Heartvelvets members Brock, Jeran, Liam and Roan rehearsing for upcoming show at Theoretically Brewing Company on April 11. photographed by Timothy Purkis.

A local band has been taking Lethbridge by storm, that band is Heartvelvets. Who are a local rock band with four young adults, who first formed in the spring of 2024 and has since played shows across Lethbridge, as well as Fort Macleod. 

Heartvelvets was originally a solo project under lead guitarist Roan Fazzio, in the spring of 2023 Fazzio released a solo album and an EP (Extended Play) in the spring of 2024 before the band formed. An EP is a release containing more tracks than a single which is two songs, but less songs than a full-length album which is typically between 10 and 12 songs. Which he recorded in his own basement with some fancy music equipment all by himself. These two releases were prior to the other three members joining to form the band that’s known today.  

“I was doing some solo stuff in my basement and just recording stuff, doing albums and then eventually it just came to be a thing with me and Jeran and then all four of us eventually. We were jamming out and we just kept writing songs and now we have new song and we’ve been recording and all that,” said Roan Fazzio.

For drummer Jeran Lyness he said the decision to join was very easy, because of his previous experiences and bond with Roan. 

“It was a pretty easy decision. I’ve known Roan for a while and we’ve been we’ve been playing together for a while. We really mesh as people and as players. When we decided to shift his solo project thing into more of a group project thing. I was right there with him from the start,” said Jeran Lynnes. 

For lead guitarist Liam Morin he said the decision to join Heartvelevets when the opportunity presented itself. Was the easiest choice he’s ever made in his music career to this point. 

“Like, the easiest thing I’ve ever done. Roan and I, we’ve always kind of talked about eventually doing a side project, like when we were both in high school, just like, hey, man we like similar music. Would be nice to play sometime. And then eventually, you know, I got a message from Roan saying, hey, get over here and be in my band. And so, I did,” said Liam Morin. 

For bass guitarist Brock Hendry the decision was easy, but the process of joining was a bit messy through some text messages at first. But Hendry has certainly not regretted his decision to join the band. 

“It’s a funny story because, Roan had texted me and said, hey, do you want to do Heartvelvets? initially I said no, I don’t know what came over me, to Roan I was like, you know, you guys can do Heartvelvets. If you guys want to do some solo stuff or if I want to do some sort of stuff, I’ll do that with you guys. It was not even 30 minutes later I was like, I like to perform on stage and I like this stuff and I don’t know why I just said no. So, I immediately text everyone afterwards I was like I’m sorry, I don’t even know what I was thinking. I don’t know what came over me, but other than that it was an easy decision to join,” said Brock Hendry.

The first live concert the band ever performed in was at Theoretically Brewing on the south side of Lethbridge. This venue holds a very special place in their hearts because this gave the band an opportunity to shine and gave them a chance to showcase what they are all about to the community. Theoretically welcomed them with open arms when they went to perform. 

“I think there’s just a special vibe to this place. It is so welcoming and is so open to players of all talents. You get to really see this unique melting pot of skill and talent, right within that venue,” said Lynnes. 

Roan completely agrees with Jeran, in that he likes how open they are to all types of talent in the music scene in Lethbridge. Brock likes how Theory doesn’t have too many standards in a good way, as they will just let you perform freely. Without having to worry about the owner’s expectations which is great for new artists, who aren’t used to performing live in front of crowds.

“It’s a very popular place for music. I just like how even if you have no pull at all in the music scene, they’ll just let you open or let you have your own show there. They seem to really, not have too many standards in a good way, it’s easy to get into to Theory and get your feet off the ground. it’s nice that they are that member of the community. That’s a stepping stone for new musicians and new artists,” said Hendry. 

With Liam he likes how much closer he is to the fans at Theory, compared to other venues in Lethbridge. Which is why Theoretically Brewing is Morins favourite venue to play at in Lethbridge. Because he feels that more interaction happens that way compared to a stage where the fans feel a bit further away. 

“That one’s like particularly intimate being on the same level, like the Slice and the Owl have the stage and there’s like a little bit of a separation there. But Theory you’re all like really face to face with people in the crowd. A lot more interaction happens that way,” said Morin.

While Heartvelvets is a relatively new band in Lethbridge. They certainly hope to achieve some great things and make even more memories together, within the next three to five years. such as performing more not just in Lethbridge but out of town, releasing more music for the fans, but also not change anything that’s been working since the group decided to form. 

“Hopefully we can get this album that we’ve been recording out within the next three to five years. I hope for the best, I’ve had a lot of fun so far with these guys. It’s just, we’ve all kind of molded together, and we’ve all got our different things like different genres of music we enjoy. And I think we’ll continue to be able to blend those together as we have so, very excited for the future, whatever we do,” said Fazzio. 

Jeran also agrees with what Roan said, that releasing this album is a huge goal for the band and hopes to get that done within the next few years. Lynnes is also very much looking forward for what the future hold with Heartvelvets. For Liam a goal would be to start performing more outside of Lethbridge and getting their name out there to a wider audience outside of Lethbridge. 

“Obviously playing more shows, it’d be sick to get some, out of town stuff going on, like going up to Calgary. There’s a lot of great venues that I’ve seen bands play there, but I think an equally important thing is I don’t want that much to change right now. It doesn’t feel like work, all the music comes naturally and I’d like to keep that going,” said Morin.

Brock agrees with what Liam said about touring and performing outside of Lethbridge more. However, with how smooth everything is going right now in the band, Hendry wouldn’t want to change anything and wants to keep being good friends with his bandmates. But also continuing to make good music for the fans to enjoy. 

For future concerts and upcoming events, you can check them out on Instagram by searching @heartvelvetsreal, as they look forward to gaining new followers and more fans. For those who are fans of rock music, according to a story on “What is the most popular music in Canada 2026?” by camuz.ca (n.d). “Rock music still very popular in Canada.” The band says you will more than likely have a good time when they are out there rocking out. You can check them out on Spotify and Apple Music on Linktree.