FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTRODUCING TORONTO DARK POP GROUP BLUE HOUR

The blue hour is a unique time of day that lives between daylight and darkness. Its characteristic ethereal blue glow has had a profound effect on humanity for millennia; not only for the contemplative mood it triggers, but it is even said our five senses are heightened then.

In this spirit, witness the birth of Toronto’s Blue Hour. Exploring themes of loss and longing, anger and melancholy, but tempered with a sense of hope and excitement for what may be… if you awake in the Blue Hour, there’s no telling if the dawn or dusk is yet to come.

Blue Hour features a roster of Toronto-based musicians that have been active and innovating in the underground music community there for over a decade. Blue Hour signals a welcome return to the stage of two of Toronto’s pre-eminent members of the Gothic music scene. The group is driven by the extraordinary vision of founder, guitarist and principal songwriter Steven Vardy, and vocalist and lyricist Margaret Nichol. Both were members of Toronto’s Perdition, one of the most musically innovative and beloved groups to emerge from the Gothic music scene. Reinforcing this already impressive duo are guitarist Matthew Carty, also with electronic rock outfit Pleasure the Priestess, and drummer Mark Zarich, most recently with Toronto electronic ambient shoe gazer group Bleep. Their sound is a fusion of 80s influenced electro, Goth, metal, and pop, filtered through 21st century technology, primed for the ears of a new generation.

Live performance is integral to the vision of Blue Hour. They are excited to share their musical vision live so the group has gone into overdrive to prepare a short teaser set on Sunday February 17, 2008. The event is the opening of the new Toronto-Goth.com weekly music night downstairs at Z, 812 Dundas Street West, Toronto. A sampling of their new original music as well as classic Goth covers of favourites from years past will be included in the set. Sampler CDs with be given away, and entry is pay-what-you-can.

Blue Hour is working towards a recorded release of their material, currently slated as a self-produced five-song EP for release in mid-2008. A more extensive live show is also in the works to complement their upcoming recorded output.

February 2, 2008

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