Three male musicians with strong, captivating voices and distinct musical styles have joined forces and are bringing an intimate acoustic concert to Parksville March 1.
“Its boot stomping soulful rock-folk music and it’s a hell of a lot of fun,” said Ryan McMahon, who is one-third of The Bear The Lion The Fox.
McMahon grew up in Ladysmith and moved over to Vancouver for the good part of a decade before making his way back home to start raising a family. Although he thought he’d slow down a bit, it’s been just the opposite, he said, and he gets more done musically now than he ever did in Vancouver.
Last year McMahon won three awards at the Vancouver Island Music Awards including Artist of the Year, which was a pleasant surprise and validating for him, he said.
McMahon and fellow Vancouver performer Cory Woodward were fans of each other’s music while both living in that city, McMahon said, and decided last year it was finally time to do a tour together. Another provocative male voice that McMahon was keen on having join them was Christopher Arruda’s, who grew up in Nanaimo and now lives in Vancouver.
“It was a mixture of totally like minded personalities, similar sense of humor, and most of all similar experiences in the music industry,” said McMahon.
The three men are each into different styles of music, McMahon said, but despite that they had a bonding experience and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company, which is rare in the music industry, he said. Shortly after the tour they formed The Bear The Lion The Fox, characters which McMahon (the fox) said seems to really fit who they are.
Their styles also complement each other and at their upcoming show in Parksville they will fill up eachothers songs with harmonies and other instruments.
The trio released their first single on Valentine’s Day, a cover called Henry Nearly Killed Me by Ray LaMontagne.
The show will feature originals by all three artists with guitar, piano and some ukulele.
The show will happen at the Bayside Bistro & Lounge March 1. Cocktails are at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $20 in advance at the Quality Resort Bayside, Shades of Green, Cranky Dog Music and PostNet Parksville, or $25 cash at the door.
A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to the Little Mountain Prevention fund to help rid that area of the garbage from the excessive dumping that has happened there.
Tickets include a coupon for half off a second entree at the Bayside Bistro & Lounge, reservations required if having dinner March 1.
To watch the group’s first single or get more information on them visit their Facebook Page, The Bear The Lion The Fox or www.thebearthelionthefox.bandcamp.com.
CONTEST
Win two tickets to the show or an artist CD by emailing reporter@pqbnews.com with “The Lion The Bear The Fox” in the subject line and your name and phone number in the email. Contest ends Feb 26.