Fans of The Strumbellas packed Portland’s Revolution Hall this week as the band’s Rattlesnake tour rolled into town. This folky, indie rock six-piece from Canada has traveled the world playing sold out shows and festival sets, and are currently celebrating the release of their fourth studio album, Rattlesnake, released on March 29.
I caught up with guitarist Jon Hembrey and keyboardist Dave Ritter before their Portland show to chat about the new record and their touring experiences.
The album is a collection of 9 vibrant and refined songs all reflecting on the idea of growth — a rattlesnake shedding its skin. Walking through the writing process, they explain that what starts as hundreds of demo pieces from lead singer Simon Ward slowly turns into a few choruses, then just a dozen or so songs ready to be refined for an album through the band’s collaborative writing process.
Overall, the live crowd reception and the connection to the new songs has been positive, Hembrey says, adding that there have been a few people crying to some tracks and really “getting the feels in.” The track “I’ll Wait” in particular has seemed to really connect with listeners, as Ritter points out. The catchy, upbeat tune holds endearing lyrics about always sticking by those you love.
As the band is over halfway through their full US tour, Hembrey and Ritter reflect on tour life and some favorite moments this run. “We’re very lucky we get to [tour], but in its daily beats touring is not that glamorous,” Ritter says. The two share stories of off days in random Walmart parking lots, experiencing boiled crawfish for the first time in the middle of nowhere Texarkana, and Ritter being scooter-shamed in LA for riding a Bird instead of a Lime as he discovers “the scooting life” in the U.S.
After years of making music and being on the road, the guys have learned some valuable lessons. Ritter’s advice for budding musicians? It takes time. “I continue to be surprised with the time it takes to build an audience, to put albums out, to get people to connect with your music,” he says, it’s all about touring the same places over and over again and balancing life and music. Hembrey’s advice focuses on life on the road in the ever-changing music industry; treat every day like it’s the last time you’re going to be in that city. One day you could be top of the charts, and the next at the bottom. But with the release of Rattlesnake, earning praise from critics and listeners alike, it seems like The Strumbellas will be hanging at the top for quite a while longer.
The Moth & The Flame brought their alt-rock to the stage to kick off the show. Transcending vocals, powerful choruses, and an incredible mix of rock and electronic instrumentals filled the room. The band played many favorites from their new record Ruthless and a few older hits, much to my heart’s content having followed the band for over 4 years.
The Strumbellas put on a fantastic set with songs from each album taking their place on the stage. The collective energy of all six band members and the excited crowd had the room buzzing.
Check out the show gallery below!
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