Band Details

From the Promoter

After touring Ireland and Norway, Ben Caplan returns home to Halifax with his band The Casual Smokers to perform at The Marquee Ballroom on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Special guest is Sarah MacDougall.

The music of Ben Caplan is diverse, ranging from poetic ballads to frenetic gypsy anthems. But even when the band delivers the roughest of bar room stomps, there is a surprising depth and musicianship to the songs. Expressive percussion, upright bass, violin, sax, clarinet, flute, and terrific use of call and response sing-along choruses all help Caplan stand out from the masses.

On the strength of his 2011 debut album, In The Time of the Great Remembering, Caplan won numerous Canadian awards, including Music Nova Scotia’s 2012 Entertainer of the Year and the 2013 East Coast Music Award for Rising Star Recording. He’s shared stages with acts ranging from Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors to The Staves and Blondie. In addition to his 1000+ club shows, he has played major festivals around the world, including a prominent performance at the 2013 Glastonbury festival in the UK. His highly-anticipated second album is expected to drop mid-2015.

Described by Rootstime magazine in Belgium as ‘One of the greatest talents of our era,” Western Canadian Music Award winner Sarah MacDougall is an up and coming artist praised for her honest and poetic songs, passionate performances and unique voice. The Swedish-born MacDougall became the #1 most played artist on Canadian Galaxie Folk/Roots radio and 24 hrs Vancouver called her “one of the most promising exports out of Sweden since Abba.” Her new album is due out in early 2015.

Promoter