The Benders

North Vancouver, BC

$2000 (may be higher for bigger venues)

Travels up to 30 miles

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Promotional video thumbnail 1 for The Benders

Feelin' alright

Gallery photo 1 of The Benders

Ron & Matt

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everybody dance

Gallery photo 3 of The Benders

Too bad you can't see the drummer

Gallery photo 4 of The Benders

Overview

The Benders have been playing in and around Vancouver for the past 30 years. They play a mix of Classic Rock and current stuff. Ultimately professional and completely affordable.


Reviews

3 reviews

Small thumbnail image for reviewer John A.

John A.

August 14, 2023
Verified review

Very happy! Great guys

The Benders are excellent players and very fun and easy to deal with. I definitely recommend them to anyone who wants to hire a live act.

Hired as: Classic Rock Band

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The Benders

Thanks John,
We enjoyed your event and would be happy to play it or any other event you have up your sleeve. Rock on


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Tom O.

Tom O.

January 3, 2018

Great Dance Band

We celebrated my Birthday at Newlands Lounge. We had arranged for the Benders to play even though the bar already had a band booked. We had 80 friends attend and there were 2 other birthday party's there at the same time. The dance floor was always full while the Bender's were playing. These guys are always lots of fun to dance to but on this night they were fantastic. They were very tight musically and played a number of songs that were new. The size of the band and the range of songs they are able to play is great. I received numerous compliments from friends about the Benders. This bar has live bands play there every weekend and even the Manager was impressed. If you like to dance and like classic rock then book this band, you will be happy you did.

Hired as: 1970s Era Entertainment, Classic Rock Band, Party Band, Rock Band

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The Benders

Thanks Tom. We enjoyed playing for you at your party.


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Laura H.

Laura H.

June 5, 2017

Nothing short of a fabulous night to remember

The Benders were referred to our event by the Coast Hotel Plaza & Suites. We were looking for a live band to perform for a national music therapy conference banquet. For most bands, performing for almost 200 professional musicians would've been a challenge. However, the Benders absolutely nailed their performance. Every single person I spoke with was raving about their musicality, professionalism, and charisma. Thank you, Benders, for making our conference committee look good and for putting on an incredible show. I would DEFINITELY recommend this band in the future.

Hired as: Party Band

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The Benders

Thanks Laura; your group was blast to play for. Thanks a ton.
The Benders

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Booking information

Price range: $2000 (may be higher for bigger venues)

Languages: English

Gig length: 1 - 210 minutes

What to expect

Our Mission... well we really don't have a mission. We are after all, musicians. A mission would imply ambition, and we all know where that would lead; recording contracts, groupies, parties etc. Nope, we prefer to keep it simple. We'll come to the gig, rock your world,(artistically) and then leave.

About

The Guys in the Band

The Benders have a combined musical experience of over 200 years. When out of rehab, and sober, the band struggles to deliver a delicate balance of Rhythm and Blues and Rock & Roll. They have kept audiences awake and in shock from every continent and have won raving reviews from local press on many occasions. The Benders are:

Steve Boultbee - Drums
Formerly of Alcoholics Unanimous and The Barry White Boys. Steve has a unique style that has caused his band mates to consider getting a drum machine but he has a good heart and can lift heavy stuff.

Matt Henderson - Guitar/Vocals
Matt is the only deaf member of the band and has just come off touring with Biff Hitler and the Violent Mood Swings and has worked in the studio with Beast Penis and Captain Crunch & the Cereal Killers. Matt likes to pretend to use several effects pedals; fact is, none of them have batteries in them.

Ron McArthur - Guitar/Vocals
Big Mac, Mac or Macktastic are some of the names Ron has used in the past as a male dancer. He has played guitar for the London Philharmonic and really likes the C chord. Before The Benders Ronny played with Betty is not a Vitamin, and Damn you Peter Pan.

Steve Watkins - Keyboards/Vocals
Lanny lives in a home and has not practiced since 1983; he claims the uncertainty makes him sharper. Touring Jamaica with The Dukes of Hazardous Materials and recently helping out on the latest release from Dicky Retardo has kept him busy. Watch for his new solo project (Four Nurses of the Apocalypse) due out later this year.

Mike Black - Percussion/Vocals
Mike is new to clothing as he was raised as a Mandingo warrior. Sometimes when the spirit moves him he goes back to the ways of the Serengeti. If this happens during the performance please stand back. Mike comes to us from Goldfish Do not Bounce and a short stint as the lead accordionist in Inflatable Grandpa.

Dave Draper - Bass
Dave has returned to the band after being kicked out for not succumbing to peer pressure. After drinking the kool-aid he is back pounding the funk wrench. Dave has worked with Meaty Pants, Psychic Buddhist Gorilla, and Those Darn Accordions and turned down Was I Naked? to rejoin the Benders.

Additional booking notes

We can play any size of stage and make it work. We cannot work in the states as we don't have work visas and don't feel like getting busted for this at the border leaving y'all without a band on the big night.

Past booked events

August 2023

12

Saturday

Nonprofit Event

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Maple Ridge, BC

Team

Steve Boultbee Drummer
Matt Henderson Guitar vocals
Ron McArthur Guitar Vocals
Mike Black Percussion - Vocals
Steve (Lanny) Watkins Keyboards - Vocals
Dave (Dr. Dra) Draper Bass

Set list

All Right Now - Free

This Love - Maroon 5

Are You Gonna Go My Way? – Lenny Kravitz

Jenny - Blink 182

Are You Gonna Be My Girl? - Jet

Birthday - Beatles

Black Magic Woman - Santana

Stay With Me - Faces

Can't You See – Marshall Tucker Band

Desire – U2

Domino – Van Morrison

Evil Ways - Santana

Feelin' Alright – Joe Cocker / Dave Mason

Don’t Change Horses - Boneshakers

Good Lovin'– Young Rascals

Hard to Handle – Black Crows

Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder/Mike McDonald cover

Hush - Kula Shaker

I Feel Good – James Brown

I Want You Back – Jackson 5

Into the Mystic - Van Morrison

Sex Machine - James Brown

I Wish - Stevie Wonder

Life During Wartime – Talking Heads

Listen to the Music – Doobie Brothers

Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffet

Long Train Runnin' – Doobie Brothers

Jenny - Tommy Tutone

Moondance – Van Morrison

Mustang Sally – The Commitments version

Oye Como Va - Santana

Pick up the Pieces - Average White Band

Rock the Casbah – The Clash

Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder

Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple

Some Kinda Wonderful - Grand Funk

Dani California - RHCP

Superstitious - Stevie Wonder

Swingtown / Free Ride – Steve Miller / Edgar Winter Group

Taking Care of Business - BTO

Whipping Post – Allman Brothers

Into the Mystic - Van Morrison

Wild Nights – Van Morrison

Wouldn't Want to be Like You – Alan Parsons Project

Get Ready /Sam & Dave

Ain't too Proud to Beg -Rolling Stones

Plus 100's of others

Influences and inspiration

Santana, Doobies, Stones, Motown,Clash, James Brown, Colin james

Setup requirements

Two 110 volt circuits

stage area of 20 X 20 but we can work with whatever you have

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