Settlers Creek Band

There’s a buzz in the air like you just backed your John Deere into the hornet’s nest behind the shed. The Stampede Ranch in Guelph is full and it’s only Wednesday. But the room of patrons, aged 19 to 59, dominantly wearing plaid, or black T’s, is getting their drink on and their eyes are turned expectantly towards the stage for Settlers Creek’s single release show.

The musical categorization ‘country’ often gets a bad rap. Its popularization in the late ’90s created great revenues, but often at a cost; watered down, middle-of-the-road pop songs with a drum machine and a little fiddle drove CD sales and drove many real music fans to change the station (thanks Shania).

Luckily, the band Settlers Creek does not fit that mold.

AND this bunch of guys are not Urban Cowboys (thanks Travolta), but the real deal; most of them grew up and still live in rural postal code areas north of Guelph and Waterloo.

Wed. Feb. 1, Settlers Creek released their new single, Greener on the Country Side, at the Stampede Ranch in Guelph. That morning the song was released as a single to the approximately 40 country stations across Canada, some of which had personalities on hand for the event. This is the third release from Line in the Dirt, the band’s first album from May 2011.

It’s a mystery how these things are decided. The first single, Wanna Go, while poignant, is medium paced and wouldn’t be my personal first choice as a single. This Town, a medium shuffle, was released in the fall. The third release and the reason for the concert is a down and dirty country rocker and my favourite of the three, particularly live.

The night started off with opening band Cross Country Cowboys who rocked through some fun covers with gravel-voiced enthusiasm.

Then Settlers Creek took the stage and filled the dance floor. I’m not sure if the first song was the best choice to start with; Down by theCreek has some challenging groove changes and off-beat rhythms for stick man Sean Bruder and front man Luke Rogerson has some mean picking to kick off the night on his Telecaster. And there’s always the challenge of getting used to monitors and having the soundman alter the board from the first band. But from the second song, Somebody’s Nobody, Settlers Creek found their groove and never looked back.

The set was tight, as it should be from these veteran musicians who have been together for over a decade. Slick transitions, lots of energy, and guys who are obviously very comfortable together on stage characterized the show. And why not? These fellows have logged countless kilometers – often in their modified school bus – playing at 4H dances, country fairs and the like, as well as the better known country cover band club scene. Now they are striking out with their original material and the maturity of the band is evident.

But they didn’t forget their cover roots. Peppered among the originals, including one not yet recorded that had a delightful Baba O’Riley-esque Hammond theme from keyboardist Chris Eisen, were crisp takes on well-known pieces by Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler, Dwight Yokum and John Mellencamp, all with a Settlers Creek flavouring. During one segue they snuck in the intro from Rush’s Tom Sawyer. Fun!

Bryce Butcher’s growling Gibson had a raw country-rock sound. Greg Eisen solidly held down the bass. There were many vocal harmonies. Rogerson’s lead vocals were clear and dynamic and his guitar work intricate. Bruder rocked the drums with energy and a big smile. Nothing cheesy here, though – just rockin’ country tunes, well crafted and well executed.

Ask 100 people if they like country music and you’ll probably get a minority who say yes, but ask 100 people if they like Johnny Cash and likely 99 will give a thumbs up (and the one will be a Bieber fan or something). And a similar percentage of music fans will enjoy these authentic country boys and the great music they create.

For tour dates and other information, visit Settlers Creek at www.settlerscreekband.com or on find them on Facebook. - Velvet Rope Magazine

There’s a buzz in the air like you just backed your John Deere into the hornet’s nest behind the shed. The Stampede Ranch in Guelph is full and it’s only Wednesday. But the room of patrons, aged 19 to 59, dominantly wearing plaid, or black T’s, is getting their drink on and their eyes are turned expectantly towards the stage for Settlers Creek’s single release show.

The musical categorization ‘country’ often gets a bad rap. Its popularization in the late ’90s created great revenues, but often at a cost; watered down, middle-of-the-road pop songs with a drum machine and a little fiddle drove CD sales and drove many real music fans to change the station (thanks Shania).

Luckily, the band Settlers Creek does not fit that mold.

AND this bunch of guys are not Urban Cowboys (thanks Travolta), but the real deal; most of them grew up and still live in rural postal code areas north of Guelph and Waterloo.

Wed. Feb. 1, Settlers Creek released their new single, Greener on the Country Side, at the Stampede Ranch in Guelph. That morning the song was released as a single to the approximately 40 country stations across Canada, some of which had personalities on hand for the event. This is the third release from Line in the Dirt, the band’s first album from May 2011.

It’s a mystery how these things are decided. The first single, Wanna Go, while poignant, is medium paced and wouldn’t be my personal first choice as a single. This Town, a medium shuffle, was released in the fall. The third release and the reason for the concert is a down and dirty country rocker and my favourite of the three, particularly live.

The night started off with opening band Cross Country Cowboys who rocked through some fun covers with gravel-voiced enthusiasm.

