The Marwills

The Marwills

The Marwills are a blues and rock group from Gibsons, British Columbia. The band forms in 2006, when Jesse, James and Graeme meet at high school in their small town and spend years jamming without a vocalist. Brett, who moves from Alberta, joins after the others track him down, and the group begins rehearsing regularly once the line-up settles.

Early performances and touring

After a successful first performance, the band starts booking shows at local restaurants and bars. Early appearances include a New Year’s Eve masquerade ball at the local oyster house. The group later splits after about a year, with James and Graeme going to Edmonton to study for music diplomas, while Brett and Jesse travel to Mexico in a VW van.

After abandoning the van in the desert, Brett and Jesse return north to Edmonton, where the band gains a new bass player and begins playing a monthly gig at Double D’s Bar and Grill. More bookings follow at Sly’s Pig Roast in Onoway and the Longest Day Festival in Blackfalds, both described as large Albertan biker gatherings.

Later move to Toronto

The Marwills later relocate again when James and Graeme move east to Toronto to turn their diplomas into degrees. Brett and Jesse follow, and the group continues as a Toronto-based act, living in North York and working toward a more established place on the local scene.