Ottawa, ON-based band Faux Confessions is set to perform at Ottawa’s Ice Dragon Boat Festival on February 19 at The Rainbow Bistro at 8:00 pm.
Learn more about Faux Confessions via our festival edition mini-interview below.
First off, care to introduce yourself to the readers?
Faux Confessions is a five-piece, Ottawa-based band that draws on roots-rock sounds and offers confessional lyrics. Some of us have played on and off together for over 35 years, and we have all played in a range of bands in the Ottawa area and beyond. Faux Confessions builds on our love of creating, playing, and performing. Having grown up as musicians in Ottawa, we have performed at a variety of seminal Ottawa venues, including the Rainbow. Because of our influences, we often incorporate Bob Dylan and Tom Petty songs into our repertoire.
Faux Confessions offers a lively show full of dynamic and memorable music. As a most recent show’s attendance attests, we appeal to all ages, from teens to the retired set. No one is too young or too old to be touched by the Faux.
Tell us a bit about your newest release.
Faux Confessions includes three songwriters who cover everything from Covid lockdowns and transformative love to celebrations of local areas such as Lanark County, as well as reflections on the places and experiences that shape our lives. We have chosen fourteen songs that represent where we find ourselves today and are beginning to work on the first steps for a recorded release.
You’ll be playing at Ottawa’s Ice Dragon Boat Festival this weekend. Is this your first time performing at the festival?
This is our first time playing at the Ice Dragon Boat Festival, but not our last. There is so much going on in Ottawa in the winter, and this festival builds on the great tradition of getting outside and being with others. To see the “boats” zip down the world’s largest ice rink is phenomenal. We are super pumped to provide some indoor entertainment to compliment the whole Winterlude festival and to raise awareness of the amazing work of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation.
What can people expect from your live performance?
Joy, thoughtful pauses, and more joy. We love to play music for people. It is a gift we love sharing. One of the greatest thrills for us as a band is to join people in the celebration of life through music. Music builds community. Our shows are audience focused; the audience does half the work of creating a memorable shared experience by joining in the vibe.
What other bands/ artists are you looking forward to checking out at the festival?
The Ice Dragon Boat Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival bring in a range of amazing Canadian and local bands. The organization has made a great impact on Ottawa in so many ways, including supporting the local music scene and creating opportunities for a diversity of people to get out and experience music. Events like these provide bands like ours with the motivation and objectives that also drive creativity.
In the spirit of the blues history of the Rainbow Bistro, there are some great blues bands that we are definitely going to catch, from HOROJO to Barry and the Blasters. We are also looking forward to the soul/funk energy of bands like the Lionyls and the Peptides, as well as the great storytelling of Lynne Hanson. We plan to get out to as many events as we can and encourage other to do the same!
Do you have any upcoming shows or festivals you’d like to tell us about?
Faux Confessions is focusing on the upcoming recording and production of an album in the coming months. We are planning for a fall album release. We are also hoping to make a few appearances at summer festivals. Please follow our website for updates – www.fauxconfessions.com.