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Nanaimo-raised musician Keanu Ienco will play alongside Cosmosaurus for Sept. 18 show at the Vault Café
A Nanaimo musician is excited to introduce some new tunes to his fans and build on the momentum of his debut album.
Prog-rock Native American guitarist Keanu Ienco has returned from the U.K., where he holds dual citizenship, to lay down some slick riffs at Nanaimo’s Vault Café on Thursday, Sept. 18.
Not only will Thursday’s show be the musician’s first in more than a year to feature his own music, he’ll also share the stage with alt-rock band Cosmosaurus – several members of whom he met while studying at VIU in the since-dissolved jazz program.
Ienco said fans can expect his new music to be a continuation of Celestial Desire, his first album, but with a lighter touch.
“Continuing on my mix of prog-rock and jazz fusion, but it’s with a little bit more focus on some groove-based tunes … I think Celestial Desire maybe had some metal influences or some heavier stuff, where the new record is a bit lighter, but still keeping the rock vibes.”
Although Celestial Desire did earn the guitarist a nomination for the Western Canadian Music Awards’ Best Instrumental Artist of the Year in 2022, and another nomination at the Native American Awards for Best Instrumental Recording this year, Ienco said his turn to the lighter side was influenced by other gigs – like playing with a neo-soul band across the pond and with a jazz quartet in Nanaimo.
Ienco said his experience as a Native American man with the Havasupai tribe (Arizona) plays a significant role when writing his own music. Another influence is video game nostalgia from the turn of the 21st century.
“Since my music has no vocals and is based on melodies, video game music like Legend of Zelda or Nintendo music from the ’90s and 2000s is really inspiring for that. In those video games you often had a clearly defined melody. So I kind of take that idea and put it in my music but with jazz and rock.”
When figuring out the mood or colour of the song, the musician says Indigenous issues are often at the forefront.
“The mood is usually from how it feels to be Indigenous or looking at Indigenous issues … Then musically, I try to sometimes put traditional drums or rattles in where I can and pay homage to that.”
Such homages includes Celestial Desire‘s song titled Wovoka’s Dance, which is based on the life of a Paiute religious leader and his ghost dance revival; and a yet-to-be-released slow ballad titled Red Sun which features a heartbeat drum as the focal point overlapped by a slow melody.
Ienco said he doesn’t have a specific date in mind as a release date just yet for his new music, but suspects sometime in 2026.
The guitarist’s performance with Cosmosaurus on Thursday, Sept. 18, starts at 8 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at the door for $15.
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