Canada tour, check. Next stop Bermuda

Few music lovers will have missed the recent surge in down-to-earth, high-spirited folk rock bands such as Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers. 

Now one Bermudian and his band are coming to the island to perform their own take on the genre. The Ontario-born bass player and vocalist Aaron DeSilva and his band Wild Son come fresh of their 26 date Canadian tour in their first gig on the island.

Bringing a mix of “funky folk rock music” to the stage the band includes “high-energy” fiddle player Mitch Howanyk, “funky” drummer Cam Wilks and “catchy” singer/songwriter Kieran McCaffrey.

They will perform this Saturday at the Lemon Tree Café from 8pm.

Desilva, who previously performed with local musicians when he lived here between 2006 and 2010, including Joy T Barnum and Milton Raposo, told the Bermuda Sun: “Our music is all very danceable and really positive. For that night we will do 50/50 cover music and our original music seeing as Bermuda is more of a party scene. 

“We’ll play classic songs to new age stuff but it all relates to that funky folk rock sound. We cover stuff like Sugar Hill Gang — Rappers Delight, stuff like Mumford and Sons and even songs like Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5.”

Asked what bands are similar to their original music, Desilva said: “Mumford and Sons would be a good one because of our
fiddle player. That would lend itself to that sound. We do have a very unique sound if people like to dance a lot to music then this would be the sound for them.”

The band has only been together a year and a half but has already gained a loyal following in Canada. One of the highlights of their recent tour, he said, was performing at the Keloha Music and Arts Festival in Kelowna where the band members originate from. 

“We have had a huge success in BC and the west coast of Canada we’ve been getting a lot of recognition and shows booked,” said Desilva. We have made a lot of contacts throughout the tour and we’ve had a lot of help and support from different venue owners who have seen us play.”

Wild Son has so far released one EP — Franklyn Road — but has a collection of some 23 original songs and they are to record a full album in the fall. 

Desilva, who performed with Barnum, Raposo and Mike McPhee, as well as Nick Wadson and musicians from Chewstick, says he is looking forward to reconnecting with the
local artists during his short visit. 

“I have had some of the best musical experiences playing in Bermuda some of the musicians I met there, I got really tight with. It’s going to be really cool to come back and see everybody and show them what I’ve been doing away. I have been really focussed on my music.”