The Sour Patch Men at the Rockwater!

Event Description

Calgary’s indie-folk and YYCMusic Award nominated outfit The Sour Patch Men blends sharp modern songwriting with the warmth of traditional bluegrass arrangements, creating a sound that feels both timeless and daring. Beloved for their disarming stage presence, quick wit, and high-voltage energy, the band has carved out a reputation as fearless innovators in Calgary’s folk and bluegrass scene.

The Second Best Band in Bowness is a celebration of community and cross-generational influence. The title is a reference to the award winning Bowness band The Bownesians, who came out of retirement to write and record a song-within-a-song for the title track. The album ranges musically from children’s songs to raucous celebrations of profanity, from GZA-like verbosity to introspective instrumentals. The lyrical themes showcase their astonishing emotional depth, ranging from downright silly and absurd subjects like superheroes, grandmothers, and crabs; to sombre meditations on mortality, loneliness, and the real human consequences of the horrors of fascism. The record was produced and mixed by Calgarian independent engineer and artist Taylor Cochrane at 36? Studios in Calgary, AB / Mohkínstsis, and was released September 24, 2025. It charted on CKUA and across the country, reaching #18 on the National Earshot charts. It was on their hometown campus radio charts for sixteen weeks straight.

After several successful tours and festival performances in 2025, including Waynestock, East Coulee SpringFest, and Lucentfest, as well as a week long residency at the legendary Palomino Smokehouse for the Calgary Stampede, The Sour Patch Men are currently getting ready to release their sophomore album 4/4 Waltzes" in August 2026.