If you’ve ever attended a Shred Kelly concert, you know how wild, fun and free they are. They’re a folk/pop/rock powerhouse gang that brings incredible energy to the stage.
Born in the mountains of Fernie, BC 15 years ago, they’re now out touring their fresh new album, Blurry Vision, with a handful of April dates in Alberta.
Blurry Vision has a slightly darker edge to the lyrics than the usual Shred Kelly approach, says Sage McBride, vocalist and keyboardist.
“When we were just starting out, everything was positive and joyful, lyrically. We were all in our 20s living in a ski town without any cares in the world.”
Now they’re all a little older, a little wiser. McBride and her partner and bandmate Tim Newton, are parents. The band describes Blurry Vision as “a deep reflection on the overwhelming nature of the modern world and its impact on our emotional well-being.”
“Lyrically it’s definitely a little bit darker than some of our past albums have been but there’s still the joy; we kept a lot of the danceability,” says McBride. “There’s still that ability to move to the music which has been a common thread for us.”
Since the album came out last fall, they’ve toured with Elliott Brood and throughout Europe. Now, Canada, then onto the summer festivals.
This Canadian stretch sees them team up with different bands, including Hyaenas, Goodnight Sunrise, and emmersonHALL. JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter Megan Nash will be joining them for their Alberta dates.
McBride says the members of Shred Kelly are all grateful to CKUA. “We are huge fans of CKUA. It’s incredible how CKUA champions artists and help spread music to people. It really helps build careers and helps artists who aren’t getting as much recognition in other spaces.”
Shred Kelly is hitting stages in Red Deer, Edmonton, Jasper, Medicine Hat and Calgary in the coming weeks. Details and tickets can be found on their website.
“Lost Without You” from Blurry Vision:
