Chilliwack singer-songwriter Andrew Christopher is going back to the basics of music making, after a good 10 years of performing solo at local pubs and restaurants.
On a recent morning, in the warm and welcoming music studio at his home in the mountains, he explained the shift in direction he's taking and how his friends, fans and supporters can connect with him moving forward.
He's moved from the stages of places like Lakeside Beach Club and the Jolly Miller Pub to hosting private shows in his home studio, and focusing on things like storytelling, mentoring and growing as a musician. The guests for his shows, more often than not, are supporters of his Patreon page, where he shares his thoughts via a podcast and personal essays.
The tone of his newest work reflects the growth Christopher has had as a musician, as he brings in practices like seated meditation and daily forest walks. Both have led to new lyrics, new music and a deepened appreciation for taking time for the people and things in life that matter.
It's all been an important change in pace for Christopher, who is not just a long-time musician but a father to three busy children.
And now, he's wanting to get the word out that while he's stepping back from the stages he loved for so long, he is committed to creating music. He'll be talking more about it at a special engagement in Studio C of Cowork Chilliwack, on Feb. 7. There, he will perform from his latest album Andrew Christopher & The Imaginary Band, Live at Sparrow Rd. Volume 1.
It will be an intimate concert filled with stories and songs, similar to the way he performs on the album as well as in his private shows. It may not be the sort of concert that resonates with everyone, he admits, but he's looking to create a community of like-minded people both through music and storytelling.
"Anything I'm trying to share with people, it's not that I'm an expert in any of this you know," he says. "I haven't studied for years at university learning this stuff, but I just know what feels good and what works for me and that's kind of what I'm sharing."
In his earlier music career, Christopher was the lead singer for the Chilliwack band Pardon My Striptease. During that group's most successful days, he became a father for the first time to a daughter, Lilee-Jean. She was diagnosed with a brain cancer at the age of 10 months, and she died just a few years later, in 2013.
Since that tragic time, he's worked his way through the loss with the help of music and writing, and has found a quieter lifestyle in the process. This change aligns with his "healthier, happier life," he says.
"And that's what I want to grow, this kind of community around people who are kind of interested in that stuff, or at least open to it," he said.
The latest album is intertwined with songs and stories, and is available at patreon.com/andrewchristopher.
You can find the link to buy tickets for the Cowork Chilliwack event on Christopher's Facebook or Instagram pages, or go directly to: ac-cowork-live.eventbrite.ca.
