Ottawa’s yuckiest three-piece band Backseat Dragon has hit the road for their East Coast tour — marking the group’s largest touring endeavour yet.
Touring is what the band looks forward to the most.
The group is travelling across the province and into Eastern Canada, bringing their live shows to small venues in cities beyond Ottawa, where they first began playing together.
For vocalist and guitarist Carrie Blair, a Carleton University student, the excitement of touring is unparalleled.
“It feels like Christmas… or counting down to sleep away camp or going on vacation.”
With around 17 shows booked across multiple provinces until March 29, Backseat Dragon’s tour marks an important milestone for the band.
“Backseat Dragon’s never gone out east before,” drummer Sean Lundy said. “This is also the longest that we’ve ever been on tour with this band.”
The group, made up of Blair, Lundy and guitarist Cole Hallman, formed after Blair released a short acoustic EP online during the COVID-19 pandemic. After sharing the project on streaming platforms, Blair received an unexpected message from Lundy on Instagram offering to play drums.
The account’s username caught Blair by surprise.
“I got a message from someone on Instagram named ‘eating_poo,’” Blair laughed. “They said they liked the EP and had written some drum parts, if I wanted to jam.”
At the time, Lundy was also living with Hallman, who soon joined that project as well.
“It was almost like a package deal,” Blair said.
What was a casual collaboration quickly evolved into a fully-fledged band, and eventually into a steady schedule of shows both inside and outside Ottawa.
The three members share similar musical roots. Lundy and Hallman began playing music as kids, performing in bands throughout high school before moving to Ottawa and continuing to pursue music.
“Music has always been my favourite thing to do,” Lundy said.
While Backseat Dragon’s sound can be difficult to neatly categorize, the band described it as emotionally driven pop rock that balances heavier themes with an energetic and playful delivery.
“Some of the stuff Carrie sings about is pretty intense,” Hallman said. “But it’s all wrapped up in us having so much fun that it doesn’t feel heavy to listen to.”
“It’s honest, cathartic, but fun emo indie stuff,” Lundy said.
Over the past several years, the band has collaborated with other local musicians, including Madfolk and Captain WildChild. Members of Backseat Dragon are also involved in other bands, which they said helps them grow creatively.
“I think being in multiple bands keeps your playing versatile,” Lundy said. “It’s like getting to flex different muscles.”
Collaboration has also helped the band expand their connections beyond Ottawa. Through shows in different cities, Backseat Dragon has formed friendships with musicians across Canada and the United States.
One memorable experience came when they hosted California band Walter etc., a group they had admired for years.
“They posted online asking if anyone in certain cities could help them play a show,” Blair said.
“Sean messaged them, and they ended up playing with us in Ottawa in 2023.”
After the show, the bands hung out, which Blair described as surreal.
“So much of meeting people isn’t even what happens during the show,” they said. “It’s hanging out afterwards, getting dinner before the show or talking months later about playing together again.”
Among the shows that Backseat Dragon has already played are Peterborough and Orillia, Ont. The band had never performed in these cities before.
The response in Orillia, Ont. surprised them.
“They were super engaged and excited about the music,” Blair said. “It honestly felt like I was making friends with everyone there.”
Some of the band’s favourite performances have come in smaller towns rather than major cities.
“There’s less hustle culture,” Blair said. “People just want to support each other and have a good time.”
As the tour continues, the band is particularly excited about heading further east like Halifax and Charlottetown — a region known for its welcoming music communities.
“People on the East Coast really appreciate it when bands from Ontario make the trip,” Hallman said. “They know how much work it takes to get there.”
“It feels like such a big step up from anything we’ve done,” Blair said.
Other musicians in the independent music scene have noticed Backseat Dragon’s growing presence.
Ethan Silver and Judah John of hi, low, a Brantford, Ont.-based band have shared stages with Backseat Dragon several times and say the band stands out for its songwriting.
“They’ve got good songs, good words, good structures,” Silver said. “They’re writing all-timers.”
Featured image provided by Backseat Dragon.
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