Some artists are completely different offstage than when they’re performing—Erin Smith’s not one of those. The frontwoman for local indie faves Erin Smith Band is as bubbly and enthusiastic in person as she is when belting out a tune. Her style and personality suits ESB’s musical style, a blend of upbeat funk-meets-folk.
“We call it high-energy, bootie-shakin’, funky-assed jazz-pop,” laughs Smith.
The band, which features Smith’s brother Liam on bass and Mike Chadwick on drums, has recently expanded to a quartet with the addition of John MacLean on saxophone, clarinet, and flute.
“He’s spent whacks of time on cruise ships playing in the Vegas-style shows they put on,” Smith explains. “And somehow he’s cool with being wedged into our minivan to tour in the freakin’ freezing cold. He must be crazy!”
Formed five years ago, ESB have three acclaimed albums to their credit, including the recent Downtown Smog Crown. Smith says that even though the band bears her name, all the players get a chance to shine. “Liam, Mike and John sing a lot of backing vocals—kind of Motown/soul style—and we do some instrumental pieces as well where the focal point is not me at all. It’s much less of a singer-songwriter band and more of a tight funk-jazz outfit these days, so I really don’t feel like it’s all about me and I’m pretty sure the boys don’t either.”
Erin Smith Band is the consummate indie act, working tirelessly to get the word out. Smith herself handles booking and promotion while holding down a part-time job. It’s the lot of most independent artists in this town, but ESB seem to have a particular knack for it—they’ve managed to make a name for themselves in a very tough market on their own terms.
“I’m really used to overseeing everything, so it’s hard for me to let someone else take over an aspect of the band/label/booking agency unless I totally trust them,” Smith says. “However, I think too many bands sit around and wait for other people to do things for them, when there are so many opportunities out there to play, reach people and hone your craft.”
Touring is the lifeblood of the ESB—they’ll jump in the van and go wherever they’re asked, often with their musical pals in tow. They recently completed the “What the Folk?” tour of Ontario and Quebec with like-minded combos Jacob Two-Two from Ottawa and Pigeon-Hole from Montreal, and Smith also sings with the Ladybird Sideshow, a side project with local songbirds Melissa McClelland, Lisa Winn, and Janine Stoll (who sometimes does backup vocals for ESB).
“Learning how to tour is a gradual process, for sure. At least it seems to be when you’re doing it independently and all the surrounding work is done by you and your crew,” Smith says. “A few of us have super-flexible part-time jobs that allow us to come and go, which is very helpful when you’re in a touring band. Logistically we shoot for guarantees that will get us through the tour, try to eat healthy, take turns driving, learn to live without much sleep and make sure we’re having fun.
“That’s the big thing—you’ve got to thrive off the live shows and audience feedback in order to have a great time even with the tough touring aspects. We’re a funk party band, so we end up with a huge whack of adrenaline once we finish a show. That’s how we deal with so many 4 a.m. nights in a row.”
ESB’s live show is fun and high-energy, setting them apart from the usual spate of dour navel-gazers that clutter the local indie scene. They’ve even managed to get notoriously uptight Toronto crowds to—gasp!—dance.
“Man, I don’t know for sure why that is,” laughs Smith. “But I’m pretty goofy and spunky onstage and I bust the chops of the audience and encourage them to get up and dance. I think that, combined with the songs all being so upbeat and funky and the whole band bouncing onstage, leads the way for all the dancin’ folk.”
Smith’s impressive vocal range has been called upon by everyone from Nelly Furtado (Smith was enlisted as a potential backup singer for Furtado’s tour) to fellow Ladybird McClelland (whose new Luke Doucet-produced album is already sparking buzz). She’s currently working on a solo record that she says will be a bit more “subdued acoustic,” with Ben Harper-esque guitar parts by Liam.
Aside from her two musical side projects, Smith is also an accomplished visual artist, and has exhibited her vividly-hued paintings in several local clubs. With so much on the go, the band is trying to find the time to record a new album in the near future.
“We have more than enough material to do one,” Smith says. “Mostly right now we’re weighing our options and deciding what to do. Should we bang it out quickly or take our time? Should we do it on our own or with a bigger producer? Once we make a decision on that, we’ll do a new record and then tour again to support it.”
