Blackberry Wood, the self-described “alt-country gypsy circus” band will be playing in Forest Grove on Nov. 29, after postponing the show from its original date of Nov. 8.
“We were thinking of making it Nightmare Before Christmas themed,” said Kris Wood, the band’s frontman. “The main thing is that we’re going to dress up and we’re going to invite people to dress up the same way too.”
The band originally started around 2008 when a friend asked Wood and his girlfriend (both playing in different bands at the time) if they wanted to play a New Years Eve show. They agreed to do the show and played another show before calling themselves Blackberry Wood.
“Then the next New Years we decided to invite a few other people and the band grew that year until it was like nine people. It was super fun,” said Wood.
However, the band is now only travelling with four people, though there is a core group in the band and then several other ‘Blackberries’ who join the band on certain tours or festivals.
The output of the band is influenced by a lot of first-wave ska music, old-time country and modern pop music.
“We sort of have a strong way of crossing a lot of boundaries to make a sound that appeals to older generations and younger generations too,” said Wood. “It’s a neat combo of music because it appeals to a wide variety of people.”
The band has also incorporated circus acts such as sword swallowing and fire-breathing. At one point, the band even did a residency at the Caravan Farm Theatre in Armstrong where they studied and practised clowning.
The band has played in numerous tours and festivals across Canada and Europe, including the Glastonbury Festival three times. Several big names have played at Glastonbury, such as the Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Morrissey, Adele, Coldplay, The Rolling Stones and Lady Gaga.
Wood said playing after a surprise Lady Gaga set at the festival in 2009 was ‘amazing.’
Some other festivals the band have played at are the Dawson City Music Festival, Victoria Ska Festival, and the 2018 Wilderness and Bestival Festivals in England.
The show will be at the Forest Grove Community Hall. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Admittance if $15 and the venue is a licensed cash bar event.
