IAIN ARCHIBALD BAND
Iain Archibald Band are bringing something new and unique to the Australian Country music scene. The Melbourne four-piece are blending their hometown heritage of Aussie-Rock with modern US Country to create their trademark cross-over sound.
The band’s powerful one-of-a-kind sound and show was developed whilst cutting their teeth playing in rural towns and inner city venues across Victoria & NSW. Racking up a staggering 104 shows in under 3 years, traveling 25,000 plus kilometres and with bookings already to the end of 2018, the band’s name is rapidly growing.
Their songs range from foot stomping sing-alongs to emotion triggering ballads and everything in between. With co-write credits including Troy Kemp (McAlister Kemp) and Damien Baguley (Viper Creek Band). Their style has been likened to artists such as Keith Urban, Zac Brown Band, Bryan Adams and The Eagles.
Iain Archibald Band have some of Australia’s finest festivals already under their belt; including, The Deni Ute-Muster, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Whittlesea Country Music Festival, Cattleman's Get Together & Harvest festival (Vic). They also have a long list of rural 'BNS Balls' & Rodeos to their name, including Holbrook, Koonoomoo, Jerilderie, Birchip, Ariah Park & Kingston Rodeo.
August 2013 saw the band’s first release ‘Dirty,’ with the second EP ‘New Life’ following in early 2015. Both releases were met with positive acclaim from critics and received extensive air play in both Australia and the USA.
Early 2016 had seen the band supporting Troy Kemp at the Blazers Showroom plus being invited to play the Hillbilly Hut showcase, alongside such artists as Troy Cassar-Daley, Amber Lawrence and Aleyce Simmonds.
Iain Archibald Band may just be the band to bridge the country music gap. With their rock cross-over sound, they are working hard to bring modern country music into the commercial radio realm.
Iain Archibald
Guitar / Lead Vocals / Banjo
"Enthusiastic, adventurous, dynamic, dedicated, creative are a few of the adjectives that come to mind when I’ve seen and heard Iain Archibald and his band. Iain brings a powerful and considered style to all his efforts and is an artist that deserves a place in Australian music.” Brenden Mason (Madder Lake)
Iain started playing guitar and singing at the age of 12, now at age 28, it’s a full time career. He is the lead songwriter, singer & guitarist of Iain Archibald Band.
Iain's trademark sound is the result of blending his childhood influences of rock guitar legends Mark Knopfler & David Gilmour with his now mature taste of country music, sighting artists like Trace Adkins & Keith Urban as catalysts to his direction.
Over the years Iain has worked with many bands, covers, originals & even being a hired session musician for SonyBMG.
Iain’s obtained a Bachelor of Entertainment at JMC Academy Melbourne & was awarded ‘The Most Outstanding Student’ of his graduating year in 2009.
Since then Iain has been building a name & reputation in the Australian country music scene, with co-writes already including Damien Baguley & Troy Kemp, it looks like his name is only going to continue to grow.
Cameron Archibald
Bass / Backing Vocals
The youngest member of the Iain Archibald band & also Iain's younger brother. Cameron started playing the guitar around the same time as his brother, but lost interest after the first year and gave music a break, to pursue sports & let's face it... Women.
However a few years down the track, Cam picked up a bass guitar & he felt an urge to rumble the house that his brother already shook. It was in that house the brothers first collaborated.
More years go by and Cameron finds his own place in bands, one in particular 'Dice,' an alternate pop-rock band; with whom he recorded a full length album in 2010-2011. Cameron worked on his live presence off stage with this band & developed a high energy, exciting style, which is rare in a bass player.
He has the ability to make jumping around on stage & rocking the low-end look easy. As of 2012 he is the new full time bassist for the Iain Archibald Band, at the young age of 23, like a fine wine he's only going to get better.
Megan Sidwell
Guitar / Backing Vocals
Starting out in a punk/rock band at 15, Megan fast became a fan of loud guitars and rock ‘n roll, with her band being the reason crowd surfing was banned at the local battle of the bands. Honing her craft throughout different genres and styles of playing, Megan finally settled in with the more mainstream country and pop rock vibes after completing a Bachelor of Music back in the mother land, New Zealand.
Megan moved to Melbourne in 2015 to push her own solo career and to pursue the finer foods in life - pizza and beer. The consequent years were spent playing with her band around Melbourne, winning the BOTB at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2016, being a Toyota Star Maker Finalist in 2017, and featuring at other festivals around Australia.
With her own music on the rise, Megan started searching for another creative outlet, somewhere that would build her guitar chops and let her experience a different side of the limelight.
Enter the Iain Archibald Band.
Jon Lemer
Drums / Percussion / Backing Vocals
For Jon, it was the formation of a band with his 3 high school best friends that set the course for his future musical career. Playing regular gigs at the tender age of 15 and becoming a freelancer at 20, Jon was a sought after player in his home city of Winnipeg, Canada until moving to Melbourne in Feb, 2016.
It was a steady rise through the freelancing ranks that really took off in 2012 when he started playing with some of the cities best and biggest country artists, including recording on a multi-award Winnipeg country album with artist Tracy Bone, and honing his skills attending his home cities University Jazz program.
Over the last few years Jon has made a name for himself as a top-level freelancer and busy on multiple Canadian tours. He has now moved to Melbourne to take his career to the next level, see the world, and say goodbye to the frozen Canadian winters.