Artist of the Day | GUNNER & SMITH
ARTIST OF THE DAY
02.11.2020
GUNNER & SMITH
LOCATION
Saskatoon, SK
GENRE
Americana
CURRENT MEMBERS
Geoff Smith
Nik Winnitowy
Graham Tilisly
Nick Dueck
With the current pandemic, the state of the music and touring industry has dramatically changed. Where were you when everything was brought to a halt?
I was at home. We were two weeks out from hopping on a plane to Austin for SXSW when a friend texted me to say they were sorry to hear about SXSW getting cancelled. I had no idea what he was talking about so then I checked my phone and saw the news it was cancelled. I was in total shock because that moment wasn't just SXSW getting cancelled. I feel like it was the moment that North America collectively realized this thing was serious and everything was going to change.
How has that affected your plans for the coming months? Did you have a tour planned, upcoming album release?
Cancelling our showcase at SXSW was huge. I've been working for years trying to get into festival and this was going to be my first time playing it. So that was rough. We were planning to record a new album with our producer Andrija Tokic from Nashville, but with the USA border closing that has been put on hold. Most recently we had to cancel a tour of Europe for December 2020. I absolutely love touring Europe so that was pretty devastating. Luckily I had recorded a 3 song EP with a bluegrass band called the Local Group back in January, so I put that out in September just to do something.
What have you been doing to fill/make the most of your new-found free time at home?
I joined the staff of a record label called Devilduck Records. Its been exciting to talk with them about stuff we are going to do when touring is an option again. I'm also a huge NBA fan and they had the playoff in September and October, so I watched a lot of that. Way too much of that.
What was the first thing you did/place you went to now the country is starting to slowly re-open?
I think I went to McDonalds and got a bunch of greasy burgers. During the summer I went to the park with my buddy Forrest from the North Sound and just played songs for a few hours. It was so strange and awesome to be playing music around someone else again.
Favourite Starlite Room Moment?
I don't have any yet! Its one of those rooms I'm really excited to play one day. I've heard so many good things about it from my Edmonton friends.
Do you have a message for everyone at home reading this?
I think we can see its going to be a rough fall and winter ahead. So be careful and take care of each other. Our venues and our artists were having a tough time before all this. If we want those things to survive they need our support through this.
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