The final Highway 19 Concert of 2019 is Kliffs, the Berlin-based, Canadian indie-pop duo of Mark Bérubé (guitar, keys, voice) and Kristina Koropecki (cello, synths, voice), joined by Montreal’s Marc-André Pételle and Hugo Chaput on bass and drums.
Kliffs will be performing at the Rivercity Stage, 1080 Hemlock St., on Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Originally from Brandon, Manitoba, Bérubé’s 15+ year career has included time based in Vancouver where he was a founding member of the Fugitives and regular special guest of Dan Mangan (that’s Mark’s voice signing harmonies on Mangan’s classic Robots) and in Montreal where Koropecki first joined his band 10 years ago. The two toured together numerous times across Canada and Europe, and eventually re-located to Berlin, Germany in 2014. After a brief hiatus for other projects including Koropecki touring with Danish superstar Agnes Obel, the two teamed up again in 2018 as a duo under their new name.
Kliffs are seasoned and skilled musicians and have acquired the craft of joining their instruments and their voices together to form a delicate balance in their songs. Koropecki’s classical music training and her boundless curiosity for all new sounds perfectly complement Bérubé’s reverence of time-honoured songcraft where lyrics take centre-stage.
A five-song, self-titled EP released in April announced the newly christened-band, but their developing sound was already evident on Bérubé’s outstanding 2013 album Russian Dolls. Kliff’s first full album Temporary Cures will be released Nov. 29, just in time for their tour of 15 Canadian towns in 18 days from Quebec City to Campbell River.
Kliffs will be joined by long-time friends, the Cumberland Brothers (Archie Pateman, Jack Roland and Corwin Fox) to start off the night with a set of original and old-time country and bluegrass, Vancouver Island style.
Tickets are $23 and available at the Tidemark Theatre Box Office.