Sam Roberts Band Headlining This Year's Birthday Bash
The 2022 Birthday Bash headliner is Sam Roberts Band with special guest Monster Truck and we couldn’t be more excited.
Having been compared to Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, Sam Roberts is known for his memorable hooks, pounding rhythms and lyrics that stay true to his views on politics, love and relationships. Even with the band’s success in Canada, the US and Europe, Roberts is regularly praised for prioritizing musical integrity over sales.
Not to mention, the band has a great reputation for their live performances.
Let’s take a quick look at Sam Roberts Band.
About Sam Roberts
Sam Roberts is a Canadian singer-songwriter who was born in Montreal after his parents immigrated to Canada from South Africa. Robert’s musical story started at the age of 4 when he asked to learn violin. His dad signed him up for lessons, which he continued to take into his 20s. At age 12, Roberts received his first Spanish guitar. A year later, when he was 13, he picked up the electric guitar and began performing in bands.
Roberts’ first band was Happy Death Men in junior high, followed by Screwtap and Grover in high school. In 1993, while attending McGill University, Roberts joined William. The band later changed their name to Northstar before breaking up in 1999 following a failed attempt to make it in LA.
Becoming Sam Roberts Band
Roberts returned to Canada in 1999 where he produced his 12 track Brother Down demo and 6 track The Inhuman Condition EP (2002).
In conversation about the 6 track EP, Roberts shared, “it is not something I had intended to be my first real foray into the music world but I couldn't turn my back on such a chance.” The EP included “Brother Down” and “Don’t Walk Away Eileen”, two of Robert’s breakthrough singles.
Impressed with the EP, Universal Music quickly picked up and signed Roberts on in 2002.
Promoted as a solo artist, James Hall (bass, guitar) and Eric Fares (keyboard, guitar) from William/Northstar backed Roberts. Roberts also brought on Dave Nugent and Corey Zadorozny to play guitar and drums.
In 2003, Roberts released his major label debut album – We Were Born In A Flame. The album charted at #2 in Canada and was certified Double Platinum. This album and others led to Roberts being nominated for several Junos and winning 6:
- 2004 Album Of The Year for We Were Born In A Flame
- 2004 Rock Album Of The Year for We Were Born In A Flame
- 2004 Artist Of The Year
- 2006 Video of the Year for “Bridge To Nowhere”
- 2009 Album Of The Year for Love At The End Of The World
- 2009 Artist Of The Year
In 2005, Josh Trager replaced Zadorozny on drums and in 2011, Roberts released the first of 4 albums under the name Sam Roberts Band.
Sam Roberts Discography
As Sam Roberts
- We Were Born in a Flame (2003)
- Chemical City (2006)
- Love At The End Of The World (2008)
As Sam Roberts Band
- Collider (2011)
- Lo-Fantasy (2014)
- TerraForm (2016)
- All Of Us (2020)
With Anyway Gang
- Anyway Gang (2019)
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