Since regaining its independence in 1991 in the wake of the dissolution of the former Soviet Union, the Baltic nation of Latvia has asserted itself on both the sporting and cultural world, producing international calibre athletes and national teams that often surprise at big events such as the Winter Olympics or major football (soccer) events.
Although it was absorbed into the Soviet Union for five decades at the outset of the Second World War, it always steadfastly held to its cultural traditions and heritage, which exploded into patriotic fervour when official independence arrived 28 years ago.
Now, it seems as thought their next big international export with be a talented trio of musicians and songwriters known collectively as Carnival Youth. This band, which has released three English language albums and one in their native tongue, is set to cross the Atlantic Ocean for it’s first ever foray into the Great White North later this month.
The first stop on the band’s inaugural jaunt to Canada is Saturday, Nov. 10, when they play a showcase during Indie Week Canada at the venerable Cameron House. https://www.facebook.com/events/302434510363283.
Next, as part of M for Montreal festivities, Carnival Youth will be performing during the afternoon of Nov. 14 at Casa del Popolo.
“We have never been to Canada and we are super excited. We know there lots of Latvians there and they probably know about our existence, but we will see how many fans we have when we come over,” said Emils Kaupers, Carnival Youth’s vocalist/drummer and co-founder along with his twin brother Edgars (guitars/bass and vocals) and long-time friend and collaborator Roberts Vanags, who plays keyboards.
“We are definitely fans of some Canadian bands. Arcade Fire were really big for us when we started. And we also like Mac DeMarco, who we just saw here in Riga last week. We’re hoping to get some people in the Canadian music industry interested in us. That’s the reason why bands go to play showcases to meet new fans and make some new connections. It would be awesome if we could meet a Canadian band or agent who would get is some tours over there,” said Edgars.
As for the band’s music, it’s a delightfully infectious blend of indie-rock with pop sensibilities. It’s highlighted by wonderful vocal harmonies, high energy compositions and enough rock and roll attitude to please the most ardent of rockers.
“The core of our music is the energy when we play live. It has all the elements of indie rock but with more energy. We are all playing our instruments and singing harmonies together, so it’s all real. Some of the songs have lots of harmonies and some don’t A lot of people say there is some melancholy in the lyrics, which is true. It’s like being sweet and sour at the same time,” opined Roberts.
Latvia first became an independent nation in the wake of the end of the First World War, on Nov. 18, 1918, along with neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania. Therefore 2018 marks the official centenary of Latvian independence, a moment of great pride and celebration for those living within the beautiful Baltic nation and the Latvian diaspora around the globe – including Canada.
On Nov. 17, a special commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Latvian Independence is taking place in Niagara Falls, Ontario, with a performance by Carnival Youth being one of the featured attractions. As well the falls themselves will be illuminated by the colours of the Latvian flag. For more information on this event, you can visit the Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/244980906115060.
Growing up in a free and democratic Latvia, in the culturally rich capital of Riga, the Kaupers brothers were exposed to the classic rock stylings of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and later bands like Radiohead came to be important influences. The city of Riga has also blossomed in recent years into a music destination for many bands and artists.
“Over the last few years we have had more indie acts and more bigger acts coming to Riga. A few years ago, we would maybe have one big concert by a world known artist like Elton John or Bon Jovi. Now it’s getting better because we have never venues of different sizes where artists who aren’t that huge can come and play,” said Emils, who added that by playing many big festivals in other parts of Europe, they have also had first-hand exposure to hundreds of bands from many different genres, all of which adds to their musical lexicon moving forward as artists and songwriters in their own right.
Carnival Youth is a bona fide sensation in their homeland and their extensive touring throughout Europe has garnered them significant airplay on various top pop radio stations, and opportunities to perform at some big festivals, including SXSW in Austin, Texas, The Great Escape in the U.K., Sziget in Hungary, Positivus in Latvia, Reeperbahn in Germany, Eurosonic in The Netherlands and many more.
Through the Planetary Group, the band’s two English language full length albums, No Clouds Allowed and Propeller received airplay on college radio in both Canada and the U.S.A., while top DJs in the U.K. have spun their tracks often.
Momentum is building for this talented, dynamic and personable trio, and hopes are that these showcase gigs in Canada, as well as a little networking, will see Carnival Youth become more in demand as a concert attraction, leading to more commercial and retail interest in their music in this part of the globe.
“We are almost finished a new album, it’s coming next year, in the summer I believe. We may play a couple of new songs in Canada. The music is ready to go, but there are a lot of preparations to do to release an album, and we have lots of cool ideas up our sleeves. Once it’s done, we will do a big, full tour and hopefully come over to Canada. We have heard so many good things about Canada and Canadian fans,” said Edgars.
For any and all information about Carnival Youth, visit their social media networks, or their website at http://carnivalyouth.lv.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and author based in Napanee, ON, who has been writing about music and musicians for a quarter of a century. Besides his journalistic endeavours, he now works as a communications and marketing specialist. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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