RANCHfest 2002 May 18th - 26th

  RANCHfest Calender - By Band
 

LESLIE ALEXANDER
Thursday May 23rd
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Hopetown and Swingin Doors

Leslie's forthcoming disc "Savage Country" includes songs about sky-scapers and grain-elevators, train-tracks and semi-trucks, telephone lines and barbed wire fences.

" . . . a style that is completely her own . . . a rock-solid performer . . . the next "diamond in the rough." Nadine Davenport, Grrrls with Guitars

In addition to being an active singer/songwriter on the local scene, Leslie hosts CFRO's (102.7 FM) "Amazing Alt Country Countdown" every Thursday at 4. Savage Country is expected for release in September 02.

email: lesliealexander@telus.net

AUBURN
Friday May 24th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir) 8:30 pm., $8/10. admission.
CD RELEASE For Sophomore Recording BLUE RIDGE REVEILLE

AUBURN's anticipated sophomore release "Blue Ridge Reveille" was recorded in the warmth of Shelley Campbell's livingroom by producer (FLOPHOUSE Jr.'s) Jon Wood, and includes guest performances from many of Vancouver's finest roots musicians - Anticipate a live support cast for this release show from members of BOOMCHIX, BUGHOUSE 5, COAL, FLOPHOUSE JR., and PARLOUR STEPS.

Discography: MISFIT CAFE - '99; IS IT YOU? EP - '01; BLUE RIDGE REVEILLE - '02.

"Fans of Lucinda Williams take note: we have the smokey, sultry sounds of Auburn on display" - CBC's New Music Canada site - http://www.newmusiccanada.com/genres/artist.cfm?Band_Id=4804

website: http://www.auburn.ipfox.com

email: auburn@graffiti.net

GEOFF BERNER
Monday May 20th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir)
"ACCORDION MADNESS" w/ Robyn Carrigan, Ana BonBon and David P. Smith

Geoff Berner's songs combine great melody, biting wit, and way too much insight into human nature. Geoff travels the world with his accordion and his lover's ancient green beaverskin hat, telling tales, stirring up trouble, and wishing he had a blimp.

Upcoming dates include Seattle, Norway, and Saskatchewan, and he has played in Japan and Slovenia and many points in between, all of which somehow end up reflected, however indirectly, in his music.

Discography: "Light Enough To Travel" (Geoff's title track is an international single for Nettwerk's The Be Good Tanyas, and is included on the RANCH compilation, "Showdown")

website: www.geoffberner.com/

email: gmberner@aol.com

BIG JOHN BATES
Saturday May 25th
Stella's in Seattle
w/ The Dirty Birds and Drag Strip Riot

"MORE FUN THAN A MIDNIGHT DRAG RACE FUELED BY A FIFTH OF BOURBON" - EXCLAIM MAGAZINE

Discography: Flamethrower (track included on Ranch compilation "Showdown"); "Vibro Psychotic" 7" (99)

website:  www.bigjohnbates.com
email:  horndawg@bigjohnbates.com

ANA BON BON
Monday May 20th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir)
"ACORDION MADNESS" w/ Geoff Berner, Robyn Carrigan, and David P. Smith

"Ana's soulful blend of blues-gospel accordion rhythms supporting raw, esoteric vocals" -"a gospel accordion to Bon-Bon" -"high-heeled accordion blues"

Discography:debut CD released in December 2001 called "Sister" produced by Stephen Nikleva, featuring 7 originals and 4 cover tunes.

