By Emily Stonehouse

A group of Haliburton locals have taken to the stage in an effort to raise awareness around social justice. 

Of the four-member punk group Doorstep Fire, three of the band members have called Haliburton County ‘home.’ Seamus Lynch, Cameron Espina, and Wesley Stoughton are no strangers to the music scene of the area; having participated in Battle of the Bands, which raised money for the local skate park that is used and loved today. 

The musicians also formed The Bones of Jim Jones while in high school, playing at their 2020 graduation ceremony, then heading to Montreal to record an album before going their separate ways. 

After living out west, Lynch felt the draw to return to a world of creativity. When an opening came up to relocate to Toronto, he jumped at the opportunity. As he settled into city life, he started to find his artistic world take shape. “I’ve found a community here of artists and like-minded people,” said Lynch. 

He had one priority: form a punk band. And slowly but surely, the members from his original Haliburton-music days seemed to fall into place in the conception of Doorstep Fire. 

But as political tensions continue to rise around the world, Lynch – the lead singer and lyricist – feels it’s more important than ever to use their platform. “Fascism and far-right ideologies are on the rise,” said Lynch. “We want to unite a community of like-minded artists and free thinkers.” Lynch described Doorstep Fire’s style as hardcore punk, but with a timeless sound. He noted that he grew up listening to old blues tunes by Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, while other members of the band are professionally trained in jazz or heavy metal. “It’s a real blend,” he said. 

As the lead lyricist, Lynch puts the songs together, then brings them to the table for the rest of the band to dissect and build-on. Together, they prioritize the need for general references, while still trying to stay timely and topical. “We want people to listen to our music 20 years from now, and have it still sound relevant to them,” said Lynch. “We want them to still be able to connect to our sound and our messages.” 

With their name becoming common on the tongues of Torontonians and locals alike after a series of successful and regular gigs, Doorstep Fire wants to use this opportunity to kick things up a notch with their first music video. 

But they want to do it properly. They have partnered with a videographer who uses film to shoot content; an endeavour that will have a dramatic effect in the video, but will cost a pretty penny to make. “But we want to make sure we do this right,” said Lynch. 

As young musicians navigating the ins and outs of the urban music scene, Lynch has turned to the support of the community to assist in the funding for the project. The video, titled Down Street, is an antiwar protest song, shining a spotlight on the military occupation of foreign countries. 

“I see so much frustration and anger in the world right now,” said Lynch, “so I want to try to find those healthy ways to channel that properly, and bring light to corruption and war. I have a stage and I have a platform, and I feel like I have an obligation to do that.” 

The energy in Lynch’s tone is plapable; and it’s blatantly apparent that music flows through his veins, wraps around his soul. He is eager to take things to the next level, and to bolster his band – and their messages – farther into the music scene.

“There’s nothing else we want to do in life than play music,” he said. “We want to come out of the gate swinging.” 

For more information on Doorstep Fire or to follow their journey around the development of Down Street, visit their Instagram page @doorstepfirehc.