The East Pointers Announce New Zealand Tour w/ special guest Mel Parsons
JUNO-Award winning Canadian trio The East Pointers released their second album, What We Leave Behind in late September, and today announced their return to New Zealand in January 2018 for a run of dates with NZ luminary,
Mel Parsons.
Having charted in the iTunes New Zealand Top 10 earlier in 2017 after their first (and only) NZ appearance at WOMAD NZ,
the band are looking forward to reacquainting themselves with some of their most enthusiastic crowds yet.
‘We can’t wait to get back to New Zealand,’ says Koady Chaisson, who plays banjo in the trio. ‘It is such a beautiful
country and we’re so grateful we got to see what we did when we were out for WOMAD NZ – but we’re looking forward to
getting a little further afield. We’re also so lucky to be touring with Mel… she reckons she’s a pretty good tour
guide.’
Dazzling musicianship and wild live shows have connected The East Pointers with audiences across the globe, making
original roots music the hippest thing going.
Check out The East Pointers What We Leave Behind Stunning album promo video HERE
As a follow-up to 2015’s internationally acclaimed, JUNO Award-winning debut Secret Victory, What We Leave Behind reflects on the traditions of East Coast Canadian Celtic music, but also takes giant strides in new directions. With a
captivating balance between their traditional-sounding instrumental tunes, and radio-ready songs, The East Pointers
reach out with open arms to a wide range of listeners, inviting them to discover a love for a new style of music.
‘We’ve met such a variety of people through our shows,' says Koady Chaisson, ‘from the women who knitted us hats during
our shows in the far North of Scotland through to groups of young surfy guys singing along to the instrumental parts in
‘Cold’, in Australia. I think it’s because it’s music with a really wide entry point – there’s a lot going on but it
invites you right in.’
Along with cousin, fiddler/singer Tim Chaisson, and good friend and guitarist Jake Charron, the trio write about real
life, sketching out its joys and sorrows in vivid strokes. That palpable authenticity makes their instrumental tunes
practically cartwheel and infuses their lyric-driven songs with poignancy. Listening to The East Pointers’ brilliant
second album – produced by superstar East Coast-bred songwriter/producer Gordie Sampson – is akin to meeting up with an
old friend – and then going out for twenty drinks.
Mel Parsons has strong connections with the Canadian music scene and says “I’ve seen The East Pointers lift the roof off
various festival venues overseas, and I’m super stoked they’ve managed to squeeze in a NZ run into this world tour. I’m
so excited for audiences here to see the show and discover their music - the live show is really next level”. Parsons,
who is currently working on a new record, will join the trio for the Christchurch, Wellington, and Paekakariki shows.
The flip side of What We Leave Behind - and of The East Pointers’ electrifying concerts – are scorching instrumental tunes that yank the freewheeling, Celtic
past into the present.
“Traditional music has always been at the core of what we do as a band,” explains Jake Charron. “There's something
powerful about a style of music that has been passed on for generations around the world.”
This new take on tradition is evident in ‘Party Wave,’ inspired by the band’s maiden surfing voyage in New Zealand, one
of many countries The East Pointers visited during 10 months of touring in 2016. The tunes, written over a year on the
road, take you on a journey, building the excitement before transforming into a full-on dance party. What We Leave Behind carves a new path for The East Pointers, as they continue to blur the lines between traditional and popular music and
develop a devoted fan base around the globe.
New Zealand fans of the trio can see them live when they touch down for their tour with Mel Parsons in early 2018.
New Zealand Tour Dates:
19-Jan Blue Smoke - Christchurch w/ Mel Parsons
21-Jan San Fran - Wellington w/ Mel Parsons
24-Jan St Peter’s Village Hall - Paekakariki w/ Mel Parsons
26-Jan Auckland Folk Festival
27-Jan Auckland Folk Festival
28-Jan Auckland Folk Festival
Tickets and further information at www.eastpointers.ca and www.melparsons.com
ENDS