IPO Vancouver 2019

 
Click on artist name to go to their music page
 
CLICK HERE to see IPO Vancouver 2019 Artist Yearbook Photos
 

Artists From Vancouver

 
The Break – An alt-rock quartet led by guitarist and vocalist brothers Jamie and Rory MacKay, the band mixes hard rock roots with acoustic songwriting prowess and an oozing of creativity and collaboration to create their diverse sound. Their songs have been described as “country-fried rock”, “hard rock opera”, and “rock n’ pop with a bite”.
 
Danny Echo – He’s been featured in Wail Magazine and draws influences from the greats like The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles, Radiohead, Oasis, and U2; Danny Echo reverberates with all that is melodic, all that is catchy, and all that is rock n’ roll on their latest full length release, Rock Bottoms Up, and barely tones it down for their acoustic EP, Unplugged and Unglued. Smoke machines, projectors, smoking guitars, and fire extinguishers (?!!) have become a part of the visual assault of Danny Echo gigs, making the live show an experience not to be missed!
 
The Eleven Twelves – Take four veteran players from the Vancouver scene, pick a specific era (the mid ’60s) a specific genre (fuzz garage rock ‘n roll) be sure to play them loose but tight, and at a tastefully boisterous volume. Choosing only incredibly fun danceable tunes rendered at a breakneck pace, the 11-12’s deliver with dual guitars, organ, bass, drums, harmonica, saxophone- and three part harmonies – all performed on vintage gear of that era. Come prepared for a set crammed full of fashionably stylish fuzztone party rock ‘n roll!
 
The Pete Fiend X-Plosion – An explosive late ‘60s and early ‘70s influenced pop rock experience will be had by one and all, courtesy of this quartet, led by Fiend on vocals and bass, and featuring Scott Fletcher (of Preston and Fletcher – see below) and Julien Gripp on guitar and backing vocals with Taylor Little on drums. Think The Monkees meet The Doors meet The 13th Floor Elevators…or better yet, just come to IPO and check them out!
 
Kele Fleming – Kele Fleming delivers a mesmerizing set that has been described as baroque pop due to her literary lyrics, layered jangly guitars and her voice, an instrument of seemingly-limitless dexterity that shifts from choir girl naiveté to rock and roll edge. She will be performing from her latest album The Song I’ll Write for My Whole Life, recorded at The Warehouse Studios with Juno-recognized engineer Sheldon Zaharko.
 
The Furniture – A four-time WHAMMY award winning pop punk trio featuring Johnny Wildkat, the amazing bass player from Mongoose, bringing some kickass guitar; Lana Ryma, previous drummer from ten days late and the No No Spots, and the lovely and talented Aramis Starfish on bass guitar and vocals wrapping it all up with lyrical cynicism and experience. Combining heavy riffs with sweet vocals and a solid back beat, The Furniture are taking the West Coast by storm. Reminiscent of The Pixies, Nirvana, and The Breeders, The Furniture reinvent the ‘90s scene while delivering a truly original sound. Check out their debut LP, It’s People, and their IPO showcase!
 
Hi-Ranger – A delightful trio who deliver psych-pop songs of self-conscious absurdity, science-fiction arrogance, crushing futility, and melodies remembered from dreams the night before. The songs on their recently released EP, Tire Town, sparkle and jangle and leave us wishing for a full length!
 
IPO All Stars – As their name suggests, this band features an all star cast of Vancouver music scene luminaries from The Orchid Highway, The Walk-Ins, and other special guests, doing something completely different: a selection of cover tunes, some well known, but also a few obscure and challenging numbers that we can’t wait to see them pull off live!
 
Mooshy Face – They describe themselves as goof-punk, but their music brings together elements of ‘60s psychedelic pop, power pop, and punk pop with zany lyrics and antics. Fans of Weird Al, Frank Zappa, and They Might Be Giants in particular will dig their latest album, Are You Ready To Be Cool?
 
