The Sheepdogs picture credit Mat Dunlap
The Sheepdogs are fast becoming a favourite here at RGM towers. Their recent ‘Changing Colours’ album is a must listen for classic rock fans who enjoy the likes of The Allman Brothers and The Band. The thing that really cemented our interest in the band was a stunning show at the Borderline last year (review). The guys are fantastic live so it’s great to share the news that the band will be touring the UK with Rival Sons in Jan/Feb 2019. Please read on for the tour dates, the video for the infectious ‘Saturday Night’ and more about The Sheepdogs:
UK Tour Dates w/ Rival Sons
31 January NEWCASTLE Northumbria Institute
1 February GLASGOW Barrowland Ballroom
2 February MANCHESTER Academy
4 February LEEDS 02 Academy
5 February BIRMINGHAM 02 Academy
6 February LONDON Roundhouse
Quadruple Juno Award-winning Canadian quintet The Sheepdogs today release a new video for ‘Saturday Night’, lifted from their roundly-praised latest album ‘Changing Colours’, out now through Dine Alone Records. The clip arrives on the eve of the band’s return to UK shores once again (following two sold-out headline runs across 2018) for a run of six shows opening up for Rival Sons, including London Roundhouse on February 6, 2019.
Speaking about the new clip for ‘Saturday Night’ - which he co-directed with Mat Dunlap - the band’s bassist Ryan Gullen says; “I really felt the last thing the world needed was another rock and roll party video in the traditional sense -however, it really felt like the right thing for the vibe of the song. To mix it up I got together my Grandma, some of her friends and a bunch of other folks from Saskatoon. Knowing my 84 year-old grandma and the people she hangs out with, seniors these days live a much more exciting life than what we traditionally think. We wanted to capture this spirit in the video and, obviously, they still know how to party.”
Proud purveyors of guitar-driven, modern-day retro rock, The Sheepdogs have expanded their instrumentation on ‘Changing Colours’ to encompass more styles and hues, enhancing their beef-and-boogie riffs and rhythmic shuffles. Of ‘Changing Colours’, the band notes; “This album has a much wider range of sounds on it: trombone, clarinet, latin percussion, pedal steel, fiddle and banjo all make an appearance. The title ‘Changing Colours’ really lends itself to these different sounds on the record.”
The Sheepdogs have crafted a bustling back-catalogue of albums during the course of their career - including a Patrick Carney (Black Keys) produced album - notching up three no.1 singles and earning four Juno awards along the way. The Sheepdogs came to prominence with their bold take on classic guitar rock and polished sound, appearing as the first and only unsigned band to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone, subsequently leading to a performance on Jimmy Fallon, a support tour with fans of the band, Kings of Leon, and festival dates including the likes of Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo. Furthermore, the band have previously shared the stage with Paul Rodgers, lead vocalist of Bad Company and Free, won the approval of David Crosby and Steven Stills and performed at Petty Fest alongside the likes of The Strokes, The Black Keys and The Hold Steady.