The Lumber Barons — a group of musicians living in the Comox Valley and Vancouver — are playing one night only Saturday, May 25 at the Cornerstone Taphouse in downtown Courtenay.
The band members are veterans of the Canadian original music community, having performed and recorded with artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Jazzmanian Devils, Van Django, Animal Slaves, Rhythm Mission, Soul Crib, No Fun and many others.
The Lumber Barons are led by organist and primary songwriter Chris MacLeod. Finn Manniche plays guitar, Tim Smyth is on bass and Ross Hales is the drummer. The members like to say they have more than 4,000 years of collective experience in the music business.
Their variety of musical influences include The Meters, James Brown, Miles Davis, Sex Pistols and Velvet Underground, among others.
A Hammond Organ and ARP Synthesizer lead the Lumber Barons sound, supported by electric guitar, electric bass and drums. The songs are original instrumentals with urgent and gritty grooves, lush melodies and fuzz-drenched solos.
Show time is 9 p.m. Cornerstone is located at the corner of 5th and Cliffe.