Friends Of Otis

Emerging in 2007, Friends Of Otis’ cosmopolitan, soul-infused rock sound, exploded onto the Alberta music scene. Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Calvin Locke, Theron Lagarde on the keys, drummer Yehudi Fleising, and Phil Henderson on the bass guitar, the band boasts a unique brand of hybrid rock, a passion for music, and a work ethic that would make your grandfather proud.



Friends Of Otis have proudly shared the stage with such artists as Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, The Johnstones, The Mocking Shadows, Calm Asa Coma, The Dead Hands and Eddie Warren. The band was included in Alberta’s premier artist showcase, the CBC-sponsored Alberta Sessions in March 2008, and had the privilege of opening for Canadian blues legend David Wilcox on July 1st, 2008, playing for a crowd of over 10,000 people.



Released in October 2009 to a sell-out crowd at Calgary’s Gateway Lounge, the band’s debut LP, “Kick Back”, is an intersection of genre-spanning influences. Driven by a focus on melody and diverse musical structure, the album ranges from the heavy-grooving, party epic “Hot Fuss”, to the lyrically driven, intimate single “Fall From Heaven”. Invoking such authorities as the Black Keys, Radiohead, Kings of Leon, and Jason Mraz, the disc mingles the pop-sensibility of the studio, with the energy of the band’s live performance. A Disc Pick in the October 20th Calgary Herald, renowned rock writer Heath McCoy described “Kick Back” as “an impressive showing”. In March 2010, the band attracted the attention of Vancouver’s Mike Fraser (Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Metallica, Franz Ferdinand, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones), receiving three remixed singles from the legendary mix engineer.”.



With no plans of slowing down, Friends Of Otis is coming to a city/town/village/hamlet near you…