HOPING TO LEAVE YOU BREATHLESS

LOCAL

singer-songwriter and guitarist Dan Vandermeer has distilled seven years worth of songs into his debut EP, which he’ll officially launch next week.

Vandermeer studied jazz guitar at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before moving to Canada in 2012, playing six nights a week at venues across Toronto.

He relocated to Hobart in 2014 and set about making a name for himself on the local scene, playing more than 300 solo acoustic gigs at pubs, wineries, weddings, parties, functions and fundraisers during 2015-16.

But last year Vandermeer hit the wall, sick of going through the motions and determined to try something new.

“I remember getting to the point where I was thinking ‘I feel like I’m just doing the same thing every day’,” he says.

“I realised that what I really wanted to do was record original songs, as I had been working on songs behind the scenes for about seven years.”

Taking a break from live performances in January, Vandermeer instead turned his attention to recording and set about making his EP at home, playing every instrument himself.

In mid-May he emerged with the EP, which was later professionally mastered by renowned engineer Tony “Jack The Bear” Mantz at his Deluxe Mastering studio in Melbourne.

Dan Vandermeer launches his self-titled EP — which features the lead single Breathless — with a show at the Republic Bar in North Hobart from 8.30pm on Wednesday. He will be supported by Jackson Simpson and band, and followed by DJ Rikin. Entry is free.

The EP can be ordered via www.danvandermeer.com