Winnipeg singer/songwriter JP Hoe has been pretty busy since his last Lethbridge show, balancing family and music.
He brings his band back to the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Oct. 14 with local rock band Webb.
He will have come straight from Regina, where he will be playing Breakout West and where has been nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award for best pop artist.
“I think I’ve been nominated seven times now. And I know it sounds cliche, but it really is an honour to be nominated,” said Hoe from his Winnipeg home, where he is spending quality family time with his wife and kids. He is up against Bryan Finlay, Derrival, Lexi Strate and We Are the City for the award.
“But what it does is validate the work I’ve done,” he said.
It has been a long time since he played Lethbridge.
“It’s been at least two or three years I think the last time I was in the area was playing the South Country Fair,” he said.
For this Lethbridge visit, he is bringing bandmates, guitarist Matt Warbeck, drummer Luke Janzen, bassist Jason Pancratz and cellist Nadia Gonzalez.
“ Those are the people I bring to Europe with me,” he said.
He has been busy getting a foothold in Europe.
It’s nice to see. We were playing small clubs the first time and when we came back we’re playing festivals for 600 people and everybody knows the words. It’s nice to see the seeds we planted in Europe starting to grow,” he continued.
“I used to live in Europe in my late teens, so it was always the dream to go back and play there, he added.
“It’s always fun to play for people who like your music,” he said.
“They have great coffee and good people, it’s like you’re living in a movie or a fairy tale,” he enthused. He is excited to bring the band back to Lethbridge.
“This band is as close to a live version of this record as you can get, though I’d like to tour with eight people,” he said.
“So I’m excited to bring the band to Lethbridge.”
He has spent most of Spring and summer at home taking care of his family.
“I had most of the summer offIt’s fall so it’s time to get back to work. I have a big show in Winnipeg on Dec. 13. Then the cliche is true, when it is winter in Winnipeg, you stay home and play music. In the new year I’ll definitely be recording,” he said.
“I guarantee there will be at least one song someone will find enjoyable,” he said.
JP Hoe and his band play the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Oct. 14. Admission is by donation.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
