Canadian indie folk troubadour Tennyson King will tour B.C. and Alberta over the next month. This comes fresh off gigs in Taiwan with two-time Juno winner Aysanabee and performances at the famed Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England.
The Hong Kong–born and Mississauga-raised King integrates Chinese musical elements into his western folk-rock. A multilingual musical nomad, he sings in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
“I’m thrilled to share music that reflects my heritage and the places I’ve travelled,” King says in a news release. “It’s about telling stories—through language, guitar, and zhongruan.”
His B.C. and Alberta tour begins at The.Victoria.House in the provincial capital on Wednesday (July 23). That will be followed by gigs at The Nanaimo Bar in Nanaimo on Thursday (July 24) and Charles Hoey Park and Jac’s on Queens in Duncan on Friday (July 25).
Then on Sunday (July 27) at 7 p.m., King will play Guilt & Company (1 Alexander Street, Underground) in Vancouver before 10 more dates in the B.C. Interior. Next, he will be off to Alberta for three more shows. That includes one in Calgary supporting Lindi Ortega, with whom he recorded “Where I Make My Home”. Then he’ll wind up his western tour with Ortega in Cranbrook on August 24.
For King, it was a career highlight to play three times this year at Glastonbury with long-time collaborator Chris Noble. Back in 2023, Noble dazzled a Jade Music Fest audience on keyboards while King played guitar and banjo at Gateway Theatre in Richmond. They were accompanied on stage by Michelle Kwan on guzheng, reflecting King’s passion for incorporating Asian sounds into his performances.
Tennyson King and Kim Yang released “你的所有 (All of You)” in 2024.
King incorporates travels into songwriting
He also introduced Chinese musical elements in the single “你的所有 (All of You)”. It’s a 2024 collab with Australian singer Kim Yang, which they described as “a bilingual love letter to bustling cities, transitional moments, and soul-stirring serendipity”.
In the past, King has toured China and Australia on several occasions and performed in Southeast Asia. As well, the Canadian Folk Music Award nominee has played countless gigs across Canada. As a result of all these travels, he’s written some brilliant songs about life on the road, including “Rubber Tramp”, “Don’t Know Where I’m Going”, and “What Am I Doing?”
“When I go to Southeast Asia to play music, I’m not thinking about how can I make the most money possible,” King told Pancouver in 2023. “I’m finding how I can connect to the culture through the music and with locals and local musicians.”
For tickets to Tennyson King’s B.C. and Alberta tour dates, visit his website. Follow Pancouver on X @PancouverMedia and Bluesky @pancouver.bsky.social. Pancouver is also on Instagram @PancouverMedia. In addition, follow Charlie Smith on Bluesky @charliesmithvcr.bsky.social.
