Hey Folks, Thanks to all who continue to support us and all those who continue to hound us to put out an album.  We have plans to record a full length release this summer and put it out sometime in the fall/winter.  The Album will contain most of the songs that we have been performing for the last year or so.  Further, we will be playing SCENE music festival for the first time this year.  The schedule has not been released at this date, but stay tuned and we will inform you of our timeslot.  Hope everyone is enjoying the days of summer.

CD

Peace.Love.Unity.Respect

Nate and I decided to make a short list of albums (Or musicians or songs) that were influential in our lives. There was a note going around facebook asking for fifteen, but we didn’t get that many going. So this is the short list.

CD’s List

AC/DC – Who Made Who ( I had this on Tape. My sisters were the coolest hair rockers in those days. They encouraged me to grow a mullet and learn all the lyrics to “You Shook Me All Night Long”. After they moved out I continuously had this in my walkman.)

Dr. Dre – The Chronic ( I got this as one of my first CDs in 1993. I used to sit in my shed with my friends Brenny, James and David and listen to this album on repeat. We called ourselves “The posse” and we were the sweetest little whiteboy gangster rappers that you’d ever meet in Southeastern Ohio. After this album, it was a natural progression to Snoop Dogg, P- Funk, Ice Cube. Bone Thugs and Harmony, Tupac.)

The Eagles – Their Greatest Hits (I had this on tape. I took a trip to Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle with my Dad when I was seventeen. I was coming off of the best summer of my life and I was high on life and love and ideas of a bright future. We rented a car with a tape player and drove through the coastal mountains with the laidback sound of the Eagles playing. I continue to think of the Eagles as the sound of the West Coast.)

Ryan Adams – Gold (This album found me in a record store at the Melbourne Airport at a point in my life when I was heartbroken and in disrepair. I felt like he was singing what I was feeling. This album was better company than I could imagine for a 20 plus hour flight over the Pacific ocean. I kept it in the CD player the entire time. After I got home, I got my hands on everything Ryan Adams had done and through his songs found music from the likes of Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, the Jayhawks and a whole slew of musicians that were creatively suffering the sound of Americana.)

Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It in The People A friend of mine made me a mixed CD with “Looks Just Like The Sun” on it and told me that she had seen them play in a bar in Toronto as a Twelve piece. I went and picked up this album and was swept into what I heard. I heard a magical rendition of the tech world we live in. This is a very rich and diverse album with soundscapes that move in and out of scenes flawlessly. This album is a modern masterpiece.

Other Notable Mentions:

Paul Simon – Graceland, Vincent Gallo – When, Gillian Welch – Time (the Revelator), Van Morrison – Astral Weeks, the Black Keys – Rubber Factory, Okkervil River – Down The River Of Golden Dreams, Elliott Smith - XO

Nate’s List

The KNACK (My Sharona): My older brother Derek had a drum kit that made its rounds to all of his friends when I was younger. I turned twelve and he finally brought it over to my house, I remember him teaching me a few beats and showing me how to play a bit. The first song I remember playing on the drums and really getting into was the Knack “My Sharona”, great song fun to play.

AC/DC (Who made Who): This album should get everyone in on a taste of rock and roll and just feeling good when listening to it. When I got my first electric guitar the first song I remember trying to play along to was Hells Bells. AC/CD is a band that has such a great sound and gives off a good feeling with simple rock ideas, this band has heart!

CCR (greatest hits): Any CCR album is awesome I love classic rock and John Fogerty’s voice makes me want to sing along. CCR definitely taught me the meaning of a good jam and that anything goes if your heart is into a song completely.

Radiohead (O.K Computer): When I was about 18 I really got into Radiohead this is the kind of band that really creates a feeling in their songs you can put this album in and just lose yourself in the songs. When I was going to college I would listen to this album at least once every day on the drive to and from school I would occasionally be late for class wanting to just hear one more one more one more…I love this album.

Neil Young (any album): You can’t just have one favourite Neil album there’s just way too many good song and albums over the years. Neil young definitely made me the musician I am today and has a huge influence on my song writing and melody. Neil young is king of rock and roll, folk and folk rock. He is not only a great musician but a true artist, perfectionist and creates great artistic projects. Listening to his albums he has definitely inspired me and helped me with vocal arrangement with harmonies and harmonica playing. I love you Neil.

