The Pride Band

Important news!

2011-08-14T11:25:00.002-04:00

Hello readers. I've got some pretty big news to announce. After 15 years of performing under the name The Pride, (from 1996 and since 1999 specializing as a corporate band) at hundreds of events to immensely satisfied audiences, we've decided to change things up a bit. From now on we'll be known as KiX - Party Band. We have a new and completely redesigned website which you can see at www.kixpartyband.com.

The old website, www.theprideband.com, will still be online for some time to come while we introduce our past clients to the new name and to allow time for our search engine ranking to match our current very high placement under The Pride.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the event planners & organizers, booking agencies, direct clients and fans for their unwavering support over the years and hope that all of you will continue the journey with us as we forge ahead under our new name - KiX.

Marc C.

Table of Hope

2011-05-12T13:04:00.000-04:00

On May 9, 2011, The Pride had the honour of performing at the Table of Hope event held every year at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. It's a charity well worth supporting and when asked we immediately agreed to lend a hand. This meant offering our show to the patrons and VIPs attending the after dinner event. Since we would be performing a single 75 minute show we wasted no time and launched into the high-energy material immediately. As expected our audience responded with enthusiasm and enjoyed dancing to our music as much as we enjoyed playing it for them. It was most definitely a memorable evening and all for a good cause.

This year has been extremely busy for us thus far and will continue to be throughout the summer, with a flurry of corporate and wedding gigs, all of which we very much look forward to playing.

This summer we will also try to organize a video shoot at one of these gigs in order to offer a new and updated demo. We're rather overdue and hopefully we can pull together the people and equipment required for a successful shoot.

I admit to having been a bit delinquent lately when it comes to posting photos on our site, partly due to the fact that my camera died and I have yet to replace it. Still Eva Blue did get some wonderful shots of the Table of Hope event and I've put a few of them on our photos page. Go to www.theprideband.com/pics.html and click on the Corporate 19 gallery.

I'll post again sometime this summer with an update on our gig schedule.

Marc C.

2010 Wrapup

2011-01-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

The past year, 2010, was something of a relief to many in the entertainment industry. After suffering through two years of tough times, thanks to a global economic meltdown, 2010 saw the beginning of what will hopefully be a long-term recovery.

Our band, The Pride, was not immune to the effects of this weak economy and though we were moderately busy in 2008 and 2009 it was a far cry from previous years. We noticed quite early in 2010 a modest recovery as more and more companies began to host conferences, parties and other events and we were in fact noticeably busier in 2010 than 2009. This is obviously a good thing and we look forward to an even better and busier year in 2011.

After a very busy summer and decent fall season we raced into the 2010 holiday season with confidence, armed with a respectable number of contracts for parties, large and small. Notable among them was a Christmas party for the CSSS (formerly the CLSC) held at the golf club in Lachute. Truly an epic party, the guests were as energetic as any we've ever had and, playing as a 6 piece, we gave everything we had to them. With the enthusiastic promise of a re-booking for next year's event and a raft of business cards handed out, it was mission accomplished.

Attitude has so much to do with the success of a party. While we, the band, always do our very best to entertain all of our audiences, I've noticed that the corporate attitude toward the party itself and its guests plays a very large role. On occasion it seems as though the company feels it is obliged to host a party and begrudgingly offers a meager budget, all the while downplaying the significance of the planned celebration. This can lead to a certain reticence on the part of the party-goers to really let loose and have fun as it may seem inappropriate. The party for the CSSS, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. The management really encouraged the employees to go for it... let their hair down and party. This enthusiastic attitude meant the guests could simply relax and truly enjoy themselves. And, man, did they ever. I have no doubt that employee morale was improved by that simple gesture on the part of the management. If any corporate bosses read this please take note: while these are merely my own observations and are not in the least scientifically valid, my 30+ years in the business, I think, confers on me a certain authority and expertise in the entertainment industry.

So... what's next? Nothing earth-shatteringly different for the near-future. Rather a continuation of the momentum built up over the last 12 months, hopes for a yet stronger economy, and many more parties to look forward to. The Pride already has wedding and corporate bookings throughout the year and while we are far from completely booked up we are anticipating a strong and busy 2011. We hope to see you at an event soon!

As always, I and the rest of The Pride would like to wish all of you the very best for this New Year, with much happiness and prosperity.

Marc C.

2010 Summer Wrapup

2010-08-17T12:55:00.002-04:00

Although summer isn't actually over, parents and students are getting ready for a return to school and the summer season for shows is drawing to a close. That being the case I thought I'd write a little update on The Pride's activities.

This has been (and continues to be) a good year for wedding gigs and we always enjoy playing at wedding receptions - it's a joyous occasion and the guests are really looking forward to a fun-filled evening.

We also, for the second year in a row, entertained the VIP guests of the Montreal International Fireworks competition. We performed at three post-fireworks evenings as well as at the Gala Awards presentation. The guests were every bit as enthusiastic this year as they were at last year's shows and we very much enjoyed ourselves. Who knows... we may come back for a third year.

As we head into fall the gigs continue, particularly the wedding receptions, but also the corporate events which usually ramp up gradually all the way through until the end of the year.

I've been a little remiss in the posting of new photo galleries lately - it's been a very busy summer for me - but that should change in the near future and you'll see new galleries soon enough. In the meantime I wish everyone a wonderful end-of-summer. More posts coming soon...

Marc C.

Mid May Update

2010-05-13T00:30:00.004-04:00

We're cruising through spring heading, I hope, into a nice summer... hard to tell as we've been teased with a few really nice days only to have it snow a couple of days ago. Anyway this chilly weather has not affected the band's sprits in the least. The last couple of gigs have been particularly fun for us.

The Pride was hired to entertain a group of high school music students from Pennsylvania who were touring around the Montreal area. For their gala evening the organizers pulled out all the stops and the staff at the Chateau Champlain put on quite the buffet spread leading up to the dance. At the appointed time we took the stage to kick things off. Smoothly at first while the last of the kids finished off their meal and then, following the briefest of breaks, we launched into the high-energy material. Let me tell you - these students were as enthusiastic an audience as we've ever had and wasted no time getting down on the dance floor. My congratulations go out to the parents and organizers (Peak Performance Tours of Pennsylvania) of this event as the high schoolers, while certainly enthusiastic and energetic, were also very well-mannered and behaved. Needless to say they had every bit as much fun as we did.

Last week's gig was also great fun. The FTQ hired us to perform at an event being held at the Hotel des Seigneurs in Saint-Hyacinthe. We had some concerns about the size of the stage - we were performing as a 6 piece that night - but with a bit of judicious repositioning of the platforms we managed to get everyone in the band more or less visible. The audience was everything we expected... excited and ready to party. Since they were dining at the bottom-floor restaurant, and this event was being held in the top-floor ballroom, we knew they would be trickling in so we kept things smooth for the first 15 or 20 minutes until we felt enough of them had returned to kick it up a notch or three. And we did. From that point the party didn't let up until we were told to shut it down. Apparently they could hear the party several floors down. But they were indeed a great crowd and lots of fun to play for. Also of note: several of the guests had seen us last year at one or more of the VIP parties we played for the International Fireworks Festival at La Ronde. They'd be pleased to know we've been asked back by the Fireworks organizers to play at several of this summer's parties as well. Naturally, we've accepted.

