Dublin rock fans saw a Canadian invasion last week, thanks to a little hard work - and some enlightened funding that Irish bands can only dream of, writes Tony Clayton-Lea
Last weekend in Dublin there was an influx of bands and musicians from Canada; you could tell they were from Canada because they were unfailingly polite and had the air about them of strangers mooching around a city that was comfortingly familiar.
Temple Bar's cobblestones may have given them the literal slip now and again - most noticeably following an aftershow tipple - but by and large the Canadians were steady-as-she-goes pirate types ready and willing to take on the chin what Dublin had to throw at them. The musicians were in Dublin as a sidebar part of the excellent Hard Working Class Heroes festival, and proved an attractive complement to the many Irish acts.
Last Saturday afternoon, upstairs at HWCH central in Filmbase (formerly Arthouse), In Flight Safety's John Mullane and Dan Ledwell are killing time before their 7.45pm slot at Meeting House Square. The band are not known outside of Canada but, like all the Canadian acts at the event, wish to be. So far, however, it's not so good: the overall sales figure for their latest album, The Coast is Clear, is deemed to be a trickle instead of a flood, but, says Mullane, at this stage in the band's life, sales aren't necessarily crucial.
"We have nothing to gauge it against. I don't know what kind of sales a band such as Arcade Fire have, or a band such as Wintersleep [ another HWCH Canadian act]. We don't talk about that, but we feel our record has kept the trajectory going up instead of the opposite direction." What is important to the band, he reckons, is that the record has helped spread out their music and name across Canada. "We've had our video added to the Much Music [ the MTV of Canada] schedule, and no other band on a small label has so far received that much play. So the feeling is that the album has done well for us. Also, one of our songs was picked to score a Dell advert in North America, so it seems things are going well."
ACCORDING TO SINGER-SONGWRITER Jill Barber, also sipping from endless mugs of takeaway latte in the bustling event centre, things are going so well for her that she feels the urge to leave Canada behind for a while. "Playing gigs is fine for me, because I can play with either a band or small club or coffee house. The infrastructure is great, but like all acts it takes time to establish a relationship with venues and venue owners across the country. I think I've reached the point where I'm ready to start playing outside Canada - I've covered my bases there, and have been across the country a few times. It will always be a priority, of course, but I guess it's time to experience new adventures abroad. I now have an agent based in the UK and that has helped tremendously."
Does she feel pressurised by the legacy and wealth of talent Canada has given the world over the past 40 or so years - many truly brilliant people and acts from the likes of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Leonard Cohen to Arcade Fire, Stars and Broken Social Scene? Not a bit of it, it appears. "It isn't news to me that Canada breeds incredible talent, and it's great to see the rest of the world catching on." Jud Haynes, of indie rock band Wintersleep, is of the mind that it's easier for most Canadian acts to find an audience outside of Canada. "It isn't that America is too big, but there's so much red tape involved in order to play there. If you go there and play one show you have to have official documentation. Getting that organised takes a lot of time and money, so it's difficult for small independent bands to cross the border. For a band like Wintersleep it's easier to come over to Europe. Next year we're planning to get to the States, however."
ALL THREE ACTS agree that if it weren't for government and local funding it would be far more difficult to have reached the position they are currently in. "The artistic grants are great in Canada," says Mullane. "They've kept us afloat for three years. You can apply for funding, based on a certain creative project, in this case a trip to Ireland - we got flights and accommodation, which is great. And we have a upcoming tour of Western Canada, which has also been approved." "We're all full-time musicians and most of our friends are, too," says Jud. "You're probably not going to get rich, but if you are willing to make some sacrifices and are willing to get out there - and you don't suck - then you can do okay."
Jill Barber tells the same story: "There are a lot of incentives to get a leg-up as a professional touring musician. Ideally, however, you reach a point where you don't need to rely so much on funding. My first record was paid for by the Canadian government, but the second one was self-financed."
"We're spoiled," comments Dan Ledwell, "and we take advantage of those grants. I mean, you can also get funding for marketing and recording." Irish musicians - read this and weep at your leisure. Relevant sectors of the Irish government - is there any point asking you to read this and take note?