The Way We're Born Tour: Aysanabee and Barrin May - Winnipeg, MB

On a chilly Tuesday night on November 25, 2025, Winnipeg found warmth, catharsis, and community inside The Park Theatre as Aysanabee brought The Way We’re Born Tour to the city. The packed show felt less like a routine tour stop and more like a powerful homecoming of spirit, amplified by the presence of Manitoba’s own rising Indigenous singer-songwriter Barrin May, who opened the evening with a set that instantly grounded the room in stories, connection, and place.

Barrin May. Photos by Samuel Stevens.

Barrin May set the tone with a beautiful, introspective performance—gentle and earthy, yet powerful in its emotional resonance. His songwriting, rich with imagery of rivers, loss, kinship, and prairie sky, didn’t just warm up the crowd; it invited them in. May’s voice moved between tender vulnerability and stirring strength, earning the kind of quiet, attentive listening rarely found in a bustling venue. For many in attendance, this felt like a discovery moment—one of those rare opening sets that leaves a lasting imprint.

From the moment Aysanabee stepped onto the dimly lit stage and opened with “Embers,” the audience was locked in. His voice—raw, resonant, unmistakable—filled the room with a depth that felt almost physical. There’s a reason Aysanabee continues to be one of the most captivating live performers in the country: he brings not just songs, but stories, memory, and ancestral echoes.

“Edge of the Earth” and “Gone Baby Gone” followed, weaving rhythmic urgency with soaring melodic passages. Aysanabee’s signature finger-style guitar work and looping textures created a lush, atmospheric soundscape that felt far larger than the intimate venue.

Mid-set highlights included “Long Gone,” “Here And Now,” and “Somebody Else,” each delivered with an emotional clarity that drew cheers, tears, and multiple moments of absolute, breath-held silence from the crowd. His introduction to “Dream Catcher”—reflecting on intergenerational stories and personal healing—was met with nods and murmurs throughout the room, a reminder of how deeply his work resonates with listeners across cultures.

Aysanabee. Photos by Samuel Stevens.

The back half of the set displayed the full arc of Aysanabee’s artistry. “Good Love” brought a welcome warmth, its groove turning the room into a moving wave of bodies, while “Home” and “Alone” showcased the emotional versatility of his voice. “Nomads” and “Without You” closed the main set with intensity, his band adding dynamic layers that elevated each arrangement beyond its recorded version.

The audience erupted into applause the second he stepped backstage, and the encore was all but inevitable.

Returning to the stage, Aysanabee delivered “We Were Here.” It was the kind of performance that stops time—gentle, haunting, and steeped in conviction. The song’s reflections on identity, place, and legacy felt especially potent in Winnipeg, a city with deep Indigenous history and vibrant contemporary Indigenous artistry. By the final refrain, many in the crowd stood in quiet reverence before erupting into the loudest ovation of the night.

Aysanabee’s The Way We’re Born Tour stop in Winnipeg was more than a concert—it was a shared experience of storytelling, healing, and profound musicianship. From Barrin May’s gracefully poetic opening set to Aysanabee’s emotionally charged headlining performance, the night showcased the power and importance of Indigenous voices in contemporary music.

It was intimate, moving, and unforgettable—one of those rare shows that stays with you long after the final note fades.