Time: 9:30

Cover: $7

About Aidan Knight http://www.myspace.com/aidanknightmusic
Until recently, Aidan Knight was known as a helpful backing musician, playing everything from pop-rock bass lines to violent, pounding hardcore drums. He has recorded and performed with Maurice, The Zolas, and Counting Heartbeats amongst others. All the while, he was writing songs of his own, recording in intensive three day bursts whenever he was able to raise enough money. Sleeping on the studio floor at Buena Vista Audio, Knight immersed himself in the project, waking up to play most of the instruments himself. Over the course of 2 years, producer Jonathan Anderson (In Medias Res, Kensington Prairie, Eisenhauer) and Knight carefully pieced together the songs, collaboratively. With the arrangements in place, he invited Toronto's The O' Darling to fill in the additional drums, guitars, girl harmonies, strings and horns.

The result of these collaborations is Versicolour, an intimate eight-song collection of haunted chamber folk and moody acoustic pop. Opening track "The Sun" begins with a pulsing, ticking drum loop and baroque piano chords, gradually swelling to a string-laden climax with a dense chorus of harmony, cascading drum fills, and a meditative repetition of the title. "Knitting Something Nice for You" starts as a sparse acoustic waltz, Knight's fingers audibly scraping up and down the fretboard; the mood changes completely halfway through, with a hypnotic keyboard groove taking over while guitar feedback squalls somewhere in the distance.

Even more striking than the arrangements is the songwriting, which is deeply personal yet universally relatable. "Fighting Against Your Lungs," ironically written just a few months before Knight suffered a collapsed lung, is a hushed love song set on top of classic horns and fingerpicked guitar. It's lyric, "I met you on the border cross/And gave up kisses like a winter's frost", a wishful thought between two people separated by the prairies. "Jasper" is humanistic and spiritual in equal measures, describing a summer afternoon spent near the Athabasca River. Over a joyous backdrop of banjo chords and steel guitar leads, the song's group-sung chorus sets a communal atmosphere for Knight's life-affirming lyrics. It's a timeless anthem - no small feat for any songwriter, let alone a first-time artist. With a talent like this, it's clear that it was only ever a matter of time before Knight rose above his supporting role and struck out on his own.

About We Are The City http://www.myspace.com/thecitiesmusic
We Are The City is a three piece progressive indie rock act from the Okanagan lakeside city of Kelowna, British Columbia. Originally forming under the name “Seraph” in the Spring of 2006, they changed their name to “The City” in January of 2007, and finally settling upon We Are The City in May of 2008. We Are The City features three young composers: Cayne McKenzie on vocals and keys, David Menzel on guitar, and Andy Huculiak on the drums. Cayne’s symphonic piano arrangements flow into David’s guttural guitars and the grand heartbeat of Andy’s drums, as the vocals slink from soft harmonies into gruff howls. Their songs paint out a sincere and beautiful interpretation of life; exploring evocative sounds and storytelling.

They draw inspiration from Muse, Coldplay, Mew, and Radiohead. They have already shared the stage with Yukon Blonde, Secret & Whisper, Bend Sinister, Winter Gloves, The Zolas, Said The Whale, and Mother Mother. We Are The City is currently a Top 20 finalist as part of 100.5 The Peak FM’s BC competition, the Peak Performance Project.

Listening to their instrumentation and orchestral arrangements you will readily discover their potential for greatness is simply palpable. Cayne has been classically trained in piano for eight years and playing for twelve. David and Andy are both self-taught musicians.

In person, and during their witty banter in between songs on stage, you will find these three young men endearing, awkwardly funny, and incredibly sweet. They are brothers drawn together to explore their own musical renaissance. Having just reached the winter of their teens, their innocence and sincerity will pull fans in to find their own fists clenching at nostalgic summer days with bruised teenaged knuckles. These three young men may be comical, humble, and sweetly adorable, but their music is not to be taken lightly. With their booming stadium-ready sounds and stirring melodies, they are set to continue to steadily gain fans of all ages around the globe.

We Are the City will convince you with their good hearts and inspiring sounds to come and be a part of their city.