Wiebe Takes Sinewave From The Studio To The Stage

Sometimes you just need to get out of the bedroom and play.

For Sinewave's Mark Wiebe, it's easier said than done. After years of playing in indie bands while growing up, Wiebe eventually went off to a technical music school in Winnipeg where he discovered and subsequently honed his skills as a gifted producer and studio geek.

After returning to his native B.C., Wiebe immediately began twiddling in his home studio, essentially laying the groundwork for what would eventually become Sinewave. And now that he's gone from performer to producer, Wiebe must make the full-circle switch back to performer, as the increasing popularity of Sinewave dictates that he take his act out of the bedroom and into the clubs.

"I was performing before I was producing, so it's not too big of a stretch," he says matter-of-factly.

"But I'm definitely most in my element late at night with my headphones on and in my studio. I don't do it for the live thing. Playing live is just kind of a necessity. I have fun doing it, but I get stressed out putting on live shows."

Wiebe doesn't make it easy for himself. Few people can pull off the one-man band, jack-of-all-trades show. But what else can you do when you write, perform and produce everything on your records?

"When you put out an album, people expect you to play shows," says Wiebe. "For playing live, I kind of have something that's working well for me now.

"I have someone to play live bass guitar, and I'm mostly doing guitar, keyboards and vocals. So it's more of a live band thing with backing tracks. Keeps things more interesting for me and hopefully the audience."

What will also keep people interested is Sinewave's dreamy, sample-filled soundscapes. The current Unity Gain album builds on Wiebe's previous output, which was almost predominantly electronic.

As he continues to refine the Sinewave sound, Wiebe finds himself adding more and more live, organic elements to the songs. Dashes of acoustic guitar and his voice add to the overall Air-meets-My Bloody Valentine-meets-Caribou vibe.

There are some modest plans to take Sinewave across the country this summer, so rest assured Wiebe will be embracing the live aspect of his music. Considering his penchant for being behind the scenes, he's rather excited to play and is even promising a not-so-boring live set.

"I'm not a big fan of electronic shows where all you see is some guy and a laptop," Wiebe says with a smirk. "I wanna see people playing instruments.

"My background is playing with a live band, so I'm trying to find a happy medium between the two."