Audio/Rocketry

I booked a show for audio/rocketry a really long time ago at my house & still to this day I don't think I've met a more sincere person than joe vickers, singer & songwriter of the band. I feel like everyone who comes into contact with audio/rocketry is lucky. I feel especially lucky to have been friends with them for numerous years & even share a short stint on tour with them years back.
regardless if you enjoy their music or not, you can't deny their humility or compassionate demeanor.
along with being incredible people they've also been one of the more prolific bands I can think of, releasing three full length records in the same number of years.
they geared up, tuned up & ran through a set comprised of material from all three of their records. hailing from drumheller & edmonton, I found it especially funny to see the front row of the crowd comprised of almost entirely albertan punks.
they frequently name drop & embody aspects of the prairie landscape in their lyrics & style.
folks got rowdy & spilled beers, climbed on each other's backs & started a tiny mosh pit in the middle of the living room. most importantly, they all sang along which is what I've always loved most & come to expect from audio/rocketry shows.

their song "hallelujah halifax" in particular holds extreme significance for me, for obvious & not so obvious reasons. it reminds me why I live here & has always been a welcoming home song on the way back over the macdonald bridge after long summers travelling or touring.
audio/rocketry will always have ties to the east, whether it be through their lyrics or their faxe 10% themed t-shirts, & they'll always be a band that I show up & dance for. - DIY Halifax

Audio/Rocketry frontman Joe Vickers is in love with Woody Guthrie. "I just fell hard and heavy for that gentleman," Vickers chuckles. "We're talking about music, right?" Vickers is being facetious, of course, but listening to his musical creations, it's easy to understand how Audio/Rocketry's main songwriter has found a home in "protest-song" culture. Audio/Rocketry meshes punk's youthful sensibilities with the hard-working, blue-collar approach of old-time folk. Vickers and bassist Matt Murphy (along with a rotating cast that sometimes includes drummer Anders Johanson and banjoist Kevin Klemp) have always found their heart and soul to lie in the thrill of performing for whomever will listen to them, whether they're playing on the sidewalk, storming LRT stations, or finding a stage to stomp on."There's always different reasons why people are out there busking," Vickers says. "I live in an apartment, so I can't be too loud, and it gives me an opportunity to go out there and play when I'm itching. "One similarity between Matt and I is that we just love to play for that experience, for the interaction with the people around us -- strangers stop and it's cool when they shake the tambourine you have with you or clap along." Formed in 2005, Audio/Rocketry initially fled Edmonton. Vickers tested his mettle on the road away from home, finding his voice in squats and shacks across Canada and the U.S. before learning some precious life lessons helping the less fortunate in South America. The band's debut album, Buskin' Songs with Audio/Rocketry, is an ode to living life on the edge and banging your heart against society's underbelly.

Art imitates life

The band's songs are brash, wailing tributes to beating the odds and making the most out of the present tense. The album is a collection of colourful vignettes Vickers has been documenting since he made his move from Drumheller to Edmonton a few years ago. "Some of the songs have been kicking around for years now," Vickers says. "The album was recorded in a basement, and I think we were trying to capture a live show, really. We're lucky that the response that we get at shows is very energetic." Find them an audience and Audio/Rocketry will play on. The band has opened for everyone from singer-songwriters to heavy metal bands, playing in every possible venue from boats to bookstores to punk houses, where Vickers' foot-stomping was enough to cause frames on the wall to come crashing to the floor. "We don't have one particular agenda," Vickers says. "There's travelling songs, love songs, experience songs, songs about riding your bike. There's nothing greater than being able to go to a show that really feels inclusive, where you almost have that sense of community."If you can get people to come out and feel that you're all a part of something, that's what I'm shooting for." "I was a fan of his music before I even met him," Murphy says. "So, for me, it's a pretty good deal. I get to play songs I love with one of my best friends, meet tons of new people and drive around and go to different cities. We're just music junkies."

by Francois Marchand

- Edmonton Journal

E-town punks blast a little folk into the mix
Mike Angus / mikeangus@vueweekly.com

For local punk-folk band Audio/Rocketry, reverence is the sincerest form of flattery. Joe Vickers and Matt Murphy came together as mutual fans of a compilation of acoustic punk music by the same name, but they also share a love of folk and bluegrass for their equally addictive energy and speed.