As we move toward summer I can also tell you that we'll be entertaining at many weddings as well as corporate gigs. And, a rare thing for us, we'll be performing a few outdoor gigs that are open to the public just off the island of Montreal. Details to follow in another post in the coming days as dates are finalized.

As is sometimes the case we've posted pictures on our website taken from some of the latest gigs. That's it for now but check back soon for more.

Marc C.

This blog has moved

2010-04-28T09:45:00.001-04:00

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Goodbye 2009

2010-01-10T19:15:00.001-05:00

Another year gone... and that means another holiday gig season all wrapped up. The past year, 2009, will not go down in history as our busiest thanks to the global economic meltdown and its after-effects. This is undeniable. However we did make the best of a poor situation and still managed a schedule that, while far from full, included some really good gigs - some new venues and some old favourites.

La Ronde hosts a weekly VIP party for sponsor companies of the Montreal International Fireworks Festival. We were one of three or four bands chosen to entertain at these parties... and we played at half of them. We would have done more but we had other gigs booked throughout the summer. I consider these gigs to have been a great success both for The Pride and the guests and certainly something we'd be proud to put on a resumé. It's too early to know for sure but the word was that we were being asked back for 2010. We certainly hope we are.

Nearing the end of every year means that The Pride gets busier, entertaining mostly at corporate parties and the occasional event open to the public. This year was no different and if the economic situation is cause for concern we try our best to make the guests forget about all that and just have fun for an evening. And they do.

The year ended for us once again at the Chateau Bromont. For the fourth year in a row the Chateau hired us to perform at their big annual New Year's Eve bash. We saw many familiar faces and indeed Brian and I were in the lobby when a gentleman, accompanied by his wife, approached us and, recognizing us from the previous year, said the fact that The Pride was back at this year's party was the only reason they had decided to spend the New Year's Eve there once again. Wonderful compliment...

This New Year's Eve party was as much fun as the others have been (pictures to prove it - click on Holiday Season 2009 - 4) We're very comfortable playing at the Chateau and the wonderful staff always makes us feel welcome. We look forward to more gigs there in 2010. We're also looking forward to a busier 2010. It seems that business is picking up as the economy recovers and we're hopeful that everyone's fortunes improve including, of course, our own.

In other band news we're hopeful that a new video demo will be shot this year. It's time to update. All in all we're moving into 2010 optimistic and full of energy - looking forward to a good year, lots of gigs and satisfied audiences. The Pride would also like to wish everyone much happiness, health and prosperity for 2010.

Marc C.

Summer's End, 2009

2009-09-03T11:45:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's already Labour Day weekend coming up. The summer flew by and although it was lousy as far as weather was concerned, my band members and I had a great time. We wrapped up our summer schedule with a wedding reception and an outdoor campground gig, but before that, and between other gigs, was of course the series of 5 shows for the Montreal International Fireworks competition. These shows were held in the Belvedere hall at the Marina, which is located at the La Ronde site. Each show, for the VIP sponsors, was a single 90 minute power set from the moment the guests returned from watching the fireworks until sometime around midnight. The audiences were great and my band really put everything into each show. Thanks to their hard work we've been asked back for next year. We'll leave the negotiations in the capable hands of Cindy Raider, of Nat Raider Productions, who had originally proposed our band for these events.

Unfortunately I have no photos from the wedding gig we last performed (more accurately the haze machine we used made all pictures look greyed out as a result of the flash, though it did wonders for the light show), but I did put up a gallery of pics taken from some of the VIP soirées for the Fireworks competition. Just go to http://theprideband.com/pics.html and click on Corporate 15.

That's it for the summer and as we roll into fall The Pride is looking forward to our next bookings, as usual a mix of corporate and wedding gigs. I'll post again with a fall wrapup in a few months if not sooner.

Marc C.

Summer and La Ronde

2009-06-21T19:45:00.000-04:00

Well summer is officially here. That's what the calendar says anyway - even if the weather isn't cooperating as much as we'd like. And summer means summertime activities including visists to La Ronde. Of course we're not visiting solely for the rides but rather for some gigs.

We have a series of five of them this summer at La Marina, a hall located, not surprisingly, next to the marina at the edge of La Ronde. These shows are for the VIP guests of the sponsors of the International Fireworks Competition. These guests are treated to dinner then whisked away to watch the fireworks from an excellent viewing location and then brought back to the hall for some wine & cheese. And dancing of course, courtesy of The Pride.

We played the first of these last night and it was great fun. We weren't sure if dancing was really on the menu but we were sure going to try. We began playing some smooth tunes and soft jazz before the guests returned so as to greet them with something pleasant as they arrived in small groups from the fantastic display of fireworks, as put on by Spain. Even during this warmup a few couples danced and we figured that was a good sign.

It was indeed, because after a half dozen songs we abruptly shifted into dance mode. Clearly that was what the VIPs were hoping for as they launched themselves at the dance floor. Before we reached the first chorus the dance floor was packed and it stayed that way. The Pride is very much looking forward to the other four nights at La Ronde this summer. We should have some pictures from at least some of the gigs posted to the website at the end of our run.

Of course we do have other shows to perform this summer including weddings and, for a third year running, the big party at the Camping Lac du Repos. More news to come soon!

Marc C.

Spring 2009

2009-05-04T15:30:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone and welcome to Spring - it's finally arrived... just in time for summer :-)

Some of you may have heard of the 'economic meltdown' through which we are all suffering. By 'some of you' I mean of course everyone. Not surprisingly this has affected the entertainment industry in a big way and as a result we are going through a quiet period with few gigs. This is unfortunate as The Pride loves to perform and while we do have gigs they are fewer and further between than we'd like. This being the case we're taking the opportunity to make some changes to the show, not so much because we need to but because we want to. We like to keep the show fresh and exciting for ourselves as well as our audiences. To this end we are adding choreography to more of our songs and developping more audience participation dances and games.

That said I will mention one of the shows we performed recently. More often than not when we perform it is for a crowd more or less from the same place, be they locals or out-of-towners holding a convention in the Montreal area. Our show for CALAS, held at the Hilton Bonaventure, was a lot of fun in part because we had people from all over Canada so we played an even greater variety of styles than usual, satisfying the musical preferences enjoyed coast-to-coast. The event was planned & carried out by Jaqui Sullivan and Khadijah Jamal of Absolute Conferences & Events, based in Toronto. Both ladies were professional and a real pleasure to work with and we hope to do so again at future events. If you'd like to see some photos go to www.theprideband.com/pics.html and click on the 'corporate 14' link.

