Wind in their sails

Rawlins Cross pass 30-year anniversary with Flying Colours

NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — The last time Rawlins Cross took a break between records, it turned into nearly seven years without new music and the most occasional of performances.

When the Newfoundland/ Nova Scotian sextet got back together in 2017 to release Rock Steady, the industry had changed but the fans remained, and the fresh wind in its sails from that project is portrayed literally on the cover of Flying Colours, the new Rawlins Cross album marking 30 years of blending lilting Celtic melodies with the rhythmic drive of rock and soul.

“When our 25th anniversary happened, the year kind of came and went, and we were into year 26 when we realized, ‘Oh damn, we missed 25!,’” laughs the band’s piper/whistle and bodhran player Ian McKinnon. “So we made a ‘note to selves’ that if we were still playing in four years to try and mark the 30th.

“And then this record started coming together, we had some new material to take into the studio, and we’re very proud of the fact that the band is still performing with six consistent members. In many respects, we’ve never sounded better.”

Flying Colours’ vivid artwork is by Adam Young — a Nova Scotian illustrator married to a Newfoundlander, currently based on Fogo Island — who was inspired to paint a stylized Viking ship on a cresting wave. The image references Newfoundland history, and the Nordic settlers who landed at L’Anse aux Meadows and elsewhere, with Young’s Maritime heritage tieing it to the mainland, symbolizing the makeup of the band featuring Newfoundland brothers Geoff and Dave Panting, P.E.I.-based singer Joey Kitson, Nova Scotians McKinnon and Brian Bourne and Ontario-based drummer Howie Southwood.

“We liked that it had a strong Newfoundland theme, and it feels very whimsical with striking colours,” says McKinnon. “We’ve collaborated with local visual artists in the past, which is something we strive to do, so we commissioned some art from Adam.

“The first piece didn’t quite nail what we were looking for, but Geoff stumbled across this particular piece which is somewhat reminiscent of the ship on the New Brunswick flag.”

Oddly, New Brunswick is the one Atlantic Canadian province that’s not represented by the band membership, although McKinnon points out that bassist/Chapman stick player Bourne did live in Fredericton for a few years, which has to count for something. Dave Panting notes that Rawlins Cross performs frequently in N.B. and hits Riverview, Fredericton and Miramichi on the upcoming tour.

“The original painting for the cover had the New Brunswick lion up in the clouds, but we just used the ship,” says Panting. “It’s such a powerful image, it really says what we’re about, and it represents the name (of the album) really well.”

The tour starts tonight, Oct. 24, at Truro’s Marigold Cultural Centre and covers the province from Annapolis Royal to Sydney, with a stop at the Pictou County Wellness Centre on Friday, Nov. 8, as part of the Pintys Grand Slam of Curling. Showtime is 9:30 p.m.

Visit www.rawlinscross.com/ shows for ticket information and more details.