Lost among the garages on the outskirts of Vancouver, B.C., five boys known collectively as "Svelte" collaborate to make their own brand of nostalgic, melodic rock music. Svelte’s sunny power-pop stylings are drawn from somewhere down the coast, where the days are long and the nights are warm. They play what might be called 'geek rock' - pretty melodies, glam-rock guitar solos, three-part vocal harmonies, and new wave synthesizer lines - all layered over thick, heavy power chords and driving rhythms. Svelte sings about lost loves and being young; unattainable movie stars and technology gone astray. The music is energetic and upbeat, with an emphasis on simple melodies and well-crafted, careful songwriting.

At least three of the five Svelte boys (keyboardist Kerry O’Donovan, guitarist Martin Danyluk, and then-guitarist Gary Russell) have been friends since elementary school. In 1996, along with drummer Mark Roberts and bassist Oliver Roenitz, they were compelled to start a rock band through a mutual love of early 90’s post-punk groups such as Weezer and Sloan. They met after school and rehearsed their small repertoire to a tee. From one of these afternoon sessions sprang their first cassette recording; this tape was passed around school to unsuspecting friends, who complained that the music had become stuck in their heads. Realizing their fate, the group named themselves "Svelte" and made a vow to keep playing.

Things evolved quite naturally from there, but most of the work was yet to be done. Svelte was landing the occasional show and practicing regularly. They wrote more songs and assembled more equipment. In September of 1997, the band members found themselves at different colleges; Roberts went to school in Japan for a year. The boys agreed to play 'drumless' for the time he was gone and to await his return. Around this time, Svelte landed a regular Friday night at a local coffeehouse and played to a packed house almost every week. They had hastily made some recordings before Roberts' departure, and now worked to complete them. In March of 1998, Svelte released their first CD, a home-recorded demo entitled "Don't Panic". Although the album was well-received by fans, the band agreed that it had been a bit premature. There was still room to improve and grow.

With Roberts' happy return in the summer of 1998, Svelte worked hard to mature both lyrically and sonically. New songs were being written with more care and thought, and Svelte pleased audiences at several summer festivals. New recordings were begun and a great deal of time and production effort were put into these. The band was becoming more focused; there was suddenly an awareness of what was 'Svelte material' and what wasn't. More diverse influences, notably The Cars, Ben Folds Five, and Radiohead, brought a wider variety to the band's sound. Their music was beginning to turn more than a few heads, and in February of 1999, Svelte made their first club appearance.

Around this time, the band peacefully parted ways with Roenitz, and Russell picked up the bass where he left off. The band played one show as a foursome, but quickly realized that two guitars were essential to their sound. They began a search for a second guitarist, and within a week found Dave Shumka. Not only was Shumka a ferocious guitar player, but he possessed a quick wit and charisma that would take Svelte to new heights. He learned quickly and was playing shows within two weeks.

In late 1999, Svelte reached a new level of success, with all the boys more devoted than ever. The band played festivals, parties, contests, and respected pubs in the Vancouver area. They spent time finishing up their new record, "I Dig Your Mainframe", and promoting it wherever they went. There was plenty of excitement brewing - most notably on the Internet - for this album. Finally, on January 5, 2000, "I Dig Your Mainframe" arrived, making the world a very-slightly-better place for everyone.

Shortly thereafter, Roberts gave up his seat behind the drums. The band found Pete Reinhardt, a strong drummer who gave a new dynamic to the group’s sound. They continued to play throughout Vancouver and to build a strong fanbase - both locally, and worldwide through a number of Internet sites. One song, "Katie", has repeatedly reached the #1 spot in Vancouver on mp3.com.

Recently, Svelte has begun to seriously concentrate on making their live show into a finely-tuned entertainment machine, with equal parts tight musicality and energetic crowd appeal. Fans of punk, pop, and everywhere in between continue to be won over by Svelte’s infectious melodies and lively performances. Every show is treated as if it were their last - but there is no intention of stopping.




Previous Svelte Shows

This is a listing of every Svelte appearance we can remember. Many of these shows have links to our personal memories of the performance, stored in the Svelte Archive. All venues are in B.C. unless otherwise noted.

