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With a little help from my huckleberry friends

By Simone Zucker

For those who know their slang, a huckleberry friend is either a lifelong friend or a fuck buddy.

Though third-year dance student Hilary Crist, her sister Amanda Jane and bandmate Sienna DeCampo aren’t fuck buddies, their music is just as good as having one, or even better.

Their band Huckleberry Friends is currently focusing on their upcoming album. The girls have worked on the record for the past three years, which will be released this December.

“That’s the thing, going to school and having stuff go on, for us takes a really long time,” said Crist. “And the Ryerson dance program gets pretty demanding.”

The female trio played at the Narwhal Art Projects, a gallery on Queen Street West on Sept. 24.

The girls are multi-talented and multi-instrumentalists who create very sinister, dark, yet endearing music.

Each song is driven by the ominous beat of the drums and minimalist bass, synthesizer, keyboard or guitar lines.

Their show last week seemed like a soundtrack to someone meandering through a forest, which fits the group’s style.

“Definitely our inspiration comes from nature, weather [and] politics,” explained Crist.

It’s not hard to see that there is a sense of sisterhood and friendship among the bandmates, which adds to their performance.

“My favorite part…is practising,” De- Campo said. “We were friends first.”

The group mixes friendship and a passion for music.

“We’re probably the most democratic band you’ll ever run into,” Crist said.

Check out their myspace at www. myspace.com/huckleberryfriends for their upcoming gigs. And who knows, maybe you’ll meet your huckleberry friend at one of their shows — be it a lifelong buddy or a bed mate.

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