Regina indie-rock troupe Library Voices, only recently bumped from first place on Canada's top-30 indie songs chart, will make its first appearance in North Battleford Saturday, Nov. 15.
"This is actually our first time performing there," says band lyricist Michael Dawson.
The show will take place at the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts.
"When the opportunity was presented to us we jumped at it," says Dawson. "We're definitely excited to make some new friends and hopefully win a few fans."
Library Voices has been making fans since 2008 when a group of 10 musicians came together.
"We had all been involved in Regina's music scene in one capacity or another. I've played in bands off and on with Carl [Johnson] for over 15 years now."
These days there are seven, but all have been with the band since the beginning.
"Initially there were 10 of us but over the years a few people have moved on to pursue personal endeavours," says Dawson.
Amanda Scandrett (synths) is originally from Moose Jaw.
"We met in university when we were both studying in the arts education program."
All the members are Saskatchewan born except bass player Eoin Hickey-Cameron, who was actually born in Ireland and spent several years in Toronto before moving to Regina when he was still in high school.
The other five - Carl Johnson (vocals/guitar), Brennan Ross (vocals/guitar), Mike Thievin (drums), Paul Gutheil (saxophone) and Dawson - grew up together in Estevan.
"Everyone had studied or moved to a number of places around the country, but, strangely, we all ended up in the same place at the same time with the desire to start a band."
How did they come up with the name Library Voices? It's been suggested their lyrics' frequent and insightful nods to literary and pop culture comes from hanging around public bookshelves.
Dawson says, "Truthfully, the literary references in the lyrics didn't start out to be so overtly obvious. If they had we probably would have selected a different name. Library Voices was just one name on a long list of equally bad names."
Even so, the group has included performances at various libraries across Canada in their touring schedule, one that has only recently gone from crazy to not quite so crazy.
"Lately we've been touring much less than we did in the beginning, "says Dawson. "We've taken a lot of downtime to celebrate a number of the members having babies over the last year or two."
From the library appearances to playing BC Place during the Olympics, the Saskatchewan-raised musicians have often spat in the eyes of winter."
"In the beginning we were probably playing somewhere in the ballpark of 200 shows a year and away from home an equal number of days," says Dawson. "It was an absolutely incredible experience, and while at times it was certainly exhausting, it allowed us to travel the world. We're trying to be more deliberate and selective with our touring these days, rather than just hopping in a van and driving in circles around America for weeks at a time."
Library Voices just released a new EP this spring and are hard at work on a new album. Their recent EP, For John, was released on June 10 via the band's own label imprint, Prairie Shag Recordings.
For John takes an intentional turn away from the band's familiar, pop-infused sound to a more lo-fi, homespun affair, but still succeeds in connecting the spirit of Library Voices to the listener. Recorded over a few short days in March of 2014, the seven-song EP is a posthumous tribute to their friend and supporter John Farrell who, back in the 1970s, was an influential FM disc jockey from Buffalo, N.Y. He passed away unexpectedly in March of 2013.. The band crossed paths with Farrell several years ago at Canadian Music Week, an industry conference held annually in Toronto.
Over the next three years Farrell made countless "pilgrimages," as he called them, often travelling from New York state by bus or catching a ride with a friend to see the band perform at different points in southern Ontario - often bringing his favourite records or rare books to share with the band. On July 19, 2012 John made the trek for a show in Hamilton.
"It was the last time we got to see him," says Dawson.
It was also the night they all realized what an important part of the band their friend had become.
"He was such a remarkable spirit, so rich with personality and cultural knowledge. It makes perfect sense to me why we took such a shine to John, but I have no idea what he ever saw in us," says Dawson.
Although they have an international career, home for Library Voices has continued to be Regina - the city Saskatchewan loves to hate.
"I know we performed at a festival in Saskatoon a few months back and Carl joked to the audience referring to Saskatoon as Shelbyville and we are still trying to live it down," laughs Dawson. "Truthfully, Regina has always been a great place to live and work as artists. There is so much talent hidden there."
While being known for their prairie pop sound, they are also known for their perseverance, hanging on to their dream past the point where others would have given up or got a "real job."
