Karen and Trevor kicked things off with an interview with Brian Cheung of Awesome Ottawa to talk about the third year of these awesome grants. They were joined by Kyle McInnes, a successful Awesome Ottawa applicant who pitched an idea for a dumpster pool party in the Byward Market. The party is yet to happen, but Kyle told us all about the inspiration for the idea and where it might go. He likened winning an Awesome Ottawa grant to being pushed out of an airplane, but he meant it in the best way possible.

The Ottawa Jazz Festival kicks off on June 20, and this year it features a diverse mix of jazz and jazz-inspired artists like Wynton Marsalis, Mavis Staples, The Herbaliser, Kellylee Evans and The Flaps. Chris was able to have a chat with Jazz Festival Programming Manager Petr Cancura about this year’s lineup.

Our hosts rounded out the show with Jean Grandbois and David Rust-Smith, two winners of the Apps4Ottawa contest. Jean and Dave used the City of Ottawa’s open data to invent apps that make Ottawa a better place to live. Dave’s project uses gamification to speed up ambulance response times in the city, while Jean’s app makes it easier to find city-run recreation classes.

Here’s the music we played on the show this week:

Danny Michel – Survivor’s Guilt
Sunparlour Players – You Are a Bright Light
Evening Hymns – Arrows
A Tribe Called Red – Sisters
Young Galaxy – New Summer
Data Romance – Caves

This week, Ryan, Katie and Chris recorded the show from Apt613′s top secret lair in Centretown. Things kicked off with a chat with Shopify Chief Product Officer Harley Finkelstein. Shopify is hosting their inaugural Popify pop-up shop in the Byward Market this weekend, and Harley filled us in on all the details. Be sure to check it out if you’re interested in experiencing what Harley calls the next generation of retail.

Next, Trevor headed over to the Hintonburg Public House to talk to artists Dwayne Brown and Clare Brennan about Metalheads, a new mixed media exhibit at the HPH. The exhibit blends photography and found-object-sculptures inspired by the crowd of regulars at the Public House. The show is on now.

Here’s what we played on this week’s show:
Girlfriend and Boyfriends – Young Ones
Chains of Love – Strange Grey Days
Nina Simone – You’ll Never Walk Alone
Loon Choir – Bison
A Tribe Called Red – Bread and Cheese
A Tribe Called Red – NDN Stakes
A Tribe Called Red – Different Heroes
A Tribe Called Red – Sisters

A quick note of correction about something mentioned during the show: on Saturday during Westfest, Apt613 editor Yasmin Nissim will be hosting a greyhound meet-and-greet at Bushtukah on behalf of the Greyhound Supporters of the National Capital Region between 10am and 3pm, not 10am and 4pm.

Listen here, or in iTunes.

Karen takes over the airwaves this week, kicking off the show with an interview between Apt613 editor Trevor Pritchard and Michael Feuerstack (the artist formerly known as Snailhouse). She then chats with film director Sean Garrity, whose thriller Blood Pressure opens Friday at the Bytowne. Sean details the uniquely Canadian style of conversation found in his films, and the ins and outs of filming guerilla style.

After a bit of music from Les Soeurs Boulay, Karen is joined by Charles Tilden, whose music explores the first earthly experiences of Delta Will. (Delta Will played last night at Pressed, and it’s his video above). Music from Delta will follows, along with a song from Feist.

Jamie Stuckless from EnviroCentre is the last guest of the show, chatting about Bike to Work Month. This initiative has been happening throughout May, with over 1200 Ottawa bike aficionados signing up to commute on two wheels.

With another song from Les Soeurs Boulay, the show wraps up!

Playlist:

Modern Warfare, Michael Feuerstack

Mappemonde, Les Soeurs Boulay

There is a Future, Delta Will

I Feel it All, Feist

Lola en Confiture, Les Soeurs Boulay

Ryan and Katie started the show off with an interview with provocative local photographer Jonathan Hobin. Though his images of children in metaphorical representations drawn from world issues may be familiar to Ottawans, his work is starting to make waves (and draw criticism) internationally. He is currently about to have his first solo exhibition in Toronto, but he took the time to call in from a hotel lobby in Hogtown.

