Download cards are now a part of the Guelph music scene
Tyler Belluz of Missed Connection Records is stirring up some excitement throughout the city of Guelph. He is a graduate of Indiana University and his specialty is classical music. Belluz’s new venture is to showcase local talent by choosing an artist of the month who appears both on the Missed Connection Records’ website and also on their new download cards that are popping up around downtown Guelph. The idea is for local artists to become better known in the community. “The download card project is to promote local bands, a way to help friends with a little boost in media,” says Belluz. The download cards are available at most individual coffee shops downtown including: Planet Bean (downtown & Gordon locations), The Red Brick Café, The Bookshelf, The Cornerstone, Ray’s Antiques and Ouderirk & Taylor.
Belluz chose to disperse the download cards where “people will be like minded” and that have “a certain vibe”. Belluz stated that “each artists of the month has something coming up, whether it be an album release or a concert, it’s a way of cross promoting.” This is the kind of project that is created and run on passion, “I could only print so many because I don’t have a lot of money but next month I hope to print more because I hope to have more sponsors,” said Belluz.
This month 250 were printed and ready to be handed out for September 1, next month 500 cards will be printed and a new location for pick up will hopefully be available, the Bullring on campus.
Belluz spoke highly of Guelph and believes we are lucky to have a “great local music scene” and encourages everyone to “explore what is happening.” This is a community-building project, it is time to venture out and find new connections. Word of mouth and lending a helping hand is something that strengthens Guelph’s artistic community as a whole, we are moving in a technologically driven culture and Belluz has found a way to create a movement that is worth something in a meaningful way. He said that he is “willing to help any genre,” and it is apparent that his passion for music delves deep within him.
Belluz has already been featured in numerous publications that are spreading the word of this innovative idea and is now looking to grab the attention of the diverse collection of bodies and minds on campus.
This venture is unique as it is a collaboration of different forms of media and entertainment are centered in our home of Guelph, Ontario. It’s a special collection of talented people wanting to help each other out and promote each other in new and exciting ways. It brings back a side of business that isn’t always readily apparent- Belluz is bringing back a form of attention that has gotten lost over time, a kind way of doing things, building strong bonds and ties within the community. This is the kind of thing that makes Guelph such a culturally rich place to live.