Van Allen Belt (band)

Van Allen Belt was a Canadian alternative rock group from Kingston, Ontario, active in the 1990s.[1][2] An experimental rock band whose sound included forays into electroacoustic music,[3] they were best known for appearing on the Another Roadside Attraction festival bill in 1997.[4]

History

Van Allen Belt was formed in 1994 by Queen's University students Shawn Savoie, Mark Fraser and Jason Joly.[5] The group won a university battle of the bands competition before releasing their self-titled debut album in 1996.[1] They performed in support the album as an opening act for The Tragically Hip at several concerts in both Canada and the United States.[6]

Van Allen Belt followed up in 1997 with The Brown Bomber, a concept album about a faith healer named Bishop Brown who had grown up as the child of circus freaks,[7][8] and performed on the Tragically Hip's Another Roadside Attraction bill that year.[9][5][10]

They were selected by Billboard as a band to watch in 1998,[11] but ultimately broke up before recording another album.

References
  1. "Van Allen Belt strives to innovate". Kingston Whig-Standard, April 11, 1996.
  2. Larry LeBlanc (18 October 1997). "Kingston Music Scene Thriving". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 51–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. "Van Allen really belts it out". Ottawa Citizen, September 19, 1997.
  4. "Roadside cranks up heat: Nine bands rock at Another Roadside Attraction as fans bake". The Province, July 18, 1997.
  5. "Mahones Rise Again with new CD". Kingston Whig-Standard, September 12, 1996.
  6. "Fans hyped on The Hip". Medicine Hat News, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. July 21, 1997, page A4.
  7. "Trio's second rock album tells a story". Kingston Whig-Standard, July 10, 1997.
  8. Mike Bell. "Five Lost Canadian Treasures of the 90s Indie Boom: The View from Chore’s Van." Label Obscura, April 10, 2016
  9. "All eyes on Van Allen Belt: The group's second album has blessing of none other than Norman Perry". The Province, July 15, 1997.
  10. Michael Barclay (3 April 2018). The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. ECW Press. pp. 254–. ISBN 978-1-77305-206-9.
  11. "Most Likely to Succeed: Talent Picks for '98". Billboard, January 10, 1998.
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