The Washboard Union
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
Bluegrass seven piece, The Washboard Union debut its first album, June 26th, till then ...the bands next local show is Aug, 17th at the Burnaby Blues and roots festival. - The Province
Who: The Washboard Union (Vancouver)
When & Where: Friday, 11pm at The Supermarket
If Ben Caplan takes ‘Best Beard’ we’re giving second place to The Washboard Union, whose own washboarder, Dave Roberts, boasts some scruff as impressive as the band’s rowdy roots set. Weaving effortlessly back and forth between country and bluegrass, the 7-piece group had the boots stompin’ with talented musicianship and sharp wordplay.
Extra high-fives: For the ease at which each member trades off lead vocal duties. - Mojito
Up next was Washboard Union. As someone who is not much of a country fan, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this performance, and found myself tapping my feet and itching to dance throughout the set. Again, the crowd was totally into this eight-piece band – I even glimpsed a few cowboy hats near the front. Every band member fully displayed their musical gifting, as most of the members alternated lead vocals for different songs. I loved the variety in tempo, the harmonies, and the ingenious use of the band’s array of instruments. And the washboard? Dave Roberts broke it out mid-way through the set for the melodic number “Texas,” which also included beautiful violin interludes from the talented Dougal Mclean. The band launched into the fast-paced number “Midnite Train” as their second to last song, with each member singing a different verse. The crowd loved it and danced like there was no tomorrow. The show was summed up well by a shout from one exuberant fan about half-way through the set, “This s**t’s off the HOOK!” - Vancouver Music Review
Discography
2 Pickets to Tittsburgh EP
THE WASHBOARD UNION, LP out June 2012
Currenlty streaming on CBC, Galaxie and Xm/Sirius Canada
Photos
Bio
A 3 Car Pile up of Old Crow Medicine Show, Steve Earle, and Drive By Truckers. Canada's only 7 piece Outlaw Bluegrass Band. 4 vocalists/songwriters together for a one of a kind live show. The band was recently featured for 3 shows at Canadian Music Week and received multiple best of the fest nods.
IN the fall of 2010 the band met one of Canada’s top producers, GGGarth Richardson. After hearing the band for the first time Gggarth decided that what the UNION was doing was so different from what he was used to that he signed on to produce The WASHBOARD UNION's album on the spot. Recorded at THE FARM studio in Gibson B.C. it would become Gggarth's first country album and the debut album for THE WASHBOARD UNION. Gggarth reached out to Bob Ezrin who produced the song Half Cree for the new album as well. With 4 distinct voices, The Washboard Union is a songwriting collective with one of the most captivating live shows on the road today.
THE WASHBOARD UNION's Self titled debut album will be out soon. Album mixed by John Whynot
Links