Time: 9 p.m.
Cover: none
The Sweet Lowdown http://www.thesweetlowdown.ca
THE
SWEET LOWDOWN can take you anywhere you want to go, from a sunny front
porch to the outer reaches of the universe. Blending original
songwriting and three-part harmonies with an old-time instrumental
groove, this award-winning acoustic roots trio from Victoria, B.C.
creates a unique yet timeless sound that takes listeners on a
pleasurable and memorable journey.
Drawn together by mutual passion
for old-time music, hard-driving bluegrass, sweet harmonies and
well-wrought songs, The Sweet Lowdown (Amanda Blied-guitar, Shanti
Bremer-banjo and Miriam Sonstenes-fiddle) pays homage to its musical
roots while simultaneously breaking new ground. Each member contributes
to the band’s original repertoire and each has a unique vocal flair as
well as impressive instrumental chops.
These are well evident on The
Sweet Lowdown’s latest award-winning album “May”, produced by Adrian
Dolan (The Bills, Ruth Moody), mastered by Joby Baker (Cowboy Junkies,
The Bills) and released in November 2012. The album features 10 original
compositions and two traditional songs that demonstrate a wide range of
influences, including Irish and Indian music. It follows on the heels
of the band’s highly praised self-titled 2011 album, which received a
nomination for “Album of the Year” by the Vancouver Island Music Awards.
Winners
of the 2013 “Island Roots Album of the Year” (Vancouver Island Music
Awards), Victoria’s 2011 M-Award for “Favorite Roots/World Music Group”,
and nominated for “Island Artist of the Year” and “BC-Wide Artist of
the Year” (VIMA), The Sweet Lowdown has the ability to play to, draw in,
and excite a diverse audience–young and old, lovers of traditional
music as well as those new to it.
The past 2 years has seen the band
traveling around the country to share their music and teach their craft,
from as far afield as Haida Gwaii (Edge of the World music Festival),
to Nova Scotia (Cape Breton Island, Lunenburg Folk Harbor Festival), and
northern Saskatchewan (Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Camp and
Festival). Their first US tour in October 2012 took them to LA, Iowa
City and Chicago. Early 2013 included a Home Routes tour of southern
Ontario, and summer festivals included Kluane Mountain Bluegrass
Festival (Whitehorse, Yukon), Folk On The Rocks (Yellowknife, NWT),
Mission Folk Fest (Mission, BC) and Sunshine Music Festival (Powell
River, BC). The trio is looking forward to a busy fall which will
include an Official Showcase at Folk Music Ontario Conference (Oct 17 –
20), and a 10 day Alberta tour. A European tour (UK) is being booked for
spring 2014, as well as shows in North Carolina, which will include a
show for the Winter Colonial Concert Series in Canton, NC, hosted by
Balsam Range.
The Band:
Shanti Bremer grew up in Olympia,
Washington, where she began learning bluegrass banjo at the age of 11.
After moving to Victoria, BC, Bremer continued to refine her bluegrass
sound and also discovered–and became smitten with–clawhammer banjo.
Today, she has a busy teaching schedule in both styles and continues to
diversify as a banjo player.
Coming to Canada from Germany at the
age of nine, Miriam Sonstenes is a classically trained
violinist-turned-fiddler. She has played with Victoria groups such as
The Moonshiners, The Yiddish Columbia State Orchestra and Shearwater
Bluegrass Band. She is also a sought after violin and fiddle teacher,
and has taught at fiddle and bluegrass camps throughout BC and the
Northwest Territories.
Amanda Blied, the only Victoria-native, fell
in love with old time music in 2000 upon hearing the recordings of Doc
Watson and Clarence Ashley. She has since traveled throughout North
America tracing the roots of music she loves and she brings an old time
feel to her guitar playing. She sang for years with Victoria’s
award-winning Eastern European a capella vocal ensemble, the Balkan
Babes.
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Owl is Lethbridge’s newest Lounge in the same building which had Mood, Squeaky’s Pub before and O Riley’s before that. They feature live acoustic music and excellent food. |
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