Hometown: Vancouver, BC | Label: Hey Ocean!
With the main spotlight on Vancouver being the host city for the Olympics next month, it’s easy to miss the list of performers hitting the stages in Whistler, Vancouver, Surrey, and Richmond. These lists are filled with tons of Canadian talent from the West to East coast. Vancouver’s very own Hey Ocean! will be representing hometown pride.
Hey Ocean! is comprised of Ashleigh Ball (vocals and flute), David Beckingham (vocals and guitar), Dave Vertesi (vocals and bass), and drummer Adam Cormier. The four-piece band has been winning over audiences from all over through their dynamic live performances, which is often a crucial factor for up-and-coming bands.
Though the relationship of the band initially began as a casual effort, the band members realized that there was a real chemistry for their vision of music. Their latest effort, their sophomore album ‘It’s Easier To Be Somebody Else” was released in 2008 under their own label.
The music of Hey Ocean! is a unique blend of influences, as you can sort of untangle and decode bits and pieces of jazz, acoustic, lounge, world, among other types of music. Hey Ocean! takes their listeners on a short musical journey with each listen, and especially inspiring when listening to songs such as “Too Soon” and “Fish” on a typical rainy Vancouver day. The songwriting of Ball and Beckingham is truly enviable, as the poetic and magical lyrics of the tracks blend flawlessly with their vocals.
It will be hard for the rest of the world to not fall in love with Hey Ocean! during the 2010 Olympics…
[youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nhssMi2FtA’]
