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    2024 Update! Plugins troubleshooting…

     

    Hey gang!

    Bryan here, and it’s been awhile.

    Firstly, I’m undertaking some plugin issues that aren’t going smoothly. Thanks for your patience with the calendar, list and venues not showing up properly.

    I have to update that we lost funding from the DGBA in the summer, which was our only income. I reached out to the venues and all but 3 turned down a minor support request -for various reasons.

    Times have been tough, and Guelph has lost some great music venues.

    Now, we’re down to one supporter. They have been prioritized for calendar updates, and we’re in talks still with the city about funding opportunities that might arise in April. So I’ve stepped back a skosh, but will update when I have time.

    It would still be great to have volunteers.

    Bryan McNeill
    Music Lives

    Testing Testing

    The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

    17 Bands Captured at 10 Venues!

    Our latest Music Lives Crawl happened Friday night of GAIN Fest 2022 and I think I’ve finally recoup’d.
    Good golly, as April Wine might say, “Oowatanite”

    As we start at the earliest show we can attend on the Event List page, and run through the night in chronological order, we started as usual at Guelph’s jazz club, Manhattans. It was our first time seeing the young and talented Andrew Schoettler dancing across the keys on the house Baby Grand Piano. Andrew has become a regular performer with a variety of players.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7LfrDpL2f/?hl=en

    Downtownward we rushed to run upstairs to ONYX Nightclub where Basic White was sparking the GAIN Media Festival fire..
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7Of66pLAe/?hl=en

    We walked up to the old St George’s Square to SIP Club and caught an early part of cover band Urban Sky  playing “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie!
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7P-t6JQeL/?hl=en

    A couple doors down Douglas Street is Red Brick Cafe, where GAIN Fest’s Singer/Songwriter showcase was being hosted by Jesse Alarcan. Underway was Mark Honestly playing in front of the Mayor Cam Guthrie and patrons.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7QisBJjT5/?hl=en

    Then we ran to Hondica Lewinsky (my car) and jetted out to Fixed Gear Brewing west of downtown to catch a glimpse of the wonderful Alex Price who plays consistent Friday evenings for their frequenters.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7S0XNAqY9/?hl=en

    Next, we hurried to Silence on Essex St downtown to see boy band Sun Junkies open GAIN Fest at Silence!
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7Ts1sAjxT/?hl=en

    Then we flew out to nearly the westernmost tip of Guelph to Royal City Studios to be surprised by the young Coywolves ripping Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”!
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7VnrUAkkT/?hl=en

    Back downtown to Red Brick Cafe to see the lovely Emma Worley hypnotizing the listeners with an original song.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7X6zxA13k/?hl=en

    We walked back to ONYX Nightclub to catch the end of rap artist Manatee‘s set
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7ZA5RAxRL/?hl=en

    And saw the beginning of heavy metal band We Are Human!
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7Z_djgQYd/?hl=en

    Then we rushed back to the car to drive out to the North end to the Stampede Ranch to see some of the The Godfreys playing some good ol’ country..
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7d9klANwz/?hl=en

    While out that direction, we zipped to Silvercreek’s 360 to see their first Friday night Karaoke turnout!
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7ffF5AQN4/?hl=en

    Back downtown in time to see JUPITER HOLLOW who really rocked my socks. In my opinion, the best stage presence of the night.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7pljjAqiV/?hl=en

    Then, another dash to Silence to see Livers make the party people dance.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Ce7myzQA1sq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Then we walked back up the hill to MacDonnell Street and met with some friends at Royal Electric Public Eatery to see pop-punk coverband The Hot Karls (the 8th best cover band of all time) and the house was jumping!
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7vb5iAtPe/?hl=en

    Back around the corner to Wyndham Street and up to ONYX to catch Metal band and GAIN Fest Friday headliner Killitorous thrash the people in the pit!
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Ce7v8Lwg3md/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    And finally, a wee rest as we landed at the old familiar Jimmy Jazz where Johnny Hovel was entertaining his crowd at his monthly residency.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce73AS6APNv/?hl=en

    We made it to McCabe’s Irish pub but by then, Dave Alxsndr was done for the night. And we were pooched!
    SO. MUCH. MUSIC.

    MUSIC LIVES in Guelph.
    #musiclivescrawl

     

    Photo courtesy of Killitorous’ Facebook page

    Festival Season is Upon Us! (And Canada Day)

    It’s here!
    The beautiful weather (hopefully) and the good times!
    Starting this weekend (June 10th-12th) with the 36th Annual Guelph and District’s Multicultural Festival. GDMF has put together a wonderful international assortment of Flavours, Music and Kids’ fun at Riverside Park starting this Friday at 6pm and running through Sunday afternoon.
    https://gdmf.ca/2022festival-schedule/

    NEXT weekend June 17th-19th is our particular favourite Festival of the season, GUELPH & AREA INDEPENDANT NEW MEDIA FEST 2022!!
    Nik at GAIN Media is putting on their 10th Annual Festival at various venues in beautiful downtown Guelph with a bunch of really cool local music hosts.
    Keep your eyes on us as we’ll be giving away TICKETS AGAIN THIS YEAR…….. follow our socials at the bottom of the page.
    https://www.gainmedia.ca/event/gainfest

    July 1st-3rdCANADA DAY The Guelph Games is putting on their celebration at Exhibition park PLUS 3 days of sports, games, competitions, food trucks, and DJs.
    https://www.theguelphgames.com/schedule/

    July 14-17th After 16 years, Kazoo! is throwing one final festival (they say?) upcoming at various locations around Guelph.  4 days and 30 artists that should titillate the indie-music lover and fancy the hipster in all of us. Guaranteed to be awesome, awesome sound.
    https://kazookazoo.ca/kazoo-fest-2022-lineup/

    Hillside Festival runs July 22nd – 24th at Guelph Lake!
    5 Stages of incredible music along with workshops, lots of food and art vendors. Since 1984, Hillside has been bringing community and art together in Guelph at the gorgeous Guelph Lake Island.
    https://hillsidefestival.ca/hillside-2022-lineup/

    The Rotary Club of Guelph will be putting on Guelph Ribfest August 26th -28th at Riverside Park.
    15 bands throughout the weekend -and delicious food to tame the savage Rib-lover!
    https://www.ribfestguelph.com/events

    Nearing summer’s end, The Lakeside HOPE House sets up their HOPE In The Street Festival this year September 17th, 2022.
    This is a downtown Street Party with food vendors and plenty of great, local live musicians.
    https://hopeinthestreet.ca/

    We almost forgot that at the cusp of Autumn, The Guelph Jazz Festival runs this year September 17th -? and they’re looking to fill a number of positions!
    https://guelphjazzfestival.com/2022/

    All outdoor events are weather permitting.
    Peruse the links and feel free to volunteer at these wonderful Guelph events. Bryan of Music Lives has volunteered over a dozen times at Hillside festival and can attest to the memorable fun Volly Village can be to camp, surrounded by amazing, loving people.

    As always, if we’ve missed anything, please let us know by
    Email: info@musiclives.ca
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/musiclivesca
    Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/musiclives
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/musiclivesca

    A Wild Music Lives Crawl

    Guelph’s magnificent live music scene is brimming with variety and intensity. Music Lives’ listings are in chronological order and we like to use the calendar as a guide to get as much out of a Music Lives Crawl as we can. It’s like a pub crawl, but for live music in the Royal City -and we love getting around town to soak-it-in.
    A theme of the night seemed to be drums. Percussion stood-out on the stage at Silvercreek’s, and the crispness of Tyler Goertzen‘s kit on the stage at Manhattans, to the unbelievably liquid Jake Oelrichs at SIP Club, to the heaviest kit of the night at Jimmy Jazz being used by the expert Jody Brumell.

    We start the night early in the West end as KC Lee and His Checkered Past‘s last set ends by 8pm at Silvercreek’s 360. I caught them covering Radiohead’s “High and Dry”. Happy Birthday KC! Check out our Instagram post, give us a follow and this newest music venue is just starting to gain popularity! (there’s an upcoming spoiler in the Insta description)
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeHuRZQpKj3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Our listing took us to the South end to Manhattans where we’ve had the pleasure of seeing Emily Kemp Group often when we do our Crawl. This time, they were covering Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar.”
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeH2BGPggqf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    While in the South end, we jumped on the opportunity to see our first live music at The Shakespeare Arms in a couple years with their staple Tannery Row Blues Rock Band performing Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeH4OauA8J6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Then we high-tailed downtown to meet up with Shivjot Singh Rangi starting his last set on the SIP Club patio while warming up the crowd for a very special Toronto Band… Shiv covered Zooey Deschannel’s “Hey Girl”.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeH7GWKgO1v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    After I stopped filming, Shiv went straight into surf rock instrumental “Misirlou” by Dick Dale… the Pulp Fiction theme! And that was the best prequel to RWTK that one could have asked for.

    Then we ran to The Wooly but to everyone’s dismay, Kat Steeves had to cancel performing. Situated so close to The Guelph Concert Theatre, they were packed all day long with people who came downtown to see Canada’s elite punk rock band Propaghandi.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t get media passes, otherwise this would have been a post ALL about the show! When I caught up with Jamie Robinson of University of Guelph’s CFRU Radio program Ripcord Radio (Mondays 9pm 93.3fm or cfru.ca) later in the evening, he was jumping out of his skin- elated with seeing the show. “That was one if the best concerts I’ve ever seen in this town. Propagandhi was amazing, of course, and I really hope to see Maldita and Mvll Crimes come back to Guelph in the future.”

    Our Music Lives Crawl compass drew us North to Guelph’s only true Saloon, The Stampede Ranch where The Darren Hancock Band was just finishing their first set with Brooks & Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeH_LoWAg1E/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    The parking lot filled up and the lineup was long as we were exiting and you could tell The ‘Ranch was about to get good and rowdy.

    So we jumped in ol’ Hondica Lewinsky and drove back downtown to finally get to see the long awaited return to SIP Club of Run With The Kittens. The return of an old favourite Toronto band with a long history of playing downtown Guelph was savoured by all. The SIP Club was actually their first pandemic cancelation and the universe was setting itself right again
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeIFOfHgYAu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    I don’t know HOW my event post for 80’s cover group FUNKHAUS didn’t appear on the calendar but golly, were we glad we stopped-in to ONYX Nightclub to see them cover Madonna’s “Like a Prayer”. Shout-outs to the sound tech crew who were doing a masterful job of coordinating their sound.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeIGFG3gsw3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    We were drawn as we are often to the self-proclaimed “heart of live music” in downtown Guelph; Jimmy Jazz. One of the newer music promoters here Jesse Alarcan books at various venues in Southern Ontario. The combination of his selection and the typical house-crowd at JJ are a very happy couple. I’ve been looking forward to FINALLY getting to see Gueph’s own “mood music” band Habit perform and they did NOT let me down. Edgy, wild, mentally stimulating. Passion/power/substance/depth/edge and, soul. Moody.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeIJY77ArEg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    During set break we walked to McCabe’s on the corner of Wyndham and MacDonnell. We absolutely love, love the regular Saturday night entertainer Alexandr (the artist formally known as David Scott). Here’s the versatile loop artist’s rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Don’t”.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeINgBIg1Xa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Alas. Back to the Jimmy Jazz to our Saturday headliner. “This band is way too good to play Jimmy Jazz” was yelled to me, and my reply was, “since the Jazz opened in 1989, I’d bet those words have been repeated tens-of-thousands-of-times.” Ace of Wands definitely took over as the highlight of the night. Each song more anthemic than the last, gripping, passionate and heavy as heck. Check them out! Their return will be highly anticipated.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CeIPFTtgG1d/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    The Guelph music scene is getting back to firing at 100%.
    It could use a sprinkle of soul more often. What’s that you say?
    Next month the Black Heritage Society is putting on their annual Tribute to Motown show?

    TBC!

     

    Noon Hour Concert Series Announced!

    The Noon Hour Concert Series will begin after a long hiatus, and provide some much needed live music to the people of Downtown Guelph, Fridays from noon-1pm starting June 3rd! (Except July 1st).
    The Downtown Guelph Business Association in collaboration with Kaleidoscope Music bring a fun mixture of singer/songwriters and bands to the St. George Square near the intersection of Quebec and Wyndham Streets. Come on down and peruse the shops before or after enjoying some talented performers.
    Mattie Leon
    Snwbird
    The Flying Pants
    The Pairs
    Steve Lambke
    Brent Hagerman & The Passive Resistors
    Richard Laviolette
    The Vaudevillian

    We also have the series chronologically listed here.
    https://musiclives.ca/venue/st-georges-square-2/

    #rockandroll #musicvenue #musicontario #downtownguelph #DTGBA #kaleidoscopemusic #livemusic #guelphtoday #deltablues
    #Guelphmusicscene #livejazz #Popmusic #acoustic #electric #singersongwriter #altcountry #countrymusic #canadiana #Canadianmusicscene #Ontariomusicscene #synthpop #funkmusic #livefunk #femalesinger #StGeorgesquare #folkmusic
    #GuelphOntario #Guelphie

    A Random Saturday Night in May 2022

    In the immortal words of Doctor John, “Such a night!

    First.
    What started off as a last minute dash to get out and puddle-jump the music scene became a night that must be documented not only on our Instagram page, but the second in what may be many posts about the diversity that is the Guelph Music Scene.
    I was able to get to one of Guelph’s newest live music locations and check out Silvercreek’s 360 Saturday night band, London’s pop-rock duo The Shallow Wells. It was our first time getting to have a peek at the setup and check out the sound. Here’s a clip.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd1uyL4pAXA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Second. I zipped downtown and parked near SIP Club where I heard sweet funk music as I neared the door. Urban Sky was in full swing covering “Brick House” by The Commodores
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd1yoyhAsvx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Third.
    Getting to ONYX Nightclub and having unfortunately already missed Guelph’s own LUVR, I was lucky to catch the last few songs by Singer Songwriter Emma Worley.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd1yoyhAsvx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Fourth.
    A dash to The Wooly, where Guelph’s homegrown show stopper Jessy Bell Smith (Richard Laviolette And The Oil SpillsSkydiggers) had just started her first set and I got to listen to a few songs. It’s been awhile and I hope to see her at the Motown Tribute show at Royal City Church this summer!
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd11rMOALHT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Fifth.
    The night all started because Nik of GAIN Media reached out and offered tickets and for us to do a giveaway (so keep in tune for more in the future on our social media pages) to their ELLAVATOR headlining show, and I couldn’t pass up the chance. Such captivating personas and feel good pop tunes had the crowd of all ages gripped and singing along.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd12VcuA4G0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd13kMQAYzZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Sixth.
    I zoom-zoomed out to manhattan’s jazz club to catch the end of Joe Lucchetta who was called to fill in at the last minute. Joe is often featured on the live music roster every month and is a staple in the local jazz scene. Here’s Joe’s rendition of Chuck Berry’s “C’est La Vie (You Never Can Tell)”
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd16zokAL5A/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Seventh.
    I was anxious to see Fixed Gear Brewing’s new country music looper that Manager Riley was excited to tell me about. They’re trying out a country music night once per month and I was very fortunate to catch Jessie T’s first gig at the canteen. I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped when I heard her effortless, Dolly Parton class voice. We hope to see Jessie T performing in the Royal City again soon. Perhaps again solo at the Brewery or with a full band Galley West in rotation at The Stampede Ranch?
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd19SnGAhfh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Eighth.
    I dropped-off Hondica Lewinsky (my car) and kicked-back at the Jimmy Jazz for cover band The General’s Tavern. Impressive rock and roll, and emo-rock covers. I just wish they played later!
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cd2E1HVAIEd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    I had intentions of getting over to see my pal David Scott at McCabe’s as he’s a total beauty of a human and musician, but I ran into one of the best people in the world and former bartender at the ol’ J-Jazz, and we had much catching up to do. Here’s a clip of David Playing a couple of months ago because I feel bad about not seeing him. Or Isaiah Rashaad at Guelph Concert Theatre. Or Settler’s Creek at The Stampede Ranch…
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb39zL4gs_I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    So, bookmark and keep your eyes on our calendar for all your live music needs in the Royal City, Guelph Ontario.
    If we’re missing something, please submit an event so we can help get butts in seats and rhythm in ears!
    Photo courtesy of Ellevator’s Facebook page

    The Practically Hip Live in Guelph this Friday May 20th!

    Canada’s number one Tragically Hip Tribute ​for 25 years! 

    One Guelph date only at your favourite Pad Thai restaurant Red Papaya in Downtown Guelph!
    9pm Showtime.

    “Established in Southern Ontario in 1997, Practically Hip
    has been performing the music its members love for over 20 years at clubs, festivals, concerts, universities and colleges,
    ​and private events throughout North America and beyond.                                     

    The band members are not only professional musicians and performers, they are super fans who have seen over 75 Tragically Hip concerts!  As true and dedicated fans, they can be note-perfect on all the songs, while adding the jams and electric performance elements audiences are looking for. This is truly what has made the Practically Hip the busiest, most sought after and number one Tragically Hip tribute band in Canada! ”
    http://www.practicallyhip.com/

    Tickets: $20 advance, $25 at the door.
    Available at Red Papaya, Guelph Music and Dino’s Athletics.
    Jill at Red Papaya – 519-830-8813

    Covered Parking, FREE after 6pm!

    Photo by Lee-Ann Richer / Richer Images on www.practicallyhip.com

    A Diverse Tour of a Guelph Saturday Night

    Welcome back to live music in the Royal City!

    I don’t get out as often as I used to, but I made sure to make the most of Saturday April 2nd 2022 by swinging by several Guelph venues and grabbing a short Instagram video to show the diversity of music playing live on any given weekend. I was joined by friend and sound tech Tye Sepers who’d never been out to enjoy some of the venues and he was very excited to check out their setups.

    First, we made it to Fixed Gear Brewing Cantina on Edinburgh road to catch the first song of Brasil’s Maicon Hytch SaxOphone‘s first set. The seating and bar were already at capacity by 8pm and adoring fans were singing along in Brazilian Portuguese.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb3nKPRp_mm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    We were lucky enough to have a look at their super cool yurt patio setup, too.

    Second, we went south to manhattan’s Bistro for a taste of Charlie Cooley and Stan Chang groovy Jazz covers.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb3qCv-AQ5u/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Third, we crossed town all the way to Woodlawn road to catch the beginning of The Bareback Riders live country music at The Stampede Ranch. Tye was really impressed with their 3 tier setup, huge dance floor and impeccable audio quality.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb3uHRDgjTk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Fourth, the “heart of live Music” in the downtown core, the newly renovated Jimmy Jazz was hosting an awesome heavy metal show. Bands are tagged in the comments! And the pizza was enjoyed, as always.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb30Jjxg6fV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Fifth stop was to check out our old friend Lucas Stagg at SIP Club, the most consistent live music venue in Guelph throughout the pandemic. Lucas has a sound that can’t strictly be called country, blues or rock and roll
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb346xiARtU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    And owner/operator Dewey was so kind as to give us a shout-out on-stage to the lovely patrons
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb34kuUgsym/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Sixth, we were lucky enough to catch Urban Sky at the Red Papaya Thai and Grill crushing one of their many great rock covers.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb384q2gGd5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Seventh and not least, one of the nicest and most talented young fellows was performing solo loop-pop at McCabe’s, David Scott.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cb39zL4gs_I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    There you have a nice, sweet peek into just seven of Guelph’s wonderful live music venues on a random Saturday night. Be sure to check our calendar for your upcoming live music needs!

    Bryan

    Town Hall: Techs Talk Trash

    Audio technicians talk shop?
    THIS should be a regular series!
     
    If you’re a music promoter, a band, an artist, this is a must see.
    Public Anyone on or off Facebook
    This week’s Town Hall is Techs Talk Trash. Gain insight and get the inside scoop from you audio tech community.
    Guests:
    Chase Robbs:
    The one and only Guelph / audio legend is well known in all aspects of music, touring, festivals and more.
    Dylan Stahl:
    From musicals to bands, Dylan has dealt with it all.

    THE TIME IS NEAR FOR LIVE MUSIC!

    Attention: Venues and performers!
    We know both artists and venues are dusting off their equipment and ITCHING to get the SOUNDS back in patron EARS…
    Please send us you upcoming live music listings in the Royal City so we can list it on our calendar!
    Music Lives has been your online live music listing site in Guelph for TEN YEARS as of this past May!
    We were going to make a big deal about it, but after consultation with ML original members, we’re going to go ahead and say 2020 and 2021 (so far) haven’t really counted…
    And still, we love this city and we love promoting all things live music.
    Please send us your upcoming events so we can populate the calendar, and make sure you check us out for all your needs!
    We also recommend you follow the Guelph Music Scene Facebook page so we can all keep in touch and big thanks to Jason Henderson for the work he’s been doing with that page.  They have an instagram page as well.
    Long Live Live Music.

    Hillside 2021 Update

    Our 2021 outdoor edition is rescheduled

    On behalf of everyone at the Hillside Festival, I hope you’ll please read the following statement:

    We are currently in a stay-at-home order until late May 2021, and anticipate some form of restrictions to public gatherings through the summer, and so although it pains us to say this, we will not be able to hold the summer festival at Guelph Lake Island. Many festivals across Ontario and Canada are in the same unfortunate position and have made the same difficult choice.

    We are, however, planning a virtual festival, and are hoping to include some live-streamed concerts. The alert levels in our community and province and the accompanying health and safety parameters leading up to this virtual festival will dictate exactly what we are able to offer, so please stay tuned. We want to ensure everyone stays safe and healthy, and we encourage everyone to closely adhere to the guidance from your local public health departments.

    For those of you who deferred your purchased 2020 summer festival ticket to 2021, we thank you again and ask you to please hang on to that precious ticket because now it will be good for 2022 when we really hope to gather again.

    Those who wish to receive a refund can go here. The deadline to receive a refund is May 31, 2021 at 11:59 PM (ET).

    And for those of you who wish to donate—thank you from the bottom of our hearts—you may go here.

    We are offering a bandana with this year’s artwork on it as a thank you to all those who are deferring their tickets to 2022 or donating to our organization. Please visit this link for more information about how to obtain your bandana.

    We hope you can stay safe, happy, and as healthy as possible.

    With gratitude for staying the course with us,
    Hillside Staff and Board of Directors

    Rest assured, we will be sending music and good vibes into your homes this summer.

    Stay tuned for details.  Artwork by C.M. Duffy

    Join Jon and Roy as they perform a set streaming from the Hillside Festival Facebook page. They’ll be performing songs from their ninth studio album, Know Your Mind (out May 7, 2021), as well as fan favourites.

    Support us with a
    Hillside Fundraiser!

    Host a fundraiser on Facebook for your birthday (or any other occasion, really), and connect with your social network around helping Hillside flourish!

    We now have a Donate button on our Facebook page to make it easier for you to contribute to Hillside, and you can also start fundraisers for us by following these steps:

    1. Go to facebook.com/fundraisers

    2. Select Hillside Festival as the Non-profit

    3. Modify the details and click “Create”

    It really is as easy as one-two-three! We know how much Hillside means to our community and if you would like to encourage people to donate for a specific cause, the Girls & Guitars program, Green Initiatives, and Indigenous Circle are great options.

    Feel free to use the information and wording here to create your fundraisers. In a time of uncertainty due to the global pandemic, we have been able to produce two virtual festivals and four courses, and we can only keep going with your support.

    We are grateful to the federal, provincial and municipal governments for their support of the arts through funding programs, subsidies, honest conversations, and feverish brainstorming. To the smart and conscientious people behind the Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Creates, the City of Guelph, Wellington County, Canada Summer Jobs, and Celebrate Ontario:  thank you.

    Connect with us on our socials!

    Hillside

    Soon we’ll say it again:

    HAPPY HILLSIDE!

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    Made with love by:
    Hillside Festival
    341 Woolwich St.
    Guelph, ON N1H 3W4519-763-6396
    info@hillsidefestival.ca

     

    Publicist, Hillside Festival

    341 Woolwich Street,
    Guelph, ON N1H 3W4
    Tel:  519.763.6396

    Fax: 519.763.9514

    Guelph Musicfest is back on July 9th for its 15th season with concerts in the beautiful GYMC Recital Hall and streamed online with Digital Musicfest!

    breathe music

    Prelude to Rebirth around the World!
    Guelph Musicfest is back on July 9th for its 15th season with concerts in the beautiful GYMC Recital Hall and streamed online with Digital Musicfest!
    The July concerts feature young rising star performers like the fabulous Rolston Quartet and cellist Arlen Hlusko, a Canadian performer living in New York City and featured in the prestigious Strad magazine. These will be fresh and exciting concerts.
    November features two linked piano recitals this season with the theme of 24. Vancouver’s Robert Silverman, after a year of intense study and reflection, performs the hugely influential and amazing 24 Preludes and Fugues (Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1) by J.S. Bach, followed a week later by a “maskless” Valerie Tryon (internationally recognized as one of the master interpreters of Romantic piano music) performing Chopin’s breathtaking 24 Preludes, inspired by Bach.
    Violinist Sadie Fields will be able to fly here from Belgium this year and rejoin me and cellist Paul Pulford in the Festival Trio. We’re bringing back the sensational Shostakovich Trio, as well as Romantic music by Tchaikovsky, Spanish delights by Manuel de Falla, and a contemporary Canadian Trio.
    New for 2021 are Musicfest Master Classes. The November performers will present Master Classes in the afternoons following each concert (for a limited time, included with your subscription).
    Guelph Musicfest was one of the only festivals to complete its entire 2020 season with in-person concerts, made possible by a change of schedule, online presentation, and a bit of luck. This season mimics last year’s revised schedule.
    We will probably be limited to 50 audience members in July, so only subscribers will have access to seating at the GYMC. Most of the seats have already been sold to last year’s subscribers but a few are left. Phone me at 519-993-7591 if you are interested (there will be a waiting list). I hope that by November, at least 100 people will be allowed per concert.
    Many of you have been waiting for the return of live Classical music, and I was determined to bring it back to Guelph. After over a year of restrictions, I think the theme is most appropriate: BREATHE AGAIN… Prelude to Rebirth Around the World!
    Details are at the web site: http://guelphmusicfest.ca
    The online store has a good selection of ticket and subscription options. Single tickets for in-person concerts will go on sale later. Go to https://musicfest-107612.square.site/s/shop
    This is the most ambitious Guelph Musicfest ever, so I hope to hear from you soon.
    Ken Gee
    founder/director
    p.s. Digital Musicfest is included with in-person concert tickets so you can watch a high-definition video replay for a week after each performance, and if you can’t make it in person, the concerts are also being streamed LIVE this year!
    p.p.s. If you’ve already bought a subscription, you can see below that there are more ticket options now. You can even buy a Digital ticket and upgrade it to in-person later for only $20 if seats are available.
    Thanks to the continuing support of the Neighbourhood Group of Restaurants (and there will be the usual $10 food discount coupon on the back of each ticket)

    Music Lives is sharing an original post from https://d19cgyi5s8w5eh.cloudfront.net/usr/6af109c26faae26f2b8c02b271df394d/eml/4y8kHZx4S-uWbFLCfz-tFg?e=ken%40artset.net&a=dr87rwhmQfORwdfgWrYHfw&f&t=1&fbclid=IwAR0vF0DqXdhHA_7zXB-SRvdoHwwuyJUsxSSgi6g-YMeE9nlB9qD7uf27KB0

    2021 River Run Centre Youth Mentorship Program is Online!

    The following was shared with Music Lives by River Run Centre and we in turn, are sharing the news with you!

    Five silhouettes of people, each representing different types of performance art, separated in their own coloured boxes.

    In the Spotlight sponsored by:

    Magic 106.1 logo
    1460 CJOY 70s 80s 90s

    Youth mentorship from home

    Around this time of year, we usually have dozens of high school students flooding our backstage area with the excitement and anticipation that only comes from getting ready to showcase their incredible talents on the River Run Centre stage.

    Since 2012, we have been hosting MusicWorks|StageWorks, an annual youth mentorship program focused on the art of putting on a professional style show.

    This year, we are moving the program online. We are still offering aspiring performers real life experience in concept development, production and performance techniques. With the twist that we are also providing insights into how to record performances at home that captivate audiences and highlight their abilities.

    We have invited a group of young performers to present music, theatre, spoken word, dance, short film and comedy in new and interesting ways.

    River Run Centre’s technical, programming and marketing staff, with support from special guest professional musicians, will guide the performers through the various aspects of building a successful production from start to finish. The participants will learn about performance planning, self-promotion, at-home recording practices, performance technique, and more.

    This year, we are thrilled that our special guest musicians for the program are Royal Castles and Bird City!

    Learn more about MusicWorks|StageWorks!

    Shining Moments…

    TD logo
    For many years, TD Bank Group has been a sponsor dedicated to supporting our Youth Programs, including MusicWorks|StageWorks. This year, they are also helping us try something new and stepped up to support our Live from the River Run series in order to support artists and connect with you, our audience, while keeping everyone safe. It is a testament to their vision that TD Bank Group sees the potential of these new and forward thinking programs.

    Thank you Sue Smith, The Potion Kings, Gwen Swick and Karen Kaeja

    Sue Smith blew us away with her sultry voice, paired perfectly with the raucous grooves of The Potion Kings. Our third Live from the River Run show also included contributions from collaborators Gwen Swick and Karen Kaeja that inspired and delighted us all. And with many of you joining us for the live performance, it was truly a community affair – thank you for being part of the series!

    Catch the replay by visiting riverrun.ca/sue-smith-with-the-potion-kings-digital-performance.

    Follow River Run on…

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    Copyright © 2021 River Run Centre, All rights reserved.

    Hillside Presents: Vivek Shraya & Bif Naked!

    How to Fail as a Popstar

    Watch Vivek Shraya & Bif Naked have a chat

    You are cordially invited to the official online book launch of How to Fail as a Popstar by Vivek Shraya!

    The first play by multi-media artist Vivek Shraya about fame and personal transformation!

    Described as “cultural rocket fuel” by Vanity FairVivek Shraya is a multi-media artist whose art, music, novels, and poetry and children’s books explore the beauty and the power of personal and cultural transformation. How to Fail as a Popstar is Vivek’s debut theatrical work—a one-person show that chronicles her journey from singing in shopping malls to “not quite” pop music superstardom with beguiling humour and insight. A reflection on the power of pop culture, dreams, disappointments, and self-determination, this astonishing work is a raw, honest, and, hopeful depiction of the search to find one’s authentic voice.

    The book includes colour photographs from the show’s 2020 production in Toronto, and a foreword by its director Brendan Healy.

    Vivek Shraya is an artist whose body of work crosses the boundaries of music, literature, visual art, theatre, and film. Her books include I’m Afraid of Men, The Subtweet, even this page is white, She of the Mountains, Death Threat, and The Boy & the Bindi, and her album with Queer Songbook Orchestra, Part-Time Woman, was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. She is one-half of the music duo Too Attached (who performed at our 2018 summer festival, as captured in the photo by Canadian Beats below; Shraya also performed solo that year) and the founder of the Arsenal Pulp Press imprint, VS. Books. A six-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, Vivek was a Pride Toronto Grand Marshal, was featured on The Globe and Mail’s Best Dressed list, and has received honours from the Writers’ Trust of Canada and the Publishing Triangle. She is a director on the board of the Tegan and Sara Foundation and an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Calgary.