Next, they chatted with Lee and Janik, who are both a part of this weekend’s Jane’s Walk Ottawa festivities. There are plenty of activities taking place across Ottawa, but you can also take part in a very special walk through Somerset Street West organized by Apartment613 editors on Saturday. Or check the Jane’s Walk website for a full listing of walks and other events.

Apt613 contributor Erika Nelson joined our hosts in studio to talk about her recent feature article on the best cocktails in Ottawa. Erika was pleasantly surprised to find some amazing cocktails around town and gives you the lowdown.

Here are the songs we played this week:
Young Galaxy – Pretty Boy
Billy Bragg - No One Knows Nothing Anymore
The Acorn – Flood Pt. 1
Hotel Morphée - La Bête et la mitraille
Aidan Knight – You Will See the Good in Everyone

Hey loyal Apt613 readers! This week we’re trying out something new on the Apartment613 Live post. Now you can listen to each individual show segment by using the handy Soundcloud widget below each description. Let us know if you like this in the comments. If you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to the show on iTunes.

This week’s show was about eating and dancing, but not about eating while dancing, which would probably be uncomfortable and wouldn’t turn out well for anyone. Ryan and Karen were joined during the first segment by Jason Gray, Community Harvest Coordinator at the Ottawa Food Bank. Each summer, the OFB grows thousands of pounds of local, organic producer for those in need in the community, and Jason is the agricultural buff who puts it all together.

Next our hosts were joined by stalwart Apt613 Live guest Chris Sheppard. Kichesippi, Chris’ brewery, is celebrating its third anniversary this Sunday, April 28, and you’re invited to their party at 866 Campbell Avenue from noon until 5 pm for some beer and good eats.

Then our Vice Editor Katie called in to discuss the potential popping of the cupcake bubble. Both the Wall Street Journal and the Globe and Mail ran stories this week pointing to signs of the coming downfall of the cupcake empire. So, if the mighty cupcake does crumble for good, what will take it’s place? There’s a craft-baked donut lurking just around the corner, waiting to step into the spotlight. Good news for SuzyQ’s!

Here are the tracks we played on this week’s show:
Little Stella – Woods
Common Citizens – One Sweet Day
Ceremony exclusive Apt613 mix by Roberta Bondar’s Gary Franks
Jesse Dangerously – Slept Through a Landslide

Ryan and Katie kicked things off this week by informing the world about an Indiegogo project by Mike Dubue, formerly of the Hilotrons. He’s been commissioned to set music to The Adventures Of Prince Achmed, the oldest surviving animated feature film. The film will be screened alongside a live performance of Dubue’s score on April 30 at the Bytowne Cinema.

Next, our hosts were joined by Randy Innes, assistant director at the School of Photographic Arts: Ottawa (SPAO). He told us about Exhibition No. 8, a yearly event featuring a collection of photographic work by SPAO Portfolio students. This year’s exhibition explores classic photographic processes and features projects that look at themes like nature, the environment, identity and self-discovery, many of which embrace the idea of photography as storytelling. The exhibit runs from April 19 until 26.

Katie then brought us some sobering news about the Byward Market’s prospect for the future. A report by a U.S. non-profit says that we risk losing the market’s distinctive flavour in the face of encroaching big business, bars and touristy establishments.

In other news, A Tribe Called Red’s new track Indian From All Directions, a collaboration with the now defunct Das Racist, was given an exclusive premier on Pitchfork this week. Congrats to one of the hardest working electronic acts in town. You can hear it on their Soundcloud page.

Here’s what we played during this week’s show:
Hilotrons - Lost in Yichang
Andrea Simms-Karp – Alternative to Flight
A Tribe Called Red – Indian From All Directions
Fevers – Passion is Dead (Long Live Fashion)
The Goodluck Assembly – Wait for Me
Aidan Knight – Telecommunicate

Katie and Karen held it down in the studio this week. They started the show off with the first in a recurring series of chats about local politics. This week’s iteration brought news that Ottawa’s Planning Committee has approved a 45-story tower called Icon that is slotted for Little Italy. Though there are still plenty of roadblocks in the way, this brings the neighbourhood-changing tower one step closer to being a reality.

