Vancouver based gypsy folk/ circus rock band Blackberry Wood is coming back to Lethbridge, Dec. 16 with a whole new line -up, other than frontman Kris Wood.
They even got a new stand-up bassist from a circus sideshow.
“ It’s been crazy,” said frontman Kris Wood who is excited about the new line-up.
“We got Shannon (Marie) or Miss Eerie, that’s her real name, comes from a circus sideshow from Danger Thrills, which has things like guys sleeping on beds of nails. We were talking to her and she said ‘it’s been so long since I’ve played bass.’ We said ‘you play bass?’ So we asked her to join,” he summarized.
They haven’t decided on a theme for their show as their shows always involve props and crazy costumes.
“ What do you think? Santa Claus? Or Nightmare before Christmas,”
he chuckled.
“Shannon comes from a theatrical background so she always make sure the set and backdrop are up and that props are on stage. And costumes have come a long way too,” he said.
The rest of the band have moved on too.
“We lost our drummer in Dawson City. He got abducted by a very large forest woman. He just went missing. but we got a letter from her saying ‘you’ve lost your drummer, but my brother is an amazing mechanic, he can build you an mechanical drummer,’ so we have that,” he chuckled.
“He mostly plays old traditional country music.”
He also has a new trumpet player, Maren Lisac .
“She is amazing. She can play world gypsy music, old blues and a lot of old jazz,” he said.
“Shelder (their previous trumpet player) got a dream job as music director on Salt Spring Island, that hippie island, for one of the schools, so she couldn’t turn it down. And Jen, our saxophone player and her new boyfriend and the van they bought had a plan to go sown south, so they’re tripping around. So it’s party on,” he said.
“But we got a new saxophone player, Carlos. He’s amazing but couldn’t make this tour,” he continued.
So Blackberry Wood has been busy breaking in the new line-up and, as always doing a lot of touring.
“On this tour we’re doing 12 shows in 12 nights. This summer we played the Glastonbury Festival again and bigger festivals like Arts Wells,” he said adding he is pleased with the new line up.
“ These new folks are really stoked about rehearsing, so it’s been a lot of fun. I have an incredible backlog of songs, and I’ve been writing new ones,” he said.
They are still touring on their last CD Strong Man Vs. the Russian Bears.
There is a five dollar cover for the show, which begins at the Slice, Dec. 16 at approximately 9 p.m.
