Gananoque’s The Mariners ready to take the stage in Kingston

Formed in August of 2018, The Mariners from Gananoque have been actively playing their local hometown music scene. Comprised of Ryan O’Hearn on lead vocals and rhythm guitars, Sean Brown on lead guitar and vocals, Hugh Wright on bass, and Zane Keyes on drums, the group would describe their sound as a combination of jangle-reverb laundry rock. With a mixture of cover songs and original work, the band is starting to expand out into the larger music scene beyond Gananoque.

The Mariners formed from a common love of the St. Lawrence River and all
things music. The group came about by chance and a shared passion for music. Brown returned home to Gananoque in the spring of 2018 and he and O’Hearn would jam together in Brown’s mother’s laundry room. They meshed well, and O’Hearn mentioned this collaboration to his friend, Wright, who joined them on bass. The quartet was finished when Brown asked Keyes to join the group on drums.

Throughout the winter of 2018, The Mariners practiced in Browns’s mom’s
laundry room, which is why they classify their music as laundry rock.
Influenced by Mac DeMarco, Talking Heads, and The Cure, the group has been busy in the last year and a half.

Starting with small events in the Gananoque area, they regularly played at the Stonewater Pub, the Gananoque Brewery, and other local spots. The Mariners have even taken time to help raise money for local students in Gananoque as one of the acts in the ‘Ukuleles for Kids’ event in Gananoque this past November.

The small events in Gananoque are leading up to an important moment in the band’s career. The Mariners are part of a three-act show for the Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 concert at The Mansion, put on by KPP Concerts.
Opening for the Mad Ones and Rusty, The Mariners are ready for their moment on the Kingston stage.

While the event at The Mansion marks the next step in the band’s evolution,
O’Hearn says that in January 2020 The Mariners will be recording two original singles ‘Fade Away’ and ‘My Baby.’

Tickets are still available for the Thursday night event. Doors open at 8 p.m., so check it out to experience a new band and hear what they have to offer.