Limblifter
Limblifter has long been a band in motion—restless, inventive, and always willing to redraw their own boundaries. The current lineup, centred around the creative partnership of Ryan Dahle (vocals/guitar) and Megan Bradfield (bass/vocals), has expanded into a full-force ensemble with Jo Hirabayashi, aka Jo Passed (guitar/keyboard/vocals), and Jeremy Taggart of Our Lady Peace (drums). Together, they’ve carved out a powerful incarnation that dodges easy categorization, maintaining a fiercely loyal fan base while continuing to evolve far beyond their indie-rock roots.
Dahle’s unmistakable guitar playing, rugged vocal delivery, and vividly imaginative lyricism remain the band’s compass, but the collective energy propels Limblifter forward. Bradfield’s double-bass and clarinet flourishes, Taggart’s explosive, unconstrained drumming, and Hirabayashi’s angular keyboard and guitar lines push the music into unexpected territory—dense, melodic, and full of the kind of left-turns that only a deeply collaborative band can pull off.
Their most recent album, Little Payne, arrived in late 2022, just as Dahle was diagnosed with a serious heart condition that had him facing open-heart surgery the following February. With touring plans paused, the record never received the road-tested momentum it deserved. Now fully recovered, Dahle and the band have returned with renewed urgency, performing across Canada and Europe and giving Little Payne the celebration it was owed—an album rooted in long-term friendships, resilience, and decades of shared musical language.
Limblifter has also continued to revisit its catalogue, recently reissuing 2004’s I/O—the final album yet to receive a vinyl release—through longtime collaborators We Are Busy Bodies, completing a decade-plus project of restoring their discography to physical form.
Looking ahead, the band will mark a major milestone with 30th-anniversary shows in 2026, beginning with special performances in Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria alongside close friends The Grapes of Wrath. It’s a fitting celebration for a group that has thrived by continually pushing forward while reimagining its past.