Then Settlers Creek took the stage and filled the dance floor. I’m not sure if the first song was the best choice to start with; Down by theCreek has some challenging groove changes and off-beat rhythms for stick man Sean Bruder and front man Luke Rogerson has some mean picking to kick off the night on his Telecaster. And there’s always the challenge of getting used to monitors and having the soundman alter the board from the first band. But from the second song, Somebody’s Nobody, Settlers Creek found their groove and never looked back.

The set was tight, as it should be from these veteran musicians who have been together for over a decade. Slick transitions, lots of energy, and guys who are obviously very comfortable together on stage characterized the show. And why not? These fellows have logged countless kilometers – often in their modified school bus – playing at 4H dances, country fairs and the like, as well as the better known country cover band club scene. Now they are striking out with their original material and the maturity of the band is evident.

But they didn’t forget their cover roots. Peppered among the originals, including one not yet recorded that had a delightful Baba O’Riley-esque Hammond theme from keyboardist Chris Eisen, were crisp takes on well-known pieces by Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler, Dwight Yokum and John Mellencamp, all with a Settlers Creek flavouring. During one segue they snuck in the intro from Rush’s Tom Sawyer. Fun!

Bryce Butcher’s growling Gibson had a raw country-rock sound. Greg Eisen solidly held down the bass. There were many vocal harmonies. Rogerson’s lead vocals were clear and dynamic and his guitar work intricate. Bruder rocked the drums with energy and a big smile. Nothing cheesy here, though – just rockin’ country tunes, well crafted and well executed.

Ask 100 people if they like country music and you’ll probably get a minority who say yes, but ask 100 people if they like Johnny Cash and likely 99 will give a thumbs up (and the one will be a Bieber fan or something). And a similar percentage of music fans will enjoy these authentic country boys and the great music they create.

For tour dates and other information, visit Settlers Creek at www.settlerscreekband.com or on find them on Facebook. - Velvet Rope Magazine

Drawing a Line in the Dirt to forge a new path to success
by Kelly Waterhouse

“This life takes you down so many roads, and you never know where each one is gonna go.”
It’s Saturday night, June 4.
The air is thick with humidity, but a breeze blows in the back door of the Erin Agricultural Centre, sending a wave of anticipation through the large crowd assembled inside, waiting for the show to begin.
It feels more like a family gathering than a CD release party; a real community atmosphere.
No one feels it more than the musicians who are about to take the stage. This is it: the first step in a journey that, despite more than ten years in the making, is now truly the beginning of what everyone here hopes will be the road to success.
This night changes everything - and they know it.
Lead singer and guitarist Lucas Rogerson takes to the microphone and with humble appreciation for the support of the people in the room, introduces the debut live performance of the band’s new album, a collection of eight songs, all written and arranged by the members of Settlers Creek Band; brothers Greg and Chris Eisen, Sean Bruder, Bryce Butcher, and Rogerson.
Until now, they have been one of the most popular cover bands from the area, playing tributes to their song writing idols like Blue Rodeo, The Band, Garth Brooks, John Mellencamp, and a host of other acts.
But this night is about presenting an original sound all their own.
To do that, the boys had to decide to draw a line between where they have been in their musical careers and where they want to go. Hence the name of their first album, Line in the Dirt.
“We were always imitating, when we played covers,” said Rogerson. “We wanted our own identity.”
Bass player Greg Eisen agreed. “We wanted to show our fans what we could do.”
Bruder, the band’s drummer, added, “Playing cover songs limited where we could go as a band. We eventually want to take our careers into full time music.”
Taking that first step, Settlers Creek Band went into the recording studio in late October with a handful of original songs, and laid down the tracks for this album, a process that took a period of five months.
It was journey and a true test of the band’s determination.

“We never realized how different our music tastes were until we started the process of writing and making the CD,” explained Rogerson. “We agree on a lot of music, but we have very different tastes too. So we had to learn how to write and play together all over again.”
That’s saying something, given that these guys have known each other for over 15 years, 11 of those years as band mates.
The group got started when Butcher, from Erin, met Rogerson, from Elora, at a music camp for the performing arts. They started jamming, and Bruder, a Guelph native, joined in, followed later by the Eisen brothers, of Fergus.
“This is the longest relationship any of us have ever had,” joked Chris Eisen. So naturally, the creative process tested their bonds, and in doing so, made them stronger.
Chris Eisen admits that having the band write its own music was the best part of the process, but also the biggest challenge.
“You get a riff in your head or a chorus, and you can hear it that way, but then you present it to the band and they hear something completely different,” he said. “You have to learn to be open to some change and also when to hold on.”   
Butcher relayed that the process was made more difficult because music is their part-time career. All the band members have full-time jobs, with the exception of Rogerson, who has recently taken the ultimate gamble to leave work to promote the band full time.
Balancing work, family, and recording over a five-month period made for long days and longer nights. Like old friends, they knew how to remedy the situation.
“We took a break from each other and then we started to hang out again, without talking about the music. We reconnected,” said Chris Eisen. “The mixing sessions after that was the cohesiveness; when it all came together.”
Rogerson added, “It was a trying time, with some frustration and tension” - a comment that led to laughter from his band mates. “But then we got our own sound out of it.”
Settlers Creek Band members learned the lesson of their musical heroes before them: that the creative process is just that - a process, and an evolution of the band’s growth.
“It will be better the next time,” said Rogerson with a smile. He credits the support of producer Sean Gugula for keeping the band on track.
“This was a total learning process, every step of the way. In the end, we learned to work together in the studio,” Rogerson said.
The evidence is in the music

