Steven Page talks Greenway Jam, pandemic crowds and playing live from the kitchen
CBC
Steven Page has had a decades-long career in Canadian music, and is known for his witty and humorous songwriting.
Page was a founding member and lead singer of the multiple-award-winning Barenaked Ladies, which was formed over three decades ago. He left the group in 2009 to pursue other opportunities.
On Saturday night, he'll perform at Greenway Jam in Kingsville, Ont. The event is presented by the Kingsville Music Society, organizer of the popular Kingsville Folk Music Festival. Headline acts at Greenway Jam will also feature East Coast fiddler-singer Ashley MacIsaac and Ottawa-born musician Kathleen Edwards.
Page was born in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough and is a Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee with the Barenaked Ladies. His official website lists his tour dates, starting Saturday in Kingsville and continuing through March, across North America and in parts of Europe.
On Thursday, Page spoke with CBC Windsor Morning's Nav Nanwa about performing at Greenway Jam, his new album and what he believes makes a good song.
The following transcript has been edited for clarity and length:
Q: You're coming to Kingsville. How are you feeling about that?
A: I'm looking forward to it. I love the summer festivals. Yes, I know it's officially not a folk festival anymore. But to me, anything like that, that's a folk festival. They're the best. It's an important part of a Canadian summer.
Q: It definitely is. And this festival in particular feels like quite the community that they've come up with.
A: Yeah, and there's some great artists playing, too, so it's going to be a really fun time. One of the fun things about these kinds of events, too, is you get to do workshops in the afternoon. So it's not just show up and do your concert. You're kind of forced to engage with other artists and with the audience. And I love that stuff. So that's a really fun and unique part of the experience.
Q: What do you like about performing in this area?
A: I think people are always some of the best audiences in that part of the province. I've done some pretty memorably wild outdoor shows in the southwest, and I've done intense and fun intimate shows as well. Then you get some people who want to cross the border to rock as well. So it's a nice combination of folks.
Q: This feels like one of the most normal-est — if that's even a word — summers that we've been experiencing when it comes to live music. What does it feel like to be in front of crowds again?
A: It's amazing. Everybody in the world is on the road right now. It's a strange time to be playing because people are spoiled for choice, but they're also a mix of excitement. People are excited to be out and seeing shows again mixed with caution and a little bit of paranoia. So it makes for one of the weirdest kind of experiences, at least for myself. I've seen it everywhere I go.
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