By KIRSTEN BOLTON
for ArtSpring
In keeping with the celebratory community energy of ArtSpring’s Treasure Fair, a special concert hits the stage Friday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. featuring The Fugitives, a Juno-nominated acoustic folk and roots group who has earned a reputation for “unforgettable live shows brimming with complex harmonies, infectious storytelling and top-notch musicianship.”
As the CBC once declared in a review of the group’s shows, they are “simply brilliant.”
Headed by songwriters Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod, the band has toured extensively through Canada, Western Europe and the U.K. They’re joined by banjo player Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters). Despite their acoustic nature, fans and critics find the Vancouver-based group difficult to classify, categorizing the music as slam folk, folk hop and spoken word cabaret.
Much of their work is rooted in personal stories such as No Words, which was written for Leonard Cohen on the day after his passing. Northern Lights was written for the Manitoban singer-songwriter Steel Audrey, a dear friend who The Fugitives lost in 2015, but there is uplifting hope in the melodies and memories. Their fifth album, Trench Songs, a reinterpretation of World War I protest songs sung by Canadian soldiers at Vimy Ridge, won two Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2022.
The Fugitives reunited with Trench Songs producer Tom Dobranzki for an album of new original music, out in summer/fall 2023, but Salt Springers may get a special preview of certain tracks.
Proceeds from the concert will support the fundraising efforts of this year’s Treasure Fair. Tickets are now on sale at tickets.artspring.ca.