Sound Refuge

Sound Refuge is a Vancouver, BC based performer whose shows are like a punch in the face from your psychotherapist (and likely more effective), taking you on a highly satisfying musical journey, with high energy, integrity, and originality.

Sound Refuge consists of a solo singer/songwriter, Markus “Rooster” Michelucci, who often plays with a backing band made up of Josh “Juice” Contant on drums and percussion, Robin “Springer” Hunter on lead guitar and lap steel, Tanya “Tee” Battaglia contributing backing vocals, and Jeff "Shakes" Gabert on bass—as well as making monikers for all the players. His music would fit into the rock genre, with a dash of folk thrown in for good measure—something like if David Usher, James Taylor, Placebo and Cat Stevens were to produce a love child.

Writing music is a means to express intensely personal ideas and feelings for Sound Refuge, but it is more than that. He wants people to identify with his song’s stories and images, to walk away from performances feeling that he’s expressed something of their own truth. And, above all, despite some of the darker overtones of many of his lyrics, he wants people to be left with a sense of hope.

Recently, Sound Refuge released his debut album, Umbrellas In Winter, consisting of 12 songs fleshed out with a myriad of instruments including mandolin, which has been increasingly finding its way into his music as of late. The album is available on iTunes and at live shows.

A pre-album version of his song, “Vancouver’s On Fire” was included on CBC Radio 2’s Great Canadian Song Quest, and several tracks have found their way onto internet radio stations. Meanwhile, he’s been busy playing shows to support the album, teaching guitar classes to over 70 adults and children, refining his skills as a regularly performing musician, and trying to heed the advice outlined in his song, “Just Believe”: “Don’t worry, you’ll get there eventually. Don’t worry, you’ll get there. Just believe.”