Longtime, award winning and engaging internationally acclaimed storytelling singer-songwriters, Danny Michel and Steve Poltz, are back together off the heels of their sold out Canadian 2023 tour and will be weaving songs and stories into their one-of-a-kind highly anticipated 2024 tandem tour. Kicking it off on November 1st and stopping in to our region at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in Peterborough, on Nov 14th, these two dynamic musicians are back together, offering audiences an unforgettable blend of wit, spontaneity, and masterful music.
I had the pleasure of shooting some questions to icons Danny Michel and Steve Poltz.
Steve and Danny, are both audience favorites and critical darlings in equal measure—they are teaming up to play a marathon of 16 shows in four provinces in just under one month. Get set for a night of clever wordplay and pitch-perfect tunesmithing, as wrangled by a couple of top draws with a time-tested, God-given ear for melody. (Okay, that’s four ears, if you want to get technical.) It’s a must-see of an evening, bringing together two of the wittiest, most accomplished writer-performers on today’s scene. And don’t expect some perfunctory “Okay, who goes on first tonight?” affair either: In their past outings together, Michel and Poltz have shared the stage with a camaraderie that’s left attendees beguiled by how perfectly they mesh—and inspired by the affection between them that’s both obvious and genuine. It’s a textbook case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Not that the parts are anything to sneeze at. Effortlessly straddling the genres of rock, pop, folk and world.
Both gentlemen are featuring their spontaneous collaborations and playful energy while touring in celebration of each of their recent introspective delights, regarding releases like Danny Michel's 2023 album Ghost Town, and Steve Poltzs' 2022 album entitled Stardust & Satellites.
1. Being entwined inside the music realm for nearly 3 decades, would you both say there is a different feel to your creative processes when writing songs here in Ontario versus the USA?
Danny: "Steve could speak better to this as I don't get to the states as often. As a Canadian it can be complicated with work visas etc. Steve has dual citizenship so I can make the cross a little easier ."
Steve: "I just like to write about whatever I’m feeling. So maybe my mood affects things. Perhaps if I’m in Ontario and it’s snowing it might change my point of view versus being on the beach in Mexico. But sometimes I get a tiger by the tail and I just follow the randomness of it all. There’s no certain rule to which I hold myself accountable to."
2. Who would you both say inspires you the most regarding your songwriting prowess?
Danny: "I find inspiration in simply observing the world, from politics to relationships to the meaning of life. Sometimes, it comes from the simplest things—like watching someone stack chairs at the end of the day as the restaurant closes—trying to capture the feeling of a moment that someone else can connect with. Sometimes it’s the act of storytelling itself that’s inspiring, the chance to create a meaningful connection."
Steve: "Prowess isn’t a word I’d use to describe my songwriting. I wish it was. It’s just a weird thing that happens and I don’t like to censor it or question it. I just like to let it flow. Like urine."
3. Danny, you have always been an environmentalist and globalist, while Steve, you have a degree in political science. Would you both say that each of your originals reflect more on personal experiences or would you say your songs have political tones ?
Danny: "I’d say my songs are a mix of both personal experience and political reflection. As a lover of the planet Earth I’m naturally drawn to themes that reflect on the world around me and the interconnectedness of humanity. Those themes can’t help but weave into my lyrics, even when I’m writing from a more personal place."
Steve: "I just got that degree because it seemed like the easiest path outta college. I don’t even know what you’re supposed to do with a political science degree. Do you know any political scientists? I don’t. I know doctors and lawyers and dentists and salespeople."
And share with your fans how your passions mentioned above came to be.
Danny: "The first time I'd ever heard environmental songs was in my teens on an album called Lone Rhino by Adrian Belew. He was a guitarist Frank Zappa, David Bowie, the talking heads etc. Adrian’s solo records have many beautiful songs about nature and animals."
Steve: " I said to the counselor- get me out of this place. I just wanna play guitar. But my parents wanted me to graduate because they’d be proud. It was at a Catholic university. I was maybe gonna try being a priest but the no sex thing sounded too restrictive."
4. Infusing your life with musical action, never idle in 30 years, not waiting for it to happen, plethora of creativity and passion with a drive to leave your fans inspired and in the rock n roll frame of mind. What would you both say is your most valuable memory or piece of advice given to you back in the day that serves as a motivator, to keep you driven forward with your dreams. Also, would you both have any advice to share with up and coming artists just starting out in this crazy world of entertainment?
Danny: "I’m not sure about the 1st part but for up-and-coming artists, I’d say stay true to who you are, both as a person and as an artist. Be authentic. Write music that means something to you, ignore rejection, have fun. "
Steve: "Buddy Blue from The Beat farmers told me I needed to think of myself as a plumber. Nothing more nothing less. He’d say - you’re just a plumber. If someone calls you a genius, you’re not a genius and someone calls you an idiot, you’re not an idiot, you’re just a plumber. But I still can’t unclog a toilet."
