Autopilot Pitches Saskatchewan Music at Canadian Music Week 2022

Saskatoon alternative rock band Autopilot didn’t waste any time when they arrived in Toronto for Canadian Music Week 2022 (CMW). Though they just managed to snag some of the last rooms available for the event, which brings together industry players from across the world, the band–made up of Marlon Harder, Jose Antonio, SJ Kardash, Adam Swalm, and Cale Hretsina–worked to make a number of connections that should serve them well as they progress as a band.

This promotional effort, made possible by our Market Travel Grant, saw the group using posters and handbills to get the word out. They spent their evenings networking with other bands and attending showcases throughout Toronto in order to forge new relationships. Autopilot were joined by their manager, Nicholas Mishko of 10 and 8 Management, to build contacts with labels, agents, publishers, radio programmers, playlist curators, and a host of other industry professionals. Those conversations, including chats with possible tour mates, event hosters, and live music music companies, mean that the $4,821.87 they received went a long way to securing future opportunities across Canada and the US.

The band isn’t a stranger to touring, having been described in their bio for CMW as “road warriors” with a style that includes “thoughtful lyrics, powerful hooks, dynamic stage show, and obsessive hard work.” They completed 39 performance dates in 2022, including five June shows at Canadian Music Week, and their music took them to old standbys like Regina’s O’Hanlon’s and as far afield as a November appearance in Atlanta, Georgia. The Western US and Canada portion of that run of shows was also supported via our Tour Support Grant.

Their time on their road wasn’t without drama. A last-second show in Louisville, a second Thanksgiving dinner in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and a broken down van in Indiana, are just a few of the stories they shared on their Facebook page. Autopilot would have probably been forgiven by fans if they had solely focused on their live performances last year, but they also released two singles in 2022: “Feverish Dreams” and “In Between Days”. That’s in addition to their most recent full-length project, Afterglow, which was released in 2018.

The band’s newest releases were picked up by a number of radio stations, both in Canada and the US, and the trio’s time at Canadian Music Week allowed them to chat with industry players about how to pitch different digital venues for their music. This included conversations about pitching media outlets as well as satellite radio providers.

If you’re looking to use Creative Saskatchewan funds to expand your market reach and/or tour to new places, you can find that information on our website. Tour support for live music requires a run of at least six live performances in multiple cities with performance fees being collected. The next deadline for this grant is February 1, 2023. If you’re looking at our Market Travel Grant, that stream is dedicated to opportunities connected to showcases, festivals, and conferences, and exhibits.

Written by John Loeppky.