KINKOLOGY: Ray Davies' 65Th Birthday Concert

KINKOLOGY: Ray Davies' 65th Birthday Concert Music of the Kinks performed by Metapop String Ensemble & special guest vocalists DATE: Thursday, August 27, 2009, 9:30 pm VENUE: Alix Goolden Performance Hall, 907 Pandora Ave, Victoria, British Columbia ADMISSION: By donation at the door – fundraiser for Island Biodiesel Co-op INFO: (250) 381-6502 and email [email protected] The Kinks formed in London in 1963, and are considered one of the most influential rock bands. They gained prominence in 1964 with their hard-driving single "You Really Got Me", written by Ray Davies with his 17-year-old brother Dave on lead guitar. Ray Davies' compositions over his lengthy career have been an astonishing study in contrasts, with a range of styles and lyrics often containing elements of satire and social commentary about the aspirations and frustrations of British life. The protopunk, powerchord rock of the early Kinks hits (“All Day and All of the Night”, “Tired Of Waiting For You”) was followed by more sensitive, introspective songs ("Waterloo Sunset"), wry humour (“Sunny Afternoon”), anthems championing individualistic lifestyles and personalities ("Lola", “See My Friends”), celebrations of traditional English culture and living ("Victoria"), Music Hall-style vaudeville ("She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina's"), and commercial rock which combined all these elements ("Come Dancing"). 1980s New Wave groups such as The Jam, The Knack, and The Pretenders covered Kinks songs, and in the 1990s Britpop acts such as Blur, Oasis and Supergrass cited them as a major influence. Many modern bands, such as The Killers, The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, Spoon, Sonic Youth and Ron Sexsmith, acknowledge The Kinks and Ray Davies' songwriting skills. In 2004, Ray Davies received a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) award from the Queen for "Services to Music". The Metapop String Ensemble is a grouping of Victoria classical musicians who are most interested in non-classical music. To wildly enthusiastic audiences, they have performed their gonzo takes on the music of Wolf Parade, the White Stripes, Devo, and Terry Riley, as well as their own brand of original, free-form improvisation. To celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the Kinks' single, "You Really Got Me", and the 65th birthday of Kinks' frontman Ray Davies the Metapopsters will dedicate an entire concert to the music of The Kinks. Special guest vocalists include Marcus Pollard, Veronica Tangent, and others. During the concert, Metapop will also record an overdub session to a new remix of The Kinks' classic 1969 album "Arthur, or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire", replacing the brass band arrangements with strings. A recording of this concert will be sent to Ray Davies as a present for his 65th birthday. The members of Metapop are Kenji Fuse, Terence Tam, and Laura Backstrom. · Kenji Fuse is principal violist with the Victoria Symphony. His recent activities include the soundtrack to the CBC film Saving Luna, and directing the Metapop Ensemble. He is on faculty at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Kenji has played with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and the Toronto Chamber Players. Kenji co-founded the Island Biodiesel Co-op in 2006, and runs his 1976 Mercedes-Benz on used vegetable oil. · Terence Tam, concertmaster of the Victoria Symphony, is one of Canada's pre-eminent violinists. He is a frequent recitalist and chamber musician in Canada and abroad, and his performances have been regularly broadcast on radio and television. · Cellist Laura Backstrom is an Artistic Director of Eine Kleine Summer Music, Victoria's popular and long-running chamber music series. She also directs cello ensembles at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Laura played with the Hull Chamber Orchestra for nine years. .

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