For most music-loving Calgarians, seeing a band on the Coca-Cola Stage in July is a rite of passage. It was for the four members of Sea of Lettuce, who began making music in a basement as teenagers in southwest Calgary. Even before the four-piece got together musically, they would go see Canadian bands like The Sheepdogs, The Trews, and Billy Talent on that famous outdoor stage at the Calgary Stampede.
A Full-Circle Moment
Bassist Daniel L’Amarca recalls, "These are iconic Canadian bands. We would always go see them when we could. I think seeing those guys growing up, whether we were 12 or 14 or 16 years old, you want to be in that position at that point, especially kids who love music and want to create music. The Coke stage is legendary here in Calgary." This year, the band will experience a full-circle moment when they play the same stage on July 4, performing after fellow Calgarians Shy Friend.
From Basement to Sled Island
Sea of Lettuce—comprising L’Amarca, lead vocalist-guitarist Wojtek Musial, drummer Caolan Ayres, and guitarist Dylan Hameluck—has come a long way. L’Amarca and Musial began practising and writing music in their basement while attending Bishop O’Byrne High School in 2016. Ayres and Hameluck, friends since elementary school, joined in 2018. The band set their sights high early on. "When we first formed, one of the first things we wanted to do was play Sled Island," L’Amarca says. "Almost all of the young up-and-coming bands were. We were 18 at the time, so that was No. 1 on our list." They will play Sled Island in June for the third year in a row.
New EP Open Doors
Eight years later, Sea of Lettuce is no longer the young up-and-comer. They have produced four full-length albums, including 2024’s Any Day Now, and recently released their third EP, Open Doors. The four-song EP, released in April, was followed by a quick tour through Calgary, Edmonton, Canmore, Invermere, and Cranbrook. The songs were written by L’Amarca, who also served as producer in a DIY operation using Logic Pro software. "It saves us on studio costs and the more I do it, the better I get," he says. "It’s all done in-house."
Musical Influences
The EP benefits from intimate settings, starting with the shuffling mid-tempo "Stick Around" and ending with the dream-pop of "Day by Day." The songs recall the acoustic side of Jeff Tweedy and Wilco or the mellow balladry Beck offered on Sea Change and Morning Phase. Both artists are major influences for L’Amarca as a songwriter.
