Black Mountain is a Canadian rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia. The band is composed of Stephen McBean, Amber Webber, Matt Camirand, Jeremy Schmidt and Joshua Wells.
Overview
Since forming in 2004, Black Mountain has released three LPs, Black Mountain (2005), In the Future (2008), and Wilderness Heart (2010), and two EPs, Druganaut (2004) and Bastards of Light (2008) on the Jagjaguwar label. A split single with Destroyer was released in Fall 2004 on Spirit of Orr Records. The "Stormy High" single was released in 2006 on Suicide Squeeze Records. A vinyl single was released in April 2007 named "Surrender Sound Session: Unkle vs. Autolux/Black Mountain" with a remix of "No Hits" on the B side.
Their self-titled album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. In the Future was a finalist for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize and was also nominated for "Best Alternative Album" in the 2009 Juno Awards. The song "Stay Free" from In the Future was featured on the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack.
In 2005 the band opened for Coldplay on their Twisted Logic Tour for three weeks, with their final opening in San Diego.
In September 2010 Black Mountain performed in an amphitheater located in the woods of Oisterwijk at the Incubate (festival) in Tilburg, Netherlands.
Leader Stephen McBean also heads another similarly named band, Pink Mountaintops, who are the more experimental side of McBean's musical abilities. Black Mountain is the front line band for Black Mountain Army, a collective of musicians, artists and friends in Vancouver. In an interview the band said "Black Mountain is just the five of us. The Black Mountain Army… which has kind of gotten blown out of proportion, it was kind of just a joke, because everybody thought we were this hippie collective, like we all lived in one house. But it’s basically just our friends at home in Vancouver, just our extended family of creative people that we know." [1]
Several members of the band have, for as long as a decade, worked for organizations that meet the basic living requirements of the chronically poor, drug addicted and mentally ill in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighborhood, such as Insite.[2][3] In an interview, the band said: "After work we all try not to think too hard about the effect it has on our lives. It keeps us grounded."[4]
Wilderness Heart was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.[5
Since the Cherokee Indians settled here more than 10,000 years ago, folks have come seeking rejuvenation, contemplation, and introspection. The beautiful mountain scenery, variety of recreational activities, and friendly hometown feel, continues to attract many each year. Take a walk through historic downtown and discover numerous unique gift shops, galleries, and Appalachian-style craft stores, with local craftsmen often demonstrating iron works, dulcimer making, and throwing pottery. Enjoy a wide variety of nightly music at one of our famous venues.
From the most upscale cuisine, to country cooking and BBQ, the area is home to over forty restaurants sure to please any palate. Dine inside or outside, while enjoying the local flavor or celebrating a special occasion.
Activities abound - from a round of golf at Black Mountain's famous 747 yard par 6 course (one of the longest in the world), to hiking and biking along the area's numerous scenic trails. The area hosts many renowned festivals: Sourwood Festival, L.E.A.F. Festival, Black Mountain Art and Crafts Show, and Art in Bloom to name a few. Don't miss the Swannanoa Valley Museum and Black Mountain Center for the Arts.
Make Black Mountain, North Carolina, in the lovely Swannanoa Valley, your vacation headquarters. Stay at a historic B&B, quaint cottage, country inn, or hotel while visiting some of the region's greatest attractions. The Blue Ridge Parkway, Biltmore Estate, Lake Lure and Chimney Rock State Park, are within a short drive. Sit and rock on our "Front Porch." Stroll around Lake Tomahawk. Drink in the ever-changing mountain views. Luxuriate in the peace and fresh air. Visit Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley to discover the best that Western North Carolina has to offer.
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