NOT Mentally Prepared – A Vancouver quintet who love nothing more than rocking hard and getting the audience to dance their booties off, so who could not love that!? In their original songs, they specialize in writing about a wide range of topics – the reality of life, love, funny things, weird things, obsessions, emotions, people, etc., but they are also know to throw down a few well chosen covers. Fans of artists from The Rolling Stones to AC/DC to The Cure should check them out! The band features Stephen Quinn of The Irises, along with many others who have played IPO Vancouver!
 
Scott Perry & The EastVangelicals – A veteran of Vancouver’s music scene, Perry is known to many an IPO-er for his versatile guitar work and harmony vocals as a member of The Orchid Highway, The Winlaws, and The Top Drawers, but he’s also an accomplished singer/songwriter in his own right! The songs on his latest album, Follow Up, as the name might imply, pick up where his debut, Songs of Serenity, left off. Inspired by classic seventies singer-songwriters such as John Denver, George Harrison, Gram Parsons, but also drawing on the melodic power-pop of the Beatles and all who they influenced, the acoustic guitar remains at the heart of these songs, with more electric guitar and leads found throughout, but still resounding everywhere is a love of vocal harmony, with many lush arrangements building simple songs into a rewarding listening experience. They rarely play live, so don’t miss them at IPO!
 
Preston & Fletcher – If the Avengers were musicians, they would want to be Preston & Fletcher. They share a penchant for hooky melodies, insightful lyrics and British sports cars. Their songs have as many twists and turns as a Rallye Monte Carlo where the drivers are Bacharach, Lennon and McCartney, Aimee Mann and Jon Brion. The consummate psychedelic pop perfectionists, they’ve spent the last few years putting the finishing flourishes on what promises to be an extraordinary debut recording, which we can hardly wait to hear!
 
Silent Martin – Originally formed at the “House of Flo” in the Okanagan Valley, Silent Martin brings their unique take on alt rock to their first IPO! Drawing from their collective Rock, Folk & Jazz Roots, Silent Martin’s dark groove, as can be heard on their latest album, Last Day of Forever, takes the listener on a journey through moody sonic landscapes, aggressive and pastoral.
 
Silver Machines – If you like new wave power pop in the vein of The Cars, The Romantics, the Records, and 20/20 (and who reading this doesn’t), then you will LOVE Silver Machines. We can’t wait to see and hear them perform songs from their insanely catchy self-titled digital album live!
 
Star Collector – IPO is always thrilled to welcome these stalwarts of the Vancouver scene back to IPO, whether it’s been several years since they last played or only one! Their patented blend of decadent hooky Americana, British power pop and glam influences and powerhouse vocals will knock you off your feet! If you don’t already own them, their Flash Arrows & The Money Shot and Hundred-Bullet-Proof CDs are a “must have” for any true power pop fan, and well-worth seeking out – their IPO show is a rare live performance, which you will not want to miss!
 
The Top Boost – The perfect modern psychedelic garage /power pop band, able to seamlessly incorporate classic sounds into their music without ignoring contemporary influences, they are creating something that is both familiar and distinctive. They combine catchy melodies and vocal harmonies informed by classic ’60s groups like The Beatles, The Byrds and The Zombies. The result is a swirling blend of bubble gum pop sweetness with a wistful lyrical undertone. Their debut EP, Turn Around, recorded and mixed in Vancouver and mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, is a kaleidoscopic sound collage driven by jangly guitars, pounding drums and wistful harmonies that earned recognition on several “best of” lists in 2016, and they are poised to follow suit with their new EP, Dreaming, the title track of which features Roger Joseph Manning Jr, and also appears as the lead off song on disc 2 of the IPO vol 22 compilation! We can’t wait for a full length and to see and hear these guys do their thing live again!
 
Aaron Trory – A fixture on the Vancouver scene from his standing gig fronting the house band at The Blarney Stone in Vancouver, to penning indie gems like “Gastown Girl” and “How Dare you (Do What’s Best for You),” Aaron delivers a crowd pleasing set of covers and alt rock originals. His original music is characterized by syrupy and sinewy guitars, deep-fried in a batter of coming-of-age heartache, served up with a side of ‘80s and ‘90s alternative rock influences. His latest CD, Zombie Sunflowers, is available on Bandcamp.