If I had to put my money on whether or not Lacombe, AB’s Soul Side In is poised to become a household name in Canadian rock I would throw my cash down on a big, drop-D tuned YES!! I’ve seen them twice in 2 weeks and trust me when I say this all-or-nothing quartet is ready to take off.
If you’re wondering how I’ve come to know this band from ‘over the border’, I’m happy to tell you. After all, it’s my favourite part of the story. You see, the bass player is my ex-bandmate Nick Grubjesic. Nick held down bass duties in two Fort St. John bands: Side Effect and Mindset before moving to Edmonton to continue his career as an electrician. In early August he was asked to audition for Soul Side In. The chemistry was there and he was asked to help the band, complete some shows during early September. He called me for encouragement that evening, and we’ve kept in touch everyday since. I’m enjoying the journey as much as he is!
Soul Side In landed an opening slot for Default as part of UNBC’s Welcome Week . I was at the show and if I may borrow a phrase: they lit it up.
Powerhouse drummer Jayson Bacho plays with a solid, solid groove and hits with smart purposeful strokes. While the amount of playing time with Nick has been relatively short, they find each other in a pulsing rhythm laced with quick fills and some dandy off-beat accents. Lead vocalist Dan Schmidt has a presence that shows he’s done his homework on how to be a frontman. He’s focused, energized and 100% driven to bring the audience along for the ride anywhere he wants to go. Stage left is Allen Schmidt on lead guitar. When he’s not riffing overtop of Dan’s powerchords, he too locks it down with a fantastic guitar tone and adds all those beauty bits of candy that keep it interesting, such as the harmonics in “Silent Quakes”. He’s like a stay-at-home defenceman that joins the rush every once in awhile. The result is a successful blend of poignant lyrics, catchy hooks and the kind of energy exchange between stage and audience that good live bands are expected to deliver.
What’s happening now, besides generally preparing to take the rock world by storm? They're opening for The Watchmen in Calgary, Default in Penticton, Mobile in Medicine Hat and Grande Praire. By the time they get to FSJ on Nov. 5Th, their chops will be watertight! Come on down to Egan's and let's show the boys that Fort St. John loves live music!!
