blog post A Northern Chorus To Go Silent, Announces Farewell Shows

Hamilton's A Northern Chorus has decided to call it quits.

"After eight years of hard work, four albums, several hundres concerts and enough tour kilometres to circle the earth four times, we have decided to put A Northern Chorus to rest," says the band's website.

Known for its lush, orchestral sound, the group - which released its first album, All Go To Pieces, in 2001 - has won critical praise across North America.

Of 2005's Bitter Hands Reign, Pitchfork said, "A Northern Chorus has turned out the record that Death Cab for Cutie might make after taking an on online classical composition course and a near-fatal overdose of tranquilizer cocktails.”

The band - which includes singer/guitarist Stuart Livingstone, bassist Owen Davies, cellist Alex McMaster and singer/guitarist Pete Hall - took a slight turn away from the slow tempos and longer songs on 2007's The Millions Too Many, which also marked the return of violinist Erin Aurich, as well as the addition of drummer Craig Halliday and horn player Ben Bowen.

"I don't think it's really possible to sum up what this band has meant to us," the group's website continues. "It's been such an ingrained part of our lives. The only way to come close would be to list everyone that has supported us along the way. That would definitely bring back a flood of memories. But that would take several pages, so... you know who you are."

To say farewell, the bank will perform two farewell shows - one at The Horseshoe on June 27, and the final show at The Casbah in Hamilton June 28.