Owen Steel shares stop-motion video and news of upcoming performances

St. Andrews songwriter Owen Steel has just posted a new stop animation lyric video for a song recorded live in Dawson City. The release of Laundry Detergent Tirade comes with news of winter performances in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Matt Carter

I think we can all agree, we don’t see Owen Steel on stage nearly as much as we would like to. It feels like it has been years since he last played some shows around the province. Although he has never officially put his music career on hiatus, some would argue he never officially put it in focus either. Or maybe he did, and that’s why he chose to make his living by any other means. Whatever the case may be, when Steel makes announcements involving his music, it is a bit like Christmas. A total surprise. A total gift.

Earlier this fall Steel was announced as a featured performer at the 2023 Shivering Songs festival and will also be joining Hot Toddy and the Olympic Symphonium for a performance in St. Andrews on January 28. Keeping this string of announcements rolling, today Steel has shared an impressive DIY stop animation video for his epic ballad, Laundry Detergent Tirade, recorded live in Dawson City back in January of 2020.

“I was in Dawson City, January 2020, right before the pandemic, as the Dawson City Music Festival songwriter-in-residence,” said Steel. “The festival, in partnership with K.I.A.C, Parks Canada and the North Klondike Highway Music Society, provides the artist with a home studio for the month to basically focus on their work. At the end of the month, a concert is held featuring a local opener and the songwriter in residence. Laundry Detergent Tirade was one of the songs on my set list that night and the soundman, Matt Sarty, recorded the show.”

Steels says he has carried numerous sketches of the song around for years and has watched it evolve over several live performances, working in various local references depending on where he is performing.

“Of all the songs from the setlist that night, which included brand new ones written during my residency, I felt that this one should be released,” he said. “Because of the nature of it, a live capture is really the only way to experience it and this version came off half decent.”

In addition to the video and the aforementioned upcoming shows in Fredericton and St. Andrews, Steel has announced more live dates that will see him on the road during much of January playing shows in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Full details below.