It’s not just a pretty place.
Touring musical acts find the positive reception for live music in the Comox Valley exciting and inspiring. And, that’s a big reason local event producers are able to attract top-shelf performers.
Take Astrocolor for example, a band with intercontinental cred, booked to play the Waverley Hotel on Friday Oct. 12. The group clearly brightens at the prospect of play for the happy dancing audience here.
“People that come to our shows in the Comox Valley always bring the biggest smiles and give 110 per cent on the dance floor,” says Neil Cooke-Dallin, the band’s high-stepping, flamboyant frontman, producer and DJ. “We bring the tunes but they make the show.”
That’s pretty fond respect from a band that has over a million plays on Spotify, has faced the famously discerning crowds at the Burning Man, Rifflandia, Center of Gravity, Song & Surf, and Tall Tree festivals, and has taken their celebratory live show to Chicago, Seattle, Toronto and St. Louis.
Here, they drew an enthusiastic response at Cumberland Wild this summer and Atmosphere Gathering last year.
Astrocolor’s dance-heavy live electronic music got the band nominated as Electronic Artist of the Year at the prestigious Western Canadian Music Awards.
The high energy of Astrocolor’s full band, especially kicking Cooke-Dallin, is perfect for the spirited dance vivacity of the Comox Valley, says Ben Howells, co-producer of the Oct. 12 show and of Cumberland Wild.
“It’s a perfect match,” he says. “Like Neil says, the audience energy here is a big part of the party.”
And that he says it’s a big reason he and co-producer Avigdor Schulman of Cumberland Village Works are able to consistently attract recognized bands to play the Valley.
Next up is The Dead South on Oct.2, (already sold out), followed by SkiiTour Oct. 5, Wolf Parade Oct 19 and Kim Churchill Nov. 8.
“Cumberland Wild was amazing this summer and we look forward to returning to The Waverley, not just for the great crowd response, but also because we inevitably meet awesome people and make new friends whenever we’re there,” said Cooke-Dallin.
“The Comox Valley is so fun, ” said keyboards player Piers Henwood. “We’re so looking forward to it.”
Based in western Canada, Astrocolor perform and record live electronic music, recalling the Chemical Brothers, Air, and St. Germain. The band plays on the edges of funky house, balearic, breakbeat, and ambient. They have three EPS released. The most recent, Astrocolor III is “ built equally for a big night out in the clubs or a dinner party soundtrack at home,” said Henwood.
Tickets are available through www.cumberlandvillageworks.com or at the door if not sold out.