Our son and middle child, Lucas MacCormack, is a homeschooled young man who has been finding his own way in the world through living his passions. A long held passion has been playing guitar and for the past almost three years, he's done so with his band, The Darvel.
He and his four wonderful and very talented band mates, bassist Drew Cassibo (in whose parent's garage the boys practice) Sam Read as lead vocalist, Lucas Proud on drums and Malcolm Orford on keys, dropped their self-titled, debut album, The Darvel, today and they are all still teens! Aged 16-19, these boys were in jr high// high school and no one even had their driver's license when they started out and now the youngest will be in grade twelve next year and the three oldest boys will be twenty!
For my family and I, Lucas' work with the band has been a bright spot during a difficult time in our lives. It is truly amazing to think of the healing power of the arts and the unbelievable value they bring into our individual and collective lives. Music is just so darn important to wellbeing!
It has been an incredible honour to witness the creative process and the level of artistry and dedication these young men have brought to their first album. Three years ago this month they hadn't even met yet and here they are today with the release of a bona fide album and all of this happened against the backdrop of a global pandemic.
Thinking back to all the Stratford Pizza Corner pizza the boys consumed in their early days of practicing and all the gigs they played to pay for the album (studio time is expensive and these teens paid the whole shebang themselves) from a cute start at a UPEI basketball game thanks to Sam's dad Leigh Read arranging for them to play, then on to the Hopyard where the lead singer was a dishwasher, they had their first bar gig playing for their families and friends who cheered them on with almost deafening hoots and hollers. They took part in the wild ride that playing jazz on Victoria Row was for two sweltering pandemic summers. There has been a lot of water under the bridge for these young musicians each of whom had their own things to navigate as young people living in such a strange era! They eventually made their way to playing at Trailside, opening for my immensely talented and generous brother in law Norman Love's amazing band --Wrong Planet Band-- to making their way to their own sold out Trailside weekday shows and even the wildness of their initiation to the Sportsman's Club. (Norman was Lucas' musical mentor as a kid--giving him his first electric guitar and free weekly lessons as well as recording Lucas aged 11 playing all the parts of a song Norman taught him--it takes a village to raise a child and we are so thankful Norman is part of our village!)
For me, as a mom, it was the behind the scenes glimpses into their process that I will forever treasure. Though they were so young doing such mature work they were still kids in need of guidance and support. I will remember all the chauffeuring to practices and gigs, the months of gear-lugging my husband Paul and Lucas' friends did when Lucas was awaiting pandemic stalled surgery/post-surgery, Lucas M (our Lucas) wondering if the email wording was okay for "professional" conversations with The Sound Mill recording studio's Jon Matthews and for their request to use Maine artist Daniel Anselmi's gorgeous art for their album cover (which Daniel Anselmi so graciously granted) the vast amount of music created and picked away at on the living room couch or in Lucas' room...the sneak peak listens and the car drives with his sisters during lockdowns when a new single was released ...the hours upon hours our Lucas spent working on poster art and cd design...to funny things like waiting to see his sister Maria's reaction to Premier Dennis King's unbeckoned shoutout to the band in the legislature...(she fell on the floor laughing). This album has brought so much goodness our family's way through music and friendship's made between Lucas and his kind and supportive and very hard-working bandmates...and here they are now...The Darvel!
ps...
It ceases to amaze me what young people can do when they put their hearts and minds to it and when they are supported and given the chance to follow their dreams!
When you wonder if you should tip a musician, please do--these boys saved every cent of their tip money received in their open guitar case on Vic Row to pay for their recording studio time. They could not have recorded their album without the generosity of passerby's.
CONGRATULATIONS to The Darvel on a job very well done! Good luck on their upcoming Maritime tour in June!
Take a listen...https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb3zIFWggdD9aoKoNXAExfg
Album release party at Trailside April 27th:
Thanks for reading/listening!
Be well,
Jill
addendum--in the late evening after their band practice was over we were driving on the highway and happily listening to the album (again :) when someone heard what they thought was spring peepers...album shut off...windows rolled down...and sure enough...the first spring peepers of the season here...and all my three wanted to do at that point was drive to the Crown Point Rd to park the car and walk in the near darkness to listen to the peeper's hallelujah to spring. For all that arts and culture are very important in this family...at the end of the day, our devoted love of nature even trumped an album release. xo
Such an incredible achievement for such a young band! Well done, Lucas, and all. With the pandemic complicating everything, it's a miracle what they've been able to accomplish!