Adrian West Band
Ask Adrian what kind of music The Adrian West Band plays and he'll say "Yes." Or if he's feeling cocky, he'll say "Good."
The longer answer: original acoustic rock that sounds like Paul Simon meets Dave Matthews, plus acoustic rock & jazz covers and instrumentals. The full band (quartet) features vocal harmonies, guitar, electric violin, bass, drums, alto sax, and a live "looping”. Duo and trio formats are also a thing.
Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Adrian is an exciting performer to watch. A gifted vocalist, he moves effortlessly between guitar & violin, sometimes using live looping to add layers of sound and intrigue to his songs. With a knack for language that's simple yet poetic, he's not afraid to tackle difficult topics in his songwriting; Safe Streets tells an allegory about police violence, Close Your Eyes laments the beauty bias that pervades in the mass media, while Senses entreats you to appreciate your senses while you can. But Adrian doesn't take any of this stuff too seriously; his lyrics belie a sense of hope and a touch of whimsy.
Adrian started playing violin at the age of four and in his teens studied classical violin at the McGill Conservatory of Music in Montreal. He later learned to play drums, guitar and worked on his singing and songwriting.
He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995 where as a sideman violinist he began supporting local Bay Area bands, playing some of the area's better known venues including the Fillmore, Yoshi's SF (main stage), Slim’s, The Independent and The Sweetwater.
In 2005 he formed the Adrian West Band which has performed steadily at venues and festivals all over the Bay Area.
In 2011 he released his first full-length CD Chameleons and Butterflies.
In 2019 he released his second full-length CD The Human Touch.
In 2017-2018 Adrian combined his love of music with his love of science in a multimedia show called An Evening of Music & Science which wove his music with synchronized videos and presentations on the subject of how life began on Earth. The show was put on twice in Berkeley and three times in SF at the Shelton Theater.
Adrian West has also performed with West African Highlife Band, Jerry Joseph, Garrin Benfield, Spencer Day, Corinne West, Ira Marlowe, Forest Sun, Alexis Harte, Vanessa Lowe and Teja Gerken
- Website: http://adrianwest.com/