Freeman Dre hails from the once gritty but quickly-gentrifying neighborhood of Parkdale. It’s a place where junkies, winos and new immigrants exist in the shadow spaces between condo towers and artists’ lofts. Even as gentrification pushes them out, these wayward characters find a home in Freeman Dre’s songs. The tunes are direct, memorable, wildly romantic, and informed by the North American folk-rock tradition as much as his Irish and Polish roots. They invoke hug-your-neighbour singalongs, foot stomping dance parties, and more than a few tears. Like a late night shot of whiskey, Freemans Dre’s music hits you straight in the gut and then fills your head with the foolish idea that, with enough love, anything is possible.