Seventh Rain

"The rain then decided to come down like tiny but very pointy darts. With lightening flashing and thunder cracking, the fittingly named Seventh Rain took the stage. This was the Calgary band's second time performing at the Stampede, and it was obvious they had some experience under their hats.

The four members of Seventh Rain easily made everyone present feel vital to the show. Inciting mad mud po-going and soaked-hair-head-banging with their radio-friendly rock, they were the first band to truly connect with the crowd. Then again it might have been the weather. After all, there's nothing like a torrential downpour to bring band and audience together.

Before anyone knew it, Seventh Rain was called off stage and we were left standing in the middle of a thunderstorm watching the next act setup. Suddenly brought down from the high that Seventh Rain created, I began to notice how cold and wet I really was. I would've liked to stay, but when your fingers start to prune, you know the party's over." - Jaclyn Arndt of Soulshine Magazine

Seventh Rain Break Into The Top 30 As An Independent Band

Calgary, AB - Calgary based band, Seventh Rain, recently debuted at #20 on the Top 30 list on Astral-Media’s Radio Station Vibe 98.5 FM with their song “I‘m Here“. As an independent band, this is their third single to hit radio stations across Canada.

The single was recorded at Bryan Adams world renowned “Warehouse Studio” in Vancouver, BC as part of their newest album titled “Byda”; with the help of Mike Fraser mixing (AC/DC, Metallica), Dean Maher engineering (Hedley, Rise Against), and Todd Kerns producing (former lead singer of Age Of Electric).

Forming seven years ago, Seventh Rain have been making a name for themselves in a city ruled by an indie music scene. Refusing to try and fit in, they have been making emotionally-driven pop/rock songs; ultimately leading up to being on a radio list dominated by Major Label backed artists.

Along with the recent success on radio, Seventh Rain are a performance based band, and have been venturing into schools across Southern-Alberta, hitting their key demographic at the heart. This is creating a much needed all ages scene in the area, as their following continues to build.

For further information about Seventh Rain, please visit www.seventhrain.com or contact:

Phil Grossi
403.875.6840
Phil@seventhrain.com
- Press Release

Students at Medicine Hat High School replaced their fifth period class Thursday afternoon with a rock concert. Seventh Rain, a Calgary-based band, performed an entertaining and motivational set of live music aimed at promoting anti-bullying.
Bandmates Rich MacFarlane, Ryan Williams, Phil Grossi and Luke Sheppard started Seventh Rain eight years ago while still in high school. Each had experiences with bullying that had lasting effects.
"Bullying has had a huge impact on us," Williams said. "Some of us were bullied and we saw it happen."
The band's "pop rock" music focuses on life experiences and uses anti-bullying to connect with its fans.
"(The show) is an energy filled performance and a great lesson on bullying," said guitarist Rich MacFarlane. "Students can have a good time together instead of being in cliques, and that's really what it's about."
Since the band released its debut album "Byda,” members have toured across Canada, the United States and Mexico, and shared the stage with acts such as Hedley, Sum 41 and Ten Second Epic. In the past two years, the band has visited more than 50 schools in Alberta to spread its message on anti-bullying.
Medicine Hat High School's counsellors and Peer Support group organized the performance after receiving an e-mail from the band.
"We thought it was a good message to bring to the school, and we'd heard good feedback from other schools who had hosted (the band)," said counsellor Alan Phipps.
Counsellor Lisa Bosch encouraged students to not just stand by when bullying is taking place, because simple comments can have lasting effects.
"We've always thought an ideal school would be a place where kids aren't scared to stand up. Learning does not only take place in the classroom . . . these experiences are just as valuable."
Seventh Rain's second album is set to be released in July, at which time they hope to return to Medicine Hat for another show. The album "Byda" is available on iTunes, and samples of the band's music is available on its myspace site, www.myspace.com/7thrain, or by visiting their website at www.seventhrain.com.

Margaret Flaming
Special to the News
May 29, 2009

- Medicine Hat News

Toronto, ON – Alberta based pop/rockers Seventh Rain have captured their most passionate and energetic collection of songs to date with their upcoming third album The Ghost in Me slated for release August 11, 2009. The band is set to perform at the Calgary Stampede on the Coca-Cola stage on July 2, 2009.

