Skip to content

MBM checking into Samesun hostel

Like many Banff visitors, Mindil Beach Markets will check into the Samesun Backpacker’s Lodge this week.
Mindil Beach Markets
Mindil Beach Markets

Like many Banff visitors, Mindil Beach Markets will check into the Samesun Backpacker’s Lodge this week.

No, we’re not talking the launch of a much-publicized public market, we’re talking about a Victoria band which fuses rock, reggae, hip hop, folk, funk and blues.

Rather than backpacks, guitar gig bags; rather than ski gear, amps, and rather than sleeping bags, a drum kit and keys.

Mindil Beach Markets is Daniel (DK) Kingsbury (vocals, guitar), Patrick Codere (vocals, guitar, bass), Matt Posnikoff (bass, guitar), Rod Campbell (vocals, keys) and Cam Ainslie (drums). The five-piece plays Samesun, Friday and Saturday, June 3-4.

MBM’s Banff stop is multi-purpose, said Kingsbury en route between gigs in Salmon Arm and Revelstoke last week.

On one hand, band members haven’t been in town before and are hoping to hit some trails during a three-day stay. On the other hand, the former Sunshine Coasters are touring to build a fan following and, on somebody else’s hand, the band is looking to garner votes for a FOX 99.3 Seeds contest – a battle of the bands affair which will be decided by fan voting.

Up for grabs in the Seeds contest is a package ranging from $10,000 in instruments to recording of a five-song EP with producer Garth Richardson (Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers and others), a songwriting session with Our Lady Peace’s Rain Maida and other swag.

Finally, the band just wants to get out there with their inaugural, self-titled CD.

Formerly Sunshine Coast (Sechelt) high school buds, all are now living in a big house in Victoria; balancing day jobs and the music thing.

Originally, Kingsbury, Posnikoff and Codere were still in high school when they started playing and put together a folk singer/songwriter type acoustic double disk and played a few concerts on the Sunshine Coast.

Dubbed The Waking Life Music Project, the double disk effort was used to create a $10,000 bursary for kids who couldn’t afford to take music lessions.

“At that time,” said Kingsbury, “we hoped to start a real band in the future. But we all went our separate ways until 2008, when we were in Victoria and recruited Rod and Cam. Now we’re all living in a big house together and working on our music.

“We put out a demo and that got us our first gigs, then we did a Western Canadian tour two years ago.”

Then came the 10-track self-titled album in 2010. “We’re very proud of it,” said Kingsbuy. “I think it’s a great representation of the band.”

After the 2010 release, Mindil Beach Markets was The Zone 91.3 FM’s banf of the month and received regular airplay.

MBM has shared stages with bands such as Nazareth, Del The Funky Homosapien, Katchafire, Ridley Bent and other Left Coast/surf/island/beach bands that have toured the Valley like Hey Ocean, Jon and Roy and Current Swell.

MBM tunes range from the bluesy/reggae “Working Man Blues” to the island-sounding “The Big Picture” to beefy bass and guitar licks in “Machines.”

Kingsbury and Codere handle the penning of lyrics and melodies, “but there is a great deal of collaboration,” said Kingsbury. “A couple of our songs started with just a bass line and we built on that and some of the best songs just happened when we were jamming. Everything goes through the filter of the band.”

Whether or not MBM wins FOX’s Seeds contest, “the main thing is the exposure and recognition,” said Kingsbury. “The Zone really supported us in the early stages and we released a single in October and have another coming up and ready for release.”

While MBM will have merchandise and CDs available at Samesun, bandmembers also believe in making some of their music available for free (mindilbeachmarkets.com).

“As much as anything, we want to let people hear what we’re doing,” said Kingsbury. “We want people to hear the music and check us out.

“Right now, we all have day jobs, but hope to make the transition to full-time.

“But it’s a tough business and we’re in debt… but it’s a lifestyle and we’re doing what we love. It’s going very well right now.”


Rocky Mountain Outlook

About the Author: Rocky Mountain Outlook

The Rocky Mountain Outlook is Bow Valley's No. 1 source for local news and events.
Read more



Comments

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks