Waiting in the Edmonton airport, on my way home after 12 days touring, enjoying some time alone in the crowd. The Wise & Weathered tour, with Catherine MacLellan and Raghu Lokanathan, was sweet, and we felt that we grew into the name as we racked up the winter miles. We started the tour with a sold-out show in Whitehorse and continued to have good turn-outs and enthusiastic encores all along the way. Seems it was a balanced combination of funny, odd and beautiful music. We hunkered down in my cabin in Whitehorse for a few days before the tour began, to work up each other’s tunes, and we spontaneously composed a few instrumentals as well. This collaborative style of touring is interesting; sharing the stage with other songwriters I admire, and pushing ourselves as accompanists while we step back and let one another take the lead. Raghu has a calm grace and humility about him that makes songs like “I’m a Fucking Genius” all the more hilarious. Catherine sings like a goddess and makes you feel like really, everything will be all right. I launched some of my new songs into the world, and it’s gratifying to have them well received and to let them do their work; heartening and hopeful missives.
After Wise & Weathered was over Raghu and Catherine headed home while I stayed in Alberta for two more shows with Annie Lou. A bit of a change of pace from what came before – these girls are rowdy and we played some smokin’ fast fiddle tunes and Annie Lou originals for the crowds in Lloydminster and Athabasca. Makes me look forward to the summer, when we’ll hit the festival circuit again.
Kim