Calgary band Hot Sweet Noise will close the Uptowne Fashion Show this Saturday at Tracks Pub.
The band has been described as playing a mix of retro power-pop synth-rock.
“The name of the band is Hot Sweet Noise and even that in itself I think is not a bad description of our kind of music,” said band member Ben Toews.
“It's kind of bouncy and fun. We are energetic. We like to dance onstage. We love it when the crowd dances too.”
While these days, the band is based in Calgary, the three members met in school in Olds.
“Francis Folnovic and I grew up in Olds. So we knew each other from school,” said Toews.
“Mark Mills went to school in Olds for one year as well, to finish his high school actually. We all met quite a long time ago.”
After years of not keeping in touch, the members met in Calgary two summers ago.
“We got together again to play a bit for fun. It felt good and we thought it sounded good,” said Toews.
“The band sort of formed from hanging out and playing music a couple times.”
While the band has been together for less than two years, they have already played many shows around Calgary and in Olds, as well as recording an eponymous seven-song EP, which was released last February.
“We are planning on hopefully starting to branch out a bit and hit some other cities around Western Canada soon, in the summer,” said Toews.
“We'd like to make a trip out to Vancouver and maybe one east as well, to Winnipeg or something like that.”
The band also hopes to start working on recording a full-length album during the summer.
Both Toews and Mills write the band's songs. Toews says his influences are Neil Young and Arcade Fire.
During the shows, the band members like to switch instruments around, which is made possible since Folnovic, Mills, and Toews can play most instruments. They also all share singing duties.
“It's one of the things that I really enjoy about playing in this band. It's a lot of variety for all of us,” said Toews.
“We are all pretty open to letting one another play with whatever instrument or whatever type of music style that we want. It's varied and interesting.”
For more information on Hot Sweet Noise, please consult the band's Myspace and Facebook pages. The band's eponymous EP is available on iTunes.
