Upper Lake >> Chris Antonik, a Toronto-based musician who will be performing at the Blue Wing Saloon Monday, May 11, describes his music as “contemporary blues rock with an emphasis on guitar.” And for Antonik, the guitar is the root of it all.
“I’ve always been a guitarist. I’ve only been fully singing and fronting a band for the last few years,” he said. “But now I’m singing and writing and I produce my own stuff as well. It’s a broader artist vehicle with layers to it.”
Based on the reception of his debut album, the singing is working out well for Antonik. In 2011 he was nominated for Best New Artist at the Maple Blue’s Awards, Canada’s national event. “I recorded the first album and I got the nomination and then I started getting asked to do festivals,” he said. “That moment was definitely pivotal in terms of pushing me forward.”
Even if he hadn’t been nominated for the award, Antonik would never have stopped pursuing his music. “Not that it’s all about that stuff, it’s about the music,” he said. “But I guess having that nomination allowed me to break out of the vocal scene.”
While he’s been playing the guitar for nearly 20 years, only in 2009 did he decide to add songwriting to his repertoire. “I didn’t get any experience being a songwriter until my early 30s,” Antonik said. “That sort of propelled me to be more of an original artist.”
Antonik decided to try his hand at writing and singing for practical reasons. “[I realized] to be a well rounded artist in the long run I needed to front my own band,” he said. “I’m at the point where I’m starting to really appreciate my voice as another instrument. It’s just another tool to use now.”
As it turns out, songwriting is more than a practicality now, it’s a passion. “I love the craft of songwriting,” Antonik said. “I find myself putting out these albums and writing these songs and really wanting to tour them and get out there and play. [I’m] creating an original music and honoring traditional blues standards as well.”
It took a while for Antonik to begin his songwriting career because he never knew what to craft lyrics about. “I never really had anything interesting to say before. I didn’t have any songs in me, I didn’t have anything to write about,” he said. “I’m getting the confidence to want to craft my own stuff. I wanted to just start putting together my own songs and my own visions and ideas. That may seem like common sense to younger artists who are already doing that. It’s kind of meant to happen that way, it’s kinda how things unfolded on my path.”
Blues has always held a special place in Antonik’s music and his heart. “I originally got into it in high school … when I heard Eric Clapton play on John Mayall’s Blues Breakers album,” he said. “That’s the album that really hooked me on the blues.”
Though traditional blues is heavy on the melancholy, Antonik doesn’t consider the genre gloomy. “It’s not all sad music, it’s just music about your emotions and being real,” he said. “Blues can be happy too. There’s certain notes you can play that can be very uplifting. It’s a way to capture all emotions, even happiness. There’s a couple songs on my latest album that have all sorts of positive messages.”
Antonik views blues as a way to release feelings, no matter what they might be. “It’s just a way to be real and connect with people in a really soulful way,” he said. “If you’re feeling sad it’s great for that too. Traditional blues when I started came from a very sad and oppressed past, but in terms of popular music today it’s just a basis to express emotions in any direction now I think.”
Antonik’s music isn’t straight-up blues, though. “Blues has always been the cornerstone, but there are shades of pop and rock and blues rock as well,” he explained. “I like to be able to color outside the lines a little bit, but I definitely consider myself a blues artist as a central point. But I love all kinds of music.”
His style gives a nice twist to the blues, which is presumably what prompted his nomination for Best New Artist six years ago. “We’re presenting blues music, but we’re also presenting a contemporary form of original songwriting, kind of bending the rules a little bit, not sticking to tradition totally but still honoring it,” Antonik said. “As a guitarist I would say blues is the main sort of area. We can play traditional blues but as an original songwriter I try and bring on different genres.”
With an ever-growing list of influences, it’s apparent that Antonik has vast interests. “[I’m] a big fan of the Allman Brothers and Santana and the Muddy Waters,” he said. “As a songwriter I’ve always been a fan of Bob Dylan and Neil Young. I always try and hone my guitar craft as well as my songwriting craft … I like listening to all sorts of new music as well and just hearing what’s out there. Lately I’m listening to a lot of Jackson Brown as well in terms of getting ideas for songwriting for my new album.”
The show at the Blue Wing will be one of the first Antonik plays this part of the country. He booked gigs in San Francisco and Sacramento and was looking for more shows in Northern California when he found the restaurant in Upper Lake. “We’re coming to do our first tour on the west coast in the U.S.,” he said. “It’s logistical but I’m just excited to see that part of California and the Bay Area. This is our first California and Arizona run.”
The weekly blues night helped seal the deal. “It’s great that the Blue Wing Saloon does shows on Monday night,” Antonik said. Antonik has had successful shows throughout the eastern part of the country, and he’s looking to grow his audience. “In the last couple of years we’ve been fortunate enough to expand outward and build fans in the U.S.,” he said. “America has been so good to me and in terms of reviews. It just makes sense to continue building on the press in the states as well.”
He’s coming for work, but Antonik’s excited for his trip. “We’re just really thrilled to be able to play in California for the first time,” he said. “How can it not be fun, touring in California for the week?”
Antonik turned 40 on May 2, so he’s viewing the week as a gift of sorts. “It’ll be a nice birthday present. My wife’s like, ‘You’re not getting anything for your birthday. You get to go to California,’” he laughed.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
