Hello hello hello,
It really has been a long time. All that really means is that I’ve been busy making stuff and having a good time. Frankly, I had better things to do than write updates. Still true, but here I am anyway.
June saw me doing some solo shows in the midwest US (huge thanks to the incomparable JE Sunde and my excellent pals in Maritime), and then at the amazing Tiny Lights festival in Ymir BC, where my inner hippie ran wild. From there, I travelled to Saskatoon (don’t ask about the logistics) and met up with my band: Jeremy Gara, Pietro Amato and Tim Crabtree. We had a bit of rehearsal (special ups to Tyson Brookes McShane of Slow Down Molasses fame) and then rocked the beautiful church for MoSoFest. Tim (aka Paper Beat Scissors) did a jaw dropping performance that same night with special arrangements of his own music for a chamber ensemble. True magic.
From there, we ventured west and sang and played for whomever would have us (big thanks to Find the Others), eventually ending up in Calgary for two shows at Sled Island, which which was a nice closer. Plus, I got to see Television and Drive Like Jehu – each as unlikely as the other.
After MF band tour, I went into hiding with my homies from Bell Orchestre. We went into the woods of Vermont, and made hours and hours (and hours) of improvized music, to the end of eventually making sense of it in order to create something to offer for the people. It’s been a long silence, and it’s become time to make some noise.
From there, it was straight to Atlin Arts and Music Festival, in the very north of BC. Aside from having the opportunity to make music for an amazing crowd, I got to ride in a helicopter to the foot of a glacier. Glacier Love, indeed.
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I was joined for my sets by the dream team of Micah Smith, Jordy Walker and Devon Sproule. We also had our new friends Anna & Elizabeth join us as the chorus for ‘Birds and Bees’. Such a treat.
Jordy, Micah and myself also served as the band for Devon’s sets, which was a real highlight for me in my musical life, as it’s no secret I’ve been a fan of Devon and her music for a long time. Immediately following the festival, our group retreated to a little riverside hut in Whitehorse (thanks to Yukon Film Society) to workshop and lay down tracks toward some of Devon’s incredible new songs.
I returned home, and then had a holiday before SappyFest X, which was it’s usual wicked weekend-long birthday party. I got to play with my East coast crew, of Nick Cobham, Kyle Cunjak and Mike Belyea. Also got to witness unbelievable sets by Adrian Teacher & the Subs, Frog Eyes and Les Hay Babies – just the tip of the iceberg from a mind-blowing weekend of music and friends.
That brings us to now – back into some studio projects to be revealed in the near future. Also, lots of shows still to come, as well as playing guitar for Paper Beat Scissors, James Irwin and many more…
Lots of love to you all,
I’ll send updates as stuff happens.
xoMF