The Orchard rocks Whitecourt

By Ashley Clementovich

One of Alberta’s own bands, The Orchard, took to the stage at the Eagle River Resort & Casino last Friday night. Unfortunately, a mix-up in the performance date advertisement left a few more empty seats than expected. The band which has played in Whitecourt many times didn’t let an emptier venue hold back its performance encouraging those present to take to the dance floor. “Whitecourt always knows how to have a good time,” laughed lead singer, Kasha Anne.

While the band’s original two members, Kasha Anne and Mitch Smith, have been creating music together for the past nine years, the two often bring in additional musicians to enrich their performances. Joining them for the evening were Edmonton-based drummer Leonard Patterson and bassist Darcy Johnstone.

The Orchard played a mix of covers and original songs showing off its musical diversity with songs like Amy Winehouse’s Valerie, and Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide. “We try to mix it up so there’s a bit of everything: dance music, our music, and music to sing along to,” said Kasha Anne.

Band members describe their own sound as, “A cosmic blend of rock, country, and pop,” with a wide range of musical influences helping to create their unique fusion sound. Having previously released two country albums, they switched gears on their most recent 2017 release with a rock album titled, The Great Unknown. The band’s original songs are as diverse as its cover choices. Kasha Anne’s soulful country-esque notes and Smith’s psychedelic guitar solos in songs like Dream Inside a Dream keep The Orchard from confining themselves to one musical genre. They hope to get back into the studio soon to work on their next album. Their music can be found on iTunes and Spotify and heard on local Whitecourt radio stations.

The next show at the Eagle River Resort & Casino will be The Washboard Union on May 3 at 9:30 p.m.