Links: www.westender.com: pic and audio clip under the "I Was There" heading.

www.empireburlesque.com (my burlesque troupe)

phone: 604-872-0731

email: anabonbon@hotmail.com

THE BOOM CHIX
Sunday May 19th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
opening for David P. Smith

Tuesday May 22 @ The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir) - . guest for Linda McRae's Tribute to Country Legends

Comforting three piece female harmonies.

email:  jalydu@telus.net

BOTTLENECK
Friday May 24th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir)
w/ Herald Nix, Coal & Auburn

"The songs are gorgeous, especially "Hate To See You Cry", and the music is rustic and comfortable, like that same old back porch." Freight Train Boogie - Santa Rosa, CA

discography: BOTTLENECK self titled (02).
email:  bottleneck@angelfire.com

GRAHAM BROWN & THE PRAIRIE DOGS
Sunday May 26th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Daisy Duke

Graham Brown & Prairie Dogs: "Voted - Top 20 CDs of - 2001

For real Steve Earle-style driving country-rock, Graham Brown is without a doubt the key player at the moment. One of the most infectious albums in recent times, and a perfect album for a forty-five minute journey. Brown's music is infectious, well produced and intense". - ****/5 Americana uk. (UK) ("Good 'N Broke")

discography: Here are just three of Graham's 14 recordings: 01. Graham Brown - "Shotguns, Cacti & Vengeance" - (2002) - Miles Of Music CD Sampler. 02. Graham Brown - "Good 'n Broke" - (2001) - Stomp Records. 03. Graham Brown - "Brand New Smile" - (1998) - Stomp Records.

website: www.grahambrownsongs.com

email: info@grahambrownsongs.com

ROBYN CARRIGAN
Monday May 20th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir)
"Accordion Madness" w/ Geoff Berner, Ana Bon Bon, and David P. Smith.

Robyn has an extraordinary voice and pens some damn beautiful songs too - catch her in Bottleneck and Daisy Duke singing and playing a variety of instruments like banjo and accordion.

email: rcarrigan@hotmail.com

COAL
Friday May 24th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir)
w/ Auburn, Bottleneck and Herald Nix.

Vancouver's "torch noir"act plays dreamy ,dark, moody twang reverberating between heaven and hell. Lead singer Nicole Steen is not only a gifted vocalist who has lent her talents to local recordings (Jack Harlan, Nettwerk release forthcoming, and Auburn's Blue Ridge Reveille), but is also a staple of the lowbrow "Pop Tart" arts community. Catch her work at various venues such as Big C Grill.

discography: One Track Mind-CD Coal Music/Factor(1998) Northern Lights-CD V/A Tinderbox(2000) COALESCENT-VHS Video(2000)Coal Music/Cinestir Beautiful Afterburn-CD Coal Music(2001)

Reviews: http://www.coalmusic.com/beautiful.html

website: www.geocities.com/coalmusic

email:  coal@istar.ca

CONRAD
Friday May 24th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Silt and Violet

"....psychedelic understated country rock...."

"These guys look as Canadian as it is possible to look: gormless, depressed, locked into the frozen waste of absolute conformity. But they make music like you wouldn't believe!"- The Ubyssey

Their self-titled debut CD should be out in June.

email: llechner@telus.net

DAISY DUKE
Sunday May 26th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Graham Brown & The Prairie Dogs

Multi-talented 3-girl country kitch'n band will blow your minds with their three-part harmonies.

Band features Robyn Carrigan (Bottleneck), Jeanne Tolmie (JTKing), and Joyita Rubin.

email:  daisy_duke@angelfire.com

DEADCATS
Friday May 24th
The Cobalt Hotel (917 Main St.)
w/ Wrekdefy and Graveyard Shift.

The Deadcats are referred to as Canada's best Psychobilly Garage Surf Band with a Gutbucket.

The DEADCATS just returned from 2 very well-received shows in Edmonton.

The DEADCATS new 'Bad Pussy' CD is selling quite well and has been picked up for distribution by distributors in Finland, England, Germany, U.S. and Japan so far.