    Bif Naked is a celebrated and notorious performer in music, TV, film, and dance, and a tireless advocate and humanitarian. Orphaned in India, emancipated by punk rock, and empowered by surviving breast cancer, kidney failure, heart surgery, divorce, and surviving as a Woman in The Entertainment Industry for25 years, Bif has transcended any and all obstacles placed in her path to become one of the world’s most unique, recognizable, and beloved icons. It is because Bif is such a tremendous performer and musician, that she is able to seamlessly and successfully explore and record other mediums, like writing, painting, choreography, and of course, other genres of music. For over two decades, Bif has been “Straight-Edge” and vegan, not utilizing alcohol, meat, dairy, poultry, or sea life. “I just want to live by example,” Bif states, “and encourage everyone to live compassionately and more fully, in happiness.” When asked about what her favourite pastimes are, she has only one answer: “Living Loudly.” When not on rock tours around the World, Canada’s Queen of Punk splits her time between Paris, France, New Delhi, India, and her new home, Toronto, Canada. Her memoir, I, Bificus, was published by Harper Collins Publishers, in April, 2016.

    Vivek Shraya in conversation with Bif Naked 
    Tuesday, March 2, 8pm ET/ 5pm PT / 6pm MT / 7pm CT / 9pm AT
    Join via Facebook Live!

    Hosted by the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival and Arsenal Pulp Press

    #popstarplay

    Reminder: Tell us what you really think by filling out our Survey!

    A reminder to please fill out our survey about Hillside Inside by the end of February!

    Were there things you really loved about Hillside Inside? Or, on the flip side, were there things about it you feel you could love if they just applied themselves more and got their acts together? Please tell us more via this short survey! It’s only up and available until the end of February so please fill it out and submit it today!

    Thanks for hanging in there with us! You are never alone and we’re here for you!

    Support us with a
    Hillside Fundraiser!

    Host a fundraiser on Facebook for your birthday (or any other occasion, really), and connect with your social network around helping Hillside flourish!

    We now have a Donate button on our Facebook page to make it easier for you to contribute to Hillside, and you can also start fundraisers for us by following these steps:

    1. Go to facebook.com/fundraisers

    2. Select Hillside Festival as the Non-profit

    3. Modify the details and click “Create”

    It really is as easy as one-two-three! We know how much Hillside means to our community and if you would like to encourage people to donate for a specific cause, the Girls & Guitars program, Green Initiatives, and Indigenous Circle are great options.

    Feel free to use the information and wording here to create your fundraisers. In a time of uncertainty due to the global pandemic, we have been able to produce two virtual festivals and four courses, and we can only keep going with your support.

    We are grateful to the federal, provincial and municipal governments for their support of the arts through funding programs, subsidies, honest conversations, and feverish brainstorming. To the smart and conscientious people behind the Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Creates, the City of Guelph, Wellington County, Canada Summer Jobs, and Celebrate Ontario:  thank you.

    Connect with us on our socials!

    Hillside

    Soon we’ll say it again:

    HAPPY HILLSIDE!

    Sue Smith with The Potion Kings – Digital Performance

     

    Sue Smith Live from the River Run promotional

    Live from the River Run presented by River Run Centre:

    An unforgettable musical adventure

    Guelph’s very own Sue Smith brings her expressive songwriting and soulful voice to the River Run stage, along with The Potion Kings. Celebrating the upcoming release of her sixth album, Tonight We Sail, you can expect an unforgettable evening on Friday, March 26th at 8:00 pm when Sue Smith with The Potion Kings are Live from the River Run.

    The Potion Kings promotional

    Smith’s evocative songwriting and sultry voice is uniquely paired with the musical adventures of The Potion Kings, with veteran musicians Jeff Bird, Kevin Breit, Randall Coryell and Howie Southwood exploring the worlds of rock, jazz, blues, roots and more.

    Join us from home! Sue Smith with The Potion Kings are performing live from the River Run stage, streaming to you at home online. To join, sign up for In the Spotlight, the River Run e-newsletter. Subscribers will receive a link on March 26th to stream the performance live. A recording of the performance will also be available to In the Spotlight subscribers after the live show.

    “Sue Smith with The Potion Kings is the perfect blend of Sue’s delicate, controlled vocals and The Potion Kings’ frenetic deep grooves.” Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies

    suesmith.ca

    The health and safety of River Run Centre patrons and staff is our number one priority. For up to date information, please visit riverrun.ca/covid19

    TD Logo
    Borealis Grille and Bar logo
    Canadian Heritage
    Ontario Arts Council logo
    Socan Foundation logo

     

     

    The Kramdens – Digital Performance

     

    The Kramdens Live from the River Run promotionalSaturday, February 20, 2021 – 8:00 pm

    Live from the River Run Presented by River Run Centre:

    A hometown musical celebration

    Whether performing at high-profile music festivals, on national television, in bars or even backyards, The Kramdens earned a reputation as one of Canada’s best live acts and you can expect them to bring the same energy to their digital performance. Led by CBC Radio host Craig Norris, the five piece Guelph band have been playing together for 30 years and promise an infectious show, no matter what the setting may be.

    Join us from home! The Kramdens are performing live from the River Run stage, streaming to you at home online. To join, sign up for In the Spotlight, the River Run e-newsletter. Subscribers will receive a link on February 20th to stream the performance live.

    “The Kramdens are a rare commodity… a band of friends who after 30 years continue to write, record and perform together.” – GuelphToday.com

    thekramdens.com

    Pair an evening at home with The Kramdens Live from the River Run with your favourite brews from our Show Sponsor, Sleeman Breweries. Free delivery within Guelph!
    (Some restrictions apply, visit Sleeman Breweries retail store website for details)

    The health and safety of River Run Centre patrons and staff is our number one priority. For up to date information, please visit riverrun.ca/covid19

    TD Logo
    Sleeman logo
    Borealis Grille and Bar logo
    Canadian Heritage
    Ontario Arts Council logo
    Socan Foundation logo

     

    Royal City Summit: Entrepreneurship in Music Conference

    AMO Music is welcoming musicians to Royal City Summit, a 10 week music conference about artist development!  
    Sunday February 14th is a Song Writer’s Circle digital conference featuring Guelph’s very own James “The Song Doctor” Gordon and Paige Rutledge.

    “This event will Premiere Live from our YouTube Channel here on Sunday February 14th, 2021 at  11:00 am and we’ve been encouraging everyone to subscribe/hit the notification button to the channel for updates and alerts.”

    -Eduardo Belmonte
    President
    AMO Entertainment Inc.
    (d)(416)523-6881
    (e)Eduardo@amotalentmgmt.com

    View our Work HERE!

     

    Get Your Music Played on CFRU!

    Covid-19 has been a major bummer for the local music scene.
    Globally, music venues have felt the strain of loss of income and musicians/performers of all kinds have been forced into their hovels, and into the online world -if they’re lucky and have the gumption.  Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie recently lamented about the state of musicians from his point of view.

    The local University of Guelph’s CFRU 93.3fm is celebrating 40 years of being on the air!  CFRU is a University Community Radio Station and has reached out to the music scene, offering an easier way to access music submission forms.  This is really great news for artists who are ready to have their art displayed on 250 Watts of University Community power.  Check out the guidelines and get your tunes together!

    Submit here:
    http://wwhttps://www.cfru.ca/local-music-submissions-form/?fbclid=IwAR3A13nlNp5cOzwqhGG7Z6rPpfzOxci10_VfKXyMJUGAiN2tadY1V6psNL0w.cfru.ca/music/?fbclid=IwAR2b5Mydvn10HCxFESPTaCbsNA9OuNd5Mwh476L4GNGxsyy1f-nRPHvQd5Y

    Music Lives’ Bry can attest that the station provides really great opportunity for anyone to get involved in broadcasting as it’s a volunteer driven space located in the second floor of the University Centre.  Bryan had a show called Underplayed & Underpaid promoting local music for over 5 years, and has very fond memories of hosting and being one of many bridges in the Guelph Music Scene.  Meeting and interviewing local bands, learning about the history of the music scene in Guelph from local music legends, and having hundreds of live performances right in the CFRU On Air station.

    CFRU hosts a wide variety of show formats from news talk, to world music and more!   We have been adding music shows to our calendar as of late, and there are some interesting characters who host and have hosted for many, many years.  For example, Dean, host of Thursday night’s metal show Forever Deaf has been on the air since 1987! Nicky Dread, host of The Crooked Beat has been on air since 1979!!!

    Music shows we’ve added to our calendar thus far include Forever Deaf, The Crooked Beat, Planet Groove, Ripcord Radio, Mach Vibe Radio, Blues Around the Block and of course, The Sentinel’s Marvelous Kaleidoscope.  Do you have a music show we’re not aware of?  Do you know of other shows on CFRU which deserve a slot on our calendar?
    Let us know!

    Also recommended, is that you follow Music Lives on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and SHARE your music with us so we can share it with the world. We also recommend you follow the Facebook page for the Guelph Music Scene for all kinds of cool posts and updates.  (Shouts out to Jason Henderson for all his hard work!)

    This pandemic will keep us apart for a long time to come, so
    LET’S ALL CONTINUE TO REACH OUT AND HELP ONE ANOTHER

    Royal G Symphony’s First Recording with Royal City Studios!

    Royal City Studios

    Here’s the first release “Juno” from 

    Royal G Symphony’s recording sessions with us, and it’s getting lots of great attention on
    Spotify.

    We think you’ll really like it! Recorded, mixed and mastered by Eric Leigh Music
    https://buff.ly/2GbxdYm

    Guelph Arts Council

     

    University of Guelph

     

    University of Guelph Alumni

     

    Music Notes at Guelph

    https://www.facebook.com/RCSGuelph/photos/a.549022652271404/986339388539726/

    Guelph Today: Bumaroo Arts Collective Spotlight

    Screenshot of a music video called EARTH PRAYER by Leah Trottier and Miki Tamblyn for Co-create.

    18 artists collaborated to create nine works of art through the local art initiative Co-Create

    After collaborating together during the lockdown through a local art initiative, 18 Guelph artists are showcasing their work online.

    Co-Create was launched by visual art-based Otherwise Studios and music-based Bumaroo in June to encourage local artists to work together, stay connected and create meaningful art.

    For the full article and list of artists featured by Bumaroo, follow this link.
    https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/guelph-artists-paired-during-quarantine-showcase-works-of-art-online-2686339?fbclid=IwAR2Lrnv-GUxIDWPJejOKzaefWsnmH3mrDITPlLyOp00dXVwobpFVHYTLvQs

    Bumaroo is a Guelph-based collective comprised of old friends, new friends, and yet-to-be friends with creative passions and talents. Our mission is to cultivate, inspire and showcase a growing community of musicians, artists, and activists through events and creative projects.

    Bumaroo is a collective of creative people making their way in the arts community. We are a platform as well as a comfort zone. It’s a towel fresh out of the dryer on a cold morning or a cold shower on a hot day. Bumaroo is a horse chasing a carrot… or maybe it’s the carrot at the end of the fishing pole? The point is Bumaroo is as much wholesome as it is wacky and as much fun as we can handle.

    We hope you love it because we love you.

    GWe are always looking for new artists, events, and collaborations!


    Phone: 
    Phone: (226) 917-7118

    E-Mail: Bumaroocrew@gmail.com

     

    Free Webinar: 2SLGBTQIA+ 101 & Ally-ship Training

    Wednesday, August 19, 2020:
    MusicOntario & the Centre for Anti-Oppressive Communication present:
    2SLGBTQIA+ 101 & Ally-ship Training
    August 19th – Details & Registration
    Monday, August 24, 2020:
    MusicOntario & the Centre for Anti-Oppressive Communication present:
    Looking After Our Emotions at Work
    August 24th – Details & Registration
    Monday, August 31, 2020:
    MusicOntario & the Centre for Anti-Oppressive Communication present:
    Skills for Anti-Oppressive Leadership
    August 31st – Details & Registration
    While it has been challenging to hit an indefinite pause on the development of professional projects, relationships, and investments in the midst of COVID-19, there is a concurrent and globally historic social movement that reminds us of the imperative to re-learn the basics of empathetically participating in our own industry. Within the context of our careers, it will always be important to explore creatively and to continuously hone our knowledge of best practices in business, rights management, grant writing, marketing, and more, and taking the time to ensure our community is stronger, safer, more vibrant, welcoming and equitable is no different or less crucial. It’s vitally necessary that we educate ourselves on the intersecting systemic barriers faced by our peers who are Black, indigenous, of colour, disabled, women, non-binary, and in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. It is our collective responsibility to proactively and effectively work toward understanding and dismantling these barriers through the language we use at home and at work, and within our roles, organizations, and circles of influence.

    PARTNERS & SPONSORS

    Ontario Creates | http://www.ontariocreates.ca
    Canadian Independent Music Association | http://www.cimamusic.ca
    Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings | http://factor.ca
    Ontario Arts Council | http://www.arts.on.ca
    JazzFM 91 |
    http://www.jazz.fm
    Canadian Council of Music Industry Associations | http://ccmia.ca
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    You’re receiving this email because you signed up for the MusicOntario newsletter.

    Our mailing address is:

    MusicOntario

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    Canada

    Sing It Girls! Program Returns to Wellington Music Therapy Services

    Our incredibly popular Sing it Girls!™ program is returning to in-person this fall! The groups are led by experienced Music Therapists Natalie Reis and Kathleen Skinner.

    There are -FOUR- sessions to choose from!

    September 10 – October 29, 2020
    Thursdays
    Ages 6-8 5:00-6:00pm
    Ages 9-12 6:15-7:15pm

    September 8 – October 27, 2020
    Tuesdays
    Ages 6-8 5:30-6:30pm
    Ages 9-12 6:45-7:45pm

    *We are adhering to all the guidelines set out by the City of Guelph and Public Health to ensure students are safe. Masks will be mandatory for all participants*
    Send us a PM or email to wellingtonmusictherapyservices@gmail.com to register.

    #musictherapy #musictherapist #music #creatingcommunity #specialneeds #dementia #longtermcare #autism #mentalhealth #therapy #developmentaldisability #stress #pandemicstress #anxiety #musiclessons #musiceducation #childhoodmentalhealth #adultmentalhealth #youthmentalhealth #guelph #kitchener #waterloo #cambridge #fergus #elora #ac

    Annual Emancipation Day Jamboree!

    Exhibition Park Arena-Guelph

    Public · Hosted by Guelph Black Heritage Society
    Annual Emancipation Day Jamboree! – Saturday August 1, 2020
    The Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS) is hosting an inaugural Emancipation Day Jamboree at Exhibition Park in collaboration with the Downtown Guelph Business Association (DGBA) on August 1, 2020.
    The event will be held at Exhibition Park on Kathleen St, Guelph, and will start at 3pm and will go to approximately 7pm. Suggested donation of $10 per person.
    The GBHS celebrates Emancipation Day, to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people of African descent. In 2008, Ontario officially declared August 1st Emancipation Day in the province, and we take this time to reflect on the devastations that preceded us and celebrate the courage that allowed following generations to embrace a freedom that many others could only dream.
    Come celebrate with us and enjoy an African Drum Performance by Jeffrey Cummings, Gerima Harvey & Emmitt Leacock, music by DJ Ess, with food and drinks from Big Jerk Smoke House & Laza Food & Beverage.
    * Please bring your own lawn chairs & blankets
    * Ensure that you have proper sun/heat protection (hats, sunscreen, water etc…)
    * Ensure that you have the proper PPE – masks are mandatory and physical distancing measures will be in effect
    * Overflow parking is available at Exhibition Park Arena at the North-East end of the park
    * We will be capping attendees at 100, so be sure to arrive early!

    See less
    Causes
    Child-friendly

    Announced: HILLSIDE HOMESIDE!

    Welcome Homeside

    You’ve been to Hillside Inside. You’ve been to Hillside (Outside).

    Now, you are cordially invited to Hillside Homeside! 

    We have been working hard to make up for missing you and missing out on our annual summer festival at Guelph Lake and we’re proud to say that, with its mix of musical performances and workshops for children, teens, young adults, adults, middle-aged adults, older adults, senior citizens, and ghosts, we are bringing you a truly immersive Hillside experience via your wi-fi, data plans, and dial-up modems from 1997.

    Between July 24 and 26, 2020, we’ll be posting videos submitted by musical artists such as

    AHI
    Alex Cuba
    Andrew Craig
    Andrew McPherson
    Andy Griffiths + Friends
    Birds of Chicago

    Buffy Sainte-Marie
    Celeigh Cardinal
    Donovan Woods
    Haviah Mighty
    Jeff Bird & Sue Smith

    Joni NehRita
    Julian Taylor
    Kaia Kater
    Kitzl
    LADAMA
    Mr. J.
    Music with Nancy
    Nathan Coles
    Neon Dreams
    Nick Zubeck
    Rufus John

    Sam Polley
    Skye Wallace
    Soleia Mermaid
    Splash N’ Boots
    Terra Lightfoot
    The Deep Dark Woods
    The Funky Mamas
    The Kramdens
    TRP.P
    William Prince

    On the Sun Stage, we’ll be presenting the work of writers, comedians, spoken word artists, and dramatists—some legendary, some emerging—and all with something to say to you.

    Brandon Ash-Mohammed
    Chelene Knight
    Christa Couture
    Darrel J. McLeod
    Evelyn Lau
    Faye Guenther
    George Elliot Clarke
    Jenn Pidgeon

    Joy Kogawa
    Karen Solie
    Kevin Sutton
    Madhur Anand
    Martha Chaves
    Qurat Dar
    Rene Meshake
    Sonnet L’Abbé

    Plus our legendary and very interactive workshops, including how-to’s on cooking, Drum & Dance, and other healing instructive session topics. 

    For our Drum & Dance sessions, we have workshops in Afro-Caribbean dance, twerking, belly dancing, contemporary dance, Soca, djembe basics and sangpan!

    We’re also offering peacemaking workshops in dismantling racism, alternative dispute resolution, loving kindness meditation, and reducing conflict. And we’ll feature videos showing you how to make Hillside-y food for the special weekend, and all kinds of activities (pickling, felting, hula hooping, Qigong, and poi).

    And more to be added and announced!

    Please keep an eye on our site and our Facebook page to access these videos between July 24 and 26!

    NOTE: THESE VIDEOS WILL ONLY BE UP FOR HILLSIDE WEEKEND. AFTER THAT, THEY WILL BE TAKEN OFF THE INTERNET, GATHERED IN A KNAPSACK, AND HURTLED DIRECTLY INTO THE HEART OF THE SUN. WILL THEY SURVIVE THAT TRIP SO THAT YOU CAN WATCH THEM AGAIN AT YOUR LEISURE? NO, IT’S THE SUN. IT’S PRETTY HOT. THEY SHOULD MELT. 

    We’re also opening up our online store with special Hillside Homeside 2020 merch, including t-shirts and masks! Please visit the store for more info!

    Join us at Hillside Homeside!

    We are grateful to the federal, provincial and municipal governments for their support of the arts through funding programs, subsidies, honest conversations, and feverish brainstorming. To the smart and conscientious people behind the Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Creates, the City of Guelph, Wellington County, Canada Summer Jobs, and Celebrate Ontario:  thank you.

    Connect with us on our socials!

    Hillside

    Soon we’ll say it again (we hope):

    HAPPY HILLSIDE!

    Canadian Songwirter Challenge: London – you don’t have to be from London…

    MUSICONTARIO & LONDON MUSIC OFFICE PRESENT:
    THE 2020 CANADIAN SONGWRITER CHALLENGE
    London, ON Edition – August/September 2020
    Welcome to the sixth annual Ontario edition of the Canadian Songwriter Challenge, in partnership with the London Music Office, the Council of Music Industry Associations (CCMIA), Bell Media, Ontario Creates, and Music Publishers Canada! The Canadian Songwriter Challenge invites Music Industry Associations from each province to program unique songwriting retreats to develop local writers and their skills.Each year, the CSC hosts a group of emerging songwriters and pairs them with experienced mentors, producers, and engineers to co-write and record demos, participate in workshops on the business of music, and network and build relationships over the course of 2-5 days.

    This year’s Challenge will highlight one of Ontario’s major hubs for studios, producers, and production: London, ON! London is a music production hub with world renowned music education facilities at Fanshawe College, Western University and Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (OIART). These schools educate 1,000+ music students with a major focus on audio production – it’s truly a progressive music city.

    While you do not have to be a resident of London, ON to be eligible for this program, please note that you will have to be able to be present in London for the duration of the Challenge, whether that means you’re staying in town, or commuting in each day. You do have to be a resident of Ontario in general, however. If you are not from Ontario, check out the CCMIA’s website to learn more about what the other provinces and territories are doing for their own editions of the Canadian Songwriter Challenge.

    We very much hope to host this program in person, much like we have for the previous five years, so that we can showcase some excellent spaces across London, ON. However, we understand that this may change depending on developments with the novel coronavirus pandemic, so we ask you to remain flexible along with us as we navigate these challenges in planning CSC 2020.

    We welcome all genres of music and writing/composition styles; the purpose of this challenge is to learn from one another and explore the craft of songwriting through the shared perspectives of a fast-paced and eclectic group setting.

    Past mentors include Adrian X, Gavin Brown, Adaline, Bijan Amir, Jordon Manswell, Liz Rodrigues, Robyn Dell’Unto, Julian Taylor, Donovan Woods, Nathan Ferraro, Mike Wise, Bill Bell, Shobha, Casey Marshall and Rob Wells.

    Deadline for submissions is Friday, July 17, 2020. Applications will be reviewed and assessed by an independent talent committee, and successful applicants will be notified in July 2020.

    Check out MusicOntario’s SoundCloud to hear past demos to come out of this program!

    APPLY HERE!

    Nancy Vicious and the Nasty Bitches Join July 16th Drive-In Show

    Tickets!  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/frenemygot-socialnancy-vicious-nasty-bitches-drive-in-tickets-111242619670
    Nancy Vicious and the Nasty Bitches joins Frenemy,  Got Social, and The Long Dark Road at ROYAL CITY STUDIOS for the first live-music drive-in concert happening in Guelph, July 16th!
    Who’s headlining???

    Brian Scheid, former booking agent at The Chainsaw, Kitchener says:
    “Nancy Vicious and the Nasty Bitches are a rock and roll band with a riot girl attitude than brings together young and old punk-rock energy. Although quite young, Nancy is a veteran of the scene since she started playing at a young age and has a powerful, raw voice.”

    A taste of Nancy
    https://lockdownrecordscanada.bandcamp.com/track/she-came-nancy-vicious-and-the-nasty-bitches-kitchener

    D’eve Archer Going-Away-Slash-Canada-Day Rooftop Show! 12-3pm

    Hosted by Stay Home Fest  Wednesday from 12:00-15:00 from rooftop at the corner of  Carden and Wilson Streets.

    D’eve Archer, also known on stage as Saturdae Jonez, has been gracing Guelph and area stages for more than a decade. Not only has she played nearly every venue and stage in the city but she’s also taken on Europe and gained a strong fanbase overseas as well.

    She performed for us at the very 1st GAIN Music & Arts Festival back in 2011 and we have been working with her continuously since then.

    D is a true Guelph gem with a natural talent for music and performance. No matter what stage or piano you put her in front of she’s bound to entertain and warm hearts.

    Though this show will be ONLINE and from a distance we hope you can join us as well as special guests Dave Huber & Kent MacMillan in saying ‘farewell for now’ to the one and only Saturdae Jonez!
    Nik from GAIN Media

    GAIN Media
    Artists, musicians and techs alike would usually be out on the road touring and sharing their lives, stories and their craft with the world.

    In these times, and for the foreseeable future, none of them can do that so any donation towards the arts helps keep fuel in the tank.

    It also gives the hope that soon, once things lighten up some more (?? ?? ??? ???? ?????????? ??????? ??? ????? & ??????????? ????????,) we can start to throw actual shows & events again!

    For now you can support the artists & techs involved on this show by purchasing tickets to this event via the ticket link or here:

    https://d-eve-archer-going-away-show-canada-day.eventbrite.…

    2nd Band Confirmed for 1st Drive-In Covid-19 Show!

    *Once the date is confirmed, the event page will be up and YOU will be the first to know*
    Frenemy has been confirmed to be sharing the stage alongside Cavan Brothers (of bands: JerrycanU the BandGot Social, and The Long Dark Road) at ROYAL CITY STUDIOS for the first live-music drive-in concert happening next month!
    From their Facebook about page:

    Artists We Also Like:
    The OBGM’s, DDMMYYYY, New Design, Kiz and Legin, System Of A Down, Refused, Botch, Daughters, Tool, MF DOOM
    Interests:  Any intoxicant
    Needful to say, we tried to interview them last night while they had a band practice, but there was more text redacted than allowable.  I, Bry, will say that this band is one of the most explosive and awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping bands I’ve seen in Guelph.  You never know what craziness Derek Schaller, lead vocalist could get up to.  He’s both one of the most intelligent, and witty counter-culture minds I’ve ever met.  Borne of saints, this devilishly handsome and dangerously charismatic antihero will have your mind glued to his lyrics while your eyes are glued to his performance (partially so you don’t get covered in mustard or something).  These two bands together are a great fit stylistically and energetically.
    http://www.frenemyband.com

     

    Music Lives Mentioned in Today’s Guelph Today Today. Today!

    Drive-in concert to give Guelph its first taste of live music in a while

    The Music Lives concert will be the first live concert to take place in Guelph since the pandemic began
    A first draft of what the live in concert will look like on July 16. Supplied photo

    Buckle up in your seatbelts if you want to enjoy some live music.

    Guelph’s first drive-in live music event is around the corner with local talent, food trucks and physical distancing

    The event on July 16 is hosted by Royal City Studios and is in partnership with Music Lives.

    “This is great. This is huge. People have not been able to listen to live music for too long,” said Jim Duffield, owner of Royal City Studios

    The drive-in live music event will allow up to 50 cars in the Royal City Studios that are each six feet apart. Concert goers will be able to sit in their cars while bands perform on an elevated stage to allow audience members to view the act.

    “We recommend carpooling for sure,” said Duffield.

    The event is permitted to take place as the province moves into Phase 2 of reopening which allows drive-through venues for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation.

    “The fact that we’re having a drive-in concert at all is different from previous years. We can’t have a regular concert because they are not allowed right now.”

    Out of two performances, one has been confirmed by local band, The Cavan Brothers.

    “We’re going to have a couple of food trucks around so people can go and grab some food and we also have the ability to put a patio bar out for people to have a drink if they would like to drink during the concert or in between the two acts that are going to be there,” said Duffield.

    Duffield says he hopes to organize more events following the drive-in concert

    “There’s a lot of interest from many bands to come out and do something like this,” said Duffield adding that if anyone is interested in taking part, to contact him directly.

    “We’re just trying to keep this local for Guelphites and do something for the community. So I’m very very happy about it.”

    Bryan McNeill, executive director of Music Lives said he has received very positive support from The Guelph Downtown Business Association.

    “It’s pretty cool that the Downtown Business Association is recognizing Music Lives and are able to help Music Lives keep going,” said McNeill.

    “I’m ecstatic about it,” said McNeill about the concert.

    Details about concert time, bands, food trucks and tickets are yet to be announced. More information can be found on the Music Lives Facebook page.

    SOURCE:
    https://www.guelphtoday.com/coronavirus-covid-19-local-news/drive-in-concert-to-give-guelph-its-first-taste-of-live-music-in-a-while-2511999
    Support Local Journalism!

    THE FIRST #GUELPH LIVE MUSIC EVENT SINCE MARCH!

    We’ve been awaiting this moment for months, to inform you of the first VENUE in town to put together a Drive-In LIVE MUSIC event in the Royal City since the Covid-19 lock-down began in March 2020… when will it be?
    ROYAL CITY STUDIOS in partnership with MUSIC LIVES are proud to announce live music being presented in a special drive- in format, complete with physical distancing, food trucks and LOCAL alt-rock bands!
    The first band to be confirmed to play will include the Cavan Brothers of local lore including the bands: Jerrycan, U the Band, Got Social, and The Long Dark Road… MORE TBA ASAP
    Stay tuned to Music Lives for updates.

    Stranded Cruise Ship Musicians Release Viral Music Video

    Bry doesn’t have positive feelings about cruise ships in general, but has known some pretty cool cruise ship musicians over the years.  Check out this story:

    Bad Parade: Music Publicity Group has helped Ontario musicians stranded on a cruise ship release a music video.

    Ontario based cruise ship entertainers, Daniel Nogueira (Exeter), and singer Jennifer Simser (Fenton Falls) were two of thousands of cruise ship employees unable to return home due to regulations surrounding Covid-19. 

    The two entertainers were stranded aboard the Caribbean Princess, a ship fortunately unaffected by the virus itself, for nearly 60 days without passengers. Feeling inspired to make use of their time at sea to help others, the duo along with help from their colleagues, wrote, produced, recorded, and filmed a now viral  music video for their original song “You’re Not Alone”, all while stuck at sea, amassing over 130,000 combined views since it was released.

    All the proceeds from the song will go to the Princess Cruise Lines Community Foundation.

    Here is your copy of “You’re Not Alone”:

    Facebook Video (116K Views)

    YouTube Video (28K Views)

    MP3

    About “You’re Not Alone”:

    Passengers onboard the Caribbean Princess disembarked in early March leaving only the crew, having already been at sea for months, onboard. Jennifer and Daniel, longtime colleagues and friends, were aware of the toll the isolation was taking onboard other cruise ships and wanted to write a song that reflected their appreciation to the staff on their ship and all employees stranded at sea, passengers, and the cruise line itself. Their main goal when writing the song was to reach out, through music, to those feeling the impact of the isolation Covid-19 was bringing, especially to their colleagues and the entire seafaring community isolated on nearly empty ships.

    The crew finally returned to Canada on Saturday, May 9th, making headlines across the country.

    “We were feeling love for our team members and gratitude to Princess, our employer. Many of our team members from Princess had already been quarantined for a lengthy time across different ships with Covid-19. We wanted to reach out to them, to lift their spirits, and send love and support. Princess was treating its crew and passengers with great care and we were grateful to the company for their efforts to keep us safe and get the passengers home. We wanted to share the other side of what the media was not seeing/sharing”. – Jennifer Simser and Daniel Nogueira

    About Jennifer Simser:

    Jennifer Simser, from Fenelon Falls, Ontario holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in Music Theatre from the University of Windsor and has become distinctly known for her vocal versatility, ranging from classical to rock, jazz, pop, R&B, gospel and music theatre. Jennifer has performed around the world in Music Theatre tours, bands, and concerts. She has worked as a backup singer for many Canadian artists including Alana Bridgewater, Lori Nuic, Julie Black, Clayton Bellamy, the Tina Turner act, “Simply The Best” as well as “The Fabulous Fakes”.

    Her extensive musical theatre career includes numerous castings as the lead performer for Canadian and US based theatre companies. She was the recipient of two Tyrone Guthrie Awards, the first of which sent her to London, England  and the second to study opera in Germany.

    She spent almost four years at sea as the lead vocalist for Crystal Cruises, and faced her largest audience when she sang the National Anthem for the Toronto Blue Jays twice in one season. Jennifer is the proud founder of the choir “Voices of Praise” which performs weekly at the Verity Centre for Better living in Toronto. Her first album “Empower the Dream” is a collection of inspirational covers and originals recorded as a fundraiser for the Centre. She has sung with funk, disco, jazz and R&B bands in Toronto and Columbus, Ohio, and her voice can be heard on voiceovers in the U.S. and Canada and on the Canadian version of the Julianne Hough Juicy Fruit jingle. Jennifer has recorded a second collection of songs for her cover album, The Glory of Love which has yet to be released. She continues to share her talent with depth and versatility, soul, strength, and sometimes a little rocker style!

    Connect with Jennifer and Daniel:

    Facebook

    Instagram

    If you are interested in chatting with Jennifer and Daniel, let them know and they can set something up!

    Cheers!

    Kari


    Kari Zalik
    Publicist
    Bad Parade
       

     

    Music Ontario: #TheShowMustBePaused

    Update: Hillside 2020

    We’ll be back in 2021

    We have made a safe, responsible decision to protect each other 

    Our summer festival will not take place in 2020.

