After spending the last eight months feverishly playing throughout the Comox Valley, Fiftieth Parallel makes their festival debut at the brand new Rhythm on the Rock music fest in Courtenay on July 23.
Featuring Philip Marchand on guitar and Jonathan Hinds on guitar and djembe, Fiftieth Parallel brings their own unique sound to the already vibrant Vancouver Island music scene. The influences of acoustic guitar geniuses such as Andy McKee and John Butler shine through clearly, but there is also a blend of Pink Floyd and the more obscure Kyuss thrown in for good measure.
From the John Butler influenced Into the Wind all the way to the technical guitar drumming of Zed, the variety of Fiftieth Parallel’s original material will impress you, even if their music somehow fails to amaze: “I was blown away by their talent at one of our Open Mic nights,” says Catherine Bell, owner of the Zocalo Café in Courtenay. “They are one of the up-and-coming local talents to watch.”
Fiftieth Parallel are stoked to be the first ever performers at Rhythm on the Rock as they open the Comox Valley’s newest music fest when it makes its debut this Saturday at the Comox Valley Fair Grounds. Tickets are on sale around Courtenay, Campbell River, Qualicum and Nanaimo for $30 and the festival will feature the best music that the West Coast has to offer.