Vancouver-based, two-time JUNO award-winning musician and songwriter Dan Mangan played the Farmers Market Saturday night.
As an internationally touring artist who has shared stages with musicians like Father John Misty, Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar and the Decemberists, Mangan drew a large and lively crowd. Mangan’s performance capped off the headliner shows for the city of Fredericton’s Shivering Songs festival.
Just as Mangan helped bring new life into the world through the birth of his son in 2016, he is trying to bring new life to his music. Mangan is currently touring to promote his 5th studio album, More or Less, inspired by his experiences with parenthood and his uncertainty about bringing life into a modern world of questionable politics. “It was crazy to be holding this newborn baby while the world seemed to be burning,” Mangan said.
The fresh style of his album further emphasizes that his new fame doesn’t impact his creativity. “I wrote an essay for each song and put them into a booklet, a little story for each one,” said Mangan.
Mangan has made headway in other artistic fields. He scored the soundtrack for Peter Chelsom’s feature film, Hector and the Search for Happiness, and a deal for a TV series on Netflix and AMC. Mangan has also co-founded an app called Side Door, a platform that connects artists with hosts of intimate performance spaces to create unique concert experiences.
Mangan exuded high levels of energy and passion during his performance at the Boyce Farmers Market. “You guys are awesome!” he exclaimed repeatedly to the crowd, seeming to thrive off their excitement and spirit.
Mangan has already performed 300 times on his tour, yet he has no trouble putting on an emotionally genuine show that speaks to his familial values.