‘Keep grindin’. That’s the plan and see what comes of it.’

St. John’s band Soap Opera is about to launch a groovy tour of eastern Canada.

Hailey Dunn
Kicker News

Soap Opera poses for a group photo.
Soap Opera, a rock band based out of St. John’s, consists of Braden Howse, Peter Lannon, Adam Engram, and Jack Etchegary. Photo by Molly Clarke.

Soap Opera is a self-proclaimed “groovy rock” band based out of St. John’s.

The band – consisting of Peter Lannon, Jack Etchegary, Braden Howse and Adam Engram – will soon bring their unique sound to music lovers throughout eastern Canada.

Traditionally, Newfoundland musicians stick to their roots, releasing music that is familiar to the community – Newfoundland and Irish folk or classic rock. Soap Opera branches out from the “norm,” and it works for them.

“We’re kinda just like rock ‘n’ roll, but like it’s a little more thought out, a little more groovy,” said guitarist and vocalist Peter Lannon when asked about the band’s genre. “. . . Psychedelic rock, I guess. I don’t know – groovy rock. It’s a hard thing to pin down. We’re trying to make it different than just regular old rock ‘n’ roll, you know?”

The band’s influences prove this to be true. From old school soul to punk to modern psychedelic rock, Soap Opera pulls influences from everywhere to generate their sound. But they are adamant about staying true to themselves and creating their own unique vibe.

When faced with pressure to conform to a certain type of music, Lannon says Soap Opera has no urge to do so. In fact, he says there’s no pressure at all.

“Our main focus [in creating the band] was just to enjoy ourselves onstage, and I think that kinda shows in live performances or we hope it does anyway. And that’s what people latched onto a little bit.

“We’re doing what we want and that’s always kinda been the focus of the band, and you know just play what we love and play what makes us happy.”

 

Soap Opera's official tour poster.
February through March, Soap Opera will be on tour. They have 11 dates scattered all over the East Coast. Photo submitted by Peter Lannon.

Soap Opera’s next gig is not a local one. The band will tour eastern Canada  starting mid-February with 11 dates. This will be their second tour of this size. Touring can be a burden to Newfoundland artists because of the isolation from the mainland.

“It’s definitely hard for touring because it’s really expensive to get off the island,” Lannon said. “So that’s been a bit of a battle, but it’s worth it for us.”

Touring gives the band exposure, the chance to meet new, inspiring people and to tweak their live performances. To Lannon, those benefits veto the financial strain.

The band members have been kicking around the St. John’s music scene for a while. When asked what’s next, Lannon is not completely sure.

“I literally have no idea,” he said, laughing, “and I think that’s the fun thing about music. It’s cool to be able to be uncomfortable and I find, for me anyway, that pushes me to try and produce the best product that I can.”

The only thing certain about Soap Opera’s future is that there is a future. The boys are constantly working on new material.

“Keep grindin’. That’s the plan and see what comes of it.”

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