Time: 9:30

Cover:$10

 www.myspace.com/redshag  or redshagcarpet.com

Red Shag Carpet. Genre? Hmmmm..Alt Rock. It's alternative because it's not the usual stuff. You could throw the word indie in there as well because they're unsigned, released two albums, tour like nomads, write music that "smoulders with a ragged piano-pop, folk and punk spirit." (Edmonton Journal) and have done it all independently. They're from Edmonton. There's a lot of good music there. Red Shag recorded their debut album before doing anything else. CBC radio said they "had done what few bands have, created a fresh, cohesive sound right out of the box" and named them "Alberta's band most likely to get hooked on in 2004". Then the touring started. After 250 dates it's too much fun to stop. This has become a major part of the creative process for the band, road-testing songs and constantly trying new things live and in the studio. In 2006 Red Shag Carpet teamed up with producer/engineer Nik Kozub (Shout Out Out Out Out/Veal) and recorded "Lift and Drop". This time with "lush instrumentation and melodies so hooky it ain't funny" (CJSR Radio) Red Shag "managed to capture the energy of their live show flawlessly" (Intercamp Magazine). Between albums everyone started writing music and singing lead vocals, and this has become essential to Red Shag Carpet. With four very different lyrical and song-writing styles to draw from, there's no shortage of material to keep listeners fresh. The band's strong adherence to a collaborative approach to developing songs gives the music a consistent element that results in a distinct Red Shag Carpet sound. Dan Yarmon (bass), Matti Darrah (piano), Allan Pickard (drums) and Ted Ani (guitar) are Red Shag Carpet. There's a piano, so it's been compared to Ben Folds Five. There's four singers and writers so Gomez has been brought up. "Spell-binding deconstructive pop sensibilities" (SEE Magazine) on Lift and Drop have been mentioned in the same vein as Wilco.

Ted Ani is an Edmonton folk musician.