As most of you lovely Loopers know already, we are gearing up for the first annual AFL Anniversary showcase night June 30th at the Hideout in Toronto. Our first performer, and a favourite among our fans, is folk singer/songwriter Yanis.
In true folk legend form, our first exchange with Yanis was a personal thank you for the purchase of his record, and every exchange since has been littered with insightful, generous and impossibly sincere compliments and musings. He is also a fan of the show, giving real feedback on his experience with it, which is the sort of thing every creator needs to hear on occasion to remember their purpose. As a host of this show, I define myself more secondarily as a musician. Yanis was quick to nudge me on when he might hear my own music, and while that’s not what I’m here to promote, it reminded me that he was on our team. It all comes down to the Woodstock mentality, at least from my perspective. Wanting to share the spotlight, to talk to each other through music, to offer words of encouragement. Much like love, I think making music and consuming it are always guaranteed to give you more back that you put out. His record, Queen Kari, is such a perfectly sweet and sour take on so many themes of love and youth that I continue to listen long after the episode has aired. In response to our curiosity over the father-figure-as-villain tracks, Yanis had this to say:
“In case there was any concern, The last two songs are not autobiographical. In fact I’ve invited my parents and sister to the AFL show.”
Great songwriting is often about telling a story that isn’t your own, and giving a voice to those impossible to articulate sensations. I have a feeling that to hear him up close and personal will be even better, so add June 30th the your calendar and come check Yanis out!