Ben Caplan has addressed all of your questions today about how often you might see him this year. The answer: at least once. He’s embarking on a massive tour that will take him across two continents and back. He’s also just announced the release of his new album Old Stock, along with the release of the first single, “Widow Bride.”
The single, aside from providing some valuable lessons in finding happiness in your life, gives a big taste of what to expect on the new album. This is a hard dive into what Caplan is describing as contemporary folk-rock with a twist. It’s Fiddler On The Roof for 2018.
“Widow Bride”, and in fact all of Old Stock, is adapted from the theatrical production Caplan is currently starring in. Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story is the true story of two Jewish Romanian refugees coming to Canada in 1908. Created in collaboration with playwright Hannah Moscovitch and director/co-songwriter Christian Barry. the production has received critical acclaim of the New York Times during its seven-week Off-Broadway residency.
Written by Geoff Berner, “Widow Bride” is a song about colonialism.
“I wanted to put this song on album because it was important to me that the album include a nod to the First Peoples who were in this land before colonists, settlers, and various waves of immigrants and refugees arrived,” explains Caplan.
“The song quotes Queen Victoria “looking for a strong young man to match up with these virgin lands.” The tragedy of the song is the central lie of North America. These were not “virgin lands”. The bride was indeed beautiful, but she already had a groom, and he was still very much alive.”
Caplan s about to embark on a lengthy tour across North America and Europe with a five-piece band beginning in May 2018 and going well into 2019, but there are at least two occasions to catch him on Canada’s east coast.
Tour Dates:
May 1, 2018 – Hamilton ON, Mills Hardware
May 2, 2018 – Toronto ON, Great Hall
May 3, 2018 – Montreal QC, Bar le Ritz
May 4, 2018 – Quebec City, L’Anti
May 5, 2018 – Burnstown ON, Neat Café
May 6, 2018 – London ON, Rum Runners
May 22, 2018 – Krakow, Poland, Alchemia
May 23, 2018 – Poznan, Poland, Meskalina
May 24, 2018 – Warsaw, Poland, Hydrogazadka
May 25, 2018 – Prague, Czech Republic, Futurm
May 26. 2018 – Ettiswil, Switzerland, Stimmen Festival
May 28, 2018 – Budapest, Hungary, Dürer Kert
May 29, 2018 – Vienna, Austria, Porgy& Bess
May 30, 2018 – Zurich, Switzerland, Papiersaal
May 31, 2018 – Lausanne, Switzerland, Bleu Lézard
June 12, 2018 – Buffalo NY, Buffalo Iron Works
June 13, 2018 – Pittsburg PA, Club Café
June 14, 2018 – Washington DC, Pearl Street Warehouse
June 16, 2018 – Kennett Square, PA, Kennett Flash
June 17, 2018 – Richmond, VA, The Camel
June 19, 2018 – NYC, Rockwood Music Hall
June 20, 2018 – Boston, MA, City Winery Boston
June 21, 2018 – Portland, ME, Empire Dine & Dance
June 22, 2018 – Northampton, MA, The Parlor Room
June 23, 2018 – South Burlington, VT, Higher Ground
Sept 12, 2018 – Moncton, NB, Cathedral Church
Sept 14, 2018 – Halifax, NS, Rebecca Cohen
Sept 20, 2018 – London, UK, The Lexington
Sept 21, 2018 – London, UK, The Lexington
Sept 22, 2018 – London, UK, The Lexington
Sept 23, 2018 – Paris, France, Les Etoiles
Sept 25, 2018 – Nijmegen, Netherlands, Merelyn
Sept 26, 2018 – Rotterdam, Netherlands, Rotown
Sept 27, 2018 – Utrecht, Netherlands, Tivoli/Vrede
Sept 28, 2018 – Cologne, Germany, Luxor
Sept 30, 2018 – Munich, Germany, Ampere
Oct 1, 2018 – Berlin, Germany, Bi Nuu
Oct 2, 2018 – Copenhagen, Denmark, VEGA
Oct 3, 2018 – Oslo, Norway, John Dee
Oct 5, 2018 – Hamburg, Germany, Knust
Ben Caplan’s Old Stock is out June 15, 2018.