EPIC
Web: www.epictheband.com.au
Email: info@epictheband.com.au
EPIC, created to boldly go where other cover bands dare not, are now celebrating their eighth year of aurally stimulating Australian East Coast audiences. Consisting of extremely renowned, experienced, musicians, EPIC's primary purpose is – playing the songs that other cover bands won’t.
EPIC features the incredible talent of Jesse Balfour (Vocals/Bass), Alan Park (Keyboards), Stuart Kent (Vocals/Guitar) and James Palmer (Vocals/Drums).
Together, the EPIC lineup has performed alongside some amazing artists including: Sir Cliff Richard, The Doobie Brothers, Earth Wind Fire, Small Faces, The Shadows, 10cc, Beggars Opera, Mitch King, Phil Emmanuel, Daddy Cool, Skyhooks, Todd Robinson, Ian Moss, Peter Ryan, Brian Cadd, Dame Edna, Billy Connolly & the list goes on and on.
All songs in the EPIC repertoire have been hits on a grand scale and EPIC reproduce each song with: accurate respect to the original, all critical parts represented with class and fair, whilst still allowing the members' personalities and musical influences to shine through.
This is all delivered through state-of-the-art sound and lighting production at every venue.
EPIC is currently one of the highest rotated bands at the Beach Hotel, Byron Bay, which is one of the premier live music venues on the East Coast of Australia.
Prepare to embark on a journey back to the era when ROCK was truly EPIC!
"What a brilliant band...amazing songs, voices and musicians. Such a treat to see them at Byron Beach Hotel”- Donna
“Great music on the 18th. You guys are very cool ?” - Steve
“Saw you guys at the Shaws Bay Hotel. Impressed!” – Janelle
“Saw you guys on Saturday night, you guys are excellent! One Pink Floyd song at the end and you guys would be worshipped as GODS! YOU GUYS ARE VERY GOOD” – Allan
“Unreal” – Khange
“With the personnel in EPIC, it couldn’t be anything but...” – Brett
“You guys are the real deal. No one else is doing this repertoire” – Tracy
“I am definitely flying you guys over to play at my wedding in 2019 in Portland. The best covers group I have heard in Australia or the US for that matter!” – Scott
“If ‘EPICAL’ was a word, that would be the ultimate way to describe my Sunday night at the Beach Hotel, Byron Bay” – Tom
“Easy to tell you guys are seasoned professionals. Best gig I’ve been to in a long time” – Trish
Alan Park – Keyboards
Al is a certified musical legend, most notably having served as Sir Cliff Richard’s musical director and keyboardist for many years. During this tenure, he performed in front of record-breaking audiences at the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Stadium in London. He has also toured in Europe, America. Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to this, Alan worked with a host of British musical royalty including members of the Small Faces, Nik Kershaw, The Shadows, Olivia Newton-John, Don Everley, Skunk Baxter, Manhattan Transfer, Elaine Page, 10cc, The Beggars Opera and many, many more. Al has also worked with comedy artists Hale and Pace, Billy Connelly and Dame Edna; covering a multitude of genres and musical styles.
In more recent times, after moving to live permanently in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia, Al has entertained local audiences in: The Feramones, The Camel Tones. The Soul Shakers, The Steely Dan Tribute, as well as remaining a first-call session keyboardist both live and studio. No sound is unattainable, no part out of reach for Alan, and thus he is the maestro that makes the EPIC lineup possible.
Stuart Kent – Lead Guitar & Vocals
‘Stuie’ as North Coast audiences have known him for many years now, was a prominent member in the North Coast rock group, The Henchmen. He was the “go-to-rock-guitar-guy” for Top Cat Recording Studio and WindSong Records artists.
Stuie led and toured with his own original band Mudskipper (with whom he won a Dolphin Award) and hard rockers The Rockadiles in the 90s. He also wrote and recorded advertising jingles, played in many bands as a ‘hired gun’ including recording and touring with Australian Idol finalist Peter Ryan and 301 Records artists Elevait. In addition, Stuart was also fronting Country-Rock group, The Unforgiven as vocalist and guitarist.
He brings his own style and sound to the EPIC stage with consummate professionalism, passion and a dash of swagger. It is no small task to be both Freddie Mercury AND Brian May in one song, then Steve Marriott, David Gilmour or Larry Carlton the next, but Stu pulls it off onstage every time with a showman’s attitude, extracting many sounds from his well-loved Stratocaster, hair flying 70s guitar hero style.
James Palmer – Drums & Vocals
James is highly acclaimed as a young, successful freelance musician who has played at venues all over Australia and has worked with a variety of musically diverse artists up and down the East Coast.
Jimmy has worked in recording studios with artists/producers such as, Mitch King, Dean Jones and Jared Adlam, and has worked in touring production with the likes of, Damien Leith, MI-SEX, James Reyne, Nazeem Hussain, Arj Barker and the ABC. Not to mention he has played on countless TV adds, gaming soundtracks and other jingles along the way.
Not only does James lower the average age of the band, he also provides an energetic live performance with strong vocal harmonies; drawing on his many influences including: Jeff Porcaro (Toto, Steely Dan etc), Phil Rudd (AC/DC), Steely Dan, Dave Weckl & Virgil Donati (Planet X).
