East Coast musician and wordsmith Brent Mason is coming to Clearwater next week, where he’ll give listeners a night of his signature acoustic-based tunes blended with old fashioned maritime storytelling.
Mason, who comes from Saint John, N.B., also just released his eleventh studio album, Fireflies, so those familiar with his music can expect fresh selections in the evening’s mix.
“The album has many contributions from many musical friends — not just a guy playing an acoustic guitar and singing — though that’s what the show is,” said Mason, adding Fireflies runs the gamut from folk and country to rock, blues and New Orleans swamp.
“It’s a pretty tight collection of tunes. I’m known as a decent lyricist here on the East Coast and words matter a lot to me, so these songs reflect that; there’s a strong tradition of storytelling in the Atlantic provinces, and the audience can expect that at the show.”
This will be Mason’s third Home Routes tour after one he did through northern B.C., which saw him take a “nail-biting” ride in a Chevy Malibu with -25 degree weather toward Prince Rupert, and another that was through northern Alberta from Jasper and up close to the North West Territories.
He said he’s excited for round three because it’ll take him through the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island where he used to live decades ago, and also because it has dates in the Clearwater area, which he’s yet to experience.
“I’m really excited to come, man. That’s some of the country and B.C. I haven’t been to,” he said.
“And I used to live on Vancouver Island back before I came home to spawn in 1992. I haven’t really been back in any meaningful way since then, so I’m also going to see some country I haven’t seen in a long time that holds a near and dear place in my heart.”
READ MORE: Home Routes returns to Clearwater
Although Home Routes is noted for featuring many folk musicians on its roster, and Mason’s work definitely has elements of the genre, he emphasizes there’s a lot more diversity in his music than just one style.
He said being a solo performer with an acoustic guitar can invite audiences to pigeonhole him as a folk artist, but he promises listeners they can expect more from his upcoming show.
“I tend to be called folk just because I’m a guy with an acoustic guitar, but essentially it’s a real mix, and I’m a writer as well. So I think just communicating through that narrative is really important to me. I think it’s the best thing I do, other than being stunningly handsome.”,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m (also) a yapper, so I really like to infuse the night with song and story; it becomes a fairly loose narrative that unfolds during the night and hopefully people get to know me a bit and I get to know them.”
Mason will be playing at the Dutch Lake Community Centre on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. Those interested in tickets can visit www.homeroutes.ca
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