Pure City

The idea that a pure city is the natural world humans tend to neglect is the premise behind the name of Calgary band Pure City.

Formed in 2006 and often compared to bands such as Tool and the Dave Matthews Band, the present line up consists of Rodney Medwid (lead vocals/acoustic guitar), Matthew McLaughlin (lead guitar/vocals), Dustin Corkran (drums) and Trevor Wiebe (bass guitarist). McLaughlin describes the band’s music as progressive and heavy, but he feels it’s the band’s, “hard-hitting rhythms intertwined with beautiful, haunting emotion-filled melodies” that creates Pure City’s unique sound.

In the past, the band has had the opportunity to open for Ashes Divide, a show that McLaughlin and his bandmates mark as a turning point in their career. “It was proof that our hard work was beginning to pay off,” he remarks.

Pure City’s latest release is also a significant step in the band’s growth. Earth at Our Feet, which was released independently last May, took the band six months to write. McLaughlin describes the album as a true journey from beginning to end, and more evolved than their last album, Temperatures and Colours.

Although McLaughlin says that releasing an independent album requires a lot of work and money, Pure City still plans to hit the studio this year, and release an EP and live DVD in the summer.

Hopefully, Pure City will soon be heard across Canada by the people they love to play for – their fans.


- Youthink Magazine-by Larissa Pinhal

The wide expanse of the international rock/metal world can be daunting – even frustrating writes Komodo Rock's Lindsay Thomas. I mean, the majority of us alternative music enthusiasts have to sift through mountains of tracks that are barely recognizable as music, just to find the few gems hidden amongst the bull shit.

So here it is – a comprehensive list of up and coming rock and metal bands. Some you may like, some you may not, but hey, this is just my humble opinion, so take it as you will.

1.Pure City – www.myspace.com/purecitymusic

If you can picture Jack Johnson hit by lightening and lit up on cocaine, you can picture Pure City.

2. Junkies Rush –

Easily the most innovative groove-metal band on the Canadian metal scene.

3. Freakhouse – www.myspace.com/freakhouse

Primal and debaucherous , they’re a great alternative to Disturbed.

4. Broken Ride – www.myspace.com/brokenride

A reflective rock n’ roll with a fair dose of intelligence.

5. Soul Side In – www.myspace.com/soulsidein

With bright and melodic tracks such as Living on the Land, it’s easy to see why Soul Side In is starting to make a fairly sizable dent in Canada’s alternative music scene.

6. Broken Toyz – http://www.brokentoyz.net

Okay, they’re a cover band but they made it onto a list of original bands – they’re THAT good.

7. Static in the stars – www.myspace.com/staticinthestars

Melodic and thoroughly rock n’ roll – SITS should have a well deserved place in every iTunes library

8. Voodoo Six - http://www.myspace.comvoodoosix

Voodoo Six are proving themselves to be one of the London scene’s biggest and best exports.

9. Zoo Lion – www.myspace.com/zoolion

Three words describe this band: Sexy, original and earthy – one of Calgary’s finest.

10. Dirty Penny – www.myspace.com/dirtypennysucks

This is for all you glam-heads out there, Dirty Penny is giving Motley Crue a run for their money.

- Komodo Rock

Artist
Pure City

Venue
The Palomino Smokehouse

Date
February 20, 2010

A while back, I created a top ten list of up and coming bands for all of you wonderful Komodo Rock readers to check out. Number one on that list was a Canadian band entitled Pure City. The list that I composed was quick, concise and direct – lacking the illustrative depth needed for a proper review. So now, finally, I am going to tell you why – exactly – Pure City is number one (and with exceptionally good reason).
Going to the amount of shows that I do, I see an astronomical number of bands, all striving to make it to the top, and all starving and struggling just to have their music recognized. For the most part, they have the necessary components for a good show – energy, attitude, musicianship, passion, talent...you name it, they’ll have it. However, there is one thing that I have never, in all my years, witnessed in a local band – and that’s the elusive “X-factor”. I know – it’s a ridiculous concept, right? I really hadn’t thought much about this enigma, in fact, I really didn’t think it existed, until I saw Pure City perform at Calgary’s Palomino Smokehouse on 7th avenue. I’d seen them perform multiple times before, but I wanted to make sure – be absolutely certain – that this band really, truly had what I was perceiving them to have. I mean, every band can get lucky and have one or two amazing, blow-your-ass-into-outer-space shows, right? Well, when it comes to Pure City, luck has absolutely nothing to do with it.

If you can picture Jack Johnson, hit by lightening and lit up on blow, then you can get a fraction of an idea of frontman Rodney Medwid’s charisma and fervour. With the intricacy of Tool and the smoothness of A Perfect Circle, Pure City is delightfully Maynard influenced but completely non-pretentious and absolutely nothing but original. Drummer Dustin Corkran and bass player Steve Berry carry the band through intensely challenging and creative rhythms – with never a fault or even a notion that a mistake could be made. They performed as though they were wholly invincible – which is precisely how they sounded. Guitarist Matthew McLaughlin played with severity and urgency – almost as though the world were coming to an end and this would be his final performance.

Very rarely will I go to a metal show and feel moved in a manner that is deeply emotional and personal. Sure there’s excitement and a primal energy that is nothing short of addictive, but for Pure City, tracks such as "Darker than Ash" and "Dissolve" splinter emotional expectations and create a truly poignant experience – something I’ve not sensed at a show since seeing U2 perform "Where the Streets Have No Name" back in 2005.

Pure City can be described in a lot of ways – provocative and forceful being two of the words that I would have to – need to – use. They can be found on iTunes as well as on myspace (www.myspace.com/purecitymusic). And just to add a cherry on top, Pure City will be in the studio this March working on a piano-rock piece called “Graves of the City” so keep your ears to the ground – you won’t want to miss this.

- Komodorock.com