On a hot summer’s night Kue Varo peddled their newly acquired banana seat bike home from an evening spent on the patio with friends. They were struck with the presence of their late best friend who rode bikes through Calgary often. And from that this song was born.
The first release in a series of four that explores the cycle of destruction>revelation>creation>preservation and how to maintain a sense of liberation that comes with losing everything when suddenly we have what we want, requiring maintenance. Looking inward to destroy patterns that no longer have a place, and empower the voice that should always be loudest, intuition.
Accolades Bio: “Cowboy Witchcraft” Journey After returning to Calgary from Montreal, Kue Varo formed The Only Hopes in 2022, quickly setting the stage for their debut release. They released several singles in 2022-23, culminating in the October 13, 2023 release of Cowboy Witchcraft—a full-length album produced by Juno Award winner Russell Broom. Building momentum, Kue Varo & The Only Hopes earned residencies at Calgary’s Grand Theatre and Arts Commons through the TD Incubator program, while performing at major festivals like Sled Island, Big Winter Classic, and Sound Off!. In early 2024, the band played the Calgary Folk Fest Block Heater at the Palace Theatre, opening for Daniel Romano and Devil Makes Three. Their festival success continued with four performances during the Calgary Folk Festival’s 45th anniversary in July 2024. Cowboy Witchcraft made waves on the charts, holding the #1 spot on CKUA for several weeks and staying in the top ten for over a month. The album garnered attention from Exclaim!, the Calgary Herald, and was fully previewed on X92.9’s Xposure. It also earned critical acclaim, landing at #40 on Range Magazine’s 50 Best Albums of 2023, CBC’s Key of A Top Picks, and the Calgary Herald’s Best Local Albums list. Their track “Gates of Hell” was named #52 on Strombo’s 100 Best Songs of 2023. As 2024 began, Cowboy Witchcraft continued its success, returning to #1 on CKUA and hitting #10 nationally on Earshot! radio. Their single “Furthest Place” achieved impressive chart success, securing five consecutive weeks in the Canadian Alternative Radio top 40, making them the only unsigned band on the chart. In September 2024, Cowboy Witchcraft won “Rock Recording of the Year” at the YYC Music Awards, capping off a remarkable campaign. Kue Varo & The Only Hopes are now deep into recording their next project “Honeymoon Lost” a 5 track EP—set to be released in
