Love Wagon
1:20pm to 2pm • Saturday, August 18 • The Koop
Presented by Musicians@Ryerson
Love Wagon was formed in 2015 by five strangers from around the world who shared a strong passion for music. John Abou Chacra, Max Swiderski, Michael Osztertag and David Matta met at an open jam at Ryerson University. After seeing a VW Microbus outside of an open mic, John and Max decided to perform that night as Love Wagon and the name stuck. Not long after, Sam Ehsaei, a keyboard player and friend of John’s moved from Kuwait to Toronto and immediately fit in. Love Wagon have since played venues around Toronto such as The Horseshoe Tavern, The Opera House, Lee's Palace and more, all the while perfecting their music and live performance. They are the winners of the 2018 Ryerson University Battle of the Bands; the prize is a performance at Riverfest and we are oh so pleased to have them.
The music itself borrows from genres such as jazz, rock, blues, and afro-beat, but the shows are about more than just the music. Using theatre, comedy, and improv, a Love Wagon show becomes a spectacle unlike anything usually seen on local stages. After a show at Lee's Palace, Joe Taylor of Blast Toronto wrote, "Their groove was deep and rich and powerful. Love Wagon is a band that should be on your radar."
In April 2017, the band released a recording of their song "Felatto", a jam-band style study of afro-beats and Latin rhythms inspired by Fela Kuti. In February 2018, Love Wagon released their first official single, “Get on the Love Wagon”, a 9-minute epic and a highlight of the band’s live show.
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