Blackberry Wood is a wonderful, secret and
magic combination of alt-country-gypsy-circus music. They are on tour now in
support of their newest record “Strong Man vs Russian Bears”, it’s a wonderful
sounding vaudevillian ruckus!!!
They play a high-energy cabaret spin on dreamy old musical styles adding
big juicy modern flavours like
jumpin' ska, rock and roll, blues, bumpin’ hip-hop, gypsy punk ‘n many
other irresistible body shakin’, foot stompin’ sounds. Blackberry Wood comes
down the road like a travelling caravan, with all kinds of wondrous
instruments, vocal melodies and fantastically costumed characters. They've kicked up dust in towns all over Western Canada, the United Kingdom
and parts of the United States. Woooopa!!!
What other folks say!!!
Stuart Derdeyn, Vancouver Province, February 6th, 2009
"High-powered acoustic dance music aptly describes the bohemian beat. It's a sound that works in clubs, parties, big festivals -- you name it."
Kevin Potvin, Republic of East Vancouver, August 14th, 2008
"Gave me the impression of a big modern inner-city version of the traditional hoedown in the neighbours barn kind of night. I felt something like what I imagine farmers felt when they hung up their overalls for the week and hustled down to the crossroads for a little long-awaited good ol' jumping around to shake out all the kinks of field work"
Jeanie Keogh, BC Musician Magazine, May 11th, 2011
"Fit to compete with the cast of Moulin Rouge with their zany costumes, Blackberry Wood seems ready to strike up a burlesque hoedown just about anywhere you plunk them down"
Linda Solomon, The Vancouver Observer, April 8th, 2008
"Were they country, were they rock, were they polka, or were they punk? Were they burlesque? Or were they just plain fun? Yes!"
Streethawk Magazine, June 18th, 2007
"Blackberry Wood – a motley crew of guitar, horns, and accordion led by Music Waste's originator Kris Wood – kept up the night's fun energy with a sound best described as bar mitzvah-meets-barn dance."
"High-powered acoustic dance music aptly describes the bohemian beat. It's a sound that works in clubs, parties, big festivals -- you name it."
Kevin Potvin, Republic of East Vancouver, August 14th, 2008
"Gave me the impression of a big modern inner-city version of the traditional hoedown in the neighbours barn kind of night. I felt something like what I imagine farmers felt when they hung up their overalls for the week and hustled down to the crossroads for a little long-awaited good ol' jumping around to shake out all the kinks of field work"
Jeanie Keogh, BC Musician Magazine, May 11th, 2011
"Fit to compete with the cast of Moulin Rouge with their zany costumes, Blackberry Wood seems ready to strike up a burlesque hoedown just about anywhere you plunk them down"
Linda Solomon, The Vancouver Observer, April 8th, 2008
"Were they country, were they rock, were they polka, or were they punk? Were they burlesque? Or were they just plain fun? Yes!"
Streethawk Magazine, June 18th, 2007
"Blackberry Wood – a motley crew of guitar, horns, and accordion led by Music Waste's originator Kris Wood – kept up the night's fun energy with a sound best described as bar mitzvah-meets-barn dance."
Eric Epstein, Artistic Director, Frostbite Music Festival, Feb 19th-21st 2010
"When I first chanced upon Blackberry Wood playing at Café Deux Soleils in Vancouver, I felt like I had stumbled onto the Yukon party spirit, kicking it old-time on the west coast. I wanted to bring them to Frostbite at once, and I grabbed my first opportunity to do just that. They exceeded my expectations by existing as their own festival: a traveling band of gypsy-party musicians who bring the spirit of hokum to life with original tunes as well as with some brilliantly chosen, stunningly unexpected covers. Each show is unique. I adore them."
