You may remember Mike Tod performing in Lethbridge with Distance Bullock, we ll the Calgary singer songwriter gets to shine on his own, Feb. 9 at the Owl Acoustic Lounge when he shares the stage with Chris Gheran.
Both have recently released new CDs.
Tod was inspired to write his new CD “T
he California Recordings,” by a spontaneous road trip to northern California.
“I just packed up my car and went,” said Tod, who has cousins in Northern California.
“But I’ve always been drawn to northern California. The songs are songs that I either wrote or heard from people on that trip,” he said.
“ It’s just beautiful there, I drove the Pacific Coast Highway, which is right along the ocean,” he said.
And while he hadn’t planned it, the CD ended up being a chronological record of his trip.
The Cd is a very laid back and sparse effort, featuring just Tod’s voice and guitar plus some pleasant background vocals from Alyssa Gardener.
His live show is a little different, featuring much more blues.
“ I play acoustic guitar and a cigar box guitar and stomp on my suitcase,” he said adding he listens to a lot of original blues players like Charlie Patton and Son House plus folk musicians s like Pete Seeger
He is enjoying playing with Chris Gheran, though they are doing separate sets, sometime he joins Tod on stage.
“We were playing on Saturday and he just came up on stage and playing harp,” he said.
They played a couple of shows together in Regina last week and will be playing a couple this week in Calgary and Lethbridge.
Tod is also playing the Twin Butte Store, Feb. 8.
There is no cover for the show, which begins at approximately 9 p.m. at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Feb. 9.
