The musician debuts their newest EP “Book of Open Tuning” in concert
Erin Marcellina and the band Hank’s Dream came together last Friday, Jan. 27, to create an unforgettable experience for their fans at the bar Quai des Brumes located in the Plateau Mont-Royal.
Unlike most performers who stay backstage before their shows, Erin and the band were at the front of house. They were greeting guests and introducing themselves to their dedicated fans, who consisted primarily of supportive family and friends. If they were nervous, there was no indication of it. The group couldn’t have looked more in their element.
“I was super nervous before the show. Everything was racing. But the moment I started performing, it was so much easier,” said Marcellina.
Marcellina kicked off their performance with the important piece “I Should’ve Told Him” on their newest EP. Inspired by one of their close friend’s suppressed memories of being sexually assaulted, the acoustic guitar paired with Marcellina’s soft vocals made for a tear-jerking performance and the perfect way to start the show.
This was followed by a noteworthy rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s hit “I’m On Fire,” which created a feeling of nostalgia for the older demographic and revisited personal memories for Marcellina’s father since they listened to this song religiously during a family trip in Ireland.
“I’ve been playing this cover my whole life. It’s a childhood song and very nostalgic to me. It was easy for me to place it in the set because I know I’m going to play it well,” Marcellina said.
They broke up their performance by entertaining fans with the song “Mommy” that has yet to be released. They expressed to the audience how the song stemmed from them being recently rejected.
Marcellina also sang a spectacular cover of “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall, which animated the crowd as they began to dance in groups on the compact dance floor.
“I chose this one because I had recently watched The Devil Wears Prada and this song was on the soundtrack,” said Marcellina.
Marcellina concluded their set by playing “Your Drug,” the last song on their latest EP, along with a special feature by Hank’s Dream who played accompanying instruments. The combination of Marcellina and the band created a unique take on one of their most popular pieces and demonstrated an undeniable connection between the band and themself.
“Hank’s Dream is made up of such talented musicians and they’re such nice guys,” Marcellina said. They added that this was their first experience performing one of their songs with a full band. “It felt like everything fit really well,” they said.
As soon as Hank’s Dream walked on stage, the crowd gravitated towards the front rows to watch them perform some songs from their self-titled debut.
They delighted their fans with an exceptional performance of Miley Cyrus’ hit “Party in the U.S.A” which caused the audience to break out into song, almost making it hard to hear the band at all.
This was Marcellina’s third concert and second time at Quai des Brumes. By the end of this show, they had definitely left their mark that evening.
With the hope of performing once again with Hank’s Dream and a single on its way, Marcellina is truly making a name for themself.
Photo by Alexandra Blackie
