
Indie-folk artist Dylan MacDonald, also known as Field Guide, is setting off on a solo tour that includes three stops in Alberta.
This Winnipeg-based artist has a new album, Rootin’ For Ya, that was released in May of 2024. He describes the album and its title track as optimistic. “It feels like there are hopeful themes on the record,” he says. “Making this record was monumental for me because I recorded it myself. It’s a culmination of a lot of the learning I have done.” The result is a melodic, acoustic album that quietly puts forward a strong artistic vision.
Although portions of the album were created and polished in Winnipeg and Vancouver, much of the musical creation happened at his family’s cabin in rural Manitoba. “Rootin’ For Ya has my own vision, but it also has collaboration in it,” he says. “There are parts of it that are me on my own, and that’s very acoustic. Then I thought some parts would be better with other people playing with me. So I went back, and we added drums and bass.”
This blend of solo work and collaboration suits Field Guide’s style. “It’s all tied together on this record. It’s about developing musical relationships with people over time. I respect and trust what other people do, even when I have my own vision. Sometimes someone has something to offer that isn’t in my own wheelhouse. It feels good to find that.”
As he embarks on this tour, his travel plans are intriguing. “I’m going to camp for a while. Camp my way down the west coast. I can’t wait to be out there. I love traveling west, and doing it in mid-September feels like extending summer by six weeks!”
Field Guide will perform in Edmonton on September 19, Calgary on September 20, and Red Deer on September 22. Find all the details at fieldguidemusic.com.
Here’s the title track from Rootin’ For Ya by Field Guide.