Blues, alternative and Crash Test Dummies highlight the summer lineup at The Royal
By Nelson Daily Editor
It’s going to be a hot spring and summer at The Royal on Baker this year.
Check out these upcoming acts.
Crash Test Dummies
Monday, Nov. 28 –
Tickets: $20 available April 23 at liveattheroyal.com, Royal Espresso, Eddy Music and KCR
It’s been 20 years since the Crash Test Dummies gave us Superman’s Song and they are still creating their unusually literate, eceltic brand of pop with the unmistakeable voice of Brad Roberts.
With the release of their latest CD, Oooh La-La, the group will tour again for the first time since 2004.
They will perform as an acoustic trio with Ellen and Brad singing and old friend and tour partner Stuart Cameron playing acoustic guitar.
Don’t miss these Canadian legends with their whimsical, thoughtful, and dryly humorous lyrics, creative musical arrangements, and those unmistakable baritone vocals.
Mr Something Something
Friday, July 29
Tickets: $15 available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com, Royal Espresso, Eddy Music and Kootenay Co-op Radio
A little something for the body, a little something for the mind; your soundtrack to a joyful revolution … this is Mr. Something Something.
With their fourth album, the Toronto band continues to gain international recognition for their unique blend of Afrobeat, jazz and pop.
Their irresistible rhythms and interactive live shows have long served as a vehicle for social justice and environmental activism, and in 2009, the band has taken audience participation to new levels with its SoundCycle – Canada’s first bicycle powered sound system. Power to the people, by the people.
Fred Eaglesmith
Monday, July 18
Tickets: $15 advance, $20 day of show available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com, Royal Espresso and Eddy Music
Country-folk singer/songwriter Fred J. Eaglesmith was one of nine children born to a farming family in rural southern Ontario.
Often employing his difficult upbringing as raw material for his heartland narratives, Eaglesmith has a handful of albums behind him and has become a Canadian underground favourite.
He tours relentlessly with a great love for the live performance. He’s a true Canadian folk singer and a puts on a terrific live show.
Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy
Thursday, Sept. 1
Tickets: $30 advance, $35 day of show available April 23 at liveattheroyal.com, Royal Espresso, Eddy Music and KCR
Ladies and gents, roll your smokes up in your sleeve and hold on to your cowboy hats, it’s time to take a trip back to a time before slick, over-produced country became the norm-a time when outlaws wrote songs about being without a pot to piss in-or at least about psycho exboyfriends and deadbeat girlfriends that spend your paycheck faster than you can say Lone Star.
Welcome to the new sound of Reverend Horton Heat. They’re sharing the stage with hardcore rockers, Nashville Pussy. Nashville Pussy have celebrated their brand of genuine rock n’ roll for more than a decade, in classic style at times, surprising at others, but always earthy, raw and unadulterated.
Their songs are mostly about fun and good times, but occasionally – as in the case of ‘Late Great USA’ – they also stick the finger into an open wound.
They play a super-charged, electrifying, brutal fusion of hardcore, glam-rock and heavy-metal. Wow, what a badass rockin’ night this is going to be.
Skampida and Brave New Waves
Friday, May 20
Tickets: $10 advance, $15 day of show available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
Skampida have become one of the most successful and popular group’s to emerge from Colombia. The band has an innovative and diverse fusion of Colombian reggae, folkloric rhythms and urban sounds (hip hop, punk cumbia and champeta) along with gypsy influences and drum and bass.
Their inventive and cutting edge sound, filled with deep emotion and conviction penetrates their listeners deep inside their soul and makes them evaluate life as a whole while onstage their energetic performance lifts you up and carries you away. Brave New Waves will share the stage this night as well.
These guys were born on the wicked and wild west coast of Vancouver Island on a sandy beach amongst breaking surf and torrential spring downpours. The members share a passion for reggae, ska and surf music.
If you want a sound that takes you away to an island with beautiful sandy beaches, lush green rainforests, and beautiful breaking waves then Brave New Waves is the band for you. An upbeat, dancin’, groovin’ doubleheader.
The Twisters
Saturday, May 21
Tickets: $15 available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com, Royal Espresso and Eddy Music
Paying dues to the blues tradition, The Twisters swing hard with two inspired vocalists, tightly woven harp and guitar lines, and a relentless driving rhythm section forging a groove that refuses to be denied.