They will also be appearing on a Johnny Cash tribute compilation CD featuring such bands as the Cadillac Tramps, Eddie Spaghetti (Supersuckers), honky-tonk country star Dale Watson, and Jesse Dayton (Road Kings).

mp3's: http://www.mp3.com/Deadcats

website: the-deadcats.tripod.com/psychocats/

email:  flyingsaucer@direct.ca

EL DORADO
Saturday May 18th
The Marine Club (573 Homer St.)
Appearing at the Rockabilly BBQ

Female fronted 50's-inspired pop'n roll and rockabilly a la Patsy Cline.

email: souphead@rocketmail.com

DAVE GOWANS
(and members of the Buttless Chaps)
Friday May 24th
The Marine Club (573 Homer St.)
w/ John Guliak & Lougan Brothers and J T King

Electro-Prog Country.

discography: Death Scenes 1,11,111 (01); Death Country (00); Tumblewire (99); The Buttless Chaps(98)

snail mail: #411-1298 West 10th Ave. V6H 1J4

phone: 604-736-0078

website: www.thebuttlesschaps.com

email: dave@thebuttlesschaps.com

HEATHER GRIFFIN
Wednesday May 22nd
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Jon Wood & Rich Hope

Stories, landscapes, and of course, love left out on the cupboard too long...Heather will help us wrap it up tight and take it out back where it belongs. Americana you say? Heather Griffin and her ever evolving band prefer to call it just plain old country. Always surprising her audience with band members such as Paul Rigby (Bocephus King), Jon Wood (Flophouse Jr.), Mike Evans (Rich Hope), drummer Mark "Hunter S" Glapsky and more. Heather's vocals and songwriting don't exactly evoke thoughts of "peace in the valley" however. They make you feel more like lying on the hood of a Dodge Dart, cool one in hand, watching jets take off in the backyard-bonfire sky.

Kudzu Records Inc: kudzurecords@hotmail.com

website: www.heathergriffinmusic.tripod.com

email: hezgriffin@hotmail.com

JOHN GULIAK & THE LOUGAN BROTHERS
Friday May 24th
The Marine Club (573 Homer St.)
w/ Dave Gowans & J T King

Smokey, disheartening country songs intermittently leavened with a good, swift kick in the ass.

Newly signed to MINT Records, John's new release THE BLACK MONK will be released Thursday, July 4 at the Railway Club.

website:  www3.telus.net/guliak
email:  guliak@telus.net

HANS SULU
Saturday May 25th
The Railway Club(579 Dunsmuir St)
Eugene Ripper's Fast Folk Underground w/ Del Cowsill, The Pepper Sands and Eugene Ripper Band

Sci-Fi Country... and you better smile when you say that, pardner.

RICH HOPE
Wednesday May 22nd
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Heather Griffin and Jon Wood

A member of John Ford, Rich delivers blazing rock 'n roll, country twang, and straight from the heart laments.

discography: Good To Go (99)

website: www.richhope.com

email: acidtest@portal.ca

HOPETOWN
Thursday May 23rd
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Leslie Alexander and Swingin Doors

Features Lazy Susan's Robin Pollack, delivering a blend of bluegrass & country twang.

email: lazysusan2@shaw.ca

J T KING
Friday May 24th
The Marine Club (573 Homer St.)
w/ John Guliak & Lougan Brothers and Dave Gowans

Homespun, heartfelt, hospitable, and happenin'.

discography: Ruby River (00) (track included on Ranch compilation "Showdown")

email: cmp-jkt@direct.ca

LINDA MCRAE
Tuesday May 21st
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir)
w/ Robin Pollack, Barb Wilkins and Janice Dunbar

Ex Spirit of the West member brings old time soul to danceable country.

discography: New disc (02); Flying Jenny (97)

email: l_mcrae@yahoo.com

BUTCH MURPHY & THE GREASY KINGS
Saturday May 25th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ The Rocket Fins.

Blasters-inspired Americana rock 'n roll, Butch also fronts Bughouse 5 and adds his bass stylings to Mac Pontiac and Auburn.

