Small town joins big city at The Wood in Canmore this week.
On Friday (Jan. 6), local bands Seth Anderson ‘The Renegade Kid’ and Pillgrim will hook up with Vancouver’s High Society at The Wood.
In the case of Anderson and Pillgrim, it’s about four guys making up two bands. Players include Anderson (vocals, guitar), Robin Periera (guitar, vocals, keys), who heads up Pillgrim, and Pat Cloutier (upright bass) and Gavin Boutet (drums).
High Society is a four-piece which has been building a regional reputation across Western Canada for close to two years playing a blend of R&B, soul, folk, blues, hip hop and jazz. They are currently readying a live album in between the tracking of a studio album before heading into the Great White North on their second tour.
Their rhythmic foundation is held down by Cory Sweet (baritone sax, tuba, various wind instruments) and Kenan Sungur (drums, upright bass, vocals). High Society is fronted by Adam Farnsworth (keys, guitar, vocals) and Chelsea D.E. Johnson (vocals, guitar).
When the locals play with Anderson as frontman, you can expect an acoustic, indie, truth-inspired, East Coast folk rock sound. After they switch seats and microphones and perform as the Pereira-fronted Pillgrim, you can expect an electric, alt country, rockabilly sound.
Anderson moved to Canmore from New Brunswick a few years back for the first time, then returned about five years ago. “I wanted to live in the mountains. I like to ski and snowboard and mountain bike and I’ve been watching ski movies since I was eight years old.
“I played university hockey with a guy from Canmore who told me how good a place it was to live.”
Since settling in the mountains, Anderson has been concentrating on his music, touring Canada both solo and as a trio last winter. Travelling with a foursome, he said, does take a little getting used to, especially when it comes time to load in and load out of a venue. “It’s a Tetris game, for sure.”
Anderson has created a trio of albums, the new Rocky Town Heartache (the tale of a relationship, from beginning to end), Refuge at Trail’s End (2008) and Late Night Renegade (2006), while Periera and Pillgrim are ont their first tour with their first effort.
While both bands share some of the same sound, “we sound different enough to tour together,” he said. “We have a good dynamic, things are working out really well and our writing and vocal styles are very different.
“I think the two acts compliment each other.”
As a songwriter, Anderson said he tries to let things flow naturally. “I try not to think about it too much, it’s hard to be in the songwriter mode all the time. I find it’s best not to force it, you never know when you might write something good.
“And on tour, I find it’s all about emotion. I like being on the road and travelling around. I like road trips. If I could, I’d be on the road about eights months a year.”
