THE INVISIBLE HAND - BIO
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Rocking Calgary venues since 2007, we play kickass original rock songs, brimming with hooky guitar riffs and powerful vocals. We combine elements of 70’s, 80’s and 90’s rock into a sound all our own, and we are here to save the world from boring indie bands.
That's the elevator pitch... now for The Back-Story...
In early 2007, before the band name, there was Murray T. Handman and Joey Rose on guitar and bass respectively. For a while we practiced together and posted ads for other band members online and in local hipster-oriented free music rags. One day, Adam Smith answered the call for a vocalist. From the first day we met, the three of us began to write music and form a plan. Due to the obvious reference to economics and the like, Joey and Murray were eager to name the band Adam Smith & The Invisible Hand.
In late 2007 Jimmy Palmer (who drummed with Murray in now-defunct Calgary band Duke Irrational) joined as drummer. The songs started to take more shape and after a couple months, the sound was beginning to emerge, when Jimmy had to leave the band due to other commitments. Soon, after a few comically absurd audtions from various drummers, Mikey F nailed his audtion, laying down the beat for Weightless In The Waiting Room with the groove we were searching for, and was signed on as drummer. The band continued writing into early 2008.
With a unique sound, we forged our way into the Calgary indie band scene as a quartet, playing three song sets at open mic jams to gain experience and make new friends. Then-local radio personality Matt Schichter took a shine to the band and had us play a live-off-the floor recording for his Sunday night indie radio show, ultimately paving the road to playing larger gigs such as 2008's and 2009's Big Rock Star competitions. As time went on and more and more people didn't get the reference in the band name, we decided to change the name to The Invisible Hand for simplicity.
We went on to play regularly through 2009, and we played at the usual Calgary area indie venues, such as Vern's, The Blind Beggar, The Palomino, The Rusty Cage, The Unicorn, Dickens, The Stetson, The Canmore Hotel, Lord Nelson's, a few now-defunct venues, and numerous special events around Calgary.
With the recording and release of our 2009 5-song EP “Cash Money” under our belt, we began to write more music. The quality of performance and the composition of new and old songs began to sound better and better and the band's chemistry rose to new levels. With the introduction of Chris Ferguson as resident sound engineer (and later as rhythm guitarist) in late 2009, the band began to record for the second time, this time with a determination to create something full-length. Chris moved his recording rig into the band house and Sparkletoes Studios was born. Later on, we would informally start up our own record label, Sploosh Records, since we have financed every step of the recording and distribution process anyways.
Recording of "Crawling Up The Wall" was completed in July of 2010, and it was made available for digital download through our site. However, lack of band funds put the physical CD edition temporarily on hold... Since the recording of the album, Chris has joined the band as rhythm guitarist as well, to allow us to perform the songs as they sound on the album. The five-piece setup has allowed our live show to reach new levels of excitement and intesity, and gives us the chance to play a wider range of rock. A physical CD edition of the album is being officially released at our March 19 concert at The Unicorn, but it can be ordered directly from our website right now, and is also available at Sloth Records in Calgary.
Mikey Friio departed for Australia in early 2012, and will be replaced by Aaron "Tron" Mykyta for the forseeable future. A new 3-song EP from The Invisible Hand will be available in Spring 2012.
UPCOMING GIGS
Saturday, Feb 18 - The Unicorn (Calgary, 304 8 Ave SW) - $5
Friday, Apr 20 - Vern's (Calgary, 622 8 Ave SW) - $6
Saturday, May 19 - The Unicorn (Calgary, 304 8 Ave SW) - $5