Van Allen Belt (band)

Van Allen Belt was a Canadian alternative rock group from Kingston, Ontario, active in the 1990s.^[1][2] An experimental rock band whose sound included forays into electroacoustic music,^[3] they were best known for appearing on the Another Roadside Attraction festival bill in 1997.^[4]

History

Van Allen Belt was formed in 1994 by Queen's University students Shawn Savoie, Mark Fraser and Jason Joly.^[5] The group won a university battle of the bands competition before releasing their self-titled debut album in 1996.^[1] They performed in support the album as an opening act for The Tragically Hip at several concerts in both Canada and the United States.^[6]

Van Allen Belt followed up in 1997 with The Brown Bomber, a concept album about a faith healer named Bishop Brown who had grown up as the child of circus freaks,^[7][8] and performed on the Tragically Hip's Another Roadside Attraction bill that year.^[9][5][10]

They were selected by Billboard as a band to watch in 1998,^[11] but ultimately broke up before recording another album.