Call & Response is a series of Q&As with bands, artists and random people we dig that live in Montreal, visit here, or have some dubious connection to the city.

Cab is a Montreal-based duo whose mix of blues and country music seems equally at home in local pubs or county fairs. Featuring Jonathan Tully on bass and Charles Barrington on vocals, guitar and harmonica, the pair grew up in the farmlands of Southern Quebec. Their move from rural outskirts to the city streets of MTL is at the core of the words and sounds on their EP Walk a Mile. Cab recently played the FestiBlues International de Montréal and their performance there won them a trip to France for the Blues sur Seine festival in Paris. Before they pack their mellow grooves up for Europe, I sat down with the band, virtually speaking, to ask them some questions:

You mix mellow bar-room blues with a pretty interesting set of rhythms. What kinds of influences do you hear in your songs?
There's a lot of beer and sweat that goes into our music, that's for sure and the things that accompany those liquids are usually what sparks a song. As far as musical influences go, there are many. We both had heavy teenage roots in punk music but also childhoods backed by 60's and 70's rock, folk and blues. More recently we seem to be surrounding ourselves with more country music than anything. But good country music, old time, not talkin bout that CMT, Walmart shit.

What do you love most about Montreal?
Charles: The weed, the woman and the nightlife.
Jonathan: The summer!

What do you love most about Poutine?
C: I love that the best Poutine you can find is usually in the smallest greasiest shack on the side of a country road or at 330 am in st henri, served by a guy who doesn't wash his hands. Old brown French fries and super dark gravy and squeaky qc made curds.
J: The option of putting extra fromage.

What do you hate most about Poutine?
C: Pretentious poutines. Makes me crazy, they get so far from the real thing and charge you 20 bucks for a pile of shit you don't even want and still call it a poutine.
J: When they use grated cheese instead of curds.

Who was your first live concert? Was it everything you had ever imagined?
C: Not sure if it was my first but I think it was snow jam, the year of the ice storm. My brother took me and knew the girl at the door so we got in for free. I was so impressed by Anti-flag I waited out back to talk to the singer only to chicken out when I saw him.
J: I saw Rancid, AFI, and The Distillers at the Metropolis and it blew me away.

Is your music best enjoyed with ribs and BBQ sauce or Wine and Cheese?
C: In a bar. Beer served in pints not pitchers. Followed by whiskey and a late night poutine.
J: Our music is definitely more enjoyable with liquor so I would say ribs and BBQ sauce with Wine (Just to keep it classy)

If your music was a famous historical figure, who would it be and why?
Louis Cyr, a canadian strongman. Lifted 1000 pounds with one finger. Also, he lifted a horse when he was 17 or something. He went from farm boy to heavy weight. And that's what we're trying to do.

How did you spend your 16th birthday?
C: I honestly can't remember.
J: Probably drinking a 40 in a park around Huntingdon.

You've had a pretty big summer, including an appearance at the FestiBlues Internationale de Montreal that won you a trip to France? What do you have in store for Parisians?
The plan is to get our music out to as many people as we can in the 7 days we're there. Playing the Blues sur Seine festival will help as we have the opportunity to open for blues star Louisiana Red. The remainder of our time will be playing bar gigs and busking and drinking wine.

What's in store for the future of Cab?
We have a bunch of new stuff that we really want to record. We'll keep gigging and start planning for next spring/summer. We'd like to see more of Canada and the US next year and hopefully maintain our relationships with new friends abroad.

What's in store for the future of cabs now that Montreal has a Bixi public bike transport systems?
C: I'm not worried, somehow BIXI has managed to make themselves more of a rip off than taking a cab from St Laurent to NDG. Not to mention that there's no fucking BIXI stations west of Atwater anyway! They know we can't afford it!
J: To be honest Bixi bikes can suck one.
1. They aren't reducing the number of cars in the city
2. They've falsely charged my credit card numerous times.

Listen to Cab's EP Walk A Mile, which is available through iTunes or check them out live:

September 18th @ Il Motore
part of the Eleven Eleven Animal Rescue benefit/anniversary concert

September 29th @ Brutopia