What: Jackfruit
When: Friday, July 14
Where: Merlin’s
Slow Nerve Action frontman Chris Berry returns – and fully clothed to boot.
Berry and original keyboardist Ian Lamont will spread their seed to Whistler – the Jackfruit kind Friday, July 14 at Merlin’s.
Whistler’s most notorious sexaholic rockers took a long-term hiatus last fall after band members scattered across Canada for family time.
While Berry, a new dad, has his hands full with diaper changes, he and Lamont put their heads together to form the new Vancouver-based band Jackfruit – a definite PG-13 version of the sexual funk Slow Nerve Action was famous for.
"I think people will dig the new music," Berry said from his Vancouver home. "Slow Nerve Action and Blue Quarter did really well up there (in Whistler). The project is completely different, but has elements of each piece. Just how I bring a little bit of Anne Murray and a hint of Steph’s Celine Dion stirred together with Ian’s White Snake and poured into a large glass of Drew’s pureed Phil Collins, I’ll never know."
Jackfruit is made up of Berry and Lamont as well as Blue Quarter bassist Stephane Fortin and Trip drummer Drew Vendetti.
Fortin returns to Whistler from a Blue Quarter tour through Europe. The Whistler show is something both former Whistler boys are looking forward to.
"I feel great and the boys are pumped," Berry said of playing Jackfruit’s Whistler debut. "It feels like home when it comes to playing music. So many great times were spent up there. The stoop parties, the Boot shows, the SNA orgies – whoops, sorry. I forgot I’m a dad now, but then again, how did he get here!"
While Jackfruit’s lyrics are void of lubricant and sexual-coupling rants, Berry’s humour and ability to poke fun at life is alive and well, no matter what music he’s penning.
From falsetto to growling howls, Berry carries on his commentary on politics, consumption and, of course… roller skating. His voice is more grounded and powerful than his sexual ambassador days, which is evident on Jackfruit’s debut album, Check Ca . Visit www.jackfruitmusic.com to download sample tracks.
The band describes their music as a fusion of jazz, two-ton funk and drum ’n’ bass with monster bass lines and molten piano rumblings.
As the French title instructs, "Check Out" this old, but soon to be new Whistler favourite with plenty of groove to go around.
