Young rockers to play K-Rock Centre

Mar 17, 2011

Photo: HD Supply, l-r: Collin Hamilton, David Hole, Dan Stanton and Jordan Lowery. Courtesy of Jordan Lowery

Members of the band HD Supply couldn't believe their ears when they found out they'd been invited to play the main stage at Kingston's K-Rock Centre over the March break. Front man, 14-year-old Jordan Lowery of Parham, who plays and sings lead in the band recalled, “We all thought it was some kind of prank at first but later we realized it was the real deal.”

The band is slated to play a set at the K-Rock Centre on Sunday March 20 for the Easter Seals Family Skate and will be sharing the stage with a number of other local bands from 10-4 PM. Equally as exciting is their upcoming March 22 date to record a segment for the Limestone Learning Foundation's media release advertising their Gala fundraiser. The gala will also take place at Kingston K-Rock Centre sometime in October and will include huge musical talents like Sarah Harmer and members of the Tragically Hip. The two gigs represent not only how far HD Supply has come since it first formed in 2008 under the name “Sweet Talk” but also how organizations like the LLF are making a myriad of opportunities available to students in the Limestone District School Board.

It was in 2010, while they were grade 8 students at Hinchinbrooke Public School, that the band’s two original members John Lowery and Collin Hamilton (rhythm guitar) joined forces with David Hole (drums), and Dan Stanton (bass). (Andrew Hole has played bass for the band as well).

Their teacher, Ms. Julia Schall, in 2006 had founded the School of Rock, a popular and innovative extra curricular music program at the school, In 2010 she encouraged HD Supply to write and record an original tune. The result was Night Train, the band’s best-known song to date and a mainstay at their shows. The song was included in the School of Rock's successful application for a $3,000 Limestone Learning Foundation grant, which has helped the school to acquire additional instruments and equipment to run the very popular music program.

Ms. Schall said recently, “The fact that HD Supply has been sought out to perform at these two upcoming events really proves the overall success of the program. Not only am I very proud of the band but I am also very grateful to the LLF since they are the ones who really allowed all of this to happen.”

HD Supply has played a number of concerts in the community and its members have continued to write a myriad of original tunes. “We now have enough original material to put together a whole album”, said Collin when I spoke to him and Jordan recently in Parham. The two classify their sound as bluesy, “swamp rock” and have been greatly influenced by musicians like John Fogerty, and bands like ACDC and ZZ Top. “We're really trying to preserve that old rock sound which unfortunately just isn't as popular these days compared to what it used to be, “ John said. Collin added, “It's pretty much all pop that you hear these days.”

The four band members, now all grade nine students who are spread out between Sharbot Lake and Sydenham high schools, still get together to practice at least once a week. This week they will hold four practices to prepare for their K-Rock stint and they are hoping that their fans come out to see them.

As far as the future goes the band is hoping at some point to put out a CD. Both Jordan and Collin say they have no problem working hard to get what they want. “We're both not afraid of hard work and for us playing music is something that we really love to do.” Jordan adds, “But still, hitting it big as musicians would not be the worse thing to happen to us- that's for sure.”