Fresh off the release of their sophomore album, Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit, Royal Canoe is relishing in the excitement of a new record while playing on the North American leg of their tour.
A mosaic of rhythmic hip hop, experimental alt-pop beats and complex indie-rock, this six-member outfit from Winnipeg, Man are experts at crafting an intricate web of catchy sounds that are unpredictable, uncomfortable and fantastically disorienting.
The Silhouette had a chance to chat with two members of Royal Canoe during this year’s Supercrawl: Matt Peters, lead vocalist, and Matt Schellenberg, vocalist and keyboardist.
Since their critically acclaimed debut in 2013 with Today We’re Believers, Royal Canoe has graced stages the world over with gigs at festivals such as Osheaga and Bonnaroo, as well as toured with massive bands Bombay Bicycle Club and Alt-J. Schellenberg and Peters discussed the differences between opening for such renowned artists versus playing their own shows.
“There are definitely a lot more people [at Bombay Bicycle Club and Alt-J’s shows],” Schellenberg said with a chuckle.
“I mean it’s kind of a different feel when you’re opening [compared to] when you’re headlining… when you’re opening you kind of feel like you’re there to warm up the crowd… whereas when you’re headlining it kind of feels like you are the event. So it’s a different mentality but in the end I think you still just to like put on a great show,” added Peters.
“With [Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit] we’re actually at a spot where we can for the first time ever attempt to put on a [big production show] and I think touring with those other bands and watching what they’ve done on that level of production and how many people come together to pull that off has been really inspiring.”
Although Royal Canoe rocked their set at Supercrawl this year, it wasn’t the band’s first go at Hamilton’s signature music festival. Last year’s their performance was cancelled due to a torrential downpour right before their set. Despite an light drizzle this year, the show went on successfully. It had been three years since Royal Canoe’s last album, and their fans eagerly awaited to see how Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit related to its predecessor.
“I definitely think [our new album] builds on [Today We’re Believers]. I feel like on that last record there was a lot of exploring what our range was. There were some songs that maybe fit a little bit more into the reflective indie rock world and others that pulled more from a darker, heavier hip-hop sort of groove,” explained Peters.
“I think on [Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit] we’ve focused more on that latter influence; that’s not to say there aren’t still beautiful moments of reflection, I don’t think you could do what we do without having that vulnerability, but it just feels like we’ve taken our favourite part from last record and really pushed those further and explored those areas… we just have a better idea of who we are.”
Earlier this month, Royal Canoe introduced the “Royal Canoe house call,” where fans in their hometown were encouraged to gather their friends together for a listening party and invite the band over to hang out.
“We [went to 20 parties in one night] and the very last house were these younger kids who had all these party hats they made that had deep-cut Royal Canoe lyrics on them that they had written out…[these were lyrics] that you’d have to be a fan to know…” Schellenberg said. “It was awesome.”
“It was so neat because you got to literally enter someone’s house and just [spend time together in this] intimate listening experience… you’d get that in a show too I guess but it’s just so different when you’re meeting [these people] and can have a real conversation in their space,” Peters added.
In a genre where music often becomes formulaic, this band subverts familiarity by tinkering with harmonics and textures to get strange, digital noises while keeping their sound organic. They are unafraid to try new things and use instruments in unconventional ways, resulting in adventurous tracks. This is experimentation refined.
“I think that we’ve finally managed to hone our sound into a more cohesive thing [on Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit]. If you already knew Royal Canoe you’ll be excited about this progression and if you didn’t then this is a great spot to jump on because it’s the thing we’re most proud of that we’ve done [thus far],” Schellenberg said.
Perhaps one of the most exciting weekends of the year in Hamilton is the annual arts and music festival Supercrawl.
For three days, vendors and food trucks line the closed-off streets, with local stores, galleries and restaurants open at extended hours for the throngs of festival-goers excited to experience the vibrant art and music scene the city has to offer.
This year, one of the most highly anticipated musical acts was The Strumbellas. The Silhouette had a chance to sit down with two members of the Supercrawl headliner during the festival: David Ritter, singer and keyboardist, and Jon Hembrey, lead guitarist, to talk music, European tour food and the feeling of success.
The Strumbellas are a Juno-award winning six-piece indie rock outfit from Lindsay, Ontario. In 2013, the band released their second album, We Still Move on Dance Floors, which went on to win the Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year Group category in 2014.
