Brass Camel can’t wait to return to Lethbridge for Halloween.
The Vancouver based five piece aren’t afraid to show their love for ’70s style progressive rock.
“ There’s a whole lot of whole lot. If you like face melting solos, we’ve got them. If you like funk, we’ve got that too. We like to walk the musical tightrope and try not to fall off,” said guitarist Daniel Sveinson, who formed the band with bassist Curtis Arsenault in 2018. They later added guitarist Dylan Lammie, drummer Wyatt Gilson and keyboardist Aubrey Ellesson.
“ Then the pandemic happened and lots of bands broke up fortunately for us. So we were able to get all these killer players who were available and form the five piece we’ve always dreamed of,” he said.
They released their debut album “Brass” on vinyl in September 2022 and sold out of it on their last tour which finished in Lethbridge on June 24.
“ We‘re really happy people like it. We’ve all been in other bands before. This time we really tried to get into people’s ears and we didn’t have to deal with what to do with having boxes of unsold records,” he said.
They are working on a new album to be released some time next year. They will be playing some of the new songs.
“It will be really well represented. And because it’s Halloween we’ll have costumes and merch giveaways and some secret Halloween songs,” he said.
Brass Camel are heavily influenced by ’70-s rock and funk music.
“I listen to everything including early ’70s progressive rock like Genesis and jazz fusion to funk and R and B like Parliament Funkadelic. Between 1965 and 75, there was this perfect mix of musicianship and listenability,” he said, noting they come from jazz backgrounds, so still enjoy jazz music.
He noted there still a lot of great music being made.
“ Govt Mule are playing here (In Vancouver) in February. We‘d give a lot to be asked to be part of that show,” he said, adding he is awestruck by the new lineup of bluegrass/ folk musician Billy Strings’ band.
“We just came from the United States to see them. They play really great. They play bluegrass but they also get really psychedelic. It was just next level playing,” he said.
Sveinson is excited to record the new album when they return form this quick three date tour which begins in Nelson, comes to Lethbridge, then Calgary and back home.
“ We’re playing a lot. We have 50 gigs before the end of the year and another 50 for the next year,” he said, encouraging people to celebrate Halloween with them.
“ And don’t show up late. The Static Shift is amazing. They just opened for ZZ Top at the Grey Eagle Casino. And The Decadent Phase are great too,” he enthused.
Brass Camel, The Static Shift and Decadent Phase play the Slice’s Halloween Howler, Oct. 28. The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.26
— By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor
