Penny Benjamin has the classic two-guitar assault covered, but offers more than just power chords and overdriven guitar, which is often where the story ends with so much of today’s rock music.

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Formed in Toronto in 2012, the band is known for their collaborative approach to songwriting and high-energy live shows. Singer Eric Grant and guitarist Mike Wilkins are the axe grinders who trade licks on the old six strings. Masterful piano playing and vocal harmonies from Andrew Burns help shape the band's unique sound. On bass, J. Brander, a local legend from Sarnia, is not afraid to take it for a walk with ease using his arsenal of basses. On drums, PEI’s very own Matt Harper, who would like nothing more than to start a Stampeders tribute act, is content until then to push the band with powerful rock grooves.

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The pandemic prevented Penny Benjamin from releasing their E.P. The Vanity Fiasco, but songs are now being released one at a time leading up to their show at The Horseshoe Tavern September 1st. Check out the new tracks wherever you stream music.

Clear Stone, began with the musical collaboration of the brothers Tadin. The southern Ontario based band is fronted by singer songwriter Dio Tadin, whose voice "reminds me of their (Clear Stone's) musical influences, namely John Lennon and Tom Petty" says Canadian Blog House. With his brother Dimitri Tadin on Bass,  the two brothers developed a core sound that projects throughout their music. According to Indie Music Album Reviews, "You get an immediate sense that the guys from Clear Stone are feeding off of each others energy." 

With the release of their first EP, Broken Words (2004), Clear Stone jumped into the local area music scene, drawing crowds to top Toronto venues including Lee's Palace and the Horseshoe. Over the course of the following year, new song ideas began to develop. It was time get back to the studio.

Drawn by a growing arts community, the brothers relocated to Hamilton and began work on their first, full length album. Shortly after the big move, Dio was diagnosed with a brain tumor.   Everything came to a full stop. The brothers shifted from pursuing their dreams to survival. The music gave way, until Dio was able to fully recover. 

In 2008, the brothers met drummer Tone Valcic; they began the task of picking up and starting over.  A second recording effort was attempted, however, the project was later abandoned and never released. Realizing that somewhere in the search for the right direction, the soul of their songs had gotten trampled and obscured; all in pursuit of an elusive and ultimately misguided would-be-perfectionism. Says Dio of the experience,"Sometimes it takes losing everything and hitting rock bottom to discover, on an intrinsic level, what it's really all about." 

In the spring of 2011, opportunity knocked and the brothers were introduced to guitarist, Andrew Aldridge.  With Andrew now on board, Dio, Dimitri and Tone decided to start from scratch.  They went back to the basics, just the four of them: no producers, no engineers, no outside help.  Recorded over a one year period, the album, Suppose to Be, represents “the moment” captured in music.  Michael Jack, noted Canadian Record Producer and Recording engineer, had this to say of Clear Stone's most recent album," "Supposed To Be" is the type of recording that the likes of John Lennon would have been proud to release."

In an effort to fully promote their upcoming album, The band has played over 50 live shows in 2013 throughout Southern Ontario as well as a mini-tour of North Florida. With the album set to release May 2014, Clear Stone's is currently rounded out by Andrew Aldridge on guitar, Tristan Tadin on keyboards and Joel Anderson on drums.


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