Hollerado
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Defunct | 2019 (initial disbandment) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 2019; reunited in 2024 |
| Headquarters | Ottawa , Canada |
Key people | Menno Versteeg, Nixon Boyd, Dean Baxter, Jake Boyd |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, singles |
Hollerado is an indie rock ensemble originating from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Established in 2007, the group consists of Menno Versteeg (lead vocals, guitar), Nixon Boyd (lead guitar, backing vocals), Dean Baxter (bass, backing vocals), and Jake Boyd (drums, backing vocals). Prior to their 2019 disbandment, they produced four studio albums. The band reunited in 2024 to support Tokyo Police Club and fully regrouped in 2025.
The band gained acclaim through nominations such as the Best New Group at the Juno Awards of 2011.
2007–2012: Formation & Record in a Bag
Three members were raised on the same street in Manotick, Ontario, a suburb near Ottawa. The band later spent time recording and residing intermittently in Montreal, where they emerged as one of the city’s prominent up-and-coming acts. Since their inception in April 2007, Hollerado performed alongside artists including Andrew W.K., The Stills, and Malajube, and were personally chosen by Jack White to open for his band, The Dead Weather. Their festival appearances include notable events such as SXSW, NXNE, Pop Montreal, Rifflandia Music Festival, and Sled Island.
In 2009, Hollerado took part in the TransmitCHINA conference aimed at fostering cultural and musical exchange between Canadian and Asian markets, which led to a two-week tour across China beginning with a showcase in Beijing.
That same year, they independently released their debut album Record in a Bag as a complimentary digital download, initially derived from their Demo in a Bag 5 EP. By February 2010, Royal Mountain Records and Arts & Crafts reissued the album. The lead track "Americanarama" attracted media coverage due to its video featuring comedian Dave Foley impersonating American Apparel CEO Dov Charney. Critics likened the album's sound to that of Supergrass, Stephen Malkmus, and Weezer.
In February 2009, Hollerado embarked on a 28-day residency tour performing weekly at seven different bars across seven cities, including venues such as T.T. The Bears in Boston and Sneaky Dee's in Toronto.
During 2010, they toured alongside Free Energy throughout the US and Canada—headlining shows domestically while supporting them in the United States—with both bands frequently joining each other on stage.
Their industry standing was further enhanced by receiving a Juno Award nomination for Best New Group in 2011.
2013–2018: White Paint, 111 Songs & Born Yesterday
On February 26, 2013, Hollerado unveiled their sophomore album White Paint, featuring the lead single "Pick Me Up". This record preserved the band's trademark catchy hooks and guitar-driven melodies but introduced a more sophisticated and emotionally layered sound compared to their debut Record in a Bag. The song "So It Goes" was particularly noted for its poignant storytelling about lead vocalist Menno’s grandfather during World War II.
In January 2015, Hollerado initiated the ambitious 111 Songs project beginning with the release of "Firefly". This endeavor was inspired by a fan-ordered package linked to White Paint, wherein the band pledged to compose custom songs based on personal fan submissions. Spanning over two years, this project laid the groundwork for their third studio album.
The lead single from their third album, Born Yesterday, was released on January 6, 2017. That same year, Hollerado toured the United Kingdom alongside Canadian pop-punk group Sum 41 during the "Don't Call It A Sum-Back Tour". The full album Born Yesterday was officially released on April 14, 2017.
2019: Disbandment and final album Retaliation Vacation
On February 20, 2019, Hollerado declared their intention to part ways after issuing their last self-produced record, Retaliation Vacation, accompanied by a farewell tour named The One Last Time Tour.
The band’s concluding shows were held from December 11 to 13 at Toronto's Danforth Music Hall, followed by a special performance at the Horseshoe Tavern on December 14. Reviewers commended these final concerts as an appropriate and energetic finale to a decade filled with innovative work and dynamic live appearances.
2024–present: Band reunion
In 2024, Hollerado came together again to open for two of Tokyo Police Club's final concerts on November 26 and 27 in Toronto. The band officially announced their reunion and intentions to release new material on May 13, 2025. Subsequently, on November 4, 2025, they unveiled the EP Start A Band, marking their first release since reassembling.
Juno Awards
|- | || Hollerado || Best New Group || |- | || Hollerado - Good Day At The Races || Video of the Year || |- | || Hollerado - White Paint || Recording Package of the Year ||
Sirius XM Indie Awards
|- | 2012 || Hollerado || Live Artist/Group Or Duo of the Year || |- | 2014 || Hollerado || Live Artist/Group Or Duo of the Year || |- | 2014 || Hollerado || Artist/Group Or Duo of the Year || |- | 2014 || Hollerado - So It Goes || Video of the Year ||
Edge 102 CASBY Awards
|- | 2013 || Hollerado || Favourite Sugar Beach Session || |-
Band members
- Menno Versteeg – lead vocals, guitar
- Nixon Boyd – guitar, vocals
- Dean Baxter – bass guitar, vocals
- Jake Boyd – drums, vocals
Studio albums
- Record in a Bag (2009; reissued in 2010)
- White Paint (2013)
- Born Yesterday (2017)
- Retaliation Vacation (2019)
Demos
- Demo in a Bag One (2007)
- Demo in a Bag Two (2007)
- Demo in a Bag Three (2007)
- Demo in a Bag Four (2007)
- Demo in a Bag Five (2008)
Other releases
- Margaritaville 2: The Reckoning (2011)
- 111 Songs (2015)
- Start A Band (2025)
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Alt |
CAN Rock | ||||||||
| 2010 | "Americanarama" | 13 | 31 | Record in a Bag | |||||
| "Juliette" | 6 | 10 | |||||||
| 2011 | "Got to Lose" | 18 | 37 | ||||||
| "Good Day at the Races" | 7 | 22 | Margaritaville 2: The Reckoning | ||||||
| 2012 | "Pick Me Up" | 3 | 18 | White Paint | |||||
| 2013 | "So It Goes" | 5 | 23 | ||||||
| 2014 | "Desire 126" | 16 | 34 | ||||||
| 2015 | "Firefly" | 3 | 21 | '111 Songs' | |||||
| 2017 | "Born Yesterday" | "3" | "6"
rowspan="3" |Born Yesterday | ||||||
| "I Got You" | "10" | "28" | |||||||
| 2018 | "Eloise" | "—" | "38" | ||||||
| "—" indicates singles that did not enter the charts. | |||||||||
See also
References
- Bands formed in 2007
- Bands disbanded in 2019
- Canadian indie rock bands
- Musical acts from Ottawa
- Musical acts from Montreal
- Artists under Arts & Crafts Productions
- 2007 establishments in Ontario
- 2019 closures in Ontario
- 2024 formations in Ontario
- Bands reunited in 2024
- Royal Mountain Records artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 2019