5 local spots to check out from this made-in-Calgary music video (PHOTOS/VIDEO)
Local soul-rock band I Am The Mountain just released a music video for their song “Overthinking Conversations,” and several iconic Calgary locations make an appearance in the film.
I Am The Mountain (IATM) is comprised of Colton O’Reilly (vocals, guitar), Jesse Aaron Shire (bass, vocals), Keath Mueller (horns, keys), Robin Cillo (drums, vocals), Jason Cillo (lead guitar), and Dylan Paish (trombone).
The music video-slash-short film was filmed and edited by Calgarian Finn Westbury, with artwork for the album cover and film premiere poster by Evan Smibert. O’Reilly also gives a shoutout to Pat Palardy at Public Lunch Studios for his work recording and mixing “this huge song with almost more tracks than his computer could handle. A million thanks to him!” adds the frontman.
The video was a true family affair, with O’Reilly’s cousin Beau Mazur and O’Reilly’s brother’s partner, Jill Ann Dorado, starring in the short film, along with appearances by O’Reilly’s uncle and brother, Robin and Jason Cillo’s brother, and fellow musician and friend Bennett Mitchell.
Daily Hive had a chance to chat with frontman Colton O’Reilly, and he told us that the video was intended to showcase some of the places that have helped the band out so much in the past.
“We are so proud of the music video we were able to create for ‘Overthinking Conversations’ that was able to showcase our amazing city, local businesses, and local talent/creators, while portraying a powerful message of friendship and connection,” the Calgary band tells Daily Hive.
“There are so many venues/bars/restaurants who have opened their doors to our band and helped us out in a variety of ways,” says O’Reilly. “Being able to feature a few amazing local businesses felt great, and I hope whoever sees the video (and the credits) feels that same connection to go out and support businesses in their own city.”
“Without those staple music establishments in our city, we would still be playing a lot of concerts on the rocks near the Peace Bridge,” O’Reilly adds.
The song “Overthinking Conversations” speaks to the “uncontrollable automatic process” that clouds our minds on a daily occurrence.
“The song is a deep dive into the concept of getting stuck in your own head while over-analyzing social situations, and the difficulties of being yourself, even with your own friends,” explains O’Reilly. “If you’ve ever been caught up in your own thoughts, just know your friends still accept and care about you because they’re probably overthinking everything, too.”
The lyrics offer a different message than the music video, but O’Reilly thinks that there are some common themes that connect the two, which, in turn, make them even more impactful together.
Themes such as feeling defeated – whether it be after a breakup or when you’re just down in the dumps – and how sometimes a simple conversation with a friend can get you up and going again. Says O’Reilly: “You see the two main characters feeling low and the solution seems to be to do what they love and spending time with the people they care about.”
“Beau goes skateboarding with a friend,” he continues, “and Jill creates music with her bandmates. Being with people you care about and trust, and doing what you love to do, is the most uplifting thing in life.”
“Finn also did an incredible job at lining up the scenes to the music so that even the beats are matched up with the edit cuts,” O’Reilly adds.
The full version of the song, clocking in at eight and a half minutes, has three movements, beginning with a softer emotional ballad, to the heavier rock and lyrical section, finishing with a full orchestral reprise.
O’Reilly says that, while the band has released a few other music videos – both filmed in and around Calgary – prior to this one (including “Motorcycles” and “Denigrate,” in which he plays his guitar in the snowy mountains), this is the first project that he has taken the lead on.
“It was a great learning experience for me as I took on many roles, such as scheduling all the actors, venues, and crew, and I had the opportunity to be a writer, director, and co-producer of the film.”
O’Reilly notes that, altogether, the process of writing, filming, editing, and releasing the short film took almost a year.
While the band shot at a few specific venues in the city, O’Reilly says that they filmed a lot throughout the Inglewood community itself. When asked if any of the places that appeared in the video were particularly meaningful to the band, O’Reilly said, “These are all pretty special places.”
Here are a few Calgary locales that appeared in the “Overthinking Conversations” music video:
Ironwood Stage & Grill
The Ironwood Stage & Grill, Calgary (Finn Westbury for I Am The Mountain/YouTube)
The Ironwood Stage & Grill, Calgary (Finn Westbury for I Am The Mountain/YouTube)
“The Ironwood is one of our favourite venues to play at in Calgary!” says O’Reilly. “It is such a warm and inviting atmosphere and they host music nearly every night of the week.”
Apparently IATM even broke a record at the Ironwood a few years ago. “We released our last EP at the Ironwood back in 2017,” reveals O’Reilly, “and the owner, Pat, told us we broke the record for number of bodies in the building.”
Address:Â 1229 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Phone:Â 403-269-5581
Hours: 4 pm to midnight Monday through Thursday, 11 am to 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 am to midnight on Sundays
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The Establishment Brewing Company
The Establishment Brewing Company, Calgary (Finn Westbury for I Am The Mountain/YouTube)
Beer from The Establishment Brewing Company, Calgary (Finn Westbury for I Am The Mountain/YouTube)
“We are also so fortunate to have filmed on location at Establishment Brewery,” O’Reilly says appreciatively. “They welcomed us in with open arms and supported us throughout our entire project.”