Each of the members has brought his musical talents and influences to the table, resulting in a potpourri of Blues Cuisine guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning blues palette.
From deep in the Mississippi Delta to early Chicago shuffles, from infectious Texas grinders to West Coast jump and funky swamp-soaked Louisiana rhythms, The Twisters serve up the goods.
Top it all off with strong original compositions and a live show renowned for rockin’ the house and there’s only one thing left … do yourself a favour and see what the storm’s all about when The Twisters blow through Nelson.
John Mayall
Thursday, August 4
Tickets: $30 advance, $35 day of show available April 15 at liveattheroyal.com, Royal Espresso and Eddy Music
Blues legend John Mayall is coming to the Royal.
This man has had a succession of great musicians define their artistic roots under his leadership, and he became as well known for discovering new talent as for his hard-hitting interpretations of the fierce Chicago-style blues he’d grown up listening to.
His band the Bluesbreakers had a hugely influential career while members of Fleetwood Mac, Andy Fraser from Free, and Mick Taylor and Eric Clapton all took off musically after connecting with Mayall.
He’s backed blues greats such as John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, and Sonny Boy Williamson and at age 75 with an incredible music career behind him, John Mayall hopes to keep the blues alive for many more years to come.
Blue King Brown
Wednesday, June 29
Tickets: $20 advance $25 day of show available April 8 at Royal Espresso, liveattheroyal.com and Eddy Music
Blue King Brown, Australia’s premier Urban roots crew, are Comin’ to conquer.
With the drop of their new record Worldwize Part 1 North & South, (receiving a string of four and five star reviews across the nation) they have established themselves as one of Australia’s most engaging, unique and quality acts.
Hard hitting lyrics and groove, yet delivered in the most accessible way. Come as you are, put your fist in the air, bounce to da beat, rock out up the front row or chill up the back.
Their power packed live show is second to none & now world renowned, they’ve played across the planet, through Europe, UK, Canada, USA and Japan rocking crowds from Tokyo to Texas and everywhere in between.
Led by the multi talented, relentless energy of Natalie Pa’apa’a this group is the real deal.
Leon Russell
Monday, Nov. 7
Tickets: $30 available April 23 at liveattheroyal.com, Royal Espresso and Eddy Music
The ultimate rock & roll session man, Leon Russell’s brings his legendary self to the Royal.
His long and storied career includes collaborations with a virtual who’s who of music icons spanning from Jerry Lee Lewis, Phil Spector, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, J.J. Cale to the Rolling Stones and many more.
A similar eclecticism and scope also surfaced in his solo work, which couched his charmingly gravelly voice in a rustic yet rich swamp pop fusion of country, blues, and gospel.
Leon Russell is a music legend and perhaps the most accomplished and versatile musician in the history of rock ‘n roll.
In his distinguished and unique 50-year career, he has played on, arranged, written and/or produced some of the best records in popular music.
BCDC
Friday July 22
Tickets: $15 available April 8th at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
There are tribute bands, and then there’s BCDC.
They were born of bush party ashes in the summer of 1999. Some 500 unexpected gigs later, Canada’s BC/DC has systematically redefined the concept of a tribute band, garnering iconic status amongst diehard fans, agents, and venues from Vancouver to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
From the backyard biker bashes of Ymir, to the star-studded legendary rooms of Las Vegas, from Nelson to New York City.
While a web search will turn up dozens of AC/DC cover acts around the world, there aren’t likely many who’ve so successfully branded the Aussie band’s timeless raunch with such epic rock n’ roll fury, while also managing to bottle the essence of a wild frontier lifestyle.
Gaudi
Thursday July 14
Tickets: info to be announced soon on liveattheroyal.com
Gaudi’s eclectic style and versatility has kept him at the forefront of his field throughout a noteable and prolific career.
His music, which is an organic fusion of dub, world and nu-beat, is in production, on the playlists and regularly being performed live in the UK and internationally.
This man has been stretching the boundaries of music since the start of his career in the early 1980s and he’s still at the top of his game.
Judy Collins
Sunday, Nov. 13
Tickets: $30 adv. $35 day of show available at the Capitol Theatre Box Office
The Royal presents Judy Collins live at the Capitol Theatre.