"Matt and I were big fans of the Lawrence Arms, and the compilation Experiments in Audio Rocketry was the first time I was introduced to punk rock played on the acoustic guitar," Vickers points out. "That was a major influence on me. It was one of those very inspiring CDs that came out that was like, 'This is what I want to do.' It got me excited and engaged in music again, because since then I've been able to tap into folk and bluegrass."

The band's second album, Eastward & Onward, is a strong collection of perfectly blended bluegrass and punk sensibilities. Recorded with Calgary's Casey Lewis, Vickers and Murphy bring punk and traditional music together with ease and tastefulness, in the vein of Billy Bragg or even Great Big Sea with a bone to pick.

Having both grown up in punk bands, Vickers and Murphy have since grown into fans of traditional music for its energy, do-it-yourself work ethic and the way that it reflects their own aspirations as young musicians.

"Old-time music is the most relevant source for inspiration," Vickers touts. "I wrote most of the songs when I went across Canada with my friend Rusty. I had this desire to follow that 'rambling' mentality. If you look at people like Woody Guthrie who lived that life to a T ... I had this itching that I really needed to do that.

Vickers says it's the balls-to-the-wall, high-energy elements that bridge that gap between the two genres; Murphy, the soft-spoken, self-described "straight-up punk-rock" influence in the band who grew up in small-town Alberta listening to punk bands, agrees.

"It's that energy, that style that got me interested in playing in this band," he offers. "I got that same feeling [hearing Joe play] that I did when I'd listened to punk bands."

The key to Eastward & Onward, then, is not only blending punk and folk, but also balancing the group's live energy in the confines of the studio.
"I'm proud of this record, because we stuck to the format of live-off-the-floor, but ... when you do record something in the studio, as much as you try to capture the live [element], you can't, because it's a different medium all together," Vickers explains. "The songs I'd written for this record were troubadour songs, just acoustic guitar and harmonica. But after sharing the songs with Matt, and hearing his interpretation of them, it provided more depth to the songs," he adds warmly. "It's an Audio/Rocketry record. We've found our element, we know what we're doing and I think we've achieved what we were striving for." V

- VUE Weekly

Audio/Rocketry release second CD

The next time you’re on the LRT or Whyte Avenue and hear someone singing their heart out for spare change, take a second look. It might be Joe Vickers, one half of the Edmonton-based folk-punk duo, Audio/Rocketry, who are releasing their second album Eastward & Onward this Friday.

Before moving to Edmonton from Drumheller in 2005 and meeting bandmate/bassist Matt Murphy, Vickers was in a high school punk band called Murk, where he got his start in music, and also his first taste of busking — an activity which he developed such a fondness for, he ended up naming Audio/Rocketry’s first album after it.

“I was playing a show with [my band Murk], it was the summertime, and I was 18 and kind of silly,” Vickers recalls. “We were drinking President’s Choice beer beforehand, and we decided to take the beer with us [busking]. We had it just behind us, and there are regulations. You have to be standing, and in some areas you need a permit, but we were completely clueless. We played for about five minutes and then the cops busted us, with some confusion, because they weren’t sure if we were drinking pop or beer because of the ambiguous cans.”

Since then, Guinness has become the band’s brew of choice, and both Vickers and Murphy enjoy a few pints of it during our chat.

Their new album was recorded over a short five-day span this past December, but according to Vickers, many of the songs were shaped during his past year of travelling across North and South America. He cheerfully shares tales of missed busses and hitchhiking, but when I ask him who his song “Gypsy Gal” refers to, Vickers can’t help but blush.

“She’s a real gal,” he smiles. “I’ve sung my share of tunes about fake girls, but this one is certainly real.”

“This is my model girlfriend from Paris. Isn’t she so hot?” laughs Murphy, teasing his friend and gesturing to thin air.

“I met her here in Edmonton,” Vickers continues, “but she took off travelling, so I took some time off of school and went chasing for her. She’s my sweetheart. We’ve been dating for two years now.”

In addition to following his heart while writing Eastward & Onward, Vickers and Murphy also spent a long time following the Trans-Canada, hitching rides whenever possible.

“That was our cardboard sign at one point,” says Vickers. “Eastward and onward.”

