Go NORTH to Detroit, SOUTH to Windsor: The Rural Alberta Advantage

Showing posts with label The Rural Alberta Advantage. Show all posts

Show Alert: The Rural Alberta Advantage and July Talk

Thu., Oct. 9
The Magic Stick ~ Detroit
$12

Don't let the name fool you. The Rural Alberta Advantage don't live in Alberta, and they're not a country band. Fueled by Paul Banwatt's precise and inspired drumming, the Toronto trio blends Nils Edenloff's plaintive voice-- who is an Edmonton native-- and Amy Cole's soprano with guitar and keyboards into alt pop/rock/folk that sounds like no other band. If you didn't hop the border to hear them at their sold-out show at Windsor's Phog Lounge in 2011, or Phog Phest 4 in 2012, now's your chance as they bring old favourites and new from their fourth album, Mended With Gold. Listen: "Terrified" from Mended With Gold.

Paul Banwatt

Nils Edenloff

Amy Cole

We saw July Talk with Sam Roberts Band in April at The Fillmore Detroit, and the audience gave them a lot of love. It's hard not to when the dialogue on stage is Peter Dreimanis' whiskey-and-cigarettes growl to Leah Fay's sweet and sassy melodies set to energetic and playful alt rock. Listen: "Summer Dress" from their self-titled debut album.

Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images

PHOG PHEST 4

Tickets only $15 ~ http://phoglounge.com

Cellos (Windsor)
www.cellos.bandcamp.com

Club Thunderbolt (Windsor)
www.clubthunderbolt.com

Cobra & Vulture (Montreal)
http://music.cbc.ca/artists/Cobra-Vulture

Gypsy Chief Goliath (Windsor)
www.reverbnation.com/gypsychiefgoliath

James O-L and the Villains (Windsor)
http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/James-O-L-and-the-Villains

Learning (Windsor)
www.wearelearning.bandcamp.com

New Country Rehab (Toronto)
www.newcountryrehab.com

Rural Alberta Advantage (HEADLINER from Toronto)
http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/The-Rural-Alberta-Advantage

The Unquiet Dead (Windsor)
www.music.cbc.ca/artists/the-unquiet-dead

Vultures? (Windsor)
www.facebook.com/groups/vultures.canada/

With a special 90-minute opening set by Jam Space Academy bands:
9 Volt, 24 Sussex, Arcadia, Jinx, Lawless, Lost Weekend, Tremors
www.jamspacewindsor.com/JamSpaceAcademy.php

Congratulations to our RAA set list winner

Dirk of New Baltimore, jojodillon on the CBC Radio 3 blog, was the first to correctly answer the question:

What is the name of the Windsor restaurant where Amy Cole of the Rural Alberta Advantage had dinner the night of the show? The World Marathon Restaurant. (The answer was available here.)

He wins the Rural Alberta Advantage set list from their show at the Phog Lounge on Sun., Mar. 27. Thanks for playing, Dirk, and for reading N2DS2W.

Win a GENUINE Rural Alberta Advantage Set List!

Okay, so it's not a trip to Europe, a new flat-screen TV, or even a free CD. But it is a genuine set list from the Rural Alberta Advantage show in March at Phog Lounge, and it can be yours if you're the first person to e-mail us the correct answer to this question:

What is the name of the Windsor restaurant where Amy Cole of the Rural Alberta Advantage had dinner the night of the show?

Show Review: the Rural Alberta Advantage put their stamp on the Phog

With all apologies to opening band Waker Glass, due to time and hunger, we opted for Ethiopian cuisine before the Rural Alberta Advantage show at Windsor's Phog Lounge on Sun., Mar. 27. As we were savoring Meser Wat, Aziffa and lamb tips with basmati rice among other delicacies at the World Marathon restaurant, we noticed a woman dining by herself. It wasn't until we arrived at the Phog that we realized it was Amy Cole of the Rural Alberta Advantage, enjoying, by her own definition, some "alone" time. It was the last she would get that evening at a show that sold out weeks before.

The Rural Alberta Advantage's folk-on-steroids sound is driven by Paul Banwatt's energetic yet finessed drumming. Banwatt has that rare ability to take sticks and skins and elevate them from mere timekeepers to a full-fledged member of the chorus (Banwatt is also part of the equally popular duo Woodhands, with Dan Werb). Singer/songwriter/guitarist Nils Edenloff has a voice like a plaintive banjo, a heart full of love and longing for places and things of his native Alberta and the talent to bring them to life. Cole's backing vocals, keyboards and assorted other instrumental talents add civilized polish without dulling the edge.

The band's 2009 debut album, Hometowns, was solidly embraced by critics and listeners alike. In stores since Mar. 1, their follow-up, Departing, not only ducks the dubious sophomore curse, but indicates that the band has indeed arrived. Molson Canadian has already scored the single "Stamp" for a TV ad.