The Beauties making most of opportunity
Animal skulls, dim lights, and
a vintage cash register decorate
The Dakota Tavern, one of
Toronto's most eclectic west-end
bars. And though the tavern has
become notorious for its
Bluegrass Brunch on Sundays,
true rockers stay for the evening
act, a five-piece group called
The Beauties.
The Stones-meets-The-Bandish band have a long-standing residency there, which started at Shawn Creamer's suggestion, owner of the Dakota and one of the band's guitarists/singers. But what started as a jam night with his friends soon became The Beauties performing to capacity crowds that included Toronto rock and pop alumni like Ron Sexmith and Kevin Drew.
"We didn't think anything was really going to come of it other than we were going to have a really good time on Sundays, and we were going to drink a lot of tequila," laughed Creamer over the phone. "But it's nice to know that people are noticing what you're doing and people are talking about what you're doing."
When I spoke to Creamer, The Beauties were on their way to perform as part of another residency, this time at London's Call the Office. Each Thursday this month they'll be making the trek to perform three sets of music between 10pm and 2am in the city a few of the members, including Creamer himself, call home.
"We decided not to necessarily take the approach that a younger band would, which is: get in the van and travel from here to Vancouver," said Creamer. "What we have decided to do is residencies in the city we want to, and that's a way of doing something and moving forward without having to do six shit-eating tours across the country."
There's a reason The Beauties are moving at a different pace than a young band, namely they are not particularly young. The Beauties are all in their 30s, and though each member brings a wealth of experience to the group (including Jud Ruhl, who played for several years as part of London-based The Gandharvas), it also means the members have other commitments, including wives, children and work.
Do they question the viability of a band at their age?
"Every day," says Creamer. "It's a constant conversation about how much time, and we figured if you're going to make a go of it you have to put time in it, but we had to reconcile that with our families and our businesses and each other."
But their tenacity has been paying off, and with a recently signed deal to Six Shooter Records, the band have released their first full-length album, which takes stabs at twangy roots music with a most distinctive rock and roll edge.
It has received several positive reviews thus far, and for Creamer, it's the comeuppance he's deserved after years of dedication to music in both the London and Toronto music scenes.
"I wasn't able to make a living as a musician in London, unfortunately. And then I moved to Toronto and found I wasn't really able to make a living as a musician in Toronto, which was shocking to me."
But now, years later, as a bar owner, a father and a rock and roller, Creamer's taking things to the next level with The Beauties.
So check them out on January 20 or 27 at Call the Office, and hear a night full of true rock musicianship.
The Stones-meets-The-Bandish band have a long-standing residency there, which started at Shawn Creamer's suggestion, owner of the Dakota and one of the band's guitarists/singers. But what started as a jam night with his friends soon became The Beauties performing to capacity crowds that included Toronto rock and pop alumni like Ron Sexmith and Kevin Drew.
"We didn't think anything was really going to come of it other than we were going to have a really good time on Sundays, and we were going to drink a lot of tequila," laughed Creamer over the phone. "But it's nice to know that people are noticing what you're doing and people are talking about what you're doing."
When I spoke to Creamer, The Beauties were on their way to perform as part of another residency, this time at London's Call the Office. Each Thursday this month they'll be making the trek to perform three sets of music between 10pm and 2am in the city a few of the members, including Creamer himself, call home.
"We decided not to necessarily take the approach that a younger band would, which is: get in the van and travel from here to Vancouver," said Creamer. "What we have decided to do is residencies in the city we want to, and that's a way of doing something and moving forward without having to do six shit-eating tours across the country."
There's a reason The Beauties are moving at a different pace than a young band, namely they are not particularly young. The Beauties are all in their 30s, and though each member brings a wealth of experience to the group (including Jud Ruhl, who played for several years as part of London-based The Gandharvas), it also means the members have other commitments, including wives, children and work.
Do they question the viability of a band at their age?
"Every day," says Creamer. "It's a constant conversation about how much time, and we figured if you're going to make a go of it you have to put time in it, but we had to reconcile that with our families and our businesses and each other."
But their tenacity has been paying off, and with a recently signed deal to Six Shooter Records, the band have released their first full-length album, which takes stabs at twangy roots music with a most distinctive rock and roll edge.
It has received several positive reviews thus far, and for Creamer, it's the comeuppance he's deserved after years of dedication to music in both the London and Toronto music scenes.
"I wasn't able to make a living as a musician in London, unfortunately. And then I moved to Toronto and found I wasn't really able to make a living as a musician in Toronto, which was shocking to me."
But now, years later, as a bar owner, a father and a rock and roller, Creamer's taking things to the next level with The Beauties.
So check them out on January 20 or 27 at Call the Office, and hear a night full of true rock musicianship.
