Local indie rock band Living Hour has been spending this November playing shows across the continent to promote their fourth and latest album Internal Drone Infinity. The 2025 tour will conclude at The Park Theatre on Nov. 21.
The final show will mark their return home to Winnipeg before their West Coast tour in February with New York City band The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Living Hour guitarist Gilad Carroll is excited to play surrounded by “friends and community and family that have been supportive of the band for a long time,” and feels proud of the local music scene.
“We’ve really been [finding fans] more than ever, and it’s just fun to look up when you’re playing and see people bobbing their head or dancing or rocking out. We felt a really positive response,” he said.
Carroll also commented on playing live. “We like when it sounds loud but not piercing, and I think that our experience playing together as a band has allowed us to dial that in,” he said.
Internal Drone Infinity was released on Oct. 17, nearly two years after its initial recording at Collector Studio and No Fun Club. The album is a departure from the dreamy and ethereal characteristics they first become known for, and Carroll called it their “rockiest album yet.”
“It feels good to put out a record that’s louder and heavier and more upbeat for us,” added guitarist Adam Soloway. “The genre of shoegaze has been intertwined with other genres [recently and] that’s connecting with a younger audience.”
“The songwriting, I think, is the best we’ve done, just in terms of […] a pop sensibility,” Carroll said. “I’m super proud of a lot of the lyrics that Sam [Sarty] put together for this album. [They] are really cool and interesting.”
Living Hour began experimenting with new ideas in 2022 after touring for their previous album. Both guitarists noted their communication feels natural after growing up and playing their instruments together for two decades. They recruited their friend Melina Duterte (also known as Jay Som) to help record and produce the album. Soloway remembered Duterte was good at encouraging the band to experiment, giving them lots of time and freedom. Their intuitive dynamic resulted in lots of “cool, unique moments” and “different tones that [they] wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
“We built the songs in the studio setting with [Duterte]. She was really great to work with, and it turned out better than we could have hoped,” Carroll complimented.
The guitarists are also co-founders of Real Love Winnipeg, an organization that promotes local indie music. “We’re extremely intertwined with the local [music] scene, and so we’re happy to be doing what we’re doing and thankful for all the support,” Carroll expressed.
“Getting to connect with musicians daily and see so much incredible music is amazing […] It’s constantly energizing,” Soloway added. Together, they encourage bands Living Hour tours with to come and play for Real Love. “We’re always singing Winnipeg’s praises,” he said.
For tickets and more information, visit livinghourband.com.