"...a big-voiced frontman with the on-stage charisma of three top-notch Vegas crooners (Butch Murphy)." - The Rocket, Seattle,

discography: Your Garage Or Mine (02)

email: bughouse5@hotmail.com

HERALD NIX
Friday May 24th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir St)
w/ Auburn, Bottleneck, and Coal.

A true original, and masterful songsmith/unique guitarist, Herald Nix is a very special treat.

discography includes "Open Up The Sky" (track included on Ranch compilation "Showdown")

EUGENE RIPPER
Saturday May 25th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir St)
Eugene Ripper's Fast Folk Underground w/ Del Cowsill, Hans Sulu and The Pepper Sands

Canada's original punk folk artist, originating The Fast Folk Underground series.

website: http://www.eugeneripper.com

email: eugeneripper@canada.com

THE ROCKET FINS
Saturday May 25th
The Main (4210 Main Street)
w/ Butch Murphy & Greasy Kings

Flamable rockabilly...get scorched!

email: flyingsaucer@direct.ca

THE ROCKIN' DADDYS
Saturday May 18th
The Marine Club (573 Homer Street)
Appearing at the Rockabilly BBQ

"Best primitive rockabilly band in the West...in their own minds!"

HOT KAT magazine [UK]:"...ROCKIN DADDYS demo is the best red hot rockabilly release I've heard for awhile - can't wait for their next CD."

discography: 'ROCKIN DADDYS' (Fireball 006) CD demo 2000 'Tear It Up' on upcoming RANCH compilation CD 'Showdown'

phone: RICH HAGMAN: 604-298-3322

website: rockindaddys.ipfox.com

email: rockin_daddys@yahoo.com

SILT
Friday May 24th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Violet and Conrad

"Trance-country heartbreakers"

Their debut album (self-titled) is due for release the first week of July,2002.

phone Allison: 604-255-7825

email: ripered@sprint.ca

DAVID P. SMITH
Saturday May 19th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ multi-instrumentalist Scott Henderson (from Victoria) and guests Boomchix.

Sunday May 20th
The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir St)
"Accordion Madness" with Geoff Berner, Robyn Carrigan and Ana Bon Bon.

Rantin', ravin', disturbin', one-man'in accordion guy. David P. Smith's idiosyncratic accordion wheezings and inventive wordplay are enhanced by the instrumental stylings of Garden City dark horse Scott Henderson on the electric and acoustic guitars, euphonium , and alto clarinet. Smith's songs careen between the deeply blue and the absurd, the funereal and the frenzied, while Henderson is described by Ford Pier as "...one of the best natural musicians I've met."

discography: The Early Beers (with the Dog Breath Brothers) (00)

website: www.inflatableeye.com

email: badps@islandnet.com

SWANK
Saturday MAY 18th
The Marine Club (573 Homer St.)
Appearing at the Rockabilly BBQ

Swank's bringing its genetically modified, corn swillin', ass kickin', f***ed-up country sounds performing as part of the Hot Rod Barbecue on May 18 at the Marine Club and then headlining the Silvertone later the same night.

email: doug@karyo.net

THE SWINGIN' DOORS
Thursday May 23rd
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Leslie Alexander and Hopetown

The Swingin' Doors are a Roots-Rockin' Quintet from Vancouver, BC. Playing a mixture of foot stomping Country/Rockabilly/Western Swing seasoned with a few of their own Rootsy Original Tunes.

email: swingindoors@telus.net

VIOLET
Friday May 24th
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Silt and Conrad

Indie Pop-rock with twang sensibilities.

email: janismck@vpl.ca

JON WOOD
Wednesday May 22nd
The Main (4210 Main St.)
w/ Heather Griffin and Rich Hope

Jon is best known for his original project Flophouse Jr. which continue to garner much acclaim for Jon's brilliant songwriting and arrangements.

Jon has also earned himself a few points with his production skills (Yardsale), most recently for Auburn's Blue Ridge Reveille.

discography: WOODLAND; HOUR GLASS HOUSE (02)

email: flophousejr@hotmail.com