Acrpost: A Project of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres

Event Description

Ember Swift
with opening guests... Barley Wik
Saturday, October 29th
Logans Pub, 1821 Cook St..
Showtime 9:00pm
Tickets: $15 Advance / Door
Available at: Lyle's Place (cash only) 382-8422, Central Bar & Grill 361-1700 & McPherson Box Office 386-6121 (service charge)
For more info: high-tide@telus.net

Ember Swift's Website: www.emberswift.com
Barley Wik's Website:www.barleywik.com
Toronto's Ember Swift is both an individual singer-songwriter and a dynamic trio. Alongside of Ember's elastic jazz vocals and lush acoustic guitar are layers of electric violin, bass guitar, drums, percussion and vocal harmonies. Most notably, Lyndell Montgomery, with infectious charisma and musicianship akin to wizardy, has been performing with Ember Swift for over seven years. On drums and percussion, the tours rotate between two talented players: Adam Bowman and Cheryl Reid. Together, they combine folk, jazz, funk, punk, world (ranging from Middle Eastern to Spanish to Eastern European), pop, classical and reggae. They travel fluidly between genres and easily shrug off any attempts to cloak their music in a style category. Their "style" cannot be contained.

Ember Swift and her band speak their minds and their truths boldly and without fear from stages across Canada, the U.S. and Australia. Their songs shed light on issues such as globalization, consumer awareness, food politics, disengaging from capitalist greed, feminism, queer politics, racism and environmentalism. All seven of their independently released albums on their independent record label "Few'll Ignite Sound" weave politics and poetics in and out of daring musical arrangements. They are proud independent artists, by identity not default.

Barley Wik is the real deal. Whether they're playing in a bar, a vineyard or a yurt, their rock-solid musicality and evocative harmonies will set your toes a-tapping. As Monday Magazine said, “These girls can play and, boy, can they sing.”

Although it's hard to pin them down to any one style, their music could be called “folk-country with a bluegrass twist”.

With a high spirit of camaraderie and a reputation for putting on a great show, Barley Wik have shared the stage with a wide range of artists, including Jane Siberry, Valdy, Carolyn Mark, the Wailin’ Jennys and Jeremy Fisher.

Since forming in 2002, Barley Wik have completed two cross-country tours and won Monday Magazine “M” Awards for Most Listenable CD and Most Electrifying Acoustic Performance. In 2004, they debuted on the festival circuit, appearing at the Ness Creek Festival (SK) and Thundering Women's Festival (ON).

Their catalogue includes Triangle Mountain (2003) and Dusty Lullaby (2004). They have charted on co-op radio and can be heard on CBC.

In the words of Rae Spoon, they are “a unique group of women who put the old-timey back into being a group of singer-songwriters.”