Another excellent Calgary band will take the stage tonight as part of Sled Island. The fantastic pop quartet released their debut last year, Sweet Despair. It was another album that found its way on to our best of 2021 local list, and we can’t wait for more from them.
Before you head to the show, get to know them a little better.
WHO ARE YOU?
We are Cardiograms. A dual lead vocal, upbeat melancholy rock band from Calgary! Nicola Cavanagh is the guitar player and co-lead vocalist (you may also know her from such bands as Night Committee) and Jess Lopez is synths/keys and co-lead vocalist. The rhythm section is Joel Nye on drums (also of Night Committee, as well as a plethora of other local groups) and Marek Vermin on bass (who has been in a bunch of local bands since the ’90s that you’ve probably never heard of).
WHAT DID YOU DO IN 2021?
Cardiograms released our debut record Sweet Despair that we recorded with Casey Lewis at Echo Base Studio, and we were fortunate enough to have a co-release party at the Ship and Anchor in August with our good pals Miesha and the Spanks. And the record spent a number of weeks on various campus radio charts! Yay!
We self-produced two music videos during lockdown (for the songs Sweet Despair and Imposter), which pushed us creatively and were a lot of work to edit. Fortunately, the learning process was really interesting.
We also played a super fun and hilarious pared-down semi-acoustic show for Pride at Eighty-Eight Brewery with some comedians and delightfully talented drag performers, including Noble Oney, who performed an entire drag masterpiece while wearing skis and an ’80s-style ski outfit. One of the performers was unable to perform due to illness, so another incredible local drag artist that just happened to be in the audience, Anne Xiety, hopped up and improvised a stand-up comedy set that was wholly inappropriate for the children in the audience, who were eating up every X-rated word with ravenous delight.
Nicola was also able to collaborate virtually with musicians both near and far as a part of the Sled Island Rock Lotto album, and contribute bass tracks and vocals to a couple of pals’ projects (Hi Sean Hamilton! Hi Lorrie Matheson!).
Jess also grew back their mullet, which was another very important aesthetic accomplishment for the band.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND — IN ONE CLICHE-RIDDEN YET STILL INFORMATIVE PULL-QUOTE FOR US DUMMIES?
Alt dream pop rock.
WHAT WAS YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE PAST YEAR?
Nicola: I have been playing in bands in Calgary since 1994, and this is the first time I’ve ever had my music on vinyl. So like, be sure to pick up the Cardiograms record, it’s shiny and red and we’re very proud of it.
Jess: Finally semi-mastering how the hell to sing and play keys simultaneously, haha.
Joel: I’m just happy to play in front of the people and cause hearing loss to the masses.
Marek: I filled in on bass for the record release show and I guess I didn’t suck so bad, because they invited me to join the band full-time afterwards. Just being a part of this has been a highlight of my year.
WHAT’S NEXT?
More music. Always.
Cardiograms perform Friday, June 24 at The Palomino as part of Sled Island.
