Photographer and musician David Woodhead offers a stunning visual narrative of the Canadian independent music scene with his new book ‘Evidence of Ecstasy: David Woodhead’s musical journey in photographs’. This collection serves as a rare window into the 1970s and 80s folk world by featuring intimate black and white images from recording studios and legendary festivals. Readers follow his path from early influences like Brownie McGhee to his pivotal years performing as a bassist with the iconic Stan Rogers.
The book highlights the fierce creativity found within counterculture collectives and the vibrant Queen Street scene of 1980s Toronto. Woodhead brings a personal perspective to his work with influential artists such as the brilliant fiddler Oliver Schroer and the Perth County Conspiracy. By focusing on an era before the ubiquity of cell phone cameras, this work preserves the spirit of musicians who thrived off the beaten track and away from commercial machinery.