BRINGING A BLEND OF RAUCOUS AND TASTY
Vancouver’s Bend Sinister to perform at brewery concert series
Lager and loud music go together. So do a guitar’s wail and a strong ale — rhyme and swill at will.
It didn’t take much deduction for the folks running Red Truck Brewing to see the benefits of pairing up its craft brewed products with live performance for the three-show Truck Stop Concert Series staged in the brewery parking lot.
The second year of the series opens this Saturday with recently reformed Austin, Texas, R&B/rock crew Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears. Dawn Pemberton, Ballantynes, Grammy winner Chin Injeti + Lifetimes, Red Gold & Green Machine and Star Captains. Running from 4-10 p.m., the concerts make for a lively Saturday getting your drink on (responsibly, natch).
Vancouver’s Bend Sinister play the second date of the series on Saturday, July 9. Well known for being both raucous and tasty, the group fronted by affable piano man Daniel Moxon will be heading out on the road this month to showcase its latest songs for an upcoming EP, as well as fan faves from albums such as 2014’s Animals.
“We’ve really been laying back from touring after we did the cycle for Animals and working on new songs for the next record,” said Moxon. “We’ve been bringing in some new people to collaborate with, to try some new angles, and recording demos with Ben Caplan. We’re taking our time as we want to make this something special and the best it can possibly be.”
Started in 2000, Bend Sinister has been a serious project since 2005, when Through the Broken City arrived. The next album marks the launch into its second decade. So the present lineup of Moxon, guitarist Joseph Blood, bassist Matt Rhode, drummer Dicky Neptune and multi-instrumentalist Kristy-Lee Audette wants to deliver something special.
All the members are active with solo careers and other projects as well. A surprise gig in April was their first time on stage together in a year.
“Joseph recently did this totally cool thing where they did the entire final David Bowie album, and plays with a few other projects,” Moxon said. “Our drummer is also with J.P. Maurice and Kristy-Lee — the newest member — is also in a bunch of bands. I do a lot of solo shows and also gig with my trio.”
For all that, Moxon still day-gigs to make ends meet. He has been fortunate enough to score films and has other sidelines, including a boutique furniture reconditioning business. Obviously, he’d love to see Bend Sinister progress to the next level, but he knows how the business is.
“We get a lot of opportunities, play fun summer festivals and get chances to keep involved releasing creative content as a band and as solo artists,” he said. “Honestly, if I only did music, I think the risk of burning out faster and being less creative could happen. We’re really excited to be playing the Red Truck series.”
We’re taking our time as we want to make this something special and the best it can possibly be.