Fidgital joins Team Canada

By Dan Hilborn
Published June 15, 205


It's ever upward and onward for Burnaby's own Keith Gillard, founder of Canada's top independent electro-funk band, Fidgital.

The four-piece jazzy electro-pop band is heading off to Japan to take part in a Team Canada trade mission, but not before they join forces with one of the top electronic groups from Britain for a special send-off show.

Fidgital will perform with The Herbalizer at the Commodore Ballroom on June 29 and then headline a Vancouver Jazz Festival show at Ginger 62 on June 30.

At the Commodore, the band will be joined by a three-piece horn section and an extra percussionist to help round out their already big and bouncy sounds.

Gillard, who works in the high tech energy business, said he's very pleased with the band's successes so far.

"I'd say momentum is building, but there's always further and higher to go," he said. "There are a lot of signs, but I've learned to be cautious and humble, because there's just no predicting these things.

"A lot of my favourite artists never attain anything except critical acclaim, yet there are a lot of inferior artists who sell millions of discs. It's the luck of the draw, but things are on a good road for us."

The band consists of Gillard on keyboards, Ryan Slemko on vocals, Craig Burdman on drums and Rex on bass. Gillard, who produces and edits all of Fidgital's music in his extensive basement sound studio, will also be hosting a free workshop on remixing and music production at the Tom Lee Music hall, 929 Granville St., at 1 p.m., June 26.