Guitarist Patrick Carleton reminisces about the band’s history with Guelph
On Jan. 24 pop punk bands Seaway, Selfish Things, and First Ghost played to an energetic crowd at The Brass Taps.
For Seaway, it was a homecoming of sorts, since two members of the band had graduated from U of G.
In an interview with The Ontarion before the show, rhythm guitarist and co-vocalist Partick Carleton, who studied Criminal Justice and Public Policy, looked back on the band’s U of G days. Bassist Adam Shoji, who also studied at U of G, was unfortunately absent for the show.
It was over many years the band formed, but it was in Guelph that it really began.
“It was first year of university, all the guys were here in Guelph,” said Carleton, “We were trying to think of a band name and then we walked by the Seaway res [in the south residence Maritime Hall], and we were just like, maybe Seaway?”
Seaway’s music video for “Slowing Down” was partly filmed in the University of Guelph’s Arboretum and in South residence.
By Carleton’s estimation, the band played three or four house shows in Guelph, which he described as, “Awesome, very rowdy. The best house shows we’ve ever played for sure.”
Since Guelph, Seaway has toured, recorded three full length albums, and is currently signed to the Canadian indie label, Dine Alone Records.
On the band’s 2017 album, Vacation, Carleton described working with producer Mike Greene.
“He’s definitely the most hands on producer we’ve worked with,” Carleton said. “It was the first time we did co-writes; he was big in the writing process for a hand full of the songs. He’s just like a wizard.”
After the interview, Seaway took to the stage at The Brass Taps, giving 110 per cent to each song, with ease.
The music came loud and fast, building off of one pop punk blast after another. It was like a celebration to the ever-awkward coming of age experience.
If people knew the words, they sang along; if people were in the mood, they threw themselves into the mosh pit at the foot of the stage or even crowd surfed.
For some, the genre may remain too restrictive, in that the songs all have a similar feeling to them. But the crowd got what it ordered, and thankfully it was of a high quality; as the pop punk world grows up (or remains in youthful angst) listeners can always rely on it to give their inner-teenager a voice.
And as Seaway again parts ways with Guelph, it’s worth wondering when the band will return. If what Carleton said in his Ontarion interview is any indication, it won’t be far off: “Pretty much every time we’ve played Guelph has been a favourite show of ours.”
Feature photo by Emma Ongman.