Live Review: the Ben Rose Wedding Band

Posted by rross On August - 27 - 2010

Written by: Raelyn Ross (Strolling Sound)
August 13, 2010 @ the Ironwood ~ Calgary, AB

The Ben Rose Wedding Band recently held the release of their new CD Cowtown at well known Calgary folk music venue The Ironwood Stage and Grill. The venue (as the name would suggest) feels much like an auditorium that serves great food rather then a typical music venue; it consists of one large room focused around a large stage at the back, high ceilings, and a surprising amount of light. When I arrived there was only one small table left towards the front right of the stage, which of course I assumed was meant for me. The room was busy with chatter in anticipation for a relaxed evening of entertainment from a musician most of the audience had seen before and/or could familiarize with.

The band features Ben Rose, a powerful singer with a prominent vocal range (and a great whistler I might add) accompanied by a full band including several back up singers. They played songs off the new album with a natural ease that lets you know these guys aren’t first timers. Ben’s father (also a gifted musician) joined him on stage to harmonize and play harmonica on several songs, and maybe it’s just me, but a great harmonica player can make you forget anything that might be stirring in your head and truly be in that moment. About half way through the show they introduced a professional burlesque dancer named Rica Shae, and in my experience unless you’re at an outdoor music event or festival where anything goes, this is definitely something rare to see. Rica Shae undeniably held the attention of the crowd and in the end was wearing nothing but nipple tassels and a bikini bottom. The band went on to perform classic pop and audacious folk beats from the new album such as “Cowtown’s a Small Town”, an upbeat depiction of how Calgary can feel much like a small town.

Prior to the show I had several questions I knew I had to ask Ben; “Is the name reflective of the project, does a wedding band play strictly weddings, and do you play original tunes?” His response stated that yes they do play weddings, but they most definitely also play other venues and shows. Ben is an original singer/songwriter well known around Calgary, and states that it actually took him 10 years to finish this, his first official CD. He is extremely passionate about music in general; it is his full time job. His current project involves his own works along with rousing renditions of classic cover tunes. You can learn more about Ben, hear some tunes, or book him for your wedding / reception at: http://www.benrose.ca/).

Cowtown's s Small Town

Ben Rose is so far the only musician in Cowtown to get arrested for selling his own CD. The CD happens to be called "Cowtown" and does feature some strong opinions about our home and native city. It has lines like "Who needs a culture when you've got a culture war" and "in Cowtown it's hard to to tell a hooker from a nice girl waiting for a ride" but if you listen closely it becomes clear that he loves the city like a messed up son loves his alcoholic father.

"Cowtown" was supposed to get released last fall but the tickets which led to court dates which led to his eventual arrest put the promotion on hold. Ben says "To be honest I made this to get it out of my system so I could move on to making an album of perfect love songs for the ages. If it weren't for the reactions of people I've never met who heard it on the radio and sought me out to tell me how it spoke to them I'd have moved on by now."

Instead he's ordering a second thousand copies and giving it a proper CD release in August to be followed by a tour of the country in the fall. "I always thought it would be good to release a "Cowtown" album before trying to get a following outside of Alberta but when I played these songs in Toronto everyone laughed in all the right places. Maybe I can do for Alberta what Bruce did for New Jersey. Write a few songs about it and then move to California.

Song List

1. Everybody's Talkin' (F. Neil)
2. Four Strong Winds (I. Tyson)
3. Cowtown's a Small Town (B. Rose)
4. Either You Have It Or You Don't (B. Rose)
5. Armageddon (B. Rose)
6. No Mad Soul (D. Duguay)
7. Too Bad for Me (S. Pineo)
8. I Cannot Help You (B. Rose)
9. Cowtown (B. Rose)
10. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (E. Idle)