Sarah Harmer (I’m A Mountain): Neil Young totally turned me into a folk music fan so I started looking into other artists that shared the same style. My girlfriend Melissa loves Sarah Harmer so it got me listening to her. Sarah is the kind of artist that you can tell music come naturally to her and that she really appreciates classic folk ideas as well as new sound too. I like all of her albums but I’m A Mountain really started me on my folk writing, listening to this album gave me the idea for a song of mine called “Carry Me Home”(cities and lakes). Real folk rooted and lots of fun to listen too.

Most bands have a particular idea of what will make people love their music. For A Sea of Gold and Burgundy, what they aspire to create with listeners is something that the five members have with each other - a connection.

While sitting with the band discussing who is the best Ninja Turtle and what albums all five members can agree on, one thing quickly becomes certain: if these guys weren’t making music together, they’d probably still be hanging out, drinking wine.

This camaraderie certainly extends itself into A Sea of Gold and Burgundy’s music. Their vast repertoire of diverse original material is benefitted by the trust they share with one another.

The Niagara-based band, comprised of Aaron Berger (guitar and vocals), Nathanial Goold (guitar and vocals), Sean Carlos Mead (drums), Carl David Onofrio (keyboards and vocals) and Adam Orsborn (bass guitar), has a substantial amount of material, despite having only formed in full last year. This may be attributed to having three songwriters in the group.

“One of the reasons we started this band wasn’t a competition thing,” said Goold, who, alongside Berger and Onofrio, comprise the group’s principal songwriters. “If it was that, I wouldn’t be in this band. When we pick the songs that we want to play, we’re hard on each other to get it perfected. But it’s never a judgment on the songwriting or who’s better than who, it’s all about bringing a song you have and making it come to life.”

“We’re encouraging each other to write better songs,” added Onofrio.

The band also benefits from multiple songwriters by having an assortment of styles. When they shift mid-song, which they often do, one can only imagine this is the product of their collaboration, which Goold, Onofrio and Berger have been doing for almost nine years.

“We all have different things that we like, different things that we bring as songwriters to each song,” said Berger. “It helps give us a varied sound.”

This varied sound is evident on SGB’s first release, the Terrible Arrows EP, which the band recorded at Red Recording Studios with producer/engineer Joseph Stracuzzi. SGB self-released the EP earlier this month alongside the Kevin “Video Guru” Davidson-directed video for its title-track. With the album’s three songs, it is difficult to truly pinpoint the group with typical genre-classifications.

The opening number, “Terrible Arrows”, is a sprawling number that quickly shifts from piano ballad to full band assault. Followed by the harmonies of “Where the Devil Sleeps” and the straight-forward rock ‘n’ roll of “Hit the Dance Floor”, it’s clear what they intended this EP to be.

“I think the three songs were also chosen to show the dynamics of the group,” said Mead. “It’s three really different songs.”

Onofrio explains that the band didn’t have that difficult a time deciding which three songs would fill the EP. As they already have a full-length album planned, the goal was to not break up those songs.

Instead, the band capitalized on an invitation to play in the Brock University performance of Medea, where the group was asked to write and perform a song that would fit the theme of the piece - the end result was “Terrible Arrows”. The performance got them a spot at this year’s Niagara Wine Festival, long before the date of the festival has been announced.

But first, the band will head to Toronto to headline at the Horseshoe Tavern as part of Bookie’s Nu Music Night. There, as with all their shows, SGB will continue to win fans the only way they know how.

“It’s about connection [with the listener],”said Berger. “As far as creating a song, it’s about coming from an authentic place and delivering it in an authentic way with the people you’re delivering it with.”

Amidst this whirlwind start to the new year, the band has maintained their other commitments. Three of its members are students, while all of them fill their time away from SGB with numerous other artistic endeavors around the Niagara community.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way - to have my life consumed with all these fun activities and be as busy as I am,” said Mead. “I’d rather it be that than just do nothing at all. I’d rather be a busy guy and do a whole variety of things and get my hands wet in everything. It’s better that way.”

