Inward Eye Fulfill Dream By Playing With The Who

Most bands just get to rip off their biggest influence, but Winnipeg retro-rockers Inward Eye actually get to play with theirs — not for one night, but three.

The energetic mod-inflected band — comprised of brothers Dave Erickson (vocals/bass), Kyle Erickson (guitar) and Anders Erickson (drums) — are paying homage to the British Invasion in a big way by opening for Brit-rock legends, The Who.

"It was really surreal, you know?," Dave says of the hometown show in Winnipeg. "It wasn't really nerve-wracking.

"It was a dream state almost. It didn't really hit home until after The Who played. After the show, you have a van to load and you're going and going. And then you take you stop and take a breath and it's just like... wow."

The gigs in Calgary on Thursday night and Edmonton on Friday have made Inward Eye excited as opposed to nervous, which is a nod to the fact that the young band have stage prowess beyond their years.

"On Tuesday, we proved to ourselves that this is something we can do," Dave says. "We feel giddy, like little kids before Christmas.

"Kyle bumped into Pete Townshend after we played, and he said he'd come watch our set [in Calgary]. So this one might be a little more nerve-wracking, knowing he's watching."

While opening for the iconic band has certainly been exciting, it hasn't distracted the fans who are anxiously awaiting the release of an Inward Eye record. The trio generated buzz when they inked a deal with Sony BMG-distributed J Records — after playing a personal showcase for industry legend Clive Davis, no less — and were quickly billed as the next big thing to come out of Winnipeg. The boys will head to San Diego after Friday's show in Edmonton to start recording, and are aiming for a release in mid-2007.

"We're going to start getting some stuff happening," Dave says. "It's taken a long time because we were given the time, which is getting rare nowadays.

"We wanted to have the best songs possible, and now we think we have the material. It's time."

Though their debut album will be a hotly anticipated one, the rockers haven't fallen prey to the hype machine.

"This industry is full of bullshit and hype and the next big thing," Dave says. "All we can do is write the best songs we can, play hard and work hard. We want to make a good record."

But the Erickson brothers aren't thinking too far into the future just yet. Right now, they're just enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime ride.

"Playing in front of a hometown audience with one of our idols is single-handedly the greatest thrill in my life so far," Dave says. "I can't wait for what's next."