The Barrelmen, a Saskatoon based quartet of country roots musicians who are pushing the boundaries of a new sound, will hit the stage at this year’s Watson Streetfest on Friday, June 20.
The talented members of this country outfit have been together for several years and have evolved their sound and stage presentation that would bring envious glances to seasoned Nashville players.
“We all play all the instruments in the band,” member Craig Wilson elaborates, “So we kind of have a rotating cast, and we have a good time doing it.”
The band started in its earliest incarnation with a kind of throwback sound, true to the roots of country music and acoustic folk.
“In the beginning that was kind of intentional to keep an ‘old timey’ sound with acoustic instruments – the folk and bluegrass kind of stuff,” Wilson admits. “That’s changed as we’ve shed those parameters, and it’s sort of an alt-country sound. One of the guys in the band is a world-class pedal steel player, so we wanted to showcase that a little bit too.”
Despite the new direction, Wilson says those original elements still surface in their music throughout their catalog. The multi-instrumental facet of the band came as a natural evolution given that all the members contribute to the songwriting.
“The one thing that was standard was whoever wrote the song was typically on guitar, and the rest picked up whatever they felt like playing for that song. So, when you play, you’ll see us switch instruments from time to time.”
It’s not “schtick” for show, says Wilson; it adds a kind of an open jam feel that spins the music in different directions with every different musical configuration. He says it looks a little chaotic at times, but it’s definitely choreographed and adds to the show.
The Barrelmen are on the road with summer events. Along with their appearance in Watson, they’ll be part of the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival in Saskatoon at the Glass & Lumber venue in Riversdale (July 6), the Prairie Music Hall Festival at Turtle Lake (July 11), and later in the season is their annual show at Saskatoon’s hallowed jazz club, the Bassment (October 4).
New music and an accompanying video are just out from the Barrelmen in advance of the Watson Streetfest concert. “Telling Tales” is out on most streaming platforms.
Wilson is a former teacher in Watson, so he looks forward to connecting with former students and new fans alike. Don’t miss your chance to see this unique Saskatchewan band perform their original tunes under a summer sky in Watson. Check out the band at thebarrelmen.com.