WHO: Mazinaw
WHERE: Garfinkel’s
WHEN: Friday, July 27
An old face to the local music scene returns to the resort this weekend.
Steve Wright and his band Mazinaw are about to embark on their first West Coast tour, and Whistler has the pleasure of being the kick-off party. Not only is Mazinaw bringing back their usual infectious alternative pop sound, they’ll be debuting material from their upcoming CD.
"We’re ready," exclaims drummer Matt Brain. "We’re really looking forward to ironing out the new songs, seeing how they work live. It gives us a chance to play them a lot and really get the vibe down before heading into the studio."
Despite playing together since 1997, with Wright on vocals and guitar and Ryen Froggett on bass, this is the first time Mazinaw has hit the road. Brain and Froggett both have numerous projects on the go. Brain is also the drummer for Grapes of Wrath and has toured with the likes of People Playing Music and the Paperboys. Froggett is also a sound engineer and has toured with Grapes of Wrath and Holly McNarland. Until now, there has never been enough time to solely concentrate on Mazinaw, but the boys are making the sacrifices and commitments to push the summer project.
"Surviving, making enough money to pay the rent (as a musician) can be tough," Brain said. "I’m subletting my apartment while we’re on the road this month. But we’ve bought the van and we’ve got the shows booked. Steve has been taking care of that all on his own and doing a great job. Essentially it’s a full-time job, but you still have to work and eat."
The band is also excited about the new direction of their music. Old Mazinaw fans won’t be disappointed or alienated by any extreme change, but the band is maturing and challenging their abilities.
"We’re experimenting a bit more with sound and rhythms and patterns and melodies. We’re really gelling. We’re boiling the broth of the band down and the soup stock of the sound is starting to develop."
The new material also means renewed energy on stage. After all, it has been two years since their first CD was released. Anyone who has seen the band live already knows of their explosive reputation, so stand back, they’re about to take it up a notch.
"That’s what you do it for!" Brain said. "If you’re lucky enough to reach the status of what I suppose is a rock star that’s one thing. But we do it for fun."
photo to accompany in scans