“We are incredibly proud of this album and are thrilled to have some new music for our fans! We can’t wait to show them we are definitely ready for the next exciting stage in our career!” says lead vocalist Ryan Williams.

The Calgary based band began their journey with strong support from local radio stations which saw their last album Byda spawn four singles, including the top 20 radio debut of their single I’m Here on the Vibe 98.5.

Seventh Rain have also developed a name for themselves locally by performing and speaking out against bullying in schools across Alberta. Having experienced bullying themselves, the band is making an effort to connect to students through their music. Their performances are a tool to motivate and entertain the students and help get the message of anti-bullying across.

The band have toured throughout Canada, Mexico and the United States, and have shared the stage with major recording acts, including Hedley, Live, Marianas Trench, Ten Second Epic, Nickelback, Evanescence, Sum 41 and Third Eye Blind. Most recently, the band won $10,000 for the Fuel 90.3 Rock Band contest in May of this year.

Weblinks: www.seventhrain.com or www.myspace.com/7thrain

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For additional information or to request an interview please contact:

Strut Entertainment:
Allison Dunnings
416-861-0387
allison@strutentertainment.com
- Strut Entertainment Press Release

Seventh Rain may not be the trendiest band in Calgary's indie music scene, but frankly, they're not that bothered. "We've always felt like outsiders in the Calgary music scene," says lead singer Ryan Williams, "But I think it's good, because it makes us work harder."
Formed almost seven years ago, the four-piece has grown from a teenage party band with no higher aspiration than getting drunk and picking up girls into a polished, melodic powerhouse with dreams of nothing less than chart domination. The band's catchy guitar hooks, big choruses and heartfelt lyrics have been compared to such mainstream rock acts as the Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, Nickelback and Good Charlotte.
"We're not really worried about what's trendy or not," Williams says. "We're proud to be a pop-rock band. Just because something is the cool thing to do doesn't really matter to me. I want to do what I'm passionate about."
This passion and dogged determination has started to pay off. Over the years, the band has shared the bill with Nickelback, Evanescence, Collective Soul, Hedley and Sum 41, and in 2004, the group won Vibe 98.5's Unsigned Vibe competition, netting a cool $100,000. The money came in handy when it came time to record their latest album, Byda, which was recorded at Bryan Adams's Warehouse studio in Vancouver. Williams claims the location and big-name, state-of-the-art studio weren't a big deal to the band. However, the people who worked on the album were. The CD was produced by former Age of Electric frontman Todd Kerns, engineered by Dean Maher (Rise Against) and mixed by Mike Fraser (Metallica).
"These days with the technology that's out there, you can record an amazing sounding album in your basement," says Williams. "But the people we really wanted to work with were in Vancouver, so it just made sense to go out there and live in a really, really cheap hotel."
The band also recently filmed a video for the CD's first single, "Save Me," which has been getting substantial airplay on Vibe and other major radio stations. The band's focus on mainstream success has made some fans and fellow musicians question Seventh Rain's integrity. But williams, guitarist Rich MacFarlane, bassist Lucas Shepard and drummer Phil Grossi are quick to defend themselves.
"People tell us that we've sold out," says MacFarlane. "We're passionate about what we do and we're self-sufficient. We have no label telling us what to do."
"Anyone who saw us play when we started," adds Williams, "knows that we're playing the same music. We're just more mature now."
"(If you're not on a label), you have to promote yourself and do it all on your own," Shepard adds. "You can't wait for things to happen. If that was the case, everybody would be buying lottery tickets, sitting around waiting to win."
The band members have been spending much of their energy on the release of Byda, which is named after William's grandmother. "She passed away a few months ago at the age of 91," Williams explains. "She was pretty much the biggest supporter of our band. She came to every show we had. She was on Cowboys's website because she was onstage at 90 years old, dancing up a storm and drinking beer with the best of them. So we dedicated this to her."
The band will hit the road in support of the album this fall and hope to make their mark as rock gods. "We have big expectations," states Williams. "We've been told by people to be realistic since day one. But we don't listen to them." - Fast Forward Magazine - Lisa Wilton