September Artist Spotlight: BIV Edition

With our Best In Vancouver competition coming up right around the corner, we decided to dedicate this month’s Artist Spotlight article to two of our previous BIV winners in what we like to call “Artist Spotlight: BIV Edition”. We caught up with Major Fantasy (2018 winners) and Redwoods (2016 winners) to talk about their fondest memories during their time in the competition and what they’ve been up to since their victories.

What has been the most memorable moment from your time in the BIV competition?

Major Fantasy: Oh, it has to be the last song of our set in the finals. You’re allowed one cover song, and for a long time, we always chatted about the idea of doing “Circle of Life.” People might have thought it was a joke at first, but it’s a great song, and we wanted to play it with as much soul as we could, to really bring out the beauty in it. We Started practising it a few weeks beforehand and decided to play it as our last song. The crowd was going wild and singing along; We will never forget that moment. 

Redwoods: Building relationships in the Vancouver music scene was the highlight at BIV for us, as it has benefited us the most. We made friends that we still have now, which is super important in this business. 

What was one thing you learned while in the BIV competition?

Major Fantasy: How many great musicians there are in Vancouver! Seriously, there are so many bands that are worth the night out. It’s crazy! BIV was such a fantastic opportunity to see a bunch of the best all in one place! 

Redwoods: We learned that these sorts of events shouldn’t wholly be about competing against one another. Music was never intended to be this way; it’s about building a scene together and lifting each other up. Going to shows and playing in them with this mindset makes live music a lot more worthwhile and appealing to everyone. Support your local scene and try to be open to anything!

What has been your most meaningful project since performing and winning BIV?

Major Fantasy: We’ve played some great shows since BIV, including one at the Bourbon, which was put on by Live Acts. At that show, we rented a bubble machine and had it going for the last couple of songs. The audience was going nuts, and it was such a memorable time. However, if we’re being honest about what’s most meaningful, has gotta be working on our upcoming album... 

Redwoods: Our first full-length album titled “Daybreaker”, which was recorded at Farm Studios with Garth Richardson and at the BeatLab with Tommy MacDonald would be our most meaningful project since BIV. You can find it on all your favourite streaming platforms!

Do you have any new projects set for release soon?

Major Fantasy: Absolutely, working on our debut album now at Flash Recordings. Very excited with how it’s going and hoping to have it out by December. Going to have a lot of songs we’ve been working on for a very long time finally out there in the big wide world.

Redwoods: Another album is in the works for the future. We will have tour announcements as well as new live video coming at you soon.

Last but not least, What is one piece of advice you would give to artists/bands entering the 2019 BIV competition? 

Major Fantasy: Put some time into thinking about your setlist. You want to avoid playing any songs that are too similar so that your set evolves and the audience stays engaged and with it. And don’t forget about those transitions! It can kill a set to have a big long awkward break between songs!

Redwoods: Having lots of stage presence and energy to go along with tightly rehearsed songs. Oh, and don’t forget to stay humble!

After following up with two of our past BIV winners, it’s safe to say the Best In Vancouver competition has been a highlight to many upcoming artists here in the local music scene. Over the years we’ve helped bands and artists advance their careers to the next level with prizes such as song recording and production packages, content creation packages, and music video and live show footage packages, all with some of our industry’s established and active trailblazers. Our personal favourite thing about BIV is the community it has built and continues to grow year after year. This is an event we get excited for every year, and it just gets better every time. For a chance to perform at this year’s Best In Vancouver competition, get a head start and submit your band with the signup button below. We can’t wait to see all the upcoming local talent take the stage during the 2019 Best In Vancouver.