The group has spent the first half of the year traveling around the country continuing to wow audiences. We spoke with Luc, Aidan, and Rob Wrigley, about their busy year, the joys of writing music and what they look forward to the most at Harvest Sun.
Can you talk a bit about how you have been evolving in your style of fiddling?
Rob: We have been writing a bit more original music. Our latest song is a collaboration the three of us put together, called “Mémoire.” I wrote the music, and the boys wrote the lyrics in French. We’ve been continuing to learn new songs we enjoy. The boys are always picking up new tunes. I came home the other day, and they had both worked out different parts of the Game Of Thrones theme song, which is pretty cool. It’s a popular new song we’ve been playing. We’re also thinking about doing another album, so we’re just continuing to write some new music for that.
What’s been your favourite parts of learning older songs and putting your spin on it as well as now writing original music?
Luc: It’s the customization. When it’s our own, we can always change something that we don’t like or if there’s something we just want to change we can because it’s our song. For covers, we can do something different, add some fiddles to the songs, and different customization choices.
Rob: I think what’s neat about making your own music is there’s really no rules. We can always adjust things if things aren’t fitting right. As the boys get older, we’ve had to lower the key of some of our original songs because they’ve been having some trouble singing the higher keys. And it’s fun to experiment and explore, especially when it’s your own music.
Aidan: We got the chance to go to British Columbia and Vancouver Island to play Nanaimo, so that was pretty fun. It was for the Maple Sugar Festival du Sucre d'Erable, and then we got to play a bunch of other events that were going on on the island.
Rob: We’re heading up to Rankin Inlet in September, so that’ll be a big adventure in Nunavut to perform for the community and we’re just looking forward to a fun summer playing Harvest Sun. We’re also doing the Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin.
You played Harvest Sun for the first time last year. What are some of your favourite highlights?
Rob: It was a really great experience because we were scheduled to do a tweener set, but it was a longer tweener. Just before the set, I was looking at the stage I realized that there weren't going to be enough inputs for what we need to do. I ended up talking to the sound guys, and they were able to arrange it so we could go up on the main stage. That was pretty exciting. It really amped up our performance and was very memorable for us. The audience really seemed to enjoy it.
Aidan: We got some very positive feedback, we’re hoping we get that again this year.
Oh, I definitely think you will. I remember last year the audience asked you to play longer.
Rob: Yeah! I think we ended up getting an encore and got to play a few extra tunes. It was a really special show for us and a highlight and definitely one of the best moments of last summer for sure.
At the festival, it’s a very common thing for other artists to jump in on each other’s sets and do surprise collaborations. Who on this year’s roster, would you be so happy to do one of those improvised sets with?
Rob: I think the list looks really good and it’ll be a great festival for everybody. It would be great to get up and do a collaboration with anybody.
There’s another fiddler on the roster as well, Patti Kusturok, so that might be a good one!
Rob: That would be a great idea. She’s known the boys since they were little. They used to do the fiddling and jigging contests at Festival Du Voyageur when the boys were about four years old. They were in the jigging contest, and Patti was fiddling for them.
What would you say are the best things about the Harvest Sun Music Fest?
Aidan: I think the best part for me, is when you start playing, and you just see people’s faces light up; when they hear you play a song they recognize and they just really enjoy you playing for them.
Rob: The festival just gives off a really special feeling. Everything is just so close together, and you feel a real connection with the audience. It’s fun to just walk around, and everyone is very receptive afterward, so that’s pretty cool.
Catch at Double The Trouble The Harvest Sun Music Festival in Kelwood, MB - August 16 -18th.
Follow Double The Trouble on Facebook, on their website, and Instagram.
Be sure to check out @harvestsunmusicfest on Instagram on July 10th, as the group takes over our account for the day!
Janet Adamana is the Founder/Editor-In-Chief of Sound, Phrase & Fury Magazine - a Winnipeg-based digital publication dedicated to promoting independent artists and industry professionals from all over the world. More than just about inciting hype, she interviews/writes to capture an artists’ essence and their greatest passions to ignite meaningful connections between fans and really great bands.