Tigerwing at Smiling Buddha Dec 17

So for the show tonight, whats your setup like?

I’m always adding and taking away elements to the live shows.  I think there’s sometimes pressure to make it look like I’m actually doing something more on stage but fuck that, if I’m spending all my waking hours 

(and sometimes dreaming hours) on this music, I’m going to push buttons and perform it how I want and don’t need to hold an instrument to communicate that.

When I do add a new piece of gear it doesn’t last long.  I’ve had drum machines, synths, various pedals and it either gets "misplaced" by Via Rail or I lose interest after a few shows.  I prefer to have my whole set up fit in two bags.  That includes the flood lights I bring to every show because sad bar lighting isn't always the most inspiring or flattering.

Upcoming shows: 

Dec 10 at handlebar

Dec. 17 at Smiling Buddha

https://www.facebook.com/events/1771925289484167/

Recent recording and collaborations

I’ve mostly been working on writing/producing a lot and making music that I actually wanna listen to and perform for people because there can be such a difference.  Before I felt like I was almost making tracks as art pieces, more poetic, which is great-music can and should offer that too, but I felt a disconnect between what I want to listen to and what I was actually outputting.  I liked the idea of the music more than the music itself and reconciling that is an ongoing process.

Collaborations-  I haven’t had many this year/ been about some necessary tunnel vision.  I’ve been looking to do a lot of visual collabs with photography or video lately; there are a handful of video treatments I’ve been mulling over for unreleased tracks that I would ideally bring other people in on to enrichen that creative process.  

Bands/music youre excited about

First of all, there will always be so much great music coming out of the city- notably, A l l i e’s new album, “Nightshade” is really special.  She made an album where you don’t want to skip any of the songs?!  And there’s more to discover with each listen.  Total magic. 

A lot of UK artists have been grabbing my attention; there’s Miink who only have one track released- “Who Are You”.  It’s probably my favourite thing I’ve heard all fall and I keep checking back to see if they’ve put out more but the mystery and the wait is even more exciting.

I just heard Col3trane’s new tape and was totally blown away. Been on repeat.  Also Coucou Chloe. She has that sexy ugly noise thing happening which I am ALL about.

Food/beverages you’re excited about

I’ve been hitting the canned Moscow mules pretty hard all fall, which is funny because I don’t even like the real thing.…lately I can’t find them at any LCBO’s though and I’ve had multiple staff be like want me to call some other stores to see?  

That feels a little extra so I haven’t taken them up on the offer.

How toronto feels this fall/winter

It finally feels appropriately cold for faux fur and dramatic layering so I'm okay with it.  Winter is such a rich time for making art because it's always dark and there's less reason to go out and be social which means you can kind of stay in an uninterrupted dream state.  It also means less FOMO when you want to stay in and work on shit because who can blame you for that when it's negative double digits and it takes twice as long to get anywhere.  Like, see ya in May.

How has moving/life changed/affected tour music making in the past year?

Like a lot of Toronto residents, I’m on my like third home in three months and am finally getting to the point where it’s like …maybe I can unpack these boxes and chill out for a bit?

I spent the past two years feeling pretty isolated and consumed by grad school and it really wore me down so I’m honestly just getting back on my feet in every sense- especially with music.  

That intense academic experience was rewarding in some ways and I’ll always have that side to me but by the end of the two years I lost all concept of why I was doing everything and forgot that any of this was supposed to be fun.  So I’m ISO fun while also being more of a hermit than I’ve ever been because I’m excited by what I’m working on.

 photos by Gabrielle Smith