Hawksley Workman excited about playing live at home in Huntsville

Fans of hometown favourite Hawksley Workman are in for a treat on October 26 as the renowned artist is bringing his Lover/Fighter anniversary tour to the Algonquin Theatre.

The concert is part of this year’s Huntsville Festival of the Arts line-up and Workman is promising a fantastic show for the audience.

As he was recently in British Columbia, we reached out via email with some questions about his tour overall and specifically the Huntsville show.

“We’ll be playing the entire Lover/Fighter album, probably in order, as well as other favourites,” said Hawksley. “But the focus will be on this one record . . . It was the record that bumped up my career a notch or two, so the focus will be on those songs.”

The record itself was a huge hit that was toured worldwide and reached number-1 in France. It was one of his 17 solo records in a career that has spanned over two decades. He kicked it all off with a self-produced indie album titled For Him and The Girls in 1999 and has kept making wonderful music through the years, including many chart-topping singles.

Performing live is a different beast from creating records in studio and indeed there is a certain draw to it for most artists – Hawksley included.

“I’m free on stage,” he said. “There’s no future or past up there. I imagine it’s the same kind of ‘being in the moment’ that athletes feel.”

Whether doing major label international smash hits or Canadiana-soaked indie releases, Hawksley’s flow is all his own. Combining a variety of genres and stupendous vocals, the man has built a huge faction of loyal fans throughout the world – with devoted bases in Canada, the UK, France, Norway, and Australia.

Still there is something special about coming home to Huntsville, where Hawksley grew up and still has family and friends ready to welcome him back with open arms.

“I still know lots of people,” he said. “I will end up seeing some family and friends, but tour life is a thief . . . and often the daily demands of travel, soundcheck, rest and food squash out some of the other things I might want to do when I’m in town.”

Hawksley adds about playing live in Huntsville: “I love being back on the land I grew up on. It’s always a very different audience because I’m playing in front of people watched me grow up . . . so, there’s not much room for artifice!”

And for those who may not know Hawksley or his music, the artist gives a fantastically poetic and prudent reason why they should be at the show.

“Live events create indelible memories. They live in us with a vibration that’s much different and more eternal than any memory from a streaming service. It’s nice to get out and have a human experience.”

For tickets to the concert, visit: https://huntsvillefestival.ca/event/hawksley-workman-2/