The Ramblin' Ambassadors bring killer instro-rock to Vancouver

Hidden Charms, the local concert promoters responsible for last December's hugely successful Keithmas food bank benefit, are about ready to rock the Fairview Pub one more time. On Saturday (May 19) they'll be bringing in Calgary instro-rock kings the Ramblin' Ambassadors for a gig with local country-honk shit-kickers Rich Hope and His Blue Rich Rangers.

Local instro-rock fans can expect to hear a lot of tunes from the Ramblin' A's wicked new (vinyl-only) record, Ramble On. "We'll probably play the whole album," says guitarist Brent J. Cooper on the line from Calgary. "The songs are short, so we can fit like 20 of them in a 45-minute set."

Ramble On is the third Ramblin' Ambassadors album, following 2008's Vista Cruiser Country Squire and the 2003 debut, Avanti. Before that Cooper made four full-length albums and two EPs with another instrumental act called Huevos Rancheros. "I kinda think that the Ambassadors are a way better band," he contends.

For more from Cooper about the new album--and being influenced by notorious Vancouver punk-rockers Slow--see the preview in this week's issue of the Georgia Straight. Read it on paper for that old-school instro-rock vibe.

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