Important news!

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

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

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

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

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.

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Goodbye 2009

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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...

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!

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.