    As you know, there’s a vital reason for this.  We have to keep practising mitigation strategies involving isolation and distancing, and since we are a large, public gathering, we cannot risk having so many people in one place doing the things we all love to do:  getting oh-so-joyously close.

    Never in our lives have we understood that gathering could have such dire consequences for our loved ones, our community, for all of humanity. The highlights of any Hillside—live bands, the press of happy bodies, dancing, singing, jamming in a drum circle, hugging, holding hands, rolling in the grass with friends—these could be the very things that may undo us right now.

    But what will keep us together and keep us strong is the bond of love and faith in humanity that festivals inspire. We can lean on each other in our minds’ eye, touch each other with our words and our art, hug each other with our memories and our hope.

    To say we are crushed by this news is an understatement, but we are emboldened by our resolve to help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.  For over a month now, we have watched a cluster of closures and restrictions form, which together spelled out our fate. Currently, large public gatherings have been banned in Ontario since March 29th–only groups of five people may gather, and each person must be separated by at least two metres.

    Travel restrictions from our own federal government and that of several other countries from where some artists originate make it impossible to program the festival the way we had planned. And the site of our summer festival, Guelph Lake Conservation Area, has been closed indefinitely since March 23rd.

    At the same time as we have been watching our own possibilities narrow, we have been watching with awe and admiration as the role of leaders and caretakers expands in this time of crisis. Public Health advisors, government officials, healthcare teams, and frontline workers have worked at a dizzying pace under unusual duress.

    Their leadership and sacrifice have inspired manufacturers to step up, volunteers to come forward, and each and every one of us to realize that we have a central role to play now. We are grateful for all of the plans being put in place to ensure everyone is safe, healthy, protected, and fed.

    This includes the province’s framework for reopening, which notes that even in stage 3 of a gradual re-opening, “[l]arge public gatherings such as concerts and sporting events will continue to be restricted for the foreseeable future” (we are not even in stage 1 yet).

    And it includes the work of Public Health, our municipal Mayors, and the Grand River Conservation Authority to find clear direction in an urgent situation whose dynamism is unprecedented. Currently, the provincial orders under the authority of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) direct that all public gatherings such as the Hillside Festival are to be cancelled until further notice.

    We have not been alone in this reckoning. Together with festival friends and colleagues across the country, we have been deliberating the options for all of our events since early March. The spirit of collaboration, information sharing, and moral support that has infused these meetings has made our dawning realizations more bearable.

    We are especially grateful to Canadian Live Music Association, Folk Music Ontario, CAPACOA, RTO4, and the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture. We would also be nowhere without the guidance and compassion of our grant officers at Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Creates, Celebrate Ontario, and the City of Guelph.

    Though we have moved from disbelief to acceptance, we are still grieving the thought of a landscape bereft of creative people:  artists, volunteers, technical crews, sponsors, and live music devotees. And we offer our condolences to the many arts organizations that have seen their activities and celebrations, for which they have worked for months and years in advance, come to a screeching halt. We will face unimaginable challenges as a festival, but with the support of you, our community, and our government, we will work hard to rise up and blaze anew in 2021, helping to make our beloved community stronger.

    Your support in the last month has meant the world to us—such an outpouring of appreciation and understanding. It has buoyed us up immeasurably. We look forward to being in your exuberant company again.

    In the meantime:

    1. Your tickets are still valid—but just for next year. There’s no action required if you want to keep your ticket for next year.

    2. You can also make a donation in the amount of your ticket—or any amount at all—to help keep us afloat.

    3. You can get a full refund.  Please see our FAQs.

    Thanks again for your support. Please stay safe and mindful of others.

    The Board and Staff of Hillside

    Connect with us on our socials!

    Hillside

    Soon we’ll say it again (we hope):

    HAPPY HILLSIDE!

    An Update: Stay Isolated

    Great job citizens!  Now keep isolated and informed.  Don’t let the second wave be worse than the first!

    The Canadian Music Industry Asks Federal Government for Urgent Relief for the Industry During Covid-19 Pandemic

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    April 1, 2020

    TORONTO, ON —The Canadian music industry is asking the Federal government for further action including robust financial support and flexibility in funding rules that would support the artists and the industry’s small business community that is suffering through the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Canadian and global music industry is currently experiencing unprecedented upheaval and turmoil due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Companies are barely operating and surviving with record low to no revenues, staff are being laid off, artists and musicians’ livelihoods are collapsing, and venues are closed indefinitely. In short, the Canadian and global music industries are being severely and devastatingly impacted.

    The industry is grateful for the extensive and broad measures that the federal government and other levels of government have implemented recently. We look forward to the details and implementation of these measures, and future announcements in response to the very serious nature of this unprecedented global circumstance in which we all find ourselves. We are confident that these government measures will help provide much needed assistance to Canadians, and we call on governments to continue to focus attention on those who are vulnerable, namely our artists and the small business community that supports them.

    Industry groups and associations launched a survey March 17-19 in order to capture the current state of the music sector during this COVID-19 pandemic crisis.  This survey received nearly 3,000 responses from a wide cross-section of the industry, from labels and publishers, to artists and musicians, to promoters and live venues and more.

    The scope of the devastation captured by the survey is staggering. Results show that the vast majority (97%) of respondents stated that the COVID-19 situation is impacting their business. Staff layoffs have already begun across the industry, and many more are expected with some companies anticipating a need to lay off 75-100% of their employees. With revenues that have all but disappeared, combined with unrecoverable expenses as a result of the mass cancellations and postponements of music industry events, tours and other initiatives across the world, the majority of business respondents stated they will be able to sustain their operations for no more six months, and only 4% will be able to keep their business going for up to a year.

    These results reflect a moment in time when the music industry believed the COVID-19 impacts would only impact them for the next two to three months. The current reality is the impacts are far more dramatic and its effects will likely last up to a year or more. This means that the industry responses are in reality dramatically more acute than what the survey respondents noted at the time.

    As a result, the music industry is asking the Federal government for immediate action that can help sustain the industry during these difficult times:

    • Invest more targeted funding to the music industry quickly, with the goal to sustain business continuity; invest in musicians and artists; retain staff and contract workers; pay overhead etc., with as few restrictions as possible.
    •  Expand the funding envelope to include the broader music sector including artists, musicians, composers, managers, publishers, studios, promoters, songwriters and live music (venues, promoters, talent agencies and supply chain) and relevant associations.

    “Times like these remind us all just how essential and powerful music is at helping bring us together and carry us through crises. The willingness of the music industry to contribute to community life these past weeks has been on full display. However, our artists, industry workers, and companies are suffering particularly hard, and will not survive the shutdown of performing, touring, and recording without urgently needed assistance.” – Sean McManus, President, CCMIA.

    “We don’t want to give up on the successes our industry has earned over the last few years. The Federal Government has already taken good, important steps to protect and support Canadians during this pandemic. We are now asking the government for targeted support to help the most vulnerable in our sector, namely small-medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs and Canadian artists that have been and continue to be, severely impacted by this pandemic.” — Stuart Johnston, President, CIMA.

    “We know the Minister understands, and is attempting to address, the complexity of our ecosystems, and we thank the Department and Federal government for their tireless efforts.  It’s our hope that we can meet those complex needs on as many levels as possible, so there will still be an industry to return to when the recovery period begins, and we can celebrate and rejoice, together. Our artists, our fans and our future are depending on all of us.” – Erin Benjamin, President & CEO, Canadian Live Music Association.

    “Artists and the CEOs of their businesses, the managers, have been particularly impacted by this pandemic with the vast majority of revenue at a standstill for the foreseeable future. Government financial relief for this sector is vital for survival.” – Meg Symsyk, President, MMF.

    It is expected it will take a year or more for the industry to start to get back on its feet. Immediate and sustained assistance will help the industry to weather this storm and be prepared when “normalcy” returns to the world.

    -30-

    Media contact:
    Elise Rustad
    Senior Policy Advisor, CIMA
    elise@cimamusic.ca
    Cell: 416.432.2099

    Link to this press release from our website.


    COVID-19 Information & Resources for Ontario’s Music Industry


    UPDATED: April 1, 2020


    INFORMATION ABOUT CANADA’S ECONOMIC RESPONSE PLAN & EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT (CERB)

    The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to help Canadians facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, and announced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to support Canadians affected by COVID-19 in a variety of ways, and who might not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.

    We are still trying to determine eligibility and variables affecting how the music industry is able to access these release dollars.

    On April 1st, a collective of associations representing artists, composers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses put out a call imploring the Federal Government for urgent relief for the Canadian music industry. You can read it here.

    The information we do have publicly available is below.

    FOR INDIVIDUALS

    Support for individuals & families:

     

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in March additional new measures to support small businesses dealing with the economic impacts of the pandemic to help Canadian businesses protect the jobs that Canadians depend on, and pay their workers and bills during these difficult times:

    • A 75% wage subsidy of up to $58,700 per employee (up to $847 per week) for qualifying businesses, for up to 3 months, retroactive to March 15, 2020 to June 6, 2020. This will help businesses to keep and return workers to the payroll. More details on eligibility criteria will start with the impact of COVID-19 on sales, and will be shared before the end of the month. More details available here.
    • Allow businesses, including self-employed individuals, to defer all Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) payments until June, as well as customs duties owed for imports. This measure is the equivalent of providing up to $30 billion in interest-free loans to Canadian businesses. It will help businesses so they can continue to pay their employees and their bills, and help ease cash-flow challenges across the country.
    • Launch the new Canada Emergency Business Account. This program will provide up to $25 billion to eligible financial institutions so they can provide interest-free loans to small businesses. These loans – guaranteed and funded by the Government of Canada – will ensure that small businesses have access to the capital they need, at a zero per cent interest rate, so they can pay for rent and other important costs over the next number of months.
    • Launch the new Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Loan and Guarantee program that will enable up to $40 billion in lending, supported through Export Development Canada and Business Development Bank, for guaranteed loans when small businesses go to their financial institutions to help weather the impacts of COVID-19. This is intended for small and medium-sized companies that require greater help to meet their operational cash flow requirements.
    • The full news release can be found here.

    On April 1, Finance Minister Bill Morneau, the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, Mary Ng, and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Navdeep Bains, announced the details of the proposed Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy:

    • The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy would apply at a rate of 75 per cent of the first $58,700 normally earned by employees – representing a benefit of up to $847 per week. The program would be in place for a 12-week period, from March 15 to June 6, 2020. Eligible employers who suffer a drop in gross revenues of at least 30 per cent in March, April or May, when compared to the same month in 2019, would be able to access the subsidy.
    • ​​Eligible employers would include employers of all sizes and across all sectors of the economy, with the exception of public sector entities.For non-profit organizations and registered charities similarly affected by a loss of revenue, the government will continue to work with the sector to ensure the definition of revenue is appropriate to their circumstances.
    • The government is also considering additional support for non-profits and charities, particularly those involved in the front line response to COVID-19. Further details will be announced in the near term.
    • An eligible employer’s entitlement to this wage subsidy will be based entirely on the salary or wages actually paid to employees.
    • All employers would be expected to at least make best efforts to top up salaries to 100% of the maximum wages covered.
    • Eligible employers would be able to access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy by applying through a Canada Revenue Agency online portal. More details regarding how to apply for the program will follow.
    • Those organizations that do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy may continue to qualify for the previously announced wage subsidy of 10 per cent of remuneration paid from March 18 to before June 20, up to a maximum subsidy of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer.

    WHERE TO START
    for Canadian business owners, entrepreneurs, artists, and those who are self-employed:

    • Visit Canada’s website for businesses for information about supporting your employees and your business. It will be constantly updated as the COVID-19 crisis evolves.
    • Download the Canada Business App to find tailored supports to address your specific needs and questions about COVID-19.
    • Consult the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s pandemic preparedness guide to help prepare your business in the days and weeks to come.
    • Contact your bank. Canada’s banks have made a commitment to support businesses and individuals through these difficult times in a responsible, fair, and compassionate way. To help provide some stability for businesses through this time of uncertainty, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is lowering the Domestic Stability Buffer requirement, releasing more than $300 billion of additional lending capacity for Canadian financial institutions.
    • The Department of Finance Canada has a thorough resource here outlining how the government is taking action to help Canadians experiencing hardship, including detail about flexibility for taxpayers.
    • The Government is essentiall eliminating the payroll tax for three months by providing a 10% wage subsidy to small businesses – this will keep people employed. More details here.
    • The Government is also helping businesses with cash flow by deferring tax payments until August 31st;
    • Applications will open in April through your Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) “My Account portal, your My Service Canada account, and a TBA toll free number equipped with an automated application process.

    Read the full news release from the office of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, outlining Canada’s $82 billion support and relief plan for Canadians.


    MusicOntario will continue to update you as new and/or pertinent information becomes available.

    OTHER RESOURCES & INFORMATION:

      • Airline Cancellation Policies: A comprehensive guide by Forbes can be found here.
      • Bandzoogle has put together this handy blog: How musicians can ask fans for support during the coronavirus pandemic.
      • Updates from the City of Brampton can be found here. They are also conducting an Arts & Culture Impact Survey – fill it out here.
      • Canada‘s official response to COVID-19 can be found here, with frequent live updates.
      • Canada Council for the Arts: Information about CCA’s cancellation policy can be found here.
      • Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA)‘s list of COVID-19 resources for Canada’s indie sector can be found here.
      • Canadian Live Music Association‘s Request for relief to the Canadian government can be found here.
      • Canada Public Health has info about the situation available here.
      • CAPACOA is asking you to track cancellations affecting the Canadian live performance sector here.
      • The CBC has a list of resources for Canadian artists and freelancers can be found here – note that this list is cross-disciplinary, not just limited to music.
      • City of Toronto: Property tax / utility bill grace period: A 60-day grace period is in effect for City of Toronto property tax, water and solid waste utility bill payments for all residents and businesses, for bills dated as of March 16. As well, late payment penalties for residential and business properties will be waived for 60 days, starting the same day. The City’s COVID-19 info page is here, and information about economic support and recovery can be found here. They are also conducting a survey to better understand the impacts of COVID-19 on local businesses.
      • The Department of Finance Canada has a thorough resource here outlining how the government is taking action to help Canadians experiencing hardship, including detail about flexibility for taxpayers.
      • FACTOR: Information about FACTOR’s cancellation policy can be found here.
        FACTOR has also extended some of its upcoming deadlines:
        – Artist Development and Juried Sound Recording deadline is extended by two weeks, from May 14 to May 28.
        – Business Development as part of the Support for Eligible Music Companies program is extended by 4 weeks, from April 23 to May 21.
      • I Lost My Gig is a support group on Facebook for folks from various disciplines in the Gig Economy to gather, listen, and share.
      • The London Music Office has a handy guide for supporting local music.
      • Long Winter has compiled a list of resources here for geared toward artists and workers in DIY communities
      • Music Managers Forum Canada has an incredibly thorough resource page that is being constantly updated here.
      • MusicOntario (it’s us!) will be reposting all sorts of things on our socials/to our stories – have a peek there for various updates, interesting content from the community, streaming events, and other tidbits to help pass the time.
      • The National Arts Centre and Facebook Canada have teamed up to launch #CanadaPerforms streaming concerts. Canadian performing artists (including musicians, comedians, dancers, singers, theatre artists, and ensembles of less than 10 people) can apply by email to the NAC at CanadaPerforms@nac-cna.ca. Performers are asked to send their names, a description of a 45- to 60-minute livestream performance they will give, their chosen date between Thursday and March 31, 2020, and what streaming platform they will use. Performers will receive a $1,000 grant, with NAC staffers and industry leaders to select the fund recipients. Some artists will also have their performances shared by the NAC through its Facebook page as part of #CanadaPerforms.
      • Ontario Arts Council‘s policies on COVID-19 can be found here.
      • Ontario Creates has posted its COVID-19 Response Plan for stakeholders here.
      • Ontario Ministry of Health resource page.
      • Ontario Presents is offering to host online of phone-based meetings free of charge for any Ontario-based artist, agent, presenter, or other art presenting industry professional who needs to host a meeting but does not have the means to do so. You may contact natalie@ontariopresents.ca. They also have a page of resources for arts presenters here, and a document outlining Coronavirus Response for the Live Performance Sector here.
      • Radio Starmaker: The Board of the Radio Starmaker Fund wants to inform all stakeholders that any previous tour dates that were approved and were to take place between February 15th and August 31st of this year will be fully funded if they were canceled as a result of the coronavirus. All you will need to do when filling out final paperwork is indicate the reason for the cancellation was coronavirus – no other proof will be necessary. This same policy will also be in effect with regard to tour dates approved by the Board for Round 74. We are currently examining the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and the implications it may have on future touring. Currently, when we open our next round we are considering a moratorium on requests for tour funding for all performances from April 1st to May 31st of this year given the very high likelihood of cancellation. We will be monitoring this situation over the next few weeks and making a final determination on or before April 10th when we plan to open the next round of funding. In the meantime, we wanted everyone to know this is a possibility as tour plans are made this year.
      • Spotify has partnered with Unison Fund to help support the Canadian music community, matching donations up to $10 million USD. To support the Unison and Spotify Canada initiative, we invite you to visit this page and donate today: https://unisonfund.ca/donations/spotify
      • The Toronto Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Foundation have partnered to create TOArtist COVID Response Fund, allocating up to $1000 to self-employed, individual artists resident in Toronto whose creative work and income have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications are open now and will be accepted until 11:59pmEST on April 30, 2020 through TAC’s online portal
    • Toronto Musicians Association has information and resources for financial assistance and bill payment relief here.
    • Unison Benevolent Fund has announced its COVID-19 Relief Program, with an initial donation of $250,000 from the Slaight Family Foundation, matched by the Unison office, offering $500,000 to provide assistance to Canada’s music community. Read the full press release here.
    • Unison Benevolent Fund has information about how they can help here, or you can call 1-855-986-4766 for inquiries to help you deal with the financial or emotional impact of coronavirus.
    • Unison also has a great list of national and provincial financial resources here.
    • Worldwide Independent Network has a list of resources for the indie music community across the work here.
    • World Health Organizationhttps://www.who.int/

    Original statement from MusicOntario regarding COVID-19 on March 16, 2020:

    As the music community comes together during the novel COVID-19 pandemic, we hope to keep you informed of developments as they roll out.

    Ontario has declared a state of emergency, and we understand the severe implications for our members and stakeholders, with small businesses and venues closing, tours cancelling, and the gig economy in which so many of us thrive in limbo.

    Artists, performers, and musicians are without income, and the entrepreneurs and companies that work to promote, support, and elevate Canadian music are all seeing their livelihoods in jeopardy. Please review the information below in case it may be of assistance.

    We are staying abreast of the situation as it pertains to the music industry in Ontario, and implore everyone to stay as safe as possible through this stressful and uncertain time.

    Please note that the MusicOntario office is closed, and we will be working remotely until the proper health officials advise that it is wise to return. We are working to understand what that means for upcoming programs and events, and we will keep you posted via our various social platforms.

    Copyright © 2020 MusicOntario, All rights reserved.
    You’re receiving this email because you signed up for the MusicOntario newsletter.

    Our mailing address is:

    MusicOntario

    30 St Patrick Street
    2nd floor

    Toronto, ON M5T 3A3

    Canada

    Music Ontario: COVID-19 Information & Resources for Ontario’s Music Industry

    COVID-19 Information & Resources for Ontario’s Music Industry


    UPDATED: March 25, 2020

    • Government introduces Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to help workers and businesses – official March 25, 2020 press release here. From the release:

      No Canadian should have to choose between protecting their health, putting food on the table, paying for their medication or caring for a family member.

      To support workers and help businesses keep their employees, the government has proposed legislation to establish the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). This taxable benefit would provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CERB would be a simpler and more accessible combination of the previously announced Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit.

      The CERB would cover Canadians who have lost their job, are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19, as well as working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are sick or at home because of school and daycare closures. The CERB would apply to wage earners, as well as contract workers and self-employed individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).

      Additionally, workers who are still employed, but are not receiving income because of disruptions to their work situation due to COVID-19, would also qualify for the CERB. This would help businesses keep their employees as they navigate these difficult times, while ensuring they preserve the ability to quickly resume operations as soon as it becomes possible.

      The EI system was not designed to process the unprecedented high volume of applications received in the past week. Given this situation, all Canadians who have ceased working due to COVID-19, whether they are EI-eligible or not, would be able to receive the CERB to ensure they have timely access to the income support they need.

      Canadians who are already receiving EI regular and sickness benefits as of today would continue to receive their benefits and should not apply to the CERB. If their EI benefits end before October 3, 2020, they could apply for the CERB once their EI benefits cease, if they are unable to return to work due to COVID-19. Canadians who have already applied for EI and whose application has not yet been processed would not need to reapply. Canadians who are eligible for EI regular and sickness benefits would still be able to access their normal EI benefits, if still unemployed, after the 16-week period covered by the CERB.

      The government is working to get money into the pockets of Canadians as quickly as possible. The portal for accessing the CERB would be available in early April. EI eligible Canadians who have lost their job can continue to apply for EI here, as can Canadians applying for other EI benefits.

      Canadians would begin to receive their CERB payments within 10 days of application. The CERB would be paid every four weeks and be available from March 15, 2020 until October 3, 2020.

      This benefit would be one part of the government’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, to support Canadian workers and businesses and help stabilize the economy by helping Canadians pay for essentials like housing and groceries, and helping businesses pay their employees and bills during this unprecedented time of global uncertainty. Again, the official March 25, 2020 press release can be found here.

    • Unison Benevolent Fund has announced its COVID-19 Relief Program, with an initial donation of $250,000 from the Slaight Family Foundation, matched by the Unison office, offering $500,000 to provide assistance to Canada’s music community. Read the full press release here.
    • On March 26 at 10:30am, join Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries for a conference call to discuss the government’s response to COVID-19, featuring guest speakers Beth Potter (President and CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario), Jim Mirkopoulos (Vice President, Cinespace Film Studios), Josh Basseches (Director and Chief Executive Officer, Royal Ontario Museum), David Shoemaker (CEO and Secretary General, Canadian Olympic Committee), and Moderated by Tim Hudak (Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Real Estate Association). Please note the close economic relationship between Ontario’s cultural industries going into this discussion.

      If you wish to join this tele-town hall, you must register here, after which you will receive dial-in instructions via email.

    • Connect Music Licensing and Connect Music Licensing are conducting the COVID-19 Music Artist Impact Survey: At the heart of the Canadian music industry are our artists, who are the most vulnerable and will feel the largest impact in light of recent events. We want to understand and capture artists’ experience and convey their stories to all levels of government.

      Please fill this out by March 27, 2020 if you are an artist working in the capacities of recording live performance, artist entrepreneur, songwriter/publisher, etc.

    • Free webinar from BandzoogleHow musicians can survive and strive with live streaming. March 26, 2020 @ 1:00PM CST.

     

    INFORMATION ABOUT CANADA’S ECONOMIC RESPONSE PLAN & EMERGENCY CARE BENEFITS

    Canada’s Federal Government has released details about its COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, providing up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses, plus an additional $55 billion to support Canadian businesses and households through tax deferrals.

    The government has also announced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to support Canadians affected by COVID-19 in a variety of ways, and who might not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.

    Measures for businesses announced include:

    • Essentially eliminating the payroll tax for three months by providing a 10% wage subsidy to small businesses – this will keep people employed. More details here.
    • Helping businesses with cash flow by deferring tax payments until August 31st;
    • Introducing a new Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks for self-employed people who are not eligible for EI sickness benefits.
    • Applications will open in April through your Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) “My Account portal, your My Service Canada account, and a TBA toll free number equipped with an automated application process.

    WHERE TO START for Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs:

    • Visit Canada’s website for businesses for information about supporting your employees and your business. It will be constantly updated as the COVID-19 crisis evolves.
    • Download the Canada Business App to find tailored supports to address your specific needs and questions about COVID-19.
    • Consult the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s pandemic preparedness guide to help prepare your business in the days and weeks to come.
    • Contact your bank. Canada’s banks have made a commitment to support businesses and individuals through these difficult times in a responsible, fair, and compassionate way. To help provide some stability for businesses through this time of uncertainty, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is lowering the Domestic Stability Buffer requirement, releasing more than $300 billion of additional lending capacity for Canadian financial institutions.
    • The Department of Finance Canada has a thorough resource here outlining how the government is taking action to help Canadians experiencing hardship, including detail about flexibility for taxpayers.
    • For individuals, make sure you can access either your CRA MyAccount or My Service Canada Account to apply for EI relief funds before the applications open in April 2020. Better to sort that out now if you’re unsure of your login information!

    Read the full news release from the office of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, outlining Canada’s $82 billion support and relief plan for Canadians.


    MusicOntario will continue to update you as new and/or pertinent information becomes available.

    Original statement from MusicOntario regarding COVID-19 on March 16, 2020:

    As the music community comes together during the novel COVID-19 pandemic, we hope to keep you informed of developments as they roll out.

    Ontario has declared a state of emergency, and we understand the severe implications for our members and stakeholders, with small businesses and venues closing, tours cancelling, and the gig economy in which so many of us thrive in limbo.

    Artists, performers, and musicians are without income, and the entrepreneurs and companies that work to promote, support, and elevate Canadian music are all seeing their livelihoods in jeopardy. Please review the information below in case it may be of assistance.

    We are staying abreast of the situation as it pertains to the music industry in Ontario, and implore everyone to stay as safe as possible through this stressful and uncertain time.

    Please note that the MusicOntario office is closed, and we will be working remotely until the proper health officials advise that it is wise to return. We are working to understand what that means for upcoming programs and events, and we will keep you posted via our various social platforms.


    OTHER RESOURCES & INFORMATION:

    • Airline Cancellation Policies: A comprehensive guide by Forbes can be found here.
    • Bandzoogle has put together this handy blog: How musicians can ask fans for support during the coronavirus pandemic.
    • Canada‘s official response to COVID-19 can be found here, with frequent live updates.
    • Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
    • Canada Council for the Arts: Information about CCA’s cancellation policy can be found here.
    • Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA)‘s list of COVID-19 resources for Canada’s indie sector can be found here.
    • Canadian Live Music Association‘s Request for relief to the Canadian government can be found here.
    • Canada Public Health has info about the situation available here.
    • CAPACOA is asking you to track cancellations affecting the Canadian live performance sector here.
    • The Department of Finance Canada has a thorough resource here outlining how the governement is taking action to help Canadians experiencing hardship, including detail about flexibility for taxpayers.
    • FACTOR: Information about FACTOR’s cancellatoin policy can be found here.
    • I Lost My Gig is a support group on Facebook for folks from various disciplines in the Gig Economy to gather, listen, and share.
    • Music Managers Forum Canada has an incredibly thorough resource page that is being constantly updated here.
    • MusicOntario (it’s us!) will be reposting all sorts of things on our socials/to our stories – have a peek there for various updates, interesting content from the community, streaming events, and other tidbits to help pass the time.
    • The National Arts Centre and Facebook Canada have teamed up to launch #CanadaPerforms streaming concerts. Canadian performing artists (including musicians, comedians, dancers, singers, theatre artists, and ensembles of less than 10 people) can apply by email to the NAC at CanadaPerforms@nac-cna.ca. Performers are asked to send their names, a description of a 45- to 60-minute livestream performance they will give, their chosen date between Thursday and March 31, 2020, and what streaming platform they will use.

      Performers will receive a $1,000 grant, with NAC staffers and industry leaders to select the fund recipients. Some artists will also have their performances shared by the NAC through its Facebook page as part of #CanadaPerforms.

    • Ontario Arts Council‘s policies on COVID-19 can be found here.
    • Ontario Ministry of Health resource page.
    • Ontario Presents is offering to host online of phone-based meetings free of charge for any Ontario-based artist, agent, presenter, or other art presenting industry professional who needs to host a meeting but does not have the means to do so. You may contact natalie@ontariopresents.ca. They also have a page of resources for arts presenters here, and a document outlining Coronavirus Response for the Live Performance Sector here.
    • Radio Starmaker: The Board of the Radio Starmaker Fund wants to inform all stakeholders that any previous tour dates that were approved and were to take place between February 15th and August 31st of this year will be fully funded if they were canceled as a result of the coronavirus. All you will need to do when filling out final paperwork is indicate the reason for the cancellation was coronavirus – no other proof will be necessary. This same policy will also be in effect with regard to tour dates approved by the Board for Round 74. We are currently examining the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and the implications it may have on future touring. Currently, when we open our next round we are considering a moratorium on requests for tour funding for all performances from April 1st to May 31st of this year given the very high likelihood of cancellation. We will be monitoring this situation over the next few weeks and making a final determination on or before April 10th when we plan to open the next round of funding. In the meantime, we wanted everyone to know this is a possibility as tour plans are made this year.
    • Toronto Musicians Association has information and resources for financial assistance and bill payment relief here.
    • Unison Benevolent Fund has information about how they can help here, or you can call 1-855-986-4766 for inquiries to help you deal with the financial or emotional impact of coronavirus.
    • Unison also has a great list of national and provincial financial resources here.
    • Worldwide Independent Network has a list of resources for the indie music community across the work here.
    • World Health Organizationhttps://www.who.int/
    Copyright © 2020 MusicOntario, All rights reserved.
    You’re receiving this email because you signed up for the MusicOntario newsletter.

    Our mailing address is:

    MusicOntario

    30 St Patrick Street
    2nd floor

    Toronto, ON M5T 3A3

    Canada

    Add us to your address book

    Cypher Wednesdays Has Gone Online!

    That’s right all,
    We’re going to try out something new so we can keep our skills up.
    Cypher is moving online for now.
    Here’s how it’ll work:

    We post a few beats on this page
    You have time to write a verse and post it back to the page.
    The person with the most likes by the end of the night on their post wins!

    Beats will be posted on Wednesday!

    #StayHomeFest Begins This Evening Online

    #StayHomeFest kicks off tonight!

    To all restless musician & artist friends, get in touch via the GAIN Music page or email (info@gainmusic.ca) to get involved.

    If we’re all stuck at home might as well make the most of the technology we have to broadcast music & art into the world during these crazy times.

    GAIN Music Let’s fill our evenings with local & live music from the comfort of our own homes!

    We’re going to create a rough itinerary of shows on this page, but we encourage musicians & artists to go live or chat through this event page to help keep us all connected during these times.

    First up.. Live Acoustic Shower Show with Kat!

    Tonight night join me for a live pick-me-up shower show from 8pm to 10pm! ? I’ll be playing refreshing hits from every era that you will definitely know all the words to. ? Everyone sings better in the shower, and you’ll feel squeaky clean going into Tuesday as we wash away our worries for a few hours! ? ?Go to “KatsAcoustic” on Facebook where it will be live-streamed. Link will be in bio. #washyourhands #heckjusttakeashower Thank-you so much to everyone working outside of home allowing everyone to be fed and healthy. You are so greatly appreciated!

    Music

    #StayHomeFest

    Local Music CoVID-19 Press Release

    Due to the shut down of nearly all music venues, we have to painfully inform you that many of the events listed on our Music Lives Calendar are canceled.  If you’re a performer and having difficulty without income during the pandemic, below we’ve shared Music Ontario’s list of resources that may help venues, artists and more.  Please stay safe, respect the vulnerable and share your toiletries!

    COVID-19 Information & Resources for Ontario’s Music Industry

    As the music community comes together during the novel COVID-19 pandemic, we hope to keep you informed of developments as they roll out.

    Ontario has declared a state of emergency, and we understand the severe implications for our members and stakeholders, with small businesses and venues closing, tours cancelling, and the gig economy in which so many of us thrive in limbo.

    Artists, performers, and musicians are without income, and the entrepreneurs and companies that work to promote, support, and elevate Canadian music are all seeing their livelihoods in jeopardy. Please review the information below in case it may be of assistance.

