Review: At The Spice Trail, The Prince Albert Band Proves Their Weirdness Works (Nov.14th/2025)

Words by Scott Roos

Photos by Scott Roos

Prince Albert’s most eccentrically charismatic musical export, The Prince Albert Band, packed The Spice Trail to capacity for a free show on Friday, Nov. 14 delivering a performance equal parts chaotic, clever, and irresistibly fun. For a group that openly embraces its own weirdness, the five-piece continues to prove that their unlikely blend of jazz, prog rock, punk, and metal isn’t just a novelty - it’s morphing into a bona fide local phenomenon.

From the moment they stepped onto the compact Spice Trail stage, the band’s off-kilter humour was in full bloom. Their banter was loose, irreverent, and frequently hilarious in a deadpan sorta way -almost an extension of their songwriting itself. If you’re looking for a group that takes itself too seriously, this isn’t it. But if you’re after a band that can win over a room simply by being authentically strange and joyfully themselves, you’ve come to the right gig. It should also be noted that this band does not rely on cover tunes. They played an hour straight of original material.

Musically, The Prince Albert Band remains a little rough around the edges live. And honestly? It works for them. There’s a scrappy energy to their set that feels baked into their identity - part punk spirit, part jazzy spontaneity, part teenage bravado. They offered up glimpses of new material throughout the night, but the crowd responded loudest to the songs that have already started to gain local cult status: “Lock of Love,” “Willy Rebel,” and the raucous fan-favourite “Carriage For Marriage,” which earned the night’s biggest cheer.

One of the most engaging surprises came courtesy of bassist Kingston Walker, who stepped away from the low end to handle both vocals and guitar on a tune, later returning to guitar again for an instrumental number. His versatility continues to add depth to the band’s evolving sound and a borderline metal kinda edge to everything.

Frontman Theodore Enchanh commanded the stage with easy, effortless swagger. His guitar solos - bluesy, loose, expressive, and unapologetically bold - were definite highlights. Meanwhile, drummer Tony Ross anchored the entire operation with remarkable finesse. Ross’s ability to slip between rock, jazz, and more exotic rhythmic textures brings a level of sophistication that elevates even the band’s wildest moments.

The group’s secret weapon, though, remains the wind section: Chord Fehr on bass clarinet and Cobain Roos on trumpet. Their contributions inject colour and texture that set The Prince Albert Band apart from almost any other young act in the region. When they’re present in a song, the band’s sonic world expands dramatically - dark, bright, unpredictable- all at once. It would be a treat to see them featured even more prominently in future sets.

At any rate, in the intimate tangerine glow of The Spice Trail, with food and drink flowing and staff keeping the atmosphere warm and welcoming, the night felt like a celebration of community as much as music. The band clearly had a blast, and the crowd responded in kind.

If this performance is any indication, The Prince Albert Band’s blend of humour, heart, and experimental chaos isn’t losing steam any time soon. They’re five kids making wild, ambitious noise - and Prince Albert is starting to be here for it.