It's summer, meaning that artists across the country are on tour and heading to music festivals. Canada's a big country, which means long drives and extended periods away from home — which makes it all the more important for artists to have a few comforts with them while they're on the road.
We reached out to some Canadian artists to ask about their road essentials — the items that they make sure to bring with them every time they're on tour. Their responses ranged from entertainment to help them pass the time to essential tools to ensure that the shows go smoothly.
Check out the photo gallery below, and read past editions of Exclaim!'s Show & Tell here.
Ciel
Clip-on light
Photo courtesy of the artist
When Toronto-based DJ and producer Ciel is on the road, she inevitably ends up in lots of dance clubs and late-night parties. Those dimly lit spaces are why she always make sure to have a clip-on light with her. "For those extra-dark clubs, not having a light makes it impossible to find and select the next record from my vinyl bag," she says. "They clip on easily and are powered by a single AAA battery that lasts forever. Win!" Everybody wins when she spins tunes from her prolific recent run of releases, including last year's Homesick and this year's string of singles and EPs.
Down the Lees
Tools, gems and an Evil Dead lunch box
Photo courtesy of the artist
The members of BC noise rockers Down the Lees each have their own must-haves on tour. The ever-practical drummer Andy Ashley comes armed with tools and extension cords, while the evidently more sentimental bassist Chris Carlson brings jewel box full of gems that his daughter gave him for good luck. As for singer-guitarist Laura Lee Schultz, "I bring my Evil Dead lunch box, which I have had since the '90s, to use as our merch cash register." That's where your money will end up when you buy the ominous, thundering new EP Dirt.
Elisapie
Natural wine
Photo: Camille Gladu-Drouin
Multi-disciplinary Inuk artist Elisapie is absolutely everywhere — on the Polaris Music Prize short list with her album Inuktitut, and even on stamps as part of Canada Post's Indigenous Leaders series. And when she's on the road, she can be found with a glass of natural wine. "We are easy on tour with this wonderful band," she says, "but a little picky on wine. Natural wine is our best choice of green room drink! But I do drink herbal tea with a little bit of honey and little bit of whiskey in cold winters."
Fold Paper's Chell Osuntade
Noise-cancelling headphones
Photo courtesy of the artist
Winnipeg songwriter Chell Osuntade has three words for you: "Noise. Cancelling. Headphones." He explains, "These are a life-saver whether you're touring on the road by car or, even better, flying. You gotta love blocking the world out." Noise-cancelling headphones are the perfect way to enjoy the skronky, hypnotic post-punk of this summer debut EP 4TO on Royal Mountain Records.
Future Star
Used CDs
Photo: Becca Tobin
Future Star's Mazda 2 only has two ways to play music: CDs and the radio. Since her favourite station, 93.7 JR Country, only reaches Greater Vancouver, she favours used CDs when she hits the road. "Featured in this picture are three of my favourite CDs: blink 182's Enema of the State, Jesus Christ Superstar OST, and Tim McGraw's Greatest Hits Vol. 2," she tells Exclaim! One album she definitely doesn't have, however, is her tender new piano pop album It's About Time!, which "will not be released on CD, as it is my firm belief that, unless it is an emergency, CDs should only be purchased second-hand."
Nap Eyes' Seamus Dalton
Kobo e-reader
Photo courtesy of the artist
Touring seems like an adventure, but according to Nap Eyes drummer, "It takes a lot of waiting around to get to that hour on stage," which is why he always brings an e-reader. "It also enhances being in cities," he points out. "You can read a book set there, your favourite poet from that city, or a history of the local music scene. All things that will make your tour more enjoyable." Perhaps that hunger for literary enrichment explains why the band make such poetic pieces of slacker rock sweetness, as heard on the upcoming album The Neon Gate.
Softcult
Books
Photo courtesy of the artist
Grungy shoegazers Softcult recently released their EP Heaven, including a single called "9 Circles" inspired by Dante's Inferno. It's only fitting, then, that this literary inspiration is reflective of a keen reader, as Mercedes Arn-Horn poses here with books both classic (Arthur Miller's play The Crucible) and contemporary (Kelly Barnhill's feminist fantasy novel When Women Were Dragons).
Valley's Rob Laska
Online Ceramics hoodie
Photo courtesy of the artist
If you see Valley vocalist Rob Laska on the road, you know what he's going to be wearing: this hoodie from the brand Online Ceramics. "I wear it religiously. It has rips in it, it's all worn out, but I wear it on every flight and travel day always," he says. He describes it as "the perfect amount of cozy,:" which is also an apt way to describe Valley's new album Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden, which combines the band's patented modern pop sound with more straight-up rock textures.
Ryan Wayne
Travel-sized guitar and books
Photo courtesy of the artist
You never know a song's going to come. That's why rootsy indie rock songwriter Ryan Wayne, formerly of the Warped 45s, says, "You can't go far without a travel guitar because inspiration seems to most often strike during times of change, transition and travel. Sometimes while waiting for a gig to start, sometimes in a hotel room, sometimes in the back seat." His approach is clearly working, as he's quickly followed up last year's album Crow Amongst the Sparrows with a couple new singles. As for when creative inspiration doesn't strike, there's always reading: "I especially love Margaret Atwood, Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, Cormac McCarthy, Toni Morrison, Steinbeck, Vonnegut [and] Alice Munroe," he says.