    We are staying abreast of the situation as it pertains to the music industry in Ontario, and implore everyone to stay as safe as possible through this stressful and uncertain time.Please note that the MusicOntario office is closed, and we will be working remotely until the proper health officials advise that it is wise to return. We are working to understand what that means for upcoming programs and events, and we will keep you posted via our varous social platforms.

    TAKE ACTION NOW!

    A number of Canadian music industry associations and organizations are gathering data from stakeholders to quantify and understand the financial implications of COVID-19 related closures and loss of work and revenues. Now is the time to track your losses, regardless of your role in the industry.

    In this fast-moving situation surrounding the Covid-19 virus, this important survey hopes to gauge the severity of its impacts on the Canadian music industry as a whole.

    We encourage you to fill out this brief questionnaire to give us an understanding of the current global situation is having on your revenues, your employees, your businesses, and your careers.

    PLEASE FORWARD THIS SURVEY TO YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, COLLEAGUES, PARTNERS AND FRIENDS IN THE CANADIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9PYYRRN

    ALL answers will remain confidential, and they will be shared in aggregate only with key decision makers in government. The purpose is to give government a quick snapshot of the impacts, and to  encourage them to provide immediate and long-term relief to the industry.

    Deadline: Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 12PM. The sooner information can be gathered for the industry, the more quickly we can collectively take action.

     

    OTHER RESOURCES & INFORMATION:

     

    • Airline Cancellation Policies: A comprehensive guide by Forbes can be found here.
    • Bandzoogle has put together this handy blog: How musicians can ask fans for support during the coronavirus pandemic.
    • Canada Council for the Arts: Information about CCA’s cancellation policy can be found here.
    • Canadian Live Music Assocation‘s Request for relief to the Canadian government can be found here.
    • Canada Public Health has info about the situation available here.
    • CAPACOA is asking you to track cancellations affecting the Canadian live performance sector here.
    • FACTOR: Information about FACTOR’s cancellatoin policy can be found here.
    • I Lost My Gig Canada is a support group on Facebook for folks from various disciplines in the Gig Economy to gather, listen, and share.
    • Music Managers Forum Canada has an incredibly thorough resource page that is being constantly updated here.
    • MusicOntario (it’s us!) will be reposting all sorts of things on our socials/to our stories – have a peek there for various updates, interesting content from the community, streaming events, and other tidbits to help pass the time.
    • Ontario Arts Council‘s policies on COVID-19 can be found here.
    • Ontario Ministry of Health resource page.
    • Radio Starmaker: The Board of the Radio Starmaker Fund wants to inform all stakeholders that any previous tour dates that were approved and were to take place between February 15th and August 31st of this year will be fully funded if they were canceled as a result of the coronavirus. All you will need to do when filling out final paperwork is indicate the reason for the cancellation was coronavirus – no other proof will be necessary. This same policy will also be in effect with regard to tour dates approved by the Board for Round 74. We are currently examining the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and the implications it may have on future touring. Currently, when we open our next round we are considering a moratorium on requests for tour funding for all performances from April 1st to May 31st of this year given the very high likelihood of cancellation. We will be monitoring this situation over the next few weeks and making a final determination on or before April 10th when we plan to open the next round of funding. In the meantime, we wanted everyone to know this is a possibility as tour plans are made this year.
    • Toronto Musicians Association has information and resources for financial assistance and bill payment relief here.
    • Unison Benevolent Fund has information about how they can help here, or you can call 1-855-986-4766 for inquiries to help you deal with the financial or emotional impact of coronavirus.
    • Worldwide Independent Network has a list of resources for the indie music community across the work here.
    • World Health Organizationhttps://www.who.int/
    Copyright © 2020 MusicOntario, All rights reserved.
    You’re receiving this email because you signed up for the MusicOntario newsletter.

    Our mailing address is:
    MusicOntario

    30 St Patrick Street

    2nd floor

    Toronto, ON M5T 3A3

    Canada

    Add us to your address book

    Preview: The Test Icicles play Royal Electric Public Eatery Tonight

    One of Guelph‘s best cover bands, The Test Icicles take the stage.  Three sets starting after 10pm.

    With combined resumes that read like a who’s who of the Canadian music industry, the members of this hi-octane power trio bring the experiences acquired over decades of touring internationally with top recording artists to this “ultimate cover band.” Being at a Test Icicles show is like hearing 30 of your favourite bands of all time, with all the intensity and faithfulness to the originals intact. Their chameleon-like interpretations of anything from The Killers to Queen are uncanny, and when they kick into full overdrive it’s akin to being hit in the forehead with a wrecking ball.

    Born out of the pure enjoyment of playing the best songs ever, members Mike B (guitar, lead voice), Groovy Shaun (bass, keyboards, backing voice) and the Hurricane Sean Kilbride (drums, cowbell flights of fancy, gong?) can drop names like, well, they can drop a lotta names. Kim Mitchell, Sass Jordan, Low Level Flight, Carole Pope, Andy Kim, Haywire, Melanie Doane, Tom Cochrane, Alannah Myles, Andy Curran, Leslie Spit Tree-o, James LaBrie, Lee Aaron, Lisa Dalbello and several Canadian Idol winners (among others) have benefitted from having one or more of these guys on tour or in the studio with them. If you saw the long-running Toronto productions of “We Will Rock You” or “Rock Of Ages” you will have noticed the mighty Hurricane holding it down on drums. Groovy Shaun is a former member of up-and-coming indie band Low Level Flight, and appeared in both of their top 10 videos. Mike B is an acclaimed producer/engineer, and has had success producing artists like illScarlett, Rex Goudie, Modified, Alannah Myles, Melanie Doane, The Apollo Effect and the aforementioned LLF.

    With a growing list of clients and special events including the University of Guelph (LaBash ‘08 and College Royal Ball ’08 and ’09), HRG North America, WarrickManzo&Dunn (Boobalicious ’08 and ’09), Grayson Matthews, Glaxo Smith Kline, Devan and Associates (four years running at Motoamore!), Doogie’s nightclub in Guelph (the band’s home base), and numerous weddings and private parties, they can pretty much kick any event into high gear and leave you in a state of rock and roll bliss.

    Please enjoy responsibly…

    19+.

    Source

    Hey Guelph Musicians and Bands! You’re awesome, so submit to these things!

    AT-A-GLANCE

    1. Save the Dates! MusicOntario teams up with The Bout again in 2020 to present 4 Tune Up Toronto workshops.
    2. The Bout, MusicOntario, Music Publishers Canada, & Women in Music Canada present: Monetizing your money w/ the rights and royalties experts who can get you paid! March 5
    3. Humber College & MusicOntario seeking DIY artists for marketing project!
    4. FACTOR Presents: Rise & Inspire – Womxn’s Voices in Music, March 6
    5. International Women’s Day 4th Annual Summit, March 6-8 (MEMBER DISCOUNT)
    6. The JUNO Awards – congratulations to the nominees!
    7. Ontario at SXSW 2020!
    8. FACTOR Annual Profile Review – February 28, 2020
    Save the Date! MusicOntario teams up with The Bout again in 2020 to present 4 Tune Up Toronto workshops

    • After a successful 2019 run, MusicOntario and the bout are back at it in 2020 to bring free professional development workshops to local artists and entrepreneurs in Toronto!
    • The dates are February 20th, March 5th, April 2nd, April 16.
    • This year’s sessions will feature both informative panels and interactive one-on-ones.
    The Bout, MusicOntario, Music Publishers Canada, & Women in Music Canada present: Monetizing your money w/ the rights and royalties experts who can get you paid
    • Thursday, March 5, 2020 @ The Hideout (423 College St.), 6-9pm
    • A panel discussion with a number of key organizations dedicated to creators’ rights and royalties, followed by a presentation by the Canadian Federation of Musicians, one-on-one lightning rounds, and a networking reception.
    • Free to attend: register here!
    Humber College & MusicOntario seeking DIY artists for marketing project!
    • Are you an emerging artist/group based in the GTA who does not yet have formal management or representation? This opportunity may be for you!
    • MusicOntario is teaming up with Humber College to find two artists/groups to participate in the capstone project for their Music Business Program.
    • Full eligibility and criteria can be found here.
    • Deadline to apply is March 4, 2020
    FACTOR Presents: Rise & Inspire – Womxn’s Voices in Music
    • Friday, March 6, 2020 @ Artscape Sandbox (301 Adelaide St., Toronto, ON)
    • FREE to attend!
    • The event will consist of a welcome reception, FACTOR Q&A session, keynote conversation, panel discussion and Q&A, and more networking.
    • FACTOR, MusicOntario and CIMA staff will be on hand to answer questions, and you’ll hear from industry pros like Kiana ‘rookz’ Eastmond (Sandbox Studios), Meg Symysk (eOne Music), Jheanelle Henry (Jarjour Co), Neena Sharma (URBNET), and Lydia Persaud (Jazz and folk artist).
    International Women’s Day 4th Annual Music Summit in Toronto
    • This 4th annual event celebrates women working in the music industry, with a focus on Rap, Hip Hop, R&B, funding, moms in music, and more.
    • March 6th @ Centre for Social Innovation
    • March 7th @ Basso Lounge
      March 8th @The Hideout
    • MusicOntario members have access to discounted tickets – get in touch with samr@music-ontario.ca
    • Get your tickets here!
    Ontario at SXSW 2020!
    • Canada House takes place March 18-19, 2020 @ The Venue (516 E 6th St., Austin, TX)
    • Ontario Creates & MusicOntario are heading back to South By Southwest to present some stellar ON-based artists – stay tuned for the full lineup to be announced soon.
    The JUNO Awards – congratulations to the nominees!
    • Congrats to the nominees of the 2020 JUNO Awards!
    • We are proud to call so many of you members!
    • Full list of nominees here!
    FACTOR Annual Profile Review – February 28, 2020
    • Is your FACTOR profile up to date for your annual profile review? This could affect your profile rating.
    • Click here for more information.
    • The deadline to update your profile is Friday, February 28, 2020.

    PARTNERS & SPONSORS

    Ontario Creates | http://www.ontariocreates.ca
    Canadian Independent Music Association | http://www.cimamusic.ca
    Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings | http://factor.ca
    Ontario Arts Council | http://www.arts.on.ca
    JazzFM 91 | http://www.jazz.fm
    Canadian Council of Music Industry Associations | http://ccmia.ca

    Motown Tribute show @ Royal City EMC

    Royal City EMC is a beautiful venue with high ceilings and marvelous acoustics.  Their mezzanine wraps around 3/4 of the main room.   The Motown patrons were a great mix of various ages, cultures and backgrounds, whom had an exceptional.  Host Kerry-Ann Cornwall greeted the audience with a special mention to Native American tribes who used to live on the lands we now call home and expressed Guelph Black Heritage Society‘s solidarity with modern native plights.  The Motown Tribute show has become an annual fundraiser to provide financial aid to Black Heritage Hall.

    Black Heritage Hall is in need of some accessibility upgrades and an informative video depicting the history of the church, was displayed to applause.  Guelph was one of the ends of the underground railroad and the area around Essex St. was home to many descendants of freed slaves whom had 83 Essex St. as their place of fellowship.  As the first night of Black History Month unfolded, everyone in the church was excited and the roster of Motown cover artists gave it their all.


    To start the night, Rufus John‘s tremendous  voice got the crowd moving with his cover of Marvin Gay’s “How Sweet It is.  Jessie Bell Smyth followed with Elkie Brooks’ “He’s a Rebel and the fans loved it.  Jessie has been a long standing local favourite voice and I’ve seen her wow crowds on many stages over the years -she also lends her voice to The Skydiggers.

    Nicolette Hoang stepped up and Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight and the crowd was grooving.  Alanna Gurr followed with another Stevie Wonder song, “Signed Sealed Delivered and the electricity of the Royal City EMC was almost palpable.  Jenny Mitchell channelled her inner Michael Jackson and covered The Temptations song “Who’s Lovin’ You and D’Eve Archer crushed the following tune, “Jealous Guy“, in Donny Hathaway‘s style of the John Lenon’s song.  The whole room was dancing, clapping and singing along.  Shouts of adoration rained down from the mezzanine between songs.

    Up next was Brampton’s Savannah Taylor singing Billy Preston – “Nothing From Nothing, followed by Transstar’s short monologue of being inspired as a child by “Love Child” by The Supremes and sang their heart out.  D’Eve Archer returned to the stage and sang Gladys Knight’s “Midnight Train to Georgia” and the crowd returned to their feet in adoration, while I tried not to seem too awestruck.

    Alanna Gurr‘s playful demeanor fit perfectly as she performed Mary Wells’ “You Beat Me To the Punch”, and Bry Webb kept the Motown wheels rolling with Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – “Tears Of A Clown”.  Jessie Bell Smyth stepped back away from the backup singers to command Too Many Fish in the Sea” by the Marvelettes and Rufus John did a heartwrenching performance of Track of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

    Steph Yates  sang the song Heat Wave by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas– and Tannis Slimmon finished the night with a powerful cover of Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder. (*Edit: Bryan initially forgot to include these two wonderful performances*)

    I shouted out, “One more song!  As the applause from Rufus’s finale built into a synchronized swell, the full cast of singers returned to the stage and Bry Webb and D’Eve Archer executed You’re All I Need to Get By” by Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell.  I took a video!

    In writing this piece, I reached out to the Guelph Black Heritage Society and asked if they would be selling copies of the performance to further raise money to make the church more accessible and they responded saying they’ll let me know once they make a decision.  Exciting!

    A special mention goes out to the band, who were exceptional.   Nathan Lawrn(Nathan Lawr and the Minotaurs) was tasked with assembling this list of musicians and singers, and he did a fantastic job.

    This article wouldn’t be complete without a special shout out to Denise Francis, Marva Wisdom and John Leacock.  Thank you for all the wonderful things you do for the Black Heritage Society.

     

    Local Youth: 2020 MusicWorks|StageWorks Call for Applications!

    MusicWorks|StageWorks, River Run Centre’s hands-on performing arts mentorship program, invites Guelph youth to showcase their talents and skills on stage! Supported by TD Bank Group, the MusicWorks|StageWorks is offered in partnership with the City of Guelph and the Guelph Youth Council.

    MusicWorks|StageWorks is open to high school students ages 13 to 18, who are interested in gaining new skills and taking part in a public performance.

    If you’re an aspiring performer, or know of someone who is ready for a real life experience in production, concept development and stage presence, this is a unique learning opportunity you don’t want to miss!

    Applications are now open until Monday February 24, 2020. Anyone with questions about the program or application process should contact Nicole Neufeld at nicole.neufeld@riverrun.ca.

    Here’s what a past participant had to say:

    “MusicWorks|StageWorks is an incredibly important program to run in this community. When I helped out, I was amazed by the talent of the youth that were showcased. I learned so much about how to organize a professional style show and met some amazing youth in the process. One a cappella group really astounded me. The power of youth is often underestimated, and I think that this event demonstrates perfectly how important it is that we provide a platform for youth to shine. All we need is the opportunity to achieve greatness, and MusicWorks|StageWorks is that opportunity.”

    Program Details

    The program is inclusive of music, theatre, spoken word, dance, short film and comedy. (All content in performances must be suitable for a family-friendly audience.)

    Participants work with the River Run Centre technical, programming and marketing staff and with support from the Guelph Youth Council, to learn about the various aspects of building a successful show.

    Returning in 2020 – River Run Centre is pleased to announce the very talented Nathan Coles will join our team as a mentor during our dress rehearsal days to enlighten and inspire student’s creative flare. Nathan is a Guelph musician with years of composition and performance experience.

    Who can apply

    All youth, ages 13 to 18, are invited to complete and submit the artist application form by Monday, February 24, 2020

    How to apply

    2020 Artist Applications are being accepted online. Hard copies of the application form are available upon request. For questions, please contact Nicole Neufeld 519-837-5662 extension 2589 or nicole.neufeld@riverrun.ca. Application deadline is Monday, February 24, 2020.

    Selection Process

    A jury of Guelph Youth Council members and River Run Centre staff assess applications to determine the program and line-up of performers. As this is a hands-on learning opportunity, priority will be given to first-time applicants.

    Location

    Rehearsals and performances take place at River Run Centre in the Co-operators Hall.

    Rehearsal and Performance Schedule

    Rehearsals and performances take place after school hours and in the evenings. Each performer or performing group is required to commit to the rehearsal and performance schedules below.

    Either:
    Tuesday, April 7 – mentoring and technical rehearsal
    Thursday, April 16 – mentoring and dress rehearsal
    Tuesday, April 28 – mentoring and dress rehearsal
    Tuesday, May 5 – free public performance

    OR

    Wednesday, April 8 – mentoring and technical rehearsal
    Wednesday, April 15 – mentoring and dress rehearsal
    Wednesday, April 29 – mentoring and dress rehearsal
    Wednesday, May 6 – free public performance

    https://riverrun.ca/outreach-programs/mwswapply/

    Youth Program Sponsored by

    Youth Program Partners

    Guelph Youth Council logo
    City of Guelph Making a difference

    Our D’Eve Archer Featured in gtanotables.blogspot.com

    Hot on the heels of her successful Los Angeles “Northern Hospitality” showcase, Guelph’s darling D’Eve Archer is interviewed by David Li.  D’eve is performing tonight 6-9pm at The Albion for their 164th anniversary and customer appreciation event.
    D’eve Archer: The Gift


    Since her early childhood D’eve Archer – also known by her stage name as Saturdae Jonez – has understood that music would be her calling and it would be her gift to share with the world.The talented singer-songwriter is the only daughter of three children born to Winston and Bulah Archer.They emigrated to Canada from Jamaica choosing to settle in Woodstock, Ont.Both of her parents played the piano and were singers back in Jamaica. In many ways their love for music inspired young D’eve’s passion for music also.”My mom said that I came out of the womb singing. So I’ve always been a musical child,” Archer noted with a laugh.

    At the age of five, she started to take lessons from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

    “When I was six years old, I did my first recital. I played Ode to Joy and I still remember that first performance clearly to this day,” Archer said.

    “Even as a kid I knew that sitting on that bench playing the piano and being on stage in front of others was where I was supposed to be. That’s home for me.”

    Archer says creativity is something that runs in her family.

    “I have two older brothers and one of them is a music producer and the other one is a chef,” she revealed.

    “Also I have an uncle that owns his own record label in Virginia called No Choice Music Group.”

    As her parents noticed she was consistently putting her own creative twist on the classical songs she was learning, they encouraged her to start writing her own music when she was just 11 years old.

    And just a year later, the then 12 year old composed her first song.

    As she reflects on her journey, Archer says she’s thankful for the great advice she got growing up….

    For full  article by David Li, click on the link below:
    https://gtanotables.blogspot.com/2020/01/deve-archer-gift.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR11TaSYg4S4qIHpePotIdegbtB35D8hVFcdPU9oXkbQkP3SSVtCjnrAPpY

    Jeremy Dodge

    Singer/Songwriter from Guelph.
    Acoustic Folk Rock with influences from everything from metal to spoken word.
    Debut EP “I’m Okay” released December 2019

    Social Media/Website Links: https://www.instagram.com/jdodgebass
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChU4ZdjWHONZJeL9OuLL_ag

    Contact Email: jdodgebass@gmail.com

    Hunter Sheridan

    Hunter Sheridan is a musician from Guelph, Ontario whose music delivers soulful song writing and warm melodies that weave a euphoric atmosphere. He sings of personal growth, relationships, travel and self-discovery and highlights the importance of honesty through writing from life experience. Hunter’s music explores a wide dynamic of arrangements and connects with listeners from a diverse range of genres. Hunter began establishing himself in 2019 with the release of 5 singles with features on Spotify curated playlists, which helped expose his music to listeners all over the world. In his first year, Hunter’s music received over 50,000 streams with over 28,000 listeners from 69 countries. Hunter also keeps busy working as a vocalist for production companies and collaborations with other songwriters and producers. Check out his latest collaboration, “Those Days”, with LA producer, Noah Andres, released on January 1st, 2020.

    In 2020, Hunter’s newest album will be released in the Spring with subsequent Canadian touring schedule arrangements with Subculture Music & Media.

    Check out Hunter’s social media links to stay updated on tour dates, new music and videos!

    Social Media/Website Links: https://huntersheridanmusic.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/HunterSheridanMusic/
    https://www.instagram.com/huntersheridanmusic/
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfAmpFALkea_Ohx-qT9rlTQ
    https://open.spotify.com/artist/07mLd8XCCPrdH2I2K04VpU?si=RFCiJJH-TVC3apD9DyUmxA

    Contact Email: Huntersheridan@gmail.com

    The First 2 New Artists to Submit Profiles in 2020!

    Hey Gang!  Happy new year!
    Have you mistakenly written the date yet?  Bry has..
    As the title says, here are the first two brand new musicians to submit their profiles to the band/artist/DJ page.

    Tommy Major, a grounded soul with acoustic control has been playing locally for a couple of years now, and Country musician Paige Rutledge has upcoming breakout gigs in January 2020 at both McCabe’s Irish Pub and The Bullring!

    Check their pages out, and remember to submit your local music profile to have it featured on the Guelph live music listings hub, Music Lives!

    Happy Holidays from Music Lives!

    happy-holidays-piano
    Everyone here at Music Lives wants to wish you all a very happy and safe holiday season.
    Enjoy your New Years Eve events and we’ll see you in 2020!

    Hillside Festival: They’re Carbon Neutral!

    Hillside Festival is Carbon Neutral!
    Organizers, patrons, performers can be proud of our minimal environmental impact

    The Hillside Festival is proud to announce that we’re carbon neutral!

    Yes! After years of green initiatives that reduced our footprint in every imaginable area of the festival, and after years of measuring how much carbon we save and create, we are proud to tell you that we are carbon neutral.

    With the help of a huge number of fantastic volunteers, we have compiled years of hourly data on things like our energy and water use, the number of cars and bicycles that come to our festival, and the number of people on our shuttle buses. We have determined that our footprint is small with respect to energy, hospitality, waste, and promotion, but, no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t reduce our transportation footprint as dramatically. You see, people fly and drive to our festivals. And, though it sounds sacrilegious, we do want them to come.

    Over the years, our green initiatives have been very successful. Here’s what we’ve saved in carbon emissions at the summer festival, for instance:

    Composting: 682 tonnes saved
    Tree planting: 32 tonnes saved
    Meatless Meals: 154 tonnes saved
    Water Tanker: 68 tonnes saved
    Dishwashing: 50 tonnes saved
    Shuttle Bus: 410 tonnes saved
    Recycling: 460 tonnes saved.

    But our summer festival also produces about 57 tonnes of CO2 and a lot of that is in transportation, which we knew we would have to offset.

    First, we wanted to get our emissions down as low as possible before we purchased carbon offsets. And then we consulted with our board member, Rob Pangborn, who is doing graduate work in sustainability, for an idea of the best projects we could fund that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He picked a wind power project in India. That may seem like a long way to go, but since climate change is a global problem, an emission reduction made elsewhere has the same positive effect as one made locally.

    We thank you, our members and patrons, for supporting our green initiatives, our Sustainability Committee, Ian Garrett from York University, Jeanette Lynes from the University of Waterloo, as well as a huge host of students and volunteers who painstakingly counted, measured, gauged, and calculated year after year.

    We all did this. We all should be proud!

    The Hillside Festival is a 36-year old charitable organization that celebrates creativity
    through music, art, and community and that champions altruism, equality, environmentalism and peacemaking.

     

    For more information, please contact:

    Marie Zimmerman, Executive Director, Hillside Festival:  marie@hillsidefestival.ca  519-831-1576

    #HAPPYMAKING PIANOS BACK ON DOWNTOWN STREETS FOR SEPTEMBER

    September 4th 2019, Downtown Guelph – They’re back… it’s another year of tinkling the ivories in Downtown Guelph as the #HappyMaking project returns for its 7th year.

    Locations include Grey Rock Clothing Co., Planet BeanBreezy CornersRiver Run Centre,  the main branch of the Guelph Public Library, and Guelph Transitwill host a pianoto entertain bus travellers at Platform #12 of Guelph Central Station.

    This ongoing successful idea all started with community member Ian Findlay. He placed a piano outside his business, Thomas Video in 2013. The response was so positive that the project, in partnership with the Downtown Guelph Business Association, has continued in multiple locations every year since.  Ian says “We’re very excited to have the #HappyMaking Street Pianos in Downtown Guelph again for the 7th year. Looking forward to experiencing all the fun our community has with the pianos.”

    More information about the #HappyMaking project can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b2kX3uE9oM

    Play. Tweet. Share. #HappyMaking

    Guelph Jazz Band VALET to play Guelph Jazz Festival

    Legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk once said, “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.”

    Getting musicians to describe why a certain style of music moves them more than another can be just as challenging, but the members of Guelph band Valet have no problem explaining why they love jazz.

    “Pop, especially when you hear all these new songs, is really all the same stuff, the same formula for writing the songs,” said drummer Andrew Schoettler. “I definitely lost interest in all of that a while back.”

    Schoettler and his band mates embrace the freedom of the genre and pride themselves on maintaining the improvisational tradition of jazz. It is even reflected in the spontaneous nature of Valet’s origin and progress.

    “I started getting in to Jazz because we all have the same teacher at Centennial CVI, Jeff Daniels,” said pianist Tristan Culbert. “I started on piano playing classical music. So, when I came to school the only opportunity to play piano was in the jazz band.”

    Daniels is a veteran jazz pianist and music teacher with more than 30 years of experience jamming with and directing professional and amateur musicians.

    “I think we can say that Valet wouldn’t be a thing if it wasn’t for him putting us together and letting us practice in his room when he is trying to work,” said Culbert.

    “He said we need some people to show off what we have going on here,” said Culbert. “We had never played together outside the direction of our teachers in the jazz bands. We just started playing whatever we wanted.”

    They didn’t realise at the time that they were auditioning for each other for a band they were yet to form.

    “We were literally standing in the middle of the hallway and people at the open house were walking by,” said bassist Josh Collesso. “We had never rehearsed. I don’t even know the word for it, but it was so low budget.”

    The creative chemistry was immediate and undeniable.

    “It was cool how we were all communicating and knowing what each other’s next move was going to be while we were playing,” said Schoettler. “People gathered around and started listening to us play.”

    Culbert pulled out his iPhone and livestreamed the jam on Instagram and before they knew it, they were a working band.

    “The story behind the name is we were taking pictures and we were wearing what we wear for the performances and my dad said, ‘you guys look like a bunch of valet drivers,’” said Culbert.

    They used the iPhone video of their first performance to convince the new owner at Manhattans, Julia Rewi, to book them but their actual first performance at Manhattans was another spontaneous event.

    “Jamie “Giggles” Mitges invited us to sit in with him,” said Culbert. “That was the first time and we noticed the audience was really responsive. It was pretty sweet. People seemed to like it. I think there were even people that got up to dance.”

    They draw guidance and inspiration from jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker as well as many local musicians such as Daniels, Mitges, Nick Macerollo, Brent Rowan, Marc Mongrain, Dave O’Neil, Jason Raso and others.

    A testament to Valet’s arrival on to the local jazz scene is that they are playing Manhattans Sept. 13 as part of the Around Town performances of the Guelph Jazz Festival that runs from Sep 11 – 15.

    They continue to grow their repertoire and challenge themselves as jazz musicians.

    “I find it the best genre of music to play because it is so enlightening,” said saxophonist Jakob Durst. “It is a form of expression. I don’t see it just as a song. It’s a way to express yourself every time. There is a great quote. ‘Jazz is the only music where if you pick one note it will sound different every night.’

    For more information about Valet and other artists performing during the Guelph Jazz Festival visit: www.guelphjazzfestival.com

    Original article
    https://www.guelphtoday.com/arts-culture/young-jazz-musicians-are-playing-to-their-own-beat-1652202?utm_source=Email_Share&utm_medium=Email_Share&utm_campaign=Email_Share&fbclid=IwAR17U7ssZIaVODjyvtEhbiUC5owl0KAwtCRY97hNQi35hsJruOgdFQoq-BQ

    Tomorrow: Classic Covers Cool Cars Concert Series

    Love live music? Cool cars? Love the idea of enjoying both PLUS refreshments and delicious food-truck food under summer skies?

    Royal City Studios has you covered with its Classic Covers – Cool Cars Concert Series.

    The first concert kicks off on Sunday, August 11th from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Royal City Studios, 930 Woodlawn Road W., Unit 1.

    Here’s what’s on tap:

    Eight bands scheduled to perform your favorite classic rock songs in front of local celeb judges:

    • 4:00 Silver and Gold
    • 4:30 Buffoonery
    • 5:00 Turk and the Hobbits
    • 5:30 TBA
    • 6:00 Marion Drexler Ban
    • 6:30 The Bend
    • 7:00 Vintage Flight
    • 7:30 Near Myth

    All bands are competing for three spots in Royal City Studios’ upcoming Classic Covers – Cool Cars Concert Series on September 8th and October 6th, and your applause matters.

    Cool classic, muscle and exotic performance cars on display. Want to show off your own cool ride? You’re invited to arrive at 3 p.m. to grab your parking spot.

    Food trucks with ready-to-eat foods and treats: Eating Clouds mobile bakery (specializing in custom cakes, cookies and marshmallows) and Subshack (submarine sandwiches and wraps with fresh toppings).

    Used but Not Abused Gear Sale happening on site: musical instruments, pro audio gear, amplifiers, and more. Got some gear you want to sell? Bring it to Royal City Studios from 2 – 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 11th, and pick up any unsold gear from 8 – 9 p.m.

    Supporting Pillars of This Concert Experience

    • Music Lives
    • Pinnacle Advanced Driving Academy
    • Ian Andrews (of Ian Andrews & The Smokin’ Scoundrels)
    • Ken Feakins Personal Training
    • Speedpro Imaging The Golden Triangle
    • Xristopher Bland (abmCreative)

    It’s all starts on Sunday, August 11th, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Royal City Studios, located at 930 Woodlawn Road W., Unit 1.

    (Please spread the word!)
    https://www.facebook.com/classiccoverscoolcars/
    Instagram:  @classiccoverscoolcars

    Musicians: Open Auditions for Cover Band Concert Series!

    Before Jane Siberry (a.k.a Issa) became an award-winning Canadian music icon, Siberry was waiting tables in downtown Guelph at the original Carden Street Café (now Bin 23 Restaurant at 6 Carden Street), and although she had an innate musical and songwriting talent that would eventually lead to 16 studio albums and three chart singles in the Canadian RPM Hot 100, her musical career didn’t begin percolating until Carden Street Café owner James Gordon encouraged Siberry to flex her musical wings.

    Before the Constantines became a Juno-nominated band dubbed “rock’s guiding light” by Exclaim!magazine, the Guelph-based band was playing basement shows at the homes of band members Bryan Webb and Doug MacGregor. After fellow Guelph band Royal City played at one such show, Royal City subsequently helped the Constantines secure a record deal with the newly formed Guelph-based indie label Three Gut Records, who released the Constantines’ self-titled debut album in 2001.

    Before Guelph-based band the Kramdens embarked on a musical career that would include five studio albums and performances on television and at high-profile music festivals around the world, band front-man Craig Norris was an aspiring musician and songwriter before meeting the Kramdens’ guitarist/producer Steve Knox in 1990 through a local band competition.

    These three stories (and many others just like them) evidence three things that will always be true in music, whether you’re a solo musician looking for band mates or a band looking for opportunities:

    1. Making connections is important because music is a community.
    2. You never know where you’ll find those connections.
    3. You never know who those connections will be.

