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Interview with Sam at WitchPolice Radio Jan 6th 2023. Also Featuring Jo "Wolf Clan" Seenie.
"We Rise and Dance We Sleep and Dream" which recently got picked up by All We've Got Records described it as "TWIN play a hypnotic and warmly crafted blend of alternative indie folk punk" At our best however is live and live we are intense, truthful to ourselves, embodying our travels and interconnections to our experiences."
Musically Dependent, (Feb. 2019)
With the exception of just a few tracks, the group’s new album was recorded using a handheld recorder with tracks captured indoors and outdoors.
“This is our most exciting and diverse album,” said Fort. “The whole album was tracked on a Zoom recorder and we had really, really good results acoustically with a lot of experimenting with indoor and outdoor settings.”
Holy MacPhee, Grid City Magazine (May 2018)
Winnipeg duo takes a unique approach to touring. When they arrive in a province, they find a river, borrow a canoe, and then they're off. This week they're heading for the Living Roots Festival in Fredericton. Vanessa Vander Valk, CBC Shift
TWIN to launch CD. Winnipeg musicians Brooklyn Samson and David Fort, who are the foundation of TWIN, are coming to Portage la Prairie to launch the group’s third full-length CD. Canstar Media (April 2018)
Dave Fort, one-half of the Winnipeg alt-folk duo is seated in a Los Angeles coffee shop, speaking on the phone about a performance that took place earlier in the week at Swabbie’s on the River, situated, as its name implies, on the banks of the Sacramento River, in Sacramento, Calif. Calling it "the biggest show of the tour, so far," It was also the most convenient, given he and Brooklyn Samson were able to paddle their canoe to the popular watering hole’s dock, unload their instruments and step up to the mike. Winnipeg Free Press (July 2016)
TWIN returned to the delta for the 3rd year to hold the 2016 Sacramento River Music Armada Canoe Tour. They performed in Merced , Knights Landing, Walnut Grove, Sacramento and finished in Isleton, where we caught them before they headed south to Los Angeles. The Musicians of TWIN, David Fort and Brooklyn Samson, started their Isleton performance on the 2nd floor balcony of the Tong building but quickly joined their audience below on Main st. for a more intimate experience, much to the pleasure of their fans. This was the 1st paddle of a 4-month, North American Tour. The tour includes performances on the Hudson, Cuyahoga, Greenbrier and paddling from Grand Rapids to Minneapolis on the Mississippi before finishing in Hastings, Maine in late Sept. Describing their musical style as "Hypno-Folk," they are based in Winnipeg, Manitoba , Canada and travel 4-5 months of the year on a mission to create a river tour network across North America, bringing people to the water to celebrate and heal. They do this by creating a gathering of people at each location along the rivers to share music, stories, food, heritage and heirloom seed sharing. They promote sustainable living on the land, sharing oral knowledge, old and new, while fostering new ideas in accord with this vision. At each location TWIN, true to the spirit of the endeavor, encourages local musicians to participate, making it a truly community event all along the way. This year TWIN is also releasing their new album of original music and songs, entitled Mooneyesun, which includes a piece written for the Sacramento River called "Walkabout." C.A Giacoma The River News-Herald & Isleton Journal,(Aug, 2016)
“Our first river tour started in Brandon," Traveling from one community to the next, the pair has played in tiny villages, larger festivals and everything in between.“If there is a way to do a show, we’ll say, ‘let’s do it. We’ve played in some really funky places.” TWIN has traveled the Mississippi, North Saskatchewan, Sacramento and Assiniboine Rivers. Terri Eger,Westman Journal(Dec, 2015)
"TWIN, consisting of Dave Fort on guitar and vocals and Brooklyn Samson on violin and vocals, have packed many rooms across North America over the years." - Doug Kretchmer, Communitty News Commons (August 2015)
