Psychedelic country garage menage

The Sadies look forward to bringing folks together with their return to Kingston for the Wolfe Island Music Festival

The May 2010 release of Darker Circles marked a decidely darker tone for The Sadies touching on notions of loss and nostalgia
Image supplied by: Supplied
The May 2010 release of Darker Circles marked a decidely darker tone for The Sadies touching on notions of loss and nostalgia

After eight albums and nearly a decade in the music business, the Sadies are returning to Kingston for the Wolfe Island Music Festival.

“Are you calling me old?” said Mike Belitsky, the band’s drummer upon discussing their longevity.

I laugh and tell him, “No, you are all just ridiculously talented.”

And that’s the truth. Not only has the band collaborated with the likes of The Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo, but recently their latest album, , made the short list of nominations for the Polaris Prize, which recognizes the year’s best full-length Canadian albums.

“It feels great. It’s nice to be considered for a full album, not just a specific song,” Belitsky said. “It’s more about the art as a whole with this award.”

Belitsky, along with guitarist brothers Travis and Dallas Good and bassist Sean Dean make up the alternative country band or as Belitsky described them a “Psychedelic, country, garage band.” Each member comes from a unique background bringing their diverse influences, but they were all influenced by punk rock and traditional country music.

“The really cool thing about being in a band is being influenced by the other members,” he said. “Travis, Dallas, or Sean will tell me an album to listen to it and then it becomes my new favourite album.”

Despite their recent Polaris nomination, the band sees the greatest impact of their music in how it affects and changes their fans’ lives and as Belitsky said, “in bringing people together.”

He said a standout moment was playing at a wedding because the couple met at a Sadies show. For the band, this is proof that their music matters, as they get to be a part of peoples’ lives in such profound ways.

The band will be sure to bring people together at their Aug 6 show and Belitsky feels this is the best part of the Wolfe Island Music Festival and other festivals like it.

“It’s an awesome setting. It’s not like you need a JumboTron for everybody to see you,” he said. “There is not this delineation of the front of the stage from the back of the stage. People can see you from all sides and you actually get to meet people.”

He said the festival atmosphere makes for the perfect environment to meet attendees. However, his audience may not be as historical as his impressions of Kingston.“I think of the history of the city; all the loyalists fighting the colonists. When I’m there I conjure up all these images.” And when asked to conjure up three words to describe his career so far, Belistky said “Hard work w/ payoff because the W with a slash isn’t a real word.”

The Sadies perform at The Townhill Concert on Aug 6 at 8:30pm, tickets are $20 in advance.

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