Festival 506: Highlights from Miramichi

If there's one thing I hope outsiders learn about the city I call home this weekend, it's that Miramichi's music community may be relatively small, but it's unified. These aren't pretend rock stars holding each other down, it's a family of fellow minded musicians, supporting and nurturing each other; the people in Miramichi bands are the same people you see in the crowd at shows for other Miramichi bands.

Whether or not any of these bands "make it" is irrelevant; their music is a reflection of hard work and creative passion, the two main ingredients for any self-respecting rock n' roll.

The artists on this list are people I know. I've seen them play, and sometimes played with them. I've sold them CDs and/or sold their CDs at my previous job, and had deep conversations about music with them. I've had a drink with them and/or got drunk with them. I'm proud to call them my friends, even if just on Facebook; if that makes me a little biased, so be it.

Here's what I'm proud to call Down Home Music:

THE DiBIASES
Rock N' Blues Stage
Kin Centre, Friday @ 11pm

Cowpunk isn't exactly a common genre, and maybe it's not what The DiBiases set out to become, but it's probably the quickest description of their sound I can come up with. All three members love punk rock, and they've added elements of surf rock, country & western and straight up rock n' roll to create a sound that sets them apart in style and attitude from most every other band in Miramichi. Their debut EP Death Strikes Noon was released digitally in 2014.

THE TERRY WHALEN BAND
Rock N' Blues Stage
Kin Centre, Friday @ 1:15am

The Terry Whalen Band's original bassist was also my boss at CD Plus until they shut us down in 2008; so, I was fortunate enough to get in on the ground floor, and even provide feedback on the band's second record during its creation. From those humble beginnings, TWB have amassed accolades across the Maritimes (winner of two Music NB awards and three-time ECMA nominee) while releasing four full-length records and an EP (Two Steps Forward, released in 2014) and playing a ton of shows. Terry loves the blues, and pays his respects every time he gets on stage.

DILLON RYAN'S HINDSIGHT
Riffs & Riffraff Stage
The Goodie Shop, Saturday @ 10pm

I won't take credit for influencing Dillon's music, but I did sell him a ton of CDs while he was in his early teens. The thing is, I probably got more of my musical taste from him than he did from me; without this wise-beyond-his-years kid in my record store, I'd have never gotten as much into Sonic Youth and Britrock as I did. Dillon's music draws most of its influence from Johnny Marr and new wave, and I'm fairly certain I had nothing to do with that. Still, of all the people I talk music with out in the real world, Dillon's my favourite because he's so opinionated and knowledgeable.

LIONSAULT
Riffs & Riffraff Stage
The Goodie Shop, Saturday @ 12:15am

The racket this trio makes might call to mind bands like Monster Truck, Billy Talent and The Pretty Reckless. Well, it should; these are major influences on the band, and the resulting LP (2015's Are You Feeling Lucky?) is an uncompromising record that twists these influences into something that rises above the generic hard rock that's clogging up the radio. It's gotten them attention from well outside Northumberland County, too; their new song In the Wild was chosen as the goal song for the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats, and just last night they landed Fans Choice and Members Choice awards at the Music NB Awards. Something tells me they'll be scoring plenty more in the future.

With that, our tour of Festival 506 artists is over. To all the hard working staff and volunteers at Music/Musique NB, the host venues and especially the artists, thanks for giving folks like me ample reason to be proud to call New Brunswick home. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a whole bunch of shows to see.

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