It’s another busy summer of touring for 54-40, one of the longest-running bands in Canadian music history still led by its founders, singer/guitarist Neil Osborne and bassist Brad Merritt.
They performed a free concert Saturday, June 20, during the inaugural Barns to Beaches Festival in Tsawwassen, an appropriate “homecoming” concert site for the band, formed there by the two high school pals.
In Surrey, 54-40 will plug in for another free-admission concert at the city’s Fusion Festival on Saturday, July 18, the first of two days of music, food and culture at Holland Park.
Since the beginning, the band’s songs have been powered by simple riffs, 4/4 beats and memorable melodies that prompt audiences to sing along to “I Go Blind,” “Ocean Pearl,” “She-La,” “Nice to Luv You” and other hits.
“When we play live, it’s not nostalgia, it’s about connection — with the crowd, with the songs, and with each other,” says Osborne of the band, which also features guitarist Dave Genn and drummer Matt Johnson.
“After all these years, we still feel lucky — we still love doing this. And that’s what it takes a lot of.”
Video: @5440 in Tsawwassen last night at Barns to Beaches festival.
Wait until the end for a look at the crowd on the plaza opposite Four Winds brewery/restaurant. Fun night with friends. pic.twitter.com/NP2QxGyfP3
— Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) June 21, 2026
Last year 54-40 went to Portugal to record Porto, a new album producer Warne Livesey. For 11 days they worked quickly at Arda Recorders in the midst of a day-long power failure on the Iberian Peninsula.
Bed tracks of drums, bass, guitars and keyboards were recorded live, reports Dave Genn, the band’s South Surrey-raised lead guitarist.
“That’s how 54-40 records most of the time, if possible,” he said, “but this time we really made sure we were prepared to get great performances with great sounds so that we didn’t need to replace anything later. As a result we feel we’ve captured an energized and immediate-feeling record.”
Back in September 2023, 54-40 played at the inaugural Barnside Harvest Festival, where a 10,000-strong crowd filled Ladner’s Paterson Park for a 90-minute set of familiar hits.
Delta’s new Barns to Beaches fest combined a community bike ride along a new cycling route followed by live music by 54-40 plus Emmett Jerome, Spendo, Honeybear the Band and others on a stage set up outside Southlands Red Barn, opposite Four Winds Beach House & Brewery.
On July 18-19, the 2026 edition of Surrey Fusion Festival features a long list of diverse performers including 54-40, Kulwinder Billa, Fionn, Dumpsta Dragons, cover band Dr. Strangelove, bluegrass combo Jackson Hollow, Soca Sensations and many more. Visit surreyfusionfestival.ca/performers for set times and more festival details.