Hi Folks,
Can’t believe another year has come and gone… 2014 was a year of ripping myself out my comfort zone, of taking risks, of pushing myself harder than I ever though possible. I feel like I grew 10 years in 1 year. The result of all that work will soon be in your hands (if you so desire) when my new album ‘We Are The Reckoning’ gets released in the first half of 2015. There will be plenty more news and fun things to give you around that, but for now, I’d like to take a moment, as I do every year, and look back on 2014 and some of my favourite moments. I tend to be someone who is always looking ahead, always hungry for more. It’s good for me to stop for a moment and say ‘wow, I’m blessed in this life’ and especially to say thank you to all the people that have allowed me these blessings.
So, without any further ado, here’s 2014 in a quick photo-review (in no particular order)
Hearing (and watching) the graduating class of the Toronto Waldorf School perform their arrangement of my song ‘The Fence’ as the closing moment of their production of the Laramie Project. Their arrangement and interpretation was so stunning, so touching, I’ll never EVER forget what it was like to be in that room watching them perform it. On top of that, to know that the message behind the song is continuing to be spread fulfills the dream that I have for that song, that it continue to be a positive ripple out there despite the sadness of the circumstances around its genesis. (You can hear their version HERE)
Playing dream show after dream show supporting Royal Wood with my buddy Karen Kosowski on keys. From the stunning Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto (where Royal’s band surprised me by playing on ‘Brother’), to the gorgeous National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the list of shows/venues/audiences that I got to play with Royal and his incredible band is the stuff of my dreams. I was at peace up there, exactly where I wanted to be. Thank you to Royal, his band, his team, and especially you: all the incredible people I got to meet along the way after every show.
Being named Best Male Vocalist in NOW Magazine’s 2014 Readers Poll (readership of 1/2 million people). This was wildly unexpected (truly) and very cool.
This one night in Orillia. I play a lot of shows, and every one one of those shows means a lot to me. Every now and then though, something extra happens where I feel like everything I’ve ever needed is all there in that room. In June, as a result of my pledge campaign, I was invited up for a surprise concert for a small group of dedicated camp staff at YLCC Camp in Orillia. I had showed up with a lot of heavy lifting going on in my head. Something happened with that group, can’t explain it, but I’ll never forget it. My set ended with an all-out-dance-party-majorly-extended-version of ‘Thunder In Your Chest’. It was just what I needed.
Playing the Sony Centre for the performing arts in front of 3000+ delegates from all over the world at the International Astronautical Conference. I had the unbelievable honour of sharing the stage with Chris Hadfield and Cirque du Soleil (to name a few) and then had the pleasure of meeting so many unbelievable people afterwards. I stood a the merch table for 10 hours (seriously) after the show and talked to everyone from Bill Nye the Science Guy, to Walter Natynczyk to the head of NASA. Buzz Aldrin even walked by! I even found out that the head of NASA quoted ‘Oliver’s Tune’ in his address to the conference later on that week. Crazy.
Making my new album ‘We Are The Reckoning’ with Bill Lefler, Royal Wood and Tim Abraham. After writing over 50 new songs, both on my own and with a long-list of dream co-writers, I surrendered myself to these 3 incredible humans who took my songs and turned them into something I never would have thought possible. It was a crazy ride, constantly pushing myself to my creative and mental limits, I’m so deeply proud of the end result, and I can’t wait to share it with you. (and Rachel Sermanni even stopped by to sing on a tune!)
For the past 2 summers now, as a spin-of from connections made while touring in Alberta, I’ve been doing some work with young people out in the Alberta wilderness. The program is a character-building 12-day session where students (all 15-16 year olds) are taken hiking, rock-climbing and white-water canoeing, not to really master those 3 skills, but to see what they learn about themselves along the way. I got to be part of the group, playing music for them of course, but also being there to listen, to learn, to offer up some guidance, and to grow alongside them. This unexpected opportunity, that came as result of putting songs out into the world, has become one of the most meaningful pieces of my life. I have to include it on this list.
Once again this year I was asked to play at several beautiful weddings. I got to play brides down the aisle, sing my songs while couples shared their first dance and mouthed the words to each other… It’s an amazing feeling to be asked to be a part of such a threshold moment in people’s lives. Congrats to Ronak and Heather, Jay and Steph, Sean and Claire, and Kevin and Emily, was a pleasure and an honour to be a part of your weddings.
Listening to the master of my new record ‘We Are The Reckoning’ as it was being mastered by the amazing Joao Carvalho in the best sounding room in Canada. His reaction to it and the way it sounded coming through those speakers was one of the highlights of my life and career. Coming to your ears soon…
That’s a pretty good list… wow… Looking ahead, I have major tour announcements coming up for Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, the UK and more. I have so much great video content for you and of course, my new record! There are some exciting new people that we’re going to be working with to help get the record out into the world, lots of exciting things, will all start to come your way in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, there’s still another couple of weeks if you want exclusive behind-the-scenes access to all my pledge videos (link below) and if you’re in the Toronto area (or willing to travel), my big release show at the Harbourfront Centre on May 29th is already over 75% sold out so if you would like to come, then please follow the link below.
Thank you for another year working at this thing that I love, it’s a gift and I don’t take it for granted. I strive to give you my very best every night and will continue to do so as long as the universe will allow (which I intend to be until the day I die). Take care, lots of love, Peter
P.S.
Toronto ticket link (same show, different ticket sections available):
Harbourfront link: HERE
Massey/Roy Thomson Hall link: HERE
P.P.S Last few weeks of my pledge campaign where you can get all the exclusive content! CLICK HERE
