Wassabi Collective is a band out of Nelson, BC who was recently chosen as one of the twenty finalists for the Peak Performance Project. The Peak Performance Project is sponsored by the 100.5 The Peak FM and Music BC.

The PEAK Performance Project is a seven-year, $5.29 million contest open to all musicians in British Columbia. The project was created by 100.5 The PEAK and Music BC to develop BC based emerging artists. Every year, twenty finalists from BC will receive an intensive, one week training program in the music business, live performance, songwriting, marketing and promotion. Artists will benefit from mentor-ships from some of the music industry’s top professionals and performers. All of these artists will have the chance to perform live in Vancouver on the PEAK Performance Stage. Of these twenty artists, the top three will be crowned as the PEAK Performers of the year and will share $275,000 in cash for career development. First place receives $150,000; second place receives $75,000; and third place receives $50,000.

Interview:

Brian: Tell us about your band and what your musical history has been.

Wassabi Collective: Wassabi Collective has always been a BC band, since its inception ten years ago as an arts collective in Penticton, but 4 of the 5 current members began their musical careers together in the Ontario music scene. We all headed to BC at different times for different reasons and now we all call Beautiful Nelson BC our home. We started out as more of a Jamband known for their live shows. We are still known for our high energy live shows, that will never change but we are spending more time crafting the art of writing songs that have a more radio friendly vibe so we can embrace all the different markets. We want to make our music accessible to all people.

Listen to the track Lifes A Miracle

Brian: Tell us a little bit of how your summer went, from being selected as one of the artists to participate in the project to being selected as a finalist.

Wassabi Collective:The Summer was really fun. We had just gotten back from California where we played the Harmony Festival, our first show ever in the United States, so we were already excited, but not as excited as we were when Bob D’eith announced on the PEAK that we were in the top 20. We celebrated and told everyone we knew and then hit the road a couple days later to play the Calgary Jazz Festival. We hadn’t played Calgary for awhile and we got 2 shows which was great. In July, Melissa & Gisto both toured with their prospective side projects, so the rest of the band had a bit of a break. August began with the Shambhala Music Festival and after that it was game on as we worked on what we needed to do to prepare for the upcoming Boot Camp. We were somewhat unsure of what to expect, as I think everyone was, but when it began we all realized how amazing this opportunity really is.

Brian: What has been the most rewarding aspect throughout the project thus far?

Wassabi Collective: The platform it has created for us has been amazing. But I think the biggest aspect has to be all the connections and relationships we have made with the faculty and other bands. Those relationships were forged in a week, but keep growing and in a respect that is how this industry works, with everyone helping each other out. We have all created a bit of a ’scene’ for ourselves.

Brian: There are some great artists and bands and you are in great company with the list of finalists. What sets your music apart from the other finalists?

Wassabi Collective: The energy of our live show and the diversity of our music really sets us apart. We even heard we had the judges dancing at our final showcase! We also have a female lead singer/percussionist whose energy on stage really seems to captivate the crowd. She has a lot of fun with it.

Check out the bands Youtube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/WassabiCollective

Brian: How do you feel about The Peak, Music BC and Jim Pattison Group of Companies stepping up to assist the growth of BC musicians while the provincial government has reduced funding to many programs. This is a significant contribution of $5.29 million over seven-years.

Wassabi Collective: The world needs more people like them. The government doesn’t seem to be putting a whole lot of value in the Arts and have cut money from many projects that we have wanted to be a part of, and they have subsequently been canceled. We see first hand what this is doing. The arts are a big aspect of our culture and we are happy that someone is stepping up to help all of us. We are so lucky to be a part of this and we know it. It is great to see such a successful person like Jim Pattison give back to the community in these times. MusicBC has always been an invaluable resource in helping us further our careers and the PEAK? Well, it is the best radio station in Vancouver. Are you listening right now??? OK good! Call and tell them to play Wassabi Collective..haha!!! OUT.

Peak Performance Project Sponsors: