THE SWEETNESS (BalconyTV)

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Videographer - Brian Levin
Sound Engineer - Nick Smith
Audio & Video production by Joe Lynch

"We The Sweetness hold these truths to be self-evident. That not all music is created equal, and sometimes, the whole of the sum is greater than its parts."

Spanning two countries, four very individual, promising music careers, and a multitude of genres & instruments, The Sweetness met somewhere in between. Somehow, solo singer-songwriter soul mates Aly Tadros (Austin, TX), Chloe Charles (Toronto, ON), Douglas Jay Boyd (Austin, TX) and double bassist Sam McLellan (Toronto, ON) managed to find each other, and gathered for a late night of impromptu jamming at the 23rd Annual Folk Alliance International Conference in Memphis, TN.

It began as a backing project for Aly and Chloe's solo projects. Fast friends from the previous years' Folk Alliance, the two had already toured Europe & the States together. A year later, plans were made to meet up in Memphis once again, this time with some favorite collaborators -- Douglas, himself a gifted singer-songwriter -- and Sam, an overactive freelancer & composer. A generously donated hotel room became a makeshift rehearsal space. Harmonies were added, parts extended & rearranged. After playing a number of breakthrough showcases at the conference, the foursome quickly gained buzz and excitement throughout the halls of the hotel.

The creature that is now known as The Sweetness was born in the most unlikely of places: the stairwell between the 17th & 19th floor of the Marriott Hotel in Memphis, TN. The rich four-part harmonies and heavy cajon-driven backbeats echoed and resonated and drew in the crowds of curious and excited spectators. After one particularly rousing number, a voice in the crowd shouted "Sweetness!" and a dream project was born.

The Sweetness went on to record their debut independent EP, "What's it like to be a sprinkler, I wonder?" with producer Gordon Raphael (The Strokes, Regina Spektor) one day before premiering at nine unofficial SXSW 2011 showcases in Austin, Texas. All the while, raising over $8,000 for their first fan-funded European Tour.This summer they depart on their debut North American Tour this fall with Award-winning documentary filmmaker Pascal Fetzer, commissioned by the FilmAkademie (Stuttgart, Germany). In addition to a number of venue and house shows, The Sweetness will be stopping at hospitals, ARC Centers, and Nursing Homes for volunteer performances around the country.

www.wethesweetness.com

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