- The Band -

Biography

Caledonia first performed together in April of 2003, packing The North Street Church with 200 sweating bodies. With help from Rose Cousins and Ruth and Gabe Minnikin of The Guthries' the walls were creaking to the finest drunken gospel the night had to offer. The performance was well received and inspired the band to spend most of the next year in the studio producing a lengthy debut album.

Caledonia, originally a solo project by Nova Scotia singer/songwriter, Steve Gates, has developed over the past two years into a cohesive folk rock band. Steady rhythms laid down by Zac Crouse on bass, and Steve Reble support the layers of Ian Bent's distorted organs and Steve Gates' surf/country style guitar. This combination lends an aggressive edge to the eclectic mix of folk, rock, reggae and dance music.

2005 has been epic for Halifax based Caledonia. Starting last fall, bassist Zac Course, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gates and keyboardist Ian Bent found their muse in ex-Dr. Yellow Fever drummer, Steve Reble. Reble�s passion for groove has enabled the band to expand upon its sixties-esque folk influences and develop a unique sound increasingly influenced by new wave bands like The Clash, Elvis Costello and the Police. With this newfound attention to rhythm, these self-made musicians are carving their own path of impassioned music on the East Coast. 

Caledonia�s debut album, �Lost Balloons�, was hailed by Shael Risman of Rixmixlive.com as �a hidden treasure�one of the most exciting independent releases of 2004� and was nominated for Best Rock/Pop Recording of 2004 by MIANS Nova Scotia Music Week. Since the album�s release in June 2004, Caledonia has been chosen as both Atlantic Airwaves� and DNTO�s artist of the week, in addition to its online distribution deal with MapleMusic.com, and most recently, a national distribution deal with Maple Music. Caledonia has also had numerous radio and showcase appearances across the Atlantic Provinces and most recently a packed showcase in Toronto for Canada Music Week; all this without officially releasing a radio single.

The Band

Steve Gates: A self-taught musician, Steven started playing guitar and performing locally at the age of 14. After moving to Vancouver for school, the open mike scene turned into a string of gigs and a solid repertoire of songs. However, the West Coast could not keep Steve. He was eventually lured back to the East by the close-nit Halifax music community, to form Caledonia.

Zac Crouse: Studying classical piano from age 3 to 16 almost put Zac off of music entirely. Lucky for us, when Zac finished high school, his brother bought him a bass guiltar. Zac has played bass guitar with The Wilderbeats and Thomas Matheson in the past, but primarily he plays with Caledonia.

Ian Bent: Prior to his role as Caledonia's keyboard player, Ian's musical resume highlights included a stint in a nine-piece reggae band, and a soloist gig at the Lieutenant Governor's residence. Ian currently spends his winters studying piano in Montreal.

Steve Reble: Drummer extraordinaire, Steve, joined the band in September. Steve had been a part of the studio work last Fall and is no stranger to the Halifax scene as he has logged many shows with bands such as the now defunct 3 Penny Opera, Dr. Yellow Fever, and Reble & Wade.

Band Facts:

- CBC Radio DNTO's Indie Artist of the Week (Oct. 2004).

- Debut album released  (June 2004).

- Nominated for best pop/rock group recording of the year by MIANS Music Week 2004.

- Album cuts "Roll up the Rim" and "Houses" dominate the Top 10 at RismixLive.com (Oct. 2004).

- CBC Radio Atlantic Airwaves Artist of the Week (Nov. 2004).

- Ranked #8 - Top 100 Selling Indie Albums of 2004, Sam the Record Man.

- First radio single "Houses" to be released to commercial radio (February, 2005).

- Studio musicians appearing on the album include Rose Cousins (vocals), Darren Arsenault (harmonica/banjo),
Stephen Rebie and Benn Ross (drums) and Dale Murray (pedal steel).