Doomed Confessionary: Dan, Mikke, Mike & Lucas (Midnight Tripper)
Photos by Mike Farkas
Ontario, Canada based four-piece Midnight Tripper combine heavy rock ‘n’ roll riffs infused with doom, groove and punk rock styles, and draw from an array of influences including the sounds of Black Sabbath, Cancer Bats, Sleep, Motörhead, and Nirvana.
The band formed in 2022 after Reed Rosiana, Mike Manseau and Mikke Paonessa, who had been without a vocalist for around a year, had found their frontman in Dan Post. Midnight Tripper began traversing the live circuits in 2022 Niagara, ON, performing with the likes of Mvll Crimes, AAWKS and Sons Of Arrakis to name a few. Midnight Tripper released their debut EP »Ride The Wave« in September 2022, followed by the single »Mothman« in December of that year, and the unearthly EP »Paranormal« landed in 2023. In January of 2024, Reed left the band due to an injury and Lucas Spinosa joined on drums.
Midnight Tripper are Dan Post on vocals, Mikke Paonessa on guitar, Mike Manseau on bass and Lucas Spinosa on drums.
Can you say a few words about your band?
Energy, Space, Mushrooms.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
We had a lineup change recently while preparing to record our upcoming album. It was a bit of a struggle to find a person who fit with us and was able to pick back up where we left off. But it was a great learning experience for us as a band and we were able to hone in on our sound during that time.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Being part of a developing music community with a lot of great bands to share the stage with.
What was your biggest regret?
“No Ragrets” – We’ve had many learning experiences as a band, but collectively we don’t regret any of those situations.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
We had a last minute chance to play at The Killroom in Hamilton, Ontario when it was still around. That show was pivotal for us as a band and we felt connected to the crowd in a unique way, topped off with a badass DIY indoor skatepark.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
The number of great bands that exist within the underground music scene. You hear about how the rock and metal scene is dead, but it’s alive and thriving. You just need to know where to look.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Mikke: Heavy Jelly by Softplay
Dan: Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster – I & II
Mike: Motörhead
Lucas: Gojira, Mastodon, Meshuggah
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Double check your gear before/after you leave for a show. And label/mark your cables and mics!
What are your guilty pleasures?
We’re all innocent until proven guilty 😉 Haha… Not really a guilty pleasure because we don’t feel guilty about it, but we try to incorporate our friends and their small businesses into Midnight Tripper through collaborations as much as possible. We take pride in supporting our friend’s careers, small businesses and side hustles. We see the value in working as a community and growing together, and want to see everyone succeed together.
Can you say something more about the music scene in Ontario?
It’s been really exciting to watch the local music scene grow and expand the last few years around our area. We’ve gained a lot of friends on the road and locally, and that’s a big part of what makes everything worth it for us.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We are focusing on staying local to Niagara and the GTA for the rest of 2024 while we shift gears into pre-production for our upcoming album.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We’re planning to release our upcoming album mid-2025 and a tour to support. With a few more surprises along the way!
How can people best support your band?
Purchase our music on Bandcamp if you’re feeling generous, come to our shows, buy our hot sauce!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
We appreciate all the support we’ve recieved from our fans and other bands while we powered through a few challenges this year, pushing back some of our goals. We’re excited to keep you on your toes for the next year while we continue to release some new music and get out on the road.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well