ASCOT ROYALS
Jimmy Chauveau – vocals
Ben Chauveau – keyboards
Tal Vaisman – guitar
Sam Stark – drums
Scott Page – bass

Sometimes, it’s your darkest moment that truly cements your destiny. For Brantford’s Ascot Royals, that moment came on November 20, 2013: the day their van was stolen. It wasn’t so much the missing van that dealt the disheartening blow: keyboardist Ben Chauveau says the vehicle was found abandoned a few days later “when someone discovered that a pair of shoes was worth more.” No, it was the uninsured, now vanished, cargo inside: thousands of dollars worth of musical instruments, including Tal Vaisman’s prized Gibson Les Paul, that threatened to put a permanent crimp in the melodic indie rock quintet’s career.

For British-born singer Jimmy Chauveau and his brother, keyboardist Ben Chauveau, guitarist Tal Vaisman, bass player Scott Page and drummer Sam Stark, it was decision time. “When that happened, it really made us sit down as a group and say, ‘Are we doing this? Are we going to keep going?’” Ben recalls. “Tal and I are 29. We just lost a crap-load worth of gear. If we’re doing this, we really have to put our heart and soul into it.” As indicated by its presciently named indie debut album Don’t Let It Stop You, heart and soul won out: the thrilling Ascot Royals sound is built on vigorous, daredevil melodies, hip observations, fierce harmonies and buoyant dance rock rhythms. “We’re making music that we want to be relevant 20 years from now,” says Israel-born guitarist Vaisman. Oh, and that monetary deficit? Erased, thanks to the generosity and assistance of fellow bands like Hollerado, USS and Arkells, the musical community and a couple of fundraisers, and a Molson Live On The Lake contest victory that netted them a cool cash prize.

But you can ask them about that yourselves: all you need to know is that Ascot Royals are here for the long run, primed and ready to pounce.

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