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Royal Canoe is a deadly band armed with falsettos, guitars, effects pedals, drums, basses, tambourines, shakers and a five-keyboard super-weapon. Royal Canoe play lyrically sharp pop songs that move people and make people move.

It all began in 2006, when Matt Peters (The Waking Eyes) teamed up with some Winnipeg friends and musicians (Nathan Blanchard, Jo Snyder, Tom Keenan and others) to write a collection of songs. Many of the songs that emerged revolved around tragic characters, each treated with equal parts humour and tender endearment. “Kasparov” is a love song from the super-computer Deep Blue to chess champion Gary Kasparov, “Dear June” is about a Siamese twin who wants to go it alone and “Me Loving Your Money (Gonna See Us Through This)” explores the complexities of love…kinda.

Royal Canoe was born, and after some more collaboration the aptly titled album, CO-OP Mode was completed. It was never to be played live. Ever.

Fast forward three years to 2009, when Peters finally found time to put together a band. He enlisted the limitless talents of Winnipeg musicians Bucky Driedger and Matt Schellenberg (The Liptonians), Brenden Berg (Tele) and the double-drummer assault of – Derek Allard (Tele) and Michael Jordan (The Liptonians).