Wish You Were Where Hollerado Was Going

“If we win that money we don’t have to find a label we can just start our own.” Menno Vesteeg’s drive is uncanny and him and Hollerado‘s “karma boys” are well on their way to getting all that they wants out of life.

“This time last year we were about going on our first headlining tour and it was a total bust. We were playing venues in front of ten people sometimes and ended up just playing in people’s garages and stuff.”

When it comes to Battle of the bands, “we don’t really believe in that stuff, it’s all pretty artificial.” But despite just that they entered an Ottawa radio contest last fall and won $250,000 to put towards their craft. And now, if the Indie Spotlight still existed, “Juliette” would be right there on top.

Hollerado are a Post-Indie band from Manotick, Ontario., a small suburb outside our nations most glorious capital city. They like nachos and farm parties and bank street, and in less than a year they’ve gone from seeing the burbs to the bitches. Their Record in a Bag is available on Arts & Crafts and Royal Mountain Records out of Montreal (the label they’re building with their winnings), and have fallen into this category of young musicians who rise above mediocrity and challenge the obstacles of today’s digital coma.

Breaking all of the conventional methods of distribution is something that comes naturally to them: “on our first American tour we bought a cd burner and then returned it after we made all the CDs we needed”. Working around roadblocks of distribution, this Trent Reznor business model has been the basis of Hollerado’s perpetual success. From golden tickets redeemable for free beer at shows to their “Nacho House Festival”, Manotick is officially getting what they give.

Scolding and original in song they’re “putting out a 7 inch later this summer. One of the songs is super long and doesn’t make any sense but like fuck it, we can do it because we can.” How likable awesome.

Aggressive, jovial and full of energy both on and off stage, Hollerado is a must see at NXNE. They’re playing a number of shows (and hosting a secret nacho party….) throughout the week. And if you’re lucky you might even catch them causing a dance riot somewhere til last call.

Words Katherine Alicia Snack