Eschewing the maritime folk synonymous with their East Canadian surroundings, In-Flight Safety are a four-piece indie outfit influenced by the sweeping piano-based rock of Coldplay, Travis, and Radiohead. After winning a competition at the North by Northeast Festival, they decided to concentrate on a music career when David Bowie e-mailed them to say how much he enjoyed their debut EP, Vacation Land. In 2006, they released their debut album, The Coast Is Clear, whose title track earned them a nomination for Video of the Year at the Juno Awards. Following the success of their 2009 sophomore album, We Are an Empire, My Dear, they performed at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. ~ Jon O'Brien