A relative newcomer to the Prince Albert music scene will be teaming up with a Ness Creek favourite to put on a rocking Halloween show next Saturday.
Rymestone, made up of singer/songwriter Emma Anderson and All Mighty Voice alumni Ian Dickson and Jordy Balicki, will be performing at the Prince Albert Brewing Company (PABCO) for a Halloween bash that night, along with Saskatoon’s The Great Fuss. Rymestone released its first single, Sorta Mellow in early August, and hopes to have its first full-length album out by sometime next year.
“(Saturday’s show) is all about having local music at the local brewery and getting people out to support music and beer,” Balicki said. “It’s going to be wild.
“An added bonus of this event is anyone who attended ness Creek would know that Great Fuss was one of the main acts there,” Anderson added.
“It’s a chance to get a bit of Ness Creek flavour in Prince Albert.”
The performance will be the first in P.A. for Great Fuss.
“They’re a pretty big band, five or six people very talented multi-instrumentalists, and they play very groovy, upbeat, danceable rock and roll,” Balicki said.
Rymestone has a different style.
“At its very basis it comes from rock and roll, however, I think the listener would have an opportunity to hear influences of many different flavours throughout the songs we perform,” Anderson said.
“I have been influenced a lot by soul, R&B and folk music, and b singers who have unique vocal styles. Jordy and Ian have been active musicians for many years and certainly have access to a repertoire of different styles to access at any time. I think if a person comes out and hears our music, I’d encourage them to let us know what they think because I’ve heard many different comparisons.”
Balicki said the band has had a lot of attention and interest from their first single and from the other music they’ve been playing. The shows have, at times, gotten quite energetic.
“It’s rowdy,” he said.
‘We’ve only played a few shows, but we’ve seen the crowd grow and grown. There was a mosh pit at one and people are always dancing. I think it’s an energetic kind of music.”
Between shows, the band has been hard at work recording, with Balicki recording and engineering, and all three working together on producing.
Rymestone is now Balicki’s main project, as his last P.A. show with All Mighty Voice will be at the Rawlinson Centre on Nov. 6.
“I’ve decided to focus on being a part of Rymestone,” he said. “The intention is to focus on Emma and Rymestone as well as opening a recording studio in P.A., Reservoir Recording.”
Balicki has big plans for his studio, including starting a label to sign and record local emerging artists. He sees it as a way to give back to the local music community.
Balicki’s new focus on the recording side of things has benefited Rymestone as well.
“Going into recording sessions, being among friends, not necessarily having a timeline has provided an opportunity to be not so under the gun as some musicians paying $90 an hour in a recording studio,” Anderson said.
Balicki agrees.
“Sometimes it stops the creative process. We’ve been (purely) organic.”
Next Saturday’s show at PABCO will be a late Halloween party, with prizes for costumes provided by the bar.
“It’s live music in Prince Albert, an opportunity to have a jolly good time with your friends,” Anderson said. That’s mostly what we’re about. We want people to have fun, and we think we could provide some energetic music to have a good night.”
Balicki thanked those who have supported live music and encouraged people to attend shows put on by local groups.
‘The more people that come out and support these shows, the more ability there is to continue having them and to bring other bands into Prince Albert, which is something we don’t want to be missing out on in this city.”
He also said people will be hearing a lot more about Rymestone in the months ahead.
“We’ve got some big plans,” he said.
“There are some big things happening. Stay tuned.”
