The Revival

Past and present. Band and audience. Instruments and electronics. It’s in the fusion of these seemingly opposing entities that Winnipeg rock outfit The Revival truly thrives, creating a sound greater than the sum of its parts – and one worth latching on to.

First emerging within their home city’s underground party scene in 2008, it wasn’t long before The Revival – vocalist Kevin Hogg, drummer Alex Danyliuk, guitarist Eric Clefstad, and bassist Jay Jensen – was thrust into headlining slots at some of Winnipeg’s most iconic music venues. Their unique sonic hybrid and take-no-prisoners live performances soon had the city saturated and salivating for more. The band’s first official recording, The Brady Bird EP, brilliantly captured the sonic concoction that was causing so much commotion at the local level. Rooted in classic rock riffs, the songs incorporate elements of everything from EDM and new wave to ‘90s alt and funk to the global flavours of Latin and reggae music.

“We’re focusing on that classic old rock sound with some innovative synth and electronic elements,” comments Danyliuk, “fusing sounds we like from any genre or era we want.” The only real rule when The Revival writes is to start with something catchy and upbeat and build on it until something outright infectious emerges. Adds Jensen: “It’s got to be music that people can groove to,” and whether that’s a bouncy beach anthem like “Keep Shining” or a synth-heavy rocker like “Shake This”, which borrows the sounds of some of the EDM superstars lovingly parodied in its hugely viral video, The Revival stay true to their word.

From their shared home in downtown Winnipeg, these four have developed a bond that bleeds into their creative output. What’s particularly impressive about the quartet’s fast-growing profile is that its audience and arsenal of accolades were amassed completely independently. This ethos has not only attracted attention from legions of hungry music fans, but also impressed the team with Manitoba imprint Pipe & Hat, who recently signed the group to its roster. Now set to collaborate with Montreal-area wunderkind Mike Nash, who in addition to a successful solo career and numerous film/TV placements has had his fingerprints on projects by everyone from The Stills and The Dears to Voivod and Bran Van 3000, The Revival is poised to spread this contagious musical compound across the country and beyond.

And while The Brady Bird EP continues to engage fans from far and away, it’s The Revival’s riotous and raucous stage presence that turns admirers into outright addicts. “We want to capture everyone,” Hogg states succinctly of the band’s live shows. “We need that direct interaction between the audience and band, where everyone’s locked into the same consciousness” – a fusion of energy that expands at an exponential rate. As their lyrical content often suggests, the band’s shared relationships with listeners extend far beyond that of artist and audience to something greater; more than a band, The Revival is an experience – and one you have to experience for yourself.