Some creative endeavours are formed in the most unexpected places.This is the case for the bluegrass band The Breakmen, playing at the Brackendale Art Gallery Sunday (Oct. 19)."The three of us, Matt, Lee and I, met while tree planting. We are all tree planters," said Archie Pateman, The Breakmen's guitar and banjo player.The four-man group, Ben Rogalsky, Lee Watson, Matt Lawson and Pateman, all originally hail from Ontario, but they met while planting trees in northern 小蓝视频, and Rogalsky added into the mix after meeting Pateman while working in a theatre. "Him and I worked on a project together with a group called Proximity Lab," said Pateman. "I said [to the band] 'You got to meet this guy Ben, he's great.' So that's how the four of us got together."Their second album was released Oct. 10 and comprises of songs from the band's three songwriters, Pateman, Watson and Rogalsky.Pateman says the lyrics often reflect their transient lifestyle."I think my inspiration comes from all over the place, you know moving around a lot touring, moving around a lot tree planting, just inspired by what life throws at you," said Pateman.Each member of the group plays a variety of instruments, banjo, guitar, mandolin, harmonica and bass and they all lend their vocals to the songs, creating tight harmonies. Although the roots/bluegrass performers are often likened to The Band, Pateman said Bill Munroe, Willie P. Bennett and even Jerry Garcia as major influences."We are all pretty well versed in music in general, we have all been in different facets of music and played in different types of bands, so our roots are quite varied," said Pateman.While recording their newest album, The Breakmen have taken to new instruments they have not previously played before. Listeners will here blended notes from a pedal steel, an electric guitar that uses a metal slide instead of fingers to stop the strings, as well as the shimmer and smash from percussions. "That is how our band operates, our sound is a reflection of what we think the song needs or what compliments the song, and so the pedal steel really fit in well and the percussion as well," said Pateman. "Our first album had neither, so it is just sort of an evolution of the break in sound."The Breakmen are set to tour around Canada, currently around 小蓝视频 and then next month in Ontario and Quebec. On Sunday (Oct. 19) The Breakmen will perform at the Brackendale Art Gallery. The band is not new to Squamish, having performed at the gallery last year during the Bluegrass Festival with fellow folk band, Outlaw Social. Playing at 8 p.m., tickets cost $20.
