…thank you and I’m sorry
Revered Canadian rockers The Trews have returned to the road in support of their recently released EP, …Thank You and I’m Sorry. But while the band has built its reputation belting their high-energy, arena-ready rock anthems from stages across the globe, this time out, audiences will get a glimpse of a different side of this multi-faceted foursome.
As they did to great acclaim for 2009’s Friends & Total Strangers tour, The Trews – lead vocalist/guitarist Colin MacDonald, guitarist John-Angus MacDonald, drummer Sean Dalton, and bassist Jack Syperek – are performing a string of unplugged acoustic shows across the continent. “We’ve always had this other side of us, which is three acoustic guitars and a hand drum,” says Colin MacDonald. “Changing things up helps keep us inspired and gives us a chance to showcase some of the intricacies of our music.”
The intimate, stripped-down nature of these performances will bring the band’s soaring, interwoven harmonies and sharp sense of dynamics and melody to the forefront of the experience. “It also appeals to a different audience and lets us play for people we wouldn’t usually get to,” MacDonald adds, noting the sets will contain re-imaginings of hits and fan favourites from the band’s extensive back catalogue along with selections from ...thank you and I’m sorry.
“We love having something new for our fans each time we hit the road; something we’re excited to share,” the singer says about the upcoming 7-song EP. The release, co-produced by John–Angus MacDonald and previous collaborator Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Gov't Mule, and The Trews' House Of Ill Fame) and featuring The Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, is comprised of a mix of softer acoustic songs along with traditional Trews bangers, including an amped-up take of Australian rock icon Paul Kelly’s “Leaps and Bounds.” Says MacDonald about the cover: “We thought it’d make a great Trews song and we’re really looking forward to getting it out there.”
While the tour-de-force that is The Trews’ rock show has earned them slots supporting the likes of The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Plant, and KISS, they’ve amassed a fair share of accolades through their acoustic work. The band’s hugely successful live acoustic CD/DVD Friends & Total Strangers was nominated for a JUNO Award while the single “Sing Your Heart Out” earned the band an International Acoustic Music Award in the AAA/Alternative category.
Come the new year, The Trews will return to writing material for their next full-length, expected in 2013. But for now, the aim is to stun spectators from the stage with tight, retuned takes of well-known tracks. The ability to draw from four full-length studio albums – two certified Gold in Canada – and 13 Top 10 Canadian singles will only allure fans new and old, present and future, to explore this special side of the band Performer Magazine calls “without a doubt, the greatest rock band of their generation.”