Peter & the Wolves

Deep in the wilds of Calgary, nestled along the river valley, lies the suburban outpost of Bowness. Following the Second World War, veterans moved in and carved out a rough ’n’ ready hepcat culture of their own— the hotel bar and beauty parlour, the pool hall and ice cream store, angle parking filled with four door sedans while rat rods roamed down the main drag on Saturday night gave it all the markings of a small town serenade lying just beyond the bright city lights. Generations later, community pride is sewn on the sleeves of its residents along with “I Love Bowness” bumper stickers slapped on the back of beat up Subarus and Honda Civics. Out of this big heart hideaway comes Peter and the Wolves, a fresh-faced rockabilly outfit shaped by their forefathers’ rowdy, unstoppable urge to shake it up. Led by Howlin’ Pete Cormier, the Wolves were playing the bar scene while half its members were still in high school. Pete flashed his guitar and lady-killer good looks, as Theo dug deep into his stand-up and Paul cranked out soul-scorching keyboard solos. Elvis, Eddy Cochrane and CCR were mixed in with House of the Rising Son and Rock Lobster. Sweat dripped from their brow and soaked their sharkskin suits; they pulverized the room and left them panting for more. Rockabilly with an infectious R&B groove, heartful of twang ’n’ soul, four-on-the rock ’n’ roll wrapped around Howlin’ Pete’s honey-coated vocals and little boy smile that leaves them cryin’ in the aisles. Today Bowness; tomorrow the world. – Brad Simm 2016 Out of the wilds of Bowness comes Peter and the Wolves, a fresh-faced rockabilly outfit shaped by their forefathers’ rowdy, unstoppable urge to shake it