A contest put the rockers on the cover of Rolling Stone, but their talent has taken The Sheepdogs to the world stage.
Touring since 2006, this good-as-gold, Juno award-winning group has played the prestigious Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., the equally eminent Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. and Austin, Texas’ famous SXSW festival.
The band’s self-titled album, released in 2012, was certified gold that year and earned three Juno nominations, adding to the three wins for their 2010 release, Learn and Burn.
While vocalist and songwriter Ewan Currie acknowledges the 2011 Rolling Stone cover gave the band a big step up and a record deal with Atlantic, the musicians have long since established themselves as a group that draws crowds and gives them the music they want to hear.
“It starts as music we want to hear, but we’re very much of the mindset that if you get up on stage, people pay (to hear you) and you pretty much damn well better have something they want.”
And, less than an hour before headlining on the Roots and Blues Festival Main Stage Saturday night, Currie and bass player Ryan Gullen were ready and eager to do that.
In favour of playing just about anywhere people are willing to listen, both artists agree they enjoy all venues, large and small, indoor and outdoor.
“They’re all good, with different styles and different energies – like eating Chinese or Mexican,” said Currie. “We’ve played outdoors to people enjoying a Canadian summer and then you bottle up the energy indoors that really focuses on the stage and back.”
Ready for their first performance at the Roots & Blues Festival, Gullen says The Sheepdogs had heard about Salmon Arm and the festival from several sources.
“People told us it’s really good,” said Gullen, who said Saturday night at festivals is much like Friday to nine-to-fivers. “We get to go home and be with family and friends – that’s very valuable, good for our mental health.”
With a busy schedule, it’s somewhat hard to believe there’s time for writing new material, or rehearsing.
“I find time with my guitar and try to work out things,” said Currie, noting the band had spent the pre-Roots & Blues week rehearsing for a new album they plan to record in September.
“With technology, you can record to a drop box. The songwriting is basically a guy with a guitar and the technology helps share it with the other guys,” said Currie.
Getting ready for their 10:30 p.m. performance, both artists look forward to making music that pleases them and their audiences for as long as possible.
“We really enjoy doing it and lots of bands keep doing it,” said Gullen, noting the snapshot the band got of Salmon Arm and the warm and friendly people was really great. “We’ll do our thing as long as we can, creating new things, playing songs, new songs, new albums.”
Some 30 minutes later, The Sheepdogs took to the stage, turned up the sound and rocked out to a large and appreciative festival audience.
