A new music video from Victoria psychedelic alt-rock band Door d’Or has a strong St. Michaels University School connection. “Shelter,” the fourth single from the band’s debut full-length album The Exquisite Dream, was written, directed, co-shot and edited by Chris Bateman '94, a SMUS alumnus and the current Head of the Senior School Art Department.
Bateman has been connected to Door d’Or since the band’s early days and also designed the album cover for The Exquisite Dream. The collaboration on “Shelter” brings his visual art practice into the band’s music, translating the song’s shifts between tension and calm into a journey through landscapes, darkness and light.
The video includes images of places with personal connections to the band, including Chesterman Beach on Vancouver Island and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet. Bateman was inspired by stories singer and guitarist Mat Geddes '93 shared about his journey to Mount Kailash in Tibet, as well as the loss of social connection during the pandemic.
“The song goes through several phases of aggression and peace, which made it possible to envision a journey that could still be left open to interpretation,” Bateman says.
The video grew from an initial idea of a silhouetted band being gradually overtaken by a brightening sun. From there, the concept expanded to include storms, landscapes and the idea of shelter itself. Bateman also drew inspiration from Ron Fricke’s Baraka, particularly its photographic compositions and use of movement to bring landscapes and cities to life.
For Geddes, the collaboration is a natural extension of a friendship that has been part of Door d’Or from the beginning.
“Chris has been an integral part of Door d’Or from the beginning,” Geddes said. “His creative energy, sharp intellect and encouragement have been consistently inspiring.”
The connection between Door d’Or and SMUS runs deep. Geddes is a SMUS alumnus, while drummer Darin Steinkey has longstanding ties to the school through his time in the boarding community and as a houseparent. SMUS faculty member and former houseparent Evan Fryer contributes keys to the album, while Owen Sandquist-Sherman ’25 adds guitar.
The Exquisite Dream was recorded with Juno Award-winning producer Colin Stewart and draws on alternative rock, post-punk and psychedelia, exploring themes of connection, consciousness and hope.
“Shelter” is the fourth single from the album.
Read more from April 2026: Door D'or: Coming Home to SMUS
