By Emily Kemp, Special to the Review
Contemporary folk, soul and jazz arrangement Ewan Macintyre Band will play at Revelstoke’s Summer Street Festival on Friday, fresh off their tour of the U.K. and Europe.
The Revelstoke gig will feature a five-piece Scottish and Canadian band with cello, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, bass and electric guitar. Band leader Macintyre, who has a love for puppets outside of music, has loosely based himself in Montreal and reflects his life experiences through his song lyrics. Expect beautiful string arrangements, heartfelt ballads and rocking solos. The Review caught up with Macintyre and chatted about life on the road.
What’s the story behind your first solo EP, You Probably Look Better Naked Anyway?
It comes from graffiti I saw in Montreal. The album material is about baring one’s soul and letting go so it was appropriate. I wrote the core material while hitchhiking around Nova Scotia. I ended up at a rainbow gathering and had a much-needed perspective shifting experience.
What’s it like touring in the UK/Europe compared to Canada?
Touring in Europe is easier. Places are closer together, food and booze is way cheaper (2€ for a good bottle of wine) and my family and a lot of my friends are there.
B.C however is my favourite place to tour so far. People seem really open to musical experimentation as long as people don’t get confused and think that we’re a pure Celtic, traditional band. Sometimes people are surprised that we’re not just playing “Donald where’s yer troosers”
Youtube
How does your band get along?
Being stuck in a van for a long time with people can be tough no matter how much you like them. The most important thing is to make sure that you exercise (we play football and swim), and give yourself emotional and physical space. I’ve been on the road since April and have been joined by three different line-ups (three of the whom have been with me 75 per cent of the time).
What entertains you outside of your music?
The love of my family. I find it very difficult to visit them because I have to say goodbye for such long periods of time. I’d like to maybe have a family of my own but they’d have to come on the road with me if I did because I couldn’t handle the heartache.
I love visual theatre, storytelling and puppetry. I love cycling, dancing and chilling out, drinking, reading, writing. Building things and adventure.
What is your most valued material possession and why?
I play too many different instruments to choose just one but I would say the fiddle my grandmother made, the guitar I made, my Cole Clark guitar, my great grandfathers mandolin, my grandfathers suits, and I have a couple puppets I travel with too.
Ewan Macintyre Band will play at the Summer Street Festival in Grizzly Plaza this Friday, July 28, from 6:30–9:30 p.m.
