The Awkward Stage | |
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Origin | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Genres | Indie pop |
Years active | 2006-2009 |
Labels | Mint Records |
Members | Shane Nelken Tygh Runyan Tony Koelwyn Chris Mitchell |
Website | theawkwardstage |
The Awkward Stage was a Canadian indie pop band from Vancouver fronted by singer-songwriter Shane Nelken.[1] The band's supporting lineup consisted of Tygh Runyan on lead guitar, Tony Koelwyn on drums and Chris Mitchell on trumpet and keyboards.
Nelken, who works as a cremationist, had a longtime side career as a musician, supporting a number of artists including A. C. Newman, New Pornographers and Sparrow.[2][3] He put together The Awkward Stage (which included drummer Kurt Dahle),[4] and released a debut album, Heaven Is for Easy Girls, on Mint Records in 2006.[5][6] Nelken performed much of the music himself, with some help from violinist Kim Koch and trumpeter Shaun Brodie.[7] The album charted on Canadian campus radio[8] and CBC Radio 3, which named the band's song "We're Going for a Ride" one of its Top 94 songs of 2006.[9]
With Tygh Runyan, Tony Koelwyn and Chris Mitchell, The Awkward Stage released a second album, Slimming Mirrors, Flattering Lights, in 2008.[10][11] The songs were written and arranged by Nelkin.[2]
The band has been inactive since 2009.