By Amanda Hu
<The Gauntlet had a chance to sit down with Lubo Alexandrov during the 2007 Calgary Folk Music Festival.
Gauntlet: So who have you seen so far?
Lubo Alexandrov: I saw Rufus [Wainwright]. I really liked it. I know a little bit of his stuff because he came out from Montreal anyway. I liked what he did. It was very beautiful. I also saw Nathan. That was very interesting. I saw the Cape May, which was good. We also saw the Cuban band [Los Muñequitos de Matanzas]. We’ve played things with them before. They’re really good. That’s about it, because we’ve been really busy playing all the time. And when we didn’t play, we slept.
G: Is there anyone you haven’t seen yet you’re looking forward to seeing?
LA: I really would love to see Sharon Jones. Unfortunately, we leave tomorrow, which is a big problem. I missed Neko Case because we were playing at the same time, which was a big drag for me. Tonight, I might check out Great Big Sea and all the other bands that are playing on the mainstage.
G: You participated in the Six String Nation workshop earlier today. What is your approach to the workshops?
LA: Well, you have to be really flexible, really chill; you know, not freak out if things don’t work out. You just take it as it goes. Most of the workshops we’ve done at festivals are fun because you’re playing with some really good musicians. It really helps to work with good musicians. Those guys are heavy players. So the approach is basically, let them do what they want and try to fit in and when you play something, they do the same thing. So, you’ve got to be very gentle with the way you fit in.
G: How does this festival compare to other festivals you’ve played at or been to?
LA: It’s one of the most organized festivals I’ve ever been to with musicians that are really good. For a festival inside the city, it’s really happenin’. There are a lot of folk festivals that are done outside the city where the vibe is a bit more party and there’s a lot more energy and people just really go for it. Here it’s a little more controlled because it is in the city. That, and the shows go to 10 or 11:30, which is pretty early.
G: What was your favourite part of your workshop today?
LA: I thought it was great. There were so many talented musicians. Steve [Dawson], Hawksley [Workman], they were all great. When Hawksley sang that song, that was so good. I’d love to chat with that guy, but he disappeared somewhere. Maybe I’ll track him down later.