Shred Kelly is back on the road, and Whistler is once again part of the itinerary.
On March 30, Sea to Sky denizens can catch Tim Newton, Sage McBride, Ryan Mildenberger and Ty West at the Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC) as part of their new album release tour. Indie pop group Hyaenas is the opening act.
Blurry Vision is Shred Kelly’s sixth album, a 10-track offering recorded in a somewhat outside-the-box manner. Band members ventured out to The Farm Studios in Gibsons and spent a week in a cabin to immerse themselves more fully in the creative process.
“We’ve recorded in cities in the past, and I think we really wanted to go somewhere remote to do this one,” McBride explains. “We all live kind of in a small community [in Fernie] and we feel connected to nature—not having the busyness of finding parking at the studio every day. It was a lovely experience to record that way, to start early or have access to the studio late at night.”
Hope amidst darkness
Much of Blurry Vision was written during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its songs tend to explore themes of change, uncertainty and new beginnings.
“Stained Glass” sets the tone for the whole album, a slow-burning melody about a coming storm analogous to the unknown future. “Better Times” encapsulates feelings of helplessness as a person watches a loved one battle their inner demons, while “Ocean Therapy” is about relying on nature to heal from grief and death. “Nothing for a While” brings it all home with ideas of finding oneself by unplugging from the hustle and bustle of life.
Perhaps “Lost Without You” is one of the collection’s most personal songs.
“In 2019, Tim and I had our first daughter—right as I was supposed to head back to work in 2020, the world shut down, and we were cut off from support, community, and friends for a lot of 2020 and 2021," McBride shares in a press release. "Tim and I spent two years tagging off parenting and working most hours of the day to pivot our careers and stay afloat in a pretty stressful time.
“However, in that time, we had weekly dance parties, we cooked every meal together, and things really slowed down. We saved up and spent a lot of quality time with our daughter. I had always been drawn to being busy and moving around a lot, and I learned to really appreciate the small things, our home, and the core people in my life. It did feel as though we would be lost without one another, especially in those years when we were all that we had.”
Shred Kelly marries their poignant lyrics with an upbeat alternative folk-rock experience. Their live shows essentially set the stage for a big old dance party, especially in British Columbia.
‘Actual joy’
McBride and her fellows have performed at the GLC for more than a decade, and they always look forward to returning.
“The community is just so fun and supportive,” she says. “Whistler has such a great vibe and everyone there just seems so happy and wonderful. The energy that you feel when you arrive at Whistler is kind of contagious … and our shows at the GLC have all been that way. It's a great venue to play at.”
One of the talented vocalist and keyboard player’s favourite Sea to Sky memories dates back to the 2022 Whistler Village Beer Festival. Shred Kelly invited a pair of audience members to accompany them on stage during a cover of “Dancing in the Dark,” not knowing the impact they would make that day.
“I bumped into one of the guys who came up on stage in Whistler when we were playing our Revelstoke show [on Feb. 17],” says McBride. “He said that he had been going through a really dark time, and that moment when he joined us on stage was the first time that he had felt actual joy in a really long time.”
Shred Kelly has toured across North America, the United Kingdom and Europe since first forming in 2009. The band members hope to keep the good times rolling later this month in Whistler, in more ways than one: they’re collecting donations for The David Suzuki Foundation and The Unison Fund to support environmental initiatives, counselling services, and emergency financial support to needy musicians.
Find tickets and more information at https://www.shredkelly.com/tour.
