When Whiskey Chief takes to the Hoodstock stage on Saturday (July 14) at Coy’s Par Three Golf Course in Fairmont Hot Springs, they promise an energy-filled show that’s bound to get you dancing.
“Our energy onstage just transcends the crowd,” said bass player Dave Wise. “Our stage energy and the fact that we’re super positive and happy, you can just feel that, and that’s hard to find these days I think.”
Approaching their one year anniversary, the six-piece group has been testing their mettle on the Vancouver bar scene for a number of years, although not always as Whiskey Chief. All the members have played with one group or another over the years, but as Wise tells it, this particular band seems to have something special about them.
“It just blossomed, it just kind of seemed like destiny at the beginning,” Wise said. “I know it sounds cheesy but it totally seems like the sun comes out for us, and we’re all best buddies already… it’s a really harmonious relationship.”
Not only have the group’s friendships grown in leaps and bounds since their inception, but so have their opportunities. As the group started in bars and clubs in Vancouver, they’re surprised how quickly they’ve begun to be invited to much more prestigious events, including the annual Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo in August. For Hoodstock, the group is particularly interested to see how their music and performance is received by a different audience than what they’re used to.
“We’re really excited to do [a family event] like Hoodstock,” Wise said. “We’d like to prove ourselves in front of a different crowd.”
When asked what genre the group’s music falls into, Wise had some difficulty pinning his band down, but finally settled on what he called a fusion of funk and rock with a decidedly party feel. He said some listeners have likened his group’s music to a ‘70s cop show, and that when it comes down to it, it’s all about having a good time.
“It’s mostly high energy party music, just get up and dance and enjoy yourself,” Wise said. “We’re really looking forward to it, Hoodstock is going to be awesome, and we’re all really excited… we’re like giddy little boys messaging each other on Facebook every day about it.”
For more information, including a schedule of bands, visit the Hoodstock website at www.hoodstock.info. To hear Whiskey Chief’s music before they take the stage, visit them at www.whiskeychief.com.