    In music (like life in general), networking is key to uncovering and fostering connections. And if you can play music and have fun along the way (which is likely what attracted you to music in the first place), you’re pretty much in a sweet spot of allowance, meaning:

    • connections tend to just show up
    • things just seem to happen
    • opportunities tend to simply reveal themselves

    If this kind of thing sounds appealing then you may want to mark your calendar for July 21st and head to the Royal City Studios Open Rock Jam from 7-10 p.m. at Royal City Studios, 930 Woodlawn Road W., Unit 1, in Guelph.

    Poster design by RCS concierge and musician Mike Tremblatt.

    Open to all ages and musical skill levels, the Royal City Studios Open Rock Jam is your chance to:

    • connect with fellow musicians
    • plug into unknown opportunities
    • have fun and play music

    Here’s a walkthrough of how the night will go:

    • 7 – 7:15 p.m.: We’ll tell you the guidelines for the jam, hand out song chords for two songs, and group musicians together.
    • 7:15 – 8 p.m.: Groups will jam on Song 1.
    • 8 – 8:15 p.m.: Groups/songs will switch up.
    • 8:15 – 9 p.m.: Groups will jam on Song 2.
    • 9 – 10 p.m.: Each group will perform songs 1 and 2.

    Royal City Studios will provide ampsPAvocal mics, and drums. We also have watercoffee and refreshments on hand, and our washrooms are fully accessible.

    Whatever your clef, our accessible washrooms have you covered. ?

    For just $5 (or PWYC), all you need to do is grab your instrument, walk in and get your groove on.

    No car to get to the jam? No problem. You can grab the No. 18 bus from the Woodlawn Smart Centres to Imperial, where it’s a short walk to Royal City Studios (930 Woodlawn Rad West, Unit 1). Or you can grab the No. 7 bus, which runs north along Elmira Road from Willow Road.

    Or ask a parent or friend with a car to give you a ride and join you for the jam. The musical road is filled with musicians getting rides from friends.

    Don’t miss your opportunity to make your connection at the first Royal City Studios Open Rock Jam.

    It all starts July 21st at 7 p.m. at Royal City Studios, 930 Woodlawn Road W., Unit 1, in Guelph.

    See you there!
    https://royalcitystudios.ca/

    Album Review: Please Come Back! I Still Love You!

    Septic Absess of Putrifaction.  Now, there’s a name for you!  That is, if you like the genre of music called “brutal grindcore.”  I’m not sure that I’ve been exposed to such a genre, and I’m glad it was someone I’m friendly with who asked me to review their latest creation;  Please Come Back!  I Still Love You!

    The intro of the album is a cutesy spoken word piece call “First Date.”  “Holding my cranium in the palm of your hand, I arch my head backward and you kiss the side of my neck and touch the surface of my earlobe.  I can hardly keep myself from shivering in anticipation…” No more spoilers!

    The following 6 songs are short, heavy, dark-metal versions of that opening narrative.  Impressive sound combinations coming from a duo.  Connor rouses us with screams and death growls while Will shreds in tandem with picking playfully on electric guitar.   The album contains a few quirky sound bites like in their song, “Like U” when the character Mark Corrigan from the 2003 series “The Interview” explains his desire for Sophie Chapman.

    At this point, I was really warmed up to what I was hearing and the next few songs were music to my ears.  I have little clue as to what Connor was screaming and growling about, and then in the outro song “Milkshake”, I had the opportune moment to hear him paint a Van Gogh into my mind’s vista, describing the lancing of a sore from his visage.

    I’m thankful for the opportunity to gorge on Hot ‘n’ Sour soup at Wok’s Taste and be entertained by this audible force.  From the photos, it would appear they have a splash zone at their live performance and I’m sorry to have missed them play DSTRCT!

    Go and give them a listen, and if you get the chance, Septic Absess of Putrifaction is playing at Silence August 23rd.

    Image may contain: one or more people, people standing, people on stage and indoor

    Musicians of All Ages: Open Jams begin @Royal City Studios

     

    On Sunday July 21st, come out and join the first in a series of Open Jams. Meet some new musician friends and jam on some great tunes! $5 or Pay What You Can at the door.

    Schedule · Sunday, 21 July 2019

    19:00-19:15
    Guidelines, Hand Out Song Chords, Group Musicians
    19:15-20:00
    Jam on Song 1 in groups
    20:00-20:15
    Switch groups/songs
    20:15-21:00
    Jam on Song 2 in groups
    21:00-22:00
    Perform 1 or 2 songs from each group

    Join the discussion on the Facebook event page!
    https://www.facebook.com/events/637428796726303/?notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1562532115799743

    Royal City Studios is OPEN!!


    Located in the far North West corner of Guelph is the brand new, sparkly, one of a kind, state of the art, holy of all holies… Royal City Studios!  We were asked to come out and take a tour and this place does NOT let down.  Jim Duffield, owner and operator (and saxophonist for Eclectic Vinyl Orchestra) had a dream to bring a big city quality facility to The City of Music (soon enough) and the impressive renovations are almost completed.

    This space is multi-faceted, in that you can rehearse in different sizes of studios for proportional prices, the smaller being only $5/person per hour.  You can also record with their specially built studio and you can bring in your own audio tech, OR choose from 4 different levels of audio engineers to suit your needs at relative prices!

    Not only that, but there’s a huge, 180 capacity Music Hall that you can throw shows in, P.A. included, and Royal City Studios can bring in beer vendors from their neighbours, Wellington Brewery or perhaps Rhythm & Brews from KW!
    That’s a triple threat in your face!
    But wait, there’s more!

    A lounge with snacks/drinks for musicians to congregate and session musicians to hang out.  We saw and got to meet a just a few of these cool cats during our visit.  This made Bryan say, “Even if your business wanted to lay down a jingle.  This place would be quick and easy.”  Just check out this super informative Musician Blog..
    They also have a massive parking lot, bus stop right next to them, sell replaceable (and forgettable) sticks, picks, strings, reeds, etc.
    This place has it all and promoters should take advantage.

    Check them out
    https://royalcitystudios.ca/

    Royal City Studios

    2019 Hillside Festival Lineup Announced!

    2019 Hillside Festival Line-Up!

    We called some people and sent some emails and rang some doorbells to get this summer’s line-up all together for you and here’s who’s playing Hillside July 12-14 in twenty nineteen:

    &More

    Alan Doyle

    Altin Gün

    Alysha Brilla

    Andrew Craig

    Bird City

    Birds of Chicago

    Bruce Cockburn

    The Burning Hell

    Busby Marou

    Carmanah

    Cartel Madras

    Chippy Nonstop

    Common Holly

    DJ NDN

    Dwayne Gretzky

    Echlo

    El Coyote

    Ellevator

    Ellis

    Fast Romantics

    Foxwarren

    Front Country

    Fucked Up

    Harrow Fair

    Haviah Mighty

    Hymns57

    Ian Blurton’s Future Now

    Jenn Grant

    Jeremie Albino

    John Southworth & The South Seas

    Josh Q. and The Trade-Offs

    Joyful Joyful

    Kobo Town

    Lydia Persaud

    The Mastersons

    Orville Peck

    The Pairs

    Quantum Tangle

    Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi

    Richard Reed Parry’s Quiet River

    The Sea The Sea

    Skydiggers featuring Paul Langlois of the Tragically Hip

    Snotty Nose Rez Kids

    Songhoy Blues

    Splash N’ Boots

    Steve Earle & The Dukes

    Systema Solar

    Valérie Ekoumè

    Wild Rivers

    The Wilderness

    Yonatan Gat & The Eastern Medicine Singers

    and more TBA!

    Get your tickets using the internet!

    Or get them using the actual, real world!  Buy them in person!

    Weekend Passes $129* (for a limited time)
    Senior (65+) Weekend Pass $79.50*
    Friday ticket $57*
    Saturday ticket $85*
    Sunday ticket $85*

    (*HST and service fees are extra)

    Guelph outlets: 

    Kitchener outlet:

    Toronto outlet:

    Hamilton outlet:

    Thanks for considering the Hillside Festival for all of your one-of-a-kind summer music community festival needs! 

     

    We win some, we get nominated for some

    Horn tooting is never good. In fact, most tooting is very bad in today’s society. But having said that, let us allow us to toot our own horn for a moment because we work very hard at a lot of different things and sometimes we receive recognition for such efforts and we think it will make you feel good to know that we feel pretty good about ourselves. For example, here are some of the plaudits we’ve received recently:

    1. The International Clearwater Award (photographed above), “presented to a festival that prioritizes environmental stewardship and demonstrates public leadership in sustainable event production.” Boy, did we win the hell out of this one! This was presented to us in February 2019 at the Folk Alliance International conference in Montreal. Tom Power of the CBC radio show, q, was the MC/host.
    2. The Festivals & Events Ontario Best Greening of a Festival Award, which was presented to us in London, Ontario in March 2019. We are happy to offer other festivals advice about how they can be greener too. After all, we’re all in this together.
    3. Finalist for the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. This is the second year we have been a finalist. Last year, Debajehmujig Storytellers won in the arts organization category. And this year, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts festival won. Congrats to them!

     

    Systema Solar, just going for a very normal stroll

    You’ve seen the line-up! Tickets are available now so don’t delay! Click the yellow box below and be whisked away to a place where you tell your kids they can’t do a thing you’re doing exactly as you’re telling them they can’t do it. Summer fun!

    Connect with us on our socials!

    Have a listen to previous albums by Snotty Nose Rez Kids ahead of the May 10 release of their latest hip-hop opus, Trapline.

    “[Hillside is] a beautiful, family-friendly environment; musicians for all tastes, artists, vendors; an awesome venue to celebrate peace and friends. This is a standout event not only because of the artists and organizers, but its Earth-First mentality blows other events out of the water.”

    — Kimberly Peace, Hillside-goer

     

    LET’S DO THIS! 

    HAPPY HILLSIDE!

     

    Publicist, Hillside Festival

    341 Woolwich Street,
    Guelph, ON N1H 3W4
    Tel:  519.763.6396

    Fax: 519.763.9514

    GAIN Music & Arts Festival 2019 part 1 by Dana

     

    You heard correctly, folks, the 9th annual Gain Music and Arts Festival has begun! This is my second year being involved with the festival, though last year I strictly worked cover at Van Gogh’s Ear, the entrance to three floors of musical magic, in coordination with DSTRCT & DSTRCT Lounge. This year, not unlike others, we were blessed with several awesome and welcoming venues around Downtown Guelph to enjoy the festivities in: Jimmy Jazz, Red Brick Café, DSTRCT & DSTRCT Lounge, Apple Salon, Red Papaya and Brothers Brewing Company. This year, as a newly appointed intern, it became my responsibility to represent GAIN Music at the daytime shows, while resuming my role as cover-girl-extraordinaire at DSTRCT in the evenings – with that said, I wasn’t able to see any of the evening shows.

    I began my adventure at Apple Salon on Friday for an afternoon of acoustic one-man gigs performed by Jeremy Dodge, Ben Heffernan, and Jesse Ronan. The original lineup included Olivia Borkosky of the recently disbanded Olivia and the Creepy Crawlies, but she was unable to make it to the show. Nonetheless, the bill was packed with engaging solo acts that, in combination with the lovely salon space, provided a serene afternoon festival experience. Apple Salon has been a staple in the Guelph haircare community since 1996, and is located in an historic Downtown building in Market Square. The show was a casual accompaniment to a routine hair appointment at their favourite studio for some, and an intimate musical experience for the small crowd, most tucked cozily into corners so as not to disrupt the workplace.

    Jeremy Dodge is a local Guelph musician, emerging from his former role as bassist in Seducing Medusa who disbanded in 2017. This was his first formal acoustic set, aside from allegedly jamming at parties, though he didn’t seem unsure of himself or his sound. Jeremy has a very honest and comfortable presence as an artist, and it was very enjoyable to see him play a hearty handful of homestyle tunes in his socks. His originals were beautifully written, some finished as recently as the morning of the show, and his covers ranged from Frank Turner to Alexisonfire, adding his own flare to the originals. He mentioned that he has been enjoying the practice of playing and performing more, adding that there will likely be an EP in the works shortly. You heard it here first. Find him on Facebook – tell him Dana sent you.

    Ben Heffernan is an award-winning singer/songwriter from London, Ontario. Emerging onto the Canadian folk scene as a force to be reckoned with, he brought with him to GAIN Fest a mighty sound that filled the salon room with a nostalgic sense of home. He started his set with a bustling original song, and carried the audience into the rest of his set that was packed with many more roaring originals, and some covers, one of which was added to the “Canada Covers Tom Petty” Spotify playlist. His presence as a performer was full of energy and very poised, and he was a joy to watch. At only 18, he has played over 150 shows around Canada, usually with a full band, and has several releases for your enjoyment. Check out his website: www.benheffernanmusic.com

    Jesse Ronan is a solo artist from Guelph, who brought with him an electric guitar and 8 pedals, which I knew was a sign of some magic to come. I think I met Jesse at a New Year’s Eve party (where we may or may not have shared a legal smokeable), but it was not nearly as radical or dreamy as his music. As a performer, his easy-going personality came through clearly, as he was very casually engaging in conversation with everyone watching, asking for suggestions on what to play, and inviting his friends to join in on the performance. He said he was comfortable sharing his harmonica with us, because he doesn’t have mouth herpes, which I thought was kind of him. His sound was tubular, surfy and spunky all at once, I fell into a slight trance while I was watching. Check him out on Facebook or Instagram.


    My time at Apple Salon was enjoyable and full of sweet sounds. I unfortunately had to leave early to set up at DSTRCT, but the rest of the night there ran very smoothly, and we were busy with many loyal show-goers and scene-supporters. On the venue’s second floor, we were graced by the sounds of The Breaking English, Jeremy & The Pink Band, Waivers, The Kramdens, Vida, Wakeless and Texas King. On the third floor we enjoyed Moscow Apartment, Excuse Me., The Boo Radley Project and Boyscout. I heard bits and pieces of all of it from the stairwell when I wasn’t busy assuring the efficiency of everyone’s door experience, but it was undoubtedly a successful evening of community building through expression.

    For Saturday’s daytime festivities, I’m hanging out at DSTRCT for the Jam School show. Since 2007, the music school’s focus has been on giving young musicians the opportunity to play in bands, and write and record their own music.
    Their regularly-held showcases are culminations of their unique, performance-based teaching style. I attended a school like this in my hometown for many years while I was growing up, so it was exciting and heartwarming to witness young people having similar experiences to the ones I had that made me feel both empowered and humbled as a growing musician.
    The second floor of the 10 Wyndham complex was filled with up-and-coming musicians and their families who were eager to see what the students have been working on recently. The lineup was stacked with 2, 3 and 4-piece powerhouses that had to offer a variety of original songs and covers of classics across 9 different acts. Even with a crossover of members at times, each ensemble had their own style, ranging from floaty duos to heavy hitting metal teams. All the performers alike brought their best selves despite being new to the practice of performing, and put on an excellent and inspiring show. Big shout out to the guys who played the Pokémon theme song – I appreciated that.
    Check out Jam School on Facebook, or find a child and enrol them in this school!


    Tonight at DSTRCT, on floor 2, we have a hip hop showcase featuring Left Lane, St. Flex, 96Soul, Vic NS, Robbie G, Trey YZ and Grand Analog! On the third floor, there’s more music: Livid, Conductor, Herman and Versa. You don’t want to miss this – come see me!

    I hope you enjoy your GAIN Fest experience as much as I have so far, let me know how all the shows are going while I shiver at the door! See y’all later.

    Dana CK is a  writer with Music Lives and a booking intern for GAIN Music. She’s also the cover girl you see freezing through the winter months at the door of DSTRCT. Find her on Facebook (Dana CK) or Instagram (@ddanasdfghjkl) to ask about the musical happenings of Guelph.

    Photos courtesy of Dana CK and Rick Hall

    A Subreddit Called r/GuelphOnMusic

    Hey everyone, Cody James McDusa just started a subreddit called r/GuelphOnMusic
    His hopes are to try and get a place where all local musicians and fans of music can share their music, or find band/jam members or post about shows or anything of that sort.
    hope to see a bunch of you over there.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/GuelphOnMusic/

    Also looking for a few moderators to help run it. Shoot him a message if you’re interested!

    Submit For The Weakerthans Tribute Album for CAMH

    weakerthansbackground.jpg

    This Is A Call To Arms

    The Weakerthans are a beloved Canadian Indie rock band formed in 1997 by John K. Samson in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

    Our Mandate is simple: We’re putting together a Tribute Album, have gotten the OK from the band and submissions are currently open. We aim to present proceeds both to CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) & CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) and will be crowdfunding for the eventual production of the album. Email For Submission Guidelines

    Weakerthans.jpg

    Facebook page for Tribute Album
    Website for Tribute Album

    Local Diva Danielle Todd’s New Single “Crazy” Release

    Local Guelph country/folk singer Danielle Todd‘s new single “Crazy” has been released! Check it out via https://danielletoddmusic.ca/ or…

    Show Review: Catl/The Namedroppers/Essential Letdowns by Dana

    On Friday, DSTRCT hosted a wild show on its second floor featuring Catl, The Namedroppers and The Essential Letdowns.

    DSTRCT is a divey 2-floor entertainment venue that brings together a strong community of local and international musicians alike, whose fruits cover the wide spectrum of genres available for consumption. The second floor is usually home to live bands, ranging from 6-piece metal powerhouses to solo noise-punk expressions, with folk, jazz, surf, indie rock and even beatboxers between. The third floor bears its resident DJs that provide a chic, nightclub environment that rests, but never sleeps, atop the downtown core. As a by-artist-for-artist enterprise, DSTRCT uniquely brings the worlds of local and well-known acts to one place, and allows the final product to be readily accessible to Guelph’s gung-ho show-goers. This is my first time reviewing a show at DSTRCT, but I’ve worked the doors of this bar for over a year now, and I can vouch for the loyalty of many bands’ followers. It’s a great place to support your friends’ bands, and also walk out with a comprehensive glimpse of what Guelph has to offer musically. DSTRCT is also the home of GAIN Music, who puts together a yearly festival in March (stay tuned.)

    For this night only, I had the pleasure of working coat check instead of collecting cover at my usual front door post, so I was actually able to see the show. I’ve missed out on a lot of weekend shows to work the doors, but in turn I typically have the chance to connect personally with the performers and their promoters – this time, I was merely an audience member with a paid fascination for keeping coats safe. There were moments during the sets in which I wasn’t able to devote my full attention due to my duties but I was able to enjoy all that I saw.

    The night started slightly behind schedule, so the first band gave us a little taste of how they can live up to their name. I’m kidding. I had an extra minute to get a pre-show smoke in. The Essential Letdowns are a 3-piece “esoteric power trash punk” group from Kitchener and Guelph. I’ve seen them before at Jimmy Jazz, when they opened for The Nasties last year, and in the different form of “Noiz a Noiz,” with whom the group shares two members.
    The band ripped through an 8-song, high-energy set on the DSTRCT stage, and it only took their sound check to ignite the interest of the first few headbangers. They opened with a second attempt at a rockabilly tune they apparently tried elsewhere in October, and continued with a tribute to the punks living in Royal City that frequent events like this. Their quick-lipped tales of misfit had the audience reminiscing on their seemingly UK-punk influences, and kept everyone’s attention to their lyrics about drinking and coping with the pressure to fit in. Their general energy and stage presence was good, though at times I felt that more of the stage could have been used to express the angst that was being communicated through their songs. Once I realized that two of the three members had to remain at their mic and drums, it made more sense and I let it go. Little did I know that the guitarist would be put on the bassist/singer’s shoulders later – I think that made up for the nervousness I sensed at times. At one point frontman Joey’s bass strap fell off, in response to which he exclaimed “shit is flying everywhere” and I think that when he did it up again, it was somehow lower than before. A classic punk move was the lead into one of their original songs that invites the listener to relate to the essence of their band, roaring, “you’re a letdown too!” Among their originals, The Essential Letdowns performed a cover of Toots and the Maytals’ “Monkey Man,” which I enjoyed a lot. I would recommend checking out their three recorded releases, and if you’re looking to go to a show soon you can find them in Kitchener at Harmony Lunch on the 19th.
    www.essentialetdowns.bandcamp.com
    www.facebook.com/theessentialetdowns

    The Namedroppers arrived in their usual show get-up, frontman Anthony Damaio dressed in an all-white suit, sporting the red-blue 3D glasses. I hadn’t seen this band live before, but I had acquainted myself with their album, “My Funny Hypochondriac” (2018) in the process of reviewing it for a radio show I almost got off the ground. The ensemble is a wild and pleasantly boisterous 4-man-band based out of Guelph, whose style I would call Fusion “Junk,” (as in Jazz-punk.) Their bio on Facebook hits inquirers with a cold, “none of your business,” and their Bandcamp page suggests that their creations are, “party music for people who don’t have any friends.” They’ve got three albums out, the latest of which is “Uno Mas,” a 6-track sleeze-fusion farewell to their long-time rhythm section. I find this band to be especially charming, and their set did not disappoint.
    Upon delivering a short and sweet intro and dodging brief technical difficulties, the band dove into a bustling 9-song set. The psycho-spinny and winding riffs took the crowd straight into the converging point between jazz, surf and desert, even catching licks of some beachyness. Anthony’s vocals are captivating in that his stylistic range covers the growls, the screeching and the vibrato of jazz while also clearly communicating the music’s message of comfortable chaos and confusion. While his sing-speak, tell-you-how-it-oughta-be lyricism was the focal point of many songs, there was heavy emphasis on the individual talents of the group, and each song had room for solos that refocused the buzzing crowd’s attention. After the concluding congratulations to the guitarist Michael’s recent marriage, the band closed off with two short songs. I was dealing with coats at this point, as well as an anonymous audience member who offered me a suggestion for how to describe this band: The Namedroppers are like a mixture of Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, and “several unnamed stimulants.” We mean that endearingly, of course!
    If you’re interested in seeing The Namedroppers live, you’ll find them roaming around Hamilton and Kitchener late this March. Check their Facebook page to see a bunch of 3D glasses memes and enjoy.

    www.namedroppers.bandcamp.com
    www.facebook.com/thenamedroppersband

    Catl is a rock and roll shit show duo, also meant endearingly, from Toronto. Anthony from The Namedroppers actually showed me their music on a car ride towards a Toronto show last year, and I remember trying to find them online when I thought their name was Cattle. Amateur. It’s been a while since then, and not only do I know their correct name now, I know their blues-punk music and how well they can keep a crowd engaged. Even though the couple had recently returned from a European tour, their energy and teamwork held strong, and they put on a great show. By this time, the coat situation had really picked up, but I was able to write a few things down about their performance. Sarah Kirkpatrick on the two-piece drum kit first reminded us that it’s 2019 now and invited everyone up to the front to start the year on a closer, more engaged note, and so they began. Her energy on the drums was excellent, as she didn’t seem to miss a beat. A few hiccups otherwise didn’t stop the “gruesome twosome” from delivering the wonderfully harmonized tunes. The vocal back-and-forth style kind of reminded me of Born Ruffians, another great Toronto group, blended with ruggedness of The Black Diamond Heavies from Nashville, TN, which is a mix I had never pondered before. The rockabilly vibe was strong, and with the reverb effect on the vocals, it felt like we were all being warped onto a different planet on which the civil duty was to dance. Near the end of the set, the duo instructed the crowd to sing along to their song, “Hot Baked Cornbread and Spice,” from their most recent 2018 release “Bide My Time Until I Die.” Another good crowd-engagement move. The twirling and stomping of the listeners was no where near dwindling, but they initially ended their set with an ode to cat-calling men, fondly referred to as douchebags, and then returned for an encore. The raw and roaring nature of their music left everyone full of energy, and some fans kept the dancing going anyways. If you’re curious to listen to Catl’s creations, check out one of their five full-length albums. If you’re searching for a live experience of what I’ve just described, Catl will be in Toronto on February 2nd, and for my readers south of the border, in Chicago on May 4th.

    Photos courtesy of: Rachel Lee Cabeceira

    Dana CK is a writer with Music Lives and a booking intern for GAIN Music. She’s also the cover girl you see freezing through the winter months at the door of DSTRCT. Find her on Facebook (Dana CK) or Instagram (@ddanasdfghjkl) to ask about the musical happenings of Guelph.

    Hillside Inside Announces Lineup!

    HILLSIDE INSIDE ANNOUNCES 2019 SHOWS

    Featuring Whitehorse! William Prince! Birds of Chicago! Cécile Doo-Kingue!

    much more TBA!
    February 8-10, Downtown Guelph

    TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

    The Hillside Festival is pleased to announce its initial line-up for our 2019 edition of Hillside Inside!

    On Friday February 8, acclaimed artists Whitehorse and Birds of Chicago perform at Royal City Church and more information about the artists, venue, and tickets can be found here.

    On Saturday February 9, the wondrous William Prince and Cécile Doo-Kingue take to the Royal City Church stage and more information about the artists, venue, and tickets can be found here

    Stay tuned for announcements about further events soon!

    About Hillside Festival

    The annual summer Hillside Festival and winter Hillside Inside festival are three-day, multi-stage events with a broad artistic vision that emphasizes diversity: of culture, of musical heritage and style, of age, geography and influence. Set in a beautiful, accessible conservation area with campgrounds on Guelph Lake, our summer festival is world-renowned as one of Canada’s most progressive, environmentally conscious, completely non-commercial community celebrations. We create a village on Guelph Lake Island that we fill with music, dance, drumming, food, crafts, and more. Beyond our winter festival, please join us on the Island this summer! July 12 – 14, 2019

    For more insight about Hillside Inside, artist images, and to speak to its organizers or any of its participants, please contact us at media@hillsifestival.ca. If you want to send us advance, concurrent, or review coverage of Hillside Inside, that’d be rad. Thanks for your support!

    — 

    Publicist, Hillside Festival

    341 Woolwich Street,
    Guelph, ON N1H 3W4
    Tel:  519.763.6396

    Fax: 519.763.9514

    HillsideFestival.ca

    The Boo Radley Project @Brothers Brewing by Dana

    To aid in kicking off the first weekend of Downtown Guelph’s Music Weekend Series, The Boo Radley Project put on an excellent show at the Brothers Brewing Company Ale House in the historic Petrie Building this past Sunday afternoon.

    I arrived a bit late, but was able to watch almost all of The Boo Radley Project’s two hour set. All in all, it was a vivacious, exciting boogie – the whole performance. Equipped with a great sense of humour, spooky blow-up lawn decor and projections of home-movies and Pokémon scenes, the enthusiastic 7-sometimes-8-piece ensemble dove head first into the funk-hole and took the packed ale house on a wild ride. The group is mostly based in Guelph/Elora, with some from Montréal, Toronto and Vaughan, as well, and with the Downtown brewery doors open, they localized a large crowd. Their stage presence as a group struck me as very comfortable, kind and flexible, as the members were at times switching between their many instruments, including a trumpet, violin, electric mandolin, bongos and a couple of 6-string basses. Among their tasty originals, they performed covers of The Misfits, John Mellencamp, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Talking Heads, with a bonus cover of Kool and the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie,” which got those who weren’t already out of their seats moving.

    The band’s ability to improvise and make the most of their allotted time was impressive – I could see frontman Emmett quickly communicating with the rest of the group to play another progression and let trumpet man Raphaël carry on a little longer, which was a real treat, as I don’t often get to hear live brass at my usual metal or folk outings. In pretty much every song, each instrument had its own moment, and remaining members ducked down to make sure you knew who to look at, which I found especially sweet. Throughout the set they told stories of how they came across certain songs, and their inside-joke charm really made me feel like I was at one of their personal jam sessions. It was a warm-fuzzy kind of thing.
    Their music was excellent; fast paced, energetic and full. I would describe it from my frame of reference as a hearty mix of Vampire Weekend, Five Alarm Funk and The Growlers. I really, really enjoyed it. The raspiness of the lead’s voice as well as the use of both strings and brass created a full, musically enhanced hug, if that hug were also a dance. The whole performance was so full of ska-funk energy, and everyone was moving. Even when the band slowed things down and played a country song they said they learned while stopping into the Boots and Hearts festival, just while they were in the area, the crowd didn’t lose focus. Brant, the man of the mandolin, lent his voice to the tune and left several of my surrounding friends in shock. The group’s talent, coordination and a strong will to be flexible and dynamic in structure yielded an engaging and poised set. With a few concluding words from Nik Wever of GAIN music, the event had come to a close, and the blow-up-take-down had begun.

    If you’re interested in seeing The Boo Radley Project in action, which i strongly recommend, check them out at one of their fast-approaching shows in Montréal or Peterborough on the 18th or 19th. I also recommend you check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BooRadleyProject/ where you’ll see their sense of humour firsthand (especially in their bios) while keeping up-to-date with their success. I had an excellent time at this event, supporting the Downtown Guelph music scene and my friends at GAIN (https://www.facebook.com/GAINMusic/) and I hope to see some more familiar faces at the next Music Weekend event on Saturday at Royal Electric.

    Brought to you by Downtown Guelph businesses, Celebrate Ontario and local music promoters, the Music Weekend series highlights up-and-coming local acts and their hosting venues through PWYC shows across the Downtown area. In its third year, an additional artistic element has been newly cultivated by the invited presence of non-musical art such as spoken word, dance and live art performances. Each event provides a comprehensive glimpse into the Downtown Guelph art scene, and encourages Guelphites and visitors alike to explore venues they otherwise might not have known to visit. The project spans over 10 weeks, between January 5th and March 10th, and more info can be found about the upcoming instalments at the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/musicweekends/

    Dana CK is a writer with Music Lives and a booking intern for GAIN Music. She’s also the cover girl you see freezing through the winter months at the door of DSTRCT. Find her on Facebook (Dana CK) or Instagram (@ddanasdfghjkl) to ask about the musical happenings of Guelph.

    Guelph Music Scene Loses Prominent, Long Time Member.

    https://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story/9092709-police-say-molly-kurvink-62-died-after-her-iceboat-broke-through-guelph-lake/?fbclid=iwar1ki9grrn7db6kxfrqoiz2tfriuyouuwebexlrlpbtmmxmuv9wbhpr7xok

    With a heavy heart we sadly report the passing of Molly Kurvink of Guelph-based Tamarack.  She passed away Tuesday after her iceboat broke through Guelph Lake.  Harri Palm is still in hospital and I’m sending my best wishes to him.  I only met Molly briefly at Jimmy Jazz, but Harri had a show on CFRU after mine and we got acquainted, and he spoke often and highly of Molly.  Please send their families your best.

    “Guelph-based Tamarack was a seminal step along the path of promoting and expanding Canadian traditional, and contemporary folk music. Their début album Music of Canada consisted almost entirely of traditional songs. Later albums (17 in total) included original songs that maintained traditional folk/roots subjects and style. James Gordon, Molly Kurvink, Alex Sinclair, and others reunite to celebrate this milestone of a legendary Canadian folk group.”

    https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/molly-kurvink-remembered-by-tamarack-band-mates-1168508

    Local Musicians Section at Sunrise Records!

    *Correction:  Management at Sunrise Records prefers that you contact Sarah at stoneroad@sunriserecords.com concerning getting your music on their shelves.  The manager of the Guelph location is Sarah at stoneroad@sunriserecords.com!

    Sunrise Records in the Stone Road Mall has a section of music dedicated to local artists!  Bry was perusing the mall during the Black Friday sale to see what all the fuss was about, and he happened upon a wild Nick Clark of Pressed by Nick and creator of Punk Rock Flea Market Guelph.  He was excited to show Bry about the local music section, at which incredulousness Bry scoffed with a pugnacious “Ha!” fit for a Tzar or Phyllis Dyller.
    “Seriously,” Nick contended and gesticulated with his outstretched paw, and trundled sweatily along the central gangway.  “Look, Odd YearsCopper HeartsFrank DuxStill SoundMonica Chapman.  A bunch of ’em,” he labored.
    “Well, slap me around and call me Susan,” Bry bloviated.  “I’ll have to formulate a composition of this rendez-vous deploying third party unthriftiness for Music Lives.”

