The Fugitives

The Fugitives

The Fugitives are a Vancouver, Canada-based group active since 2004, working in indie folk and related forms of Canadian folk and poetry clubbing. They are known for combining music and spoken word, with a style described through labels such as slam folk, folk hop and spoken word cabaret. The line-up centres on Mark Berube, Barbara Adler and Brendan McLeod, with Steven Charles accompanying the live shows as a versatile instrumentalist.

Style and approach

The group’s work places storytelling at the centre of its songs and performances. Their live sets bring together musicianship and performance poetry, with harmonies, lyrics and instruments treated as equal parts of the overall form. They avoid overt political messaging and instead focus on the relationship between content, form and performance.

Performances and touring

Since forming, The Fugitives have toured widely in Europe and Canada. They perform in a range of settings, including old bank vaults in London, university classes in Germany and main-stage slots on the Canadian folk festival circuit. Their appearances also include festivals such as the Vienna Literary Festival, the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, the Vancouver Jazz Festival and the Chutzpah Dance Festival.

Recordings and collaborations

Their release In Streetlight Communion features collaborations with members of The Be Good Tanyas, Po’ Girl, TOFU and The Breakmen. The album is distributed by Festival and combines poetic and musical elements with harmonies and riffs. It is presented as a step forward in the group’s blend of songwriting and spoken-word performance.

The name The Fugitives has also been used by at least one earlier garage band that released a sole LP titled The Fugitives at Dave’s Hideout in the summer of 1964.