Wilderness of Manitoba Prefer to Play House Parties

Toronto folk quintet the Wilderness of Manitoba have been running house concerts for almost three years now, and at this year's Canadian Music Week -- which runs March 9-13 -- they're playing a Spinner-sponsored event at the Toronto Institute for the Enjoyment of Music dubbed CMW Daytime Living Room Sessions, which promises to have all the charm of their own intimate showcases.

Though this one likely won't cause as many headaches since it's taking place in a music school.

In August of 2009, the Wilderness of Manitoba was visited by an undercover city inspector while throwing a release party for their 'Hymns of Love and Spirits' EP in the garage of the house four of the five members share. The band had thrown plenty of small house shows prior -- once even having the Rural Alberta Advantage tackle their basement the day before driving down to SXSW to open for Grizzly Bear in 2009 -- so they were aware of the risks of throwing a show that might ruffle some feathers over at city hall.

"He was hoping to come there and see that we were running something for profit," the Wilderness of Manitoba's Will Whitwham tells Spinner.

"And it has nothing to do with the money. It has to do with who came from the furthest away so they get the most for gas. I was like, 'We live here. We're putting out our album in our backyard because it's homemade, it's handmade. All of our friends are going to be here.'"

According to Whitwham and bandmate Scott Bouwmeester, the inspector believed the release party was for another band, and warned that if the city decided to shut down the event, their landlord would be penalized and possibly not permitted to rent the property for five years, which could mean they would be on the line for lost income.

"We said, 'Listen, we're going to do our thing and continue to keep it small. We work hard to make sure that things don't get out of hand,'" explains Whitwham.

Watch the Wilderness of Manitoba's Video for 'November'
"If anything," he continues, "he educated us further on how to do things safe and properly, which is probably his job, too. As a guy, he liked it, but doing his job, he said the best thing we could do is not to do it. And then there wouldn't be any trouble.

"But big deal, we hand some people a couple of instruments and they play a bit. Where do you draw the line between house party and venue? As long as you always approach it as this is what we do, this is for our friends, this is for people in the community who want to be involved, we are not a venue."

The group continues to throw non-for-profit house concerts, but keep them quiet and tightly organized. They closed out last summer with Evening Hymns, the Mountains and the Trees and Aidan Knight performing in their garage. It was a warm night with an equally warm reception.

The Wilderness of Manitoba will bring their own heat on Saturday, March 12 for 'Live Near Bellwoods: the CMW Daytime Living Room Sessions' you can also see them open for Young Galaxy at Lee's Palace on Thursday, March 10.

Live near Bellwoods: CMW Daytime Living Room Sessions schedule.

All ages. No wrist bands required.

Set times are approximate.

THURSDAY:

5:20 - Rich Aucoin www.richaucoin.ca
4:40 - Allie Hughes www.alliehughes.com
4:00 - Paper Lions www.myspace.com/paperlions
3:30 - Wool on Wolves www.woolonwolves.com
3:00 - Behind Sapphire www.myspace.com/behindsapphire
2:30- Hands & Teeth www.handsandteeth.com
2:00 - The Elwins www.myspace.com/theelwins

FRIDAY:

5:20 - Hooded Fang www.hoodedfang.com
4:40 - Pick a Piper www.pickapiper.com
4:00 - Olenka & the Autumn Lovers www.olenkalovers.com
3:20 - the Wilderness www.myspace.com/thewildernessmusic
2:40 - Nash http://nashmusic.bandcamp.com/
2:00 - We're Not Popstars http://werenotpopstars.bandcamp.com/

SATURDAY:

5:20 - the Wilderness of Manitoba www.myspace.com/thewildernessofmanitoba
4:40 - Aidan Knight www.aidanknight.com
4:00 - Loom http://loommusic.ca/
3:20 - the RG Morrison http://the-rg-morrison.tumblr.com/
2:40- Ingrid Gatin www.myspace.com/ingridgatin
2:00 - Nadia Von Hahn www.myspace.com/nadiavonhahn