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Amaya : I have a stage tradition. I like to find out what kind of underwear the guys have on.

Jay: I'm generally not superstitious, but I have noticed that if Amaya doesn't ask everybody what colour their underwear is, the show doesn't go as well. But part of me is convinced she does it so she can tell us about all the great underwear she's bought.

Amaya : I have enough underwear to wear three pairs a day for three months without doing laundry.

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From its inception in 1999, Uncle Seth hasn't stopped performing its "exuberant and accomplished mix of pop, rock, acoustic folk, twisty grooves, tender ballads, and pretty melodies, topped off by.rousing vocals" ( PIC Press , Kingston).

Uncle Seth's 2002 debut album Lame Suburban Poetry received rave reviews, finished third in the 2003 Songs Revealed Competition , and was heard on CBC Canada-wide. The 2005 EP Forgive & Forget, Volume One captures their distinctive sound with three live next to three studio-produced songs. Melodic songwriting, inspired lyrics, adventurous instrumentation, and lively vocals make this band a stand-out, which is why they were named Dose Magazine 's Artist of the Week in April 2005.

Uncle Seth has honed its spirited live performance to "a show , as opposed to playing a list of songs". Forging a relationship with the audience is key to Uncle Seth's success as a live band. "I like that we try to get the audience to engage," says lead singer Amaya Thompson. "A lot of what we do is really relatable." And when halfway through a set the band dons acoustic instruments and parades through the crowd, encouraging them to sing along, they do. And they dance. And they laugh. And when the show culminates in a climactic finish, the audience always leaves grinning.

But the changing music industry has inspired Uncle Seth to be innovative in its approach to releasing recorded music. "MP3 devices have changed the way people listen to music," they explain. "People are downloading, concentrating on songs rather than albums. A big internet trend is podcasting."

So Uncle Seth recorded a brilliant, bouncy cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" - available on iTunes and the band's web site - and released it online. The single has garnered attention from podcasts and online shows, inspiring Uncle Seth to continue releasing both covers and originals on the internet. This has certainly given the band more of a reach: "We're providing music in a format where the most people can get it the easiest and the most cost-effectively."

Uncle Seth's growing audience, evolving stage show, considerable creative output, and new online method of delivering music signals an exciting and intriguing future for the band. The members are all committed to Uncle Seth's growth and will continue to "write and perform new music, and broaden our following of people who want to hear us."

Uncle Seth is Amaya Thompson on lead vocals, Jay Moonah on bass and harmonica, and Chris Patheiger on drums and percussion.