Toronto band Birds of Bellwoods return to town this weekend to perform at Jasper Folk Music Festival.
Expect big sounds, high energy, new music and old favourites when they fill the Friday night headliner slot September 6.
Lead screamer Stevie Joffe got on the telephone device with Fuchsia Dragon.
Fitzhugh: We’re just a few days from your big show in Jasper, how are you feeling about it?
Stevie: We are so, so, excited. Jasper has always been a bit of a second home for us. It was the first out-of-town festival we were flown out to play and fell in love with Jasper as soon as we saw it. It’s not the same attitudes, people, landscapes as we get in Ontario. Now, coming back to play is a dream come true for us.
Fitz: What’s your history with the Folk Festival?
Stevie: This is our third time playing the Folk Festival. There was the first time, then again the year after, then a little break but we came back and played a show out there. It’s very cool for us to be a bit of a thing in Jasper.
Fitz: What can we expect from your show?
Stevie: Expect a lot of new music. We are going to be previewing a few songs we have been working on in the studio, hear the new song Easy. Expect our usual level of energy. We are a pretty energetic band and being out there in our favourite town only pushes that further.
We have a few tricks up our sleeve - expect some friends to be joining us for the encore.
Fitz: Tell me a bit about you new single.
Stevie: The single is called Easy. It is a reflection on how far we have come and recognition of how far we have left to go. It is bigger and brighter and more in the pop arena than anything we have released so far. It’s already got radio play. It is a big radio pop tune, very energetic.
Fitz: How would you describe your sound?
Stevie: That’s a very difficult question. Every member would describe it a bit differently. We joke that if we had to pick one it would be indie folk alternative pop rock. We are an apocalypse band - if all music ended we could play a little bit of everything.
We were very much an acoustic folk band and gradually came to realise our shows were more energetic than that.
Fitz: What’s next for Birds of Bellwoods?
Stevie: That is very much this tour and then we are embarking on a North America arena tour as the musical act for Rock the Rink. It features Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Patrick Chan, Kaetlyn Osmond and Elvis Stojko - all of Canada’s favourite stars. I am extremely excited about it. It’s such a unique opportunity.
