Syml

SYML, the solo project of Seattle-area songwriter and pianist Brian Fennell, brings his intimate blend of indie pop, folk and atmospheric electronics to Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, on October 10, 2026. Classically trained and first known with the indie band Barcelona, Fennell writes around voice and piano, letting sparse arrangements carry lyrics that circle identity, adoption, Welsh roots — syml means “simple” — and family ties.

On stage, that approach stays close to the bone: piano at the center, discreet synths and loops, harmonies that build without excess. The set navigates early EPs like Hurt for Me and In My Body, the self-titled debut, and live chapters Sacred Spaces and Live at Hangar 30, then reaches into the more recent The Day My Father Died and Nobody Lives Here. Songs move from bare piano figures to wider textures, leaving space for breath and detail. Fennell’s collaborations and studio craft surface in subtle production touches, but the focus remains on melody and storytelling. Expect a concert that favors clarity, slow tension and the kind of dynamics that work in a listening room, whether SYML performs solo or with a small ensemble.