Music
Press
by Heather McIntyre
Build it and they will come.
That's the hope of four members of ...and he is us, a band headlining an all-ages rock show in Beaumont at the KC Hall and Beaumont Community Centre March 14.
"We kind of just wanted to do something in Beaumont to give bands more exposure here," said drummer Amanda Rene. "There's not much of it."
The show will feature ...and he is us, Mapping the Escape, Farther From and On the Sidewalk Bleeding who captured Sonic 102.9 FM band of the month on the radio.
...and he is us consists of Rene on drums, Nolan Richer on guitar, Liam Wilson on bass and vocalist Sonia Silva. They've been together for two years playing shows in Edmonton and surrounding areas. In May, they're hitting the road to Vancouver, playing 13 shows in 17 days along the way.
Silva and Richer were in a band before they met Rene. The trio went through a number of different bass players before Wilson came along.
"And we havn't looked back since - aside from making sure Liam's still there," said Richer, laughing.
Rene and Wilson are the Beaumont connection. Rene graduated from Beaumont Composite High School in 2006 and Wilson currently works there. They gave some residents a taste of what is to come at the 30-hour famine and benefit concert the school hosted for World Vision Feb. 27.
...and he is us was approached by On the Sidewalk Bleeding to do the show in Beaumont. Of the four bands performing, Rene said Mapping the Escape has the biggest fan following.
"It feels pretty cool," said Richer. "It means someone out there is listening to what we have to put out."
The band is currently working on putting out their second album, the first of which is titled Pills, Pens and Paper and has three songs. The band defines their music as alternative rock, comparing their style to that of Metric or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Tickets are $10 at thedoors of the KC Hall and Beaumont Community Centre which open at 6:30 p.m. on March 14. - La Nouvelle
Discography
Pills, Pens & Paper (December 2008)
1) Flintstone's Chewable Morphine
2) Placebo
3) Exploration #5
Photos
Bio
In a city that is, more often than not, a cold, dark place, four people have come together to do what they love the most; make music. With roots in Beaumont and Edmonton, Alberta, singer Sonia Silva, guitarist Nolan Richer, bassist Liam Wilson and drummer Amanda Rene form ...and he is us. This hard hitting foursome will bring you to your feet and get you moving.
...and he is us formed as a trio in April of 2007 sans Liam Wilson. In March of 2008, Liam was recruited and soon after the band began recording. Their music can be described as heavy, but with occasional electronic/hiphop tendencies. It is both spacey and ambient. Because of their vast array of musical influences, it seems that a little of everything comes into play with the band's music. Despite their wide array of influential genres, the members of ...and he is us pull it all together to make their own unique sound.
The foursome have been hard at work, playing shows throughout the city and surrounding areas. Performing at popular Edmonton venues like the Starlite Room, Jet Nightclub and The Velvet Underground, they have been quickly moving up the ranks in the local music scene. In January 2009 ...and he is us released their debut EP Pills, Pens and Paper to a solid crowd at the Pawn Shop in Edmonton. Featuring three tracks, their EP is just a taste of what this band is capable of. They are now getting ready to hit the studio again in February with plans to have another EP ready for their upcoming Western Canadian tour in May. Constantly working and evolving ...and he is us is ready for whatever is to come, taking it all straight, no chase.
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