For more than 25 years, Mike Regimbal has been a familiar and respected presence in the Vancouver Island music scene — a multi-instrumentalist whose reputation has been built not only on talent, but on versatility, collaboration, and the ability to make almost any room feel like a Saturday night kitchen party with a really good PA system.
A true working musician, Mike has spent decades performing across the Island in bands ranging from high-energy corporate cover acts to original songwriting collectives, roots ensembles, classic rock projects, and Cajun dance bands. Equally comfortable on guitar, bass, fiddle, mando, percussion, and vocals, he’s the kind of player other musicians love working with: adaptable, intuitive, and always listening. Audiences know him as the guy who somehow makes every performance feel relaxed, polished, and just a little unpredictable in the best possible way.
From 2001 through 2012, Mike was a founding member of Loose Change, one of Vancouver Island’s well-known corporate and event cover bands. Alongside an all-star lineup featuring Dee Cooper on keys, Paul Stapleton on guitar, Catherine Hamilton on trumpet, Sue Regimbal on trombone, Kevin Paetz on saxophone, and Barry Ringstead on drums, the group built a reputation for dynamic live shows, tight arrangements, and enough musical horsepower to fill dance floors from Victoria to Nanaimo. Somewhere during those years, Mike also became highly skilled at loading gear in the rain — an essential West Coast musician credential.
At the same time, Mike helped form Children of Celebrities with acclaimed singer-songwriters Mike Raymer and Rob Egan. Between 2002 and 2013, the trio recorded and released three albums from Mike’s “Join the Jam Studio” and performed hundreds of shows up and down Vancouver Island, blending thoughtful songwriting, sharp harmonies, and a strong sense of camaraderie that audiences connected with immediately. The project became known not only for its original music, but for performances that felt genuine, spontaneous, and refreshingly unmanufactured.
Since 2012, Mike has performed with Bijoux Du Bayou alongside Sam Torrance, carrying on the legacy of the celebrated Cajun and Zydeco group originally founded in 1997. The band has become a staple for audiences looking for infectious rhythms, Louisiana spirit, and the irresistible urge to dance whether they planned to or not.
Over the years, Mike has also collaborated with an impressive list of Vancouver Island musicians through numerous bands, duos, and trios. Projects with players such as Alan Heffer, Glenn Burrell, Eugene Nep and The City Slickers, along with Dave Gray, Don Peterson, and Tom Lang of The Rockin’ Crew, have allowed Mike to explore everything from roots rock and blues to dance music and classic country. Through it all, his musical philosophy has remained the same: play honestly, support the song, and never underestimate the importance of good timing — musically or comedically.
Today, Mike continues writing and performing with longtime collaborators Dee Cooper and Paul Stapleton in the emerging project Level Crossing, proving that after more than two decades in the Island music community, he’s still evolving creatively and still happiest when surrounded by great players and live audiences.
Whether on stage at a festival, tucked into a pub corner with a trio, or anchoring a packed dance floor with a full band, Mike Regimbal represents the best traditions of Vancouver Island musicianship: seasoned, collaborative, unpretentious, and deeply committed to the craft. Also, after 25 years of hauling amps, cables, keyboards, stands, and “just one more monitor,” he has fully earned the right to complain about load-outs.
For physical events that happen at a specific time. For example a concert, or dance performance. If there are multiple shows, you can still duplicate your event to cover them all.
Pro Patria Legion
