Indie Spotlight: A History Of - Action In The North Atlantic

Lance Purcell doesn't mess around. While we were all getting our feet wet with various terrible high school bands, he was busy playing in The Plan. Hear that? The fucking Plan. The Plan were better than your band, and are one of the most respected indie bands to come from the Maritimes. Hell, I just got off of a tour with a band from Toronto and the first question they had about Halifax music was "ever listen to The Plan?". They were a pretty big deal. Don't believe me? watch this video.

So there, that's how Lance Purcell played drums eight years ago.

Since The Plan ended, I have seen Lance play drums for Myles Deck and the Fuzz, blues-rock group Mudhill, and with A History Of, his main outfit, that includes Jeff Parker and two other equally handsome gentleman (Noel of Tomcat Combat, and Mark from Gamma Gamma Rays). Every time I see him it's the best set I've ever seen him play, and I have no idea how he maintains that ability. His playing still has the same energy and originality it did eight years ago. The new A History Of record projects Halifax's good reputation for intelligent, high energy angular rock music to the world. Lance's drums sound the best they have ever sounded on a record, and his playing comes across properly, every little flourish and kick accent is present in the mix, driving the songs along.

If I could say one thing has changed with Lance after watching footage of him playing spanning 8 years is that he evolved into a much more physically relaxed player. In The Plan he looked like he was having a seizure, but in newer footage like the video below he seems to have complete confidence in his limbs now. Some of his patterns are pretty complex, and he trudges on unfazed. He can sit back a little, put a smile on and just enjoy himself.

Hell, he earned it.