper(getting tight)http://www.myspace.com/fuckcreeper

Maus(heavy hardcore from Edmonton)http://www.myspace.com/mausedmonton

Mighty Atom(weirdo punks from Waterloo)

Ramon Gris (a new Toronto screamo band!)http://www.myspace.com/ramongrisfamily

@ Siesta Nouveaux (Lower Sherbourne and the Esplanade)
$5-$10 (Pay What You Can but help us get the touring band to their next stop!)
ALL AGES
8PM
FB Event
http://www.facebook.com/matthew.cuthbert#!/event.php?eid=120466274645073&ref=mf

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Tuesday June 15th

Japanese Beaver Are Canadian (sort of reunion, sort of tape release, totally awesome!)http://www.myspace.com/japanesebeaver
Stalwart Sons(awesome post-punk from Calgary)http://www.myspace.com/wearestalwartsons
Bandera(post-hardcore super group)http://www.myspace.com/bandera4eva
French Friar(weirdo screamo duo)http://www.myspace.com/frenchfriar
The Smiling Buddha (961 College Street)
8PM $5 "19+" (kind of, sort of, not really)
FB Event
http://www.facebook.com/matthew.cuthbert#!/event.php?eid=120295911335366&ref=mf

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Thursday June 17th

Bandera(ex-Tonnn, Whiskey Priest, Red Hot Daggers. Hometown Heroes)http://www.myspace.com/bandera4eva
Stalwart Sons(awesome post punk all the way from Calgary)http://www.myspace.com/wearestalwartsons
French Friar(ex-Tonnn, Gift Eaters, skramz duo)http://www.myspace.com/frenchfriar
@ Marcello's (Streetsville)
9PM 19+ FREE
FB Event
http://www.facebook.com/matthew.cuthbert#!/event.php?eid=124482927569716&ref=mf

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Tuesday June 29th

Sleep for the Nightlife (mathy catchy indie tunes http://www.myspace.com/dontforgetthismyspace
Hey Predator!(quirky mathy emo from Montreal)http://www.myspace.com/heypredator
Orang Pendek(nerdy indie punkers)http://www.myspace.com/orangpendekband
Masters of Finance(screamo super villains, first show!)http://www.myspace.com/mastersoffinance
at the Smiling Buddha (961 College Street)
8PM $5 “19+”
FB Event
http://www.facebook.com/matthew.cuthbert#!/event.php?eid=123345677695840&ref=mf

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Wednesday July 7th

Suis La Lune(beautiful screamo from Sweden!)http://www.myspace.com/suislalune
Heaviness of the Load(heaviness of the Maryland)http://www.myspace.com/heavinessoftheload
Bandera(mathy-angry nerd jerks)http://www.myspace.com/bandera4eva
Ramon Gris(fresh faced screamo)http://www.myspace.com/ramongrisfamily
@ Siesta Nouveaux (15 Lower Sherbourne)
7pm (show done by 11pm! so seriously show up on time!)
ALL AGES$5-$10 (Pay What You Want, but we have a band from frigging SWEDEN)
FB Event
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101323799915471&ref=mf

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Unconfirmed stuff being worked on

the Love and Terror Cult CD release
the Dischord of a Forgotten Sketch (Montreal)
Swords (Newfoundland)
A Mountain Fest

I am terrible at keeping up.

I am very busy this summer, and from this point on will try and keep more up to date with my events.

Brief summary of what has happened over the past year (yikes)

-Went out to Edmonton on tour with Gift Eaters and Red Hot Daggers and got very inspired.
-Had Great Friend of Mine's tour I booked for them go to hell because they got denied at the border, to which I was deeply bummed.
-Went to Montreal and Vermont to hang out with GFOM, met the Ghosting guys, made many new friends.
-Fled to the UK after a long period of resentment towards Toronto.
-Returned feeling renewed and very much enamoured in a variety of ways.
-Booked the Ontario leg of Native's Canadian tour.
-Winter hibernation
-Some very cool shows happened over the spring.
-Put out my very first tape release by the inspiring Brain Fever
-There is a very cool summer approaching.


As for the moment, these are some new Ontario bands that I am excited to hear more from.

Ramon Gris

Old Homes

Bottom Feeder

I'm hoping to do more tape releases in the near future, and am working on my fest (more details to follow)