It was the spring of 2012 and guitarist Liam Glaim found himself without a band.
“I was really nervous at first. I was thinking maybe I won’t find a band who is into like minded music,” Glaim said.
For the past six years Glaim had been a member of the Nanaimo-based The Perfect Trend, when the band mutually agreed to call it quits that spring.
“I had to do some solo shows for a little bit,” Glaim said.
Fortunately for Glaim, another Vancouver Island band called Dead Eyes Open had also folded around the same time as The Perfect Trend. The two bands were well aware of each other, having met at at the FOX Seeds Competition.
“Coincidentally both bands broke up around the same time period and their rhythm section and lead guitarist were looking for another a singer and guitarist and I was looking for another band,” Glaim said. “Although we live in different areas, a couple of the guys live in Victoria and I live in Nanaimo, we work out a jam schedule quite well. It’s worked out for the past year.”
Eventually some members from Dead Eyes Open asked Glaim if he was interested in forming a new band and in February of 2013, Trace The Sky was born.
The Vancouver Island-based band will be playing two shows this weekend in Nanaimo. Trace The Sky, who’s members include Liam Glaim, Matt Harder, Matt Gladman and Chris Anderson, will be performing on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 24-25).
“We’ve already done two shows in Victoria and Port Alberni and they’ve been wonderful. So to do these two shows in Nanaimo, my hometown, should be really good,” Glaim said. “We’ve got stacked bills and we have some out of town people who are coming in.”
The alternative-rock band is currently on tour supporting their new EP titled, Messages. The album was recorded recorded by Adam Sutherland at Infiniti Studios in Victoria. Sutherland has previously worked with Acres of Lions, Kincaide and The Maddigans.
“It’s quite diverse,” Glaim said about the new EP. “There is a lot of heavier elements in it. So, people who like heavier types of music, like metal, will dig parts of it. There is a lot of melodic bits, catchy courses, there is a section that has clean guitar in it so all I can say is there will be something for everyone in the CD.”
When Glaim was a member of The Perfect Trend he was able to open up for the likes of Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats, and Mariana’s Trench. The Perfect Trend also appeared at Canadian Music Week in Toronto and played the Warped Tour.
Before The Perfect Trend disbanded they had amassed a strong following on social media and had been well traveled across Western Canada. According to Glaim, one of the challenge for Trace The Sky has been regaining that following that The Perfect Trend had.
“We’re starting from scratch. So, we are having to work just as hard as we’ve ever done before. In fact we are working even harder on this project just for people to recognize our name and to give us five minutes of their attention.”
Since forming in 2012, Trace The Sky has been working hard to grow their fan base and increase their exposure through social media.
“If you don’t exposure your music out there through social media no one is going to hear you,” he said. “So we spend just as much time preparing our live sets and shows as we do pushing our product online and through social media.”
Glaim said that as an independent band, Trace The Sky have been focused on making positive connections with promoters, and fans alike.
“Nowadays you need to have that connection with people, especially when you’re an independent band,” he said.
Following their performances in Nanaimo, Trace The Sky will head out to the Lower Mainland for shows in Vancouver an Surrey. The Vancouver Island based band recently acquired a booking agent and are looking to tour the Eastern portion of the country later this year.
“We now have a booking agent out of Ontario . . . they are going to help with our next tour, which will either be in the summer or fall,” he said.
Trace The Sky live at Headliners Friday and The Queens with Joel Cossette on Saturday. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/tracetheskymusic