Earlier this year, the sextet released their third album, Hope. While We Still Move on Dance Floors was a success both commercially and critically, Hope is their first album to make a big in on international charts, with the single “Spirits” going double platinum in many countries. It is no surprise then, that the band sees Hope as a progression from We Still Move on Dance Floors.
“For me, all the records make sense as a progression. We Still Move on Dance Floors is a bit more indie or pop-like than [our first album] My Father the Hunter was. And Hope is probably more pop-like, more indie and more rock & roll than We Still Move on Dance Floors,” explained Ritter.
“So they kind of chart our growth in a certain direction. Maybe there’s more of a leap on Hope but it all makes sense to me as a progression.”
Since the band’s inception in 2008, The Strumbellas have experienced a steady rise in Canada with a dedicated and supportive fan base. However, the level of global attention Hope has garnered has resulted in massive leaps forward for the band, including a gig on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and an upcoming world tour.
“I’ve been a big Stephen Colbert fan for a long time…so I was pretty jazzed to meet him,” Hembrey said. “You know how [when you’re starstruck] you preemptively [come up with a response] to someone in your head? So [Colbert] goes: ‘Thanks for coming on my show,’ and I said: “You too!” Immediately I thought to myself: man, I’m a total loser… but it was such a cool experience for us to play on [such a lucrative show].
“And of course we are stoked about the tour,” Ritter added. “They have these pretzel croissants in Germany which are pretty amazing...Europe is fun, it’s very different. We eat really well when we’re over there. The fans are really amazing and different in each country so that’s cool. [After Europe] we’re back in the States for a while and it’s nice to be down there.”
“We’re just meeting some of our American fans for the first time… it’s kind of a change of pace from up here [in Canada] where people have known about us for a while [so] that’s nice and exciting.”
Having been catapulted onto the global stage in a few short months, it seems only reasonable that anyone, even veterans such as The Strumbellas, would find this magnitude of success a little surreal.
When asked whether he’s had a big “wow, we made it” moment yet, Ritter responded by saying that it’s the little moments that come and go rather than a, sudden revelation.
“Playing in the Ed Sullivan Theatre [for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert] was a pretty big deal… getting nominated for our first Juno was a big one, winning a Juno was [an even bigger] one… recording We Still Move on Dance Floors was a cool moment too,” he said.
“We recorded [in a studio] in the woods outside of Seattle that had a lot of history. There’s a picture of Lionel Richie and Eric Clapton hanging there, and Soundgarden and The Foo Fighters also recorded there…it does feel surreal though,” he admitted.
“It does sometimes feel abstract, such as when we get an email saying we’re getting airplay in South Africa and I’m sitting in my bachelor apartment in Toronto going like, ‘Well what does that even mean?’”
If the upcoming year resembles anything like the Strumbellas’ past year, David Ritter will likely be spending a lot more time in his Toronto apartment reflecting on the continued success of his band.
Saturday night is Supercrawl prime time, and the central spectacle of the evening was, as always, the highflying antics and storytelling of Circus Orange.
On their fourth year at the Supercrawl, the Ancaster based performance company took to the skies to entertain an audience of thousands.
Dancers performed while harnessed to the side of the York Boulevard parking garage, while the stage below provided the Circus Orange claim to fame: fire, and lots of it.
With mounting intensity, elaborate torches and giant sparklers were presented in a faux-religious ceremony. The show concluded the only way it could, a shower of sparks, lights, flames and fireworks.
The presentation, as usual was as much spectacle as it was oddity, but as explained by co-owner and artistic director Rebecca Carney, all of Circus Orange’s unique set pieces and routines start with a story.
In this case, the choreography and set pieces told the story of life in its stages from birth to adulthood.
“The hanging upside down was the birth cycle and then you got your playful cycle which was very youthful and very light. We have the fun kind of edgy thing which was turning into [and becoming] a teenager and then the conflict of moving from that to being an adult,” explained Carney.
The clothing of the dancers above the stage emphasized their “humanness,” while the unorthodox costumes were worn by performers on the ground.
The ritualistic and religious overtones of the stage were not accidental. The fire wielding “shaman” costume has actually been a reoccurring feature of Circus Orange shows, indicating the leader or ringmaster of the show.
