The evening of Saturday,Oct. 6 was quite a thrill. I got the chance to see The Zolas and Hey Ocean! perform live at Pepper’s Pub. The two bands gave great performances, both musically and energetically. It was a full house as music fans cramped around the stage to witness quite the spectacle.
This was the first time I had heard of The Zolas. Hailing from Vancouver, The Zolas provided not only powerful rhythms complimented with guitar work and fun vocal styles, but also offered a unique brand of entertainment. By incorporating catchy and fun lyrics with a driving bass line, they successfully pulled the crowd in while everyone danced and sang along.
Once The Zolas had finished their set, tension in the air grew as the crowd anticipated Hey Ocean!’s performance. As the lights dimmed, David Beckingham (vocals and bass) and Ashleigh Ball (vocals and flute) took to the stage followed by their respective band members as the bar began to shake from the applause. Hey Ocean! brought forth many interesting grooves and sounds from their combination of almost-retro bass lines and interesting guitar riffs that seemed to cut the air in an almost nonchalant fashion.
Ball demonstrated not only her wide vocal range, but flawlessly incorporated her impressive flute skills. It would come as a surprise to no one that in no time at all, the entire crowd was completely fixated on the music. Throughout the night everyone either clapped in unison, or sang along at the top of their lungs. Everyone had a genuinely great night.
Hey Ocean! is currently completing their annual Canadian cross-country, with opening act, The Zolas not far behind. These are bands that you won’t want to miss, so keep your eyes peeled for their tour dates
Check out their websites at thezolasmusic.com and loveheyocean.com
Be sure to check out my favorite songs by them at The Baron’s YouTube page, www.youtube.com/thebaronsj
