What music is playing at your LCBO?

[NRman]

I can't say I have ever noticed before but tonight while picking up beer at LCBO 115 KING STREET SOUTH WATERLOO I enjoyed the dulcet tones of Doug and the Slugs!!
'Too Bad' from 1980's 'Cognac and Bologna’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzocrN1zUE8
The kids buying their Somersby weren't as enthused as I was.
Is it possible this is a corporate choice? =8-o

What's playing at your LCBO?

Hey wait....was that Zach Galifianakis in that video?!

[Tapsucker]

I think this week's theme was supposed to be "Too Hot For Teacher".

[vincho]

LCBO at Kennedy Commons (401 and Kennedy) plays a samba-esque version of Buzzcocks "Ever Fallen in Love" played by the Nouvelle Vague.




Normally I don't care for any of the music to be honest, but it's kinda cool.

[Belgian]

Mostly some communist-era Russian marching tunes and a few propaganda song melodies.

Ahh memories of simpler, better times... when everyone had a job!

[SteelbackGuy]

It`s a corporate choice.

It is against CRTC laws for the LCBO(and any government organization) to play any public radio stations in their stores or buildings. We aren`t even allowed to have radios on in the back room unless it if privately owned cds or something similar playing.

So every month, the music comes to the stores in a Cd format which is downloaded to the store system and then it plays those songs for a month. There are maybe 60 songs or so that it cycles through. All of the songs are paid for, just as any other corporations are now having to do. The Brick is one example.

This month has some good artists including some of my favourite Canadian Talent which is the work of a group called Armistice and a fun group called Hey Ocean. Loreena Mckinnet is also in the mix as is Avril Lavigne, and for those that remember some 90s Canadian Pop, a group featuring current celebrity chef Roger Mooking, Bass is Base.

I highly recommend the stuff from Armistice. Jeb Rand is a great song but I thin their entire album is a must listen.

Len

[NRman]

Thanks Len, for the info and the recommendation.
I had no idea.
Glad there is stuff on there you like but the repetition must drive some people nuts by the end of the month?
(edit spelling)

[SteelbackGuy]

Thanks Len, for the info and the recommendation.
I had no idea.
Glad there is stuff on there you like but the repetition must drive some people nuts by the end of the month?
(edit spelling)

You are most welcome.

If the songs are good overall for the month, they are spaced far enough apart, and there are enough good ones, that, you do not get sick of them. Sometimes I don`t hear them all on each shift, so I may only hear a song maybe once every couple shifts.
If I am in for a full shift, I may hear a song twice but it is rare.

The only time the stuff drives you nuts is at Christmas time, when they play Christmas songs for 2 periods (56 days) or when they have one of their `carribean` style promotions in the dead of winter and the music is all from the islands.
The latter being great music but you just can`t get in to it in th dead of February.

Len

[rejtable]

It is against CRTC laws for the LCBO(and any government organization) to play any public radio stations in their stores or buildings. We aren`t even allowed to have radios on in the back room unless it if privately owned cds or something similar playing.

None of things rings true to me.

For sure the CRTC has nothing to do with this. Any issues around what gets played would be Copyright law, not CRTC.


Second, there can't be a distinction between a government office (LCBO, Industry Canada, whatever) and Shoppers Drug Mart, can there?

And I find it awfully hard to believe that Copyright law covers a radio in your break room. I guess it's possible, but it sounds dubious to me.

There is no doubt that it is possible to play music in Canada in business locations that don't involve CDs from head office. Bazillions of bars, stores and restaurants do it every day.

I'm assuming that the CDs coming from head office are a means for the head office folks of standardizing/controlling what gets played.

[MatttthewGeorge]

Mostly some communist-era Russian marching tunes and a few propaganda song melodies.

Ahh memories of simpler, better times... when everyone had a job!

[admviolin]

Yeah it's not so much CRTC as it is SOCAN.

There was a recent article http://www.thespec.com/news-story/32368 ... sing-fees/

Talking about this.

[rejtable]

Right and according that article, simply having a commercial radio station on is not an issue or subject to licensing fees.

Whether that is correct or not, I would assume the LCBO simply doesn't want each store being left to its own devices (literally I guess). I can see that.

[MatttthewGeorge]

I would also assume the LCBO (aka the Gov of Ont) doesn't want to be associated with any of the advertising on said radio stations.

[SteelbackGuy]

It is against CRTC laws for the LCBO(and any government organization) to play any public radio stations in their stores or buildings. We aren`t even allowed to have radios on in the back room unless it if privately owned cds or something similar playing.

None of things rings true to me.

Sounds queer I know. It`s just what I am told. The part about them just wanting to control what is in the stores is what makes sense to me.

[JeffPorter]

and a fun group called Hey Ocean.

These guys did the best cover of any Arcade Fire song I've ever heard:

[sprague11]

Any openings at LCBO corporate for playlist manager?