THE BACKSTABBERS COUNTRY STRINGBAND
One Decade Strong!
Be warned: you will find your toes tapping, your shoulders moving and yes, you may even find yourselves singing along, because it will feel like just the most natural thing in the world to do, which of course, it is. (Dugg Simpson - Vancouver Folk Festival)
Yep, these are the kind of words you might very well hear after you see and hear the Backstabbers Country Stringband in performance. Formed in 1998, the 'stabbers have come to be regarded as torch carriers of a sort, tending the flame of a traditional country music that has been eclipsed by the kick drums and twangy electric sounds of todays so-called hot country.
Witnessing a performance by The Backstabbers is an exciting experience not soon forgotten. The members huddle around a single microphone. When the time comes for a solo, each player moves with clockwork precision and the band becomes what leader "Colonel" Tom Parker describes as a five headed beast, each member making each instrument and vocal line mix perfectly through their posture and position in relation to the microphone. There's plenty of offbeat, wacky humour as well. Because of this natural sense of humour and humility, smiling (and often intrigued) faces are a familiar sight at any Backstabbers show!
The band has played concerts and festivals across Canada and beyond, leaving happy, excited (and often hungover) fans in their wake. They have made repeat appearances at the Vancouver Folk Festival, the Evangeline Bluegrass Festival (PEI), and Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, and debuted at such festivals as the Calgary Folk Festival and Stanfest (Canso,NS).
You can catch the Backstabbers performing a matinee show each and every Sunday at Toronto's Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street Lost...errr West).
IDLE HANDS DO THE DEVIL'S WORK
side projects etc...
And of course, if you're not getting enough of us, or you don't wanna miss Sunday dinner at home, you can catch us in a number of different incarnations almost any night of the week around the Toronto area. Check out the links page for more info on our ever mushrooming solo and side projects. Uh huh. Idle hands do the devil's work, eh.
