By Will McGuirk
Vancamp is the moniker for Calvin Bakelaar’s Peterborough based indie folk rock band. Vancamp will be playing Oshawa’s Biltmore Theatre Mezzanine Sept 3 2026. Rory Taillon and Brooklyn Doran are also on the bill. Vancamp has been in Oshawa previously but we never really had a chance to chat so we reached out by email and he had time to reply.
Slowcity.ca: Can you tell me how you came to music initially and when writing songs began to mean something to you?
Vancamp: “I was lucky to grow up in a musical family. We lived in a tiny Ontario hamlet called Trowbridge outside a small town called Listowel. My dad was a freelance DJ, running dance floors at weddings across Southwestern Ontario, and every month he received a box of sample CD’s in the mail. I’d spend hours listening to the hits of the late 2000’s along with his personal collection of bands like Boston and Styx. We were a Dutch family living in a conservative Southwestern Ontario small town, and as such I was entitled to all the privileges of a Christian Reformed Church upbringing. By my luck, that church owned drums and had a worship team, which my dad played guitar in. When I was 10 I bought my own drum kit, taught myself to play, started a family band, joined the worship band, and never looked back. Thanks to my dad, those 2000’s hits CD’s, and the worship team at church, I was locked into the beautiful world of music. When COVID hit in 2020, I missed making music, so I picked up the acoustic guitar, taught myself how to sing, and started writing tunes. I wrote about my life, my upbringing, and my experience feeling like a bit of an outsider in a small town, and called the project VANCAMP. Fast forward to 2026, and VANCAMP has played over 100 shows across Ontario and Quebec, and released 3 EP’s and a full length record, including the newest EP “House Parties in the Avenues” which just dropped in August.”
SC: What is your songwriting process - how do you come to songs or do songs come to you?
V: “For me, it’s a bit of both. I really believe that songs are out there looking for someone to catch them and put pen to paper. In a lot of instances I find that songs come to me that way. But a big part of that is being open to receiving the song. I try to put myself in positions to catch these songs as they’re flying by. Sometimes it means meditating, calming your brain, going for a walk or a drive. I’ve really enjoyed taking that time during my morning commute to my day-job. It’s about 40 minutes, and a great opportunity to just let my brain think, to catch those ideas. I have hundreds of short little voice memos in my phone, most of them being tiny song ideas that I haven’t made into anything yet, and some that I’ve been lucky enough to record and turn into full tunes. Honestly, I couldn’t make a song out of all of them, and I hope some of those ideas make their way to someone else if I can’t get to them in time.”
SC: I find your work is kindred with East Coast indie Thrush Hermit Plaskett and their ilk where do you find kindred music spirits?
V: “Man, that’s so appreciated. Plaskett (and Thrush Hermit) is a huge influence, absolutely. At the start, so was Donovan Woods, Dan Mangan, and a ton of other Canadian singer/songwriters like them. Tim Baker is probably my biggest musical influence, but bands like Bahamas and Bros. Landreth were a big deal too. Then I got into folks like Katie Pruitt, Maggie Rogers, and Madi Diaz. But I’m fortunate to be surrounded by the kindred music spirits that inspire me most. Folks like Caitlin Currie, Warren Frank (aka Gamekeeper), Brooklyn Doran, Rory Taillon, Tristan Konkle, Vicki Brittle, the list goes on and on. I’m lucky that the people that inspire me, those kindred musical spirits, are also some of my best friends, and that I get to share the stage with this month. An East Coast tour may or may not be in the works too. I just love the East Coast, and all the music that’s come out of that part of Canada. I’d love to play some gigs down there, see some new faces, and make some new connections.”
SC: Tell me about growing up in Peterborough and some of your favourite places there - venues parks bars stores whatever - maybe your top five?
V: “I’ve lived in Peterborough for just over ten years now. I’ve loved living here. I went to the local art high school in grade 12 and played in the jazz band. The town has so much music history and its current scene is built on these fantastic players that know their instruments inside and out, plus so many inspiring young musicians and bands playing what THEY want to play. I feel like every show I go to I’m learning something new. It’s amazing.
Top five things/spots/venues: Peterborough Folk Fest (Canada’s longest-running free-admission folk fest!), the Pig’s Ear Tavern, the John at Sadleir House, Sam’s Deli, Hanoi House.”
SC: You have a tour set for Ontario - Biltmore is first show yes - are they all solo or do you have support or are supporting on these dates and if yes who?
V: “Biltmore is the kickoff to a really exciting month of touring for me. Most shows I’m playing as a solo/duo/trio act, but I will be playing with a band in Stouffville supporting Altered by Mom and Caardia at Harmony Hall, as well as for our gig at Cultivate Festival near Port Hope on the Haute Goat Farm. I’m lucky to be sharing these stages with a ton of other good pals, like Rory Taillon, Brooklyn Doran, Vicki Brittle, Jessica Pearson & the East Wind, Tristan Konkle, Lillian Ashley, Maggie Faye, and then the big one at Market Hall with Jeanne Truax and Tristan Konkle.”
All the info:
Sept 3 - Oshawa w/ Rory Taillon and Brooklyn Doran at the Biltmore Theatre Mezzanine
Sept 4 - Belleville w/ Rory Taillon and Lillian Ashley at UpFront Café
Sept 5 - Stouffville supporting Altered by Mom and Caardia at Harmony Hall
Sept 16 - Ottawa supporting Jessica Pearson and the East Wind at St Charles Market for Vanier BIA’s Akoustik Series
Sept 17 - Kingston w/ Tristan Konkle at Musiikki Café
Sept 18 - Smiths Falls w/ Tristan Konkle at Bowie’s
Sept 24 - Waterloo w/ Painting Pelicans and I, the Mountain at Emmanuel United Church
Sept 25 - Stratford w/ Tristan Konkle and Maggie Faye at The Bunker
Sept 26 - Haute Goat Farm for Cultivate Festival
Sept 27 - Chelsea, QC w/ Vicki Brittle at Motel Chelsea
Tickets and information are available on his website vancampmusic.net.