Gary Cain

Gary Cain’s guitar work on stage has been described by reviewers as“genre-bending”, “jaw-dropping” and “the real deal”, but the foundation of his virtuosic style was laid via marathon practice sessions as a youngster in his parents’ basement.  “Back then it’s all I would do some days – sometimes 13, 14 hours a day. I’d have to be reminded to eat.” says Cain.  Long days poring over the musical styles of blues legends gave him a deep respect for the music, but he’s not beholden to it. “I’m not a purist.” he says, “What made those players so great was what they brought ot the music to make it their own.  Albert King was the best Albert King there’ll ever be.  You gotta do your own thing with it.”

After studying guitar at Humber College’s world-renowned music program, he played in several bands, eventually landing a gig in the house band for The Lodge, one of Dubai’s largest nightclubs. The four-sets-a-night, six-nights-a-week pace eventually led to a vocal injury that sidelined him.  Now, back in action with a style he calls Twangadelic Bluesophunk, he’s backed by a rhythm section featuring two incredibly well-rounded, experienced, and talented musicians. “It’s great to be able to play with guys that can draw from so many styles. It gives us a lot of freedom to stretch out of the typical blues box and into a lot of cool different places.”