CBC Radio 3 Broadcast's Live From Canada's Best Record Store, Meow Records!

Chad VanGaalen To Perform At CBC Radio 3 Broadcast From “The Best Record Store In Canada”

Prince George’s Meow Records Gets Free Live Broadcast From The Store Next Friday, May 23

May 14, 2008 – CBC Radio 3 has just announced that favourite Canadian singer-songwriter Chad VanGaalen, as well as local acts Hey Everyone and Versus, will perform live at a special broadcast from Prince George’s Meow Records – recently named “The Best Record Store In Canada.”

CBC Radio 3’s quest for the Best Record Store began in March, after listeners nominated 47 stores in cities and towns right across Canada. From those votes, CBC Radio 3 cut the list down to 20, then 10, then five – and on April 18, Meow came out on top.

As promised, the winner of the inaugural Searchlight competition is getting a free in-house CBC Radio 3 broadcast that includes the live performances, as well as a plaque and a Sirius satellite radio kit that will be presented by CBC Radio 3 host Grant Lawrence.

“We are going to put one of Canada’s best songwriters into Canada’s best record store and broadcast the performance live to the entire world,” says Lawrence, who spearheaded the competition in conjunction with Record Store Day. “When we approached Chad VanGaalen to play Meow, he readily agreed, as he is actually one of the few musicians in Canada who’s actually already been to the store – he shopped there after his performance at the Prince George Folk Festival last summer.”

Widely considered one of the country’s top songwriters and performers, VanGaalen – who is signed to Sub Pop in the United States – has performed alongside high-profile acts including Feist, the Pixies, and Stars, and last year landed a nomination for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize.

“We’re going to stuff the store full with fans,” says Lawrence. “It’s going to be great to wrap up this two month Searchlight project with a great live broadcast.”

The show – which is happening May 23 from 4-6 p.m. PT/7-9 p.m. ET– will also be beamed out live on www.cbcradio3.com, and on Sirius Satellite channel 94.

“I'm so excited. SO excited,” says Meow owner Bryndis Ogmundson, who also chose the two local acts who will share the bill with VanGaalen. “Chad VanGaalen is one of my favourites, and the local acts I picked are wonderful.”

Ever since the Searchlight competition win, which grabbed headlines across Canada, life hasn’t been the same for Ogmundson, who opened the tiny basement record store a year and a half ago.

“People driving past me honk their horns and give me the thumbs up. It's hilarious,” says Ogmundson. “Random strangers talk to me a lot more. Residents of Prince George are pretty happy to be known for something other than bad air and crime.”

The Searchlight competition series will continue in the fall, when CBC Radio 3 sets out to find the Best Live Music Venue in Canada.

For more information or interviews, please contact:

Bryndis Ogmundson
Owner, Meow Records
(250) 564-MEOW (6369)
music_snob [at] hotmail [dot] com
Grant Lawrence
Host, CBC Radio 3
(604) 662-6755
grant_lawrence [at] cbcr3 [dot] com
Andrea Gin
Senior Producer, CBC Radio 3
(604) 662-6731
andrea_gin [at] cbcr3 [dot] com