Next, our hosts were joined with members of local “ouija-rock” band The Yips to chat about their show this Saturday with F Hood and Kings Quest at Club Saw. The band is really excited about the local reaction to their music, as well as the growth in and variety of the current scene.

Our hosts then took us through the efforts of Mayor Jim Watson to drum up interest in bringing a new baseball team to the city. The Fat Cats, who started playing out of the east-end Ottawa Stadium in 2010, have suspended operations as the prospect of a Double-A team is bandied about.

Here is what we played on the show this week:
Couples – Scar Teens
Suuns – 2020
Jokers of the Scene – John I’m Only Braindancing (Jokers of the Scene remix)
The Yips – Vicinage
Metz – Rats
Jenn Grant – The Fighter
Suuns – Minor Work

Ryan and Karen opened the show this week with a phone interview with Jesse Alberto, proprietor of the recently opened House of Barons barber shop. The shop on Sussex brings some previously scarce men’s grooming services to Ottawa, like straight blade shaves and shoe-shining while you wait. Our hosts then chatted with Michael Wallack of Wallack’s Art Supplies and Sharif Virani of Creative Mornings about Art Throb, a night of music and interactive art in support of the Ottawa School of Art (OSA) and School of Photographic Arts: Ottawa (SPAO). This week’s show also featured some discussion of CHUO’s brand spanking new iPhone app, which you can download at their website.

Here’s what we played on this week’s show:
Zoo Legacy - Out All Night
Souljazz Orchestra – Bibinay
FIRExFIRE – Make It Happen
Zoo Legacy – All Falls Down
Silkken Laumann – On The Mend
Roberta Bondar – Night Danger

This week’s show hosts were joined by Jeremy Dias, who filled us in about this year’s Jer’s Vision/International Day of Pink Gala on April 10. This is the eighth year of the locally grown anti-homophobia campaign, and what better way to celebrate than by heading to the gala at the Government Conference Centre at 6 pm? Next, Ryan chatted with A Tribe Called Red‘s Bear Witness about their Spirit Tracks party, an event that happened as part of Electric Fields. To round things out, Max Savage from self-proclaimed RawBeat rock duo StillNative came down to the studio to talk about their debut self-titled album, which was recorded in just two weekends.

The CHUO funding drive has wrapped up for another year, so thanks to everyone who helped support community radio in Ottawa!

Here is what we played on the show this week:
Suuns – 2020
A Tribe Called Red – Trap Heat
A Tribe Called Red – Native Puppy Love
Ariane Moffat – Walls of the World
Still Native – No Steam
Kellylee Evans – Good Girl
Dala – Life on Earth

It was foodie madness on the show this week, and Ryan and Jared were joined for the whole show by foodiePrints‘ own Don Chow. In a week filled with foodie news, Algonquin College announced a new bursary for culinary excellence in honour of former Ottawa Citizen food editor Ron Eade. Part of the show focused on the news that Art-Is-In Bakery will be rolling back their wholesale operations, meaning that you won’t be seeing their bread on every menu in town going forward. In other big news, Kichesippi Brewery is jumping into the soda business, starting with a flagship ginger beer. Local Dark and Stormies, here we come! And Richard’s Hintonburg Kitchen, helmed by Juniper founder Richard Nigro, just opened in everyone’s favourite west-end foodie hood. Look out for an early review from Apt613 this week. All these stories and more dominated the week in foodie news.

Steven Flood from The Black Tomato called in to chat about their new late-night menu, which is set to challenge misconceptions that Ottawa is an early-to-bed kind of town. Check out their rather extensive list of microbrews while you’re there. While en route to Toronto by car, Roberta Bondar called in to talk about their new EP Hiss, which is being released on tape.

Here’s what we played on the show:
Suuns – Powers of Ten
Kman and the 45s – Sheena is a Punk Rocker
The Peptides – Revenge at the Vinyl Cafe
The Peptides – Attack of the Treadmill
The Yips – Blood Meridian
Roberta Bondar – Haus
Tall Trees – Fickle Fiendish Friend