CANMORE – The thing about growing up in Canmore is there are a few annual events in town which, at one time or another, one will undoubtedly find themselves at.
For Louis Trautman of The Cave Arcade, attending the Canmore Folk Fest started at a young age, before string instruments and song writing became a focal point of life.
“I remember going and being young enough that the music didn’t matter,” said Trautman. “It was about getting the snacks and running around with your friends in the field, but it was still like the annual event.”
The Cave Arcade, a local indie rock band, has two performances at the Canmore Folk Festival, taking place at Centennial Park from Aug. 4-7.
First, they take stage Friday (Aug. 4) during the free show from 7-8:30 p.m., and on Saturday (Aug. 5), the group plays the pub stage at 2:15 p.m.
It’s an opportunity to perform in front of a new audience, and perhaps, catch the ear of some young festival goers who are running around in the field like Trautman used to do.
“The folk fest being a big stage, the likelihood of someone not having heard of us is bigger than if we played at a local bar and we invited our friends to come,” Trautman said. “I’m excited to be able to perform to the best of our capabilities in front of new people, and, maybe, someone will like what they hear.”
Playing for the second straight year at the Canmore Folk Fest, The Cave Arcade’s sets will have a mix of the band’s debut album, The Vaguest Details, released in spring 2022, and their newer material.
Most members of the local four piece band – Trautman (guitar, vocals), Andrew Laver (guitar), Eli Panning-Osendarp (bass), and Jack Laver (drums) – have been jamming since high school.
After a break during the university years, the crew decided to get the band back together. They were initially influenced by the West Coast surf rock vibe.
When The Vaguest Details dropped, it was a different time in the world, filled with uncertainty and gloom. The lyrics and music The Cave Arcade made during that time reflected its surroundings.
However, like many bands before them, Trautman said The Cave Arcade has been reinventing itself – the constant evolution to mould their own path.
“The newer stuff feels a lot happier and it’s about more relaxed themes and more causal – just fun stuff,” said Trautman.
“Coming to that positive stuff feels like the natural place to be, instead of forcing it sound a certain way, and having dealing with world things and so impactful and not having the same burdens. It’s more freedom of how the band is suppose to sound – or finally finding it, even.”
Much like how friends and family have seen the band grow up in the Bow Valley, music lovers at the Canmore Folk Fest, get two chances soon to listen to how The Cave Arcade has grown their style musically.
Stay up to date with The Cave Arcade and gigs on their Instagram page.
