Random Robbery

After a highly successful music festival last September, it‘s easy to see that the second annual Rockanagan will deliver the goods again this year.
Promoter and founder Ryan Abougoush says, “Things are shaping up smashingly.
“Everything is starting from a good spot because of the success we had last year – our first festival ever. And things are only going to get better; we‘ve got music coming from every which way.”
Indeed, 2008‘s version of Rockanagan, the Okanagan‘s largest indie music festival, isn‘t so much about exclusively Okanagan bands rocking out. This year, it is about bringing some of the best independent rock to the Valley, to complement the talent that‘s already here.
Abougoush is quick to point out that his festival hasn‘t gotten too big for it‘s britches and hasn‘t forgotten the homegrown talent.
“There will always be a strong contingency of Okanagan-based bands at Rockanagan,” he says.
“Bands like Whisky Dick and Gorgeous Priceless really rocked the house last year, and it‘s a privilege to have them back. There were so many other great acts, like singer/songwriter Kim McMechan, the bands Lefty and Inkblot . . . the list goes on and on.
“But what we really wanted to do this year was to kick it up a notch and not deny the audiences awesome music just because those bands don‘t live in the Valley. We want everyone to have a really wicked time.”
One of the out-of-town bands scheduled to play this year, is Toronto‘s Random Robbery, a four-piece rock ensemble comprised of Rob Laidlaw (bass, vocals), Darren D-Boy Smith (drums, vocals), Agah Bahari (lead guitar) and fronted by industry-pro Barbi ‘B-Girl‘ Baumann, whose credentials include working with Everett Ravestein, producer/engineer for Chantal Kreviazuk and the Barenaked Ladies.
Baumann is positively stoked to play the festival.
“I haven‘t played anywhere out there, so I‘m really looking forward to it,” she says.
“This festival is going to mark the beginning of many things for us: the beginning of touring, meeting new people, our new CD release, and a slight vacation . . . and maybe even a little wine drinking. . . .”
Robbery recently signed off on their first full-length recording.
“Our first single, 5:09, was released Aug. 18, so it will be going to air some point after that,” Baumann says. “We just secured a promoter/publicist and tracker, who sent it to all the major radio stations across Canada.”
The single is very representative of the punchy, classic-but-modern rock sound of the band, reminiscent of Pink, Evanescence, or a female-fronted Three Days Grace: showcasing thick power chords, catchy guitar riffs, rich percussion and Baumann‘s vibrant vocals blending with distinctive pop music ear candy.
The slick sounds of the new CD, entitled Fame Fortune, was produced by veteran New York City executive producer John Duffy and engineered by Murray Daigle (Cauterize, Wide Mouth Mason).
Baumann credits incredible timing with getting Duffy involved in the project.
“I was in New York looking for a producer for my dance music a couple of years ago, and met John in a restaurant. It was a total fluke. Sometimes you meet people and they are just so cool and you have an instant connection with them.
“I didn‘t know that John was involved in the music industry, and suddenly he asked me, ‘If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?‘ I said, ‘Finish my record.‘ He said, ‘Oh really. . . .‘ and asked me for my demo tape and contact information before leaving the restaurant. He listened to my dance stuff, and called me back 15 minutes later and said he‘d back me. John‘s incredible contacts in the States have made such a difference for us down there. We‘re so much further ahead with his involvement.”
With a degree from a jazz college in Alberta, Baumann has spent years performing ‘behind the scenes‘ as a back-up singer for many multi-platinum artists such as Alannah Myles, Mike Reno from Loverboy, Jimmy Jamieson of Survivor, and members of Platinum Blonde.
“Rob and I played a good six years backing for bigger artists, plus a regular gig four nights a week at a club downtown Toronto called Montana. We were the backing band for all of this ‘80s stuff. . . . It lasted two years; we made good money and played with great people.”
Baumann is happy with the gradual steps she has made with her career in music, allowing her maturity to develop alongside her songwriting and music-making skills. But she also says she won‘t miss being someone‘s back-up singer, either.
“Transitioning from back-up to front woman, it‘s the best thing that could have ever happened,” she says.
“You spend so much time making other people sound good. It‘s a completely different feeling doing your own stuff: it‘s so much better, you love every minute of it. It‘s been so great, I can‘t even find words for it.”
Baumann and her band discovered Rockanagan on Sonicbids.
“I‘ve actually booked a few things through Sonicbids. It‘s such a great vehicle for getting your stuff to people. We‘ve entered a lot of songwriting contests through it: they are all in various stages of decision-making,” says Baumann.
When asked what Rockanagan fans can expect from the show, she can barely contain her answer.
“The energy is probably more than most people will expect. I‘m such a great fan of the guys in my own band. Darren is probably only drummer I know that doesn‘t disappear behind the drums: so huge, so much energy, and so much fun. Rob is so fun and light and happy. We just got a new guitarist from Iran named Agah Bahari coming with us. He‘s a great player and an instrumentalist, and just released his own instrumental album a couple of weeks ago. Random Robbery is fun energetic music, with a little bit of an edge to it.”
Baumann believes that her key to success is recognizing the importance of working hard in music with others and the benefits to be had from helping them with their own creative visions.
“Search for things to become involved with. When you find something like Rockanagan, I can tell that it has the makings of a huge festival. Be a part of it its beginnings and stick with it. That alone is priceless.” - Event Magazine

That was a great set at The Reverb for the Indie Week finals. Supercharged riff-driven rock led by a diva Barbi, a magnetic, flowing onstage presence, to compliment high-energy, edge, and excellent melodies. This is balls-out music, a bit of sass, attitude, and showmanship. Keep to your musical vision.
- Eye Weekly