Mindil Beach Markets’ ability to adapt their sound has allowed them to play with acts ranging from Nazareth to Bedouin Soundclash to Del the Funky Homosapien. Though their music is laced with elements of funk, hip-hop and reggae, at the heart of this heterogeneity is a true passion for rock and roll.
The band, Cam Ainslie (drums), Rod Campbell (vocals/keys), Patrick Codere (vocals/guitar), Daniel “DK” Kingsbury (vocals/guitar) (vocals/guitar) and Matt Posnikoff (bass/guitar) captured listeners with the release of their self-titled first album in October 2010. Produced by Simon Kendall (Doug and the Slugs), Jared Gauthier of The Uniter (Winnipeg) describes the album as “nothing short of musical universality. The album is almost a compilation of music styles, perfectly brought together by five guys who wanted to reach audiences from all genres.”
The band toured the album independently from Vancouver to San Diego, playing 19 shows and handing out 10,000 free copies along the way. The accompanying live show drew the attention of festival organizers across the province. To date, Mindil Beach has rocked crowds at festivals like Rifflandia, Live at Squamish, The Big Time Out, Victoria Ska Fest and Tall Tree Festival to name a few.
On their latest record, ‘It Might Take Long,’ scheduled for release March 5th, 2013, MBM have both refined and beefed up their sound. Keyboardist and rapper, Rod Campbell, described the album as, “less reggae, more rock. We’re really starting to nail down our sound and figure out who we are as a band. However, fans of our diversity will not be disappointed.” The album was produced and engineered by Sean McLean Carrie (Half Moon Run, Blank Cinema), mixed by Alex ‘Condor’ Aligizakis (Hail the Villain, Bend Sinister, Rude City Riot), and mastered by Brock McFarlane (Winston Hauschild, We are the City). MBM have booked a cross-Canada tour to coincide with the album’s release in March. The record’s first single, ‘Smoking Gun,’ hit airwaves January 16th, 2013.
The band’s passion for music goes hand in hand with their passion for the environment. In 2011, the boys founded The Jellyfish Project, an environmental initiative targeted at BC high school students to spark conversation about ocean sustainability. The Jellyfish Project consists of a live performance by the band followed by a presentation on the declining health of our world’s oceans. Topics include overfishing, marine plastics and sustainable solutions. The Vancouver Aquarium, Youth for Environmental Stewardship Society (YesBC), and dozens of high schools in western Canada have shown support for the Jellyfish Project, which was presented to more than 10 BC high schools in 2011/2012. Members Daniel Kingsbury and Rod Campbell recently travelled to San Francisco for a training session with former Vice President and Nobel Laureate, Al Gore. Since attending, they’ve added a section on climate change to their presentation.
