BY TRACEY DUGUAY
Whether it?s going on tour with one band, appearing in the music video of another or organizing his latest emo/punk show in Sudbury, life is a little hectic, but a lot of fun, for Shawn Parsons.
 |
?I passed up a huge show because I couldn?t find a venue,? Shawn Parsons of Two Fist Promotions says. |
Parsons, who runs Two Fists Promotions, just returned home after being ?on the road? for a few days with Milwaukee-based hardcore metal band Forever is Forgotten.
Along his travels, while attending a Billy Talent concert at Brock University, he ran into the manager of scream-mo punk band alexisonfire. Turns out the band needed a few extras for their next video shoot, so Parson offered to help.
?Their first two videos were amazing,? he says. ?They make them really funny, but there?s a nice storyline behind
them.?
The video?s set for release next month on Much Music, and Parsons looking forward to seeing the finished production.
While it was exciting to work on the video, Parson admits it was ?very tiring? with the video shoot taking about 13 hours to complete.
?There?s just so many processes to go through.?
Now that he?s back in town, he?s busy organizing the next show he?s bringing to Sudbury. On Thursday, Jan. 22, the Navy League Hall will be jammed with hardcore and emo fans waiting to hear the likes of the Abandoned Hearts Club, The End and local group Beyond Within. Doors will open at 7 pm and tickets are $7 in advance, available at Records on Wheels, or $10 at the door. Although it?s an all-ages concert, the event is licensed.
Parson has organized about 100 shows to date, but he?s still having trouble finding large enough venues, those with a seating capacity for about 400, for some of the bands he wants to bring in.
?I passed up a huge show because I couldn?t find a venue,? he explains. ?It?s hard for me to get credibility here
even though my credibility in the industry is solid.?
He thinks part of the reason is because of the age of the fans who attend, generally late teens to early 20s, and the genre of the music played.
?People are scared of the kids but there hasn?t been one fight at any show I?ve had,? he says. ?Sudbury just has to open up some more.?
While the emo/hardcore/metal music movement is unfamiliar to many older people in town, the same people who own many of the venues, it?s the style of music kids these days are listening to. Parson points out there?s not much in town for kids to do as it is, so why limit or prevent something, like the concerts he organizes, that keeps them off the street.
He says a few of his shows have brought people in from across Ontario and even from the United States.
As well, he adds, ?there?s so many more bands who want to come,? following his past success promoting acts like Billy Talent, alexisonfire, and Hate Breed.
For more information, phone Parsons at 673-2227.
