Getting through the pandemic is a big victory for independent folk acts like Winnipeg duo the Small Glories, who play the Geomatic Attic on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
The Small Glories played the Lethbridge Folk Club just before the pandemic shut everything down.
Cara Luft is excited to return to Lethbridge with JD Edwards.
“We’d just started touring in support of ‘Assiniboine and the Red,” when everything got shut down by the pandemic. We’re still trying to fulfill 2020 and 2021 contracts,” said Luft, who has been playing with JD Edwards in Small Glories for eight years.
“I was in a pretty depressive state, but at the same time there was a strange sense of relief. I wasn't in a very creative place during the pandemic. I was actually very envious of other musicians who were posting ‘hey, I just recorded this song, or played on this platform.’ I missed playing,” she said.
“ JD is married and has three kids, so he got to stay home and watch them grow up rather than being away from home all the time. But we don’t live in the same household and weren’t in the same bubble. So we didn’t play at all during the pandemic,” she continued, noting the Small Glories just returned from a United States tour.
“ Usually when we’re there, something terrible happens like another shooting. But not this time. We try to help people though it. We’ll mention it. But we want our shows to be joyous,” she said.
“We got to have a joyous connection.it’s incredible to do that again and sing and laugh together,” she continued.
“We were playing some newer stuff and songs from ‘Assiniboine and the Red.’ We were road testing a few new songs. And we were supposed to play a tribute to Pete Seeger Tribute at UCLA but couldn't because of the pandemic. But we will be playing social justice songs and Pete Seeger songs,” she said, adding that will be similar to their Lethbridge show.
“It will just be the two of us, but we make enough noise for four,” she chuckled, adding, they have been playing together for eight years.
She said there is no plan to reunite with the Wailin’ Jennies.
“One of the girls does live in Winnipeg. I was concentrating on my solo career, but I really missed singing harmonies, which actually was the impetus for forming the Small Glories. We have two voices and we can create these sonic textures,” she said.
“It’s a very fun and interesting experience. Our shows are really joyous, life affirming experiences,” Luft said.
The Small Glories play the Geomatic Attic, Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. Admission is $40 for members , $42 for non-members.
— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