The Supercrawl performance was conceived of, cast, and planned just two months beforehand. Carney expressed her excitement for the possibilities of this new performance as it would be the first time that they used the side of a neighborhood building as their mainstage.
“I’ve probably wanted to use that wall for like three to four years now, so it was really nice to finally get on it... It’s great because most of the audience could see everything on the wall.”
Carney formed Circus Orange with her partner Tom Comet. Carney’s creative direction is informed by a background in theatre and prior experience in traditional circus performance.
Comet is a 20-year circus veteran, specializing in chainsaw juggling and fire eating, a skill he taught Carney. The scope of Circus Orange’s performances has only expanded since their launch in 2002.
Though it is too early to tell what the next year’s plans will look like, Circus Orange has been one of the only acts to ascend as a "classic" component in the Supercrawl experience. For many attendees the evening would not be complete without adding some burning orange hue to the night sky.
Scrolling through an online portfolio of his work, the first adjective that describes most of Reece Terris’ work is ‘big’.
“I don’t know what happens,” the British Columbia-based artist admitted. “I get asked to do something and I usually fill up the space.”
“The large scale appeals to me because it’s something I can get my head around and it’s easy for me to manipulate. And it becomes temporary,” reflected Terris.
“The bigger it gets the harder it is to take home with you. So it’s a very ephemeral thing, very performative. All [of it] is performative in a way… It’s something you have to experience.”
Terris’ Supercrawl debut, 3rd Stage, was no different.
Working with Danger Boy, a local pyro and special effects company, Terris wedged a full-size stage into the courtyard behind the Hamilton Artists Inc., and used it to mount a 10-minute light and pyrotechnics show.
Seemingly building up to a main event that never occurs, 3rd Stage is meant to reframe how an audience observes performance by turning the spotlight to the stage itself.
“It’s… kind of like a rock and roll show without any rock and roll,” he explained.
Terris originally planned to mount a similar show at the Toronto Sculpture Garden, lighting the statues in the park only after its gates had been shut for the night.
“Anything that’s kind of lifted, like on a plinth, becomes... a site of potential. That’s what I’m interested in,” said Terris, citing his inspiration for the piece.
“And for this it’s a little tongue-in-cheek. Not necessarily subversive, but it’s interesting the way we make direct focusing on the staging.”
In the context of Supercrawl, where multiple performances are taking place on multiple stages at any given time, a piece like 3rd Stage becomes a fond smirk at the art world.
“It’s almost like we’ve taken what you see on the street outside [at Supercrawl] and gotten rid of the performers and put in a gallery to think about,” said Terris.
To create the piece, Terris set the lighting and pyrotechnical cues to music, however the show itself was completely devoid of sound.
“I started thinking about this as like a language. Like what happens when you start watching a movie and the words drop off and are slightly off and how awkward that is. It totally ruins the visual… This is kind of similar,” he explained.
“You start to think of it in terms of having a light show that obviously does have some pattern and rhythm to it but there’s no connection to anything audible or any movement or anything. So you really start to question the primacy of visual feedback without anything else.”
During the performance, audience members continuously whispered about when the ‘real show’ would start, and when something would happen onstage.
There was an unspoken discomfort hovering over the crowd. By the show’s halfway point the anticipation in the air was tangible, something Terris was striving for.
According to Terris, 3rd Stage is a show he is ultimately satisfied with. However, even for someone so keen on the impermanence of art, the show’s short lifespan was hard to swallow.
“It’s funny,” he said. “All that work for four, 10-minute shows.”
Hamilton's premier arts festival kicks off on Sept. 9, and we've got a breakdown of the best eats and beats.
WHO TO SEE
Hamilton’s very own Junior Boys (Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus) made a big return to the music scene this year with Big Black Coat, their first album in nearly five years. At heart an electro-pop duo who boasts techno influences and soul pop roots, their set will feature fantastic tracks both old and new and is definitely not one to miss. (At some point, be sure to go grab a drink at The Brain where you might be able to spot Jeremy behind the bar.)
Catch Junior Boys on September 11, 2016 at 5:45 PM at the Exclaim!/K-Lite FM Stage (James St. N. & Murray St.)
Supercrawl has really upped their game this year by booking a more diverse group of artists to play at the festival, one of which is Montreal-born music producer and hip-hop emcee Mubarak Adams, a.k.a. Emay. A talented rapper by trade, Emay has also collaborated with many artists both in and outside of his genre. Regardless what project he’s working on, Emay is able to convey potent statements in his music and always has something worthwhile to say to his audiences.
