An Ontario bluegrass band has found its way back to Diamond Valley.
The Slocan Ramblers play Beneath the Arch on Saturday, March 25 at the Flare n’ Derrick.
Their homegrown bluegrass sound is sweetened with maple-infused Americana.
“We definitely try to keep one foot in the world of traditional bluegrass, which defines the band in a way, defines how we started,” said Ramblers member and mandolin player Adrian Gross. “From there, there’s a big old-time music influence, which is kind of its own genre of American music, you could say.
“Trying to put as much creativity and energy into what we’re doing, the idea of finding something unique and creative within the genre, but still pushing them a little bit.”
Their latest album released last June, Up the Hill and Through the Fog, explores the range of those labels, one glowing example being Streetcar Lullaby.
The sedate tune lives up to its name evoking a tired journey through the streets of life.
“There's these emotions and moods and feelings and ideas, and you’re trying to capture it through words and music and notes on your instrument,” Gross said.
Contrasting that are plenty of jig-inducing tunes like Bring Me Down Low, but a common thread is the Ramblers’ barber shop-worthy harmonies.
“A lot of stuff off that record is still fairly new to us,” Gross said. “It was kind of the culmination of our COVID music making, composed and arranged and recorded during the days of isolation.
“We have some brand-new stuff we’re going to debut over this year, and it’s also kind of fun to go diving through our old catalogues, so we have a bunch of material we haven’t played in five or six years.
“They’re going to be reimagined versions of the songs.”
The Slocan Ramblers are no strangers to the Prairies, where Gross said their music has been well-received, including a fall 2015 concert at The Stop in Black Diamond.
“There’s so many roots music fans in Alberta, and we really appreciate them,” he said.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets can be found at beneaththearch.ca/concerts.
