One of the last provinces in Canada to be settled by European explorers, British Columbia is home to total of twenty-seven distinct First Nations with more than two-hundred communities with eight different language groups throughout British Columbia and Vancouver Island(1).
Bitterly Divine is a Vancouver-based, new generation rock band.
A thundering bass line and syncopated First Nations drumming define Bitterly Divine’s sound – along with songs that cross cultural barriers and address important Aboriginal issues that reflect on troubled journeys, lost girls and the wicked glories of youthful sex. Five of the seven-members group come from the Squamish Nation. Initially a blues band, they learned the 12-bar songbook of the Chicago greats, think an over-amped Sonny Boy Williamson propelled by a 300-pound drummer, with hints of the Who and Nirvana thrown in the mix — they quickly established themselves as a must-see Vancouver band, playing more than a 120 gigs over the last three years. Bitterly Divine is on a mission. No longer a cover band they have gone into the studio to record 10 original songs. Stay tuned. Their cd release drew over 600 people on June 20, 2009 at the River Rock Casino and was the “biggest First Nation cd release” in Vancouver history(10).
This article is a non-comprehensive and living document that provides an overview of artistic activities in the region. It will be revised as necessary as part of our ongoing process of continuous updates.
1) http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/map.htm
10) http://www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/3200C15_17T2659T16T1043T2T1.dhtm?eid3365=672&cs3365=Category.Best+New+Artist