Parks Canada, The Banff Centre and Banff Lake Louise Tourism are ready once again to celebrate mountain heritage and culture by inviting some of Canada’s top musical talent to the Rockies.
Music lovers are invited to Performance in the Park, taking place June 19-20, at Banff’s Cascade Gardens to take in one of the highlights of Banff National Park’s summer events. Joel Plaskett Emergency and Matt Andersen and the Mellotones will perform on Friday, June 19, while K-OS, Rural Alberta Advantage and Hannah Georgas take the stage on Saturday, June 20.
The Rocky Mountain Outlook caught up with Plaskett, who is currently on tour, to discuss his latest album, The Park Avenue Sobriety Test, his latest solo release.
“It’s everything all at once and I felt this record was a little bit of that because it’s got The Emergency on it, it’s got guys that used to play in The Emergency, it’s got my friend Pete Elkas and Ian McGettigen, he used to be in Thrush Hermit with me as well as The Emergency, Tim Brennan and then a bunch of new friends too,” Plaskett said.
“Mo Kenney, who I’ve been producing stuff for, is on the tour. She’s singing on the record and I thought it would be a nice way of wrapping up all of it into the artwork and it reflected that vibe for me and it is slightly a more contemplative record in some ways.”
The name Park Avenue Sobriety Test came from Plaskett’s walking his son to daycare a couple of years ago and passing a smashed up guardrail in his neighbourhood.
“City workers were taking away this smashed guardrail, and it’s at the foot of this hill where there’s a really hard right turn and the car didn’t make the turn and went straight through the guardrail,” Plaskett said. “I ran into my neighbour Roy and I was like, ‘Hey man, did you see the smashed up guardrail?’ and he’s like, ‘Oh, that’s the Park Avenue Sobriety Test. It happens like once a year.’ I said what a great name for a song and took it with me and thought it over for a couple of weeks until I realized what the tune could be about.”
Plaskett says he was thinking first and foremost of making an interesting record with some variety on it that would serve his desire to keep things interesting, but also serve the live show in a number of capacities, whether in an electric or acoustic performance.
He realized it was the lyrics that were connecting the songs even though there might have been some variety in the presentation.
“I tried to make it feel like a journey in and through some version of adulthood and some of the pressures you face when you get old enough … I try to spin it into my own observations and the stuff I’ve seen on my own,” Plaskett said.
“That led me down the path on a few of the songs, and I’ve been asked about the political leanings on the record and I’m happy to talk about that because frankly, I’m starting to get frustrated with the government, with some of the things that are going on, and I think that’s maybe part of what I should be doing right now. But having said that, I think first and foremost I wanted to make it an interesting and entertaining record.”
Having his son in his life has influenced the Halifax musician’s life, and made him realize there are a lot of grey areas as a business owner, or as a person just making their way through the world.
“Trying to make a go of it takes some degree of social responsibility, with the idea of trying to give back to a community that’s been supportive to me and recognizing that good community,” Plaskett said.
Plaskett is currently working with others to save Halifax’s artist-friendly Khyber building, where the musician recorded an album called Down at the Khyber in 2001.
“I’ve been talking about that and selling T-shirts, but the city owns the building and it looks like they want to sell it and we’re trying to make a case for them to hold onto it and fix it up,” Plaskett said.
“Its been an art incubator and a really good place for the community and is really connected to the music community and art community, as well as the gay and lesbian community, and a very historic place in downtown Halifax … it’s a small thing, but I’m just trying to get active in the community in things where I might be able to make a difference.”
Plaskett says he’s now a believer in knowing when and where to zoom in on things that you feel might make a difference. “You have to remind yourself that re-tweeting something you care about just isn’t the same as going out into the streets and talking to people and getting out and participating at the community level,” Plaskett said.
“There’s only so much you can do just sitting in front of a computer and expressing your displeasure with things; that’s OK, but there’s a sea of that and I’m wrestling with that because a lot of what I’m doing is using my social media platform to talk about things.”
He added he’s trying to be really conscious of the work he’s creating because he feels really lucky to be doing it.
“I’ve been at it a long time and there’s been aspects of it that have been stressful over the years. Sometimes you can almost get outside of yourself and find yourself getting frustrated with small things,” Plaskett said. “Then you get up on stage and all that disappears, and I realize that if what we can do can be joyful, then the things that are more challenging are easier because what I get to do on a daily basis is really great.”
Performance in the Park Lineup:
Joel Plaskett Emergency: The music of these rock veterans draws from an eclectic range of genres ranging from blues, reggae and folk to hard rock, country, and pop – resulting in an array of awards over the course of their career, including ECMA Rock Recording of the Year and a Polaris Music Prize short list. On his most recent album, Park Avenue Sobriety Test, Joel Plaskett returns with one of the most diverse and fan-pleasing albums of his career.
Matt Andersen & The Mellotones: With over two million views on YouTube, independent sales of over 30,000 albums, a 2013 European Blues Award, and winning Best Solo Performer at Memphis’ International Blues Challenge, Matt Andersen is a powerhouse performer with a giant, soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence. Now with Weightless, his debut album for True North Records, Anderson’s music has been captured on record as never before.
K-OS: Saturday, June 20 is headlined by groundbreaking Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter and producer K-OS. With a musical style featuring influences from rap, funk, rock and reggae, K-OS is known for positive messages in his records and for his musical versatility, playing drums, guitar and bass, both during live performances and in the studio. His most recent album, BLack on BLonde, was a two-disc release – one of rock tunes and the other of old-school hip-hop jams – featuring exciting collaborations from an array of guests.
Rural Alberta Advantage: Things will take an indie turn on Saturday night with a performance from rockers The Rural Alberta Advantage. Their most recent album, Mended with Gold takes the plaintive lyrics and creative arrangements that have helped define the band since the start of their career in Toronto in 2006, and combined their successes, losses, adventures, and heartbreaks over the past few years, and forged them together into an unforgettably powerful work of beauty.
Hannah Georgas: A singer-songwriter who marries the acoustic leanings of her early work to elaborate studio soundscapes with a distinctly playful vibe, Vancouver-based Hannah Georgas will kick things off on Saturday June 20.
Performance in the Park – Cascade Gardens, Parks Canada Administration Building, Banff
Friday June 19 – featuring Joel Plaskett Emergency with Matt Anderson & The Mellotones.
Gates open 5:30 p.m. Show starts 6:30 p.m.
Saturday June 20, 2015 – featuring k-os with The Rural Alberta Advantage and Hannah Gorges.
Gates open 2 p.m. Show starts 3 p.m.
Tickets are currently available for both dates, at a rate of $35 per adult each night, or $52.50 for both days. There are 500 tickets available for children under 12 each day at a cost of $12.50 for each concert. Tickets can be purchased at The Banff Centre online, by phone or in-person at www.banffcentre.ca.
