Story by Angie Valente, Photo by Chad Kirvan

Superstitions aside, Friday, November 13 at The Foundry will be a good night amongst the Hunt and Gather crowd. After six years as a band, they’re about to release their debut self-titled album. Featuring nine songs, the record was recorded by the band themselves, produced by Indie Pool, mixed locally by Sean Skillen (Auditor General) at Exit Music Studio and mastered by senior mastering engineer Phil Demetro at Lacquer Channel in Toronto. “We feel really good about it and we’re excited to debut the album” says bassist Dane Newbold.

The members of Hunt and Gather are no strangers to the Thunder Bay music scene, having all been in local projects in the past such as Tenth Ring, Loyal She Remains, Drive, and Wives Tale. Together they pooled their years of experience when it came time to record. The project took about a year from start to finish.

For Hunt and Gather, the writing process between these six musicians is different every time. Members Michael Graydon (keys, synth, backups), Eric Hansen (rhythm guitar/backups), Scott Erickson (lead guitar), Brandon Smith (vocals/rhythm guitar), and Mason Grant (drums), along with Newbold, are conscious when it comes to creating. Newbold explains, “Our biggest thing is trying to make sure we’re not overwhelming musically. A lot is played selectively to make sure we don’t overwork songs and just focus on making the art.”

Though Hunt and Gather have troubles labelling themselves genre-wise, their fans are happy to call them an indie prog outfit (or progressive indie). “We fuse different styles together and create a cool sound by doing it independently” says Newbold. “We sometimes call it ‘dad rock’ too. Half of the band has kids,” he says with a laugh.

Newbold also contributes to the thriving independent music scene as owner of The Foundry. He discusses the local music scene with gratefulness and positivity. “It’s stronger now than it’s ever been. Local outlets Def Sup and LU Radio put on events, and there’s cooperation between the bars. The musical calibre is top notch and some of the best recordings are being produced in the city. Everyone is peaking.”

Hunt and Gather’s album release show is Friday, November 13 at The Foundry with special guests Auditor General and Murder Murder. Cover is $5.