Coming up next for The Pride is a duo event that will be performed by Kevin Farrington and me in the northern part of Montreal this Saturday (May 9, 2009). Hopefully I'll have some photos of that event to post as well.

That's it for now but check back in from time to time for more on The Pride.

Ciao,

Marc C.

Holiday Season 2008

2009-01-14T13:20:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd write a few words about our holiday season of 2008. While the entertainment industry as a whole was suffering rather badly along with the rest of the economy, we nonetheless managed to have a fair number of gigs throughout November and December, with Christmas parties even extending into January of 2009. Though less busy than last year we still kept our enthusiasm and energy levels up as we performed for the various corporate shows.

Of particular note for the third year in a row the Chateau Bromont had hired us to play for the big New Year's Eve party. This year's party was set up a little differently from previous years in that a cocktail was held in a different room, one floor above the main ballroom, and the supper was actually buffet-style. We performed as a duo for the cocktails, alternating between three singers accompanied by Kevin Farrington on guitar. We then raced upstairs to take the stage for the supper set. I think I abused my band mates a bit by stretching that set to one hour and 45 minutes, but I wanted to make sure the crowd had entertainment while waiting for their table to be called to the buffet. We played a bit louder and with more up-tempo songs than usual for supper but I had a feeling many people wanted to dance even during the meal time. And they did! Very enthusiastically, I might add. When that set was over we took a short break, changed into our first dancing set clothes and really let loose. From then on it was a wild party that stretched past the midnight countdown and went all the way to 1:30 AM. What a blast!

That's all the news I have for the time being but as always feel free to check out the photos of some of our holiday parties at www.theprideband.com/pics.html. See you next time.

Marc C.

WOW!!! What a gig!

2008-09-17T23:25:00.001-04:00

Since my last post (2 weeks ago) The Pride has performed two gigs, both fairly large. The first was a wedding reception held at the Chateau Bromont - a place we very much enjoy working. The usual hours-long setup by Brian Tyler and myself was followed by a rather long break, during which we were fed in the outdoor, rooftop restaurant. A rare thing for us, we actually got to relax before playing, as there was a DJ to take care of the cocktail/supper situation. Once the four of us took the stage there was no holding back. We launched directly into the dancing music and the crowd, eager for some fun, jumped up and filled the dance floor within a minute. It pretty much stayed that way throughout the rest of the event and the wedding party enthusiastically thanked us for a job well done. If you'd like to see some pics visit our website's photo page and click on the Wedding 7 gallery.

The second gig was, in some ways, even more fun, primarily because we were performing as a 6 piece band, something we do all too infrequently. It also helped that the crowd, from all over Canada and the US, were friendly, fun-loving and genuinely wanted to party with us. This gig was held at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal on the top floor. It was not easy getting the gear to the stage and getting out at the end of the event was a bit of a nightmare, but the time in between - the show - was fantastic. We literally had people dancing on the tables (and the dance floor, too, of course). I'd like to congratulate Samara and Brian for an even more energetic and exciting performance than usual. They truly outdid themselves, raising the bar to new heights.

While the upcoming Holiday Season is rapidly filling with confirmed gigs we still have some available dates so if you'd like to have The Pride for your corporate party contact us via our website: http://www.theprideband.com/

Lastly, in case you were wondering, we do in fact have pictures from the PMA event at the Palais, courtesy of our friend Manny DaMota. Go to www.theprideband.com/pics.html and click on the Corporate 12 gallery. Until next time... ciao!

Marc C.

Summer 2008 Update

2008-08-12T01:30:00.001-04:00

I haven't posted since January since I've just been a bit too busy. The winter of 2008 was filled with gigs, though most of them were rather small and I had little to report in any case. The summer thus far has been quieter than usual and I've heard from my colleagues in the business that this has been a rather widespread phenomenon, unfortunately. Still, as I write this, things have picked up considerably and we now have bookings every week through much of the fall and even a few for the holiday season.

One gig of note is a wedding anniversary that takes us back to the Chateau Bromont, a venue we very much enjoy playing at. That one is coming up at the end of August. Another interesting gig in September takes us back to the enormous Palais des Congres in downtown Montreal as a 6 piece band. I'm very much looking forward to that one and will likely post photos on our main website.

Speaking of photos, we recently performed for a 50th birthday at a beautiful venue in St-Jean sur Richelieu on the Military College Campus, and I have put up a new gallery for that event. You can visit our site at www.theprideband.com/pics.html and click on the Misc 8 gallery.

As the summer leads into fall and we pick up the pace I should post a bit more often. Check back soon! In the meantime have a great summer, despite all the rain we've been dealing with.

Marc C.

New Year's Eve, 2007

2008-01-04T11:45:00.000-05:00

Hello again and Happy New Year! The Pride wrapped 2007 up in style with our return to the Chateau Bromont for the big New Year's Eve festivities. If anything this party was even more fun and successful than last year's. The Chateau staff were all on the ball, serving up the meal at record speed, allowing us to take the stage about 30 minutes earlier than last year. This is important because the charged-up crowd were just itching to get on the dance floor.

After playing two small supper sets as a (mostly instrumental) trio and a third mini set with the full band, we finally took the stage for the real deal at about 10 PM. The party-goers were quick to abandon what was left of their dessert and coffee and crowded onto the dance floor. The night progressed as expected with The Pride delivering a high energy performance leading up to the midnight countdown. On the stroke of midnight everyone cheered and began congratulating one another as a huge cloud of confetti and streamers dropped from the ceiling. We didn't let up there though, launching into more dance music to keep things rolling along. We took a break at around 12:20 AM and followed with our final set, thoroughly exhausting our audience and ourselves and finished the gig at about 1:30 AM.

Once again I must congratulate the members of The Pride for an exceptional performance. I would also like to thank the staff of the Chateau Bromont for making us feel welcome and taking such good care of us. We love playing there and look forward to the next time.

Looking ahead to 2008 the band hasn't yet slowed down - we're playing from January 1st to the 5th (though they are much smaller duo shows) - and the rest of the year is filling up nicely too. Over the past 12 months we've added a ton of new gear and added many songs to the repertoire in our efforts to keep improving. On that topic the biggest and best change has been the addition of our latest member, Patti Payne, an exceptional keyboardist, who brings tremendous talent and a wonderfully upbeat personality to the band. The Pride officially welcomes Patti to its ranks.

On a final note you may want to have a look at our big gallery of photos taken New Year's Eve. Visit http://www.theprideband.com/ and click the Photos link, then select the December 31st gallery. That's about it for the time being but as events unfold through 2008 I will post again. In the meantime health and happiness to everyone throughout this new year.

Marc C.

Holiday Season 2007

2007-12-24T23:30:00.000-05:00

Well now as we near the end of 2007 I thought I'd add a little note to our blog. This has been a very busy holiday season for The Pride - with up to three shows in a single week. We've also taken lots of pictures and added them to the web site. We have two more shows this year, one on the 27th in Lachute and the other, the big one, on New Year's Eve at the Chateau Bromont. That gig should be a lot of fun, just as it was last year - more on that in the next post. So in the meantime take a few minutes to see the latest Holiday Season photo galleries at www.theprideband.com/pics.html.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

Marc C.

