Lotus Wight is the kind of performer who makes old-time folk music feel wildly alive rather than carefully preserved behind glass. A fearless multi-instrumentalist with a knack for turning a concert into a communal experience, Wight blends deep traditional roots with quick wit, razor-sharp musicianship, and a delightfully unpredictable stage presence. Whether he’s clawhammering a banjo tune at breakneck speed, swapping instruments mid-set, or sending a crowd into hysterics with a perfectly timed story, he carries the energy of an old medicine show mixed with the soul of a backwoods kitchen party. Over the years he’s become a beloved figure on the Canadian folk circuit — not just because of his talent, but because audiences genuinely feel like they’re in on the fun with him. On Thursday, June 25 he returns to The Cove Inn in Westport, so I caught up with him in advance of that show.
Seamus Cowan: Your shows often feel like controlled chaos in the best possible way — have you ever completely derailed a performance and yet somehow made it better?
Lotus Wight: I think that the spontaneous nature of live performance is one of the things that make it special. There’s a home-made element — where a string breaks, or someone plays a wrong note or drops a jaw harp or bone — it’s a perfect opportunity to grab another instrument or improvise a line, or just enjoy the moment. I think that is a natural extension of performance; the ad-lib and the ability of the performer to embrace the moment!
You’ve spent years immersed in old-time music traditions. What’s something about folk culture that modern audiences would be shocked to learn was considered normal entertainment back then?
I think that all aspects of music-makery were once considered to be entertainment, really. The process of finding, preserving and reviving the music is a life-long adventure, and the methods used to nurture the music might surprise people. For example, Teilhard Frost and I used to record our music over the sound of frying meat to emulate the sound of a scratchy record — the sound that we so loved growing up with 78 record and collections of them on CD. Eventually we were delighted and honoured to make our very own 78 recordings, but when we were young and foolish we were highly inspired to do such crazy things…
Is there an instrument you picked up thinking, “This can’t be that hard,” only to have it humble you immediately?
Definitely the fiddle! I have spent years trying to play it and have barely scratched the surface. I watched Teilhard Frost transform himself from a percussionist/harmonica player into a fine fiddler over the course of a few years and that has always been very inspiring to me. Also bones, harmonica, and jaw harp. What a journey.
Between the music, storytelling and comedy, your performances feel almost theatrical at times. Were you always a natural entertainer, or did that evolve accidentally over the years?
The more I became immersed in the performing world, the more I saw other performers that inspired me and showed me the value of what a real performance could be. I think I have always craved attention to some degree, but when I started playing old-time music I started to realize the true value of theatrics in music performance. To me as a young person, music seemed like pure magic, and it was something that I really wanted to be a part of. I think that an acute awareness of the audience and their experience is nothing short of theatre, and I like to use elements of that in my show; a little bit of mystery and some misdirection goes a long way. Now that I have made more of a commitment to songwriting, I may use those elements a little less, but I am always aware of the theatrical side of music performance.
Folk festivals are famous for strange late-night jam sessions. What’s the most unforgettable after-hours musical moment you’ve ever been part of?
I just got back from the Shetland Festival where late-night jams are always encouraged. They are special little cosmos of music life, where your guard is let down and anything can happen. Tunes are shared, friends are made, and they are often remembered years down the road. “Remember that jam we had at the Baltimore Fiddle Fair that went until 6am?!” I remember one such time in Buckhorn, Ontario, where we managed to keep the jam going with members drifting in and out, and we eventually realized that it had lasted fully around the clock. Felicitations!
For more information about Lotus Wight and other performers and to reserve tickets, visit coveinn.com or call 273–3636.