What do three guys who build playgrounds do on the side? Make music, of course.
“On the side we work as much as we can building playgrounds when we aren’t making music,” said Malibu Knights drummer Rod Anderson, who grew up in Okanagan Falls. “It is kind of funny. There have been times last year we were on tour, then in between a few shows we stopped in Calgary and built two playgrounds.”
The Malibu Knights, who are based out of Kelowna, have a classic rock sound that won over the judges at the Rock The Peach battle of the bands finals held at the Barking Parrot in Penticton on Friday. This earned them a spot on the opening night lineup of the inaugural Rock The Peach three-day music festival being held at King’s Park July 27 to 29.
The band beat out Penticton/Summerland band The Daybeats, who brought a dance party with them to the Barking Parrot, and Kelowna alternative rock band The Flu, who also had an energetic 30-minute set. Malibu Knights formed in 2008, and the drummer describes their sound as a “groovy, 70s rock feel” with a slice of alternative rock.
Last year the Malibu Knights performed on over 180 stages across Canada, opening for acts like Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, Bif Naked and Marianas Trench. This spring they are joining with Devon Coyote to hit the road on a cross-Canada tour.
The band is also recording their third full length album, which they hope to release by August, with lead singer/guitarist Dan Harden as the main songwriter and Anderson and bassist Dean Irving contributing ideas. Malibu Knights is working with Vancouver-based producer Jeff Dawson whose body of work includes the self-titled album of Daniel Powter which contained the hit single Bad Day, pop rockers State of Shock Life Love and Lies album which was certified gold and included the hit single Money Honey and three other Top 10 singles and critically acclaimed albums for Marcy Playground and The Dudes amongst others.
Malibu Knights also recently released music videos for the songs Hey Alright and Devil in Her Eyes.
“For Hey Alright we took our filmographer for a week of our last tour and he tried to capture all the classic tour moments, hijinx and stuff like that. Devil in Her Eyes was our first professional looking video and kind of more of a raunchy rock and roll song is what we were trying to go for,” said Anderson.
Following Malibu Knights on stage at Rock The Peach will be The Steadies, Treble Charger and Collective Soul.
“I grew up in Okanagan Falls and to be able to play in my hometown area and opening for such bands as Collective Soul and Treble Charger would mean very much to us. I would love to be able to play a big show in the place I grew up in. It would be icing on the cake for me personally,” said Anderson.