Open Sky Music Festival and Avenue Theatre present Daniel Wesley, w/ Josh Hyslop, and guests

Open Sky Music Festival and Avenue Theatre present Daniel Wesley, w/ Josh Hyslop, and guests

Tweet

This event is expired ( Apr 19, 2013 )

Avenue Theatre and Open Sky Music Festival present
Daniel Wesley, w/ Josh Hyslop, and guests
Friday, April 19th
Avenue Theatre, 9030 118 Avenue
Venue phone: 780-477-2149
info@avenuetheatre.ca
http://www.avenuetheatre.ca/
No Minors, Doors @ 8:00 pm
Advance tickets to the public on sale Tuesday, Feb 19 at YEG Live, and Blackbyrd Myoozik
Pre sale VIP packages available today at the link below!
http://www.fanexperience.ca/danielwesley

Daniel Wesley - Biography

Listening to the reggae-tinged title track of Daniel Wesley’s new album, Ocean Wide (in stores April 9 – 604 Records/Universal Music Canada), fans new and old will hear a songwriter who has come into his own as a lyricist and creator of memorable melodies as he explores more mature, evocative themes with sometimes ruthless honesty, wisdom, perseverance and gratitude.
“My wife and I were in Argentina and I was standing on this patio jamming and looking at the ocean and started singing. I really feel that Ocean Wide is a representational song, lyrically, to my fans. I am saying, ‘this is what I do, and I am really thankful and I am going to keep doing it no matter what, because music is what keeps me alive,’” he said.
The 31-year-old White Rock, BC native, has always been known for his powerfully expressive voice, powerhouse live shows, and wonderfully varied musical creations. With Ocean Wide, he has bared his soul, and crafted 10 unique, cathartic musical journeys, all wrapped up with a thematic and tonal cohesiveness that solidifies Wesley as one of the great songwriters on the Canadian landscape.
“I have always played rock music, but this album is a little different style of rock, and it’s one that seems more natural to me. And I think a lot of that had to do with the way it was recorded,” said Wesley.
After allowing outside producers into his process for his 2011 album Easy Livin’, Wesley went back to producing the music himself, working mostly out of Vancouver’s venerable Mushroom Studios. But he also worked on two songs with Gavin Brown, who recently produced the Tragically Hip’s most recent, critically acclaimed album.
“I was only with Gavin for two days, but we did two songs in those two days. It was so fast and intense, but it was such a great experience. It was really carefree and loose, and I tried to carry on that way for the rest of the album back in Vancouver. And I think it comes across on the album,” Wesley said.
While ‘rock’ may be the best way to describe the overall vibe of Ocean Wide, fans of Wesley know to expect something different with each new release. On this one, it’s the raw energy of the music, but also the raw emotion of the lyrics that are indicative of the growth he has made with this record.
The opening track, The Bullet, sets the tone for the rest of the album on so many levels, and is also an example of Wesley’s inspired method of songwriting.
“I just had the chorus, ‘I’ll take a bullet from your heart,’ but for the longest time that’s all I had. I remember going over and over it and I couldn’t get anything else. I sat on it for probably a year. Finally the other verses came through, but not until I was working with [bassist] Darren Parris and [drummer] Tim Proznick in the studio that helped bring it all together.”
‘When The River Dries Up’ sees a vulnerable side to Wesley that even he admits caught him off guard as he was penning the song. But the song adds a profound maturity and depth to the album, and certainly evokes the sort of existential questions of life that most people, especially creative people, ask themselves as they move along their life journeys.
“I think everyone comes to a point in their life where they’re a little down. And for some reason, throughout the process of making this record, I was a little down, and I don’t know why. When The River Dries Up was just one of those times when I was thinking about my wife and all she meant to me. And like another song, Sun Shine Down, it was like me questioning whether I am giving enough. Am I worth enough to have the person that I am with? But as down as I was, both are uplifting songs in their own way. In the chorus of ‘When The River Dries Up’ you realize that everyone makes things work, whether they go through tough times or not.”
It’s this maturity – focusing not on the angst of the question but plowing through to the answer – that is the most effective message in Wesley’s current writing.
Music has always been a significant part of Wesley’s life. From an early age, he was involved in school choirs, and jumped into the rock and roll circus by joining fledgling bands in high school. He played with some regionally-successful acts into his early 20s before going solo in 2006 – quitting his job as an electrician a year later to go out on the road as a full time, rock and roll troubadour.
Ocean Wide sees Wesley opening himself up as a writer and musician, fearlessly baring his soul in a compelling, powerful and very real way – which, when you break it down, is the real essence of great rock and roll.

www.danielwesley.com
facebook.com/danielwesleyband
twitter.com/thedanielwesley

Is this EVENT no longer running? Does it need updating?

Help us keep our listings current by  letting us know.

During the COVID 19 pandemic, some restrictions may be put in place on live music and venues around you. These measures may force some or all events for a period of time to be canceled or postponed. Please check the venue website & their social media feeds before heading out!