So it all started with a rather long bus ride from New York to Toronto. I thought if I was going to go all the way to Canada I may as well spend some time in the US first, eating pickles, drinking oversized beers and prancing past the cacti of Austin. Here is one of the many pickles I got to sample on my trip and here is me chuffed to be in Brooklyn.
Crossing the border was as daunting as expected.“ What kind of festival?” asks the customs man as I stand before him, guitar in plain sight. As I nervously respond, I hear a Spanish man next to me being told he is going to have to return to the US, immediately. Welcome to Canada!
After a disappointing Airbnb experience in Brooklyn where the windows rattled with every passing car and the bed sheets looked like they had been housing a mouse, my Toronto pad was heaven. It was in Little Portugal, a sweet part of town full of small bars, craft beer factories and good coffee. I spent many daytimes there playing my guitar and hanging out with Logan the dog.
So the first day was registration. Lots of awkward looking musicians lining up to get their wristbands at the hotel Marriott. I met a lovely Melbourne artist called Indiana or ‘Ma Petite’ and we drank expensive beers in the hotel lobby and talked about all the wonderful experiences she had had recording her album in Canada.
Here she is looking excited to be at CMW. You can even see the snazzy wristbands we got to wear.
Day 2 and it was time to get busy. Conferences, meet and greets. I’m a little shy so I did my best to push myself out of my comfort zone, meet some new people and learn as much as I could. Here I am playing my first showcase at the festival. It was a Sounds Australia event called Sound Gallery. I look a little confused but I definitely remember enjoying myself. Perhaps I was just giving the evil eye to someone non-listening attendee.
I ate a lot while I was away but one of my main missions was to find the best fried chicken in town. I think I succeeded when I stumbled across a place called the Stock House. I shall let the picture speak for itself. Perhaps not the best idea for a pre-show meal.
Find out more about Emma Davis on her official Facebook Page, and stay tuned to AU Abroad for the second part of her travel diaries!
