Toronto-based singer-songwriter Rob Moir is at the beginning of his solo career, and is making a departure from the music he's done in the past. Now touring with "This is the Lie," his debut EP, Moir will be in Yorkton at the 5th Ave. Cup and Saucer on February 10.
The new album is a major departure for Moir, who spent five years with indie-punk band Dead Letter Dept. The new project is folk-rock, performed by just Moir and his acoustic guitar on most dates.
The music was born in the studio, Moir says, as they entered in order to record some songs and became excited by the sound they were producing. Switching from punk to a more acoustic sound is something Moir views as a challenge, but also as something which speaks to him as a songwriter.
"For me, it's being truest to the creativity process. I think if I just made the same record over and over again it would just be boring for everybody. I don't know how to do it any other way, and I hope that the next thing I do will have a different take on it as well," Moir says.
The tour in support of the new EP will see Moir travel to "every nook and cranny," hitting a wide variety of venues across the continent. Moir says that he is most excited about being on stage and performing.
"I'm really excited to get back on stage every night and play, and feel out how to do it for each audience... I look at it as a challenge and an adventure, and I'm looking forward to that," Moir says.
While Moir has been performing for a while, this is his first project outside of a band. He says his love of touring and performing on stage is one of the main motivators behind going solo, as it allows him the freedom to tour when and where he wants.
"The appeal of a solo project to me is that I can grab my backpack and guitar and go out and play every night," Moir notes.
There is a bit of a resurgence of folk music in general, and Moir attributes the genre's popularity to the simple and easy to connect to nature of the music.
"I think it's because of the simplicity of it... If the electricity goes down, you can still have these songs, and there is something special about that. I've even played the solo show in Paris, France, and I didn't know how it was going to go over and it went over great, so I think good songs and good presentation is sort of universal," Moir says.
Moir admits that the folk sound is something which can be embraced more easily by a wide variety of people.
"My parents actually came out to see a record launch in Toronto, and they hadn't seen me play in a couple years...
"That was the first time they said 'we can actually understand what you're saying now.' Young people can still understand a guitar and a voice, and it's something that once you're into it will never change," Moir concludes.
The show takes place Thursday, February 10 at the 5th Ave Cup And Saucer. Tickets are $5.
Doors open at 7 p.m.
