Doors open at 7:30 pm, band starts at 8:00 pm, Tickets $20 *proceeds from this event will be supporting the Orillia Youth Centre
VK will be performing songs from their recently released album 'Terms & Conditions' with friends (John Lebarr, Roger Stanley, Jamey Heidman, Sean Murray, Dave Hewitt, Jason Beers, Jamie Hassard, Jeff Traplin, Steve Parkes & more). With special guest Michael Martyn.
Meet VK: A duo, inspired by small town Canada, launch a brand-new record - and one you deserve to discover
How many music duos do you know who’ll tell you that the small town they live in is one of the major influences in their music?
So, meet Steve and Marni Van Kessel — VK to you and the growing number of folk in Ontario, and in Orillia in particular.
You know Orillia, right? A small and sunny town, nestled between two lakes, Couchiching and Simcoe. An hour or two up Highway 400 from big-city Toronto. The home of Stephen Leacock, whose 100-year-old stories still make grumpy people smile. The hometown, too, of Mariposa, Canada’s first and continuing folk festival. Oh, and you certainly know Orillia-born Gordon Lightfoot, who’s written dozens of songs every Canadian can sing along with. And the town that has always inspired the feel and tone of the couple’s music.
A Canadian duo with a unique style and sound
Now you should find out about Steve and Marni. They’re the sort of people who become part of a town’s fabric. He’s a successful businessman, she’s a professional working in the health care field. The sort of people who make major contributions to community organizations.
And the sort of people who are now making music a vitally important part of their lives. More importantly, their music has the potential and the power to be part of your life.
The songs come from a personal past — Marni immersed in vocal training and choirs, Steve as a young songwriter and guitarist, honing his skills and confidence to share his creativity.
But careers and young family life pushed that into the background — for a while.
Steve recalls: “Flash forward to 2010. Marni got us tickets to a CBC concert series, and I recall performing guests Ian Tyson and Jim Cuddy sharing their song writing inspirations in a very intimate setting. “They awoke the passion I’d buried many years before, and the next day I picked up my guitar, and once again began to write songs…”
Steve is the singer, songwriter and guitarist with VK; Marni’s soaring voice complements the songs perfectly. “A Canadian band with an original, unique sound and style,” said one online profile, (and you can’t argue with that). The pair also co-founded their label,112 Records.
There are two albums, so far. VK and The Narrows released a 2014 debut —a band project — called Doin’ Just Fine, which was a perfect description of the music and the Van Kessel family dynamic. It was a notable mixture of old-school rock and roll and “Americana” with heart, passionate vocals, super-clean production, and superb musicianship. Think Blue Rodeo rather than Wilco; think the Hip rather than the Drive by Truckers.
A brand-new record
And now there’s a brand-new record called Terms & Conditions.
Describe it? With more emphasis on thoughtful, hooky roots songs and the pair’s powerful vocals, the album seems more personal, and more “relatable” to the listener. There’s an intimacy, a warmth that brings the songs directly to your heart…
The supporting musicians give resonance to the songs on the record, but the duo’s live performances bring the songs even more directly to listeners.
So, now comes the hard part: getting the music “out there.” Shows, concerts, good gigs, festivals, promotion, Facebook posts, Tweets, news releases, and all the rest of it.
The terms & conditions?
Work. Play. Dance.
Make music from the heart.
That’s what VK does.
Believe.
And discover.
Visit http://www.112records.com/vk for more information.
