Kat Harlton
Canadian Singer-Songwriter Ryan McMahon, will be returning to the stage with his “One More Fire“ tour this Spring.
The tour will bring him to Effie Arts Collective in Kamloops, BC on March 2nd, Ironwood Stage in Calgary, AB on March 3rd, and Station on Jasper in Edmonton, AB on March 8th.
BC-based Ryan McMahon has been capturing audiences with his wit and charm long before he became a musician. As an only child of a longshoreman and a future educator, he began entertaining early and started to love the feeling of evoking emotion from those around him.
Since then, Ryan has continued to carve out a 20-year career as an independent artist in Canada’s vibrant music scene with a constant goal of crafting songs that speak to the human condition. In 2012, he joined forces with friends, Christopher Arruda and Cory Woodward to form the folk trio Lion Bear Fox, which was immediately named as one of the Top 20 Finalists for the 2013 Peak Performance Project in Vancouver, BC.
He has toured Canada countless times, released five full-length albums, and seen his music licensed nationally and abroad. He has shared the stage with an extremely wide variety of artists including Lisa Loeb, Buffy Ste. Marie, Nickelback, and Mother Mother and earned placements in the TV Series Californication and more recently in the Vancouver Island produced series Chesapeake Shores. He has also recorded full albums from his home studio, The Song Shelter, and in Bakerstreet in North Vancouver. His most recent album was recorded at the mystic Woodshop in the Cowichan Valley and now his path has led him to the famed studio, The Warehouse, in Vancouver, BC.
We had the opportunity to chat with Ryan about his upcoming tour, new music and what’s next.
Kat: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your music journey so far?
Ryan: I’m a 42 year-old husband to one and a father to three humans and one puppy; still chasing my musical dreams after over twenty years, trying to paint pictures and tell stories in my songs that are both relatable to the audience and that provide a release and therapy to me. I’ve shared the stage with heroes and my songs have helped me see parts of the world I might not have otherwise travelled to. After a two-year re-calibration, I believe I’ve got a collection of not only songs, but people in place to help me get to a few new heights I haven’t been to yet. Time and hard work will tell!
Kat: Can you talk about the One More Fire tour and how it feels to be returning to the stage?
Ryan: I don’t know if there are words to describe it. Pre-pandemic, I remember being hard on both myself, but sometimes the audience too, if things weren’t working out with a performance. I think that once I get my rhythm back out there, I’ll be carrying with me a gratitude just to be there, ya know? What we’ve just lived through – and are still living through – are truly unprecedented times. It can’t be overstated. There have been days where I haven’t wanted to get outta bed; I was just so sad not to be doing what I love. So to say I’m going to be so thankful to be on ALL the stages is most definitely the truth.
Kat: Do you have any new music planned to be released anytime soon?
Ryan: “One More Fire”, after being delayed a little, will come out on April 22nd worldwide. We’re thrilled about that. Beyond that, in the middle of my upcoming tour, I’ll head back into the Warehouse in Vancouver to track two more singles to follow that up. By the time 2022 wraps, we’re hoping that we’ve got a full album out that we can press so we can get some vinyl out to the hardcores.
Kat: What has been a career highlight for you so far? What have you learned along the way?
Ryan: Getting to Denmark in both 2017 and 2019 to play the Tonder Festival – one of the largest and coolest in Europe – was a real honour. To see some of my songwriting heroes; legends like Lucinda Williams and Louden Wainwright III up close and personal, doing their thing was amazing. Doing a run of dates with Burton Cummings a couple of years ago was pretty special to me as well. He and his team were so gracious to me. As far as what I’ve picked up along the way? I’m learning to balance my tenacity with an equal measure of patience. I’m not going to get every gig and won’t always be somebody’s cup of tea. That’s ok. It’s the work – it’s the journey and the long game that I’m in this for.
Kat: What can we expect from you for the balance of 2022?
Ryan: I’m happy to say that I’ve used all this downtime that the pandemic has provided me. I’ve written the best songs of my life, gathered together a team that I love and trust, and we’re ready to hit the ground running like never before. We’ve got “One More Fire” coming out in April, followed by a killer little video that Sean Lyons did for us. A couple more singles will follow that, and some festival dates. Overall, it is looking like a busy 2022 for us, and I’m just old enough to know how to savour every moment of it this time!
Ryan McMahon Tour Dates
March 2, 2022 – Kamloops, BC – Effie Arts Collective
March 3, 2022 – Calgary, AB – Ironwood Stage
March 8, 2022 – Edmonton, AB – Station on Jasper
March 11, 2022 – Lumsden, SK – Freebird Cafe
March 12, 2022 – Swift Current, SK – Lyric Theatre
March 16, 2022 – Kelowna, BC – Frock & Fellow
March 18, 2022 – Penticton, BC – Dream Cafe
March 19, 2022 – Chilliwack, BC – Bozzini’s
March 30, 2022 – Sidney, BC – Mary Winspear Centre
March 31, 2022 – Nanaimo, BC – The Queen’s
April 1, 2022 – Duncan, BC – Duncan Showroom
April 2, 2022 – Port Hardy, BC – Civic Centre
To connect with Ryan or find info on his upcoming tour visit: https://ryanmcmahon.com