Now age 71, Collins is still writing, performing, and nurturing fresh talent. Judy Collins, a relentlessly creative spirit, is a modern day Renaissance woman who is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, record label head, musical mentor, and an in-demand keynote speaker for mental health and suicide prevention.
She continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.
After more than 50 years Judy Collins continues to thrill audiences worldwide with her unique blend of interpretative folksongs and contemporary themes.
EL-B & Dubconscious
Friday, July 8
Tickets: info to be announced soon. Check liveattheroyal.com
The legendary El-B, referred to by some as the Godfather of Dubstep, will be stopping in Nelson whilst touring behind his latest LP release Ghost Chaser.
El-B originally made his name as part of the legendary Groove Chronicles outfit, being the first artist to bring a dark edge to UK Garage with tracks like Stone Cold and 1999. Through his own Ghost Records imprint, El-B has sculpted and defined the modern dubstep sound and famously inspired the prodigious talent of Burial and countless others.
Wax Romeo
Saturday, June 4
Tickets: $10 for the first 100 sold; available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
Though he was hatched from a queer disco egg fertilized by the manic seed of a jheri-curled 198′s R&B drummer, he pulls influence from the likes of the The Rub, and west coast party-chameleons, Vinyl Ritchie and the Smalltown Djs.
Wax Romeo defiles dance floors delivering a mix of funk, rock, house, rap, disco, dancehall, and 1980′s all with his one of a kind flare and sense of humour.
Papa Josh w/ Special guests
Friday, June 3
Tickets: $10 available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
Josh Suhrheinrich is a seasoned funk, jazz and R and B guitarist with a powerful voice and an instinct for making music feel good.
Papa Josh’s only mission is to keep the dance floor shaking. His tasteful solos and guitar explorations melt into the groove as people marvel at the funk band with just one man.
The sound is all Josh and it all happens live, no quantization, it is a living vibration transcended through Papa Josh to the audience in a one of a kind, sweaty, dance inspired, turn you on and keep you moving show.
Blackie Leblanc & The Triumphs
Monday, June 20
Tickets: $10 available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
These merry souls put out some of the hardest hitting and melodic drinking tunes in the business.
All songs are dedicated to the art and lifestyle associated with drinking and partying. From the soulfulness of bottom of the bottle to the anthemic grace of Thinkinaboutdrinkin and the motivational I’ll drink, the Triumphs prove that you don’t need to sing about anything else.
Their line-up includes Kytami from Delhi to Dublin on electric violin. The live show is a roller coaster ride of mood swings, broken bottles and sweet harmonies, topped with a healthy dose of comedy and musicianship.
New Country Rehab
Thursday, July 21
Tickets: $10 available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
Take Canada’s hottest fiddle player, a guitarist that is a cross between Tom Morello and Kevin Breit, a percussionist that plays sawblades and cookie sheets and one of the most versatile double bass players in Canada and you get New Country Rehab.
With John Showman (Creaking Tree String Quartet), James Robertson, Roman Tome’ and Ben Whiteley, the band’s unique outlaw indie country sound channels Hank Williams Sr. as much as Arcade Fire to create exciting new music.
Another one of Canada’s gems on the rise.
Gabriel Palatchi
Thursday, July 28
Tickets: $10 available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
A true student of music, Palatchi is an extremely skilled pianist with years of musical study under his belt.
With deep roots in Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz, he has fused together an original sound and style of music that includes tango, flamenco, salsa , funk and rock.
His music’s nods to past tradition with a modern and regreshing twist.
Top notch musicianship, inventive arrangements and elegant form are what you can expect when you experience his live show.
Kashoo
Saturday, June 11
Tickets: $10 available April 8 at liveattheroyal.com and Royal Espresso
Two computers, effect pedals, keyboards, midi controllers and an upright bass are the tools that bandmates Ness and Jakob use to apply their lush symphonic brushstrokes. Building from a rich background in traditional music to modern electronica, dubstep and glitch-hop, the two maestros work beats, samples and basslines off each other like two old timey banjo players jammin’ on the porch.
The feel is truly organic, while the sound is unmistakably electronic.
Live performance is where it’s at with these cats, and Kashoo has had no problems keeping the floor grooving with their opulent and fertile rhythms.