Catch Emay on September 9, 2016 at 4:00 PM at Mulberry Coffeehouse (James St. N. & Mulberry St.) and on September 10, 2016 at 3:00 PM at the Exclaim!/K-Lite FM Stage (James St. N. & Murray St.)
Kieran Hebden, a.k.a. Four Tet, is one of my personal favourites and is certainly on my list of artists I do not want to miss this Supercrawl. He is one of the most creative talents in the world of electronic music, producing tracks that transports you to another sonic universe that immerse you in the soft-glow of warm rhythms and beats.
Catch Four Tet on September 10, 2016 at 11:00 PM at the Exclaim!/K-Lite FM Stage (James St. N. & Murray St.)
As a long-time fan, Born Ruffians is perhaps one of the most highly anticipated bands this Supercrawl. Comprised of Luke Lalonde, Mitch Derosier, Andy Lloyd and Adam Hindle, this Canadian indie-rock outfit has catapulted to indie stardom since their inception in 2004. Touring all over the world with bands and musicians including Caribou, Tokyo Police Club and Franz Ferdinand. These boys have established a massive fan base who will surely be supporting their show this Saturday. If you want a taste of what this band has to offer, give a listen to Needles or 6-5000.
Catch Born Ruffians on September 10, 2016 at 7:15 PM at the Hamilton International Airport Stage (James St. N. & King)
WHERE TO EAT
A staple at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market, Buster’s Sea Cove offers a menu that boasts flavourful seafood dishes prepared with unparalleled expertise and delightful freshness. Simplicity is a core ideal for the chefs at Buster’s Sea Cove, so Toronto’s first seafood food truck will be offering a menu of tacos and rolls at Supercrawl this year. Be sure to check out their Ensenada-style fish tacos and crab rolls.
Meat-loving Supercrawl attendees rejoice! Meatventures Meat Wagon is a Hamilton-based food truck that specializes in house-cured, hardwood smoked meat dishes inspired by local and global flavours and cuisines. Expect a ton of flavourful meat treats at this spot including items such as house-cured bacon crème brûlée, parmesan fries and other goods drenched in bacon fat!
Remember those donut-looking ice cream cones you’ve been seeing all over Instagram? If you’ve been meaning to try them out, you’re in luck! Eva’s Original Chimney’s offers freshly baked unique, bread-like Hungarian pastries named Chimney Cakes which are named after their hollow, cylindrical shape. With a satisfying crunch on the outside and a delectable, light and fluffy dough on the inside, you can make these pastries even better by filling them with soft-serve ice cream and toppings of your choice. You’ll be seeing me in line.
No festival can be complete without churros. Founded in the early 1990’s by Claudia Rodriguez and her husband Leonardo, Chocochurros has since become a sensation on the streets of New York City and beyond. Take a walk through James Street with some churros filled with dulce de leche, drizzled with your choice of topping to enhance your Supercrawl experience.
Having arrived onto the flourishing Hamilton food scene earlier this year, FSH & CHP and HAMBRGR are two restaurants that serve different types of food with the same top-notch quality. Located right beside The Baltimore House, where many events during Supercrawl will be taking place, both restaurants are great options if you decide to comfortably dine-in one night instead of grab-and-go from food trucks.
As the name suggests, FSH & CHP offers fish and chips among a variety of other delicious seafood dishes, including brie and lobster fondue, crispy shrimp po’boy, lobster mac & cheese and a variety of mussel pots. If you want to grab a brew with something hearty, HAMBRGR offers a vast array of gourmet burgers such as the #HAMONT which includes a double patty, grilled onions, American cheese, mustard glazed bacon, “Brgr” sauce and iceberg lettuce.
WHAT NOT TO MISS
If you want to catch a spectacle this Supercrawl, Circus Orange will give you one. Circus Orange is a live action performance company that toys with pyrotechnics, special effects and stunts. A group of talented performers will be artfully integrating dance, acting, circus and aerial arts with lots of fire, sparks and special effects. I know – this sounds awesome, so be sure not to miss it.
Catch Circus Orange on September 10, 2016 at 9:30 PM at the Circle Orange Spectacle Zone (York Blvd & James St. N.)
