Arcana Kings

Where could you go to party hard on a Tuesday night in Calgary? Answer: The Andrew WK and The Johnny McCauig Band show at Dickens Pub! The first act to take the stage were Canadian musicians, The Johnny McCuaig Band who are joining Andrew WK on the western portion of his tour. When the lead singer of Johnny McCuaig appeared on stage in a kilt with a set of bagpipes backed by his band the audience didn’t know what to expect. Expectations were shattered! These guys came with a crazy energy that fused hard rock, folk, pop and a few AC/DC covers thrown in. I highly recommend checking these guys out, especially live!

While walking to the venue Andrew WK fans could be heard chanting, “Party Hard!” Quite a few fans dressed up as Andrew WK in his trademark white t-shirt and pants with his tattoos painted on their arms. Some fans decided to go full out and bloody their faces with red stage makeup for full effect. Andrew WK charged onto stage full blast and got the audience hyped up from the first song. Andrew sang the hits from his debut album 18+ years ago along with new material from his latest release, You’re Not Alone. During the show, Andrew WK entertained the crowd with his “party hard” persona along with a strong message of positivity. It was almost like being at rock show combined with an Anthony Robbins motivational speaking engagement and the crowd loved it! Wishing Andrew WK and The Johnny McCauig Band all the best for the rest of their tour! - By BOOKSTRUCKER

Hold On to Your Bagpipes... THE JOHNNY MCCUAIG BAND’s “Here We Go” Video Friggin’ ROCKS! [Exclusive Premiere]
Christopher Gonda - Jul 25, 2018 at 09:00AM 0 Comments
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“How the shit did we not already have Regina, Saskatchewan-based rockers The Johnny McCuaig Band on our radar?” is exactly what our embarrassed journalists and editors were asking themselves when an email about TJMB hit our main inbox. Okay, so we were new to the crew, but that didn’t stop us from instantly loving their new single “Here We Go” and diving into their catalogue. Whether you’re about to crush a haggis eating contest, are cheering on the Roughriders as they enter Mosaic Stadium, or maybe making your way into the UFC octagon, this song is 100% guaranteed to fire you the hell up! Even better... we’ve got the premiere for the track’s video right here!

“Here We Go” can be found on all major digital services, including Spotify and Apple Music, and is a precursor to the group’s upcoming studio recording Lions as Ravens - the album drops on September 20th, 2018, and can be pre-ordered here. Fans of Andrew WK and Danko Jones are going to dig these dudes.

Commenting on the new video, band leader Johnny McCuaig hit us up with the following thoughts:

“There has been a lot of anticipation building for this video because of how the song has been received and personalized by fans and professional sports teams. Having this song play to 30,000 fans as the Saskatchewan Roughriders took the field has definitely been one of the feel good moments of the year for all of us. Thanks to director, Dave Benedict (Square Egg Visions + rock band Default) and the Pile O’ Bones Derby Club we feel the concept, attitude and bands image are all represented in a way that matches the songs high intensity and feeling!”

Check out this video... it’s going to make you wanna “Fight”! - Christopher Gonda

If you have a kilt then now is the time to pull it out.

The Johnny McCuaig Band at the Athabasca Hotel on Jan. 20 Doors at 8 p.m. Cover $5 Submitted photo
The Johnny McCuaig Band at the Athabasca Hotel on Jan. 20 Doors at 8 p.m. Cover $5
Submitted photo

The Johnny McCuaig Band is one kilt-wearing, bagpipe playing rock group you don’t want to miss. Kicking off a string of shows through Western Canada, the band promises to bring its high-energy show to the stage of the Athabasca Hotel on Jan. 20.

“We’re used to playing big outdoor shows so this will be more of an intimate show, but we’re hoping people will come out and dance, say hello and get rowdy with us,” said the band’s front man, Johnny McCuaig. “We certainly don’t want to see people sitting on their thumbs, that’s for sure.”

Despite planting their roots in the mid-1990s, the Regina-based group has gone through a bit of transformation with the launch of their 2016 album Hold Fast. Since the release, the band has experienced tremendous success, filling venues in Sweden, Las Vegas and across Canada.

“The last year was a pretty big stepping stone for us, getting into new markets and playing in Europe for the first time,” McCuaig said. “It was quite a journey and we really got to showcase our stuff on the world stage and we’re pretty pumped with the results and how everything is going.”

So, what is it about the band that makes it so alluring to the masses? McCuaig can’t be sure, but he believes it has something to do with his bagpipe-wielding prowess.

“There’s something about the bagpipes that digs up all sorts of memories. They’ve always been associated with death and war, but also with parties. For some reason it always gets people riled up,” McCuaig said. “It’s a very intense instrument and people seem to really relate to that intensity and let the music take them to a place they don’t normally go.

“For us that’s a really special thing to watch because you can actually see the crowd react and begin to transform.”

Later this year the band will be heading back into the studio, laying down some more thrashing rock tracks before shipping back to Las Vegas’ Fremont Street. After that, the band will be jetting off to Japan and Sweden for a slew of gigs.

“Sweden was so great and we’re really excited to go back. Last year we didn’t know what to expect,” the front man said. “It’s a completely different experience. In my opinion, in Europe music is perceived as more of an art. People really sit down and listen and that’s really cool.”

Despite all the excitement, McCuaig said with a young family at home, living the touring musician life comes with its challenges.

“It’s always hard to leave our families, but everyone is behind us. My wife is a huge part of what I do. She helps me with a ton of band stuff,” he said. “We consider all of us to be a part of one big team. I couldn’t do what I do without the support of my wife and family.”

The band will be playing at the Athabasca Hotel on Jan. 20. Doors open at 8 p.m. and cover is $5.

“We hope to see everyone come out and enjoy the night and if anyone has a kilt then I hope they join me and wear theirs too,” McCuaig said. - Kayla Byrne

The Johnny McCuaig Band.
The Johnny McCuaig Band.
Photo: Magnus Börjesson
Johnny McCuaig from Canada and his band have become many favorites during the on-going Live at Heart festival. With heavy rock delivered on bagpipes, among other things, they charmed the audience at Järntorget on Friday afternoon.

Johnny, who has a Scottish break, comes from a family where many play bagpipes. His grandfather was a pepper in a regiment during World War II.

- When I was young I started playing for rock songs that I heard on the radio, then it just continued, he says.

The members of Johnny McCuaig (TJMB) bands come from three different provinces in Canada: Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

- It's a big country, so it's a bit tricky and get it for exercises, Johnny says.

The band that concludes Live at the heart visit at Harry's, Saturday, plays both own and partly covers such as AC / DC's "It's a long way to the top".

The style consists of a mix, Johnny says, which is defined about this:

"It's not celtic. It's not pop, It's not alternative, It's everything, Its TJMB" (from the band's website)

The Johnny McCuaig Band. - Magnus Börjesson