Shorefest is back with a wide-ranging lineup that is sure to please any festival goer. Set in one of the most picturesque settings in Vancouver, English Bay, Shorefest promises not only great scenery, but great music, good food, and even the Celebration of Light firework display.
I was able to catch up with Shawn Hall, one half of the BC blues duo The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer. For those who don’t yet know of this band, The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer released their fourth album last year, and we are sure to see more from them in the near future.
Matt Rogers and Shawn Hall inventively combine an old school blues sound, harmonica, and their own original, grittier style with wonderful guitar riffs and unique vocals.
Hall, the man behind the microphone and the harmonica stated that being a part of a band was the route he had imagined for himself. After receiving a harmonica as a Christmas present when he was young, he began to play and develop a deep curiosity and respect for the instrument and those who played it. Playing in the orchestra, he said he was drawn to the fact that the blues scene was the polar opposite of what he had been accustomed to.
Going to speakeasy-type joints in the Toronto area, Hall painted a picture of the dark and mysterious men and women playing their bluesy tunes at night in the dim pubs, providing that gritty, blues inspiration for his future band.
Believing at first that the harmonica’s old-school sound couldn’t hold its own in a band, The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer started as a “project” to prove that the duo could cut it in the merciless musical world.
Today, after many awards, and much recognition, including a Sirius XM indie award for Blues Artist of The Year, the band has proven they are more than a project and a serious contender in the modern blues scene.
The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer hit the Shorefest Sunset Beach stage on July 29. They are joined by many other celebrated artists such as Daniel Wesley, Bend Sinister, and Platinum Blonde.
Shorefest is a free music festival, preceeding the Celebration of Light fireworks, presented July 25 and 29 and August 1 at English Bay. For more information, visit lg1043.com.
