The River and The Road is a band built on risking new beginnings and telling their stories along the way.After crossing an ocean, leaving a hemisphere, and a long stint hitch hiking across the American Southwest, singer/guitarist Andrew Phelan made his way to Chicago with the looming need to cross into Canada for work. He had two flight choices—Montreal or Vancouver—and flying west was cheaper. Once there, he found a healthy contest in singer/banjo player Keenan Lawlor, who had been playing around Vancouver for the previous eight months. Keenan had moved across water to forge a new path, but in his case, it was the Georgia Straight instead of the Pacific Ocean. In the beginning the two butted heads, seeing in each other the greatest competition for the attention of an East Vancouver open mic audience. Competition turned quickly to collaboration, busking, and living on scraps together to make their musical existence possible. After several months as a duo, and experimentation with additional instrumentation, they recorded their debut eponymous twelve-track album. In the spring of 2012, the band emerged as a dynamic four-piece with the addition of drummer Cole George and bassist John Hayes.In their short history as a band, The River and The Road has blossomed from a busking duo to an internationally touring quartet. Winter 2013 saw the boys working to stitch their name into the musical fabric of Australia, most notably in Sydney and Melbourne. In addition to extensive touring in British Columbia in 2013, the band has just finished their first coast-to-coast Canadian tour. They are now setting their sights on a second tour in the Spring of 2014, and recording their sophomore album at Vancouver’s world class studio “The Warehouse”.Tenacity, heart, and above all else, a gripping live performance, the band has no plans of slowing down. A spirited folk form of sincere storytelling, mixed with strong harmonies, heavy percussion breakdowns, and dynamic arrangements, embodies the sound of The River and The Road.
