Heads & Tails
Nick MacMahon, Staff
SubCity Dwellers
The Zoo Feb. 9, $10
What’s your musical philosophy?
Personally, music is a lifestyle more than philosophy. Quite often it means holding down minimum wage jobs that are willing to give you the time off to tour, or else you come to terms with the fact that you have to find a new job every three months. Any time you’re not playing or writing music, you’re listening to records, watching shows, and reading about it. It means carving out a life that might be a little restrictive financially but rewarding beyond words. When you hit the road with your best friends with nothing to worry about except showing up in the next town down the road, you know it’s all been worth it.
What’s your musical style?
Eclectic: anything that gets people up and dancing.
Who or what are your influences?
We love heavy reggae sounds, punk, blues, soul, and rock ’n’ roll. Alain is a fantastic drummer trained in jazz and everything you can name; he can play anything we throw at him, which allows us a huge amount of latitude in exploring new styles.
What inspires you?
I (Matt) draw a lot of inspiration from different roots music, which makes its way through to my guitar-playing. I love quietly sneaking country, blues and, more recently, soul licks or rhythms into our music.
Who’s in the band right now?
We’ve had the same lineup for four or five years now — Al on drums, Darwin on bass, Ian and Matt on guitar, Kevin on organ and keyboards, Allison on trumpet, Rob on trombone, and Darryl on sax. Being together for so long has really lent itself to growth both musically and amongst ourselves.
Is “being prepared” for a gig a mindset or just a matter of practice?
No matter how well we’ve practiced, I always get nervous for our shows. If I’ve eaten much of anything, it’s likely I’ll be fighting to keep my meal down in the moments before a show. But once the music starts, your fingers take over, and it’s a whole other story.
Where does your musical confidence come from?
Confidence? I’d have to say any confidence I have is just knowing that I’m on stage with seven of my best friends, having an amazing time, playing music and doing what we love. I’m sure you’ve heard this from a hundred people, but there really is something to be said for those moments when you’re feeding off of everyone’s energy — both people on stage and in the audience. You can’t beat it.
If money wasn’t an issue, would your style be any different? Would you take more risks?
We’re not really at a stage where money makes any difference to us . . . every dollar we can scrape up is funnelled back to the band, so that we can afford gas money and van rentals on tour, renting our jam space, and recording our albums. If anybody has a 15-passenger van for sale out there, please e-mail us! I can tell you this, though — if Kevin had more money, he’d probably disappear behind a mountain of gear: organs, keyboards, modulators and effects. He’ll have to get his own touring vehicle soon.
Serena Postel
Shannon’s Irish Pub Feb. 12, 9:30 p.m.
What’s your musical philosophy?
Music is abstract medicine. That’s my short answer — long answer requires a publisher and a hard cover.
What’s your musical style?
How about we discuss it at Shannon’s on Tuesday, the 12th, after the first set?
Who or what are your influences?
Gordon Downie (The Tragically Hip) — amazing story-teller! Dale Willis (Australian fingerstyle champion) has had a huge impact on how I appreciate and play guitar.
What inspires you?
My kids do! They remind me how important it is to play, paint, create, and daydream. It seems so simple — these things are a way of meditation for me and it keeps my mind and spirit stretched and open.
Who’s in the band right now?
Jake Stead on upright and electric bass, Jake Bell on drums and looking to add some horns to the live show (nudge-nudge, send me a message if you’re interested).
Is “being prepared” for a gig a mindset or just a matter of practice?
Both. Practice is conditioning. Get yourself in a solid routine before shows (making sure you have everything you don’t need, because if you forget to bring it, you’ll suddenly need it). This time preparing always naturally puts me in that mindset.
Where does your musical confidence come from?
I learned to laugh at myself! As I’m “growing up,” I worry less about how I measure up to someone else and their expectations and focus on what I expect of me and what I am putting into this life. I am comfortable with myself — which I suppose translates into confidence.
If money wasn’t an issue, would your style be any different? Would you take more risks?
I don’t think style and money have anything to do with each other — if we believe that, then we are bound by its limitations and trends. We have access to so many incredibly talented, notable people in this city; there is always a way, we just have to do the work. By allowing myself to do what I’m doing, changing up my life (and my family’s) in order to accomplish goals I’ve set for myself, that was the big risk. If I had the money to secure it all, it wouldn’t have been so scary . . . or so empowering.