    And so it was.  Check out the local artist section!  And get in touch with super star Nick Clark about getting your album on the shelf, if you feel your band is worthy.  Bry knows there’s been a lot of amazing music coming out of Guelph and area that he would love to see displayed on the rack.

    Musica Delenit Bestiam Feram.

    Hellbent/Botfly/The Story Of. Review by Dana

    On Saturday November 17, Pink Lemonade Records debuted three of their recently signed bands. The Story Of…, Botfly and Hellbent took the Jimmy Jazz down a dismal path of tenacious expression and left several people I know bruised and without proper hearing. It was a show that made me dizzy and broke my glasses, so it was a good one.

    Hellbent (Toronto, ON) started off the show a bit earlier than planned as they had to scoot out early, but I still made it on time, which I think is worth mentioning. Making great use of a small setting, the band promptly established their territory by throwing down some serious fits of vitality on it. Despite their high energy and catchy lyricism, the crowd seemed shy – though they had indeed gathered to witness their musical testimony firsthand. Between songs, vocalist Phill was nervously pacing as if he was about to burst from the seams, taking this time to give ample shoutouts to the label, bands and bar staff. Attendees were thanked for their tolerance, which I found funny. After that, back to the heavy stuff. Original songs like “Benchman” and “Washed Out” had the crowd concentrated on the coordination between instruments and vocal verses, and they also played a cover of Descendent’s “Coffee Mug.” Shitpunk outfit Hellbent played an enjoyable, heavy and catchy set.
    By the time this review is posted, they’ll have played shows in Kitchener and Ajax, but you can check them out with Botfly in Windsor, Hamilton, Ottawa and Sherbrooke throughout the rest of this week.

    https://hellbentband.bandcamp.com
    https://www.facebook.com/hellbenthc

    Botfly (Halifax, NS) is a dynamic hardcore noise punk three-piece that I enjoy thoroughly. They’ve been a favourite of mine since they played DSTRCT earlier this year, and their 2017 self-titled album is a masterpiece that I’ve heavily acquainted myself with since. In addition to that success, they’ve released a new compilation of songs they’ve written over the last 5 years of musical camaraderie. “Dark Days” is available now on all streaming platforms, and physical copies can be purchased through the Pink Lemonade Big Cartel (https://pinklemonaderecords.bigcartel.com). Vocalist/guitarist Keegan assured me that this set would be a healthy mix of both records, and that it was.
    Opening with the roaring “Code Name” of their self-titled, the crowd seemed to be more comfortable with their surroundings, and started moving more than just their heads. We can probably give some credit to the liquor license, too, which also probably had something to do with the lack of notes I took during their set. I was additionally intoxicated by the volume – I seriously felt dizzy at times – and I still can’t hear fully. I can assure you that this band commands attention by dragging you through fits of rage that are ruptured by lulls of dissociative bridges and glued together with heavy breakdowns. Tasty as hell. They played my favourite tunes of theirs, “Yellow Bike Road” (ST) “Rat Scum” (DD) and “Melancholy in Real Time” (ST,) which I was stoked on. Their closing song, “Untitled 1,” (DD) was introduced with gloomy convulsions, dragged out at the end with the tossing of instruments, signalling the final outburst, then tapered out with heavy feedback and tricky drumming. The crowd paused in exhaustion to appreciate the set. If you’re looking to catch them live, they’re playing a few places in Ontario for the rest of the week. Do it.

    https://botfly.bandcamp.com
    https://www.facebook.com/botfly902


    The Story Of… (Guelph, ON) consists entirely of my dear friends, two of whom I am employed by, interestingly… The newest addition to Pink Lemonade Records, this band frequents Guelph venues and brings with them a loyal following who love to smack each other around at shows. Things got to their typical level of weird, and I feel thankful to have been there for it. The music was excellent; the fast paced, high energy group yanked the audience in several directions, through tricky riffs and heavy percussion. While I find myself easily lost in their changing rhythms, it’s a comfortable confusion that keeps me on my toes, or stepping on someone else’s.
    Vocalist Nik was equipped with a wireless mic, which foreshadowed an evening of unruliness and using tables like lily pads. I think he was tossed in my direction a few times (I saved his ass and I’m still waiting for my raise.) Each member of this band is individually reckless while playing – I’ve written about White Girl Wasted, with whom The Story Of… shares a member, and that show ended with bags of frozen vegetables on sore areas of the body, so what did you expect?
    All of their song titles are a continuation of the band name: The Story Of… “How I broke my ribs,” for example. I like to call this review, “The Story Of… how I have not yet recovered from Saturday.” Having played together for the first time only one year ago, they have yet to release recordings of these songs, but they’re working together to do so in the new year. To hold the hunger off until then, catch them at this year’s Kronik Kristmas at DSTRCT in Guelph on December 15 before they rest for a month or two.

    https://www.facebook.com/TheStoryOf.Guelph

    A word from Pink Lemonade Records:
    Pink Lemonade Records is best described as a “bedroom label” from Cambridge Ontario.
    [We are a] Non-genre specific label. We love all styles of music and do not limit our partnerships to any one specific genre. Our goal is to work for artists whose drive and passion match their output.
    Starting with our first release in 2017, Pink Lemonade have assisted in or have independently dropped 9 original releases, (8 just in 2018) with even more coming soon.
    Pink Lemonade Records will continue to bring new and exciting releases in the following year and are always looking for new partnerships, innovative sounds and fresh, honest people to join the family.

    Current roster includes:
    Frank Dux
    Conductor
    Father Bodies
    Hellbent
    Botfly
    Sinner
    The Story Of…

    Partnered in releases with:
    Greber
    G.A.S. Drummers
    The Great Sabatini

    “Pink Lemonade Records would also like to thank GAIN Music for allowing us to partner with them for Saturday’s Showcase. Hellbent, Botfly and The Story Of… are 3 really special, unique and quality groups of people that we are proud to be partnered with. Jimmy Jazz was a perfect place for them to display the live translations of their art. We believe this is just the beginning for the Pink Lemonade Records and GAIN Music partnership… more to come. Thanks to everyone who came out and showed support for the bands by rocking the fuck out and for grabbing some merch.”
    -Derek, Pink Lemonade Records

    https://www.facebook.com/pinklemonaderecords

    Dana CK is a  writer with Music Lives and a booking intern for GAIN Music. She’s also the cover girl you see freezing through the winter months at the door of DSTRCT. Find her on Facebook (Dana CK) or Instagram (@ddanasdfghjkl) to ask about the musical happenings of Guelph.

    Photos by Agnieszka of Smyrska Photography

    Music Lives is looking for Music Writers!

    Meet Bryan.
    Hi.  I’m Bryan.
    I work 2 jobs often 7 days/week, am involved with environmental issues and keep the calendar updated as well as I think I can (still not as busy as those folks over at GAIN Music), but I’m always striving to do better!  That being said, there are some venues that I don’t seem to come across often and I’d like every event listed at every venue so that Guelphites and visitors to the Royal City have a vast selection of options for live music events!  (AND Karaoke) If you or someone you know is putting on an event, if you’re a promoter or bookings person at a venue/show that isn’t listed, please let us know via info@musiclives.ca or private messaging on Facebook.

    Being so busy and running this site, I’d really like to support people writing local music reviews.  Music Lives has always been about promoting local music and the more, the merrier.  In an effort to have more content and an increase in post frequency, if you’d like to write show/album reviews, let us know!

    PLEASE SHARE THIS POST and spread the news.

    Thanks and take care of your goodness,

    Bryan

    The Story Of. Plays Tonight, folks.

    I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this explosive downtown Guelph super-group perform a couple of times.  Once it was in this same, intimate Jimmy Jazz venue.
    This, I’m going to highlight right here.
    https://musiclives.ca/event/pink-lemonade-showcase-at-the-jimmy-jazz/

    Album Review: Kent Vodden’s Hot Chicken Sandwich

    Kent Vodden stood at the bar, holding his excitement back behind his spectacles, under his wool flat cap.  He was talking to the bartender about his lengthy musical endeavours.  The bartender, turning toward me said, “You should probably talk to Bryan, he’s been involved in music promotion for a long time.
    Kent came over and introduced himself and went into his love of East coast punk, Celtic punk, his musical influences like Corb Lund and the Hurtin Albertans, and his Nova Scotian music peers such as Halifax Country Rockers  The Stanfields, East River Rats, Machete, and The Bombed Solid.
    After chatting with Kent for awhile about his 30 years of writing music, his last 10 years spent in Nova Scotia, and his brand new 5 song debut EP, he asked what I could do for him.  So I gave him a MusicLives card and I asked him to write me a bio, and said I’ll write a review if I like his music, and we’ll see if we can’t get Kent  some attention from promoters.  Boy, was I going to be surprised…

    “I’ve been writing songs since I was 15.  Towards the end of high school I started putting together songs and lyrics with friends.  With one friend in particular, I collaborated on what grew to an hour and a half of original tunes by the time we were in our early 20’s.  For some reason, I never had much faith in myself and so joined the working world.  This was a terrible idea on the one hand.  The epic way in which this screwed up my life has led to a deeper, more nuanced writing style.  While I’ve been writing songs for 33 years, I only picked up an instrument 8 years ago with the intent to perform.
    This happened after I moved to the beautiful and economically depressed town of Pictou, Pictou County, Nova Scotia.  Work in the winter is scant at best and I had time on my hands.  My first instrument was a 40 dollar soprano ukulele and my first goal was to turn the giggling into a bit of respect.  My song writing output went through the roof.  I got better ukes, practiced, played and wrote for hours every day.  I felt confident enough to start hitting the open mics.  Something you should know about Nova Scotians…they love and support music, especially local music unlike anywhere I’ve been before or since.
    My initial foray into the open mic scene was intimidating to say the least.  A grown man playing a tiny ukulele to hard nosed fisher-folk, ship builders, sailors and a motley assortment of other, hard drinking salts of the earth; strengthened my backbone.  It gave me a challenging bunch to write for.  I thrived at this.  My skin tingled, my hair stood up, I broke into cold sweats but I did it.  Much sooner than expected, I was welcomed into the fold by musicians and my audience as well.  This is a Nova Scotia thing.  The people were simply beautiful to me.  I was invited to play with musicians far above my pay grade, I was playing 2 to 3 shows a week.  I was getting the ‘nod’ whenever I went for a stroll.  Music gave me access to people young and old for conversation, jamming, writing and 2 way mentoring in a plethora of disciplines.  In short, I found home and if I have my way, I will die there.
    If I didn’t have a mostly open schedule in the winters, I may not have progressed so quickly.  If I didn’t have employment insurance, I wouldn’t have had the peanut butter, Wonderbread and tea that kept me alive.”

    Kent Vodden‘s sparkly, earnest personality was precursor to me opening an email titled, “Guy at the Jimmy Jazz” and while sitting for delicious peameal and eggs at The Augusta Louise Cafe & Bistro I listened to Kent‘s Hot Chicken Sandwich EP and after 3 songs, I knew he had something extra special and I hope to see him gigging around town, and even further!  “Dry Little Cracker” opens the EP and sets the tone with its almost Hawaian ’60s surf-rock ukulele sound.  Playful “Far Out” follows with a fun Uke diddy about reflecting on his far-fetched aspirations.  Album title track “Hot Chicken Sandwich” is a fun, foot stomping blues track played on his electric tenor guitar.  “Me Neither” darkens the mood and shows Kent’s a dynamo, with his sultry darkness yet amusing lyrics.  “Tonto Lamento” is a broody, heartbreaking ballad which really shows Kent Vodden‘s layers.  If this is what he puts together for a 5 song EP, look out Canada!

    Kent is looking for gigs, so be sure to friend him and add him on your shows.

    Download Kent’s 5 song EP

    Image may contain: 1 person, beard and indoor

    Check out Kent on Bandcamp

    *”That’s exactly the sound we’re looking for on Smokestack Lightnin'”*
    – Norman Thompson WUCF 89.9 FM – Orlando, FL, USA

    *”Brilliant EP!”*
    – John Scott – Spark FM 107.0 FM – Sunderland, UK

    *”Outstanding music, made me happ!”*
    – Lucien Knapen Radio Ariane 107.6 FM – Belgium

    *”5 out of 5″*
    – Art Menius WCOM 103.5 FM – Carrboro NC USA

    *”Love Kents voice and lyrics. Definitely an EP to be had by any music loving person. Going on my playlist this week”*
    – Mike Stewart 100.3FM Sydney Australia

    *”Hungry for some fine tunes then get stuck into this HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH Glorious!!!!”*
    – Tom Hamilton Celtic Music Radio – Scotland

    *”Feeling good after hearing this. Five songs well worthy of adding to my playlists! “*
    – Trevox Argyll FM, 106.5 FM, Campbeltown, Scotland

    *”Very good ana original songwriting!”*
    – Massimo Ferro RadioVoceSpazio (RVS) FM 93.8 – Alessandria, Italy

    An earthy roots Folk & Canadiana with traces of Psychobilly-esque undertones. Simon & Garfunkel meet Stan Ridgeway.

    From the three rivers of Pictou harbour in the Canadian east of Nova Scotia emerges KENT and his the debut release “Hot Chicken Sandwich”.

    KENT’s lyrics weave an introspective look at life and community in rural Canada. From the self-examination of lost possibilities (Everyone who knows me, knows I could do better…but me) in “Dry Little Cracker” to the mournful self portrait of “Tonto Lamento” that speaks of anguish “his heart it is a wind swept plain” KENT offers up a revealing personal portrait his own story and life.

    Pictou was a receiving point for many Scottish immigrants moving to a new home in northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island following the Highland Clearances of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Consequently, the town’s slogan is “The Birthplace of New Scotland”; the first wave of immigrants is acknowledged to have arrived on September 15, 1773, on the Hector.

    credits

    releases November 9, 2018

    Kent Vodden-vocals, tenor guitar, cigarbox, ukulele, percussion.
    Jesse King-bass, guitar, keyboard, percussion. Most importantly recording, mixing, and mastering.
    All songs written by Kent Vodden.
    Photographs by Christine Whelan-Hachey.
    Photo manipulation by Benjamin Muntz.

    Jazz-inspired funk with the Jason Raso Funktet

    GUELPH, ON October 11, 2018 – Throughout eight albums and countless live performances, Jason Raso has proven a masterful musician. The prolific Guelph-based bassist, composer and bandleader is joined on stage by his “funktet” during a performance at River Run Centre on Friday, October 26, at 8 p.m. The Co-operators Hall performance is presented as part of the Borealis Music Series.

    Raso is well known for his many contributions to the Guelph music scene during the past two decades. A master of the four-string bass guitar, his music has been heard on public radio and jazz stations around the world. Raso’s most recent musical project is the Jason Raso Funktet, a six-member band combining his outstanding talents with a rich jazz-inspired funk sound.

    “Widely respected as a consummate funk and jazz bandleader,” the Guelph Mercury says of Raso.

    Raso’s 2017 recording Live at The Jazz Room featured eight new original compositions performed at Waterloo’s The Jazz Room. His 2015 album Man of 40 Faces included 11 new compositions, among them eight solo performances and three duets featuring legendary bassist Alain Caron, trombone phenomenon Wycliffe Gordon and vibraphonist Francesco Pinetti.

    In addition to Raso, the Jason Raso Funktet includes Alexis Baro on trumpet, Brent Rowan on alto saxophone, Adam Bowman on drums, Tyler Wagler on guitar and Thomas Hammerton on keyboards. The group promises a pulsating performance music lovers won’t soon forget.

    Tickets to see the Jason Raso Funktet cost $29 for adults, $27 for seniors and students. $20 uGO tickets are available to university and college students with valid ID. $5 eyeGO tickets are available to high school students with valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at River Run Centre box office, 35 Woolwich St. in Guelph, by calling 519-763-3000, or online at riverrun.ca/the-jason-raso-funktet.

    The Jason Raso Funktet is presented by River Run Centre as part of the Borealis Music Series, which also receives funding support from the Ontario Arts Council and the SOCAN Foundation. River Run Centre is funded in part by the Government of Canada and gratefully acknowledges our 2018-2019 season sponsor, The Co-operators.

    FOR INFORMATION

    Nicole Neufeld | Program Manager, Development and Marketing
    City of Guelph
    519-837-5662 ext. 2589
    nicole.neufeld@riverrun.ca

    Revive the Rose Perform Live at Sunrise Records!

    Join us today, Friday October 12th for an in-store acoustic performance by Revive the Rose! Performance will take place inside the Sunrise Records at Stone Road Mall. Don’t miss it!

    A gutsy, every-man band from Niagara. They’re the kind of band that turn heads when they play live. Revive the Rose provides the party and the most powerful shredding rock and roll in town! Telling real stories from an everyday point of view of hit and miss. A collection of honest and straight forward songs touching on themes of life, love, learning, and moving forward. Revive the Rose has conquered Southern Ontario, and always ready to prove that rock and roll will never die.

    The band has quickly made its mark in Southern Ontario, opening for acts such as Danko Jones, The Glorious Sons, The Standstills, illScarlett, The Lazys, The Mahones. After touring in Ontario, their newest lead single “Nine To Five” generated attention at Canadian radio, most notably at 97.7 HTZ-FM. All doing so as an unsigned band.

    http://www.revivetherose.ca/

    HOLY SMOKES MUSIC FESTIVAL OCTOBER 12 & 13 2018 in Downtown Guelph!!

    ? Holy Smokes Music Festival // October 12 & 13 // Guelph, ON ?

    Performances from:
    Witch Prophet, Phèdre, BBQT band, For Esmé, OBUXUM, Falcon Jane, Her Harbour, Savannah Taylor, Nezzy, Tiger Bomb, Annie Sumi, Transstar, BABY CAGES, Frosted Pits, Junglecat, M’Damn D, VERSA

    Tech Crew:
    Amanda Parker, Emma Bortolon-Vetter, Steph Yates, Catalina Novoa Carrasco,Hannah Roth, Danica Evering

    Venues:
    The Common, Take Time Vintage, Kennedy Park, Outpost Vintage + Thrift, The Making-Box, The eBar

    *Accessibility: All venues are accessible except The Ebar*

    Schedule and details here: www.holysmokesmusicfest.com

    Tickets available here: www.eventbrite.ca/o/holy-smokes-music-festival-17782296802

    Playlist listen-able here:
    https://open.spotify.com/user/3m3r7mlqus5mwijuvu3z6bhit/playlist/3NClmaUi5N6ySfP5mUYFRp?si=RGblFPLqTSelA5Tp71A_bA

    Thank you to our generous co-presenters & sponsors:
    Hillside Festival
    Downtown Guelph
    CFRU 93.3 FM
    Kazoo! Fest
    Toque Ltd
    Kennedy Park
    Crafty Ramen
    Royal City Brewing Company

    Cowboy Junkies’ continuing musical journey

    Iconic Canadian band brings new music, old favourites to River Run Centre October 12

    GUELPH, ON September 27, 2018 – One of Canada’s most popular and enduring bands will take the stage when Cowboy Junkies perform at River Run Centre on Friday, October 12, at 8 p.m. The Main Stage performance is presented as part of the Richardson GMP Music Series.

    Known for a uniquely Canadian brand of music that blends country, blues, folk and rock, Cowboy Junkies include vocalist Margo Timmins, songwriter and guitarist Michael Timmins, drummer Peter Timmins and bassist Alan Anton. The group first came together in Toronto during the 1980s, performing its first concert at Toronto’s Beverley Tavern in 1985.

    During a career spanning three decades, the members of Cowboy Junkies have toured the world – including throughout North America, Europe, Japan and Australia – and were twice nominated as group of the year at the Juno Awards. In July, Cowboy Junkies released All That Reckoning, the band’s first album of new material in six years. Featuring songs that focus on personal reflection and political change, All That Reckoning has been met with widespread acclaim.

    “They’ve never repeated themselves, nor backed away from new collaborations or ideas,” Pitchfork magazine says of Cowboy Junkies.

    Since their 1986 debut album, the blues-inspired Whites Off Earth Now!!, Cowboy Junkies have produced more than 20 recordings. The group’s celebrated second album, 1987’s The Trinity Session, was recently re-mastered and re-issued as a double-album vinyl release. Other recent releases by Cowboy Junkies include the 2015 box set Notes Falling Slow and The Nomad Series recordings.

    Tickets to see Cowboy Junkies cost $52 for adults, $50 for seniors and students. $20 uGO tickets are available to university and college students with valid ID. $5 eyeGO tickets are available to high school students with valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at River Run Centre box office, 35 Woolwich St. in Guelph, by calling 519-763-3000, or online at riverrun.ca/cowboy-junkies.

    FOR INFORMATION

    Nicole Neufeld | Program Manager, Development and Marketing
    City of Guelph
    519-837-5662 ext. 2589
    nicole.neufeld@riverrun.ca

    MusicOntario & Rogers Hometown Hockey Looking for 2018-2019 Tour Stop Performers!

    The Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour is proud to announce that Season 5 will roll into 25 communities across Canada this season with a weekend of free outdoor hockey festivities for all ages. Each tour stop is full of activities, prizes, giveaways and great live music from local bands all culminating in an outdoor viewing party of an NHL game broadcast live every Sunday on Sportsnet and Sportsnet NOW. Ron MacLean and Tara Slone host live on site from the Sportsnet Mobile Studio. For more information on the tour stops, please follow Rogers Hometown Hockey on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

    MusicOntario is pleased to assist in the search for local artists and bands to perform at each tour stop! Are you from one of the following cities in Ontario or from a community nearby? Rogers wants you to represent your hometown spirit during these weekend-long mini festivals across the province:

    London, ON: October 20-21, 2018 (Deadline to apply: September 28)
    Burlington, ON: October 27-28, 2018 (Deadline to apply: September 28)
    Nepean, ON: November 3-4, 2018 (Deadline to apply: September 28)
    Aurora, ON: December 8-9, 2018 (Deadline to apply: November 2)
    Chatham, ON: December 15-16, 2018 (Deadline to apply: November 2)
    Mississauga, ON: December 22-23, 2018 (Deadline to apply: November 2)
    Collingwood, ON: December 29-30, 2018 (Deadline to apply: November 2)

    Share with your friends, peers, family and colleagues, and apply here. This is a paid opportunity.

    Questions? Touch base with Sarah Ferries.

    APPLY NOW

    DECATUR Announce Ontario Tour, Debut Album: Guelph Show

    Debut Album Produced By Gojira’s Joe Duplantier

    For fans of Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, In Flames

    DECATUR Announce Ontario Tour Dates

    Debut Album “Badder Than Brooklyn” Out Now!

    Produced By Gojira’s Joe Duplantier

    Unleashing their debut album “Badder Than Brooklyn” produced by Joe Duplantier of Gojira during October of last year along with a lengthy tour across Canada, Toronto-based metal messiahs DECATUR will be kicking off their fall “Buried Out Back Tour”across Ontario a full year after their full length’s release. Their first date of the tour will begin in Cornwall on October 6th and wrap up in Windsor on October 27th. DECATUR has gone through line up changes since releasing their debut album. For this upcoming tour, the band’s live line up features founding member Jay Sarrazin supported by drummer Joey Muha (Jungle Rot, Threat Signal, Lightyears), Anthony Zhura (Caym, Centuries of Decay) and Aidan Keenan (Imperion).

    Check out video of drummer Joey Muha smashing out DECATUR at the following link: https://youtu.be/g7Qc2o7H77I

    The band’s latest music video “Worst Enemy” can be viewed at the following link below. The video is a message from the band to conquer the fight against depression and follows the album’s theme of power and empowerment, a clarion call for strength in life’s battles…healing through headbanging.

    Vocalist / guitarist Jay Sarrazin comments:

    “Worst Enemy was actually the first song I wrote for this album. I was at a pretty dark place in my life at the time. I was struggling with depression and anxiety and was constantly berating myself with negativity. I felt trapped in a box so to speak and I became my own worst enemy. That’s what the song is about and the music video we made emphasizes that emotion of being trapped in that box or in your own head saying all these things to yourself. Throughout the years I have learned to find more coping methods and I am always learning more about myself. Hopefully this song helps other knows they are not alone and to seek help if they need it.”

    Watch “Worst Enemy”  at https://youtu.be/aw5tcKLWlpY

    DECATUR‘s debut album “Badder Than Brooklyn” was produced by Joe Duplantier of Gojira and is all-killer, no filler! It doesn’t hide behind its production; it compliments it. These are truly songs of power and empowerment, a clarion call for strength in life’s battles…healing through headbanging. From the power shredding of “Into The Night” and the storytelling of the album’s title track “Badder Than Brooklyn” to the brutal beat down of songs like “Bottled Inside” and “Internal War”, DECATUR feel modern metal has lost its way and they’re here to provide the roadmap forward to the future! Make no mistake, Decatur are a band that puts the grit into integrity, as guitarist/vocalist Jay ‘Beard’ Sarrazin says, Decatur make “real metal for real metalheads.”

    Named after their very own Street of Dreams in New York, where they recorded their debut album at Silvercord Studios in Brooklyn, DECATUR get their unique sound by being opened-minded, not just to each other in this band of brothers, but to different genres, not just of metal, but also the blues, rock ‘n’ roll and even pop! Decatur’s criteria if it’s good they can make it better! They focus on evolution not devolution. There is no fear of DECATUR repeating themselves musically; for them…the world is not enough. They see themselves as intrepid explorers, never playing it safe, always looking for new lands to conquer, and in the process drawing on creative powers they never knew they possessed.

    “We put a lot of effort into writing real songs and putting out a real album that hopefully touches a broad fan base. Our goal was to make sure that not only every single song had been thoroughly thought through, but that it was given all the attention and passion that we truly felt they deserved. We honestly feel like metal has lost its way a bit and we were set on writing something original and not following the trends of today such as low tunings, aggressive growling and perfectly lined up music and sound. We focused on the realness of ourselves and wanted to produce something that wasn’t always perfect and was as real and as honest as we could be. We did not need or want to hide behind production. We wanted our raw talent to be caught and portrayed to everyone. Our goal was to produce something from the soul, not from the computer.” Says Sarrazin.

    Listen to “Badder Than Brooklyn” full album stream at the following link: https://youtu.be/NyZkV2tx1T8

    Album available on CD, digital download and streaming on Bandcamp, Sunrise Records, iTunesSpotifyAmazon.

    For more info:
    http://www.decaturmetal.com
    http://www.facebook.com/decaturmetal
    http://www.twitter.com/decaturmetal
    http://www.instagram.com/decaturmetal
    EPK – http://wp.me/pciNW-aE6

    (bio written by Steve Earles)

    – 30 –

    “Badder Than Brooklyn is one of those wonderful albums that will give you little to complain about…one of the best heavy metal releases this year. Shatterproof & Internal War Pt. 2 confirm this with the former a very traditional & groove-layered slab while the latter goes for a more melodic approach.” Games, Brrrains & A Head-Banging Life

    “Badder Than Brooklyn is a solid debut album of modern metal that’s worth seeking out.” – Heavy Metal HQ

    “Great for a pounding run or a body-wrecking workout, Badder Than Brooklyn will satisfy fans of metal, hard rock, or good old-fashioned rock and roll.” – Shockwave Mag

    “The energy in the room was electrifying, and it was impossible not to mosh and head bang with intense vigour. The band’s connection on stage was infectious, as it was obvious that these guys loved what they were doing and loved doing it together.” – The Phoenix News – Live Review – Kelowna, BC

    “Badder Than Brooklyn is a formidable effort by these talented newcomers. Considering​ the fact that this is their debut album, I most certainly think that they have nailed it. With memorable and we’ll crafted songwriting, if these guys keep up their work I see a bright future ahead if them. Undoubtedly an album that I will recommend for all Thrash/Groove Metal enthusiasts. That being said I hope they will come back even stronger in their sophomore effort for which I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled.” – Metal Centre

    “Toronto-based Decatur, with their debut release Badder Than Brooklyn, has created a metal album for metal’s sake, a traditionally fast, heavy riffing, drivingly intense set of tunes to be included on an FM radio station in the next installment of Grand Theft Auto playing between Megadeth’s “Holy War…The Punishment Due”, Metallica’s “Battery”, and right after Pantera’s “Walk”.” – Canadian Beats

    ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
    Jon Asher – Music Publicist
    #.514.581.5780 | ashermedia@gmail.com
    Facebook | @AsherMedia | Hire Us

    River Run Centre Media Release: River Run Centre brings Tyler Shaw to Guelph

    Rising star takes the stage to launch River Run Centre’s new Magic Music Now series

    With his sophomore album Intuition dropping at the end of the month, Canadian pop-rock star Tyler Shaw adds the River Run Centre to his lineup on Friday, October 26 at 8 pm. The Main Stage performance launches the new Magic Music Now Series sponsored by Magic 106.1, which showcases up-and-coming stars making a stop in Guelph on their way to the top.

    Shaw is making a name for himself with singles that consistently climb the charts and quickly become fan favourites. Starting with his debut single, Kiss Goodnight spent 22 weeks on the Top 10 lists and ended up going Platinum, landing him opening gigs for Selena Gomez, Kelly Clarkson, and Shawn Mendez, among others.

    This is why River Run Centre Theatre Manager, Bill Nuhn, is launching the Magic Music Now series with Shaw in the house. “We’re exploring the idea of the ‘pop-up concert’ with our new series. It allows us to jump at the chance to bring in talent like Tyler Shaw—to bring in fresh energy, new audiences, and catch performers as their career takes off.”

    For his show in Guelph, Shaw brings with him special guests and rising Canadian pop-music stars in their own right, Kayla Diamond and Alx Veliz. Diamond layers her bluesy vocals over driving beats that have already impressed the EDM community. And Alx Veliz is best known for his unique sound that combines an electrifying, synth-driven pop with Latin rhythm.

    Tickets for Tyler Shaw go on sale Wednesday, September 12th at 11:00 am. Tickets cost $39 for adults, $37 for seniors and students. $20 uGO tickets are available to university and college students with valid ID. $5 eyeGO tickets are available to high school students with valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at the River Run Centre box office, 35 Woolwich St. in Guelph, by calling 519-763-3000, or online at riverrun.ca/tyler-shaw.

    You can also use this link http://riverrun.ca/river-run-centre-brings-tyler-shaw-to-guelph/ to view the post on River Run’s website.

    You can also use this link http://riverrun.ca/river-run-centre-brings-tyler-shaw-to-guelph/ to view the post on River Run’s website.

    Media Contact:

    Angela McEwen
    Marketing and Development Coordinator
    River Run Centre
    519-837-5662 extension 2493
    angela.mcewen@riverrun.ca

    Call for Artwork: Hillside 2019!!

    [FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] Call for Artwork: Hillside 2019

    #HAPPYMAKING PIANOS BACK ON DOWNTOWN STREETS FOR SEPTEMBER

    They’re back… the #HappyMaking project has returned for another month of spontaneous entertainment. Find eight pianos in the downtown core to play your favourite tunes from Don’t Stop Believing, to Für Elise: you can even do you best rendition of Chopsticks.

    Locations include Grey Rock Clothing Co., Planet BeanBreezy CornersRiver Run CentreP.I.N People and Information Network (previously the Volunteer Centre of Guelph- Wellington), and the main branch of the Guelph Public LibraryGuelph Transit will host two pianos, one at Platform #12 and the other in the transit shelter in St. George’s Square.

    This ongoing successful idea all started with community member Ian Findlay. He placed a piano outside his business, Thomas Video in 2013. The response was so positive that the project, in partnership with the Downtown Guelph Business Association, has continued in multiple locations every year since.   Bill Nuhn, Manager of River Run Centre says “River Run Centre is alive with music inside, and fostering a piano during Happy Making Project brings music to life outside as well.”

