Event Details
Date: Monday, July 09, 2012
Start Time: 6:00 PM
Event Type: Concerts, Special Events
Last Updated: July 06, 2012
Views: 5
LocationCameron House, TheFront Roomwith Duncan DaviesDavid BaxterRucksack WilliesThe Rucksack Willies are a rag-tag group that perform with the relaxed energy of an old-style string band. Their musical stylings, as diverse as the land that shaped them, smash together a simple, rural attitude with big city wit and cunning. A true hodgepodge, The Rucksacks are reminiscent of a lost beat generation, battered and bruised from years of bumming, living life the way they feel it should be lived, not conforming to societal or stylistic norms. The sound is distinctly aged and littered with lazy wisdom, quite the accomplishment for a band of 20-something year olds.In their dbut album; Letter to Anne, lead vocalist and songwriter Angie Hilts writes lyrics that transcend age, gender and location, creating songs that are truly universal. The grace and beauty of Hilts singing integrates perfectly with the high energy of her rockabilly backers. Although many of the songs seem inspired by the Deep South, there is an underlying jazz motif in many of the band members playing that generates a uniquely rural Canadian sound. The album was completed in the Spring of 2011 with the help of engineer and co-producer Reuben Ghose. It features some of Canadas freshest Indie talent including: David Baxter on guitar, John Williams on Clarinet and Laure Bates on the fiddle.The Rucksack Willies consist of the vocals of Angie Hilts and Megan Thomas, Michael Eckert on pedal steel and dobro, Lucas Gadke on bass and vocals, Galen Pelley on percussion and vocals as well as Adrian Gross on guitar and mandolin. Since the release of Letter to Anne, the Rucksacks have celebrated many accomplishments including sold out shows across the GTA, a spot in The Mariposa Festival and a weekly residency at Torontos Cameron House.