Local band excited for Folk Festival performance after summer success
Mackenzie Gray | Fulcrum Staff
THIS COULD BE the breakout year for Ottawa-based band Go Long(!).
With a successful tour of Eastern Canada, a spot at the Ottawa Jazz Festival, and now an upcoming show at the Ottawa Folk Festival, it looks like the musicians are having their best summer yet.
The band includes Lucas Haneman on lead guitar, along with former University of Ottawa students Danielle Allard on vocals and Nicolas Crisafi on bass. They came together as a group in 2010 and their first album, Strings Untied was released in 2012 with positive reviews.
The album mixes jazz, folk, rock, and hip-hop into an eclectic acoustic sound. It combines original material, like their banjo-infused lead single “Hurricane,” with soulful covers like T.I.’s hit “Whatever You Like.”
With positive reviews and a summer of successful touring, the band is looking forward to their slot at the Ottawa Folk Festival on Sept. 8 at 4:30 p.m. on the Hill Stage.
“It’s a huge honour for us, and the culmination of three years of work,” said Allard. “We are hoping for a great turnout, because the audience is what makes shows fun.“
Allard credits their recent success to tireless Internet promotion and a recent signing with Ottawa booking agency Partick Artists. With the support of its agency, promotion of its album, and the completion of its first tour, the band hopes to continue building on this year’s momentum.
Even with such a successful year, Allard says it can still be difficult touring as an up-and-coming band.
“It is hard financially on any band and can sometimes be lonely because you get used to your local crowd,” she says. “But they become your family.”
Fans of Go Long(!) call themselves “Long Hards,” and the band is grateful for their continued support. They are excited to experience their fans’ energy on a larger scale at the Folk Festival.
“The interaction between us and the crowd is electric,” said Allard, “and it will be a blast to experience this at a very large outdoor festival for the first time.”
For more Go Long(!) information you can follow them on twitter at @golongmusic or check out their website http://www.golongmusic.com/.