A Sea of Gold and Burgundy play The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on Feb. 3.

There will be a party bus from St. Catharines/Niagara avaiable for twenty dollars round trip.  BYOB

The official video for the title track “Terrible Arrows” will be aired on MOCtalk (Monthly Online Television Series) early February. This month’s episode (Jan) will feature the the music video and the following month (Feb) will feature a live acoustic performance from the band.

The episode will be filmed on JAN 28th, and is planned to be released on FEB 6th. The following month will have a similar format being filmed live near the end of February and released early March.

Visit http://www.moctalk.ca to view previous episodes and make sure you return in early February and March to catch music and performances by A Sea of Gold and Burgundy.

Five friends reminisce about the old days sitting around a diner table in a greasy spoon on Queen Street in Niagara Falls. It’s close to noon, but the bleary-eyed boys are just sitting down to a hearty breakfast. They laugh and poke fun at one another. They share stories and bacon strips.

It’s not hard to tell these friends go way back. As excited as they are to talk about the past, they are all equally excited to talk about the future.

That’s because they are more than just old high school chums. They are also band mates, recently coming together to form a group called A Sea of Gold and Burgundy. This month they are preparing to release their first EP, Terrible Arrows.

They started “jamming” while in high school, said lead singer Aaron Burger, who first met keyboardist Carl David Onofrio and guitarist Nathanial Goold while attending Saint Michael Catholic School in Niagara Falls. Although they dabbled with making music together, they didn’t properly form the band until January of last year when drummer Sean Carlos Mead and bassist Adam Orsborn joined the trio and they dubbed themselves with their unique moniker.

“It was New Year’s Eve,” says Onofrio. “So I guess this is our one-year anniversary.”

“Anybody wanna kiss?,” Burger jokes, while they all break out in laughter. Although they grew up together, each band member has their own distinct style and personality. When asked to describe their sound, the boys pause. They draw influences from a variety of sources. Folk, pop, classic rock, even hip-hop, are all styles of music that come into play when they’re creating their sound.

“We have a big range of musical styles that we all listen to,” says Burger. “All of our influences show in our songs.”

The Terrible Arrows EP was recorded at Red Recordings on Kalar Rd. throughout the summer.

The official release party is set for Saturday, Jan. 16 at the 4Triple5 Cafe on Queen Street with doors opening at 8:30 p.m. The band will perform and premiere their music video for the title track. Audio mixologist Blenderhead, as well as local band Los A Vis Pas Locas will perform.

A Sea of Gold and Burgundy

A Sea of Gold and Burgundy will be having their CD Release party at 4Triple5 on January 16th.  The doors will open at 8:30.  This is a red carpet event, so dress up in your finest and most exciting costume.  The evening will feature the world premiere of the music video for Terrible Arrows and performances by Los A Vis Pas Locas.  We’ve also got a red carpet,  Audio Mixologist Blenderhead and a bar full of booze, so come out for what is sure to be a fine time.  Tickets are five dollars and that gets you the “Terrible Arrows” CD.  Tickets will be availabe at 4Triple5, through A Sea of Gold and Burgundy, and at the door.

All the best in this most festive of seasons!  May your days be filled with love and merriment!

Here are some photos from the painstaking yet entertaining night and half of CD duplication! These CD’s are HAND MADE! Get Yours Today!

hello all.  We are currently in the planning stages for a release party at 4triple5 for our EP Terrible Arrows.  More information to come soon.  In the meantime, check out www.moctalk.ca

Joe hates the design.  What a surprise.  He designed it.  What a surprise.

I wanted to use the black background, because it emits less light and therefore less energy.  It’s kind of ridiculous to think that our site being black would make any sort of energy difference in the world considering we probably get 8 hits a day and 6 of them are Joe and Myself, but I like to live my life in delusions of grandeur so wtf?

Here are other things that Joe hates:

- All Sea of Gold and Burgundy songs ( which he produced and engineered)

- All the members of A Sea of Gold and Burgundy

- All the extended family of A Sea of Gold and Burgundy band members

- Tomatos

- Joe hates small children

- Joe hates fresh rain on a spring day

- Joe hates cute puppies

- Joe hates PCs

- Joe hates poverty