BC duo look to ‘build community’ in first NWT performances

Letters & Text, a musical duo from British Columbia, are in the NWT this week for their first performances as a pair outside Vancouver.

Lindsay Highgate and Brett Creemer performed at Hay River’s Back Eddy on Tuesday. They will be at Yellowknife’s Top Knight on Friday, then play Snowkings’ Winter Festival on Saturday.

The duo formed in 2021 after Highgate posted an ad in a musicians’ network on Facebook.

“It was just mad chemistry right off the hop,” said Creemer, who founded dark-swing trio Bonfire Ballerina in Vancouver and has played in bands in both BC and London, England.

Highgate, part of a musical family, says her brothers introduced her to musical theatre, her mother showed her pop, and her dad and sister got her into R&B, jazz, and Motown, all which translate into Letters & Text.

Highgate and Creemer say Letters & Text brings a “neo-soul, neo-folk vibe.”

According to Creemer, “modest growth” pushed the two to move their band into the world beyond Vancouver and BC.

“Creating a sense of community has always been a goal of ours since we met,” said Highgate.

“We want to stretch out – not just outside of Vancouver but across Canada – and this is our first time hacking at that goal. I’ve heard of how wonderful the community is up here, and I’m excited to be a part of that in a special, musical way.”

Creemer’s son lives in Yellowknife.

“A huge goal of mine is to expand his community in Yellowknife,” he said.

“Music is the easiest way for me to do that, and even though we’ve definitely already started building a community here, I’m excited to start doing it in a bigger way this time.”

Letters & Text will be at Top Knight on March 10 at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased on the duo’s website for $20. On March 11, the band performs a short concert at Snowkings’ Winter Festival at 4pm.