Hashmagandy house favourite at Powderhorn
By: Lindsay Seewalt
Toni Vere
If you’ve never met this talented little lady and her troupe of female troubadours who make up the Calgary-based folk and roots band Hashmagandy, then April 29 is your chance to head down the road and catch this band at the Powderhorn Saloon in Bragg Creek.
Toni Vere is a remarkable songwriter who takes with her to the stage an infectious energy.
Accompanied by her band Hashmagandy, Vere and the girls have been making waves since their fall 2009 formation and subsequent release of Vere’s debut album Just To Be (2010).
They’ve quickly become a house favourite at Bragg Creek’s Powderhorn Saloon.
“We just love them,” said Powderhorn Saloon proprietor Rose Dallyn.
“They’re a great group of girls who play a bit of everything, know how to get a crowd going and are always a ton of fun.”
Much has happened in the year since Vere’s CD release.
Her album has received considerable radio play and has been experiencing measurable success on roots and Americana charts on both sides of the border.
Vere was the recipient of two 2010 P.I.T.A. awards (Pride In The Arts through The Stonewall Society) and with the help of Jeff Muller at Alchemy Studios created a music video for the song, “I’m Gonna Be On Ellen,” which can be seen on both YouTube and Vancouver’s RightOut TV.
The band toured last summer — heading out to Kingston, Ont., to headline the annual Raise the Roof Women’s Festival.
“It was all women at this festival . . . it was jam-packed and we rocked out!” reminisced Vere, who gets a great deal of personal satisfaction from performing for charitable causes.
The girls were so loved everywhere they went they even found themselves getting standing ovations in small town bars they’d never played before.
“How validating to go on a tour and get out of your own backyard and have such a great response from everywhere you play,” said Vere.
Toni Vere, centre, and her band Hashmagandy are playing The Powderhorn Saloon in Bragg Creek April 29. Photo courtesy Marilyn McIntosh
Most importantly, Hashmagandy has gotten tight as a band, featuring Vere on vocals, rhythm guitar and harmonica; Carla Olive as musical director, lead guitarist and vocals; newest addition Amy Bishop on bass and vocals; a rotating chair on the drum kit; Vere’s life partner Marilyn McIntosh as tour manager, sound engineer and road crew and Carol Braul as part of the road crew.
“My original idea for Hashmagandy was to create a platform for people from a singer-songwriter background to work together,” said Vere, who loves the contributions her bandmates add to the songwriting element of the group.
Whether she’s talking about her childhood crush in “The Girl Next Door,” the struggles of a working musician in “I’m Gonna Be On Ellen” or her favourite pair of jeans in “Levi Strauss,” Vere has an uncanny ability to write catchy songs telling real stories about the little ironies in life that many simply don’t take the time to look at.
The sound of Hashmagandy is not unlike the Australian stew they’re named after — a hearty stew that is different every time it’s cooked — with a dash of rock, a splash of blues, a good dose of country and a folk base. What really sells Vere and Hashmagandy is the obvious fact that these girls love to perform live.
“I still love it, right to the bottom of my toes,” laughed Vere, who enjoys nothing more than packing up the band and performing across Southern Alberta.
“Those folks who own the Powderhorn have been so supportive of Hashmagandy since day one . . . I love what Rose has done with the place.”
With Just To Be recently celebrating its first year, it raises the question when will CD No. 2 begin?
According to Vere, not quite yet as she wants to focus on songwriting with her team and continuing to play live before heading back into Alchemy Studios to record a follow-up album.
If the Powderhorn Saloon is your destination this Friday night, get ready to dance the night away to a set list that brags tasty covers, even better originals and the power of three-part harmonies.
Check out Toni Vere and Hashmagandy at tonivere.com.
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They’ve quickly become a house favourite at Bragg Creek’s Powderhorn Saloon.
You and the band are awesome. Love my CD. Rock-on.