yorkregion.com
Simone Joseph | Aug 20, 2012 – 11:44 AM
Local rockers. Future History band members Chris Dawe (from left), Paul McKay, Kevin Ker, Dante Berardi and Justin Dillon. The band performs this Friday at Markham’s Mains Mansion.
When a man with a sword walked by Kevin Ker, followed by a wizard, the Markham resident did a double-take.
He and the other members of the Markham band Future History were gathered at a park near the Pickering-Markham border in May for a promotional photo shoot.
The band ended up making the most of this sighting. The photographer took shots of the musicians defending themselves from the mediaeval characters using picture frames.
“We are super-experimental, we’ll try anything. If we like the look or sound, we will do it,” said guitar player Kevin Ker, who also sings vocals and writes lyrics for the band. He correctly assumed these oddly-costumed people were taking part in a live action role playing game where participants act as different characters and interact with each other.
The band’s willingness to experiment is evident in the group’s music, not just its photo shoots.
In their first full-length album Loss, self released in April, the band uses 46 instruments, seven household items, including countertops, a bucket of beer caps and a water bottle as a shaker as well as whale sounds. For one song, Justin Dillon drums on his body.
“It is fun doing different things, getting different sounds. It is like being in science class,” Mr. Ker said.
Categorized as “progressive rock”, Future History has been compared to progressive bands Tool and Radiohead.
Progressive rock, or prog rock evolved from psychedelic rock and was meant to break the boundaries of traditional rock music. This form of rock was especially popular in the 1970s with bands such as Pink Floyd and Genesis .
Band members like to describe it as “psychedelic love noise” ? a form of modern, experimental, progressive rock, Mr. Ker said.
Nominated Best Live Band the past three years at the Toronto Independent Music Awards, Future History has been showcased on radio station 102.1 The Edge. This year’s Toronto’s North by Northeast Festivals and Conference provided the group with much needed exposure.
After seeing the musicians perform at at the festival, Nadia Elkharadly complimented the band’s music: “Intelligently poignant lyrics, accompanied by haunting, yet completely affable music, Future History’s sound is not only accessible, but can have the power to reach an incredibly broad audience, as evidenced by the eclectic crowd at the Cameron. With their special brand of experimental music, Future History will be expanding minds wherever they go for a long time to come,” wrote the writer for Toronto Live Music Examiner.
Three of the band’s musicians are Markham natives ? Mr. Dillon, Mr. Ker and Mr. Dawe. The men, who are in their early 30s, all attended Markham District High School.
But, Mr. Ker also has strong ties to Stouffville, having lived there five years. He moved back to Markham about a year ago. The band also used to perform at The Earl of Whitchurch pub. The band played at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Strawberry Festival held June 29 to July 1.
Since that run-in at the park during the photo shoot in May, Mr. Ker has noticed more and more live action role-play enthusiasts have become interested in the band.
They have started coming to the band’s shows and visiting its facebook page. The band posted pictures of the band members with the live action role play people. The page has received hundreds of views, Mr. Ker said.
VITAL INFO
Members: Kevin Ker (guitar, vocals, lyrics writer), Justin Dillon (percussion), Chris Dawe (keys: synthesizer/keyboard/organ and percussion), Dante Berardi (guitar, keys and accordion) and Paul Mckay (bass).
Created: 2009
Next York Region gig: Friday, Aug. 24, Kevin Ker and Justin Dillon perform at Markham’s Mains Mansion at 9 p.m.
Website: futurehistory.ca
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