You probably know him as Pippin, and we probably don’t need to say this, but Peregrin Took is one of the heroic hobbits from J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings.
But some people know him as Billy Boyd, a musician who fronts a band called Beecake. And they are making their Canadian debut this Saturday at Louis’ Pub.
Amid keeping up a busy schedule acting in some feature films you’ve likely drooled over and some Shakespearean plays, Boyd jetsets around the world appearing at various comic cons and entertainment expos. It’s not a bad way to make a buck, especially when you are beloved by pretty much everyone who has ever cringed, or taken up a warhammer, at the mere mention of an orc.
But considering he’s one of those multi-talented wunderkinds who excels in pretty much everything, it makes perfectly good sense that Boyd is doubling up between his appearance at this weekend’s Saskatoon Comic & Entertainment Expo at Prairieland Park and his Beecake rock party.
But considering some of us are a wee bit more familiar with his hobbit character, are people coming to see Billy Boyd onstage with Beecake or are they hoping to catch a rare glimpse of Pippin shredding on a guitar?
It doesn’t really matter, says Boyd.
“I think people get into Beecake from the acting side of things, but I’ve noticed that a lot of people are making a point to say that they are a fan of the band,” he says.
“It doesn’t matter how anyone gets to hear the band as long as they hear it. I want them to come to the live show. You don’t get to choose your fans so if anyone comes out it is likely a good thing for me.”
The band’s latest album, The World of Things, is pretty much what you would expect from a Scottish actor with a penchant for lush, epic-ish indie folk rock and a flair for all things magick.
That album was over a year in the making, and Boyd says he is simply happy to play for his fans in Canada.
“It’s really a personal thing where we try to connect with the audience, and every show is different depending on who is in the audience,” says Boyd. “We try and make it truthful to those who are in the room, and people seem to enjoy those things.”
But if you are looking for the honest hobbit truth, just don’t come expecting any wild rock stories. Boyd is a tad cagey when it comes to his exploits, either on stage or on the battlefield.
“Those stories will go to the grave with me. But mostly because there are none,” he says with a laugh.
The 2nd annual Saskatoon Comic & Entertainment Expo (Saskatoon Expo) will return to Prairieland Park this weekend to welcome thousands of pop culture fans for a two-day family festival all things sci-fi, horror, comics, superheroes, and more.
Catch Beecake making their Canadian debut at Louis’ Pub on Saturday, September 19.