Both he and Murphy are from small towns — Drumheller and Drayton Valley, respectively — and a number of the tunes on the new album seem to reflect that. Vickers sings about being homesick, and makes references to farming, which is what his dad does for a living. Murphy’s connections to Feast or Famine from his hometown ended up being the ties that allowed him to meet Vickers and form Audio/Rocketry.

Though the band has had a drummer on and off, they laugh that the last one was a bit of a “Debbie Downer,” who quit suddenly before the band was to do a show. After debating cancelling, Vickers and Murphy decided to go ahead with it and discovered that they worked well as a two-piece, and for the most part, they’ve stayed that way since.

“For a lot of people it’s a business, but for us it’s fun,” Murphy says.

“We have really good chemistry on a musical level, and we’re really in sync friendship-wise. Throughout my experiences playing in a band, friendships are first. You can be playing with some of the best musicians, but if you don’t gel on that personal level, you don’t have anything,” Vickers says.
- The Gateway

March 15, 2010 - 11:20pm
Dustin Blumhagen, Arts & Entertainment Staff
Audio/Rocketry
Eastward and Onward
Self Released

Joe Vickers and Matt Murphy, the duo known as Audio/Rocketry, channel Woodie Guthrie’s dust bowl ballads and weave them with the travelling tales of Stompin’ Tom. Tossing in a little punk energy, they bring to mind a Canadian Frank Turner. I could go on tossing around names like Springsteen and Dylan to try to express the feelings that this release brings on, but that wouldn’t do them justice.

Their second album, Eastward and Onward, chronicles the highs and lows of a life on the road, from the love of a pair of beat-up shoes, to a lamentation on the plight of the rural way of life. This is an album that you can’t help but sing along with. Like all great albums, it affects the listener on a personal level with its heartfelt lyrics and catchy melodies.

The lovely “Gypsy Gal” takes you back to a wonderful summer, riding the rails immersed in a brief, but bright love. Those who have gravitated to the city lights and left their family farm will sympathize with “Harvest.” Punks with political interests will be drawn to “Athabasca Roll,” a scathing look at the plight of Albertans under the cruel hand of big oil. While it's impossible to choose a favourite song on such an amazing album, I find myself drawn to the sombre “Two Chords” on a quiet Sunday morning. These are songs that chronicle a life fully lived. I recommend that everyone track down two copies. Share one with your best friend, to thank them for being so great.
- The Gateway

Groupe canadien qui se fait de plus en plus connaître au Québec, Audio/Rocketry combine le folklore à la musique acoustique tout en gardant une note punk. Formé des chanteurs et musiciens Joe Vickers à la guitare et à l'harmonica et Matt Murphy à la basse, ainsi que du musicien Blair Drover à la guitare électrique, à la mandoline et à la planche à laver, c'est à l'automne 2005 que l'instigateur du groupe, Joe Vickers, attrape la piqûre du folklore et explore le genre musical.

« Je partais d'Edmonton pour me rendre dans ma ville natale, à Drumheller, en Alberta, et j'avais avec moi la compilation Experiments in Audio Rocketry. Dès que j'ai écouté la première chanson, j'ai immédiatement été inspiré pour écrire de la musique folklorique acoustique. Dès que les chansons ont évolué et que les nouvelles compositions furent écrites, j'ai commencé à jouer sous le nom de cette compilation, en hommage à la source d'inspiration qu'elle a été pour moi », relate le chanteur du groupe. Les chances de se produire se faisant rares, la rencontre avec un musicien amateur de métal, avec qui Vickers jouera pendant quelques années, inspire le chanteur à intégrer le punk à son genre musical. C'est à ce moment qu'Audio/Rocketry se concrétise de plus en plus. En réservant leur premier spectacle, en 2006, le duo ajoute la barre à l'intérieur du nom du groupe pour signifier que « ces deux différents genres forment une paire congruente ».Quelques personnes se sont greffées, entre temps, à la formation, dont Matt Murphy et Blair Drover, donnant ainsi la tonalité du groupe. Certains musiciens toutefois se joindront à la formation, l'instant d'une soirée, question de créer un spectacle des plus vivants.

SUR LA ROUTE
Passant une grande partie de leur temps sur la route entre l'Ouest et l'Est canadien, l'amitié, le transport et les gens rencontrés en tournée deviennent les principales sources d'inspiration du groupe.

