I didn't know what to expect when I first heard Chris Velan. His songs and his character reminded me of Jack Johnson, Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan all rolled into a cute Quebecois singer.
The best thing about this guy is he ain't no dummy. After studying law and passing the bar, he traveled to West Africa where he was the music producer of a documentary film based around a group of refugee musicians from Sierra Leone.
Hailing from Montreal, Chris did not dissapoint performing in Vancouver for his first time.
His one-man band and loop machine was all I needed to be wowed. He utilized everything he had to its epitome. He drumed on his guitar, beat boxed into the mic, looped it all together a tied it up with some beautiful guitar melodies.
The venue was just right too. The Railway Club (Vancouver's oldest Jazz bar) is an intimate setting that was packed to the brim to see Mr. Velan do what he does best. He brought the House down with "Sweet Mary" and no one was "as green as a mango tree." I also dug "Oldest Trick" because it was unpretentious and had a solid beat. An encore was demanded and he delivered a sweet lullaby to end the night.
All in all, I'd say props to Chris Velan. Check out his upcoming schedule and see if you can catch him performing during the Olympics.
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