Dave Balfour has been a fixture of the local Ottawa Valley music scene for years now. He is a great guy, a loyal Scotsman, a personable MC, a considerate human and a characterful singer with cool, breathy tone. His demeanour is felt so genuinely when he steps on stage with his good buddies Joe and Jamie in their pretty harmony filled outfit, No Principals. It's a beautiful night of music that you know but haven't heard in a while! Their originals fit in and soar as well! They will be on the festive Cove Stage on Friday, December 6 from 5-8pm. Call ahead for reservations. Details available here: web link

Seamus Cowan: Dave, you have been a musician for a long time. I remember our mutual, amazing buddy Chuck Gobeil mentioning you and how you had a different sound and playlist. Chuck and I always say eye to eye on all things different! What inspired you and got you into music and performing in the early days?

Dave Balfour: Chuck Gobeil was a lot like yourself Seamus, he brought so much music to our little community. I miss him as do so many and that was awfully kind of him to say such things. I suppose I was always moved by music as a child and was a big fan of The Who and Punk music in my teens. I went to school at Trent where I was introduced to and became a big folky. Sold all my stacks of amps and electric gear and bought an acoustic guitar and an arctic sweater trying to play like Bruce Cockburn and James Taylor. What always inspires me is that deep connection between the musician and the listener. One is no more important than the other and it is that experience.
That live experience is so special. No phones at shows please !!!!

Q: I remember you telling me about your band Bald Like Dad and how it was a real thing in your life but I don't remember many details. Can you tell us the story about that group and how it relates to you coming of age as a band member and a confident musician?

Dave: Oh what a lovely memory. In the early nineties I was teaching grade two kids and my own children were quite young, I found myself playing music geared towards children all the time. A friend suggested playing a children’s show, I had a blast. Unlike playing in bars, no one was yelling out for Zeppelin or Freebird and the kids are just so honest. If they don’t like it, they let you know. Those children’s performances morphed into a little band. We played some original songs for kids and I had the wonderful Marty Crapper on stand up bass and a number of other folk played with us. We thought the name ‘Bald like Dad’ was a great title for a kids act. I think those shows helped me develop my ability to interact with the audience.

Q: You are synonymous with the legendary O'Reilly's Pub Open Mic in Perth. I know it was a long haul with some super great times where you met all kinds of musicians and had a chance to become a character on stage. There must be some great stories of those nights!

Dave: There were great nights and great stories. Dan and Mary Catherine Allatt were the owners (now Billings and Co.) and they were so supportive of what I was trying to do. For ten years, every Wednesday we had a jam session. For a little pub, we packed the little stage and the volume was loud. I remember one night we had a horn section, keys, drums, bass and several guitars doing the longest version of Domino that was ever done. We were packed in like sardines. The highlight of those years for sure was when a young teen would come out and develop their stage skills. Many continued onto musical careers and that was really satisfying.

Q: You have a great connection with one of Ottawa's big indie musicians, Jim Bryson. It is inspiring to work with people who have seen their original art blossom and hence become really confident with their thing. Did Jim inspire you to write some of your own tunes?

Dave: Well I was very fortunate to be playing in a band called Dog Day Afternoon around the late eighties onward at a time when the independent scene in Ottawa took off. It was this amazing community of musicians and bands that all looked out for each other. Furnaceface, The Mystic Zealots , Jimmy George were some of those bands and Jim was in a great punk outfit called Punchbuggy. I think we were both writing music at the time and became good friends to this day and I may be his biggest fan! I like to say that I was the one who convinced him to do his
first solo show ever and it was with a banjo at one of our shows. He was amazing and had such a great ear. As a note – the other two members of that band Dog Day Afternoon now play with Jamie Campbell and I, Joe Skuce and James Torke. What goes around comes around.

Q: You and your friend Jamie Campbell have been partners in crime with your beautifully melodic and harmonic folk act, No Principals. I think I had a hand in naming you that! And it's cool that you are fellow elementary school teachers. Is this group's style of music what you would consider the pinnacle of what you see as great songwriting and performance? Do you have any new plans with the group moving forward?

Dave: I think that yes, like many things in life, all the experiences I have been fortunate to have over the years have led up to the relationship I have with the lads I play with now. Jamie and I have very similar thoughts about what we like and don’t like and we just love to work on songs together. We write a lot together and after many years we know what each other is going to do on any song. We plan to continue this musical endeavor and yes are working on recording some of our tunes. I think our voices really do complement each other. On a final note Seamus, I want to thank you personally for all the incredible music you bring to our little village. Amazing to have so much live music in a such a small but mighty community. Posted: Nov 29, 2024 Originally Published: Nov 28, 2024