Hot Panda
| Hot Panda | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | Mint |
| Members |
Chris Connelly Catherine Hiltz Aaron Klassen |
| Past members |
Maghan Campbell Heath Parsons Keith Olsen Mike Robertson |
Hot Panda is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2006 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and based in Vancouver, BC Canada.
History
Hot Panda formed in 2006 naming themselves after a Chinese restaurant in Edmonton.[1] The band released their debut EP Whale Headed Girl July 2007.[2] They subsequently signed to Mint Records and released their full-length debut album, Volcano...Bloody Volcano February 10, 2009. The album debuted at No. 1 in !earshot and No. 21 in CMJ.[3]
Since their signing to Canada's Mint Records in 2008, the band has released three critically acclaimed full length albums (2012's 'Go Outside', 2010's 'How Come I'm Dead', and 2009's 'Volcano, Bloody Volcano'). The band's releases have debuted at #1 on Canadian college charts, #19 on the CMJ Charts and earned them a 'Hot Track of the Week' selection in Rolling Stone Magazine (Chinatown Bus), an iTunes track of the week selection (Start Making Sense), and won 'Album of the Year' at the 2010 Edmonton Music Awards (for How Come I'm Dead?). Their most recent record 'Go Outside' was named #18 of the top 200 albums of 2012 on Canadian college radio. 'Go Outside' also appears on Air Canada's enRoute Inflight entertainment system.
Hot Panda have toured across North America over 10 times, as well as completing multiple tours of Europe which has included supporting slots for The Von Bondies, Transmusicales 2012 in Rennes (with Ms Mr, Melody's Echo Chamber), France; Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, May 2012 (a festival at which the likes of Jeff Mangum, The Cure, M83, Franz Ferdinand and Refused were performing); The Great Escape in Brighton, The Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Liverpool's Sound City, and Glasgow's Stag And Dagger Festival. The band has also played some of North America's premier showcase festivals, including South By South West in Austin (where they were selected by Esquire Magazine as one of fifteen hot new emerging artists of the 2011 festival), CMJ Music Marathon in New York City, Pop Montreal, Canadian Music Festival and North By North East in Toronto, Sled Island in Calgary, and Halifax Pop Explosion. They have played with bands such as Art Brut, The Raveonettes, Grimes, Japandroids, Chad Van Gaalen, Tokyo Police Club, Electric 6, PS I Love You, Julie Doiron, The Sheepdogs, You Say Party!, and many more.
After playing a sold-out show at Transmusicales in December 2012, the band has been chosen by NME as one of the best bands of the festival, one of the top 10 bands to follow in the new year by French publication L'Express, and mentioned by French publication 'Les Inrocks' as a band to follow. The band also appeared live on French National Radio (Le Mouv), and the full HD video of their Transmusicales show is being broadcast on both French and German national television. And to the pleasure of their teenage selves, Hot Panda has recently been name dropped by Our Lady Peace's Raine Maida as "interesting new music" on spinner.ca, which, you know, for Canadians growing up in the 90s, is pretty darn cool.
Members
Hot Panda consists of vocalist, guitarist and main songwriter Chris Connelly, bassist/trumpet Catherine Hiltz and drummer Aaron Klassen.
Current
- Chris Connelly (2006–present)
- Catherine Hiltz (2009–present)
- Aaron Klassen (2012–present)
Former Members
- Mike Robertson (2006–2008)
- Keith Olsen (2006–2009)
- Maghan Campbell (2006–2012)
- Heath Parsons (2008–2012)
Discography
EPs
- Whale Headed Girl (2007)
Albums
See also
- Music of Canada
- Canadian rock
- List of Canadian musicians
- Category:Canadian musical groups
References
- ↑ "Hot Panda lots of fun". Edmonton Sun, October 20, 2006.
- ↑ "The Cold Hard Truth About Hot Panda". Vue Weekly, July 11, 2007.
- ↑ "Hot Panda sets sights on the moon". Brock Press, September 8, 2009.