A local band’s third album that was delayed by the global pandemic of 2020/21, is now ready for release with the first song dropping at Dreams2Reality’s extended play release party, this Friday, June 7, at L’Aromas on 12th Avenue in Tsawwassen.
All are welcome to the event, which goes from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., says singer and long-time Tsawwassenite Jonn Epplette.
Dreams2Reality is an indie-acoustic-fusion of rock and pop, according to the band.
The band formed in 2017 with Epplette singing and Michael Foot playing guitar. Their first album titled Cover This was released that year followed by the self-titled Dreams2Reality original material EP in 2018.
Their third EP, Right Here, contains some love ballads, and is named after the lead song by the same name written by Epplette, for his wife.
“I going to call this a COVID-inspired album,” said Epplette.
The original plan was to release it in 2021 but the pandemic delayed that. With the delay, came a few more songs, with one titled, Isolation, the other Far and Near.
The album was “something to kind of keep us going,” when the pubs, restaurants and cafes were shuttered, locked, dark and quiet.
The new album consists of five original songs that will be released one at a time over the next several months and features an upgraded sound with several professional musicians hired for the best sound production.
Another EP album will be released later in the year.
“We’ve got high expectations,” Epplette said.
Once the songs are out, it doesn’t mean the work is over. Promotion of the music is a constant effort via social media and music platforms including iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and X.
“It’s such a different era. I’m spending so much time on social media creating videos, it’s kind of the way of promoting nowadays,” Epplette said.
The goal is to somehow get one of their songs onto a playlist somewhere and broaden their reach.
Epplette retired last year from a long career in parks management and said playing in a local band isn’t done for the money, but for the joy of reaching people and making them happy.
“You don’t make a living off it, that’s for sure,” he said.
Currently, they’re playing about once a week, but they’d like to increase that.
“It’s pretty fun,” he says. “There’s nothing like just playing music for people and seeing them smile. You always leave with a smile on your face and feeling good.”