Establishment recently won both Albertan and Canadian Brewery of the Year, and O’Reilly says that the band was honoured to work with a brewery that’s making such big moves in the Canadian craft beer scene. “We love their branding and labels, and we have a few shots in the music video with their cans, they look cool!”
Address:Â 4407 1st Street SE, Calgary
Phone: 403-453-6212
Hours:Â 3 to 9 pm on Tuesdays, noon to 9 pm Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 10 pm Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6 pm on Sundays (closed Mondays)
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Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar
Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar, Calgary (Finn Westbury for I Am The Mountain/YouTube)
Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar, Calgary (Finn Westbury for I Am The Mountain/YouTube)
“Gravity has been one of our favourite spots for a while,” O’Reilly exclaims. “They have the best flourless chocolate cake!”
“They also host great live music and have such a beautiful space in Inglewood,” the frontman adds.
Address:Â 909 10th Street SE, Calgary (with a second location in the Beltline at 1221 8th Street SW, Calgary)
Phone:Â 403-457-0697
Hours: 8 am to 4 pm Sunday through Wednesday and 8 am to 9 pm Thursday through Saturday
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10th Street Bridge and the Bow River
The 10th Street Bridge and Bow River, Calgary (Finn Westbury for I Am The Mountain/YouTube)
Catch lead actor Jill and her two “bandmates” making sweet music and enjoying some beverages near the 10th Street Bridge and the turquoise-blue waters of the Bow River on the outskirts of downtown Calgary.
Address:Â 10 Street SW, Calgary (spanning from Memorial Drive NW to 4th Avenue SW)
BONUS: Globe Cinema
Globe Cinema, Calgary (Elle McLean/Daily Hive)
I Am The Mountain performing at the Globe Cinema, Calgary (Elle McLean/Daily Hive)
While the Globe didn’t make an appearance in the film itself, this Calgary location is special too: I Am The Mountain premiered the music video here in January. Globe Cinema is practically an institution in Calgary, and O’Reilly says “I think places like the Globe are so important to Calgary, not just for film, but for many different local events.”
“It felt really special to be able to have people buy a popcorn and a beer and sit in a comfy chair while focusing on the art being presented! I think that as an independent art house theatre, the Globe plays an important role in Calgary’s art/film scene. They show a lot of independent films and are an important venue for a lot of Calgary’s local film festivals.”
The band recalls that they were definitely concerned about hosting an event during the pandemic, especially with a number of other events and festivals being moved around during the same time. O’Reilly says they spoke with a lot of close friends and family about it and, after many discussions, we agreed to go ahead with the event and ensure
as much safety as possible.
“This show felt quite different than most as everyone was seated facing the same way in their chair and distanced out as far as they felt comfortable,” describes O’Reilly. “The Globe Cinema is still hosting films there, and so with their help and their half-capacity restrictions, it felt good.”
“We are all huge movie buffs and loved combining our art with a cinematic experience,” he adds.
Address:Â 617 8th Avenue SW, Calgary
Phone:Â 403-262-3309
Hours: Showtimes vary
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What other Calgary spots might you find I Am The Mountain at in their downtime? “We love the Palomino,” reveals O’Reilly, “as they are so generous to local bands.” The frontman says that IATM are also big fans of Koi, who host up and coming singer-songwriters (“Where I got my start!” adds O’Reilly), and Ol’ Beautiful as it’s “one of the most stunning bars/breweries in the city.”
In addition to the release of their music video, the Calgary-based band has a busy year ahead. Calgarians can hear “Overthinking Conversations” played alongside an augmented reality art exhibit in the window display at the East Village Good Earth as a part of this year’s Northern Reflections exhibit.
IATM has another single, entitled “Basement Dweller,” that they plan to release in the coming months, and they also had the incredible opportunity to create a direct-to-vinyl-recorded record. “We worked with Ian Dillon at his studio to create a six-song vinyl record, which we hope to put out in the fall,” says O’Reilly. “This process is quite difficult and has not been done in Canada since the ’80s. We feel very fortunate to have been a part of this and can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Additionally, the band will be performing at BIG Winter Classic, at Broken City with Winnipeg-based jazz-rock band Apollo Suns in April, and they’re also playing at a couple of upcoming weddings (“We are always open for bookings,” hints O’Reilly).
I Am The Mountain are also making plans to record their first full length record. “It’s been a long time coming,” O’Reilly says excitedly. “Most likely 2023!”
Find I Am The Mountain’s music on Bandcamp, Apple Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your tunes, and be sure to visit the band on Instagram (“We try to design our page in an interesting way and would love people’s feedback,” invites O’Reilly).
You can also check out the incredible music video/short film for yourself on YouTube and see if you recognize any of these Calgary spots.
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