Toronto-based songwriter Eamon McGrath will be travelling to Sackville, New Brunswick this August as SappyFest’s 2017 Songwriter-in-Residence.
Eamon’s work is based in a deep commitment to independent, grassroots arts and cultural production. He has released five full-length albums and published his first novel, Berlin-Warszawa Express, with ECW Press in May 2017. He is a member of Julie And The Wrong Guys, with SappyFest co-founder Julie Doiron and Mike Peters and Jaye R. Schwarzer of Cancer Bats. Eamon performed at SappyFest in 2012 backed by members of Eric’s Trip, and as part of The Greville Music Tapes Revue in 2016.
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to spend the month of August writing on the east coast as the SappyFest Songwriter-In-Residence. This festival represents everything that’s honest, grassroots and true-to-the-core of the Canadian music community, and is comprised of dedicated, hard-working and passionate people who exemplify the traits and characteristics of ‘Canadian’ art: a spirit and attitude that transcends distance, and a unifying, diverse and eclectic outlook on musical styles and artistic approaches. Whether or not you play hardcore punk or folk music, if you’ve braved a winter snowstorm on the Trans-Canada to get to a gig, you come from the same place and can understand each other’s experiences and stories, and Sappy really embodies that kind of genre-defying identity and outlook.
As a Torontonian I’m also ecstatic at the chance to leave the high pace and full-throttle speed of the city for the warm and welcoming summertime east coast air. With the pressures of having to support yourself in the competitive and expensive environment of Toronto, it’s easy to get swept up in the more administrative aspects of the music industry and neglect the real reason why musicians do this in the first place. At Sappy this year I’ll be focusing on completing a follow-up to 2014’s Exile LP, as well as ironing out the first working draft of my second book.”
In addition to performances by Weaves, Lido Pimienta, Daniel Romano,Partner, Willie Thrasher, Bernice, Tough Age, Teenanger, Myriam Gendron, and The Highest Order, SappyFest 12 programming will also include an exhibition and artist talk by Lido Pimienta, readings by Notes Of A Feminist Killjoy author Erin Wunker, film screenings programmed by Native North America Vol. 1 curator Kevin Howes, and intimate small-scale acoustic shows in the Golden Bus, a converted school bus.
The full SappyFest 12 lineup will be released on Wednesday, June 7.
Learn more about Eamon McGrath:
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