Dear Blackwolf Finish Tour with Ottawa Compadres @ Irene’s
Words by Jean McLernon
Featured photo by Mike Gorda (@mikegorda)
This Friday night marks the end of Dear Blackwolf’s tour through Collingwood, Toronto, Montreal, and finally Ottawa.
They’ve had local favourites The Wicked Mercy and Brandon Allan & the Bad Decisions along for the ride, and a wild one it’s been.
“This tour has been exciting,” Dear Blackwolf’s drummer Arturo Portocarrero said. “The shows have had a great attendance and have welcomed us with great vibes and high energy.”
The Toronto-born duo that makes up Dear Blackwolf has hit up some notable venues on this tour, including Casbah in Collingwood, the Handlebar in Toronto, and Montreal’s Barfly. They’ll finish it off with Wicked Mercy and Brandon Allan & the Bad Decisions tonight at Irene’s as their last stop. “We’re excited to play in the nation’s capital, at the legendary Irene’s,” Arturo says, noting that Irene’s frequently plays some of the cities best local musicians and hosts many of its must-see shows.
Dear Blackwolf has been tweaking their sound, which they’re calling ‘rumble’, to bring fans to the next level of blues rock than they’re used to. “After spending a couple of months writing and recording, Dear Blackwolf is excited to unleash their signature sound through high octane engaging performances,” Portocarrero said, “We have a sound, and we call it ‘rumble.’”
Rumble refers to the duo’s unique way of incorporating roots with blues rock, and was coined by vocalist/ guitarist Joseph Perry.
Safe At Home by Dear Blackwolf
Dear Blackwolf plays the kind of music that gets right into your soul, with a sound and energy not too far off from early Black Keys. Even those who aren’t fans of blues rock will be moved by the pacifying voice of Joseph Perry. Their last album was released in November 2014 and is full of soulful strumming tunes like “Lights Out” and “Dixie Bound Blues” that marry sad reminiscence with tales of love. Other tunes like “Doin’ Me Wrong” have a more upbeat and grittier feel that lends itself well to their rumble sound. Some of the songs are peppered with clips from old radio broadcasts and blues albums to round out the feeling of old school rock.
Catch Dear Blackwolf, The Wicked Mercy and Brandon Allan & the Bad Decisions at Irene’s Pub Friday March 13th. Doors are at 9:30 p.m. You can keep up with Dear Blackwolf by checking out their last album on Bandcamp, or follow them on Facebook.