« L'amitié et les expériences vécues entre amis sont ma plus grande source d'inspiration. La musique est, pour moi, une interaction entre les personnes et c'est ce que je veux véhiculer sur scène. »La réception du public fut d'ailleurs spectaculaire, selon le chanteur. Et précisément au Québec. « Lorsque nous allons à Montréal ou à Québec, l'expression et la participation des gens sont impressionnantes! Cela représente souvent un moment spectaculaire pour le band », précise Joe Vickers.Audio/Rocketry présentera, lors du spectacle, les pièces musicales issues de leurs trois albums, soit Piloting a Vehicule of Audible Expression, paru au printemps 2011, Eastward + Onward, sorti en 2010, et Buskin' Songs With Audio/Rocketry, paru en 2009. Les albums seront en vente sur place, lors de la soirée.
- La Courrier de St. Hyacinthe

The question that immediately comes to mind when putting this album on, is how on earth do three people make such a cacophonous racket? Yes, I know that music can be loud, in your face and pummeling your ears until they bleed, but this is folk-punk, not a genre that perhaps you would expect to have that effect, but it does. Hell, there are not even any crashing drums here to boost the sound. Still, it’s amazing what can be done with some very simple instruments and some songs that are played within an inch of their existence. You need to banish any preconceptions on what folk-punk might sound like because this turns everything on its head with an energy and full-on assault that reminds me of the first time I saw the Pogues as a teenager: I was mesmerized by everything about the band.

So, this trio from Edmonton, Alberta has managed to harness some of what I get from the World/Inferno Friendship Society, in that they tell tales to a musical background that is not of the norm, yet is accessible and, more importantly, of the kind that spreads your mouth into a massive grin as you let it wash over you, engulfing you entirely and enveloping you with its allure. One other thing that Audio/Rocketry and W/IFS share is that despite having a core membership (three in the case of A/R) they quite often expand for recordings (and admittedly there are six people involved on this album) and performances, and as I have done for W/IFS on each occasion I’ve seen them live, I reckon that I’d been far from immobile if I saw Audio/Rocketry live. It would be impossible to stay still for the whole show. One other band that comes to mind when listening to Audio/Rocketry is Even in Blackouts, more for that acoustic sound in their music as well as the raggedness that the band has than the actual songs themselves.

I know that I am prone to using the word "infectious" about bands/music, but for me it’s the one word which easily describes how a band can effortlessly draw you into their sound without you even considering putting up a fight: it’s almost a total unconditional submission.

The basis for folk music was and still is the telling of tales, be they tall or otherwise and with Audio/ Rocketry that too is the key element for each song, be they the frantic, uptempo ones or when the foot comes off the pedal and everything slows down a bit. Joe Vickers has a voice made for this kind of music and his clear delivery of the lyrics certainly helps in the telling of the tales. As soon as he sings, “I want something with less image and more substance / An item I can chew on that is not sugar coated / I want meaning, something worth believing in / I’ll strive toward achieving it until we bestow it," in the opening song, “Mission Statement,” then I am on the side of the band wholeheartedly, as they are sentiments I agree with almost without reservation and I would add that I believe Audio/Rocketry do bestow upon us something that is not just a piece of fluff or a throwaway collection of songs. From there on in, the lyrics are thoughtful, interesting and amusing--in fact they serve up a veritable cornucopia of tales that provide the substance referred to in that first track and with a musical background that is anything but pedestrian. This isn’t all about just frenetic approach and there are as many laid back tunes on the album, highlighting that it’s not just about making people stomp and shout but also to give you time to kick back and enjoy the music too.

To add a couple more things I hear, I’d say that the mandolin brings to mind R.E.M. during “Hey Dynasty, Don’t Forget...” and at times the harmonica, Bruce Springsteen, but I wouldn’t say the music sounds anything like those two artists just they come to mind.

So, more good music coming out of Canada and more good artwork on a 12” x 12” cover. This is out on CD too and also available on Bandcamp, plus the band suggests you copy the album for a friend too. - PUNKNEWS.ORG

The question that immediately comes to mind when putting this album on, is how on earth do three people make such a cacophonous racket? Yes, I know that music can be loud, in your face and pummeling your ears until they bleed, but this is folk-punk, not a genre that perhaps you would expect to have that effect, but it does. Hell, there are not even any crashing drums here to boost the sound. Still, it’s amazing what can be done with some very simple instruments and some songs that are played within an inch of their existence. You need to banish any preconceptions on what folk-punk might sound like because this turns everything on its head with an energy and full-on assault that reminds me of the first time I saw the Pogues as a teenager: I was mesmerized by everything about the band.

