Noah took me to see The Rural Alberta Advantage play on Tuesday, Dec 15 at the Bootleg Theater in/near Silverlake. This is the coolest venue that I’ve been to in a really long time. Quite small with great sound and a beautiful warehouse aesthetic harkening to the days of whatever it was before it was what it is!

The band was new to me, so day of the show I spent listening to a few tracks on HypeM.com and my ears totally perked when FRANK, AB came on. Resulting IM

me: Just fell in love with a song titled Frank
Frank: that happens a lot

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Frank, AB

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Later, Lead singer Nils Edenloff launched into this cute and kinda awkward tale of a town near Alberta, where a rock slide occurred and covered up a little town leaving 200 people dead. Bodies were discovered many years later upon digging for a road. This creepy tale impressed itself upon the band, and inspired the song FRANK, AB!

We stood right at the feet of Amy Cole and giggled at her adorably awkward moves between bongs on her TomTom or her toyish Glockenspiel. Her sweet harmonies were pretty charming. Meanwhile drummer Paul Banwatt hit his drums whenever he damn well pleased (you’ll love it when he does). The percussion is really a driving force in the success of the 3 piece. But admittedly, its the lyrical journey that sold me. See!!

The Rural Alberta Advantage – The Ballad of the RAA

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To close the night, the band moved off of the stage and joined the crowd at the foot of the stage. We literally had to get out of the way. If my heart wasn’t already stolen by this group’s intimate sing-song-tales, then this was surely the clincher.

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Goodnight (Live)

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The Rural Alberta Advantage put out an album, Hometowns, which was Re-Released by SaddleCreek Records in May of 2009. Buy it!
You may also enjoy the intimate recordings from their Daytrotter Session.

PHOTOS BY NOAH JASHINSKI: Noah is quickly becoming a professional iPhone Photographer, see more and more photos like these on his site!