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The Bills bringing uplifting folk roots performance to Nanaimo

Award-winning band draws inspiration from home on Vancouver Island
thebillssized
(Submitted photo)

A Juno-nominated Vancouver Island folk-roots band aims to break genre boundaries and put a smile on audience members’ faces at its first Nanaimo show in nearly two decades.

The Bills have been playing music together for about 25 years, drawing from their five members' diverse experience in folk, jazz and classical music to create an all-acoustic set of uplifting music. 

“I don’t think there is another show that you are going to go to in Nanaimo this year where you are going to hear people who are accomplished in so many different ways and they weave it all together with a very good focus on making it enjoyable, super fun for an audience,” said Chris Frye, guitarist and vocalist for the Bills. “An underlying theme with the Bills is positivity – everybody leaves our shows feeling good. It’s not a dark experience æ if we do explore the dark side of life, it comes back around to optimism and positivity.” 

Frye said the Bills have become a sort of ambassador for Vancouver Island with original songs drawing inspiration from the band members’ homes on the Island.

“Other things we explore … we all have families, have got kids and so some of that beautiful kind of stuff is explored,” he said. 

Since releasing its first record in 2000, the band has been recognized for its achievements with awards such as a Western Canadian Music Awards pop album of the year, live performer of the year and artist of the year.

“We beat out Michael Bublé in a fan vote one year, which was a nice achievement,” Frye said. 

The Bills’ most recent album release was Trail of Tales in 2016, but Frye said the band is still creating music alongside members recording other projects.  

“We are overdue, but we are constantly writing and composing and when the time is right, we will all come back together and release another record – I feel confident,” he said.

The Bills will play at Unitarian Hall on Oct. 19. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets can be bought on Eventbrite.