Slow Down Molasses Brings Saskatoon-tinged Indie Rock Across the Ocean

In 2022, Saskatoon four-piece rock band Slow Down Molasses (SDM) worked to add their musical talents to that list, using Creative Saskatchewan grants to build their worldwide fanbase and bring those experiences back home to the land of living skies.

Using one Tour Support Grant and two Market Travel Grants, the band spent time in Britain and Germany promoting their most recent album, 2021’s Minor Deaths. Their four members: Tyson McShane (vocals & guitar), Chris Mornin (bass & vocals), Levi Soulodre (guitar & vocals), and Kaelen Klypak (drums), held seven tour dates across the UK and also spent time at Brightson’s The Great Escape Festival and the c/o pop Festival in Cologne, Germany. This British leg of the tour was meant to happen in 2021, alongside international appearances in Estonia and Hamburg, but were shifted to 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic made those plans moot.

Slow Down Molasses’ time across the pond started with the German festival, an opportunity that members say kickstarted their summer of success. Their time there meant that they booked a slot at the Future Echoes Festival in Norrkoping, Sweden for February 2023. It just goes to show what can happen when another festival’s director is in the audience. Next came their wider tour, where travelling across England and Scotland opened many doors, according to the group.

“The band now has talent buyers in Brighton, London, Glasgow, Manchester, Reading, Oxford, and Hull who are all keen to see the band back in 2023. In addition, the band made crucial in-roads with radio.”

And, in the midst of all that buzz (including a BBC6 DJ spinning their tunes), Slow Down Molasses found their way to The Great Escape Festival in Brighton. The band’s description of how the event went, combined with their slew of inspiring concert photos on their Facebook page, makes the viewer wish they’d been there.

“The venue [was] so full [that] our publicist couldn’t even get into the main room…Both shows went over incredibly well, resulting in industry response being resoundingly positive…The band was able to meet with and solidify relationships with numerous UK based promoters [while] at the Great Escape, while also meeting potential future label partners while there.”

2022 was also a big year for SDM on Canadian soil. They performed a few local gigs as well as at festivals such as M pour Montréal, BIG Winter Classic, Winterruption Edmonton, and Sled Island Arts and Music Festival (Calgary) while also being nominated for a Saskatchewan Music Award in the alternative artist of the year category. They’ll return to BIG in 2023, as well as spending time in Sweden and Denmark.

While we’re hoping the band gets a little more rest in 2023, we’re looking forward to seeing how Slow Down Molasses can capitalize on this momentum and reach audiences new and old with their music.

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.