12/??/96: Japanese exchange party, Mark's house, Surrey
12/??/96: On the Rogers Cable show "Generation Why?", Surrey
02/??/97: Take Your Time Walk for speeding awareness, Semiahmoo Park, White Rock
03/??/97: Charlie Don't Surf, White Rock (sans Oliver)
05/??/97: Earl Marriott Secondary, Surrey
05/??/97: Mayfair festival, White Rock
06/01/97: In Harmony Music Festival, Camp Kwomais, Surrey
11/??/97: Coffeehouse, Place Vanier Residence, UBC, Vancouver (acoustic; sans Mark)
12/??/97: VTV Breakfast Show, Surrey (acoustic; sans Mark)
12/??/97: Place Vanier Residence, UBC, Vancouver
02/??/98: Numerous Friday nights at White Rock Coffee Co., Surrey (acoustic; sans Mark)
03/??/98: Battle of the Bands, Totem Park Residence, UBC, Vancouver (acoustic; sans Mark)
04/??/98: Earl Marriott Secondary, Surrey (acoustic; sans Mark)
05/??/98: Mayfair festival, Surrey
08/??/98: Spirit of the Sea Festival, White Rock
08/??/98: In Harmony Music Festival, Camp Kwomais, Surrey
02/04/99: China Beach, Langley (with Residue)
04/30/99: The Pilot Party, Shelby's house, Abbotsford
05/28/99: Mayfair festival, Surrey
06/01/99: Anza Club, Vancouver (with The Salteens, Cloverhoney, Mount Pleasant, & 42)
07/01/99: Fiona's Canada Day Party, Richmond (acoustic; sans Mark)
07/11/99: The Purple Onion Cabaret, Vancouver (with Team Strike Force)
07/22/99: China Beach, Langley (with Mach Turtle & Drop Groove Trio)
08/01/99: Spirit of the Sea Festival, White Rock
08/28/99: In Harmony Music Festival, Camp Kwomais, Surrey
09/04/99: Space Mistake Music showcase, Marine Club, Vancouver (with Team Strike Force, Noxema Girls, & Peppersands; sans Dave)
10/05/99: Music CiTR Shindig contest, Railway Club, Vancouver (with Cheshire Blue & LarG Productions)
10/22/99: The Piccadilly Pub, Vancouver (with Cozy Bones)
11/23/99: Music CiTR Shindig contest semifinals, Railway Club, Vancouver (with Bel Riose & Undermars)
02/05/00: Douglas Recreation Centre, Langley (with Witness Protection Program, The Chick Magnets, & Complete)
02/12/00: Earl Marriott Secondary Theatre Gala Opening, Surrey (acoustic; sans Dave or Pete)
03/24/00: Show-O-Rama Battle of the Bands 2000, Totem Park Residence, UBC (we won)
04/14/00: Coastal Pacific Aviation graduation banquet, King's Crossing Hotel, Abbotsford (sans Kerry)
05/05/00: Marine Club, Vancouver (with Sharkskin & Undermars)
05/23/00: Railway Club, Vancouver (with Mt. Pleasant & The Rye Catchers)
07/22/00: The Svelte Fan Appreciation Barbecue, Martin's House, Surrey
07/29/00: Linda O'Donovan's birthday party, St. Mark's Church, Surrey
08/08/00: Harmony Arts Festival, John Lawson Park, West Vancouver
08/23/00: Douglas Park, Langley (with Big Skull Science)
09/17/00: In Harmony Music Festival, Camp Kwomais, Surrey
09/29/00: Blunt Bros, Vancouver (with The Rye Catchers)
10/19/00: Marine Club, Vancouver (with Girl Nobody)
11/09/00: The Purple Onion Cabaret, Vancouver (with Roadbed, Katrina & Jane Siene)
11/19/00: Java Joint Coffee Co., Surrey (with The Spinoffs, Falling Short & Bestest)
11/23/00: Marine Club, Vancouver (with Astrid)
12/02/00: Blunt Bros, Vancouver
12/22/00: More Than A Cookbook, John Knox Gym, Burnaby (with Astrid, An Oracle, & Techno Peasants)