    More information about the #HappyMaking project can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b2kX3uE9oM

    Play. Tweet. Share. #HappyMaking

    DSTRCT and DSTRCT Lounge turn 4!! Party!!

    Come on out for this Banger of a time Tomorrow night, Wednesday August 29th 2018 and enjoy all the amazing GAIN+ friends have put together for you.  Check this out!

    Big Rude Jake at Jimmy Jazz review by Bry

    Some band cancellations and just the right connections made this night of music possible!  Anthony Damiao happened to be having Big Rude Jake and friends over for a BBQ and they decided to fill in at Jimmy Jazz.

    Anthony Damiao (singer of monster band The Namedroppers) opened the night with his original, unrecorded song “Fuck ‘Em All” and set the tone for the night.  He strummed his guitar and kicked bass/snare to his original, “Moncton” and The Two Man Gentleman Band – “Fancy Beer” among other great tunes.  What a performer!  Much dancing and merriment was had.

    At Midnight Big Rude Jake hit the stage and informed the crowd at Jimmy Jazz that he had a sore throat, so he’d be singing the “Sore throat blues”.  Jake was definitely feeling the effects of a whiskey fueled BBQ but wow could he finger pick!  “His fingers can really dance along on that guitar”, one patron commented.  Later into his set he got more comfortable with the crowd (and less whiskey fingered) and asked for participation and requests. He played folk versions of bands including CCR and Aerosmith.  Someone requested Ray Charles and Jake tuned down his guitar and played a folky version of “Let The Good Times Roll “.  Then he played a soft, jazz-like version of Sex Pistols – “Anarchy In The UK”.  “Cheap Laughs Wilson” he called himself and chuckled during the post song clapping.  A fun acoustic rockabilly version of Eagles – “Hotel California” a short while later that brought a smile to my face.  I got to meet Jake later on and we had a chat.  He’s full of good vibes and big smiles.  You can tell that he really enjoys performing and meeting people.  I recommend checking him out the next time he comes around!

    Punk Rock Flea Market One Year Anniversary!

    Punk Rock Flea Market Guelph is 1 year old!  Come on out to Jimmy Jazz this afternoon and check out the various purveyors of fine punk rock memorabilia/merchandise and of course, enjoy food & beverages while being entertained by Guelph’s own oddball folk punk band, Mac N’ Sleeze!|
    2pm-6pm

    We also recommend you join things like GUELPH ONTARIO PUNK ROCK if punk rock is your thing.  Enjoy!

    Check out these awesome music award opportunities!

    CLICK ON THE POSTERS TO BE DIRECTED TO THE MUSIC ONTARIO PAGES.

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    Baby Labour: Full Legal Stop album review by Ryan Turner

    My dudes in Baby Labour have dumped themselves completely into a fucking killer new full length. The dynamic range, the complexity, the #sicriffs are completely worthy of your attention as a music listener. Been blasting it everyday for 2 weeks and I find new stuff every time I listen. Bravo.”
    #babylabour #fulllegalstop #mathrock #wegotanotherrealcrazylookingbirdhere #blessings? #guelph

    Ryan Turner is a percussionist and all around sweetheart who agreed that we can post this review.

    Grab yourselves a mental copy of Baby Labour‘s new album Full Legal Stop:  How to Make an Album by listening here or here, or here to their bandcamp page https://babylabour.bandcamp.com/album/full-legal-stop

    Battle of the Bands Announcement!

    Tune in to GAIN Music at 5pm for the finale winner announcement!  Thanks so much to GAIN, all the bands, patrons, fans, staff and fellow judges.  Such an awesome experience and Bry was proud to be apart of it.  So excited!

    Franky & Jimmy @Jimmy Jazz Friday night by Bry

    This Delta Blues band is a super fun mashup of modern music and 1920’s style blues!  I love getting to see them when FRANKIE & JIMMY play at Jimmy Jazz (no relation).  I can’t stop smiling when I see these vagabonds play.  The combination of Frankie stomping on his bass drum/tambourine midi board and Jim Fitzgerald Jr. singing through his distortion microphone give an old-timey feel, compounded by the surprising energy and keen, unique, sassy and witty banter twixt the two makes for a really fun show.  They opened up the musical performance with their version of Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World” is an upbeat and honest tone to set for the night.  Jim’s boogie finger is hypnotic.  Much fun, toe tapping and head bobbing was had!  At the end of the set, Jim asked Jason, the bartender:  “‘You wanna put something on your Napster player?” and we laughed….


    Frank’s slide blues scales and Jim’s jam on the harmonica are so fun to watch!  The second set opened with their version of Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs‘ “Little Red Riding Hood” and let us know that this set was going to be even more fun and energetic.  Sweat was pouring out of both musicians as they wowed the crowd.  I bought both a new album they’ve released called “Blues on the Brain” and a bottle of their signature FRANKIE & JIMMY’s Hot Sauce, which I put on more than everything.  Including invading ants.  You gotta check these guys out!

    And here’s a little interview I did with The Vaudevillian and FRANKIE & JIMM in the last month before I was suspended from CFRU 93.3 FM on Underplayed & Underpaid.  Both bands combine to perform a cover of St. James Infirmary at 37:38!:
    http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21qZHFxJ7-k&t=2347s

    The Vaudevillian @Jimmy Jazz last night

    What an awesome show!  Even if your forte isn’t 1920s Delta Blues and ragtime, after listening to The Vaudevillian for a couple songs, I’m sure you’d dig them.

    That was the case last night at Jimmy Jazz, and I watched as patrons who weren’t going to their usual spots like DSTRCT, Frank ‘n’ Steins and Royal Electric because they were either full or weren’t hosting metal music, ridicule the concept that was displayed in front of them.  After a few songs, feet were tapped, heads were nodded and even 2 girls began to have a great time after cutting the band no slack.

    Newly signed to Busted Flat Records, Norah, James and Piedmont have been living their music for a solid number of years, really perfecting their craft.  I had the pleasure of interviewing them twice at CFRU on 93.3fm for Underplayed & Underpaid and got to know the group.  Absolutely lovely folks.  Norah and James (whom are now wed) even lived in New Orleans for a period of time to really soak in the weather and socio political climate left after their genre came and went.  James leads with guitar and vocals, Piedmont slaps and raps on his upright bass and does the audio tweaking, and Norah plays a myriad of instruments like spoons, accordion, and her ever faithful frottoir.

    Here’s their first set list from last night:

    They Caught Us Doing It (video of a performance below)
    You Put it in, I’ll Take it Out
    I Found Your Keyhole Baby
    Let Me Play With Your Yoyo
    Skoodle Un Skoo
    Beedle Un Bum
    Queen of Spades
    Bonnie & Clyde

    Check out their Bandcamp page for a taste of their music, and their Facebook page for bookings or to order copies of their new album!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oY7sts0tQc

    Judging Round 2 BOTB @DSTRCT

    How lucky can I be?
    Seated between Metal Master DWok and Diva Supreme D’eve Archer along with Awesome Jim to judge Battle of the Bands is a new height for me!
    I was nervous, knees weak, arms were heavy, Big Crunch -too much caffeine in my belly… Graciously, I was introduced by Mr. Nik Wever to the crowd and all the kind words that have been directed at me lately had me confident that I could do the battle proud and be honest to the bands.
    Copper Hearts set the tone for the show and played their typically tight adult contemporary rock.  That bar was set pretty high!  Whether on purpose or not, the Steven Page-esque vocals by Jordan and the band’s energetic stage show was fit for any stage.  These guys are a staple for Guelph.  The Breaking English followed and these young, energetic and eager musicians played a variety of covers and originals from country music to R&B.  Up next, Cakeface wowed everyone with their heavy, dirty, New Orleans metal sound.  Last but not least, Apex Moe shocked me with their speed, rhythm and poetry, and extreme energy!  They were like an unbridled wall of sweaty talent.
    These bands should be around for a long time, so go and give their pages “Likes” and watch/help them grow.
    It was a great learning experience, and my time spent with this panel will help me help others down the road.  You all should come to the next battle June 22nd and the finals July 20th!

    Bookmark this site, you won’t regret it!
    http://www.gainmusic.ca/

    Mala Ruckus EPK “People Mountain People Sea” review by Bry

    I first met lead singer Alex Montyro at the Jimmy Jazz (surprise) as Matt Weidinger put his guitar down at the end of his first set, Alex asked him if he could play a song.  Matt agreed, and Alex played his version of “Down in Mexico” by The Coasters.  I was transfixed at the sound, and style of his voice.  I introduced myself and offered him a spot on Underplayed & Underpaid, a radio show on CFRU.fm which I ran for years.  We’ve stayed in contact and he’s sent me updates on their struggles in  Dalian, China, moving to Prague after getting arrested, and then Madrid, Spain.  Their full length album has been released and Mala Ruckus is seeking to tour North America!  How can I help?  Now that I’ve listened to this roller-coaster, dynamic pop-rock album of awesomeness a few times, here’s my break down of their album, “People Mountain People Sea”…

    The album kicks off with up-tempo “Run“, about Bobby, a less fortunate soul whose flighty attitude toward society is vocalized with a bouncy country bass line.  “Run” sets the tone for the album, echoing the band’s attitude through their departure from dictatorial China.   Bobby seems to be the personification of the whole band, and is the character we’ll follow throughout the album.

    2nd Mala Ruckus cranks up the tempo for “Hoverboards” which was actually sent to me a couple of years ago, and I’ve been anticipating this album mostly because of this song!  Such inspirational lyrics about having the mindset of a maverick of your or any time, like:
    “I should have been born in the 40‘s 
    Telling revolutionary stories 
    Passin’ hats in Greenwich bars 
    Swapping songs and comparing scars”

    or

    “I want be the chief of a village 
    Warrior and wiseman too 
    I wanna discover fire 
    Burn it down and start anew”

    I love this song!

    Trees, Fields” cools the tempo a little bit and is a reflective ditty about missing home and family.  I can certainly identify with lyrics such as:
    “The trees don’t know that I’ve been a wanderin’ 
    The fields don’t know I’m home 
    My father seems to have lost a bit of something 
    My mother eats alone”

    And the tempo and attitude picks back up and becomes light and flighty once more, reestablishing a feeling of self-confidence.

    Words” is a feel-good, country love song.  I very much dig.

    Sheets” begins with a vintage style commercial for mind-numbing pharmaceuticals and slips into a Rhythm and Poetry/R&B socio-political feeling about the seemingly cold nature of society, with kind words of wisdom to help lift sunken spirits.  I’d have very much benefited from listening to this in my mid/late teens. “Never been so cold between two sheets. ” resonates.

    “East Hastings” blew me away.  How do these fellas come up with these instrumental ideas, and Alex Montyro nails poignant lyrics that compliment the sensational middle-eastern style beat?  Again, figure it out and tell 18 year old me.  That’d be great!   The transition to the hard-rock ending sounds like it fit so perfectly…

    Nowhere Bound” contrasts so nicely with a light, bubbly feeling, continuing the common denominator of lyrics reflecting on hitchhiking along a stream of consciousness of glass half-emptiness.   With instrumentation brimming with such positivity, it almost ridicules being of the “Have Not” nature.

    Take it Away” escapes the overall demeanor of the album and drops a jam-rock tune about sibling interaction.  Now I wish I wasn’t such a dick to my brother.  When it came to video games, that is.

    Beasts of Our Burden” was also sent to me awhile ago, but this socio-political slow-jam might just make you cry a little.  Maybe don’t try and sing along with it.  Triple doggy-dare you.  It’s really such a beautiful song, layered with violin and great vocals.  Like, seriously.  Watch this video:
    https://youtu.be/vU9XJ7UOvso

    Fire” is the climax of the album, a heavy tune which beckons for end times.  Painting the picture of desolation and lengthy times of misery, “Set the world on fire!”  Bobby might say.

    Ghosts” is reminiscent of Celtic music with pedal-steel guitar, a somber beginning which slams into up-tempo pop-punk-rock with lyrics like:
    “Sometimes you need to bleed out uncomfortably 
    Bathe in your own filth and breath in uncertainty 
    Take a few days on the cobblestone to remember the days broken and alone”

    Barmaid” is a beautiful jam-rock style love tune about a disinterested server who doesn’t reciprocate Bobby’s advances.  After speaking with Alex, he told me it’s actually a metaphor of the draw of your favourite watering hole’s escapism.  It’s a sweet end-cap to this international pop-rock album!  I’m lucky to be able to review it and I thank Mala Ruckus for the opportunity!

    If given the right platform, this international music band could help shape the world.  A piece I will call a masterful display of musicianship and lyric writing/delivery.

    Listen, buy, contact Mala Ruckus at:
    https://www.malaruckus.com/epk

    Check out the dozens of updates to the calendar!

    Including lots of events in July!
    https://musiclives.ca/event-listing/

    Butch Haller @Doogie’s

    What an amazing show!
    Patrons of Doogie’s are so fortunate to be able to be in awe of this music legend, the only performer working longer than the legendary Bruce Hare.   A spectacle, nay, an extravaganza of literally timeless hits written by the illustrious, one and only Butch Haller!

    I entered the sticky floored venue to the original rockabilly “Hanging Tough” covered by NKOTB.  New Kids On The Block’s got nothing on ol’ Butch. That’s how the night started.
    My first glass of beer seemed miniature compared to the magnitude of talent on stage, and also my hand.  The barkeep guessed it was 18 ounces?  When I brought some patrons in from afar, I ordered a pint of Steamwhistle and bartender gave me a pitcher. We’re scene veterans so we bought it with a sly eye and a big tip.  It was cold and accompanied the festivity wonderfully.
    “Spin me Right Round” was the next original Butch Haller song played. “That’s the round and round song I wrote on the toilet” he stated upon finishing his rockabilly masterpiece.
    People were filling in to Doogie’s from the Pablo’s arcade side like crabs in a bucket!
    Super tight band, Butch Haller and His Chesterfield Ramblers, bouncing upright bass guitar and sharp punchy drums. Butch Haller can really rip those blues scales!  Boones Mill Virginia is still seeping out of his bones for our enjoyment.

    The crowd really loves to dance to Butch’s tunes.  I don’t think they can grasp the magnitude of this show.  He played a song which Jason Derulo covered called “Wiggle” and the crowd went wild.
    Butch then commanded , “We’re gonna take a quick break and I’m gonna clean out my colostomy bag, she’s bustin'”
    Then he brought his song which Whitney Houston covered “I wanna dance with somebody.”
    I’m surprised Butch works with a kid on drums who vapes, but he’s a soldier who’s survived the music scene this long; I’m sure a vape pen pales in comparison to his poop bag and various other 93 year old ailments.
    2nd set started with Destiny’s Child cover, and then Britney Spears cover of his orignal “Baby Baby”… So much fun and electricity!  “99 Problems” was the next original.  And I quote, “This next song was stolen from me by a Welshman who was a cock-eye. “You know what that is right? A guy who’s looking at you with one eye and with the other he’s lookin’ at your cock.”  They then played “Freak” covered by Radiohead , “Hound dog” covered by Elvis, “who’d be 97, and a 5000 pound asshole”…  by then the ladies in the crowd were well lubricated and getting sloppy wild.  “Sweet Dreams” covered by Marylin Manson was played and the crowd went feral.  Totally uncultivated.
    Anthony Damiao and his uncle Jim were captivated.  Butch Haller kept saying he was taking a break, taking the stairway to Kevin, then played an original cut that Jimi Hendrix covered.
    Set 3 started with the song The Stones covered, “Turn it Black” and I lost my marbles.  That’s when I stopped writing.  I had to just soak in the staggering, stupendous awesomeness of it all. Too much fun was had.  I hope I get to see Butch again before he’s taken from this sweet, sweet planet.
    What a real gem.


    While you’re here, check out Butch’s brand new show.  Cat tips and more!

    Dave MacInnis Comedy Nights @Jimmy Jazz

    This isn’t your typical music post, but it’s an entertainment post for “the heart of live music” and my favourite dive bar, the Jimmy Jazz!

    For well over a year now, amateur comic Dave MacInnis has been hosting Comedy Night At Jimmy Jazz.  Only having been doing stand-up for a few years, Dave has met and grinded with some really funny pro comics, earning a special place in many a heart.  This is evident when you realize some of the headliners he’s brought to our beautiful little dive bar, such as  Kenny RobinsonTyler Morrison, Shannon LavertyGavin StephensPat Burtscher Jeff LeesonJeff McEneryRon JosolRon Vaudry, and some of the newer, hilarious comics such as Hannah LawrenceTige Wright, Tom O’DonnellAshley Moffatt, Jason AllenJay Freeborn and Chantel Marostica.

    Some nights the room doesn’t get busy until a little later, sometimes it’s 2/3 capacity before the show starts at 9pm.
    Some nights, there’s a lot of self deprecating, morose content.  Sometimes it’s clean as a pennywhistle.  If you’re a fan of stand-up and like to watch artists grow as they try new material on the small room, the Jimmy Jazz 9pm start Sunday nights just might be your new favourite time and place.

    Be sure to visit Comedy Night At Jimmy Jazz and click a like so you can keep up with upcoming headliners and lineup.

    Lipstick Fiction, Bike Thiefs, White Girl Wasted @Jimmy Jazz review by Dana

    For the whole of Saturday night, I was posted up at Jimmy Jazz for the White Girl Wasted/Bike Thiefs/Lipstick Fiction show. The gathering of these bands and their people brought to us an evening of high energy and high humidity, also. For those who weren’t there, it was a great night, and for those who were, there is a good chance that we swapped sweat at some point, and I’m thankful; it was nice to meet ya! 

    Jimmy Jazz is my favourite bar that I’ve ever been to more than once. For me it’s a Guelph staple, in that when friends from out of town visit me, I’ll certainly bring them there – the dive-bar types, anyways. It’s just my favourite bar. Anyone who knows me knows that well, and anyone who doesn’t has probably seen me there before. I live nearby, so I’m there pretty often, and it’s also where I met a lot of my really good friends. One day I’ll be able to call it “my old stomping grounds,” but for now it’s just where I go. A few of the reasons for this being my favourite bar entail a ~$5 menu-till-midnight, a pool table that you’ll likely have to fight me for, a cozy back patio, 365 days of service (seriously) and no cover, ever! Saturday night was especially sweaty, and due to the turnout in support of the bands and the size of the room, it was a bit difficult to find an ideal spot to sit. Alas, I found my corner and my buddies, and I began scribbling my night away. It was hot in there, also. Like, really, really hot in there. All of the beer mugs had been occupied before 11pm, so that everyone could stay refreshed… or unaware of their temperature – either way, people were there and drinking, down for a sweaty show. There was merch laid out across the pool table, and Lipstick Fiction’s glitter board made my game last night seriously extravagant. I didn’t pick anything up that night, but I was wearing a White Girl Wasted shirt, I think one of the last ones ever made. 

    Lipstick Fiction is a “very short, but very loud” 4-piece from Cincinnati. Sporting 2 releases, a full length album and an EP, they are a dynamic, chewy, new wave punk ensemble with vocals that will blow you away. Check out their website below. I found their sound to be most easily compared to a mix between the fast-paced, riff-heavy Iron Maiden and the angsty and explosive Hole, somehow with a voice slightly resembling Eddie Vedder in its clarity. I think they played 6 songs. It could have been 5, could have been 7…. the spaces between songs were fuzzy and filled with feedback which I really enjoyed, but on some occasions I’m not sure if one song was actually two, or if I was experiencing a two-part track’s buzzing intermission. The band said a few words throughout the set, letting us know that they were impressed with their first trip to Canada, and that someone had been kind enough to offer them directions on their way here. Jimmy Jazz as previously mentioned is a small space, with a corner/stage for bands, which I imagine puts a lot of pressure on performers to use their space well, or to expand into other parts of the bar instead (which is more White Girl Wasted’s thing…) Their front-woman, indeed, very short and very loud, moved out of the small corner-stage to hop around and ride out some heavy riffs, killing some time between wails of impressive power and pitch. The drummer was doing well for his allotted space, as well. He was enjoyable to watch. They nailed the power stance and swayed with the crowd during fast and heavy breakdowns, you know, the ones that resemble chaos and doom as it comes running towards you. I mean that in the best way, I really enjoyed their set. The singer’s yells and outbursts of calculated frustrations were at times countered with dreamy ooh’s and ah’s, laid over thick, groovy bass riffs. A series of long screams at the end of their set drew everything together and spit it out at me. I was impressed with their performance.
    https://lipstickfiction.bandcamp.com/

    Bike Thiefs are a self-proclaimed “grammatically inept 3-piece rock band” born of Mississauga. With a matter-of-fact lyrical style and punchy, upbeat highs and lows, the trio very quickly became a band that I consider myself a fan of. Four releases are available on Bandcamp, and Ontario show dates for as soon as this Saturday are accessible below, also. Often compared to the likes of Joy Division, Talking Heads, The Pixies and early endeavours of Weezer, this band is totally up my alley, and I’m stoked to have seen them this past weekend. The band delivers a quirky, beat-focused backbone with fits of speak-sing story-telling laid over healthy pops of distortion, hosting hard pauses for some fuzz before roping the listener back into the craziness and speed of the track. It’s an engaging experience, almost as if to see if we’re still listening, and I think it would be difficult or at least unpleasant to divert attention from such an eccentric, energetic performance. While the sound was quite compact and crunchy, the lyrics and storytelling through them was my favourite part, and the way the singer moved his hands in expression of what looked like release of tension was relieving to watch. I really had a good time, and the audience did, too… It got a little crazy at the end of it, though nothing could prepare me for the headliner, but people were dancing around pretty heavily, knocking over some of the stands and getting pretty close to the artists. They played 9 songs, the closer being a Mclusky cover, which was super fine with me. I enjoyed the heck out of this set, and they’re in my library now. Bike Thiefs’ next show is scheduled for August 16th, in Washington, DC.
    https://bikethiefs.bandcamp.com/

    White Girl Wasted is a noisy 2-piece grown out of Guelph and Waterloo, making “music for sensitive pricks.” Two albums are available online, which I listen to on Apple Music… (not a paid plug, I swear.) The short, spunky fits of frustration and anxiety are incredibly filling and don’t at all resemble the things I fear about 2-piece bands. Genuinely I was impressed with the fullness of the sound and the lyrical depth, which was delivered to me by a small drum kit, an electric guitar, and two mics; the perfect recipe for this kind of calculated chaos. Some songs gave me a vibe of The Hives, and their communicative stage presence reminded me more of Ozzy and Sharon – that’s a joke – but the energy was high and comfortable, as the two were meeting each other halfway and cooking up some tunes for whoever would listen. From the spot right in front of the stage that isn’t actually the stage, the riffs were thick and the screams were loud – the heaviness and noisiness of this band being hand-fed to the audience. Also, beers were being hand-fed to the band… and this was before craziness ensued, which resulted in one member sitting in a recliner with a bag of frozen fruit on his groin later. The front-man, Derek, (no relation to the fruit-groin guy) is a good friend of mine and also completely crazy – with respect to his stage presence, that is… Or anywhere-but-the-stage presence, which is definitely more accurate to say. I watch him lose control of his body every time I go to his shows with other bands like The Story Of. (playing Dstrct for Kronik Fest this Saturday June 2nd) and Frenemy, and it seems like a surge of release, which makes the music that much more fruitful in my experience. For an encore performance, which isn’t a typical occurrence at Jimmy Jazz shows, I made my way to the crowd that had begun to throw down pretty heavily and nonsensically, I even saw a lit cigarette, how edgy. To close the show, Derek made his way through the bar while still playing guitar, jumped onto the two front tables and came tumbling down when one of them broke and kind of folded into itself? It was gnarly. I got beer on my vans, which was even edgier. If you’re interested in being part of this craziness, WGW is playing Jimmy Jazz again on June 22nd with The Namedroppers, another Guelph band, for their album release party. I highly recommend seeing them, it was a great show.

    Dana CK is a freelance writer and co-host of CFRU 93.3 FM radio show Underplayed & Underpaid

    Latta Dinger Trio live @Jimmy Jazz review by Bry

    What a Blues-Rock treat!!!

    Unfortunately it was on such short notice, because these 3 guys are monsters in the tri-city music scene.  The dynamic rock sound of the classic age that these guys encapsulate is astounding. The big sound grooves are mouthwatering.  Taylor Kerr of Crown & Jester and his girlfriend rocked out and screamed.  People around me marveled in the Deep Purple era musicianship awesomeness  and were captivated.

    I was surprised they started so early as the Jazz doesn’t usually fill up until later into the soiree.  Then I found out they were doing 3 full sets!  Gord Stevenson looked like his body runs on auto while he watched Matt for tempo tweaks on emotional groove bits.  A smooth drummer and according to Paul Macleod one of the best song writers around.  Although he forgot his drum stool, he killed percussion on a bar chair!

    Chris Latta‘s guitar tones are amazing.  A million years of work pays off and he barely looks 39 again.  His masterful control of all things guitar power the covered tunes like you were listening to the original, laying on a couch with big headphones on.

    Matt Weidinger, keyboard phenom can hang and bang with the big boys.  Mellow Tenor sax timbre pitch perfect vocals His organ, a 1963 Hammond Wurlitzer A100 with A Leslie speaker that has a horn in it, has a spread of foot petals which play the lower key register.  Basically he played bass keys with his feet, while ripping 2 levels of keys and singing his brains out.  This kid is a keyboard dynamo!   The sound of this instrument adds so much familiar rock ‘n’ roll depth and warmth.  Watching his mic control is also a straight-up lesson.  I miss Matt playing at the jazz and wish it happened more often.  I have a strong feeling it will!

    The first set went something like this, to give you a understanding of what most people missed:
    Rolling Stones
    Traffic
    THE BAND
    The Kinks
    Allman Brothers
    Bob Dylan
    Jimmy Hendrix (Manic Depression was my highlight of the first set!  So tight!)
    Crosby Stills Nash
    Cover of Joe Cocker covering Abbey Road
    Deep Purple

    The 2nd set opened with a super powerful Allman brothers song with an ambient groove, shifted into a powerful, chunky groove, and then more groove.  They groove so groovy man.  The songs you hear are sometimes b-sides where you’d have to be a full album listener to recognize the depth of the artist’s music this Trio covers.  Power.  Smoke.  Lights. Groove Sweaty Shirt.  Precision.  Awesome.  They started to turn it up and Matt told me I’ll love the progression.  The cover “How do you sleep” by John Lennon was so intense!  It’s amazing Matt Weidinger can sing with so much power all night long.  If they played the Jimmy Jazz Guelph September- May, the students would be blown away.
    Keep your eyes on our calendar for the Latta Dinger Trio returning to Guelph!

    Peter Fischer live @manhattan’s music house review by Bry

    I’ve been to manhattans music club 4 times now, twice to interview Guelph wonderful musical Divas Ambre McLean and D’eve Archer, and now twice for swingin’ jazz/blues and ‘za!  This is a classy place with a comfortable tone, and I’ve known some pretty big hitters in the blues/jazz scene play here.  Filling up the Music Lives calendar, I’ve read bios of some pretty monster players on the blues/jazz circuit.  If you want a classy date, I definitely recommend one with great tunes at manhattan’s.

    Peter Fischer moved back to town a short while ago, and I’ve become acquainted with him.  He’s a big karaoke enthusiast and one time he told me he plays piano.  Then a coworker of mine pointed him out one day, while Pete passed by Tony’s Billiards and said, “‘You know who that is?  That’s Peter Fischer, one hell of a sax player.  We had him play upstairs a bunch back in the day.”  Peter goes back on tour at the end of August, so getting to know him has been a treat.

    So the plot thickened.  Through talking with him, I learned he came off a tour with Canada’s Goddo and Loverboy, playing live saxophone on the road and even played on the recording, “You’re my drug” by Godovitz.  One night at karaoke at Jimmy Jazz GuelphI was concerned I had strained my vocal chords and I asked Peter if he knew of any tricks of the trade to fix me up, and he quickly answered, “Yeah, just suck on a few wedges of lemon for a minute and have a sip of water.”  And it worked.  He’s so nice and so humble.  He’s also very music savvy.

    Graduating from Humber College and originally from Guelph, Peter has performed all over the world solo and with various projects.  I refused to watch him play guitar with live band backing at NV Kitchen + Bar because I wanted my first impression of him beyond karaoke to be in the spotlight on the mainstage, on the baby grand at manhattans music club.  Not more than a couple weeks later, here we are.

    Upon entering the music and pizza house, Peter was wrapping up a slower song by John Lee Hooker.  A few more tunes in and Pete noted that he’s shaken off the cobwebs… he hasn’t played piano in a year!  He certainly has a voice for boogie-woogie blues and his fingers still know how to bang those keys ever so sweet.

    As I awaited my Miles (Davis) pizza from the kitchen, Peter serenaded the 1/2 full room with delightful Chicago blues.  Pizza arrived as Peter addressed the crowd, thanking them for their patronage and letting them know he’ll play a few more on the Steinway Baby Grand before he takes a set break.  Then he performed Phil Philips’ “Sea of Love” which I hadn’t heard in probably two decades!  I can’t put my finger on it, but something about him reminds me of Paul MacLeod.  Maybe it’s his age and the fearless ease with which he plays, maybe it’s his genuine persona.

    Check him out if you get the chance June 8th at Tony’s Billiards or hope to see him at various open stages/karaoke nights around downtown Guelph:  https://musiclives.ca/event/peter-fischer-tonys-billiards/

    The “Miles” 12″ pizza starring bechamel sauce/arugula/prosciutto/caramelized onions/mozzarella/garlic/balsamic reduction.  I approve and recommend this pizza.  Jazzy ‘za.

    River Run announces 2018-19 Season

    Guelph, ON May 23, 2018 – River Run Centre launched its 2018-19 Season of professional entertainment today at a public announcement and celebration. This season has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada and their Season Sponsor The Co-operators.

    “Today we are thrilled to share with you not only what stars we have aligned in our coming season, but also to share our thanks towards our very generous partners for their dedication to River Run and our community,” announced Theatre Manager Bill Nuhn. Hot off the heels of their 20th Anniversary Season and happy to share what is coming to the stage, staff, volunteers and community partners all joined in the festivities this afternoon. The launch showcased VIP experiences on a number of shows, perks for In the Spotlight subscribers and the savings and benefits for those who PACK-IT-UP and purchase tickets to four or more shows. “We are very excited to present such talented artists from across Canada and abroad. This season will have something for everyone & SO much more”, says Nuhn.

    In an intimate acoustic performance Serena Ryder, sponsored by Syngenta and Magic 106.1, will open the season onOctober 13, 2018 as part of the Richardson GMP Music Series. The Richardson GMP Music Series offers a wide variety of seven musical acts along with a mystery performance to be announced later this year. Straight from Ireland Celtic folk band Lúnasa will dazzle audiences with their inventive arrangements and bass-driven grooves on October 18. Bringing the heart, warmth and spirit of the holiday world-renowned singer Heather Rankin will share seasonal favorites inPicture Perfect Christmas on December 15. Rockin’ into 2019 I Mother Earth and Finger Eleven unite January 11 for a powerful double-bill 90s CanCon fans everywhere won’t want to miss. On February 23 Canadian songstress Holly Cole, sponsored by SV Law, will bring her jazz/pop, sophistication and wit to River Run followed by award-winning guitaristJesse Cook on March 23Lisa Brokop brings country classics to life in Legendary Ladies of Country featuring powerhouse guests Patricia Conroy and Amanda Wilkinson April 4.

