Toronto melodic-rock band The Midway State is wrapping up a rather impressive year and a half of work behind their major label debut Holes.
The record has vaulted no less than two videos (including Change For You and Never Again) into heavy rotation on Muchmusic and has brought the band throughout the US and Canada in support of bands like Death Cab For Cutie, Daughtry, Mika and Lifehouse.
Midway State vocalist Nathan Ferraro tells me the group has been using some down time prior to their upcoming tour to work on new material.
“We have an abundance of new material that we’re working on even though we are continuing to promote our record,” he confirms. “We’re very lucky in the respect that recording studios seem to be very accessible to us so we are always able to get our songs and ideas committed to tape.
“We are really excited about the direction that these songs seem to be taking us; they are very ethereal. There is one new song that we have called New York Sky that is one of my favourites at the moment.”
Ferraro says the band is intending to release an EP of new songs although doesn’t provide any specifics for when fans might be able to expect to have the EP available to add to their collection.
Formed in 2005, Ferraro admits that the support of their parents (and his father specifically) was integral to the band being in the position they are these days.
Rather than encountering the perhaps all too typical parental stance of being told to abandon his musical aspirations, Ferraro’s father took the opposite approach, chauffeuring the group to shows and offering his unconditional support.
“My dad has played a crucial part of my entire life. He has been such an immeasurable supporter of helping me do what I love,” Ferraro says. “Both of my parents are massive inspirations and mentors to me. I truly think that parents help determine their kids’ confidence that they carry with them through life and mind have given me such a great opportunity.”
As the band has found their way on tour through the continent, Ferraro says that originally being from a relatively small town has endeared him towards really enjoying the smaller places and cities they have visited during the course of their travels.
“I really love all of the places we have played but I have enjoyed playing those smaller parts of the world the most. I find that I am able to relate to the people living in Middle America a little more than other cities and I totally think that it is because of being from a smaller community myself.”
The Midway State are currently across Canada with The Stereos, The Envy and The Artist Life.
The New Brunswick stops on the tour are slated to take place on Tuesday Nov. 17 at the Playhouse in Fredericton and on Wednesday Nov. 18 at the Riverview Arts Centre in Riverview.