The Town Heroes

Whether a sweaty rock show or an intimate acoustic environment, The Town Heroes want you to be entertained.
Born and raised in small town Nova Scotia, Mike Ryan and Bruce Gillis have played together for the past 10 years — touring the world, releasing 5 critically acclaimed albums and winning an array of industry awards. Anthemic choruses, danceable arrangements, and tender falsettos highlight their catchy yet thoughtful songs. At heart, a perfect soundtrack for contemplating life with a bounce in your step.

Musically, the band blends their 90’s alt-rock influences with singer-songwriter stylings in the vein of Neil Young or Ryan Adams. On stage they move like intense caricatures – soaked in sweat, pushing every chord, note and beat to the limit. A structured wall of sound emerges; familiar yet distinctive. Camaraderie shows in their musicianship, their song-writing highlights what they are: friends playing music for the love of it, in it for the long haul.
In addition to their music, the band has become known for their ability to make people laugh. Through comedic videos, online bingo, social media hi-jinks, blogs, unexpected wardrobe, operating late night sandwich stands at music festivals, amusing acceptance speeches and interviews, the band has earned a reputation for making people laugh.

Though vastly different, the band has found a way to balance these two sides in a seamless, cohesive manner. They see it as a crucial, necessary part of what they do. In a world where so much negativity fills the news, where the media endlessly focuses on the bad, The Town Heroes want to bring something positive into it all – as small as it may be. They see it as necessary because it is – it’s who they are. That’s something they’ll never change.

With the onset of COVID-19 and the restrictions it has brought on, the band — known for their prolific social media presence — has remained exceptionally active: hosting bi-weekly online streams for music and bingo, releasing a new full length album “Again” in December 2020, and raising over $10,000 for charity through various fundraising events.

The band will release their sixth full length album Home during the summer of 2021. The album was recorded in Cape Breton at Lakewind Studios and co-mixed by Mike Ryan. Wanting to take their sounds and career to the next level, the band also enlisted the services of Nicholas Essig (Los Angeles) for the mixing of the album. He’s worked with such artists as Paul McCartney, Coldplay, DAFT PUNK, Kings of Leon, Father John Misty, The Rolling Stones and many of the biggest names in music.

Home is a concept album. The entirety of the storyline takes place over a two week period during a summer in Cape Breton. The 9 songs, told from 3 different perspectives, tell the chronological tale of coming home, youth, summer love, and ultimately lost love. A father — longing for what he left behind — returns to his hometown after moving to San Francisco for work. A young “local” boy falls for his daughter, a short romance ensues, and the romance dies upon her inevitable return home. The album captures the energy and spirit of a youthful summer and coming of age. It’s a soundtrack for the summer, relatable and, most importantly during the current locked down world we live in: FUN.