America is kind of on the verge of a revolution right now and I think TWIN kind of responds to that and reflects that. There is a lot of energy in the United States and a lot of change and I think TWIN is feeling that pulse too and we’re trying to reflect it as best we can… we’re trying to show that people have more in common than not and I think the United States is really waking up to that idea,” - Svjetlana Mlinarevic, Portage Daily Graphic(Jan. 12th 2015)
TWIN’s newest release North Americana recorded this past winter in Winnipeg and is being mixed and mastered by Jeffrey Patterson from Home Street Recording. “It’s going to have twice as many songs as Sharing Secrets With Strangers and it varies in the fact that (violin player) Brooklyn Samson is full-time with the band now and plays a huge role in the writing process. Not that people weren’t co-writing with me before, but she joined the project two years ago and has been on the rivers with me writing these songs.” - Deborah Remus, Uniter (July 2014)
"TWIN played a nice, high energy acoustic set with Dave Fort on vocals and guitar, Dave Enns on his left handed acoustic and Brooklyn Samson on violin and vocals. Samson also did some hand clapping, encouraging the audience to clap along." - Doug Kretchmer, Communnitty News Commons (May 2014)
The ubiquitous van has reigned for decades as the preferred method of transportation for touring bands, but there are rare exceptions. K Records mastermind Calvin Johnson, for example, has taken to touring by Amtrak the last few years, and an increasing number of green-minded troubadours—including locals MaMuse—have completed significant road trips on bicycles.
But TWIN, a self-described hypno-folk duo hailing from Winnipeg, Canada, may have one up on everyone. For the past five years, the band has toured extensively across North America by river, powered only by the current and their paddles.
Ken Smith, Chico News and Review (October 2014)
RIVER DRIFTERS - Recently I had the chance of performing a show under a bridge next to the Los Angeles River at night. The area was dark, yet faintly illuminated by the city lights and although the LA River isn’t exactly flourishing with nature, there was something bewitching about the whole experience. The giant, almost oval structure of the bridge created some of the best acoustics I’ve ever heard at a show and musicians played ‘til the early hours of Sunday morning, proving that there are human beings out there who still long for a feral escape from the cityscape and the high life. On this particular night I met a musical duo who went by the name of TWIN. - Matt Vend, Mahala (South African Magazine, Dec.2014)
Similar to Bob Dylan’s trademark Neverending Tour, local “hypno-alt-folk” act Twin perpetually travel by canoe across the rivers of North America playing wherever and whenever they can in hopes of spreading their music through means entirely unique to them. Somehow, they even found time to record a debut album in between their voyages. And North Americana couldn’t be more aptly titled, as this is one fiercely Canadian piece of down-to-earth folkery. The band eschews the Mumfords and Edward Sharpes that inhabit so much acoustic music of late and focuses on a more traditional sound that brings to mind rolling hills, endless prairies and (appropriately) long canoe voyages.
Seamus Hamilton-Pattison, Stylus Magazine (October 2014)
The band has been described as hypno-folk which I think is an apt title as the audience seemed to be mesmerized by Brooklyn’s haunting violin which she played with ease. Doug Kretchmer, Communnitty News Commons (Feb 2014)
TWIN is enjoying escalating success on their river tour network. Which has grown to include not only Manitoba but also northern and southern California and the central U.S - with more destinations to come. They describe their unique and replete with unpretentious lyrics and repetition as "hypno-folk".TWIN brought their talents to Flin Flon last week headlining an intimate concert at the NORVA Centre on Feb. 13th at one point sharing the stage with local talent Maria Mango and C.C Trubiak.” - Jonathon Naylor, Flin Flon Reminder (Feb 19, 2014)