Fall Update

2007-09-20T21:45:00.000-04:00

Hello again,

I just wanted to dash off a quick note about last Saturday's show. The Pride was hired to perform for the 1 year anniversary of the Quartier Dix30, a lifestyle center in Brossard. Arriving early to set up, as we always do, we were forced to wait as torrential rain prevented us from even unloading the gear. Eventually the rain let up somewhat and we quickly emptied the vans and began setting up. As the rain tapered off, a brisk and very chilly wind began to blow and stayed with us through the entire day and evening. Now, with conditions like these, you might expect the show to be less than the usual top-notch performance we give. Not so! In spite of the cold, damp weather we had a whole lot of fun playing and gave a very energetic and exciting show for the few dozen hardy souls who braved the weather. Ordinarily we might be disappointed by the small turnout, but they were so enthusiastic that, what they lacked in numbers, they made up for in energy. The agent, who was there for the show, has assured us that we will be returning next year for the Dix30's summer season, when we might expect some pleasant weather, not to mention a much larger audience. We very much look forward to it. Finally, both our new tech assistant Miguel and a good friend of mine, John Martin, took a bunch of photos, some of which are posted on the site. Go to http://www.theprideband.com/ and visit the Photos page. Click on the most recent gallery: Festivals, Exhibitions & Misc. 6. Enjoy! Until next time...

Marc C.

Labour Day Weekend

2007-09-07T21:20:00.000-04:00

Hi everybody,

A busy weekend for The Pride on September 1st and 2nd - 2 wedding receptions. Saturday's was a smaller, more intimate event under a tent for about 75 people. In addition to The Pride, the guests were treated to a Mariachi performance of about 45 minutes, to the delight of all.

The 4 member version of our band took the stage at about 9:30 PM and entertained the guests until past 1 in the morning. We kept everyone on their feet and, judging from the photos taken during the evening, having a great time.

At the end of the reception we tore down the gear, loaded up the vehicles and headed home for a few hours sleep before starting all over again the following morning.

Sunday's affair was more elaborate and for a larger group of guests, nearly 200 people. I must say, I've never seen such a schedule of events for a wedding reception. The couple arrived in a Cinderella-style horse-drawn carriage, to a dais elaborately decorated for the ceremony, and accompanied by a Mariachi band.

Following the ceremony guests walked over to the cocktail area outside the Chateau Vaudreuil convention hall where a Jazz trio version of The Pride performed for them. An hour or so later the guests filed into the main hall for supper. But that was not the end of the entertainment - not by a long shot! Before and during the meal a number of other acts performed including an East Indian dance troupe, a young brother & sister, who each performed a dance, a 3 member Flamenco act and Brazilian dancers.

During the cake-cutting, a final bit of pre-dance entertainment - a fireworks display, visible through the large windows all around the room!

Finally at 11:20 PM the 6 piece version of The Pride took the stage for the dance. Given the late hour we wasted no time hyping the crowd and getting them moving. From there we performed three sets until 2:15 AM! What a night!

That's it for now except to mention that I have posted a gallery of photos for each of the parties on the band web site. Here's the address: www.theprideband.com/pics.html. Click Wedding or Anniversary galleries number 4 & 5. It's getting really busy for us but I will post again soon.

Marc C.

A Brand New Web Site

2007-07-18T16:30:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone - this is a quick post to inform you that The Pride is pleased to announce the launch of the new web site. The previous site has served us well, but I felt it was time to see something new & fresh. The word so far, from those who have already seen it, is very positive. It seems people like this new, bold and eye-catching design. I believe navigation is even easier than before as well. Feel free to have a look and get back to me with your thoughts and comments. The address is still the same at www.theprideband.com. Have a great day!

Marc C.

Early Summer Update

2007-07-12T02:15:00.000-04:00

Partway into the summer and it's getting hot. On stage, that is. I've posted two galleries on the site from just a couple of the shows we've done lately. The first is from an early Canada Day show at the Lac du Repos campground - a very nice facility and one we'll be returning to at the end of July. We look forward to that as Brian and I had a great time performing there in our duo format. More recently the four piece band performed for a big sidewalk sale on the Rue Charleroi in Montreal North. We had a blast! The weather cooperated despite forecasts for rain and we were able to give a great show on what turned out to be a beautiful day. Summer gigs are usually a lot of fun and this year's are proving to be no exception. I'll post another update when I can to let everyone know what's going on with the band. In the meantime have a great summer!

For the photos go to www.theprideband.com/pics.html and click on the Festivals, Exhibitions, Misc 2 & 3 to pop open the galleries. Remember - Javascript must be enabled to see them. Enjoy!

Marc C.

The Pride at the Chateau Bromont

2007-05-07T03:40:00.000-04:00

On Friday, May 4th, 2007 The Pride performed to a packed hall at the Chateau Bromont for a fundraiser benefiting La Maison au Diapason in Bromont. Supper service and the speeches took longer than expected and we began to wonder whether we would perform at all. Finally, at a little past 11 PM we took the stage and launched into some dancing music straightaway to a very eager crowd.

From the first chords the crowd rushed to dance floor and stayed there throughout the entire set. Following a short break we took the stage once again and gave the audience a taste of some Island and Latin music. Samara led a conga line through the hall and then got the dancers to limbo before racing back to the stage to sing the next song. Once again we kept the audience on the floor from beginning to end. The third set was much like the first two but since some of the older folks had left (it was past 1 in the morning) we threw in some classic rock to vary things up a bit.

What an incredible night! The Pride works hard to entertain our audiences and when we perform to such an enthusiastic crowd it makes it all worthwhile. I've uploaded a new gallery of photos from the event. Go to www.theprideband.com photos page and click on the latest gallery - Corporate 8 - to see the thumbnails. We received a piece of good news that evening as well - the Chateau Bromont has hired us to perform once again for their New Year's Eve party! We very much look forward to that but in the meantime we have a ton of shows to do between now and then. I'll write again soon with more show information.

Marc C.

Marc & Brian at Le National

2007-04-24T21:05:00.000-04:00

Some gigs are smaller than others and last Sunday (the 22nd of April, 2007) was one of those little ones. This does not mean they're less fun, of course, and we proved that once again for a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary along with family and friends. The group numbered around, oh, 80 or 90 and were celebrating this momentous occasion at a very nice hall in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu called Le National. Since the event began at noon this meant an early start for the duo. I arrived, followed minutes later by Brian, at 10:30 AM - which is early for a musician - and we began to set up the gear. People began arriving a little before noon, just after we had finished installing everything.

On the dot of twelve Brian & I took the stage for a cocktail set which was very well received. Lunch followed - delicious as always at this venue - at which point we were ready to start the dancing part. Just before we did, however, 2 family members got on the stage to sing a touching love song to the celebrated couple and received a very well deserved round of applause.

