Get stoked, folks, because Shred Kelly is coming to town.
The Fernie-based band has been making headlines across Canada this year thanks to their new album Sing to the Night, which exemplifies their signature “stoke folk” sound.
The band coined the term in 2010 to set themselves apart from other folk-rock bands and since then they haven’t looked back.
“It feels like Sing to the Night has been our most successful album so far,” said Sage McBride, who sings and plays piano in the band.
“It definitely feels like the other two albums we were still growing into this one.”
Part of the band’s allure is its high-energy live show that brings people to their feet, filling the dance floor to the brim.
“When we first started we were a garage band that met at a jam night so we kind of got our energy just from playing live shows and playing in front of our peers and our community,” explained McBride.
“I think we enjoyed playing live and liked that live aspect. That’s always been something that has been really important to us.”
To top off the year, which included sold-out shows across Canada and performances at some of Canada’s premier festivals, the band is currently on an eight-gig tour of Western Canada with a show scheduled at the Jasper Royal Canadian Legion Dec. 17.
In recognition of its rising talent, Shred Kelly also won several awards this year, including album of the year and best live act at the 2015 Kootenay Music Awards, as well as the 2015 West Coast Music Award for best music video for their single “Sing to the Night.”
“A lot of our songwriting takes inspiration from living in the mountains and because a lot of our audiences live in ski cultures and ski communities it definitely plays into the type of music that we write,” said McBride, adding it was also the inspiration behind the band’s award winning music video.
In addition to the mountains, the group also draws influence from the diverse backgrounds of its members, with four members from Ontario and one member from St. John’s, N.L.
“Some of our songs reference our pasts or where we grew up so there’s different references about different parts of Canada as well,” explained McBride.
Following their tour, which wraps up Jan. 30 in their home base of Fernie, B.C., the band will hit the road again in February, with a tour scheduled in Germany, followed by a tour in the United States.
To catch the band’s live performance in Jasper, head over to the legion on Dec. 17. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.
Advanced tickets are $15 and are available through ticketweb.ca, as well as at Coco’s Cafe and the legion. Otherwise tickets are $20 at the door.
