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5/5 “Canadian band Bywater Call are armed and dangerous… The whole band lock in tight, but with the sparkling gems of Meghan’s vocals and Dave’s guitar contributions on show, this album is so damned self assured and pretty special.”
– Simon Redley, Music Republic Magazine UK, March 12, 2020
“Bywater Call will be among the best new bands of the decade”
– Nathalie Leblond, Blues Quebec, Jan 28, 2020
BIO
Meghan Parnell and Dave Barnes are the driving force behind Bywater Call, a powerhouse 7-piece Southern Soul, Roots Rock band out of Toronto, Canada
Since Bywater Call was formed in 2017, they have been Maple Blues and Independent Blues Award nominated and have made waves in the Canadian Festival Circuit. The band has also had the opportunity to extensively tour Europe, including most recently in May and June of 2022, featuring a mainstage appearance at the Netherlands’ premiere blues festival MOULIN BLUES. Performances there have been praised in Dutch and German media, with references to Meghan as one of the best singers in blues and roots today. They will be returning to Europe in Fall 2023.
The band will also see its debut south of the border in the USA fall 2022.
In November 2021, Meghan was a featured performer at the Women’s Blues Review at Toronto’s historic Roy Thompson Hall.
Bywater’s much anticipated sophomore album was released September 2, 2022.
For those who have been following the band, an evolution in sound and concept can be heard with this new chapter. And yet, the core values of raw emotion, strong musicianship and the aim to create an exciting, powerful, and moving experience for listeners remains ever present.
Bywater Call saw the release of their debut album in November, 2019 in Canada, USA, Europe and Australia.
Born out of a love for southern soul, blues and roots music and a passion to create a powerful and moving experience for listeners, Bywater Call is completed by Bruce McCarthy on drums, Mike Meusel on Bass, John Kervin on Keys, Stephen Dyte on Trumpet and Julian Nalli on Tenor Sax.
What’s being said about Bywater Call
“Canadian band Bywater Call are armed and dangerous… The whole band lock in tight, but with the sparkling gems of Meghan’s vocals and Dave’s guitar contributions on show, this album is so damned self assured and pretty special.” – Simon Redley, Music Republic Magazine UK
“Sometimes the right musicians just find each other, and that’s what sounds like happened here. Much has been made about singer Meghan Parnell’s vocals, but I don’t think there’s been nearly enough made of them yet; tuneful yet raw and about as honest as anything I’ve heard in a while… this is a tightly connected group of superior musicians who I think have just started to discover what they’re capable of, as individuals and most importantly: as a group. There’s some rare alchemy going on here, so there is no telling what Bywater Call might create next.” – Tom O’Connor, RockandBluesMuse.com
“‘Bywater Call’ is an exuberant musical hybrid of rock, blues, New Orleans funk, r&b and southern soul. And while the focus is inevitably on the arresting vocals of Meghan Parnell, she is part of a road tested band with a vibrant horn section that is sparked by the significant dynamic guitar parts of Dave Barnes… ‘Bywater Call’ revitalises the soul genre with a spirited performance on innovative material, all framed by a coherent production that finds the perfect balance between passion, spark and musical excellence.” – Pete Fenestra, Get Ready to Rock, UK
“Canadian Bywater Call are a solid, top down, cruising towards a distant horizon Blues Soul Band. Meghan Parnell’s voice is infused with the velvet growl of Joan Osborne, Janis Joplin and Joe Cocker. Behind her Bywater Call the band are a tight funky monster locked to the beat … the music is muscular and full with a smile on its face and a spring in its step.” – Marc Higgins, FATEA, UK
“Authentic, earthy, gritty, punchy, soulful, rough ’n’ ready, raspy, powerful, confident, stylish.” – Tinnitist
“The powerhouse voice of Meghan Parnell and the slide guitar master guitarist Dave Barnes form the basis of Bywater Call. Where things are still somewhat civilized on the record, Meghan goes completely wild live vocally. What a set of lungs and concrete vocal cords this woman must have.” – Blues Magazine
Videos
TALKING BACKWARDS LIVE PERFORMANCE
Contact
EUROPEAN BOOKING
CANADIAN BOOKING
US BOOKING
For all other inquiries please contact bookings@bywatercall.com