It seems common among music journalists that most have, at one time or another, played in a local band. Mine was a rock group called Slip The Deuce, who scored a few shows at local bars in our hometown, Hamilton, but we never really got anywhere before splitting up for university and college a few years back.

Among the concerts we played, however, one stood out, for after we tore down our drum kit and guitar stacks, two women took the stage, carrying nothing but acoustic guitars.

These women turned out to be Sheila Carabine and Amanda Walther, otherwise known as Dala, a singer-songwriter duo from Scarborough who, in those same few years, have moved onto much bigger and better things, including tours with some of Canada's finest artists.


Dala will be headlining a concert at the London Music Club on Friday. February 15.

Well, as it turns out, they do remember playing that show with my band, and particularly my friend's sweater-jacket, which he dubbed a swacket.

“We definitely remember the swacket! The Underground was a really great venue. I remember hurrying down that steep staircase one night in particular [because we were running late], rushing to unpack all our gear, and then bounding onto the stage to play our set,” wrote Carabine via email. “Only at that moment did we look out and see a crowd that was most definitely there to hear the heavy punk music of the other acts on the bill. So Amanda and I had to wield our harmonies like weapons to try to win them over. I love those kinds of memories.”

By all accounts, the Dala girls have been doing an incredible job of winning people over, and their combined singing, playing and writing talents have led them to the release of two full length records on Universal, Angels & Thieves and their 2007 disc, Who Do You Think You Are. The latter of the two was actually recorded with a couple of professors from Fanshawe's Music Industry Arts program, Kevin Doyle and Jason Chapman.

Neither Carabine or Walther were willing to give me any dirt on them, but instead praised the two faculty members for their own talents.

Nevertheless, since their last album's release, the girls have been touring extensively behind it, leading to a series of concerts with a Canadian legend.

“We opened for Tom Cochrane on our first-ever tour, and he and the guys of Red Rider made it one of the best experiences of my whole life,” wrote Carabine. “I came home from that tour knowing that music was going to be the secret to my happiness.”

Soon thereafter, the women took a second pass across Canada, this time with Matt Good on his Nothing to Hide tour, which had them playing in concert halls and the like. The tour worked out great for both parties, and in fact the experience was so positive that Good, on October 5, wrote a blog entry about the group.

“[Dala] has been an absolute delight to tour with. They are two of the nicest, most genuine young ladies that I have met in a long time,” wrote Good.

Not bad coming from someone who's renowned for keeping more doors closed than open.

Now, on their own headlining tour, Dala will be performing at the London Music Club this Friday for $7. You can also check out their music before the show at www.myspace.com/dalagirls