    The Wooly Pub Family Series will bring to life music, magic and a little wild-west acrobatics. Rustle up some funOctober 14 as Cirque Éloize: Saloon will amaze audiences with a musical acrobatic adventure worthy of the greatest Westerns. Sharon & Bram will have the whole family singing-along on October 21 to such children favorites as “One Elephant”, “Tingalayo” and of course, “Skinnamarink”. Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s The Rainbow Fish will mesmerize youngsters with their black-light puppetry November 14. On February 2 Mike D’Urzo and Ray Chance square off in a magic show designed to challenge each other and mystify you in Dueling Magicians.

    The Borealis Music Series opens on October 26 with one of Guelph’s master musicians in The Jason Raso Funktet. This series, sponsored by SOCAN Foundation and Ontario Arts Council will feature talented Canadian singer-songwriters in the intimate Co-operators Hall. A Night with Carl Dixon will showcase just how Dixon’s taken his experience touring with legendary rock bands The Guess Who and April Wine and established his prolific solo acoustic career on November 23. Returning this season for two performances, Guelph songstresses Jude Vadala, Katherine Wheatley and Tannis Slimmon welcome winter in Boreal’s Songs for a Snowy Season November 30 and December 1. With an eclectic mix of chamber folk music through the ethereal voice of a young Winnipeg woman, audiences will feel the strength of our great prairies and all things otherworldly in Raine Hamilton String Trio February 6. Toronto singer-songwriter and two-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee Megan Bonnell will close the Borealis Music Series on March 22.

    GuelphToday.com Comedy Series showcases stand-up comedy favourites. Spend an evening learning just how misery makes funny with the always entertaining Jeremy Hotz October 28. Then on January 24 find out what happens when two CBC Radio personalities are let loose on main stage. You will soon discover hosts Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring don’t just report on issues that matter to Canadians, they fabricate them to hilarious effect in This Is That LIVE! Now in its 16th year touring Ontario, The Just for Laughs Road Show offers the perfect way to sample some of the festival’s funniest stand-up acts on April 11. One of the world’s most recognized comics from Saturday Night Live, Weeds and Happy Gilmore, Kevin Nealon, will set himself apart through his unique sense of humour and dry wit April 25 closing the comedy series and the season.

    The Showcase Series will feature a wide range of entertainment, from Broadway reviews, to ballet and hip-hop biographies. Discover the man behind the world’s most iconic modern musical theatre productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Evita during an evening of story and song celebrating the life and music of Andrew Lloyd Webber in Any Dream Will Do on December 1. In one of the world’s oldest surviving ballets, Canada’s Ballet Jörgen performs a comedy of love, Coppélia, on stage January 20 in a captivating tale of a lonely and disillusioned toy maker who wishes he could bring his toys to life. Shaun Boothe: The Unauthorized Biography Series will be held on February 7 as River Run will pay tribute to Black History Month in a dynamic hip-hop presentation recounting the lives of influential figures such as Bob Marley, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

    Your favorite Wooly Kinderconcerts introduce pre-school children aged five and under to the rich variety of instruments and sounds of the symphony with members of the Guelph Symphony Orchestra. This coming season the orchestra will perform three new arrangements based on the fairy tales Sleeping Beauty on November 24, the Sorcerer’s Apprentice on February 2 and Mozart’s Magic Flute March 30.

    The biggest announcement of the afternoon came as Nuhn revealed that River Run will present not only a world class line-up of musical legends, but also two new series punctuating this season’s so much more. Miijidaa Life Stories and Magic 106.1 Music Now Series reach beyond the classical, country and even music in some cases. The first, Miijidaa Life Stories, is a unique set of conversations with influential members of our global artistic community, hosted by Cameron Smillie. For the premiere of this series Smillie will interview Toronto-based Artistic Director and Founder of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre Santee Smith November 7, Grammy and Juno Award winning singer-songwriter Dan Hill January 23 and world famous musician and author Ian Thomas March 20. Each evening will be like a perfectly mixed cocktail. Two parts conversation, one part live music (or video clips in the case of Santee Smith) followed by a VIP post-show meet and greet. These dynamic conversations will allow you a glimpse into the story behind the stars.

    Magic 106.1 Music Now Series will rock your socks off! Tailored to today’s generation of indie music, trending apps and what’s sick, this series will headline three Canadian indie rock/alternative bands as they perform throughout Southern Ontario. To capture the most up-and-coming stars this series will be announced during the season so be sure to stay connected to River Run through their In The Spotlight E-news to hear it first or listen to Magic 106.1 and CFRU 93.3FM for all the exciting details.

    With a star-studded season announced PACK-IT-UP tickets are now on sale with single tickets on sale May 30 at 11 am.PACK-IT-UP and save 20% by creating your own package of four or more shows. Visit riverrun.ca/pack-it-up and discover the benefits. As part of the uGO program, tickets for university and college students are $20 each and through the eyeGOprogram, high school students may attend for just $5 each on River Run Presents performances. Tickets may be purchased online at riverrun.ca, by phone at 519-763-3000 or in person at the Box Office from 11 am to 6 pmMondaythrough Saturday.

    FOR INFORMATION

    Angela McEwen

    Marketing and Development Coordinator

    River Run Centre

    519-837-5662 extension 2493

    angela.mcewen@riverrun.ca

    The Lifers live review by Dana from Underplayed & Underpaid

    This is the first review of any kind that I’ve written for Music Lives. Hey, I’m Dana. Last night I went to a show and now I’m going to write about it, I guess. I have a tendency to say more than I need to, but I’ll really try not to overdo it.

    To celebrate yesterday’s release of their new album, “Honey Suite,” The Lifers threw a concert bash with their entire “folkestra” of 12 talented musicians, as well as Annie Sumi who began the festivities warmly with her own tunes. The show was the starting point of their now-in-motion tour, named “The Sisterhood of Sound Tour,” which will take them across Ontario and Eastern Canada, and through USA and Europe until mid-July.

    The venue, the Royal City EMC on Quebec St., was the perfect venue to host this dreamy duo. With white sheets veiled across the stage and hung behind the performers, and bouquets of flowers standing beneath high-strung twinkling lights, the performance gave me an incredibly cozy feeling through its aesthetically pleasing display. The volunteers of the venue were very kind and hospitable, helping with ticket and merchandise sales, and the church itself is gorgeous. It felt very pleasant and intimate to be in a sacred space with women singing their praise to life itself. The energy was very positive and kind.

    Tickets were $20/PWYC, and the evening was packed with concert essentials, like a food and drink station, a merch table, and readily available information about the band’s partners for the event: Hillside’s Girls & Guitars program, CFRU 93.3 FM and the Grand River Conservation Foundation (GRCF). From this list you can gather what is most important to the artists. A portion of the sales will go to fund the availability of terrariums, aquariums and other homes for the creatures of the Nature Centre at Guelph Lake. The urge to shift from an attitude of complacency to action was expressed in the contexts of gender equality, mental health and the environment by The Lifers’ front-women Liv and Anita, alongside Annie Sumi, and several of their closest supporters.
    One really cool thing I’d like to mention, also, is that the dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free cupcakes that were available for purchase were interchangeably topped with honey comb, or sweet potato…. Get it? Honey… Sweet…? Nice. Additionally, all of the shirts that were sold were purchased secondhand and then printed upon, to more practically express their dedication to the improvement of attitudes toward the environment. I was impressed by all of this.

    And now, for the music:
    Annie Sumi is described online as an “ethereal writer with a voice that expresses the strength and kindness of the wind.” She has a new album, “In The Unknown,” which she has made known through appearances across Canada, on CBC, and community radio. In a separate folk-jazz quartet project, The Hidden Roots Collective, she has received nomination for a Canadian Folk Music award. To read more about her on her website, click here
    http://www.anniesumi.com/newsite/

    Her opening performance was beautiful. She appeared barefoot, between Liv and Anita accompanying her with a guitar, an accordion, various modes of percussion, and sweet, calculated harmonies. Behind them was Jill, the cellist of The Lifers, to draw everything together solemnly and beautifully. Performing 8 original songs, some with and without other performers, her dreamy, windy voice told lyrical stories of the prayers embedded in nature, walking through cities at night, and the beauty of the little things that help one “Get By.” In impressive depth, her lyrically dominant verses paired with sweet, strong harmonies made me feel fuzzy. The energy between all performers on stage during her set was very warm and tingly. Also, she has a killer voice. I enjoyed her performance thoroughly.

    The Lifers are described by their website as “an art-folk/rock collective,” with dynamic “vulnerability and strength.” You can read more about them from their website here http://www.thelifersmusic.com/   While “Honey Suite” features 12 musicians, the group is typically a bit smaller during live performances. This album release, however, is the only time that all 12 members have been on stage together, and the energy was awakening. At one time during mid-set banter, it was said that this was the most fun they had ever had, and that it seems to get better when more of the band is present. Some of their Sisterhood of Sound tour dates will feature the 6 core members, and some will be performed solely by Liv and Anita.

    Prior to the beginning of their first chorus, it felt as if the whole room was going to explode in anticipation. I could feel the excitement of the whole folkestra being on stage, finally ready to showcase their hard work on Honey Suite. Liv and Anita had reemerged in similar all-white outfits, as if the purity of their music had manifest externally. What is also pure about their performance style is how the front-women interact with each other non-verbally while playing; the way that they look at each other is both intriguing and calming. Their songs are at times thunderous and roaring, yet spaces are given between heavier breakdowns to hear two strong voices become one and circle to fill the whole church’s space. I tried my best to count the assortment of instruments used, though I wasn’t able to see the entire ensemble from my seat. I counted 16 (someone please let me know how I did,) but the way everything blended together made it comfortably challenging to hear performers individually. It was a beautiful togetherness, orchestral and lush. The rich and warm timbre of their general sound is signature to folk music, which they totally nailed, yet the eeriness of other songs created a new kind of warmth, in dissonance and airiness. It’s an eerie airiness, like the happiest little ghosts soaring through the wind into my heart through my ears. After the album was played through, a few classics were played, and I enjoyed myself during those, as well. The violin always makes me want to dance.

    The band left the stage after a high-energy reminder of their fans’ favourite songs, but came back for their thank-you acknowledgements, and a special birthday message for Liv and Anita’s mother on her birthday. To finish the show, the audience was taught a sweet chorus and was asked to sing it with all of the performers on stage, backed by a steady yet twinkling ukelele riff. It was a cathartic experience and I generally can’t keep myself together during beautiful community engagement experiences like that, but it was amazing. It appeared to me as excellent showmanship, to include the audience like that. What a way to end a show.

    I had a really pleasant time at this event. Now that I’ve heard the entirety of “Honey Suite” through, I thoroughly recommend it. It was a beautiful experience to have heard it live. Congratulations to The Lifers for their success at this release. I’m thankful to have been there.

    Michale Graves Show Review/ The First time I heard The Misfits by Nick Clark

    I’ve seen the back patch. I’ve heard the hype and how great they are. I still didn’t listen. Even after tonight I won’t go out of my way to. After much persuasion from friends, I caved and went to see Michale Graves of Misfits.  Having never really heard The Misfits I didn’t really know what to expect, except for “horror punk”, whatever that is, and makeup. That was about it. Loud, fast and maybe scary, music.


    I got to Dstrct a bit late as I had to work. Missed most of the opening acts (Sorry Jim) but was still hopeful. The ones I did catch were decent, definitely fitting for the show.
    The NastiesNim Vind, Argyle Goolsby and the Roving Midnight
    The energy was there for sure. Make up, check. Constant singing along from the crowd, check. While others felt nostalgia, I just heard new music for the first time. Hard and fast. That’s how I like my music.Michale Graves did not disappoint. I still don’t fully understand what horror punk is but I think I like it. I went in not knowing any songs and left still not knowing any. Except for Halloween, because AFI covered it.


    By  Nick Clark, freelance writer, operator of Pressed by Nick buttons and organizer of Punk Rock Flea Market Guelph

    Breaking News: Rufus Wainwright plays River Run Centre!

    View the event listing here:
    https://musiclives.ca/event/an-evening-with-rufus-wainwright-river-run-centre/

    Tunes Tuesday: The Namedroppers album My Funny Hypochondriac review by Bry

    The Namedroppers album, My Funny Hypochondriac review by Bryan McNeill
    Online sample:  https://namedroppers.bandcamp.com/

    This is a monster band with Stephen GombocMichael Di FeliceSammy Duke, and Anthony Damiao all coming together for a funky, psychedelically jazz infused masterpiece.

    The opening song Hall of the Mountain Thing is explosive and playful with Anthony Damiao‘s familiar caterwauling.  Some interesting sped up guitar arrangements reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons and classic rock, while adding to the overall introduction of the album.

    Hey Man IMO is a total rip on the average North American.  “I’m completely harmless” in the face of the destructive forces of our decaying culture.

    The Smartest Man Alive is a latin shift and I think it’s about me.  That’s how it makes me feel, my tongue nearly severed again, but by my molars instead of incisors.  Very tongue in cheek.

    My Funny Hypochondriac emphasizes and pokes fun at the waste of time and money hypochondriacs pose on the medical complex.  More of an overall ridicule of overly populous human nature in my opinion, and the album is aptly named.  This is a very fun and cerebral piece of art.  And fun.

    Black Tie Optional  basically sums up the ridiculousness of average living, but also has me hearing, “black tie a$$hole” and closes with a Trumpy “China” which I loved.

    Feature Film reminds you of how most people see the world, and yells a wake-up call.   Sick, upbeat rock ‘n’ roll.

    Bad Reaction begins “There’s a hole in every pocket, a noose in every tie, a waiting room for all your petty problems” makes thoughts happen. At 2:23 the song takes off into a cartoonish surf-rock and then jazzy saxophone.  ‘Turns into a banger, maing.

    Folie a Deux, the last song, if you don’t doze off by the sultry, sweet, light guitar that I thoroughly enjoyed for the first 3:20, gets into some really explosive jazz.  A mental breakdown on the guitar leads back into a frenzy of awesomeness and then develops into a wild arrangement of their familiar instruments.  I won’t tell you how, but the very end reminds me of a Dirtybird song that Uncle Anus gave me.
    The first 6 songs pull you in and the last 2, making up half the album, really deliver a great display of talent.   I’m quite happy being one of the first to hear this album and write about it.  ‘S really good.

    Some of these songs will make their way into my gym playlist, for sure.  I’m curious to peel the onion of this album!
    Check out Anthony at his regular Monday night Open Stage for The Cornerstone and buy this record.
    Can you find the cancer?  100 points to anyone who can.  They might buy you a drink.

    Block Parent’s album “Amongst The Hurtin Mess” review by Nick Clark

    Amongst The Hurtin Mess is the full length debut of Cambridge punks, Block Parent. First released on cassette on May 11th at Jimmy Jazz and the CD being released on June 3rd at Pin Up.

    At first listen you would never guess they are only a 3 piece band because they have the melody and energy of at least 5 people.  10 short and to the point songs. Well the last track gets kinda lengthy, so we’ll call it 9 bursts of fun and one that never ends.
    Chugging guitar powerchords faster than you can finish your beer. A bass guitar that is pretty much a second guitar and drums constantly punching you.  It’s like getting hit in the face with a snare drum and then having a beer handed to you. You really can’t go wrong.

    I was lucky enough to catch the tape release on Friday. Well worth the hangover and ringing in my ears.
    For fans of Brutal Youth, Hostage Life, Closet Monster and having fun.

    Listen to the album here:
    https://blockparent.bandcamp.com/album/amongst-the-hurtin-mess-2
    Favourite track- “We all wear masks”, metaphorically speaking

    Upcoming CD release at Pin Up Arcade Bar:
    https://www.facebook.com/events/271453496728219/

    By  Nick Clark, freelance writer, operator of Pressed by Nick buttons and organizer of Punk Rock Flea Market Guelph

    Also, Closet Monster doesn’t seem to have a page, so here’s one of their videos.

     

    Battle of the Bands and more wandering downtown by Bry

    Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, people sitting
    I ran up to Dstrct at 935pm, grabbed an Amsterdam 3 speed and dug into the first band ILLICIT which had just started playing for BOTB.  Decent pop punk sound maybe need some more stage time.. 3rd song they switched instruments and covered Foo fighters’ “Everlong” with the drummer singing… I wish I could be a fly, nay, a caterpillar on a shoulder between Derek Prince-Cox and Aaron Dale.  The band finished strong with an up tempo unrecorded punk heavy song. It’s really cool to see a rather green band be able to consult judges after their set about their performance.  I guarantee Illicit received some great advice from the panel!  Catching up with Nik Wever between bands I expressed how cool having bandswalk up to judges after their set was, and we talked about the new dynamic of  GAIN Music‘s BOTB not just being a popularity contest to sell tickets.  It’s an honest music and community exercise designed to also help the bands grow and network.

    Image may contain: 4 people, people smiling, people standing
    Copper Hearts from Guelph has few members of a band I’ve known for years called Lion Under Stars who have a hard blues rock sound and really showed their experience by keeping their radio-ready sound and set tight. Neat drum opening to a song that sounds right out of a big L.A. 90s rom com soundtrack.  Awesome guitarist.  Singer Jordan Fergin has some great songwriting skills, a humble mic presence and was thankful to play at BOTB  before ripping into their final song.  Enjoy!  https://copperhearts.bandcamp.com/track/believe


    Then I slipped over to the Jimmy Jazz for a quick Stock Ale and caught speed punk Frank Dux for their last 2 songs. I recommend if you love high-energy punk music!  Splash this in your ears:  https://frankduxpunk.bandcamp.com/album/parts-unknown-ep-2 

    Image may contain: 3 people, people standing, grass, sky, outdoor and nature
    So, I rushed back to  Dstrct for the final BOTB band Cousin Jack from Barrie… rocking country!  Reminds me of a small northern town The Stanfields, but blending blues and folk with arena rock energy as a trio! Ladies and gentlemen and others, we have a competition! Black crows-esque sped up country lyric delivery wowed me; this judging thing must be difficult. Awesome vocals and guitar from this upbeat band who then delved into a funky chunky tune. Then an inspirational sounding, tom heavy rock tune. I have a new fav Barrie band now.  Sorry, Sleepless.  Step it up, Strays.  Scope this:  https://cousinjack.bandcamp.com/track/hometown

    Then I stumbled over to jazz and caught Block Parent, another great punk band. Great packed room and lots of love.
    I’m sad that I have to go home and write, but I’m working and my ferrets need to play.  Taste:  https://blockparent.bandcamp.com/album/block-parent-to-live-and-die-in-cambridge-ep

    Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, people on stage, people playing musical instruments and guitar
    Omw home I stopped by Doogie’s and caught The Hot Karls for a couple songs including pop punk tune All The Small Things by Blink 182.  That’s supposed to be “My Jam” but I felt old.  They’ve been a Doogie’s staple for what seems like a decade and for good reason, they get the place jumpin’.  Downtown Guelph is packed with awesome live entertainment, and I only stopped at 3 venues.
    Wanna feel old?  https://www.facebook.com/thehotkarlsband/videos/10150105240226257/
    BTW should I get a camera?
    Ya?  Well, I was there, man.

    Check out all the live music events tonight!

    https://musiclives.ca/event-listing/list/

    River Run Centre: 2018-19 Season & SO much more!

    GUELPH, ON, May 10, 2018 – River Run Centre will announce its 2018-19 Season of professional entertainment at a FREE PUBLIC LAUNCH on Wednesday, May 23, 2018. Several exciting additions to the season will be announced along with confirmation of a line-up that will offer the community a rich diversity of performing arts experiences from Guelph, across North America and from around the world.

    Discover what stars River Run Centre has aligned for you with the launch of their 2018-19 Season!

    The launch event will also feature a brief preview performance showcasing the quality, artistry and diversity of the coming season.

    WHAT

    Announcement of River Run Centre’s 2018-19 Season

    WHO

    City of Guelph Councillors
    Corporate sponsors and advertisers
    River Run Centre staff, volunteers, donors and patrons

    WHERE

    River Run Centre, 35 Woolwich Street, Stage Door (Main Stage)
    Parking available at Elizabeth Street lot (lot entrance located between 39 and 53A Elizabeth Street, across the street from Red Chevron and Woman in Crisis building)

    WHEN

    Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.

    Please RSVP to rsvp@riverrun.ca or by calling 519-837-5619

    Media Contact:

    Angela McEwen
    Marketing and Development Coordinator
    River Run Centre
    519-837-5662 extension 2493
    angela.mcewen@riverrun.ca

    Music Monday: Conductor -/mixed_media/ album review by Nick Clark

    A new electronic project of one-man-musical -machine Matthew Davey from Guelph, ON.
    His music sounds dreamy, ambient and overall just plain weird. A mix between Aphex Twin and MGMT. Great for sitting outside in the sunshine waiting for a bus.
    /mixed_media/was released this past Friday May 4th as a collaborative effort from Pink Lemonade Records and 3 Nine Cassettes.

     

    Music Monday: Do we have your live music event listed?

    If not, click “Submit An Event” right there on the left!  We’d really like to promote your Guelph show on our site.. ‘s what we do.

    The Dead Souls – Joy Division Tribute Band @Jimmy Jazz

    Downtown Guelph was packed last night, randomly, after the students have gone home.  What a time!
    The Dead Souls film every show and tonight was a good one to capture.  They wowed the Gen X crowd with their first set and I was able to catch up with bass player Dave for a quick chat after they finished their set with “Love Will Tear Us Apart”.
    He filled me in on Kevin’s tenure at UofG’s video department and a little about their online presence at The Dead Souls on Facebook and Instagram.
    They can be found on Youtube at Kevin Hogg‘s page https://www.youtube.com/user/rebelmachine where you can check out pretty much all of their performances!
    There’s a lot of REALLY cool footage on there, like GWAR Unmasked’s set in GUELPH at the 519 Punk Reunion!
    Dave assured me, “You’ll love the second set, it’s a lot heavier” so I waited and I did.  The crowd loved it.
    The band ended with “24 Hours” and were brought back the the stage for “Transmission” which drove the crowd wild.  Thanks to all for the great time!

    Tunes Tuesday: May’s Live Music Calendar!

    Look at all the things!!
    https://musiclives.ca/event-listing/2018-05/

    Falcon Jane @ Brothers review by Nick Clark


    This (past) Saturday I saw Falcon Jane headline a show at Brothers Brewing Company.
    Falcon Jane are a small five piece band from Orangeville, ON. This was their first time playing in Guelph and they were welcomed with a room filled with people. Warm guitars were blended with the smooth vocals of both Raquel Hardy and Sara May. They have a nice folk- alternative sound and I would definitely recommend checking them out. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
    https://falconjane.bandcamp.com/
    Nick Clark also operates Pressed by Nick buttons for all your button needs.

    80’s Dance Night ft. The Spoons night review by Bry


    Www.thebomblive.com

    I arrived at The Guelph Concert Theatre at 8pm and could sense there was something noticeably different about the attire.  80s! Not full blown Kim Wilde hair and sharp cheekbone blush, but definitely some old jackets got dusted off for this night.

    We were marinated in 80s hits such as “True” by Spandau Ballet, and “Shake it Up” by The Cars.
    At 8:11pm fog hit the stage and I got excited. After all, George Chuvalo spoke at my high School in Guelph back in the 90’s and he beat up Mohummad Ali for 12 rounds and then went dancing with his wife while Ali went to the hospital. Oh, but Ali won the fight. Apparently Mr. Chuvalo wasn’t feeling very well, so he couldn’t attend. Bummer! What an inspiration.
    So anyway, about 8:20pm SPORTSCASTER & AUTHOR – John Gallagher addressed the stage, and introduced Doug Todd who farted and spoke about the 50/50 prizes: George Chuvalo boxing gloves, Sandy Horne’ s guitar proceeds to sponsor the under 14 Rockwood soccer team who are really kicking butt.
    Shortly thereafter, THE BOMB – 80’s Tribute Band started with “I just can’t get enough” by Depeche Mode and the dance floor started to fill up immediately. The singer transitioned into Icona Pop’s “I Love It” and the singer raised his voice to hit the notes! Pretty impressive.
    Then the band moved into “Enjoy the Silence” by Depeche Mode and the place was rocking. The sound in The GCT is great. I started standing behind the sound tech’s booth and then moved around to check it out and even way in the back corner, the sound was crisp. This crowd was getting a great experience! Then the band went into “Let’s Go” by The Cars and you get the idea. Tears for Fears, Frankie Goes Hollywood, Simple Minds.. the lead singer Scott hits every note beautifully. Then a saxophone joined the stage and the band played Duran Duran. InXS’s “Devil inside” really got the crowd jumping! I want to do it for karaoke.  The sax and Scott’s screams synched wonderfully. When he strapped on his acoustic electric and began to strum the chords to “Faith” by George Michael’s? The crowd went wild.
    I Melt with You by Modern English was covered… et cetera.
    These 80s fans can still move
    A-Ha “Take on Me” finished their set at 9:23pm
    George Chuvalo joined the room via video and a response video was made while stage hands set up The Spoons’ gear.  I was told he wasn’t feeling well by a staff member, but in fact, he was in California accepting an award!  I should have listened to John Gallagher better!

    http://www.spoonsmusic.com/
    10:08pm The Spoons opened with Arias & Symphonies!  Instant crush on Sandy Horne. A regular at the poolhall said the Spoons are a 2 piece with digital drums but not for this show.  ‘Poor guy’s missing out.  I decided it’s time to put my phone away and enjoy The Spoons.
    Sorry – not sorry! Pull up a playlist and enjoy..
    Gord Deppe can really play guitar.
    The Guelph Concert Theatre is a terrific venue and thanks to all those involved for an amazing experience.
    The spoons were wrapping up, so I ran over to DSTRCT to catch Taylor Kerr’sband Crown & Jesterwho really surprised me with their presence and great pop-punk tunes.

    https://www.facebook.com/CrownAndJester/

    Then I went to the Jimmy Jazz to hear The Essential Letdowns crush some old school live punk music.
    Such a crazy party tonight, downtown wide!
    https://www.facebook.com/EssentiaLetdowns/


    I <3 downtown Guelph!

    Album Review: TWO DUDES in Alex’s Bedroom


    Cody James McDusa and Evan Vander Woude have created an 8 song folk/punk album that will hit you in the “feels” and also make you think.  A Socio-political, 8 song spread that has a lot to acoustically offer.  And some banjo!
    Lots of pensive lines, lots of rawness, awareness and depth.  These two beauties put together a sweet piece of art for the Guelph community that Bryan  believes could resonate world wide.

    TWO DUDES in Alex’s Bedroom
    1.  More People Should Know Who Matt Pless is by Evan Vander Woude
    2.  Some Stupid Metaphors and Shit by Cody James McDusa
    3. Someone Needs To Start a Revolution So I Can Like it On Facebook by Evan Vander Woude
    4.  Write a Happy Song by Cody James McDusa
    5.  The Absurdist by Evan Vander Woude
    6.  As You Know by Cody James McDusa
    7.  Optamist Prime by Evan Vander Woude
    8.  Don’t Stop Hugging Me by Cody James McDusa

    Recorded and Produced by Alex Snape in his bedroom.
    Album layout and design (including claymation) by Negative Underground.
    Bryan wants to see more of Negative Underground’s work.

    Contact the Two Dudes for copies at:
    https://www.facebook.com/evan.woude
    https://www.facebook.com/cody.mcdermid

    More at:
    An interview with Evan
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vwKJ8f_JXY
    Mac N’ Sleeze
    https://youtu.be/zDlItDi61gw

    Contact us for album an album review.  You’re already here.  :*

    Check out tonight’s events!! Whoa!

    https://musiclives.ca/event-listing/list/

    HAPPY RECORD STORE DAY!


    Be sure to visit Royal Cat Records downtown Guelph and grab some sweet, sweet vinyl:
    http://royalcatrecords.blogspot.ca/

    Lots of new events for The Stampede Ranch, The Shakespeare Arms, and more!

    Check out the calendar!!

    The Wok Show Podcast

    Fans of music on the heavier side?  Wanna get to know some of the local personalities involved?
    Look no further!
    “I aim to have fun conversations with people that do something beyond their daily grind or that have worked so hard towards their passion, that it IS their daily grind!”  Derek Prince-Cox
    https://media.zencast.fm/the-wok-show-1

    Hang in there, folks!

    Bryan has been plugging away with new events, but with Facebook under such scrutiny for their info leaks, WordPress can’t import events currently… Bryan will prevail!  <3 Live music

    Happy Good Behave Friday! Check out this weekend’s shows on our ‘events’ page!

    https://musiclives.ca/event-listing/list/

    Sate and Solhounds live at the Guelph Concert Theatre

    Mitch Lawson, our freshest volunteer attended Friday night’s performance by SATE at the Guelph Concert Theatre and here’s his review of the night!

    “So before I get this all kicked off; Welcome to the musiclives.ca official Facebook/website feed for everything you need to know about the major events going on each week/month in and around the city. This is my personal introduction to such an endeavor and I couldn’t be more excited! I grew up in Orangeville and being a small city with a whole plethora of talented musicians and artists I learned the importance of a local music scene very early on in my music loving life, as well as the impact it makes on the community. I hope everyone takes the opportunity to read my reviews and thoughts on the matter each article that comes out.

    This past weekend I had the special pleasure of seeing Sate with Solhoundsat the Guelph concert theatre. Not knowing too much already about Sate and nothing of the Winnipeg Heavy Grunge group Solhounds, I seriously went into this show with my mind a blank canvas. And I have to say, I emerged with a great appreciation of both groups of artists, as well as, a few great tunes to add my ever expanding playlist of great road-trippin’, head shaking songs.

    First off anyone who has been to Guelph Concert Theatre already knows that it is a great stage. A venue that offers big sound combined with an intimacy that lets you feel like you are being personally performed to. This was unfortunately the actual case with the show I attended on Friday Night… Where was everyone? Sure, these are up-and-coming artists trying to pave their way to true fame but they are both bands that seriously put on and amazing show and in the case of Sate especially come from a family background of great Canadian musicians. So the turnout was seriously depressing but also allowed for the bands to put on a seriously intimate performance.

    The show opened up with Solhounds putting out a huge raspy number that really set the precedence of what to expect from this rib-rattling bass heavy group. Pumping out huge heavy tune after huge heavy tune the set was dotted in the middle by songs about guns, abortions and feminism. Not everyone’s cup of tea but bringing up serious issues that plague our society today. Lead singer Elise Roller is a mix of falsetto highs to deep raspy grunge put meaning and feeling to issues that make you feel just what they intended. I was seriously impressed by the Winnipeg, Manitoba outfit and hope to hear more in the near future. They are playing multiple shows throughout Ontario in the next few weeks including London, Hamilton, St. Catherines, Toronto and finally Ottawa.

    Now I feel Sate deserves a bit of an introduction. Being the daughter of predominant blues and jazz musician Salome Bey, also known as “Canadas First Lady of Blues” and being an Honourary Member of the Order of Canada. Sate is a Toronto artist who is becoming seriously recognized nationally and even going as far as having her debut album, RedBlack&Blue being called one of the most anticipated album of 2016 by the Globe and Mail. Sate has beautifully blended her soulful and blues-like vocals to the next level by writing songs that pack a serious punch. It is a beautiful blend of Rock and Soul that seriously begs to be heard. From songs like “Warrior” that make you want to jump right out’ your seat to crowd sing-alongs like “What Did I Do” Sate is seriously a band that (like myself) you should be adding to your favourite playlists. As an extra special treat, as if the show wasn’t already bursting in intimacy Sate added two first-time-ever-played-live songs from her upcoming album The Fool which Sate has said we will hear a piece of (very hopefully) very soon.

    Thanks for taking in my first review on musiclive.ca page fellow music lifers! I will be posting my next article with the acquiesce of our wonderful Commander-in-chief Bryan McNeill. Please get back to musiclives.ca for any feedback or comments and continue to check up on the site for local show times and venues!”

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