IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, GO AFTER IT… NO REGRETS. MEET BEFORE THE CURTAIN
Photo courtesy of Michael Hurcomb
This is one of the best quotes ever…
“Everything I’ve done in my life has brought me to these people, these songs, and this band.”
Adam Haggarty, the “frontman and creative force” of the Peterborough, ON based rock band Before The Curtain said this powerful sentence. And if this one statement can have such a profound impact, I am excited to think about just how big of splash they are going to make in the rough waters of the music business… I mean, the waves created from just a teaser video posted on their Facebook page alone were enormous. What an exciting time for Before The Curtain!
So, who is Before The Curtain, what are they all about and why are they afraid of the basement in their rehearsal space?
Well, I am glad you asked because we at Live ‘N Loud Magazine asked Adam Haggarty…
According to the Before The Curtain bio on their Facebook page, we learn that Adam Haggarty grew up in a musical family and his father Barry “lived to play the guitar”. Through a little searching we found out the elder Haggarty was nominated three years in a row as Guitar Player of the Year with the Canadian Country Music Association in the early 90’s! In high school, Adam began writing and assembled his first band. Through a series of learning curves and life lessons over the next years – none of which Adam regrets – he moved to Kelowna, BC and forged ahead. The change was a breath of fresh air as he was able to “write non-stop” and perfect his “recording and production skills”. Through the beautiful twists and turns of fate, the newly created Sludge Factory Records received demos of Adam’s latest and material and showed strong interest in the music. So the next logical step was to put together a band.
Here is a bit about each member.
Adam didn’t have to go far to find a drummer and says, “I asked Brett (Haggarty) to play because he’s my brother, and he is one of the best drummers I’ve ever played with. Even when we were younger and we’d be in our Dad’s studio, he’d always play what I’d want to hear. It’s like he knew what to play for a particular song. Brett has played in few local bands over the years and at one point was teaching drums at a local music store.”
Bassist Thomas Gardner is no stranger to the local music scene or the Peterborough area for that matter. He is known well as a local businessman, one of the original members of Groundswell and of course a former member from the rock band Colt Harley. It was Thomas who actually took Adam’s demo and passed it on to the record company.
“‘Alvis’ was picked out by Tommy (Gardner) from a band called Counterfit Fifty”, Adam says about guitarist Brent Alvey. “He was given the demos and asked if he’d be interested in playing in the band. He liked the tunes and came on board. He’s got a lot of experience and has definitely put his time in on the road with a lot of shows under his belt.”
Last, but not least is Jeff Holmes (keyboard/synth/guitar). “Jeff is another local guy that has tons of experience in playing live. I remember him from a band he actually fronted called “Love and Chaos”. I saw the band a few times before I even knew Jeff and I really liked his energy,” Adam goes on to say, “Jeff was approached by Tommy (Gardner) and given the tunes. He had been experimenting with synths and keyboards and was more than happy to take that role on in the band. He also has a great voice.”
As mentioned above, there was a teaser video posted on Before The Curtain’s Facebook page and it featured a snippet of the song “Things I Never Said”. Rave reviews were to be had in the comments. So we asked Adam if this song was a good indicator of what to expect from the band.
“We’ve got about 12 song songs on our set list ranging from heavy hitting rock to catchy pop songs. We use a lot of different tunings in our set. I think the lower tunings gives a more aggressive feel to some songs. We’ve got a lot of cool transitions between songs that Jeff has been working on (strings/piano/synths), they sound great!”
Referencing the teaser video once again, it gives us a glimpse into the band’s rehearsals. How often do you get together? Where do you get together? Any funny (printable) rehearsal experiences?
“We have an old farm house we rehearse in. It’s nice because we can go there whenever we want and make as much noise as we want and nobody can hear us! We are rehearsing 5-6 times a week right now getting the set ready for live shows. A funny story….hmmm. I don’t think I have a “printable” story (Haha!) but I can tell you this, and you can ask the whole band. We live in fear of the basement at our jam house. The house is very old and the basement is VERY creepy…we all steer clear of it!!”
(I keep re-reading this quote and it makes me laugh every time.)
Since the original interview, Before The Curtain has opened for the Finnish “cellorock” band Apocalyptica in London, ON. For those that missed the show, what can be expected on stage and when is your next show?
“Our live show is about high energy and having fun! Next we are opening for Three Days Grace on March 11th in Barrie, ON. I think they just released the last block of tickets, I expect it to be sold out for sure. Three days Grace in a smaller venue like that will be an amazing show!”
(Judd Smoke, an avid fan and long time close personal friend of the band was in London last night and said “The boys of Before The Curtain ROCKED it and the crowd obviously loved it”)
What do you want new supporters to know about the band’s mission and philosophy…
“We are just five guys doing what we love! Music is our passion and we hope people share that with us. We try to give a positive message in our music, write about things that we can all relate to. I think our name says it all… do everything you want to do in your life before the curtain closes. If you have a dream, go after it…no regrets.”
What are Before The Curtain’s future plans?
“I think we’ve locked down a producer. There are a few details to work out but we’re almost there. And it looks like we could be in the studio as early as April. We are so excited to get this album recorded and released! Touring will follow for sure, with who or where we’re not sure yet.”
Good things are happening right now for Before The Curtain. To recap, the members are Adam Haggarty (vocals, guitar), Thomas Gardner (bass), Brent Alvey (guitar), Jeff Holmes (keyboard/synth/guitar) and Brett Haggarty (drums).
Watch the teaser video of Before The Curtain HERE
Watch a live footage of their recent concert in London, Ontario HERE
If you are in the area, check out the band as they open for Three Days Grace at The ROXX Niteclub in Barrie, ON. A limited amount of tickets may still be available.
Category: Interviews, Reviews
