Synopsis
Royal Canoe perform "Bathtubs" inside their cramped Winnipeg rehearsal space, where keyboards, drums, guitars and other equipment become part of a surreal visual playground. Instruments shift, multiply and move in ways that seem to ignore the laws of physics, while bathtubs and the apartment's narrow hallways turn an everyday logistical problem into a strange musical obstacle course. The playful, effect-heavy video mirrors the song's busy arrangement and presents the band's imperfect practice environment as both a hindrance and a source of creative energy.
Factoids & Trivia
- The song was inspired by the practical difficulty of moving Royal Canoe's instruments and equipment through the crowded hallways of their apartment-building rehearsal space.
- Bathtubs had reportedly been moved into the hallway during renovations, making it even harder for the band to get their gear in and out for shows.
- The video was filmed around the band's Winnipeg practice space and uses visual effects, stop-motion-style movement and carefully arranged props to make the room appear physically impossible.
- "Bathtubs" appeared on Royal Canoe's 2013 album "Today We're Believers." The video was released in June 2013 ahead of the album's wider release.
- Production credits list Seth Woodyard as art director and Ryan Herdman as director of photography.
- The production received financial assistance from Manitoba Film & Music.
- The clip became one of the more frequently highlighted examples of Royal Canoe's quirky, highly visual approach to pop music.