ALBUMS
String of Lights (2021)
String of Lights is the 4th release from Toronto’s The Real Shade. Showcasing the long-standing musical partnership between singer/songwriter Jane Gowan and indie rock veteran Tim Vesely (Rheostatics, Violet Archers), the album is an authentic and inspired testament to artistic collaboration.
These songs first came to light when Jane attended the Music Residency at the Banff School for Arts and Creativity in the fall of 2019. Back in Toronto, recording began at the Woodshed studios just prior to the pandemic hitting hard. The subsequent lockdown required Gowan, Vesely and drummer Don Kerr to navigate the challenges of tracking the remaining parts in separate spaces and then employing Vesely’s powers of musical alchemy to create the final works.
String of Lights is a voyage into dimensions both real and imagined. Drawing inspiration from Canadian literature, family lore, and sweeping landscapes, the music pulls you into alternate realities and re-designed fables. Gently rolling piano infuses with warm guitars and subtle rhythms. This is a musical journal written in indigo ink on faded paper, designed to help you see more clearly, while dreaming in colour.
Horizon Diaries (2018)
One Last Show of Hearts (2011)
Highway (2010)
ABOUT
The Real Shade (formerly “Shade”) is a Toronto-based indie-pop band known for its no-nonsense style, sweet harmonies, and well-crafted songs.
The project started in 2007 when long-time side woman Jane Gowan (Spygirl, Neins Circa, Belinda Bruce) moved from Vancouver to Toronto and decided to front her own band. What started as a lo-fi rock ’n roll outfit eventually evolved into a project that embraced other musical styles, most notably Americana and Indie Folk.
The band has seen a few different lineups, but a consistent collaborator has been Tim Vesely (Rheostatics, Violet Archers). Tim engineered and produced all 3 albums to date, and has often performed with the band on both drums and guitar. On String of Lights, his production, instrumentation and vocals are integral to the album’s atmosphere and sound.
VIDEO
An introduction to Horizon Diaries, featuring the song "Lost".
UPCOMING SHOWS
STAY TUNED!
In the meantime, check out some footage from past shows on our youtube channel:
WATCH LIVE FOOTAGE
RECENT SHOWS:
SATURDAY, DEC 11, 2021
ACOUSTIC HOUSE CONCERT (Private Event)
JANE GOWAN (piano) & TIM VESELY (guitar)
Celebrating new releases by The Real Shade and The Violet Archers
SUNDAY, FEB 16, 2020 @ THE TRANZAC CLUB
THE REAL SHADE COMMUNION BAND
Jane Gowan - vocals, guitar, keyboard
Stephen Stanley - vocals, guitar
Andy Maize - vocals, trumpet
Ryan Myshrall - bass
David Kitching - drums
WEST COAST TOUR, May 2020 (cancelled)
MAY 7 @ THE DASHES (Vancouver, BC)
with Tony Wilson/Patsy Klein Duo
MAY 8 @ THE DASHES (Vancouver, BC)
with Julie McGeer
May 9 @ THE GUMBOOT CAFE (Roberts Creek, BC)
with Steve Wright
May 14 @ THE DUNCAN SHOWROOM (Duncan, BC)
May 15 @ THE NANAIMO BAR (Nanaimo, BC)
with Uncle Rico
MAY 16 @ SMOKE & WATER (Nanoose Bay, BC - now closed)
PAST PERFORMANCES
PRESS
REVIEWS: STRING OF LIGHTS
All the glowing warmth, nostalgic beauty and welcoming serenity of a late-summer sunset. — Darryl Sterdan, Tinnitist
REVIEWS: WAITING FOR GOOD NEWS (single)
….too impressive to ignore. — Great Dark Wonder
…an absolutely beautiful, reflective single, perfectly composed and stunningly performed, gorgeous in its simplicity and 1,000,000 times more powerful because of it. —A & R Factory
REVIEWS: HORIZON DIARIES
…sweet harmonies and delightfully airy make-up. Straight forward and honest, the band keeps to their formula of fun and engaging emphasis of and for life. — Come Here Floyd
At the cross roads of stripped-down vintage rock and new school indie pop, you won't find a sound like theirs anywhere else. —The Hippie Historian
At a point where gentle and drifting Americana meets ambient folk music and discerning indie explorations hook up with the infectiousness of pop, you find The Real Shade and songs such as Moving Gaze. It is a wonderfully lyrical creation and as part of the album Horizon Diaries forms part of a musical montage which explores all aspects of our world. — A&R Factory
..both the earlier and new albums have that pop sensibility seldom captured in music today. I have heard six of the songs from Horizon Diaries and have already crowned it the best the band has created yet. You will be reading a lot about them in future columns. — Frank Gutch Jr.
REVIEWS: ONE LAST SHOW OF HEARTS
...there should be a home for bands that can so consistently craft smart, crisp pop songs and as long as Shade keeps writing records like One Last Show of Hearts, herohill will proudly yell from the rooftops hoping people to listen. – Bryan Acker, Herohill*
Through these seven songs, I get everything I could want—melodies which are good enough on their own but are made so much better by the harmonies—songs perfectly fitted to Gowan's perfect/imperfect voice. – Frank Gutch Jr., Rock and Reprise
...a lovely warm tone and a bit of a vintage feel. – Tiana Feng, Ride the Tempo
...unexpected hues and intricate instrumental weaves...a smart and witty playfulness – Jim Di Gioia, Quick Before it Melts
…créative et accrocheuse…très bonnes chansons qui méritent une écoute attentive. – 500 khz
REVIEWS: HIGHWAY
This one’s a no-brainer – listen to Highway. – Canadian Musician Showcase
...Not one note on this compact 10-song, 36-minute record feels forced and that is very, very rare these days.– Bryan Acker, Herohill
Highway... is a gem. There is something very refreshing and unpretentious about the album and Gowan’s songwriting, as simple as it is, is outstanding in that simplicity. – Frank Gutch Jr., Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say
...a surprisingly strong, original effort...professional as hell. –Todd Sikorski, Skope Magazine
Gowan's lyrics are genuine and real. The music is both polished and raw, as well-produced indie music ought to be. –Chris Menezes, Suite 101.com
ARTICLES / FEATURES
Music, Canadiana, and Everything in Between: An Interview with Jane Gowan of The Real Shade
The Hippie Historian, September 9, 2018
Catching Some Rays with Jane Gowan
Jimmy Rae, Skope Magazine, April, 2011
Nine Questions with Jane Gowan
Interview with Trevor Rogers, Nine Questions for Musicians (2011)