FAITH ERNEST

Bassist Kevin Joseph helps Black Rain to put on an entertaining show.

Black Rain played back-to-back shows at Buds On Broadway on Sept. 8 and 9 to upbeat and rowdy crowds. The show was spectacular and Black Rain rocked the audience with energetic tunes that kept everyone in high gear.

Always true to their roots, Black Rain is a trio of fun-loving guys who like to wise crack back and forth and simply enjoy each other’s company. Ryan Peekeekoot was on lead vocals, his brother Jamie on drums and back-up vocals, and Kevin Joseph played bass. With Peekeekoot’s gritty voice smoothing out the lyrics and Jamie’s complementary back-up vocals, Black Rain delivered and gave it their all.

Black Rain played a few of their hits such as “Wild Women,” “All of Me,” and “She Doesn’t Like It When I’m Drinking.” Personally I was hoping to hear “Without You” — which is my favorite tune of theirs — but much to my chagrin, I will have to wait until their next show to hear it.

Giving the audience a sneak peek of their upcoming album, Black Rain played two new songs called “Crazy” and “Mistake.” As a fan already looking forward to hearing their new CD, one can only imagine what I was feeling.

Although the three members are currently spread out across Saskatchewan — Joseph in Prince Albert, Peekeekoot in Saskatoon and Jamie in Ahtahtakoop — their love of music brought them together during their childhoods are what keeps them together today.

Coming from musical families meant that Black Rain would form a band some day and that it was just a matter of time.

“My dad played in a band, [Kevin’s] played in band and we just took over,” Peekeekoot said.

The group stated that their creative process involves one of the band members coming up with their own idea and then later getting together with the rest of the group to toss more ideas back and forth until it gets turned into a brand new song.

When asked about their biggest influences growing up, Black Rain agreed it was seeing their dads perform onstage and said that C-Weed was one of their strongest musical influences. Joseph said he used to watch C-Weed at the Juno Awards on television and even toured with them before joining Black Rain.

“One day I got a call from Errol Ranville saying, ‘We need a bass player going into Ontario. Want to come?’ So I ended up touring with them for seven years,” Joseph said.

Although the life-long friends have an undeniable musical chemistry, Peekeekoot said sometimes working on his own music is what’s needed to help the band.

“Write your own music and focus more on creating your own stuff — even creating your own sound as a guitar player or as a drummer,” Peekeekoot said. “We all have our influences and our favorites. Work on your original ideas too [and] get your sound on every instrument and voice.”

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Photo: Facebook/Black Rain