Line in the Dirt accomplishes everything the band members hoped for; it’s a radio-ready sound of their own, with respect to the influences that got them to this point, and an independent spirit, too. It’s a little bit of rock, blues, and a whole lot of country or, as Bruder puts it, “It’s who we are.”
From t - The Wellington Advertiser

Drawing a Line in the Dirt to forge a new path to success
by Kelly Waterhouse

“This life takes you down so many roads, and you never know where each one is gonna go.”
It’s Saturday night, June 4.
The air is thick with humidity, but a breeze blows in the back door of the Erin Agricultural Centre, sending a wave of anticipation through the large crowd assembled inside, waiting for the show to begin.
It feels more like a family gathering than a CD release party; a real community atmosphere.
No one feels it more than the musicians who are about to take the stage. This is it: the first step in a journey that, despite more than ten years in the making, is now truly the beginning of what everyone here hopes will be the road to success.
This night changes everything - and they know it.
Lead singer and guitarist Lucas Rogerson takes to the microphone and with humble appreciation for the support of the people in the room, introduces the debut live performance of the band’s new album, a collection of eight songs, all written and arranged by the members of Settlers Creek Band; brothers Greg and Chris Eisen, Sean Bruder, Bryce Butcher, and Rogerson.
Until now, they have been one of the most popular cover bands from the area, playing tributes to their song writing idols like Blue Rodeo, The Band, Garth Brooks, John Mellencamp, and a host of other acts.
But this night is about presenting an original sound all their own.
To do that, the boys had to decide to draw a line between where they have been in their musical careers and where they want to go. Hence the name of their first album, Line in the Dirt.
“We were always imitating, when we played covers,” said Rogerson. “We wanted our own identity.”
Bass player Greg Eisen agreed. “We wanted to show our fans what we could do.”
Bruder, the band’s drummer, added, “Playing cover songs limited where we could go as a band. We eventually want to take our careers into full time music.”
Taking that first step, Settlers Creek Band went into the recording studio in late October with a handful of original songs, and laid down the tracks for this album, a process that took a period of five months.
It was journey and a true test of the band’s determination.

“We never realized how different our music tastes were until we started the process of writing and making the CD,” explained Rogerson. “We agree on a lot of music, but we have very different tastes too. So we had to learn how to write and play together all over again.”
That’s saying something, given that these guys have known each other for over 15 years, 11 of those years as band mates.
The group got started when Butcher, from Erin, met Rogerson, from Elora, at a music camp for the performing arts. They started jamming, and Bruder, a Guelph native, joined in, followed later by the Eisen brothers, of Fergus.
“This is the longest relationship any of us have ever had,” joked Chris Eisen. So naturally, the creative process tested their bonds, and in doing so, made them stronger.
Chris Eisen admits that having the band write its own music was the best part of the process, but also the biggest challenge.
“You get a riff in your head or a chorus, and you can hear it that way, but then you present it to the band and they hear something completely different,” he said. “You have to learn to be open to some change and also when to hold on.”   
Butcher relayed that the process was made more difficult because music is their part-time career. All the band members have full-time jobs, with the exception of Rogerson, who has recently taken the ultimate gamble to leave work to promote the band full time.
Balancing work, family, and recording over a five-month period made for long days and longer nights. Like old friends, they knew how to remedy the situation.
“We took a break from each other and then we started to hang out again, without talking about the music. We reconnected,” said Chris Eisen. “The mixing sessions after that was the cohesiveness; when it all came together.”
Rogerson added, “It was a trying time, with some frustration and tension” - a comment that led to laughter from his band mates. “But then we got our own sound out of it.”
Settlers Creek Band members learned the lesson of their musical heroes before them: that the creative process is just that - a process, and an evolution of the band’s growth.
“It will be better the next time,” said Rogerson with a smile. He credits the support of producer Sean Gugula for keeping the band on track.
“This was a total learning process, every step of the way. In the end, we learned to work together in the studio,” Rogerson said.
The evidence is in the music

Line in the Dirt accomplishes everything the band members hoped for; it’s a radio-ready sound of their own, with respect to the influences that got them to this point, and an independent spirit, too. It’s a little bit of rock, blues, and a whole lot of country or, as Bruder puts it, “It’s who we are.”
From t - The Wellington Advertiser