Toronto musician Eamon McGrath returns to Lethbridge in the dead of winter, March 4 when he plays the Owl Acoustic Lounge with local band Starpainter, aka a rebranded Utilities.
“Winter is a good time to tour because people really appreciate live music,” said McGrath, who had a busy year last year, releasing a book and two albums including his most recent CD “Guts,” which came out in September.
“I thought the last album cycle would be two and a half years, but grant money came in so I recorded another album,” said the Edmonton born musician, taking a brief break at home in Toronto, where he has been living for the past 10 years.
He released “Tantramar” in June 2018 and less than a year later, released “Guts” in May, which continues to explore alt country music.
He is touring with his long time band pedal steel guitarist Darrek Sanderson, drummer Connor Ellinger and bassist Tavo de Bonilla. Half of the band live in Edmonton, which he noted isn’t a problem as they spend most of the year touring.
“Tavo also plays with Jenn Grant,” he observed.
“We play a lot on the road and that is how we grow to make it better,” he continued.
“We’ve probably played 600 shows since Tantramar was released. It’s really been non-stop. It’s been relentless,” he continued, adding musicians have to tour a lot if they want to make a living making music.
“ But I’m going to be a little more focused this year. Before I’d play any dot on the map with a name next to it,” he said.
The two most recent CDs show his continued evolution from punk rocker to alternative country musician.
“ I wanted to move away from the punk rock label,” he said.
“There is a lot of darkness on ‘Tantramar.” It is the type of CD you want to listen to alone in the dark with your headphones on. It is definitely more cynical. It’s a little quieter and introspective ‘Guts’ has some of those residual emotions left over. But it is a little more hopeful. It is more they type of CD you want to blast on your stereo at a party,” he described.
He said the Lethbridge show will include music from both CDs.
“There will be the quieter stuff and louder songs and some punk rock and some old school covers that we play,” he said.
The music begins at 9 p.m. Admission is by donation
