I always miss Calgary  ambient rock/psychedelic rock band the Ashley Hundred, so made a point to catch their Jan. 14 show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge. 

I missed Bailey Kate’s opening set.

The Ashley Hundred improved a lot since I last saw them.

 They  played an easygoing, hypnotic set combining elements of rock, progressive rock and a touch of jazz and an iota of hip hop and R and B , a smattering country and a little ’70s style soft rock which incorporated a variety of instruments.

Brett Cassidy alternated playing  banjo and steel guitar, but not like any country musician would, using them to create layers of ambiance  ad mellow sounds over plenty of groovy bas sand drums.

  They added guitar, keyboards and multi-part vocals  into the musical stew they were brewing.

 You couldn’t see much of it with smoke rising from the dimly lit stage, but you could hear their somewhat spooky sounds.

 The keyboards added a ’60s feel and a touch of more modern Jesse Northey sounds.

— By Richard Amery,L.A.Beat Editor