Belvedere: a little speed and punk

By Marcela Salamanca

Punk bands come and go, and not many people remember who they were or what they sounded like. The difference between the local bands that survive the setbacks and the bands that disappear is hard work and perseverance. Calgary’s Belvedere, has made it clear that they intend to work hard and succeed in making music they are proud of.

Comprised of Scott Solo, Steve Rawles, Jay Hollywood, and Jason, Belvedere just completed a three month tour of Canada and the us.

"It was pretty difficult to book and then actually do," says Rawles.

The fact that Belvedere tours both in Canada and the US is quite an impressive feat.

"We’ve gone to places like Florida and Texas, and kids have shown up with our CD. I don’t know how they had it but it makes it fun," shares Rawles.

Touring is a big part of showing the public you’re committed to your show. It demonstrates you have something worth sharing and that is what sets Belvedere apart from all the other bands trying to acquire a reputation.

They kick off another tour on Mar. 3, which takes them to Montreal, New York, Pennsylvania and the upper Northeastern us. That’ll last for about a month and then it’s off on yet another tour in April. "Tour, tour, tour… that’s all we do," jokes Rawles.

Their hard work is paying off with the release of their second CD., Angels Live In My Town. Angels shows they’re a much tighter band. Their sophomore release is due out on Feb. 25 in Canada and Mar. 10 in the States. For those that have their first CD., Because No One Stopped Us, not only will you notice how much faster than Angels, but you’ll also hear the maturity in their sound.

"[The new disc is] a lot faster and harder edged in some parts," explains Rawles.

However, the mature sound may be due to all members of the band contributing in songwriting. Overall, their new release is fast, intense, fun, and catchy. They’ve even managed a slight (and I mean slight) mainstream sound in songs like "Difference" and "Mediator." Each song offers a fun twist from the one before. The intensity of the guitar intertwining with drums and bass is comparable to a dance–all the pieces keep pace together to create a loud, fast beat.

Belvedere has managed to keep having fun, despite the pressure of writing all their own material, organizing all their own tours and putting out their own CDs. You’d think that the stress level would drain the energy out of the group, but not with Belvedere.

With the addition of their new bass player, Jason, Belvedere is holding an official release on Feb. 25 at the Multicultural Center. Tickets are $6 and it’s an all-ages gig. You can also keep updated on the band by checking out their website at <<www.hourglassrecords.com>> and watch for their new website, featuring only Belvedere at <<www.belvederepunk.com>>