Strathmore welcomes Two Bit Bandits

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

Just over a decade ago, Jae Fortier took to the stage at an open mic night in Calgary. As he started rocking out to Wheat Kings by the Tragically Hip, Joel Fraser decided to jump on stage with him and that ultimately signalled the start of the band, Two Bit Bandits, which will be performing in Strathmore next weekend.
Two Bit Bandits is a Calgary-based events band that over the past five years has established itself as a wedding and corporate event band.
Although the musicians specialize in private functions, they have made appearances at outdoor events, such as Calgary’s Lilac Festival, and are looking forward to bringing the public to their feet at the Strathmore Travelodge next Saturday.
“We’ve definitely come a long way, and our set is completely different than the one we played back then; I don’t think there’s a single song that we used to play that we still do,” Fortier said. “We learned how to get the dance floor going. We learned from playing for people who were sitting and listening to getting people up and dancing. We had to totally change the set but it was probably the best thing we did.”
Fortier and Fraser, who make up the core members of the band, are both self taught. Fortier plays acoustic guitar and is lead vocalist, while Fraser plays electric guitar and sings harmony.
Over the years, the band has added members for various performances – in Strathmore, they will perform as a four-piece band: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass and drums.
Two Bit Bandits play an array of songs spanning decades from the 1950s to hits today, including pop, country, rock, hip-hop and oldies.
High River rising country singer-songwriter Lyndsay Butler will also perform at the event as the opening act for the band. Butler has performed in Strathmore on multiple occasions and was the recipient of the Ranchman’s Rising Star in 2012 as well as the Nashville North Star competition.
“I like playing in smaller towns because I feel like I can relate, because I grew up in a small town and the country … you feel like you know everybody even though you don’t,” Butler said.
“I’m just looking forward to playing to a live crowd. There is nothing that beats that rush and the interaction and the connection that you can make with the audience. It’s pretty special.”
The Strathmore Musical Arts Society presents Two Bit Bandits at the Strathmore Travelodge on Oct. 27. Tickets are $50. Doors open at 6 p.m., dinner is at 7 p.m. and music goes at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets visit Assist Business Centre, Authentic Roots Salon, Chinook Financial, Strathmore Travelodge, Pro Water Systems or call 403-680-7721.