The Box Tiger
Mulberry Street Coffee House 193 James Street North
For my first Rendezvous of 2013, I got to chat with Toronto band The Box Tiger before their show at The Brain. After scoping out the venue and getting set up, I wandered next door to Mulberry with Sonia, Jordan, and Ben to find a spot to chat.
We ended up in De Facto, Mulberry’s art gallery, where local artist Jacqui Oakley‘s work was the installation for the month. A mirror that was part of the show made for a fitting backdrop for the video.
During our talk I got to find out more about how the band came together, how the recording of their first full length album is progressing, and their eclectic musical influences, among other things. And, of course, my favourite part, the Rendezvous Rapid Fire!
Being the tourist that I am, I also had to ask about their connection to Portland, Maine, where guitarist Jordan is from. Sonia noted that the city is their “home away from home,” having played shows there and doing some recording. The band agreed, reflecting on Portland’s community being small, but still having elements that you want in a big city. I couldn’t help but compare it to Hamilton, with its own small town yet big city feel.
There were a lot of Hamilton connections to be made with The Box Tiger – they’ve played here several times, including a performance at Casbah during HMA’s weekend and an in-store set at Dr. Disc. They’ve also shot a couple videos for Southern Souls. I got their thoughts on Hamilton’s music scene and they noted a few local bands they’re fans of, like Gdansk, Illitry, and The Dirty Nil.
My thanks to The Box Tiger for a fun interview. They “heart” Hamilton too and will be back this way soon!
– Kristin