“The instigator and creator of the River Armada Concert Series, David Fort has traveled many a River in his young life. This is the Minnesotans passion and he loves to combine and finance his trips by playing bars, festivals and fairs. Twin's brand of Hypno-Folk never fails to fascinate and tells tales of the Mississippi, the Sacramento, the Los Angeles and the Assiniboine rivers. David will be using his favorite mode of transportation to get to the Hotel – his canoe.”- Winona Daily News (Sep 29, 2013)
“The Canadian duo TWIN (guitarist David Fort and violinist Brooklyn Samson) paddles in for an evening of music--literally: they're traveling by canoe as part of their current (pun intended) River ArmadaTour. Previous ones included the Assiniboine, Sacramento and Los Angeles Rivers, and this is their second run down the Mississippi, having started up around Bemidji a week earlier.”- Around the Cloud/Everything Arts in St. Cloud (Sep 13, 2013)
“Granite City Folk Present a special Installment of their five and dime series on Friday the 13th! Hosting TWIN and the 2nd annual Mississippi River Music Armada!”- AP, ABC/KSTP 5 (Sep 14, 2013) - AP, Kare 11 Television/Minneapolis/St. Paul (Sep 13, 2013)
"With Dave’s sometimes frenetic guitar playing and witty lyrics, by the time they launched into their song ‘Dance‘ a few people could’t resist dancing along, although long-time TWIN fan Sharon was up dancing as soon as the first note was played." By Doug Kretchmer , Communitty News Commonson February 13, 2014
“AHOY – Armada lands in Aitkin Dave remembers last year’s stop in Aitkin as “the best” because of the sharing the duo did with Aitkin musicians and historians. “There’s something special about Aitkin,” Fort said.”- Aitkin Age (Sep 04, 2013)
“TWIN on River Armada concert series in lakes area A band called TWIN — consisting of David Fort, who grew up in Brainerd is on guitar and vocals, and Brooklyn Samson on violin and vocals — are on a River Armada concert series and will be stopping at several Brainerd lakes area spots.”- Brainerd Dispatch (Sep 04, 2013)
“‘Twin’ docks in Palisade Canadian Hypno-Folk act TWIN and friends, led by Minnesota-born David Fort, is bringing the River Armada Concert series to the Mississippi River and planning a stop in Palisade Sept. 4.The group will perform at several other locations along the Mississippi River and finish the tour in Wisconsin. TWIN has now traversed the Mississippi, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Assiniboine Rivers by canoe. Performances happen in major centers, small towns, festivals, native reservations, parks and farms.”-Aitkin Age (Aug 28, 2013)
"The Mississippi Melodie Showboat landing has a storied history of performances that have graced the stage that actually sits on top of the longest river in North America. Really, what better venue could you find for a musical act that tours by canoe"- Nathan Bergstedt, Grand Rapids Herald Review (Aug 24, 2013)
"Soothing sounds from TWIN resonated at the Rio Vista Senior Center’s Ice Cream Social, the center was packed and seniors enjoyed the free concert provided by the duo. As TWIN continues on their journey to spread love, healing and non-GMO seeds throughout North America – it is apparent that TWIN will be seen again in the Delta region."- Galen Kusic, River News Herald and Isleton Journal (Jul 03, 2013)
"TWIN has brought of message of beauty and hope to the environmental justice community here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are very proud of the time they spent in Richmond. Their journey and concerts were inspiring and I had fun interviewing Dave and Brook on my radio radio program, The Morning Mix, as well as jamming with them here in "Da Rich”!"- Andreas Soto, KPFA 94.1 Radio Berkeley (Jun 27, 2013)
"Canadian hypno-folk act TWIN and are changing music history with their River Armada Concert Series taking themselves, others, all their gear and instruments down the Sacramento River by canoe; sharing song, stories and fun everywhere they go"- Nan Hargis, Oakland Tribune (Jun 11, 2013)
"You two are so inspirational" Valerie Ibarra, Mutiny Radio Host "They Happen to be here in San Fransico Entertaining, give us a call from time to time letting us know where you are"Diamond Dave, Mutiny Radio San Fransisco (June 23rd, 2013 final show of the 1st Sacramento River Music Armada.)
