Hello Operator benefits from Hilary

If you’re one of the many bored e-surfers who like to waste time trolling though the Toronto Musician classifieds on Craigslist, you might have seen a fairly innocuous “bassist wanted” ad posted by a group called Hello Operator. What the listing didn’t say was that Hello Operator are no ordinary garage band. They’ve toured the continent, played to full arenas alongside performers such as Hilary Duff and Simple Plan, made appearances on MTV, and receive regular radio play across the country. How often do open auditions offer that? It’s like a secret Canadian Idol for backing musicians.

Actually, Hello Operator have been through this sort of thing before. There are only two core members: guitarist/vocalist Mike Condo and keyboardist Evan Huson. Over the years, the other three positions have been filled by a steady stream of short-lived stand-ins. It’s the sort of thing that most musicians would consider a pain in the ass, but Huson knows how to look on the bright side.

“It keeps it fresh, actually. A lot of people think they’re going to like touring more than they actually do… then they get on the road and get really cranky. They miss home and their girlfriend and having a steady job.”

In contrast, after years of touring, Huson probably feels more at home on the road. Hello Operator set the type of grueling tour schedule that most penniless bands are forced into: driving all day, performing every night. Of course, it’s not so bad when you’re booking arenas, even if only as Duff’s opening act.

“With Hilary Duff, the kids that came to those shows, it was their first show ever,” explains Huson. “The kids showed up as soon as the doors opened, so we basically played to a full arena every night for a month-and-a-half.”

[Source: ChartAttack]
[Photo Source: Flickr]