This January, Royal Canoe decided to embrace their hometown of Winnipeg as one of the coldest cities on Earth. The concocted what on the surface seems like an insane idea, particularly in the dead of winter: to play a free outdoor show at The Forks for a few thousand people.
Since it was understandably too cold to play traditional guitars or drums the band used a combination of instruments and triggers carved from blocks of ice pulled the waters near Fort Whyte to create completely reimagined and deconstructed versions of their material. There were ice drums and percussion, an ice sample kit/light-machine, some pitched 'ice-struments' and an ice horn, in addition to the usual keyboards and synthetic textures the band is well known for. The group wanted the tone and mood of the performance to compliment the stark yet fierce environment around them. Their attitude was: "Winnipeg is our weird, cold home - let's get long-johns on and freeze our asses off together!"
The stunning and breathtaking results of that concert forms the new Glacial EP, out May 29 via Paper Bag Records - a five-track live recording, and documentary film following the process of planning, harvesting the ice, and creating this singular, and intensely special live show experience. Glacial is previewed by lead track "
Living A Lie," which premiered on
CBC 'q' this morning.
Pre-order Glacial here.
On May 28 at 7pm CT, fans can join Royal Canoe, Peter Hargraves, Luca Roncoroni and Matt Dirks for a discussion on the making of Glacial via
Instagram Live before a premiere of the documentary via
YouTube at 8pm CT including a live chat. To be followed by a Q&A.
To pull off this ambitious feat, the band consulted distinct experts in ice through Sputnik architecture and Luca Roncoroni (who is the creative director at the Ice Hotel in Sweden). Luca helped create the instruments and performance area on the river. Projectionist Stephanie Kuse created original visuals that interplayed with the icescape, and Andy Rudolph used his ingenuity to develop the custom ice sound & light triggers technology.
The band also acknowledges that this performance took place in Treaty 1 territory, the traditional territory of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. It was a special privilege as colonial descendants to have the opportunity to perform on the ice in such a sacred place where the two rivers meet.
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