There was a lot happening  over the Canada Day weekend, so it was to be expected if crowds were a little thin, however Calgary indie rock band The Northwest Passage had a decent sized, attentive audience for the Cd release party for their debut CD A — Wake at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, July 2.

They laid down a mellow, sometimes spooky, laid back vibe powered by frontman Paul van Kampen’s piano and soft voice. Laura Rid’s violin added just as much to the Pink Floyd meets Radiohead atmosphere the band was setting as Laura  Jones added extra spooky vocals.

Guitarist Darren Young added plenty of ambient guitar and sinister slide, further drawing the audience into the music while drummer Daniel Wilson added the steady beat.

 Their short and soothing set covered most of the new CD  and a few covers of fellow Calgary musicians.
 I missed Steven Foord’s opening set.