In the year since the world shut down, there have been two anthems that have been hammered home again and again with vehement ferocity: that we all need to be wearing masks and that musicians will trade a kidney to get back in front of a live audience. While we generally no longer condone any songs pertaining to the latter, there have been a few standout exceptions.
The new pandemic anthem from The Trews, “I Wanna Play” is one of those exceptions. The song is pure indulgence but we can hardly blame them for it. The lads are here to let loose and flex those muscles, lest they atrophy. We’re here for it.
“What rhymes with Global Pandemic?” asks John-Angus MacDonald, “… pathetic? prophetic? This is a song written and recorded for, during and about the strange, unusual and unprecedented time we all just lived through and the toll it took on our collective psyches. We Wanna Play!”
“This is our song for the lonely in the strangest time in recent history,” adds lead singer Colin MacDonald. “A musical longing for understanding, meaning and emotional release. It’s also just a really catchy and anthemic rock JAM that we’re all really excited about.”
Filmed in Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre, we’ve got the moment most of us have been dying to get back to, with the band performing at center ice and shredding in the stands. It’s gloriously over-the-top and there are few bands to pull it off with the necessary gusto that The Trews keep on tap with an apparent surplus after a year on the bench.
Despite their status as modern day Canadian rock legends, The Trews say they’ve not been immune to the travails of 2020+. They have been subject to tour cancellations and even cancelled live streams, with their April 3rd Livestream show at The Horseshoe being rescheduled to May 8th, due to Ontario’s Stay-at-Home order.
Fans, however, can tap into an abundance of Trews content via their Patreon page, which offers early access, merch discounts, and more! Fans can sign up here.