So, this trio from Edmonton, Alberta has managed to harness some of what I get from the World/Inferno Friendship Society, in that they tell tales to a musical background that is not of the norm, yet is accessible and, more importantly, of the kind that spreads your mouth into a massive grin as you let it wash over you, engulfing you entirely and enveloping you with its allure. One other thing that Audio/Rocketry and W/IFS share is that despite having a core membership (three in the case of A/R) they quite often expand for recordings (and admittedly there are six people involved on this album) and performances, and as I have done for W/IFS on each occasion I’ve seen them live, I reckon that I’d been far from immobile if I saw Audio/Rocketry live. It would be impossible to stay still for the whole show. One other band that comes to mind when listening to Audio/Rocketry is Even in Blackouts, more for that acoustic sound in their music as well as the raggedness that the band has than the actual songs themselves.

I know that I am prone to using the word "infectious" about bands/music, but for me it’s the one word which easily describes how a band can effortlessly draw you into their sound without you even considering putting up a fight: it’s almost a total unconditional submission.

The basis for folk music was and still is the telling of tales, be they tall or otherwise and with Audio/ Rocketry that too is the key element for each song, be they the frantic, uptempo ones or when the foot comes off the pedal and everything slows down a bit. Joe Vickers has a voice made for this kind of music and his clear delivery of the lyrics certainly helps in the telling of the tales. As soon as he sings, “I want something with less image and more substance / An item I can chew on that is not sugar coated / I want meaning, something worth believing in / I’ll strive toward achieving it until we bestow it," in the opening song, “Mission Statement,” then I am on the side of the band wholeheartedly, as they are sentiments I agree with almost without reservation and I would add that I believe Audio/Rocketry do bestow upon us something that is not just a piece of fluff or a throwaway collection of songs. From there on in, the lyrics are thoughtful, interesting and amusing--in fact they serve up a veritable cornucopia of tales that provide the substance referred to in that first track and with a musical background that is anything but pedestrian. This isn’t all about just frenetic approach and there are as many laid back tunes on the album, highlighting that it’s not just about making people stomp and shout but also to give you time to kick back and enjoy the music too.

To add a couple more things I hear, I’d say that the mandolin brings to mind R.E.M. during “Hey Dynasty, Don’t Forget...” and at times the harmonica, Bruce Springsteen, but I wouldn’t say the music sounds anything like those two artists just they come to mind.

So, more good music coming out of Canada and more good artwork on a 12” x 12” cover. This is out on CD too and also available on Bandcamp, plus the band suggests you copy the album for a friend too. - PUNKNEWS.ORG

As an aspiring teacher and the son of an Alberta grain farmer, Joe Vickers knows all about perseverance, which also comes in handy as he pursues a career as an indie folk-punk musician.

It’s a tough life — filled with crappy gigs, raging hangovers, creative black holes and a revolving door of bandmates. Vickers, who fronts Audio/Rockery, has yet to suffer writer’s block — knock on wood — but he can’t seem to keep the same lineup of musicians for more than a year or so, save for bassist Matt Murphy.

The band’s latest incarnation, featuring Paddy Sperling (spoons) and Kevin Klemp (banjo), will play their last club gig at the same time they celebrate the release of Audio/Rocketry’s fiery acoustic folk-punk album, Piloting A Vehicle of Audible Expression, on Friday at The Pawn Shop. The show starts at 9 p.m.

There are no hard feelings — the two simply want more time to concentrate on their ska-punk band, Feast or Famine — and Vickers is used to the fluidity of his roster. Not only has he managed to write and release three albums in three years, the title track to Piloting A Vehicle of Audible Expression is a defiant response to the departure of Audio/Rocketry’s first drummer.

“But I’ll keep guiding this rocket ship / Fueling my passions into the belly of it,” sings Vickers. “And I’ll keep guiding this rocket ship / There is strength in sound and I think I found it.”

