Husband and wife duo of Leaf Rapids band excited to be playing at Brandon Folk, Music and Art Festival

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This article was published 19/07/2017 (3199 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Longtime bandmates and husband and wife duo Devin and Keri Latimer are excited to be back at the Brandon Folk, Music and Art Festival this weekend, debuting their band, Leaf Rapids.

The couple has played together for years in their Juno-winning band, Nathan, but decided to tackle a new project to scratch their touring itch while exploring different sounds along the way.

“We were thinking about making another project when the record label, Black Hen Music — who are located in Nashville now — offered us a record deal and flew us there to make an album. We couldn’t turn down that opportunity,” Keri said.

“Nathan was hard to get on the road … Devin and I are lucky enough to be able to take our kids on the road with us when we travel because both of us are in the band. We just wanted to keep playing and keep travelling.”

It was also an opportunity for them to branch off from Nathan’s popular, indie folk music and add a little modern-cowboy twang with some atmospheric pop weaved in at some points.

Their first Leaf Rapids album, “Lucky Stars,” feels deep and personal, with Keri’s soft, Dolly Parton-esque (but more Canadian) voice leading listeners seamlessly through the diverse track list.

The band’s biography on their website describes their music as: “Their sound resembles the Canadian grasslands, as beautiful as they are harsh, taking notes from Canada’s soft tones and tough seasons.”

“The name of the band, Leaf Rapids, comes from the town that Devin grew up in northern Manitoba, which I think is a fascinating area of our country,” Keri said. “I was kind of inspired by the isolation of that community, and the joy that spring brings … It’s kind of like Winnipeg when we all get a bit cabin crazy in the winter. A lot of artists hunker down and it’s a really creative time as well, but also really isolated, and then there’s this explosion of spring.”

Brandon audiences can look forward to hearing tracks from Leaf Rapids’s album, as well as some new songs destined for a new release.

A Brandon Folk, Music and Art Festival fundraiser in Winnipeg, the Richard Thompson Tribute fundraiser, also inspired Leaf Rapids to include one of the headliner’s songs on their new album as well.

“One song that we covered for the event, which is pretty much the most depressing song I’ve ever heard, is probably going to go on our album because we just loved it so much and it really spoke to me, so that’s a nice sort of bonus,” Keri said. “I’ve seen (Richard Thompson) perform a couple of times, but I’m really excited to see him in this intimate setting.”

Having performed at Brandon Folk Festival with Nathan, Keri said it’s one of their favourite festivals to play.

“The people there really let you feel the love they have for music … They’re very vocal in their appreciation,” Keri said with a laugh. “One time I was laughing so hard I almost couldn’t finish a song because there was the most excellent interpretive dancing going on while we were playing. It was so amazing and funny, in a good way.”

Over the years, Keri said she has become more comfortable on stage, which has allowed her to appreciate the connection with the audience.

“I can feel it’s a two way thing — I’m receiving as much as I’m giving,” Keri said. “I used to get so nervous I would just worry about performing well and not boring the audience, but now I can concentrate on what I’m getting back from the audience, which is nice. I’m making a connection that I’m really loving.”

Leaf Rapids will be performing at a workshop on Saturday, The Saddest Songs in the World, at noon. They will be hitting the stage at the Keystone Centre grounds just before 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday night.

» edebooy@brandonsun.com

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