Michigan Soda Blasting

Local musicians share summer sips and sizzling songs

Sometimes, your friends come up with the kind of lines that mean more than anything you’ll ever find in a movie, book, or on a record. Like, for example, “I could never be an alcoholic because I like drinking too much.” Or, “Screw sun, surf, and shorts—the best thing about summer is that it’s prime time for drinking.” With the latter mantra in mind, we asked some of Vancouver’s finest musicians what they reach for when the sun starts shining and the weather gets hot. Because believe it or not, that will happen this year, even in Vancouver, albeit most likely in the last week of August for about three days.

Kieran Mercer sings for pure-pop purveyors Jackie Valentine, whose debut Building Walls and Burning Bridges is out later this year. Favourite summer drink: “My favorite summer cocktail would have to be a Mojito. The first time I had a Mojito was actually where the drink is originated from—Cuba! I arrived at my resort exhausted from travelling and being in the hot sun, so I dropped my bags and went straight to the bar. I asked the bartender what he recommended and he returned with a Mojito. I was hooked on them for the rest of the week.” Top summer-cocktail soundtrack: “My favorite summer-drinking soundtrack would have to be The Essential Billy Joel . Since I’m only 23, summer relaxing usually turns into summer partying, so I love to throw on some Billy Joel, considering every song sounds like it was written in a pub in New York. And it also helps that Billy Joel himself liked to get into his drinks. It doesn’t get any better than the “Piano Man” blasting in the background while you’re drinking with your buds getting ready to hit up the town."

Marta Jaciubek-McKeever and dandilion Wind Opaine split vocal duties in the art dance-pop-tastic Fan Death Project, which received raves for his debut Womb of Dreams. It only makes sense, therefore, for them to share their responses favorite summer drink:. [Marta] Sangria hands "down. Or mojitos. Or the Dark 'n' Stormy in the living room of the Waldorf Tiki "High summer cocktail BO: [dandilion]." "Aht Uh Mi Hed" by Shuggie Otis said, or anything by Neil Young! I listened to five Neil Young albums while pricing vintage clothing in my front yard for the Chosen Ones sale at the Waldorf Hotel.