A band with Stonewall connections is hitting a high note with the upcoming release of their debut album.
CAR287 could be described as “genre-bending” since it incorporates a range of different influences, including punk, classic rock, indie rock, ‘90s rock and Canadian rock.
The band features former Stonewall resident Terry Ferguson on bass, who used to perform with the well-known Interlake band 3/4 Down. Current Stonewall resident Derek Gaboury, who is now with the band The Discmen, was also a member of CAR287 for many years. Gaboury plays keyboard and electric guitar on the album, while also performing background vocals. The band also features Winnipeg musicians Jay Yarmey on acoustic guitar and vocals, Ryan Olenik on drums and Travis Wog on electric guitar as well as backing and main vocals on some songs.
“We have coined the term ‘Neo Classic Canadian Rock’ as in newer classic rock. Our music is guitar- and drums-based for the most part, but a few tunes on the album, particularly Passing of Days, are piano-based,” Ferguson said.
“The key thing is that the music has some deep meaning for us. Many references to Manitoba and Winnipeg — telling a prairie story.”
The musicians’ connections extend beyond their current creative outlet. The bandmates started off as workmates at Nav Canada, which is Canada’s air traffic control and air traffic services provider. In the professional realm, the musicians gained experience in air traffic control, tower and terminal control, flight services, as well as managerial and supervisory positions.
“CAR 287 formed long ago as a cover band that did an annual event called The Nav Can Jam, which was an annual fundraiser run by Nav Canada,” Ferguson said.
“Before our first performance, we needed a band name. The drummer at that time, John Kyriakopoulos, suggested the address of his home at the time, which was where we practised. So 287 Carpathia Rd. became CAR287.”
For several years, the band also practised in Stonewall, where they wrote and finessed the songs on their debut album, Looking Through the Lens. The album takes its name from a line in the song Take My Picture, which tells the story of a photographer and his model who were doing a photo shoot in a Winnipeg alley when they were approached by a homeless individual.
“The album is our second musical release but our debut album. There are 13 songs that were written and worked on for several years before we went to the studio. We chose to work with Private Ear Recording in Winnipeg, a standout recording studio who have worked with the Brothers Landreth, Begonia and Propaghandi, to name a few,” Ferguson said.
“It was really a labour of love and — recorded live off the floor in a weekend — with some overdubs where needed.”
CAR287 will release Looking Through the Lens on Sept. 20 with two celebratory performances in Winnipeg — one at Into the Music record story in the Exchange District followed by the album release party at the Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club on Main Street. Tickets cost $15 in advance through EventBrite or $20 at the door.
Although the band doesn’t have any shows currently coming up in the Interlake, they’re hoping to perform a local show in the fall.
“The Interlake has a rich history of great music, with artists like Past The Perimeter and Emma Peterson, Derek Peters, Steve Hintz and newcomers Leddwyn, who we just played with,” Ferguson said.
“Some of our members developed their music playing around the Interlake at places like the coffee shops in Stonewall and Gimli or playing at Quarry days. So a part of this album owes its existence to the music scene in the Interlake.”
In the meantime, Ferguson encourages Interlake residents from Stonewall and beyond to come check out their upcoming performances in Winnipeg.
“This band has a lot of connections in the Interlake from playing at various events and playing with artists from the Interlake. We hope you’ll take the time to come and join us and celebrate this milestone,” Ferguson said.
“And the big bonus is that we have our friends The Honeysliders joining us for the evening, so you get lots of music and a chance to meet us while they play.”
And for those who can’t make it to the show but would still like to check out the music, several singles from the album have already been released and can be found on streaming services by searching for CAR287.
