Performance Art, Family Life
Faun Fables Play Montreal Sunday
Be prepared for an evening of transcendence and spirituality with the duo Faun Fables at Divan Orange this Sunday.
The couple, Dawn McCarthy and Nils Frykdahl, offer performances somewhere between recital and family reunion. An experience of proximity reinforced by the presence of the lovers’ children, on tour and on stage. This will be the band’s first stop in Montreal since 2005, when they played Club Soda.
“It can be a very consuming lifestyle,” McCarthy said about being a touring performer. “Just working on the material, then performing the material, you can find yourself writing songs about being on a tour bus.”
She often questions herself about the dangers of extensive touring, artistically speaking.
Faun Fables was originally created as a vehicle for McCarthy’s performance art, drawing from theatre, poetry, visual arts and music. However, there is no doubt that this is a collaborative project since her group partner, the versatile Frykdahl, is also her life partner. Frykdahl is mostly known for his work with avant-garde rock band Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.
The duo, still working on new material, will be mainly playing songs from their previous albums, as well as traditional folk pieces.
Trying to place as much importance on concerts as they can, Fables have released only five albums during their 15 years lifespan. At its heart, the band is about live performances, where McCarthy and Frykdahl use drums, guitars and flutes to flow through a range of emotions.
As for bringing family life on tour, McCarthy admits that, even if it’s a very fulfilling experience, it can get really exhausting. “We’ve been doing that for some time now,” she said.
Nevertheless, she hopes her kids will get the same kind of precious memories from her travelling experiences.
“When I was young, I used to travel a lot with my parents and it was great.”
Faun Fables w/ Bad Weather / Sept. 30 / Divan Orange (4234 St. Laurent Blvd.) / 9:30 p.m. / $10.00 advance, $15.90 door