Shara Gustafson, Director, Robson Valley Music Festival, August 20th - 22nd, 2010
" Blackberry Wood' s frantic energy & love of the stage spread a contagious frenzy throughout our Saturday night festival audience! "
Clayton Brander, Director, Sunshine Music Festival, Sept 3rd-5th, 2010
“Blackberry Wood’s energy was as amazing as it was infectious. Their wild costumes, fantastic music, and incredible stage presence got everyone in the audience up and dancing through their set – start to finish. Based on their reputation I expected a lot, and they definitely lived up to it. I couldn’t be more pleased with having booked them.”
"When I first chanced upon Blackberry Wood playing at Café Deux Soleils in Vancouver, I felt like I had stumbled onto the Yukon party spirit, kicking it old-time on the west coast. I wanted to bring them to Frostbite at once, and I grabbed my first opportunity to do just that. They exceeded my expectations by existing as their own festival: a traveling band of gypsy-party musicians who bring the spirit of hokum to life with original tunes as well as with some brilliantly chosen, stunningly unexpected covers. Each show is unique. I adore them."
Shara Gustafson, Director, Robson Valley Music Festival, August 20th - 22nd, 2010
" Blackberry Wood' s frantic energy & love of the stage spread a contagious frenzy throughout our Saturday night festival audience! "
Clayton Brander, Director, Sunshine Music Festival, Sept 3rd-5th, 2010
“Blackberry Wood’s energy was as amazing as it was infectious. Their wild costumes, fantastic music, and incredible stage presence got everyone in the audience up and dancing through their set – start to finish. Based on their reputation I expected a lot, and they definitely lived up to it. I couldn’t be more pleased with having booked them.”
What we’ve been up to!!!
2012 -Recorded our new album "Strong Man vs Russian Bears" with Steven Drake producing. Steven Drake has written a few Canadian #1 hit songs and worked on many other chart topping records so we're very happy to be working with him, he's a genius!!!
- UK tour in May where we played 12 CRAZY shows in 14 days
- Summer of AMAZING Festivals and WONDERFUL Western Canadian shows, got out to Saskatchewan this year!!!
- The album release party for "Strong Man vs Russian Bears" was SMASHINGLY BRILLIANT!!! On Sept 8th a huge hall in Vancouver was jam packed with Blackberry Wood fans all there to celebrate the release of "Strong Man vs Russian Bears" and it has been sent out cross Canada to college and community radio!!! Ask for it at your local radio!!!
- Well we've played around 80 shows since New Years and we have 3 more jam packed months to go!!! Could be a WORLD RECORD This Year!!!
2011 - The whole month of March was an amazing tour of BC and Alberta, Playing almost every night!!!
-In May Blackberry Wood was invited back for another whirl wind 2 week tour to UK!!!
- Blackberry Wood played the rest of the summer all over BC and Alberta, some highlights from the summer are: In The House Festival, The Tree Planters Ball, Shellfish Festival, Serf Festival, Life is Good Fest at Bobb's Inn, Midsummer Folk Fest, Hornby Island Get Up, Surrey Fusion Festival, Islands Folk Fest, Artswells Fest, and Beerlesque!!!
2010 -Spring tour to the UK where we played at the world famous Glastonbury Festival for a second year, Paradise Gardens Festival, Sunrise Festival, making a grand total of 31 shows in a whirlwind two months!!!
-Artists residency in March at the amazing Caravan Farm Theatre, for an uninterrupted two weeks of work on new material and study of the art of clowning.
-Unforgettable summer festival circuit in Western Canada including Surrey Fusion Festival, Little Fest, Artwells Festival, Robson Valley Music Festival, Sunshine Music Festival, and the Living Life Large Festival.
-Going up to Whitehorse, Yukon, for the hardy good times at Frostbite Festival in February.
- -Fun Fact! the stage at Living Life Large Festival was one of Ken Kesey and the Mary Pranksters roving stage buses and the last band to play on it before Blackberry Wood was the Grateful Dead.
2009 -Smashingly fun UK tour in November.
