By Keith Sharp
Neon Dreams duo Frank Kadillac and Adrian Morris are about to execute a novel method of tackling the COVID-19 epidemic, which is currently ravaging the globe, by taking advantage of Atlantic Canada’s unique bubble communications concept to execute a 10-date concert tour in November.
Staged to celebrate the band’s latest `The Happiness Of Tomorrow’ release which will drop November 13th, Morris reports that the relatively light epidemic spread in Atlantic Canada has allowed certain activities to be maintained between the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and has allowed the duo to execute a soft-seater theatre and convention centre tour of Halifax, Moncton, Fredericton and seven Newfoundland venues between November 13th and November 28th.
All dates will be executed under restricted capacities with strict CONVID-19 prevention conditions enforced. Major venues like the Halifax Convention Centre (Nov.13) which has a capacity of 1,800 will only allow a total of 202 guests (all specifically seated at designated tables, restricted to groups of four and six guests), Moncton November 15th will only permit 250 spectators in its 752-seater Capitol Theatre while Fredericton November 16th has also only been designated for 250 people for its 688 seats. All Newfoundland dates are also operating under a restricted basis.
“I don’t think we are going to make any money off this tour but we are not doing it for financial considerations,” noted Morris who alternates between drums, keyboards and guitar. “At least our tech crew and production staff will make some money and it is a way of getting out and playing when there is a definite threat of live shows actually dying off because of this epidemic.”
As noted, the Neon Dreams two-some have forged ahead with this tour because the band which originated in Halifax has maintained a strong support base in the Maritimes and according to Morris, Newfoundland was the first province they toured outside of their home base.
With a new album set to be released and two new singles; “Don’t Go Hating Me Now” and “Sick Of Feeling Useless” already hitting the airwaves and live stream resources, Morris and lead vocalist/guitarist Kadillac are anxious to reconnect with their fan base and to road test the new material.
“Obviously the fans at these shows will be restricted from jumping around and dancing but this gives Frank and I a chance to do some storytelling between songs and perform our set a little differently,” Morris noted
Launched in Halifax in 2015 as a quartet with original guitarist Matt Gats and vocalist/D.J Corey Larue, their debut E.P “To You” defined them as a dance/hip hop group with Kardinal Offishall contributing vocals on their ground-breaking “Marching Bands” single. Yet the band continued to defy description with the release of their to follow up LP “Sweet Dreams Till Sunbeams” in 2019 containing EDM and Alt-Pop elements.
Now down to just Kadillac and Morris since Gats left and Larue moved over to run their `Dreaming Out Loud’ independent record label in 2017, Neon Dreams finally achieved major industry recognition by winning a Juno award earlier this year as Breakthrough Group Of The Year.
Touring-wise they had the misfortune of being designated as the opening act for Hedley’s doomed Courage tour in 2018 (which they pulled out of) but have also opened for the likes of fellow Maritimer Rae Mae, Tyler Shaw and The Strumbellas as well as their own dates to support “Sweet Dreams Till Sunbeams”.
“Every time we’ve had the misfortune of taking one step back that’s always encouraged us to push forward,” Morris noted. “Critics have always had a hard time describing what we are and that is because the band is constantly evolving. I think “The Happiness Of Tomorrow” is a step closer to defining who we are.”
With just the two musicians multi-tasking all their arrangements, Morris and Kadillac are constantly switching between guitars and keyboards but they wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s just a lot of fun to be switching instruments and being versatile. Our show is bigger than it’s ever been.”
For ticket information and tour schedule please link to www.neondreams.ca/tour
