Putting the skates aside for music
Posted By By Hamish MacLean
Posted 10 months ago
Folk music and punk rock might seem like two totally different musical styles to many. But Canmore’s Seth Anderson says the two go hand in hand.
“I see them as almost identical,” Anderson said. “Folk music from its origins was punk rock. It was Woody Guthrie singing protest songs, Bob Dylan singing protest songs — and pretty much singing what people don’t have the guts to say — I mean, that’s punk rock.”
He’s toured with friends for the past three years, but now Anderson is heading out for his first solo tour: a 30-day trip out to the East Coast and back.
The 28-year-old has been pursuing music for the last four years. Before that, he spent a lot of time playing hockey.
Anderson played two years of Junior A in Ontario and played two years in the Maritimes and then he was a walk on at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He won the Allan Cup as a Senior AAA player.
“Most of my networking has come through hockey,” Anderson said. And as it does that networking has been getting him shows.
He doesn’t have every show booked on his way back through the prairies, but he doesn’t seem to care.
Anderson plans on releasing a new disk sometime next year, but he’s not shaken by the fact he’s not touring a new disk either.
“There are so many things you can think you have to have done before you plan on going on the road,” Anderson said. “But, I plan on touring constantly. Whenever I fit a CD in, that’s great. I’ll tour to support that at that time. Just getting on the road is my main objective. Just playing some shows and covering some ground, getting to play for people — they’ll get the CD when they get it.”
The mountain biking and snowboarding drew him back after his first summer in Canmore, he said. But the music community here is promising. Anderson said he loves it here.
“I don’t think enough people in town really realize the potential that there is here,” Anderson said. “There’s a lot of people here now trying to put on little events and trying to build an artists’ community.
“There’s a lot going on but the focus hasn’t really been there yet — there’s all these little pockets. I just haven’t seen one thing that’s pulled everybody together,” he said.
Anderson’s Mountains to Meadows tour leaves Canmore after Oct. 16. Anderson will play Zona’s Friday night (Oct. 16) where he’ll be joined by Andi Lonon. There’ll be local art for sale. Tickets are $5 at the door.
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