8ight Past Nine

Radio stations that are playing us:

96.7 CHYR fm
100.7 & 95.1 The Rock
CBC Radio One
CBC Radio 3
91.5 Cjam

Many pod-casts and internet radio stations are supporting us as well... just too many to mention here, but the support means a lot to us. - 8IGHT PAST NINE

It’s clear this Amherstburg quintet isn’t afraid of the big M word – mainstream. The music they make would sit comfortably on the playlist of any commercial rock radio station. As such, the presentation on this CD is as professional as it comes: Polished to a gleam, produced to perfection, with no rough edges. Just strummy acoustic guitar-driven tunes along the lines of Counting Crows and the Goo Goo Dolls. In terms of what they do, these guys have it cold. There’s a palatable clarity to the voices of lead singers Kevin Jarvis and Will Hawksworth, and special credit should go to the keyboardist Chuck Arsenault and bassist Todd Kidd, who add texture and depth to each track. This album won’t win the hearts of the vanguard, but the masses might be a different story.

- Dalson Chen - The Windsor Star - Monday, August 13th, 2007

We are proud to say we made it all the way to the Regional finals for the BODOG Battle of the Bands; 1 Million, 1 Band, 1 Contract. The following are reviews from each show we played (Pulled from the Bodog website):

Friday February 15 2008 @ Jeff Healey's Roadhouse (Regional Finals)
“Beginning the night on time was 8ight Past Nine , who delivered a super opening set. This band’s style of acoustic oriented, dreamy songs showed just how talented they are.”

Friday November 23 2007 @ Forwell Hall (Impress the Judges)
“8ight Past Nine came next with some smooth tunes. This band was easy to listen to, and got the crowd moving.”

Sunday October 28 2007 @ Outback Shack (Auditions)
“8ight Past Nine followed with some soft rock. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed this band’s acoustic sound, soft vocals and keyboards. They will get the chance to impress our judges in the next round.” - 8IGHT PAST NINE

Windsor Life Magazine Article (May & June Issue 2008)

The name immediately grabs you, and so will the music! 8ight Past Nine is a Windsor band that's going places, with talent that's come from various sectors of the economy. Take co-founder Kevin Jarvis. He's a campus community police officer at the University of Windsor, and while he loves his job, he still wants music to be his full-time career. At the tender age of 30, he still has time to realize his dream.

Since the age of 12, Kevin has been assiduously working on his music. He plays the guitar and when he was asked whether that was his first instrument, he dryly replies: "yes…..well no. Technically speaking, I played a recorder in grade school."

In 2000, Kevin and his best friend Will Hawksworth, also 30, started writing together and formed their first band. "We did a bunch of shows and released a demo CD under the name 'Urban Disciples'. After a while that band kind of went by the wayside."

Following a 3 year separation, the two friends hooked up again and formed a five member band which they called '8ight Past Nine.'

The members:
Kevin Jarvis and Will Hawksworth, the music composers who share lead guitar and lead vocal duties….Chuck Arsenault plays keyboards…Todd Kidd is the bass player, while Ken Money is the drummer. They provide backup vocals.

8ight Past Nine….a name you might think has a deep significance. "Not at all", explains Kevin, "it really means a moment in time-no more, no less." The unique spelling comes from the imagination of Will, a graphic designer by trade.

8ight Past Nine members describe their group as a 'serious original act, with a sound that's different from any other local band. Kevin says "we're not your typical hard rock or copycat band." With both Kevin and Will doing the writing in different styles, fans have commented that a live performance can easily sound like two separate bands.

It's difficult to pigeon-hole the type of music played by 8ight Past Nine. Some songs have a definite alternative rock flavor, others range from contemporary and country rock, to folk. As Kevin says, "it's pretty much all over the map, which can be attributed to musical influences in our lives."

A CD titled 'Stood In the Rain', recorded at SLR Studios in Windsor and released late in 2007, has found favor among local radio stations including 100.7 The Rock, 95.1, 96.7 and the University of Windsor's CJAM , which regularly feature three tracks. 'My Old Friend' is an upbeat, smooth rock tune. 'Fade Away' is a darker, melodic rock song, and 'The Rain Will Break', is described as a gloomy ballad.

The disc is selling, even though the band is still looking for a label and a distributor. Log on to www.8ightpastnine.com and you can order it, as well as check out more information on this terrific group.

The band has opened for several great acts including The Trews, as well as Shiny Toy Guns -- a major American recording and touring band that's heard on TV cell phone ads, and has appeared on the David Letterman show.

8ight Past Nine is always available for charity appearances and has done gigs for leadership camps and has contributed its musical prowess in a fund-raiser for an Amherstburg youth center. The group has also played for 'Transition To Betterness', has helped a single mother who has a child with cerebral palsy and did a benefit for Windsor paramedic Richard Kozan, who had been vacationing in Florida with his family when he suffered a mysterious illness that put him into a coma. He has since recovered and is back on duty.

Recently, 8ight Past Nine was the last Windsor entry to perform at the national Bodog battle of the bands in Toronto. Groups from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States converged on the city but only one left a million-dollar recording contract and a touring budget. Unfortunately, the Windsor lads didn't win, but gained valuable exposure and accolades from the judges.

You'll be able to catch their act at the Lasalle Strawberry Festival early next month. They'll be on stage for opening night ceremonies.

"It's gonna be really fun, says Kevin dryly, "The festival atmosphere is always really cool, and although it's a bit corny, I've always loved getting on stage smelling like burning hot dogs and cotton candy. It's gonna be a blast." With this attitude and superlative musical talent, the 8ight Past Nine show in Lasalle should not be missed!

Don't expect too many more local live appearances, because 8ight Past Nine is currently busy lining up future bookings, promoting their disc and writing for a second disc which should be going into production early in 2009.

If public accolades are any indication, it may not be too long before the five members of 8ight Past Nine realize their dream of fame and fortune in the world of music.
They sure have the talent and the sound to do it!

- Dick Hildebran - Windsor Life Magazine