P R O S E

Dear Friend,

If you have made it this far. Please know how much I appreciate it. We are inundated with e-mails, texts, calls, news, and a plethora of other eternal stimuli constantly. The fact that this has come to your eyes, here and now, is pretty special. So thank you.

Greetings, with my feet up, from my favourite chair in the living room here above the knife shop. It’s a “school night” for me and it felt like everyone at work was a little tender today because we all just came down off a great heat wave. I feared it at first. I had my bicycle accident last year in the extreme heat which believe was a big factor! I am asthmatic and humidity can make it very hard to breathe. The heat brings about anxieties for sure. At least with cold, you can bundle up.

After some Internet research on “how to acclimatize to the heat”, I went full throttle and faced my fears head on. Ice was made, cold drinks were purchased, deep breathing settled in. Two out of the fourish days, I took to the lake. We have some wonderful beaches here, and yes, the E. coli count was above recommended numbers for swimming, but you bet your ass I still went in! Late afternoon, early evening, when the days were at their hottest, I found myself cycling across town from Hanlan’s in the absolute thick of it like a mad woman with no inhibitons. Some friends are worth crossing a sweltering urban hellscape for. There were enormous beads of sweat, enough to drown a mosquito, on my upper lip. It was an extra special type of “wet bulb” heat. Where the humidity is so high that neither outdoor temperature nor sweat can cool you off.

I am blessed with an A/C unit but Lord she is LOUD. Reminiscent of someone snoring beside you all night. That, and sheer willpower got me through. The rains came back today and the mood has shifted entirely. I will comfortably speak for others, in that, we are all affected by such drastic temperatures. How could anyone not be affected by their sweat being unable to evaporate? A fellow comrade said “Spend a year in Kenya and you’ll get used to it”. I may not be quite used to it, but I’m ready for the next wave.

Wishing you well, and reminding you, that you too can face the heat!

S H O W S + S O N G S

things are brewing…

but for now, enjoy this delightful gem…

F E A T U R E D   F R I E N D 

SKYE WALLACE

Where are you? What'd you have for breakfast? And what are you up to today?

I am in Toronto! I had toast with sunflower seed butter and raspberry jam for breakfast! I just finished a poster for my last big Toronto show before my baby comes (announced next week), and I'm about to meet up with a friend to do a review of the new Sprite-Iced Tea, which I'm skeptical about!!!

What three things in your life are you most grateful for right now?

- I'm so stoked to be having a baby in August! I've always wanted to start a family and I'm very excited about pivoting and adapting to continuing my path in music with a new addition

- I just love watermelons so much, grateful for them

- I love my community and friends - because of the pregnancy I'm having a more low-key summer and staying in Toronto mostly for the first time in maybe ever? I'm excited to spend the summer in the city

What have you got on the go artistically at the moment?

Finishing up projects before some time off for the baby! I've been co-writing a ton with a lot of cool folks, and will be continuing work on a new record, writing about my experience and moving through feelings throughout this process of growing and birthing a human

Last summer things for me are coming up in July - the band and I are playing Four Winds Music Festival on July 11th, I'll be attending a songwriting camp with my publishers High Priestess July 14-16, and then will be playing one last big Toronto blowout on July 18th!

If I passed you an instrument, what song would you play us right now?

Ummm maybe “Baby I'm An Anarchist” by Against Me!

What's been on repeat on your record player/streamer/tape deck/CD player/ et al.?

I've been listening to the new Tunde Adebimpe record a lot, Alice Coltrane's “Lord of Lords”, and I've been obsessed with this song titled in morse code ･－･･ ･ － ･･ － －－･ －－－

If we want to find your work, where can we go?

If you want to get tickets for the last big show on July 18th in Toronto, they are available here ! You can head to skyewallace.com to sign up for my newsletter! I'm also on all the socials. Follow me on insta and tiktok at @skyewallacemusic, skyewallace.bandcamp.com, facebook.com/skyewallacemusic, bluesky, threads, and stream my stuff (including my new tune Ice Tea) here.

M U S I C

G O O D   O C E A N   N E W S

UN ocean summit in Nice closes with wave of commitments

“As the sun dipped behind the Promenade des Anglais and the conference’s final plenary adjourned, the sea – ancient, vital, and imperiled – bore silent witness to a fragile but shared promise.”

R E A D I N G

on my nightstand…

“Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.” - George Orwell, 1984

“Sexism is hence to bad science as misogyny is to moralism. Sexism wears a lab coat; misogyny goes on witch hunts.” - Kate Manne, Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny

“What is learned out of necessity is inevitably more powerful than the learning that comes easily.” - Malcolm Gladwell, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

S A S S T R O L O G Y 
with s.o.

Cancer - explore your options, but be selective

Leo - let someone else be the lead singer for a change

Virgo - cook up a monologue about your favourite fruit

Libra - love is not always perfectly balanced, but it will always aim to be

Scorpio - have you listened to any heavy metal lately?

Sagittarius - Three minutes of hugging a tree will change your life

Capricorn - are you chewing on your words before your swallow them?

Aquarius - take some time out to really listen to that little seed inside of you

Pisces - dreams will be telling you something important

Aries - what is the best way for you to take it one day at a time?

Taurus - save some coins for that cute little trip you’re going to take

Gemini - make sure you get some proper rest for that big moment coming up!

Stay Tuned In & Turned On

x.o.
Love
S.O.