It’s been over a year since the world came to a halt, and although things aren’t quite safe yet, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Today, The Trews released their pandemic anthem, “I Wanna Play,” an ode to what we’ve all felt since the beginning of lockdown, getting through all of Netflix and daydreaming of when we can all get back to doing what we love safely again with our friends and family. Watch the video here.
Filmed in Hamilton’s First Ontario Centre, the video has the band sneaking into the stadium to play some music together at center ice. On writing the track, the lead guitarist John-Angus MacDonald says, “What rhymes with Global Pandemic? … pathetic? prophetic? This is a song written and recorded for, during and about the strange, unusual and unprecedented time we all just lived through and the toll it took on our collective psyches. We Wanna Play!” While lead singer Colin MacDonald notes, “This is our song for the lonely in the strangest time in recent history. A musical longing for understanding, meaning and emotional release. It’s also just a really catchy and anthemic rock JAM that we’re all really excited about.”
Without touring, musicians have had to resort to new ways to engage fans and stay connected. The Trews have not been immune to the effects of cancelled tours, and most recently, cancelled live streams (their April 3rd Livestream show at The Horseshoe had to be rescheduled to May 8th, due to Ontario’s Stay-at-Home order).
With that said, the band pivoted towards weekly Instagram Live sessions, as well as using the membership-based platform Patreon, which offers fans exclusive access to previously unreleased tracks, merch discounts, and content, including the first look at this video. Fans can sign up here.