“The Sacramento River Music Armada Canoe Tour brings hypno-folk pioneers TWIN to Pittsburg for a one-night stop on their musical canoe tour down the Sacramento River.”-A.P, San Jose Mercury News/Contra Costa Times (Jun 11, 2013)
“TWIN calls their music hypno-folk and what we’ve heard is absolutely entrancing. This is a show you are going to want to see. Also appearing on the bill are Redding singer-songwriter Sara Hoxie and guitarist Tim Hemeon.”- NORCAL NITEOWL (May 24, 2013)
"Canadian Hypno-Folk act TWIN and friends, led by Minnesota-born David Fort, is bringing the River Armada Concert series to the Mississippi River for the first time."- The Bemidji Pioneer (Sep 02, 2012)
This year we're getting great reaction from farmers, producers and food enthusiasts in general about the tour. A lot of people are talking with great concern about the industrial farm complex and starting to take action - and this one thing we are really trying to promote with this tour via our seed exchange. - CBC Scene (July 31st, 2102)
"‘To know the water is to love the water, to love the water is to heal the water, to heal the water is to heal ourselves.’"- Jen Zoratti, Uptown Winnipeg (Aug 02, 2012)
“River Music Armada coming to Portage la Prairie”- Robin Dudgeon, Portage Daily Graphic (Jul 31, 2012)
“Canadian Folk Band TWIN was researching rivers to paddle down during the cold Canadian winter months discovered a statement by the Environmental Protection Agency that the Los Angeles River was deemed “traditional navigable water.” - Alen Feldstein, Infinite Safari Adventures (Nov 08, 2011)
“Canadian Folk Band Free of All Charges for Kayaking Down the L.A. River”- Debra Graff, Studio City Patch (Sep 13, 2011)
“★★★★ TWIN Sharing Secrets With Strangers EP (2-ply collective) This five-song EP from TWIN — the river-rambling alt-folk project of Dave Fort (Absent Sound) — is stripped-down but it’s anything but slight. The first two tracks — The Inevitable and Prairie Loon — are folk-noir tunes with a preoccupation with death (sample lyric: "Well, we’re all gonna die/I’m gonna die/your gonna die"), but TWIN delivers this heavy material with incredible buoyancy; Fort’s spirited refrain "I’m gonna live till I die" is nothing short of anthemic. This is one of those uncluttered, quietly affecting albums that delivers a serious emotional wallop — the haunting Unspoken with its propulsive build is a definite highlight — and deserves your undivided attention.”- Jen Zoratti, Uptown Winnipeg (Aug 25, 2011)
“Together they recorded a number of tracks of Sharing Secrets with Strangers, an EP which strikes at the core of human experiences and eschews timely references to string together proverbial tunes about life, death and love. Outwardly, the EP is a departure from Absent Sound’s recordings with its traditional folk instrumentations, yet it’s still totally enlightened by untraditional chord voicings and progressions. “In terms of the guitar-work goes, I’ll spend a lot of time on the mood,” says Fort. “I like to create a visual landscape— I’m getting pretty obsessed with things that don’t need to be there.” Lyrically, he says that his inspiration comes from internalizing characters, and take bits and pieces from his life and rearrange them. “To create a dreamscape that is a lot closer to reality than the dream realm, if that makes any sense.”- Taylor Burgess, Stylus (Aug 05, 2011)
"It’s basically like taking your band on tour on the river — the canoe is the tour van," .- John Kendle, Uptown Winnipeg (Aug 11, 2011)
“FREE CONCERT AT ISLAND PARK A group of Manitoba musicians known as TWIN is performing at a free concert here in Portage la Prairie at the Old Band Shell on Island Park, next Thursday, August 11, starting at 7:00 pm. You are welcome to attend. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy their relaxing concert in the park.”- Ted Meseyton, Portage Daily Graphic (Aug 06, 2011)
“What's the one thing you learned on your recent musical canoe tour in Los Angeles that will make the second Manitoba version even better. The natural world is bursting at the cement seams. Coming back home to share that with people in a place where the natural is still strong at the banks of the River is very exciting!”- Mike Green, CBC Scene (Aug 02, 2011)
“Folk Band's Goal for L.A. River Access Reiterated by Obama’s Office of Urban Affairs”- Debra Graff, Studio City Patch (Jun 27, 2011)
