The Foggies Sail to Salt Spring with Scotch and Sofa

Sunday March 21, 2010 at 7pm. With Scotch and Sofa in hand and not the drinking or sitting kind, but the CD kind, Canada’s top Bluegrass Band, The Foggy Hogtown Boys are set to release their new album “Scotch and Soda” at Fulford Hall.

Recorded live-off-the-floor, this is their 5th album which gives the listener their very best of a 4 day session. This album captures the band’s infectious energy.

Tim Perlich, Music Editor of Now Magazine in Toronto (also known as Hogtown) states “While no one was looking the Foggy Hogtown Boys evolved from a group of excellent musicians playing Bluegrass to a Great Bluegrass Band.” Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards also thought this band was pretty good awarding them Best Overall Band in 2006 and Best Instrumental Band in 2007.

Their 5 piece band is made up of exceptional musicians with Chris Coole on Guitar and vocals, John McNaughton on Bass and Vocals, Chris Quinn on Banjo, John Showman on Violin and Andrew Collins on Mandolin and vocals. You may recognize John Showman’s name from Fiddle Camp on SSI or The Creaking Tree Quartet where he plays with Andrew Collins.

The Foggy Hogtown Boys name is a tongue in cheek tribute to the Foggy Mountan Boys. The Foggies describe themselves as having a lot of respect for traditional Bluegrass while accepting the fact that they bring a contemporary sound to this tradition, as they are essentially city boys playing mountain music.

Chris Quinn is a walking encyclopedia of the history of Bluegrass in both United States and Canada. He recalls the York County Boys as the first established Canadian Bluegrass Band in 1956. Quinn describes himself as first getting into Bluegrass music at age 6 with a Flatt and Scuggs album Live at Carnagie Hall borrowed from his Dad and played on his little suitcase record player.

Greg Quill of the Toronto Star describes the band: “Toronto’s luminously gifted string band set a new benchmark… both a sense of fun and an intellectual sharpness that befits their status as one of the hardest working bands in the North Amercian roots music area.” They are a fun band to watch play as they dance and dart one by one up to the single mic with instrument in hand, mixing layers of sounds and harmonizing vocals.

Fridas Villa will be presenting them at Fulford Hall where there will be both concert style seating and a place to dance for those who like to kick up their heels. Advanced tickets can be bought in the South end from Knotty Threads or Morningside Organic Bakery and Bookstore and in Ganges from Acoustic Planet and Salt Spring Books. Advance tickets $15.00, Door $18.00 and children under 12 are $5.00 at the door. Advance tickets can also be purchased online at www.fridasvilla.com Spend the last night of March Break celebrating the music of this fine band. Show starts at 7pm to accommodate families. Fiddleworks will be raising funds for their work in the North and their summer camp on Salt Spring by operating the concession. www.foggyhogtownboys.com