Now it was our turn! We launched into what turned out to be an hour and a half long set during which we played everything from Cha-Chas to Disco to slow songs. The audience loved it! They danced and cheered and applauded and danced some more. After a short break (just 10 minutes) Brian and I were at it again for another hour. We wound down the party around 5 PM leaving the audience tired but happy. This little group had been as enthusiastic as just about any crowd could be and The Pride would like to thank them for such a warm and friendly reception. We would also like to congratulate Mr & Mrs Payette on 50 years of marrriage and wish them continued happiness. Brian and I managed to take some pictures of the guests for this one which I've posted in our latest gallery near the top of our photos page. More posts coming soon.

Marc C.

Sugar Shack Outing

2007-03-31T01:30:00.000-04:00

Sometimes even the members of The Pride need to take a little time off for fun. What do we do? We go to the sugar shack. And we play music. Surprised? You shouldn't be... we really love to play! I decided to call up the members of the band and some other friends and ask them to join me at the Beau-Site sugar shack for an afternoon of good old-fashioned fun on Sunday, March 25th. There were nearly thirty of us there to enjoy some great traditional food and hospitality. Some of the gang even went for a horse-drawn wagon ride. After lunch we moved across the foyer to the dance hall and Brian and I took the stage for a little show. My friend Al, a musician from Cornwall, Ontario, joined us on stage for a song and my sister Sonya did likewise for two. I think everyone had a great time - certainly I did and we look forward to our next get together. Check out some photos of the day below. More gig posts coming up soon!

Marc C.

Winter Update

2007-02-26T02:45:00.000-05:00

Hello all - a quick post to let you know what's going on with The Pride. Winter's chill finally hit us here in Quebec but that didn't stop us from heating things up on the stage. The Pride is busy this season and we've had a couple of noteworthy gigs these past few weeks. We performed at the Queen Elizabeth hotel in the Grand Ballroom for a large group in the paper industry. We played instrumentally during cocktails and supper with our guest Sam Berniker on sax and member Linda Grenon on piano, which is always a pleasure. Following supper, the audience was treated to an entertaining show by La Famille Painchaud, who got everyone revved up with their one-of-a-kind performance. Then the six of us took the stage for the dancing portion of the evening and gave it our all for the next four hours. Altogether it was a very memorable evening.

Then last Thursday, the 22nd of February, The Pride performed in Pointe-au-Pic at the beautiful Manoir Richelieu, for a very enthusiastic crowd. Once again we performed instrumentally during supper, this time as a duo. At nine o'clock sharp the four piece band took the stage and kicked it into high gear until 1 AM. The guests were in high spirits and followed our lead while we performed a mix of dance, disco, latin and island music - even some classic rock during the last set! As this was very much a couples event we also played a fair number of slow songs which were very well received and much appreciated. Though the drive there and back was long, I have to say that this was a wonderful gig and we look forward to playing at the Manoir again. Check back for more posts soon as we have some great gigs coming up. Also note that I've created yet another photo gallery with pics from the Manoir Richelieu gig. Follow this link: www.theprideband.com/pics.html and click on Corporate 7.

Marc C.

New Year's Eve 2006

2007-01-01T18:45:00.000-05:00

First of all - Happy New Year to everyone! Next, The Pride wrapped up the year in style with a New Year's Eve gig at the Chateau Bromont. Now that was the way to sign off on 2006 and welcome in 2007. After installing the gear and doing the soundcheck Brian and Kevin even went for a soak in one of the outdoor hot tubs. A quick bite of supper and then we were all business. The business of having fun of course.

We played a couple of sets during the guests' supper, each starting with Kevin, sax player Sam Berniker and I doing some instrumental material before Samara and Brian took the stage to sing. We knew right away that people were looking forward to a night of dancing as many were on the dance floor even during supper.

Finally, at 10:30 PM we took the stage for the dancing part of the evening. The crowd was as excited and as energetic as we had hoped and we weren't 16 bars into the first song before the dance floor was packed. It stayed that way through the rest of the party. I made sure to vary up the styles regularly giving everyone in the audience, which ranged in age from little kids to seniors, something they could really dance to. We played for over an hour then took a short break - just time enough for us to change outfits - and returned for the second set at 10 minutes to midnight. We played a couple of songs then started the countdown to the new year. As the last second of 2006 ticked away there was joyful pandemonium throughout the hall. We began to sing Auld Lang Syne and the response from the crowd was thunderous as they sang along, easily drowning us out. The party didn't stop there and then, however, as we continued to pour on the music, driving the energy level through the roof. At last we ended the party at 1:10 AM, leaving the party-goers and ourselves completely exhausted.

This was our first event at the Chateau Bromont as well as our first with the agency that booked us there. After the peformance we gave, and judging from the comments and congratulations we received, it won't be the last. Next up for The Pride are more corporate-type shows early in the new year, January 6th being the first of them. We're particularly looking forward to two gigs in February. On the 7th we perform as a 6 piece band in the Grand Ballroom at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal and on the 22nd the 4 piece heads up to Pointe-au-Pic to perform at the Manoir Richelieu. Right from the start 2007 looks like it will be a very good year for The Pride. To wrap up this post I will mention that I have uploaded photos of the New Year's Eve party to the web site. Go to www.theprideband.com/pics.html and click on the 2nd gallery of pics from our holiday season, 2006. The last 5 rows are of that night's festivities. Enjoy!

Marc C.

2006 Holiday Season - part 1

2006-12-04T01:25:00.000-05:00

The last week or two of November marks the start of the holiday party season which means The Pride gets really busy. This year is no exception and we've already played for several such events. The most recent was a big party for Centre du Camion Lussier. The event was held at a huge sugar shack called Le Rossignol near Ste-Julie, a small town just off the island of Montreal.

The Pride performed as a 5 piece for this event, with the talented Sam Berniker on sax as our guest star. The evening was a tremendous success and a whole lot of fun, too, for the crowd and for us. The audience was really in dancing mode and crowded the dance floor from the very first song.

I've posted a new gallery of photos - Holiday Season 2006 - on the web site at this address www.theprideband.com/pics.html. Just click on the Holiday link to pop up the gallery. This gallery covers some of the year's Christmas parties to date and I'll be adding pics from other events we'll play until the new year so check back in from time to time for updates.

Marc C.

Showcase 2006

2006-10-31T13:30:00.000-05:00

Showcase 2006, The Pride's second videotaped performance, took place a couple of weeks ago and it was a tremendous success. Because we were so well treated at Bourbon West for the first one we decided to shoot our second promo video there as well. This time we settled on a Thursday evening for the show, figuring we would have more people and we were not disappointed. The crowd was there to have fun and they were solidly on our side, dancing to every song in both sets.

The repertoire was chosen carefully to both showcase the band's musical and vocal abilities and to please the audience with a good variety of music, all danceable. This time around I expanded my musical performance with a wide array of percussion instruments and a keyboard as well as my main instrument, guitar. Clearly, the crowd liked the show we gave them and, as is always the case, we responded with an energetic performance, brimming with enthusiasm.

Manny Da Mota, our official photographer, was on hand once again and he took nearly 400 pictures. For this showcase we had two videographers, which meant a good range of distance and close-up footage. I'd like to thank John Martin and Tammy Pieters for their excellent work shooting the show. Neither of these two are professional cameramen (camerapeople?) but both gave me such good shots that I might suggest they consider career changes. Hats off to both of you.

Finishing the show meant that the real work would be starting for me. I had to choose the photos for the website and crop them to fit the site - and going through almost 400 pics is a lot of work, particularly as there were so many excellent shots. Next up was editing the video footage. This time around we had taken the sound straight from the console, ensuring a consistent, not to mention better quality soundtrack. It also meant that the audio track had to be aligned with the footage from both cameras. Choosing which camera angle to use for a part of a song is also a lot of work because I have to go through each tape from both video cameras several times, comparing the look. I should mention at this point that I quite enjoy editing video and though Spielberg's career is safe from the likes of me, I think I did a respectable job of putting it all together. You'll need a fast net connection for the 40 MB download but the link to the demo is available on the Audio/Video page of our web site. Also available is the Showcase 2006 photo gallery - here on our pics page.

I'd like to wrap up this post with a big thank you to Samara, Brian and Kevin; the members of The Pride who donated their time and talents to this showcase. You guys are the greatest and I'm always pleased to work with you. I would also like to thank all those who came out to the show to support us and, last but not least, thanks to Steve, owner of Bourbon West, and to all the staff.

Marc C.

Video Shoot - All Are Welcome!

2006-09-26T21:25:00.000-04:00

This is a special post in that we are asking for your participation. It's time once again for The Pride to shoot a video demo. Like the last one, we will perform at Bourbon Street West, which is a great venue with excellent facilities and stage. The show we will be videotaping will be bigger and better than the last one, as we have evolved considerably since our last shoot. The best shows, taped or otherwise, always have the best audiences to pump us up, so come on out and see us, dance and party through the evening. We will be performing two 45 minute sets of various styles of music, all danceable. All this happens on Thursday, October 19th and we'd like to see you there from 7:30 PM - we will take the stage shortly after. Food will be served during Happy Hour and there will be special prices, as well. Here's the kicker... after 9 PM drinks are 2 for 1! Bourbon West is located at 1866 Blvd. des Sources, Pointe-Claire (Montreal) and is very easy to get to. For driving directions visit www.bourbonwest.com. Naturally photos and video clips will be posted on the site soon after the shoot. Let's make this party happen - come on out and join The Pride!

Marc C.

Successful Gig and New Gallery

2006-08-30T03:21:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. Last Friday, as mentioned in the previous post, The Pride performed a disco-themed show for Med Plan's annual party. This is the second straight year we've performed for this event, thanks to the efforts of Cindy Raider of Nat Raider Productions. This year's event was considerably larger and, on the whole, more fun than even last year's. We played three 1 hour sets of nothing but 70's and early 80's disco to a very enthusiastic audience. Despite the unseasonably cool temperature that evening, we really heated up the place with our show. The audience was right there with us and danced through the night to the classic material.

I must, at this point, thank John Martin and Manny daMota for the pictures they took that evening. Thanks to their efforts I've posted a new gallery of photos on the web site. You can see them at http://theprideband.com/pics.html. Just click on 'Corporate 4'.

The band is looking forward to upcoming shows in and around Montreal through the end of the year. As usual, I will post information here about shows that are open to the public as we get closer to those dates, though there are fewer of them these days. The corporate work keeps us pretty busy. That's all for this post - more soon.

Marc C.

Meanwhile, back at the pub...

2006-08-07T22:48:00.000-04:00

Summer is in full swing and so is The Pride. The duo version of the band is playing once again at the Pub St-Charles in Pointe St-Charles every Friday & Saturday night from 10 PM until 2:30 AM. The address, for those interested in coming to see us play, is: 2687, rue Wellington, corner of Butler.

In other news, we've confirmed a number of corporate Christmas season gigs so for those wanting to hire us you'd better hurry. We've also got a gig I'm looking forward to on the 25th of August. This one is a disco-themed evening for Med-Plan. Last year we performed for the same firm so I suppose it's no surprise they want us back. Having a particular theme to an evening can be a lot of fun in that it allows the band to dress up specifically for the event. In this case - retro disco clothes. I was never a fan of that style of dress - and yes, I remember the disco era very well - but who doesn't like playing dress-up? On top of that, I get to see Brian wearing an afro - a wig, of course. If that isn't good for a chuckle I don't know what is.

That's all the news I have for the time being. Be sure to check the blog from time to time and catch up on news from The Pride. Also, take the time to visit the site for audio and video demos and tons of photos. As always if you have any questions or want to book the band for your party, feel free to contact me.

Marc C.

Finally! A new post!

2006-06-20T23:00:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time since I last posted but finally have the time to do so. Where to start...? Well, we've played a couple of long term gigs at local bars, the latest of which is a three night a week affair. That gig ends on the 1st of July, the last night of which will be performed by Brian and Kevin, as I have a corporate gig with Linda that night.

I'd like to make a mention here of the gig we just finished on Saturday, June 17th. It was a wedding reception for a nice young couple, Alexandre and Stéphanie, held at the Saint James club here in Montreal. What a blast! The guests were pumped and partied until the wee hours thanks to the efforts of everyone in the band. I'd like to thank them - Samara, Kevin, Brian - you guys are the best and you make my job as band leader a whole lot easier because of your tireless efforts. I think we had as much fun as the guests! I've posted a new wedding gallery of photos from that event and you can see them by clicking here and selecting 'Wedding 2".

In addition to the usual club gigs coming up and ongoing, Brian and I are performing at another wedding reception on Saturday the 24th of July in St-Jean sur Richelieu. This one is smaller than the last but I expect it will be as much fun. The following Saturday, as mentioned earlier, Linda and I will be performing for a 40th wedding anniversary at the beautiful Chateau Bromont.

And so it goes... The Pride keeps busy doing all sorts of shows for young and old alike. I'll post news of our next long term gig here shortly.

Marc C.

Out with the old - in with the new... year, that is.

2006-01-01T22:10:00.000-05:00

After a long, busy, but enjoyable festive season, 2005 is but a memory. While most people are taking time to visit family or friends and going to parties of all kinds, The Pride is hard at work entertaining you. This, of course, is as it should be because we really like what we do. A case in point was the New Year's eve party we played for. We were at a new resto-bar in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu called Le Foyer Rouge. The people ate in the dining room and we were to perform in a reception hall on the other side of the entrance. You might think it would be difficult to get people out of their seats and up dancing after a big meal, especially when this means leaving your table and switching rooms. Undaunted, we started our first set with some high-energy music, skipping the usual warm-up songs. Before the first song was over the reception room was full of people dancing the night away. Samara and I kept this up, with only one 15 minute break, until 1:20 AM, ringing in the new year with cheers, excitement and a lot of sweat.

