About Us

It’s been a long, strange trip to becoming Toronto-based jam band Danceland. The band’s founding guitarist and singer-songwriter, Joe Ferland, came up as a musician in the 1990s New York City music scene, playing in a variety of rock and pop-punk contexts, and earning a few record deals along the way. Eventually, the music biz hustle burned him out, and he took a decade sabbatical. Music came back into his life during the passing of his mother when he and his wife—his co-writer and co-vocalist Jale—found their way to Danceland. The band released its eclectic debut, Pink Lem, in July 2022. The 7-track album was mixed by Grammy award-winning engineer Gregg Rubin (The Avett Brothers, Harry Connick, Ben Folds). 

The five-piece band is rooted in a timeless psychedelic Americana tradition, replete with fine, storyteller songcraft; sunny harmonies; and stratospheric lead guitar passages. Initally, Danceland was conceived as Cherry Garcia Band, a project performing imaginative versions of Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band tunes. With the onset of the pandemic, they shifted focus to creating original music. Danceland's debut album, Pink Lem (2022), was a well- received neo-hippie exploration, blending playful and serious themes. Their 2024 album, Licky, showcases a more refined and dynamic sound, featuring a mix of original tracks and one cover. 

Both albums include contributions from a talented lineup of musicians and has been praised for its tight songcraft and engaging arrangements. Danceland continues to tour extensively across Canada and the northeastern U.S. The band is thriving, combining their musical roots with a vibrant, forward-looking approach.