This is two hours of traffic our city's people did not throw a tantrum about and instead welcomed with open arms. Amidst the bustle of the city, Canadian band Two Hours Traffic put the brakes on our mundane lives at the Hard Rock Café recently.
With Liam Corcoran on guitar and lead vocals, Alec O'Hanley on guitar and vocals, Andrew Macdonald playing bass and vocals and Derek Ellis on the drums, the eclectic band left no parking space empty with music lovers thronging the gig hotspot to experience their unique musicality.
If you thought they named themselves after a traffic gridlock they experienced, then you guessed wrong. Taken from the Act 1 Prologue of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the band's unusual name suggests a musical expression of ballad nuances creatively fused with contemporary tones.
They best describe their music as a blend of catchy, relatively universal, power pop, folksy, alternate, country and Indie Pop. This Charlottetown quartet is also famous for playing for several American televisions shows such as “One Tree Hill”, “Castle”, “Gossip Girl” and “The OC” among others.
Here to burn music mileage in the subcontinent, the quartet say their first time in India is an adventure. “Careening through the hectic roads of the cities packed up in an auto rickshaw is a quintessential Indian experience. It's incredible!” said an excited Alec.
Drawing parallels to their country, he adds, “Audience here are very receptive and have a keen ear for the growing music scene, especially alternate music, which is also picking up in Canada.”
Being friends for almost 20 years, the foursome grew up in the same vicinity, developing individual styles and similar tastes in music aesthetics. What started as an acoustic duo with Liam and Alec soon emerged into a full-fledged band in 2000 and at age 19 they had produced their debut demo EP titled “The April Storm”.
In 2005 they released their first full-length eponymous album followed by their sophomore album “Little Jabs” in 2007 that garnered a Polaris award nomination. Their latest 2009 album “Territory” drives into deeper themes of social and relational sentiments.
“The nomination was an enriching moment. It felt great to be recognised. We were also humbled to be in the same league as timeless music legends,” points out Alec. “We've seen a lot of ups and downs in the journey so far. But there's always something good happening around every bend and tours like these that keep the trip exciting,” he shares.
Playing in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, the foursome steered optimist lyrics ruminating on love-struck teenage years and life in the busy city along with infectious sing-along choruses in their performances. “It's easy to fall into cynicism on life's crossroads but we thrive on positivity ‘cause it pays to look forward to better things in life,” explains Alec.
Alec encourages musicians and music lovers alike: “Support independent music and try venturing into other new experimental genres. It's always good to keep driving on musically. Obstacles are just pit-stops.”
