We've always been a bit puzzled by why two bands in Calgary had such similar names in the early 90's (these guys, the blues-rockin' [i]El [/i]Chupacabra and the hardcore-rockin' Chupacabra). The article below clears up the mystery (a bit): this quintet was a Winnipeg transplant. Look, we learned something! [img width=662.484px]//7ca49eb9f67ba1319ef136f9d52cd8b8.cdn.bubble.io/f1769726166484x932336445728907400/richtext_content.jpeg[/img] [h2]Holiday set course for blues brothers[/h2] NICK LEWIS & HEATH MCCOY When brothers Grant and Garth Kennedy were young boys, their folks took them on a holiday that would pro- foundly affect their lives. Devoted blues fans, the Kennedy parents took their children to the River Blues Festival in Philadelphia. There, the lads were blown away watching such blues heroes as Lonnie Brooks and Taj Mahal perform. "That's something that really stands out as having influenced us early on," says 26-year-old Grant, guitarist and singer for Calgary's El Chupacabra, the blues-rock quintet he fronts with his keyboard player brother, 29-year-old Garth. "Ever since then, the blues has been a huge part of our lives." It's a part of their lives they've taken to with a particular flair, it would seem, judging by the sounds on El Chupacabra's third indie CD, Smooth. A tasty slice of funkified blues-rock boogie, Smooth pleas- antly recalls such influences on the band as Led Zeppelin and Stevie Ray Vaughan. There's also a distinct similarity to Wide Mouth Mason in the group's musical attack and Grant's sweet, soul-boy vocal style. Another highlight of the disc comes in the form of the fiery duel at play between Grant's blistering guitar work and the aggressive lead- harp drives of harmonica player Stewart Hay. "Stewart learned to play the harp when he was tree planting, so basically he learned it as a solo musician," explains Garth. "That probably contributes to his performance, the way he pushes himself up front." Rounding out the band is bassist Josip Vulic (who recently replaced founding member Jay Klos) and drummer Mike Marshall. El Chupacabra - which was named for a Mexican myth (and an X-Files episode) about a vampire- like creature that sucks the blood of goats-formed in Winnipeg in 1998. After the band released its self-titled debut EP that same year, it moved to Calgary, where it developed a healthy following. El Chupacabra's next gig, however, will be the band's first appearance in a year. The CD release party for Smooth will be held Saturday at the Ironwood Stage and Grill. That's because Grant has been back in Winnipeg where he's study- ing medicine at the University of Manitoba. His bandmates have been patient with him because they know he's dedicated to the band he formed. But that doesn't stop his brother from getting in the occasional dig. "I keep telling him there's no future in medicine," says Garth, "but he stubbornly clings to this dream."