The Drumheller native’s perseverance also rears its head in tunes such as Inner Aesthetics, a swirling, fist-pumpin’ chant-along about the power of music, and “Hey Dynasty, Don’t Forget.,” a bittersweet banjo ‘n’ spoons ode to Edmonton and friendships.

“A lot of people come to Edmonton to go to school for a few years, make friends, then move away,” says Vickers. “This is a reminder to maintain those relationships.”

Acknowledging his friends is important to the Audio/Rocketry frontman — whether it be his past and present bandmates or his pals in Feast or Famine, Fire Next Time and Calgary’s Rum Runner. “I love those simple melodies sung in three-part harmonies / They immortalize friendships in a song,” belts Vickers on Mission Statement, the opening track on Piloting A Vehicle of Audible Expression.

His loyalty and magnanimity is infectious. Blair Drover, who fronts Desiderata, asked to jam with Audio/Rocketry last fall and is now a full-fledged member. “I was a huge fan,” he says. “I heard (their second album) Eastward + Onward and thought ‘This is special.’” He now plays mandolin, guitar and washboard for the band, when he isn’t working on his own solo album of tunes.

“The group of bands that we’re affiliated with in this city and the people who come out to our shows are world class,” says Vickers. “That’s why Friday is going to be so special — it’s not just a celebration of us as musicians or the release of our third album, it’s a celebration of the people who have been growing with us as a band, season in and season out.”

Audio/Rocketry will also play a free all-ages set at Permanent Records, 8126 Gateway Boulevard, on Saturday at 1 p.m. - Edmonton Journal

CD: Piloting A Vehicle of Audible Expression Artist: Audio/Rocketry
Label: Self-Released
Rating: 4/5
Best Song: This Audio
Reviewer: Bobby Gorman

Over the last three years, I’ve see Audio/Rocketry live more times then I can count. Great guys, great band and a great live show, I’ve stomped my feet and clapped my hands along with them almost every possible chance I get. Their brand of distinctly Canadian folk-punk hit home, with songs detailing locales that I know and visit and on their third album, Piloting A Vehicle of Audible Expression, they go one step further.

They once again sing songs that are distinctly Canadiana but have also moved forward to sing songs of community and music (like The Wild in a way). They start off from the start with Mission Statement which a rousing chorus of “The chorus is our banner, under it with manifest. We live in audio and die in the wake of silence.” Boots of Our Youth follows and details the aforementioned stomping and clapping at local shows all over. It all cumulates with the energetic sing-along closer This Audio that champions the bonds of friendships found in the local scene.

Delivering a fuller sound than ever before, Piloting sees Audio/Rocketry expanding from the acoustic guitar/bass duo of Joe Vickers and Matt Murphy and adding in more varied instrumentation to their folk-punk stylings. Feast or Famine’s Kevin Klemp adds some banjo into the background while Paddy Sterling picks up the tempo with a series of percussions. Blair Drover rounds the sound out with a mixture of mandolin, electric guitar and bare bones drumming.

This added instrumentation fills out the sound on Piloting to great effect – the added snare on Boundless Rocketeers may not leave the biggest impression but enables to the song to stand out just a bit more as it grows in momentum. There are downsides to it too though, like on Inner Aesthetic which focuses too much on the added instrumentation and sounds out of place in the flow of the album.

The album’s strongest points occur during the more energetic moments – be it their ode to Edmonton on “Hey Dynasty, Don’t Forget…” or This Audio. When they slow it down, Audio/Rocketry have hits and misses. Never Lose Your Shine uses a laid back tempo and barebones structure that hinders the momentum of the album, throwing a bit of a wrench into the flow of it all but they’re able to pull you back in with the slow but moving Only Gets Better. This is Piloting’s Two Chords and is powerful without being rowdy.

As it is, for people looking for good, down to earth folk punk, Audio/Rocketry is for you. - ThePunkSite.com

The boys from Audio/Rocketry are having a little trouble sending us their press photo. It seems that in the handful of years they’ve been playing and touring cross-country, they haven’t had time for a photoshoot.

So, in the frenzy of Monday morning copy deadlines, I’m faced with a call from frontman and songwriter Joe Vickers, who suggests we take a shot of him busking to tie in with the theme of his latest album, Buskin’ Songs With Audio/Rocketry. I glance out the window at the blowing snow and snicker, as any alt-weekly editor might, at the thought of taking a young musician to task for not having their shit together for an album release.