Meanwhile, back in Montreal, Brian and Kevin were bringing down the house at the Mirabel bar and wrapping up, not only the year, but the gig as well. Yes, sadly, we have ended our run at the Mirabel. The owners and I decided that 18 months was enough for now. We will be back, but for the time being we need to perform elsewhere, see some new faces and recharge our batteries.

2005 was a good year for the band, better than last, and we look forward to an even better, busier year in the coming 12 months. We'll be shooting a new demo video within 4-6 weeks and likely recording some new audio demos as well. The goal is to promote the larger (4 or more musicians) band to bigger clients. All too often the choice for the corporate client has been one of extremes - a solo DJ or an 8 piece (or more) band. There has been very little choice in-between until we started promoting The Pride. Vocally and musically superior to just about anything else out there, we offer a cost-effective alternative that suits the mid-sized corporate client perfectly. And if this last paragraph reads like an advertisement… that's because it is! It's my blog and I can advertise or brag as I see fit. So there.

Finally, The Pride would like to wish everyone a terrific year in 2006 with much happiness and prosperity and all the other usual clichés. Go out, have fun, support live entertainment whenever possible.

Marc C.

The Pride Wallpaper

2005-10-26T22:55:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I have created and posted several images for use as computer wallpaper. There are four different sizes for each image to be used with the most common monitor resolutions. They are simple to download - simply right-click the size you want and select 'save target as' or 'save link as'. Feel free to use them or pass them along to friends as long as no modifications are made to the image(s). The pictures can be seen by scrolling down this page: www.theprideband.com/pics.html. That's all for now.

Marc C.

Heading into the busy season

2005-10-18T12:02:00.000-04:00

It has been some time since my last post so I thought I'd update you on the latest for The Pride. Since the previous post we have, of course, performed at several corporate-type gigs as well as the ongoing Mirabel bar gig. Our latest big show was for a wedding reception held at the Manoir Rouville-Campbell on Saturday, the 15th of October. As is typical for wedding receptions I arrived very early in the afternoon to set up the gear then had to wait several hours before performing. Weddings make for long days because of the early start and relatively late finish, but since they are a happy and exciting occasion, they make great parties to perform for. The other members of The Pride and I would like to say that we had a great time and, judging from the reaction of the guests, so did the audience. We also wish the best for the newly married couple in their new life together.

What is next for the band? Well, the busy holiday season is almost upon us and while we do have some available dates between now and the end of the year, they are limited and are being booked up fast. As always, if you are interested in booking The Pride for your event, please contact Marc Coté. This year, much like last year, might be our busiest yet for corporate-type gigs. It seems our reputation as a professional and very entertaining act is getting more widespread every day.

On a personal note Brian Tyler, singer for The Pride is heading off to Florida to vacation at his brother's place. This is Brian's first vacation in more years than I'd care to count so we hope he has a great time and comes home well rested since the moment he gets back we jump right into the next big show.

One last point to make... I actually took some pictures at the wedding reception gig and posted a few of them on the main site. You can see them by clicking 'Wedding 1' on the photo page. Enjoy!

Marc C.

Another Successful Show!

2005-07-24T18:28:00.000-04:00

Back from yet another successful gig. The Pride performed at the Carling Lake Golf Club on the 16th of June to rave reviews. I must admit that we were as wowed by the audience as they were by the band. At this type of show people are looking forward to having a good time so getting them up and dancing is not usually too difficult, but even so we were thrilled with the level of enthusiasm displayed by everyone present. From the first song - and this was while supper was being served, and ignored - the dance floor was crowded with a really wild bunch. Joining The Pride for the evening was the incomparable Sam Berniker on saxophone. Not only does Sam play extremely well, but he also participates in the show with gusto, heading to the front of the stage to better involve the audience. It was great working with Sam and we hope to do so again in the near future. Carling Lake, the resort, is a very beautiful place to be and for those looking to golf and enjoy the wonderful facilities, I highly recommend it as a weekend getaway destination. My thanks to everyone who worked with The Pride, both staff and technical crew. You helped make it an unforgettable evening. I have asked Cindy Raider from Nat Raider Productions if she can have the organizer send us some photos so hopefully we'll have some to post shortly.

Marc C.

Anniversary Report

2005-07-13T12:39:00.000-04:00

The Pride, as mentioned in the previous post, held a party last Saturday to celebrate a full year performing at the Bar Mirabel. I must say the turnout was excellent as was the participation of the band members who were there. The small stage was crowded with up to four of us at a time, but the audience really got into the music as well as the three or four part harmonies we put in virtually every song. As small-town newspapers are fond of writing - a good time was had by all. This, of course, includes myself and the other members of The Pride. Who knows? Perhaps we'll be celebrating a second year at the Mirabel next summer. So what's next for the band? Well, Stephane and Sofy will be at the bar this Saturday, while Brian, Samara, Kevin and I will be at the Carling Lake Golf Club for a big private party. We're looking forward to this show as we've been told the guests really love to party! We'll see to it that they have the best time they've ever had at this annual event. I'll write again with news about the show next week and with luck I'll have some pictures to post.

Marc C.

Dual Purpose Post

2005-07-04T20:55:00.000-04:00

This post has two purposes. The first is to tell you a bit about the Hawaiian Night event held at the Beaconsfield Golf Club a couple of weeks ago and the second is to invite you to a party!

The much-anticipated (by The Pride, at least) Hawaiian Night gig was a blast and this despite the fact it had to be held indoors due to threat of rain and the very cool evening temperatures. The guests (and the band), many of whom were decked out in island-style finery, were treated to a sumptuous buffet which was divided into two parts or sections. The hot food was indoors and, not surprisingly, the cold half of the buffet was outside under a large awning. The food was truly excellent as was its presentation.

The Pride took the stage at 9:30 PM as scheduled (this is worth mentioning as most such events tend to run late) and we immediately launched into some up tempo dancing music - forget the warm up period. The crowd was right there with us. A short first set and we broke to allow the young ladies of the Hawaiian-style dance troupe to perform. They put on an excellent show, in full Hawaiian regalia, to the delight of the audience and finished their portion of the event by inviting audience members to join them and learn a few steps.

By now the evening was in full swing and The Pride took over once more. I must say the DJ, who was supposed to play between our sets, didn't get much of a workout because we didn't take another break that evening and played a 2 hour non-stop marathon set. I felt that, after a day of golfing and a huge, rich meal, if we took a break the evening would end then and there. So we performed... and performed... eventually ending with a couple of romantic ballads that allowed the audience to come down from the frenetic pace we had set. All in all, an excellent evening and another successful event for The Pride. I've included a few pictures of the young ladies in the dance troupe and a couple of the audience as well. Unfortunately, we had no-one there to take pictures of the band, so new photos of us will have to wait.

