Sound and Science

Cowichan Theatre will be rocking Saturday, April 11 and it's all for cancer.
Friends of Thomas Kay and Tyler Hiltunen are rallying support in a special event on the big stage, starring Daniel Wesley and Armchair Cynics plus local performers Sound and Science and Jonah Hicks.
Hiltunen and Kay, both members of the Valley band D Grade, in a coincidence that stunned everyone who knew them, were struck with cancer last year and Kay remains in hospital.
Jonah Hicks and Malcom Owen-Flood, both musicians here, found they both had been thinking seriously about organizing an event to honour their friends and help out financially as well.
They joined forces, met up with Valley-based promoter Diane Gladman and the rest is history.
"We're both friends with Thomas," Hicks said last week. "I mentioned to someone else that I wanted to put together this big cancer show based on the Tyler and Thomas story.
"I learned that he wanted to do the same thing. And, Malcom and I are friends so it worked out perfectly and he said: awesome, let's start working on it."
It's taken some organizing.
"I was trying to get all these big bands but I was having no luck. I told them about Thomas and they did like the story and were certainly ready to send merchandise to help out.
"Then Diane Gladman, came on board and helped us out. She's great."
"But finally she got Daniel Wesley to confirm and after that the Armchair Cynics and those are pretty big names in the last few years. We're pretty excited," Hicks says.
Owen-Flood agrees that it's an idea whose time has come and that some big names are joining the effort.
"We just hope we sell out the place," he says.
Vancouver singer and guitarist Daniel Wesley formed his first band at 15 and hasn't looked back. He recorded the 2006 album Outlaw in Langley along with bassist Mark Luongo, before they formed a trio with drummer Alex Glassford.
The band's influences are Sublime, Jack Johnson, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, and Bob Marley. Their most successful single has been "Ooh Ohh", from the album Sing and Dance so look for great rock warmed by the Jamaican sun.
Rockers Armchair Cynics hail from Victoria. In 2004, they signed a Canadian recording and development contract with Vancouver based 604 Records (Owned by Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger and attorney Jonathan Simkin).
The initial release with 604 records was the EP Killing the Romance featuring "Bang", "Coalmine" and "Surprise Ending." Armchair Cynics now have finished a full length album "Starting Today."
This all-ages show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $30 each. Get them by phone from the Cowichan Ticket Centre at 250-748-PLAY or stop in at the box office.
It's opposite the library in the Island Savings Centre at 2687 James Street opposite Cow High.
- Lexi Bainas - The Citizen News Paper

Local group Sound and Science, who've gotten to play with some big names lately, are coming to the Duncan Garage Showroom. It's a chance for fans to be as up close as it gets with these artists, in this small but mighty venue.
Progressive rock is the game and Sound and Science is the name.
This local group, who hit the big stage at the Cowichan Theatre as part of the Cowichan Rocks for Cancer show, are back, this time as part of an evening at the Duncan Garage Showroom.
They've got great vocals, some sharp metal edges and good, energetic songs and last time you saw them they were joining the likes of Armchair Cynics and Daniel Wesley onstage. Those last two acts just wowed Cowichan again Friday as part of Sunfest 2009 at Avalon Acres.
And birds of a feather, you know, do flock together, so expect a quality evening on Aug. 24.
Joining Sound and Science are 57 Nights and Ruskin.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Showtime is 8 p.m.
- Lexi Bainas The Citizen

Soft rock torqued with technical touches will be plugged by local band Sound and Science during Friday’s concert in Cobble Hill Hall.
The innovative S&S quintet launches its debut disc Burn Your Boats during the date anchored by local guests Solstice, The Accidents and Nat 20.
S&S guitarist Malcom Owen-Flood labels his band’s brand of music “progressive soft rock.”
“We do all originals,” he said, citing influences spanning Coldplay and John Mayer.
“It’s easy-to-listen to music but we’ve got some edgy, technical sides to our songs,” said Owen-Flood who turns 19 on Friday.
S&S’s five-cut platter offers the title track plus You’ll Come Around, Lifeline, Bad Time Betty, and Late November.
“We all write, it’s a group effort,” he said of the band of Cowichanians formed in 2006.
“Hope is a big part of our songs and Burn Your Boats is about planning not to fail.”
Owen-Flood hails from metal groups Messiahs In Fiction, and Ire.
“Rob Wilkinson (piano, formerly of N7) and I started two years ago as a piano and guitar duo then added Sean Edmonds (AndBrownLeaves) on guitar, Riley Tustian on bass and Luke Cuthbert on drums,” said Owen-Flood.
He’s proud S&S gained exposure playing April’s Cowichan Rocks For Cancer.
“Sun/FM has also helped us out playing our songs.”
Owen-Flood and crew will have 1,000 fresh CDs for sale at $10 during Friday’s gig providing results from Sound and Science’s musical lab.
“In 10 years I’d like to be making a living off this,” he said. “We’ve already started writing our next CD.
“We’ll do whatever works out and we’re keeping it interesting.
“We’d get bored playing four chords all day.”

Your ticket:
What: Sound & Science CD release show with Solstice, The Accidents, and Nat 20
When: Feb. 19, 7 p.m.
Where: Cobble Hill Hall
Tickets: $10. Call 250-510-1312 - Peter Rusland - Cowichan News Leader Pictorial