Alas, the 21-year-old Vickers is eager to offer less painful solutions, and instead of standing outside, we head into Bay station. The light is low, and our photographer asks him to stand “very still” — but Vickers immediately busts out a bouncing, punkish folk tune, stamping his foot and startling some of the midday commuters with his enthusiasm. And I have to say, it surprises me too.

As it turns out, Vickers is a by-the-seat-of-his-pants kinda guy. And it works for him. Just before the band’s last tour, the unexpected departure of their drummer left Audio/Rocketry an acoustic outfit. You might think that would spell death for an indie band that thrives on a high-energy live show, but Vickers took it in stride.

“At that point, we decided to stick it out as an acoustic band and rely on our acoustic element,” he says. “We were able to play some different venues that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. We played on a cabin porch once up in Peace River which was memorable. It was in the middle of nowhere. Then on a boat once in Sylvan Lake — yeah, that boat was a-rockin,’” he winks, before going on to describe his last tour, which consisted of some burned CDs and a backpack. “We went all the way to Halifax playing various punkhouses, squats, barrooms, bookstores. We didn’t have a vehicle — we bused, trained, hitchhiked a portion of it. We’d wake up and ask ourselves how we’d get to the next town. It forced us to be creative. And everything worked out. We didn’t miss a show.”

Keeping with the acoustic theme, Audio/Rocketry’s latest project is a salute to busking culture, something that’s always been a point of pride for the band. “We played in the LRT last year,” Vickers says. “We set up this busking show that we promoted on the internet and told all our friends to meet us at University station, and from there we just started playing guitars, singing songs on the train, and slowly picking up more people along the way until we picked up some of the finest members of ETS security ... and the RCMP.”

“They didn’t want a CD,” chimes in Rocketry bass player Matt Murphy.

“Instead of looking for the billy club hits, we just took off,” Vickers says. “We were prepared for it, and it lasted a lot longer than we thought it would. I thought we’d be done in maybe 10 or 15 minutes, but it lasted about an hour.”

As for the album, the forced acoustic direction was more of an inspiration than a hindrance. “We wanted to capture that time in the era of the band, when we didn’t have a drummer,” Vickers says. “At the time I was doing a lot of busking —and we had to cut our repertoire in half because we didn’t have a drummer. Those were the busking songs. I like to busk because it’s an outlet for me to go and play. I’m not looking for money or anything. There are obviously different approaches to busking — a lot of people do it for that survival. But for me, it’s just the chance to play and maybe have people listen, which is a bonus.”
- SEE Magazine

Spencer Perry AUDIO/ROCKETRY
JULY 25TH AT THE PRINCETON PUB
JULY 26TH AT THE BLACK FROG

While the Princeton Pub has featured a slew of interesting and captivating independent artists of late, Audio/Rocketry’s show on July 25th will likely stand out. Hailing from Edmonton, the band likes to mix their acoustic folkster jams with a rough punk edge – creating music that is fun and built for a good time, with a sound that could best be described as pre-1964 Dylan mixed with your favourite Vancity busker and the first couple Hold Steady albums.

Audio/Rocketry formed back in 2005 when singer and guitarist Joe Vickers moved from tiny Drumheller to the sprawling metropolis of Edmonton. After a few chance meetings with a few talented local musicians, the band moved from busking on street corners to playing in clubs and venues around town. They’ve toured around British Columbia and Alberta heavily since their inception and their upcoming performances will mark their fourth time in Vancouver.
There are thousands of indie folk-rock groups strumming acoustic guitars and trying to get by on somewhat clever lyrics and melodies. Quite frankly, that sort of thing sounds good in a coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon but is a huge snore on a Friday night. Audio/Rocketry is different. They’ve got a really relaxed and fun vibe but are not afraid to go all out and inject a bit of that ever elusive rock and roll soul into it.

The band’s stage show is best described as, “upbeat and energetic, and we encourage the crowd to be rowdy alongside us as we rely on stomps and claps to carry the rhythm of the songs,” Vickers explains. Audio/Rocketry has been getting a great reception from local scenesters in the Edmonton area and they hope that translates to Vancouver. Vickers is optimistic: “We love the Vancouver music network and have had a great response every time we’ve played in this city.”
- The Skinny