Mike Luno Band is a guitar-bass-drums-vocals 3-piece rock act based in Vancouver. The music has liberal elements of funk and fusion with overtones of reggae and prog occasionally sneaking in. Think Sting meets the Chili Peppers, Leonard Cohen co-writes the Led Zeppelin reunion album, the Police get dirty, or Rush jams with the Dave Matthews Band and Maroon 5. The Band consists of Curtis Leippi on drums, Mike Luno on lead vocals and guitar, and currently works with one or two favourite bassists for live performances. While the music might have you tapping your toes or dancing around your living room, the lyrics have no throwaway, no filler, and at times no mercy - colourful observations on the contradictions, conundrums, frustrations and self-defeat of human behaviour. What's your poison now? The Mike Luno Band is here to describe it with a smile and a groove. This, in fact, is their reason for being - from an appetite for music with powerful, unapologetic musicianship, groove with fire, thought-provoking lyrics and compositions made to stand the test of time, they aspire to be the band they would want to see and hear themselves.
The Georgia Straight recently described MLB’s latest CD: "Plaudits immediately have to go to the veteran guitarist’s playing: it’s clear that he’s a serious musician, but he’s not so rigorous in his pursuit of perfection that he’s edited all fun and surprise out of his work. Rather than shred, he tries to make a statement with his solos...Luno compares his band to 'Sting meets the Chili Peppers or Leonard Cohen co-writes the Led Zeppelin reunion album '– that's right on the money." - Alexander Varty, March 29, 2012.
Formed from a musical partnership in Victoria, BC between Leippi and Luno in 1996, MLB was nominated for Vancouver Island Music Awards’ Best Song 2004, Best Songwriter 2005, and won Best Male Vocalist 2005. The band relocated to Vancouver in 2010.
Band Members
Mike Luno: Lead vocals, guitars
Curtis Leippi: Drums
Kirby Green, Scott Tucker: 'hired gun' bass
