The Root: Community Emporium
4901 50 Ave
Phone: 306-825-5885
$10 - Doors Open at 8 pm - Performance at 9 pm
Growing up together in Edmonton, AB, Trevor Mann (lead vocals and guitar), Murray Wood (bass) and Shea Connor (drums and vocals), have been friends for as long as they can remember. Each member began learning their respective instruments around the age of 13 and soon after formed a band and began practicing together. Initially, the band played R&B and rock and roll covers for hall shows and weddings. They became a kind of session band, backing up local artists of varying genres and accumulated the valuable performance experience that made them stand out as a mature young group. After several years of this and having performed at nearly every venue in Edmonton, the trio created Scenic Route to Alaska in the summer of 2010.
With new direction and inspiration, Scenic Route to Alaska quickly developed their indie-folk rock sound as the trio shaped Mann’s new material into a unified concept. The band worked toward writing and recording their first EP in the Fall of 2010. Mann and Connor traveled to Montreal to meet with Wood who was attending McGill University for jazz double bass performance. They booked three overnight recording sessions with masters students at McGill, which resulted in three of the six songs off their first EP. The remaining three songs were recorded at Norwood Studios with James Murdoch and Chris Wynters (Captain Tractor) back in Edmonton when Wood came home for the summer. In 2011, the band toured throughout Alberta and British Columbia and released their debut self-titled EP before playing the Canmore and Edmonton Folk Music Festivals.
With Wood completing his degree in Montreal, Mann and Connor continued to play as a duo, remaining increasingly active. They toured to Toronto for Canadian Music Week, returned to McGill to record their first full length album (All These Years), became Edmonton’s Sonic 102.9 Band of the Month for February, in 2012. After releasing their first full-length album, All These Years in June of 2012, they began playing festivals and showcases, touring from Vancouver to Halifax to extensively promote the release. The Album was nominated for three Edmonton Music Awards. Shortly after, they began the pre-production for their next album in August of 2013.
Their sophomore album Warrington, recorded by Brad Smith and produced by Jay Sparrow in Edmonton, builds on their distinctive “prairie-indie” sound, and captures the positive energy that the trio brings to their live performance. It’s also the first album recorded after being reunited in their hometown. Inspired by lead singer Trevor Mann’s English war bride grandmother, Dorothy, this deceptively cheery indie-folk album puts an optimistic spin on dealing with love and loss. Since the release, they have been nominated for Pop Recording of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, made top 12 for the Alberta Peak Performance Project and have been on radio charts throughout North America. Furthermore, the band received the Cruz FM Emerging Artist award at the 2014 Edmonton Folk Music Festival.
