This is going to be an AWESOME night of music, and you should plan to be here! Two of these groups are from Vancouver, they played here in June shortly after we opened, and we are REALLY excited to have them return to our stage. Redbird features the vocal talents of Savannah Wellman, while Portage & Main runs a little closer to the CSNY school of music. And to make the night even better, they’ve invited their friend and ours Julia McDougall (and her piano) to join the bill. The show is on a Monday night, but we think it could be a great way to make your weekend last a little bit longer. Doors open at 7:30, the music will start at 8 pm, and it will continue through the evening. Tickets are only $10 at the door!
About Redbird
“We’re all friends and lovers until it falls apart” is the debut EP from Vancouver band, Redbird.
Redbird
Singer/Songwriter Savannah Leigh Wellman has fronted many variations of her own group, but things seemed to fall into place with the formation of Redbird. Savannah (vocals and acoustic guitar), John Sponarski (guitar), Jeremy Appleton (bass) and Ben Brown (drums), were good friends playing in numerous other projects, but when the opportunity arose to make music together, it seemed like the natural choice.
“This band and these songs emerged after some huge changes in my life took place, and I found myself needing to redefine my outlook, my music, and the relationships in my life.” Savannah explains. “The title is a tribute to the amazing group of people that helped me through those times. But in any group of people who care for each other, it can be hard to avoid the grey areas; as complicated, wonderful, and painful as that can be. I was drawn to the intricacies of the emotions that were being dealt with – it seemed more interesting than dwelling on a broken heart”.
The 6 song EP, produced by Shawn Cole (Yukon Blonde, Bend Sinister, You Say Party) moves from the driving rhythms of “No Game” and “In the Hands of Ghosts”, to more delicate, folk inspired moments in the heart wrenching honesty of “Some Birds” and “Oh Please My Heart”. The band pulls from a slew of sonic inspirations, from 70’s rock to Motown, with Savannah’s subtly soulful vocals hinting at alt-country influences. It all comes together in lush arrangements of guitars and vocal harmonies, with crashing drums and droning organs.
“We’re all friends and lovers until it falls apart” was released in June 2011, supported by a tour of Western Canada.
About Portage & Main
Portage & Main
Portage & Main’s self-titled debut conjures images of two lonely wanderers travelling the long and weary road trading melancholy tales of old romance. It comes as no surprise then that the project was brought to life by a group of old friends moving transiently from basement to basement across Vancouver as they began to put into motion events that they themselves could not foresee. The modest truths of the songs speak volumes of the people that brought it all together.
John Sponarski and Harold Donnelly are the raconteurs behind this folk-rock endeavor, but the Portage & Main moniker encompasses the talents of Georges Couling on keys, Ben Brown on drums, and Mike Agranovich on bass to create a sound reminiscent of the lighter side of CSNY’s Déjà Vu.
Portage & Main strikes a chord in the same Canadian vein as Neil Young and The Band, with its southern guitar and haunting vocals. While the boys didn’t physically ride the timeless rails like tramps, the songs are as honest and genuine as if they had, displaying the insight of old souls whose hearts are fixed and bound to a boxcar travelling across the country. So sit by the light of Portage & Main’s fire and listen to alluring tales of the human experience as your weary travelers traverse the peaks of the misty mountains and wade through the depths of the rivers below.
About Julia & Her Piano
Julia McDougall
Julia McDougall has been performing in and around Western Canada since the age of fifteen. Growing up in a small town in southern Saskatchewan, Julia developed and honed her musical talent from a young age. After high school, Julia moved to Vancouver and completed a degree in music from Simon Fraser University. Since the release of her debut album “Who is This?” Julia’s music has been met with enthusiasm and esteem and has been featured on several blogs inculding SoundCloud, Vancouver is Awesome and Beyond Robson. Not only this, Julia has been featured on CBC radio one, in SFU’s news publication “The Peak”, was invited to play last year’s NXNE music festival and continues to tour across western Canada. Julia’s music can only be described as her own: her lyrics are honest and true to her prairie heritage while her live performances combine intimate songwriting with a comedic quirkiness that captures the hearts of her audiences. Currently, Julia is living in Regina, Saskatchewan and plans to release a new album in the fall of 2012.
http://www.myspace.com/juliaandherpiano
