Interview with VERANDA

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

• I think we both got into music by listening to our family's old records. If it wasn’t for music I think we’d both be working in the outdoor industry.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

• We’re both big outdoor enthusiasts. We hike, fish, hunt, gather, garden, cook, etc. It defines who we are and nature is a big part of our songwriting.

How long has your band been around?

• The band started in 2018 and we released our first EP in 2019.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

• We’re based out of Montreal, which is filled with great musicians. We cut our teeth doing bluegrass and country open mics in town with some of the best folk acts in the country. We learned so much from them.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

• We came up with the name Veranda because we feel it really represents our music. When you think about it, a veranda is a room that’s both outdoor and indoor. It’s a place where you’re surrounded by nature but you’re also protected from the elements. There is something really comforting and honest about it that fits our kind of music.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

• We toured the Yukon last June and it was a lifetime experience. We played some festivals with some of our favorite acts, surrounded by the most magnificent landscapes we’ve ever seen and all of that in the peak of the summer solstice midnight sun!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

• There’s this venue that’s very special to us in Montreal that’s called the Barfly. For now 23 years, they have hosted bluegrass open mics on Sundays and that’s where this project really started. Even though we’re not regulars anymore, we keep a special place in our hearts for the good ol’ Barfly! As for places we’d like to play, the Station Inn in Nashville TN is on the top of our list!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

• Let’s dream a little: Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs and the ghost of Bill Monroe.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

• Keep working hard and try to play in front of an audience as much as possible.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

• To take off the cowboy hats.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

• ‘’L’éclaireur’’, we wrote that one when Léandre lost his grandfather a couple years ago. We’re really proud of the music and the lyrics and we received a lot of messages from fans that said it helped them deal with the loss of someone.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

• We’re thrilled to play the songs from our latest record ‘’Là-Bas’’, songs like ‘’Toute les Rivières’’ and ‘’Forêt’’. We get a lot of requests for older songs like ‘’L’éclaireur’’ and ‘’You can run!’’ but lately the hype is around our new material!

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

• We usually start with some lyrics, we then brainstorm about where we want to go with that song and then work the melody, the chord progressions, etc.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

• We write a lot about existential questions through nature related images and we hope people will find comfort in our music.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

• No, fingers crossed!

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

• We’ll be touring across Canada in 2023 to support our new record, hope to see you guys down the road!

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/verandamusic

• Instagram : @veranda_folkmusic

• Website: www.verandamusic.com