West My Whom?

In the modern musical landscape, it’s rare to hear something as put-together as Cascadian folk duo West My Friend - something so layered, deeply symphonic, baroque, and mysterious in its own winking way while still courting an edge of disaster. Simple is safe, but complex is fiery, intricate, and ultimately more rewarding.

Steeped in the visual styles of western Canada, West My Friend are veterans of the Victoria music scene and recently released their Independent Music Awards-nominated fourth album “In Constellation”. On this latest work, the band continues to refine the art of creating achingly poignant folk music, only this time, they’re backed by a full symphony orchestra, heavily layered while remaining lighthearted. Intricate yet accessible. Melancholic yet optimistic.

Mingling grassroots guitar, accordion, mandolin, orchestral instruments, and interweaving harmonies, In Constellation (produced by Joby Baker, co-produced and arranged by Adrian Dolan) features longtime members conceiving a new box, then thinking outside of it. Punctuated by musings on anxiety and belonging, song structures vary and dynamics change from moment to moment, painting powerful lyrical portraits over backgrounds of violins and trumpets that swell, collapse, and tumble between bold harmonies. With over 800 performances and countless tours under their belt, West My Friend is bringing forth a new sound you’ve never known you’ve wanted and new meaning to the things you’ve never known you needed.

Guitar, Vocals / Eden Poynter
Accordion, Vocals / Jeff Poynter
 

Listen

The first singles “Build a Bed” and “Old Song” from “In Constellation” are out now!

To purchase albums, visit the Store tab. You can to listen to full West My Friend albums on Bandcamp here.

WATCH

Tour

Schools

Canadian Folk Rumours

West My Friend introduces students to Canada’s rich folk-music history by weaving together rousing renditions of classic songs like “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” with fascinating stories of some of our greatest singer-songwriters. Conjuring a vivid sense of the life and times of great musicians like Stan Rogers, Gordon Lightfoot, Buffy Saint-Marie, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young, West My Friend takes students on a rollicking ride through Canada’s proud folk music history.

Break It Down, Build It Up

West My Friend introduces student audiences to music that they’ve probably never heard but in many ways already know. Through guided listening and lots of participation, students will gain insight into how West My Friend’s original songs are put together and discover that they already have the skills to write songs themselves!

Contact us for booking and more information on both shows.

Music Everywhere

In a world of increasing disconnection through digitization, it becomes even more important for people to gather and celebrate through the arts. West My Friend takes this impulse further than the expected: they perform music everywhere.

Specializing in performing in strange and unusual spaces, West My Friend is known for showing up wherever you’d least expect to hear live music. They’ve performed in a 100-year-old streetcar on a high level bridge, a nudist resort, a sailboat, a yoga studio, a hot springs, a hayloft in a 100-year-old barn, a pet food store, many farms, a lawn bowling club, libraries, bookstores, museums, a former movie theatre, while basking in the warmth of a Swedish “Valborg” bonfire, and more!

From trees to boats and libraries to living rooms, West My Friend wants to hear from you about your unusual space. Let’s expand our definition of a stage and create an evening your audience won’t soon forget. Contact us to set up a performance today!

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