It seems that almost every artist that comes through Jasper has some sort of strange connection to the town. Rob Moir’s connection started across the Atlantic, and he still has never been here. 

“You see when I was riding a bicycle in France a few years ago, I met an interesting kid named Jeremy (a Jasper resident). He was probably the first person I’ve ever met who had nothing but lovely things to say about the small town he was from,” Moir says. “With that in mind, I am very excited to play in Jasper.”

Moir will be playing in Jasper on Feb. 2 with Seth MacDonald. The former front man of the Dead Letter Dept., an indie-punk band from Toronto, Moir is launching a 40-date tour to mark the release of his first solo album. Moir is a veteran of the rock star-lifestyle, having toured all over the world with a number of punk bands. 

“I have spent years playing in punk rock bands living out of vans, rolling over the roads of Canada, U.S., U.K. and Europe,” he said. “This time I will be travelling by bus and train so it will be interesting.”

Moir describes his sound as a “sincere blend of alt-folk rock,” that fans of The Weakerthans, Wilco or the Replacements would enjoy. 

“I certainly wear my heart on my sleeve in my songs and I am happy with both the shininess and the bitterness of them.”

Moir has been playing music since the age of 14, when he began fronting bands. “Some of those songs even made their way into TV shows like Degrassi: The Next Generation which I hear the kids enjoy,” Moir jokes. 

The artist hasn’t quite left behind his punk rock antics with his solo shows.

“It’s like you can take me out of punk rock but you can’t take punk rock out of me,” Moir said.

Music lovers can expect an upbeat performance that mixes softer sounds with a harder edge – plus a few tricks from the old punk rock play-book. 

“I do keep in mind that it’s just me with a guitar up there, and while story-telling and standing on tables while playing certainly can’t make up for drums and electric guitar, those aspects help make for a fun and better show,” he said. 

Moir is proud of his first solo album, titled This Is The Lie that covers a lot of ground and brings up memories of his past. 

“This record is my first born, my graduation and my marriage to rock n’ roll all in one go. It reminds me of my mid-twenties and being messed up over relationships, partying too much and travelling with wide eyes and a grin,” he said. “It has parts that are pretty and bright, and the lyrics are kinda funny in this subtle way. I think there are aspects about it that anyone would like or be able to relate to.”

Visit Moir’s MySpace page, for more information on show dates and times.