The second reason for this post is to invite you to a party on Saturday, July the 9th! Hard to believe, but The Pride has been the house band at the Mirabel bar for a year and to celebrate this milestone the band is hosting its own party there - partly to thank the staff and customers but also because we like a good party as much as anyone. The Mirabel, in case you don't already know, is located at 2417 Jolicoeur at the corner of Monk in Ville Emard. There is NO cover charge and there will be prizes given away in a drawing during the evening. Also, the bar is offering special prices on certain shooters. Best of all, several members of The Pride will be performing that night, rather than the usual duo! Everyone over 18 is welcome and the fun starts at 10:30 PM on Saturday, July 9th.

Marc C.

Scroll down for the photos

May Update

2005-05-06T19:33:00.000-04:00

Already the month of May! Time just marches along and it's soon to be summer so I decided to post a short update. As some of you know, The Pride has a house gig at a small bar called the Mirabel, located in... no, not in the town of Mirabel... but rather in Ville Emard, next to Ville Lasalle. The full address is actually 2417 Jolicoeur, corner of Monk. We perform as a duo there every Friday & Saturday night as of 10 PM. When I say we I mean any two members of The Pride. This variety, I believe, is one of the reasons that after more than 10 months, even the most ardent regulars still look forward to our performance. It doesn't hurt that we add at least one new song a week, either.

Naturally, we are also busy with corporate-type gigs and I promise to have more photos of some of those shows soon. One in particular that I am looking forward to will be held in June at the Beaconsfield Golf Club - an Hawaiian-themed event - complete with Hawaiian dancers in traditional costumes.

As always, we hope to see you at one of our shows and appreciate your support. You can contact us by email for information about the band, to hire us, or just to say hello, at the following address: music@theprideband.com

Marc C.

Videos Posted

2005-03-08T18:01:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a very busy time these last few weeks, preparing for the showcase and then editing the photos and video. At last, though, I have a few clips on the site for your viewing pleasure. They are in the WMV (Windows Media) format and are about 2 megs each. To see the clips go here and click on any of the video titles. I hope you enjoy them and, as always, if you'd like information about booking the band you can email me.

Marc C.

Showcase Follow-up

2005-03-02T15:45:00.000-05:00

After all the hard work and preparation the showcase is finally behind us. Of course, we enjoyed performing at Bourbon Street - it's a great place to play. But more importantly the audience was treated to a fantastic show and we got the photos and video we had hoped for. All in all, a terrific success.

I really want to thank the members of The Pride for their participation; Samara, Brian, Linda, Kevin, Marie Josée and Nick - I expect great performances from each of you and you consistently deliver. Special thanks go to Manny, our photographer and to John who did an amazing job videotaping the show. You guys are the best. My gratitude also to Steve, owner of Bourbon, for allowing us the use of the club and all the staff for their hard work. Finally, thanks to all who attended the show; you let us know you enjoyed it with very enthusiastic cheers and applause. As always, without you there would be no show.

I've posted a gallery of photos from the showcase at www.theprideband.com/pics.html. Just click on 'Corporate 2'. You must have Javascript enabled for the gallery to appear. Videos are on their way as well, though it may take a while to edit 2 great sets down to a few choice clips. Come back soon for more on that.

Marc C.

Showcase

2005-02-23T23:50:00.000-05:00

What's next on the agenda for The Pride? Well, we're presenting a showcase performance at a Montreal club called Bourbon Street West on Sunday, February 27 at 8:30 PM. Though the show is for promotional purposes, it is open to the public and the more the merrier. All are welcome to attend.

Manuel Da Mota, official photographer for the band, will be there doing his thing, as will John Martin, taking a break from his usual role as illusionist extraordinaire, who will be videotaping the performance. In addition to this we will have a static videocam capturing the entire stage area, and we will record the audio onto a digital recorder.

For those wishing to attend the showcase click here for details. That's about all the news I have for now, but I will post again with the results of this promotional show and, when the editing is complete, offer some video clips for your viewing pleasure.

Marc C.

New Website

2005-02-20T18:15:00.000-05:00

The new website for The Pride is a success! On the first of February, 2005, the latest version of the band's website went live. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive - in fact, thus far, it is ALL positive. Visitors like the clean lines and elegant look, they appreciate the easy navigation and are pleased with the new content. Well, so are we! This new site is the start of our advertising campaign for 2005 which will include a showcase to be held here in Montreal for the benefit of the top booking agencies in town. More on that in the upcoming post. The Pride would like to thank Marc Coté and Proud Productions for the design and construction of the site and for all promo material related to this year's campaign.

Photo Session

2005-01-28T18:39:00.000-05:00

A new year, in this case, means new photos. With so many members having been added over the last 12 months I felt it was necessary to have another photo shoot with the incomparably talented Manuel Da Mota - if only to have a consistent look for the band. So on Wednesday evening, the 26th of January, we made our way to the photography studio. Manny, at my request shot a flurry of photos, fashion model style, one after the other. I wanted as much choice as possible and he certainly made sure of that. He photographed 5 of our members and shot 516 images. Fortunately he was a using a digital camera - traditional film and developing would have cost me a fortune!

He transferred the files from his laptop to 2 CDs and off we went. Despite the late hour, I couldn't sit at home knowing I had all these photos, so I opened Photoshop and proceeded to spend half the night editing and cropping images. Those readers who wish to see some of the photos will not have a long wait as I expect the all new website to be launched on Monday, the 31st of January.

More news soon - come back on Monday!

Marc C.

A wrap-up of 2004

2005-01-20T23:23:00.000-05:00

Those of you who follow The Pride know that 2004 was, in many ways, the best year yet for the band. We had more corporate gigs than we'd had in any previous year and we inked a deal to be the house band at a quirky, fun little bar called the Mirabel, here in Montreal. We've been there for over 6 months with no end in sight. A great spot to go if you like dancing, as the regulars love to kick up their heels.

2004 was also the year for personnel additions. When we decided to add a female vocalist, we really lucked out. Samara Daniels, an extraordinary singer and performer, officially joined our ranks in February and The Pride has never sounded, or looked, better. Since that time we've added several other exceptional singers - Linda Grenon, Micheline Celestin, Marie-Josee Noury and Sofy Boudreau - who all perform regularly with us. We've also added yet another guitarist to the line-up - Stephane Hebert, an excellent musician and singer. Since the addition of these performers, especially the ladies, we've bulked up our repertoire by at least 50 new tunes and we now offer over 560 songs.

We wrapped up the year with not only the house gig, but a flurry of both daytime and evening holiday gigs. Yes, 2004 was an extraordinary year, but things look even better for 2005! Stay tuned for more news.

Marc C.

First of many blog entries

2005-01-20T22:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome the the weblog for The Pride. You can visit our site at www.theprideband.com. My name is Marc Coté, leader of The Pride, and I'll be posting gig dates, place & times as well as other band-related information. Stay tuned.

Marc C.