“Concert tour rolling down the river to Winnipeg”- Winnipeg Free Press (Jul 30, 2011)
“Manitoba musical armada launches Sunday”- Brandon Sun (Jul 29, 2011)
“It looks like Conan and Andy’s wild adventure was more successful than the Canadian band, Twin who were issued tickets for attempting to paddle down the same river back in the winter of 2011. Something happened while the case was working its way through the courts and due to some sort of administrative error, the band were issued bench warrants in the case. That means it’s possible that the band will get arrested if they try to come back into the US of A. Oh course somebody is looking into getting it sorted out and you can read the whole weird story here. I tend to believe that this is the case of the Hollywood
elite (Conan and Andy) putting pressure on the courts to send a message to the public, “Stay away from our amazing waterways. It’s our wilderness.”- David Johnston, Paddling Headquarters (Jun 24, 2011)
“Yet the real issue is whether the LAPD even has legal jurisdiction over the L.A. River, or whether any government body can. Under the California state constitution, you can’t limit access to water because it’s natural and a fundamental right of humans. The government can’t control the water. .”- Debra Graff, Studio City Patch (Jun 23, 2011)
“For the moment, the five-song EP stands alone in Winnipeg—Sharing Secrets with Strangers is much more sinister than any other folk being made, and it’s much more heartfelt than any indie rock.”- Taylor Burgess, Stylus Magazine (Jun 21, 2011)
“We felt like we were being called to the L.A. River to help celebrate the change not only in Los Angeles, but in the United States,” Fort said, “It’s a turning point in American geographic history, the way it viewed urban space.” Fort confirmed, “It was not a publicity stunt, but a public event as we invite people to come on these journeys if they are able.”- Debra Graff, Studio City Patch (Jun 20, 2011)
“Bench Warrants Recalled for Canadian Canoers”- Debra Graff, Studio City Patch (Jun 23, 2011)
“Among the sounds the musicians of the Canadian band Twin heard while canoeing the Los Angeles River were chirping birds, lapping waves, rustling trees and the screeching of a police department helicopter siren. Musically speaking, the LAPD's Loud Hailer airborne siren leaves something to be desired. As it was blaring, scaring the bejesus out of everyone in earshot, you had to wonder: What's a nice folk band like Twin doing on a river like this”- Gendy Alimurung, LA Weekly (Apr 07, 2011)
“With their backs toward Pine Avenue (visible through the glass front of The Infinite), the four members of Twin played and sang into the echoey concrete space that perfectly showcased the two acoustic guitars/mandolins, violin/saw and haunting, down-home, four-part vocal harmonizing that make up their hypno-alt-folk sound.”- Greggory Moore, Long Beach Post (Feb 28, 2011)
“Canadian Folk Band Cited for Canoeing Down L.A. River The band is known for their river-based concert tours.”- Associated Press, KTLA Fox news (Feb 18, 2011)
“Police Lt. Brian Wendling says six people in two canoes were cited for trespassing Friday after they left the concrete-lined channel in Studio City.”- Associated Press, CBS News (Feb 18, 2011)
“What makes this tour especially unique is that the Los Angeles River hasn’t always been acknowledged as such. When explaining the canoe tour, many people respond by asking, “What river L.A. has a river”- Rachel Barber, Geez Magazine (Feb 17, 2011)
"We want to make the canoe-tour concept international—and it doesn't get much more international than Los Angeles."- Greggory Moore, Long Beach Post (Feb 15, 2011)
"The Los Angeles River itself has been designated as navigable for the first time in 60 years and that’s part of the reason it was chosen"- Deborah Remus, Uptown Winnipeg (Jan 20, 2011)
“Armadas & Arsonfest”- Rachel Stone, Manitoba Music (Aug 05, 2010)
“The tour-by-canoe concept is reminiscent of the old-time Chautauqua circuit of the early 20th century, or of paddlewheel showboats”- Alison Mayes, Winnipeg Free Press (Aug 12, 2010)
While most bands hit the road to tour, Twin is heading out on the river. The alt.folk trio, featuring singer/songwriter Dave Fort, guitarist/luthier David Enns, and saw/violin player Lesley Brown, will take to the water by canoe on this month for the first tour of its kind: the Assiniboine River Music Armada.
