Kakagi (pronounced ke-KA-gi) is a new band whose name is derived from a small lake in northwestern Ontario. 

Their music, like their name, blurs the borders between Winnipeg and Ontario, drawing inspiration from places and scenes. Since the inauguration of their band in September 2015, the group has been moving full steam ahead.

“It’s the first time I’ve played in a band where all four members are like ready to go,” Jacob Brodovsky, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, says. “We’re all here, and we’re all committed. It’s so great, because it’s just a matter of putting in the hours and doing the legwork.”

The band consists of Brodovsky, Max Brodovsky (drums), Jonathan Corobow (bass) and Jesse Popeski (guitar). Though the band came together just a year and a half ago, this tight-knit ensemble shares more than just a jam space.

“Max (and) I are brothers. Jonathan the bass player is one of Max’s best friends, and Jesse and I are best friends. We’ve been playing together since I was like 10,” Brodovsky says. “It just kind of naturally came together.”

Brodosvky explains all the band members used to work at a camp near Lake of the Woods, and Kakagi was one of their favourite lakes to go canoeing on. It seemed like a good fit for the group.

“I have a big map of Lake of the Woods up in my apartment, and a week before our first show last January, I had to come up with a band name on a deadline,” Brodovsky says. “I was staring at the map as I was talking to Max about what we should name our band. It was a lot better than anything else we’ve come up with.” 

Kakagi recorded their first EP with Collector’s Studio and released it in November 2016. 

“We recorded all together live off the floor and then the vocals,” Brodovsky says. “It can be messier, but there’s more energy when you’re playing all together. We had two days, so we wanted to get as much done as possible.”

Brodovsky says they had three more songs alongside the EP.  The two others created during that same period and in the past month have just added five new songs to their back pocket. 

“Every tune is different, but usually I write a lot about places, (local places, places in cities), sort of scenes … that’s what I’ve been doing lately,” Brodovsky says. “Spadina Streetcar I wrote sitting in a streetcar in Spadina. The third song, “Small Town,” is about a small town in Manitoba that’s been my most consistent source of content.” 

With a video premiering this January, Brodovsky says they’re hoping to book a tour and head west for May. Then after they return, they plan to record again in the fall.  

“This is my third band, and I really like playing in bands, but I’m also kind of at the point right now where it’s either now or never,” Brodovsky says. “So I kind of want to put everything I have into it and see what we get.”

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Kakagi’s video, premiering at the end of January by Canadian Beats.

Connect with Kakagi at facebook.com/kakagimusic.

Published in Volume 71, Number 16 of The Uniter (January 19, 2017)