-Working with the amazing hit-songwriter-turned-producer Steven Drake of “The Odds” on Blackberry Wood’s latest album “Travelling Horse Opry”.
-Played Glastonbury Festival, StarBelly Jam Festival, Komasket Festival, Artwells Festival, and Blizzard Festival.
- -Fun Fact! Blackberry Wood played on the Glastonbury Club Dada stage after Lady Gaga made her surprise appearance on the same stage!
2008 -Played the Antics Banquet Festival in Norwich England, the mayor of London’s Thames Festival, and in Canada; Bonfire Music Festival, Blizzard Fest, David Grisman Bluegrass Experience Festival, and in the USA; the Point Roberts Music Festival.
To Book a Blackberry Wood show:
E-mail; blackberrywood@yahoo.ca
Phone: 604 839 6526
2012 -Recorded our new album "Strong Man vs Russian Bears" with Steven Drake producing. Steven Drake has written a few Canadian #1 hit songs and worked on many other chart topping records so we're very happy to be working with him, he's a genius!!!
- UK tour in May where we played 12 CRAZY shows in 14 days
- Summer of AMAZING Festivals and WONDERFUL Western Canadian shows, got out to Saskatchewan this year!!!
- The album release party for "Strong Man vs Russian Bears" was SMASHINGLY BRILLIANT!!! On Sept 8th a huge hall in Vancouver was jam packed with Blackberry Wood fans all there to celebrate the release of "Strong Man vs Russian Bears" and it has been sent out cross Canada to college and community radio!!! Ask for it at your local radio!!!
- Well we've played around 80 shows since New Years and we have 3 more jam packed months to go!!! Could be a WORLD RECORD This Year!!!
2011 - The whole month of March was an amazing tour of BC and Alberta, Playing almost every night!!!
-In May Blackberry Wood was invited back for another whirl wind 2 week tour to UK!!!
- Blackberry Wood played the rest of the summer all over BC and Alberta, some highlights from the summer are: In The House Festival, The Tree Planters Ball, Shellfish Festival, Serf Festival, Life is Good Fest at Bobb's Inn, Midsummer Folk Fest, Hornby Island Get Up, Surrey Fusion Festival, Islands Folk Fest, Artswells Fest, and Beerlesque!!!
2010 -Spring tour to the UK where we played at the world famous Glastonbury Festival for a second year, Paradise Gardens Festival, Sunrise Festival, making a grand total of 31 shows in a whirlwind two months!!!
-Artists residency in March at the amazing Caravan Farm Theatre, for an uninterrupted two weeks of work on new material and study of the art of clowning.
-Unforgettable summer festival circuit in Western Canada including Surrey Fusion Festival, Little Fest, Artwells Festival, Robson Valley Music Festival, Sunshine Music Festival, and the Living Life Large Festival.
-Going up to Whitehorse, Yukon, for the hardy good times at Frostbite Festival in February.
- -Fun Fact! the stage at Living Life Large Festival was one of Ken Kesey and the Mary Pranksters roving stage buses and the last band to play on it before Blackberry Wood was the Grateful Dead.
2009 -Smashingly fun UK tour in November.
-Working with the amazing hit-songwriter-turned-producer Steven Drake of “The Odds” on Blackberry Wood’s latest album “Travelling Horse Opry”.
-Played Glastonbury Festival, StarBelly Jam Festival, Komasket Festival, Artwells Festival, and Blizzard Festival.
- -Fun Fact! Blackberry Wood played on the Glastonbury Club Dada stage after Lady Gaga made her surprise appearance on the same stage!
2008 -Played the Antics Banquet Festival in Norwich England, the mayor of London’s Thames Festival, and in Canada; Bonfire Music Festival, Blizzard Fest, David Grisman Bluegrass Experience Festival, and in the USA; the Point Roberts Music Festival.
To Book a Blackberry Wood show:
E-mail; blackberrywood@yahoo.ca
Phone: 604 839 6526
