Railtown Sound System

2016 was a landmark year for Railtown with the release of our debut album, consistent gigging throughout the year from clubs in Vancouver and the lower mainland in Squamish, Hope and Roberts Creek where we’ve shared the stage with some of the finest local bands to performing at our first major international festival (Rifflandia) in Victoria. The momentum from 2016 is increasing for 2017 with our first collaboration with the Victoria Ska Fest, a return to the Sunshine Coast and work on our second studio album.

We love playing live and bring an intense yet intimate energy that keeps the audiences dancing all night long to a mix of up-tempo original tunes and ballads, spiced with just a few of our favorite covers from some of our biggest influences like Midnite, Gregory Issacs and Bob Marley. It's a show that everyone can enjoy, from the oldest reggae enthusiast looking for an authentic sound, the reggae hipster looking for the newest obscurity, to the casual listener hoping to dance to a classic timeless rhythm, it's a show where audience interaction and engagement is the cornerstone and everyone remembers for all the right reasons.

The foundation of our sound is deeply rooted in reggae music; and ROOTS REGGAE is what we play...with heavy infusions of dub and touches of funk, rock and modern Jamaican influences. With reggae music, authenticity combined with solid musicianship is essential, and this is what Railtown Sound System delivers. Our music is tight but raw, original yet inline with reggae tradition, and smooth but highly energetic. The feel and delivery invoke the rich textures of the Pacific Northwest; adventurous, exhilarating and organic. Socially conscious lyrics flow through the charismatic melodies of front man Sugah Candiah, backed by the soothing harmonies of Rachel Strobl. Reg Wilford and Paul Ryan lay down the rhythm and bass foundation while Matt Doctor (guitar), Brian Battaile (keys) and Greg Kelly (keys) layer on the lead lines, skanking, bubble and dub delays from the 1970's space echo to round out the traditional, organic and analog roots sound.