5. With numerous nominations, awards, accolades and albums, can you both share with your fans which original song of yours is your favorite to perform and why?
Danny: " I think that's impossible to say because it changes all the time. Sometimes songs take a backseat for a while when new songs come in and then rotate and come around again it's always changing."
Steve: "Probably whatever my newest song is at the time because it gives me a buzz and I like getting a buzz."
6. Can you both take us on a musical journey through each of your latest albums?
Danny: "My latest album Ghost Town was written in what I call the dead zone - a global pandemic. Probably my most earnest and vulnerable album. It’s a rollercoaster of songs of sorrow, isolation, hope, redemption and more. I wanted people to feel they’re not alone, and even to be able to laugh about things that are painful."
Steve: "there was a pandemic and my friends The Wood brothers asked me to come over and make a record. I had nothing else to do because we were all walking around wearing masks and social distancing so I figured I would go make a record. I had a lot of extra time. It was a good experience."
7. Going back in time to when it all began for each of you, would you both have ever imagined your careers unfolding as they did? Also, did you ever think your songs would have influenced the world as they have? As both of your albums, Ghost Town, (a huge fan of eternal changeling David Bowie), and Stardust & Satellites are internationally acclaimed brilliance. Some of the most musically magical and addictive sounds, revving up your creative mystical engines releasing your enchanted complex and indescribable euphoria, with songs that stretch the limits of light rock with a folk pop feel, truly unique, and philosophically penned pieces.
Danny: "That's hard to say because I never really looked back or forward but instead try to exist in the moment. When I started I had no idea what I was doing. I was just staying true to the art and letting it unfold naturally without any real idea of how far it could go. I'm thrilled that my songs have connected with people and gifted me an exciting life and career. It’s humbling to know that something I wrote might mean something to someone I’ve never met. I think that’s the magic of music—it truly is medicine."
Steve: "Honestly I never thought I would be able to do this for a living and I’m still waiting for somebody to tap me on the shoulder and say - we were just kidding. We need you to go work at McDonald’s now."
8. Ecstatic audience members who caught Michel and Poltz on their 2023 jaunt together are still raving about it, calling their pairing “pure joy,” “mind-blowing” and “one of the best, most intimate & hilarious & heartwarming shows I have ever seen.” That’s a tough act to top, but rest assured that these dedicated, boundlessly talented boys will find a way. So when you are out on tour, I hear that each of your shows are always different from the next. With having so many returning die hard fans but, then there are those that have never had the pleasure of seeing you live until now, how do you balance that in way of song selection?
Danny: "We don't have a set list. We vibe off each other & play what feels right in the moment. It’s like making a mixed tape on the fly. One of us suggests a song then the other says “Oh man, I got a song that would go good with that!” It's a bit of a tight rope walk but we're each other's safety net too. "
Steve: " I just hope for the best. Try to keep it real. And don’t put any restrictions on myself. Let the show unfold and ride the wave."
9. Danny Michel, do you still lead audience singalongs? As well, what can fans expect at Market Hall on November 14th?
Danny: "Sing-alongs happen when the moment feels right. I'm confident we can promise you'll leave with a smile on your face. "
10. What is next upon the horizon for both Danny Michel and Steve Poltz?
Danny: "I'm gonna hunker down this winter and make a new album "
Steve: "More of the same. I will probably die on stage. It’s all I really want to do."
Thanks so much for your time and humor gentlemen, have a fantastic Fall tour 2024.
For further details, tickets and to stay in tune, visit
And
Hurry, don’t delay, grab your Tandem Tour 2024 today.
November 1, 2024 The Carleton Halifax, NS
November 6, 2024 Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts Kingston, ON
November 7, 2024 Shenkman Arts Centre Ottawa, ON
November 8, 2024 St. Paul's United Church Perth, ON
November 9, 2024 St. Paul's Centre Orillia, ON
November 10, 2024 Aeolian Hall - Performing Arts Centre London, ON
November 11, 2024 The Great Hall Toronto, ON
November 13, 2024 Meaford Hall Arts And Cultural Centre Meaford, ON
November 14, 2024 Market Hall Performing Arts Centre Peterborough, ON
November 15, 2024 The Biltmore Theatre Oshawa, ON
November 16, 2024 Royal City Mission Guelph, ON
November 17, 2024 Fort William Historical Park Thunder Bay, ON
November 19, 2024 West End Cultural Centre Winnipeg, MB
November 21, 2024 KMSC Law Performing Arts Theatre Grande Prairie, AB
November 22, 2024 Myer Horowitz Theatre Edmonton, AB
November 23, 2024 River Park Church Calgary, AB
November 24, 2024 Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre Vernon, BC
