Emergency Broadcast System reveals new sound
Ottawa alt-rock group unveils new band members at Barrymore's show
Two new members made their debut with local alt-rock band Emergency Broadcast System during its performance at Barrymore's this past weekend for Bluestone's video release party.
Halfway through the band's eight-song set, new guitarist Doug Baldwin joined the other four members on stage for the performance of their song Supermen.
Then, as the band began to play the chorus for the first time, a second vocalist, TJ Van der Velden, took to the stage.
Suddenly, EBS had attitude.
Van der Velden, clad in a China-print minidress and knee-high boots, brought her rocker girl attitude with her while she accompanied frontman Fabien Melanson for the rest of the band's set.
The addition of the two new members not only meant the stage was packed with bodies, but it also revealed a new, fuller sound that stood in stark contrast with what was heard in the first half of the band's set.
It was a sound truly reflective of the changes the band had been recently experiencing - the evolution of a group of artists trying to come together as one during a time of transition and change.
During a practice at the band's Gladstone Avenue studio a week before the Barrymore's show, this state became obvious as the new and old members worked diligently to adjust previously written material to the new line-up.
As Van der Velden suggested, the addition of a second vocal line started out as an experiment.
"We all started off as friends jamming together," she said. "We thought, 'Let's give this a go.' We wanted to see if our voices would gel. Then we liked what we heard and thought we needed to make this a permanent thing and take it to the road."
"She came up with a lot of ideas to fill out the sound," added bassist Dave Wong.
The band members are convinced that, with the addition of these two members as well as the recent addition of drummer Scott Cranham, their new sound is something completely unique to Ottawa.
"Everyone has their own style in this band," said Van der Velden. "It's fun and it's different and it's not happening here in Ottawa."
"There's a more mature sound there," added Melanson.
"The music has gone back to the roots," said Van der Velden. "It's about a feeling now; it's not just about a sound."
The band's long hours in the studio preparing for the debut of the new line-up seemed to pay off - the additional two members and the group's fresh sound were well received by the Barrymore's audience.
EBS finished their set strong, with a powerful performance of the song Fallout. During this song, the band's metal influences shined through in an awesome way with a sound that reflected a creative blend of Staind meets Lacuna Coil.
With many more shows being added to the band's summer tour schedule, including an opening slot with Thornley in Tweed, Ont., and a US tour with Sproll starting in September, EBS is poised to become another Ottawa success story.
